Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $420 [ cork 50mm, ullage 12mm; original en primeur price $352; cepage CS 53%, Me 37, CF 9, PV 1, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, 60% new; 64% of total crop in the grand vin this year; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 27 – Oct. 15, 2010 was particularly dry and relatively hot – climate data characteristics of great Bordeaux vintages (1929, 1945, 1947,1959,1961,1989, and 2009). Wine: ... Perfect maturity and tannins of the grapes, brought a balance between power and elegance, abundance and finesse. The tannins are silky and smooth with complex aromas … ; the 2010 en primeur campaign was and remains the most expensive ever offered. The wines are therefore now rare in New Zealand. Neal Martin, Vinous, 2020: The best 2010s on the Left Bank are some of the greatest wines you will ever drink; J. Robinson, 2015: Dark, concentrated purplish crimson right out to the rim. Brooding and magnificent. Still lots to give. Heady and dense and very Montrose. Substantial and with masses of backbone. Admirable. 2022 – 2040, 18; R. Parker, 2014: This is considered to be among the greatest vintages ever made in Montrose [ by the chateau ] ... opaque black/blue, with an incredible nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, with hints of incense, licorice, and acacia flowers. Tannins are incredibly sweet and very present. The wine is full-bodied, even massive, with great purity, depth and a finish that goes on close to a minute. ... (Note: The Chateau Montrose website gives an aging potential of 2020-2100.), 100; weight bottle and closure 565 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet on the 2010 Ch Montrose is reticent at first, but over 24 and 48 hours it expands considerably, to reveal a relatively aromatic and cassisy aroma with great berry hinting at blackberries in the sun, darkly plummy depths, dark tobacco and cedary notes, yet also excitement and dark roses / violets floral lift. It is in the style of the 2005, 1996, 1975 and 1966, but richer, riper, and more ample than all those, the 2005 closest. Palate continues this seamless amalgam of magnificent pure aroma, subtle oak, and rich berry, more plummy again now as well as cassisy, the merlot coming to the fore. With the 2009, this wine shows a concentration of berry, a weight of body, and a dry extract which are off the scale, yet there is no hint of over-ripeness, heaviness, or dullness. In short, it seems a perfect young Montrose, though reflecting a higher merlot percentage than I grew up with. This is a wine which all New Zealand wine-makers aspiring to make world-class cabernet / merlot should be familiar with. Likewise, those in New Zealand who write about wine, and judge it, also need to be tasting wines of this calibre, so that our results maintain some reality by international standards / do not become too frankly parochial or commercial. There was not the slightest doubt in tasters' minds either: seven (out of 21) votes for first place, and another seven votes for second-favourite. No hint of technical defect crossed anyone's mind. You can see why the Chateau regards this 2010 as the definitive modern example of Ch Montrose: it contains the most exciting features of all the other 11 wines, in a presentation / dry extract comparable only with the slightly over-ripe 2009. A tragedy the chateau did not use 55 or 54 mm corks, for this is a 70 – 90-year wine. GK 07/21
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet on the 2010 Ch Montrose is reticent at first, but over 24 and 48 hours it expands considerably, to reveal a relatively aromatic and cassisy aroma with great berry hinting at blackberries in the sun, darkly plummy depths, dark tobacco and cedary notes, yet also excitement and dark roses / violets floral lift. It is in the style of the 2005, 1996, 1975 and 1966, but richer, riper, and more ample than all those, the 2005 closest. Palate continues this seamless amalgam of magnificent pure aroma, subtle oak, and rich berry, more plummy again now as well as cassisy, the merlot coming to the fore. With the 2009, this wine shows a concentration of berry, a weight of body, and a dry extract which are off the scale, yet there is no hint of over-ripeness, heaviness, or dullness. In short, it seems a perfect young Montrose, though reflecting a higher merlot percentage than I grew up with. This is a wine which all New Zealand wine-makers aspiring to make world-class cabernet / merlot should be familiar with. Likewise, those in New Zealand who write about wine, and judge it, also need to be tasting wines of this calibre, so that our results maintain some reality by international standards / do not become too frankly parochial or commercial. There was not the slightest doubt in tasters' minds either: seven (out of 21) votes for first place, and another seven votes for second-favourite. No hint of technical defect crossed anyone's mind. You can see why the Chateau regards this 2010 as the definitive modern example of Ch Montrose: it contains the most exciting features of all the other 11 wines, in a presentation / dry extract comparable only with the slightly over-ripe 2009. A tragedy the chateau did not use 55 or 54 mm corks, for this is a 70 – 90-year wine. GK 07/21
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $466 [ cork, 50mm; New Zealand release price $130; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 98; J.L-L: The bouquet … has an oxtail depth, light meat stock, presents masses of black berries. It is full, abundant, also cool, not over sunny. It is a nose that captures bounty and freshness together, a mark of the quality of the vintage. Boy, this is good! Wowee. The most striking elegance and assured gras richness greets you; this is wonderfully, immediately a Grand Vin, it courses with a brilliant, all-round appeal, its balance primo, 2043 – 46, ****** (NB: J.L-L very rarely allocates six stars, his highest accolade); RP@R. Parker, 2012: Eclipsing even the 2009, the 2010 Cornas achieved one of the highest natural alcohol levels (14%) ever recorded at Clape. ... abundant notes of charcoal, licorice, blackberries and blueberries intermixed with a hint of scorched earth (or is it charcoal embers?), a full-bodied mouthfeel, a seamless personality and a crushed rock-like minerality. The tannins are so sweet it will be drinkable in 2-3 years, and should keep for 25 or more. It is a tour de force in what Syrah can achieve in this hallowed appellation. Kudos to the Clape family, especially Pierre-Marie, 100; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the third deepest. Right from the moment of opening, bouquet on this 2010 wine presents syrah ripened to absolute perfection, sweet dianthus and wallflower florals with some darkest red rose, on cassisy berry notes underlain by darkest bottled black doris plums, all enlivened by sweet freshly-cracked black peppercorn. Alcohol lifts the bouquet, yet is restrained. The wine smells wonderfully rich, essence of syrah, yet not heavy. Palate reveals blackcurrants ripened to the maximum, but still critically fresh and aromatic (i.e. none of the sur-maturité notes Livingstone-Learmonth has recorded the Clapes as seeking, quoted earlier), no hint of dark notes such as coffee which so many wine-writers like to use as a descriptor, but which have no place in temperate-climate winestyles such as pinot noir and syrah, impressive berry length resting on grape and old oak tannins, the tannins still youthful and furry, but promising smoothness and beauty, with time. This is glorious syrah, showing one exceptionally rare and desirable attribute in fine syrah: the floral notes are sustained right through the palate. How could the 2010 be more perfect, or more varietally accurate ? No, it is not Cote Rotie: this is closer to Hermitage, and it speaks volumes for the wine style ‘Cornas’. As Livingstone-Learmonth points out, Cornas is critically warmer than Cote Rotie. The 2010 was clearly the most-favoured wine on the night for the group, six first places, one second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 09/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the third deepest. Right from the moment of opening, bouquet on this 2010 wine presents syrah ripened to absolute perfection, sweet dianthus and wallflower florals with some darkest red rose, on cassisy berry notes underlain by darkest bottled black doris plums, all enlivened by sweet freshly-cracked black peppercorn. Alcohol lifts the bouquet, yet is restrained. The wine smells wonderfully rich, essence of syrah, yet not heavy. Palate reveals blackcurrants ripened to the maximum, but still critically fresh and aromatic (i.e. none of the sur-maturité notes Livingstone-Learmonth has recorded the Clapes as seeking, quoted earlier), no hint of dark notes such as coffee which so many wine-writers like to use as a descriptor, but which have no place in temperate-climate winestyles such as pinot noir and syrah, impressive berry length resting on grape and old oak tannins, the tannins still youthful and furry, but promising smoothness and beauty, with time. This is glorious syrah, showing one exceptionally rare and desirable attribute in fine syrah: the floral notes are sustained right through the palate. How could the 2010 be more perfect, or more varietally accurate ? No, it is not Cote Rotie: this is closer to Hermitage, and it speaks volumes for the wine style ‘Cornas’. As Livingstone-Learmonth points out, Cornas is critically warmer than Cote Rotie. The 2010 was clearly the most-favoured wine on the night for the group, six first places, one second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 09/18
Sauternes Premier Cru Superieur, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 54mm cork; Se 80%, SB 20; average age of vines 30 years, planted at 6,500 vines / ha, average yield just over 1 t/ha = 0.5 t/ac; fermentation and up to 36 months elevation in 100% new barrels; average production around 9,000 cases per annum; now owned LMVH; BBR: Often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world … intensely opulent when young, Yquem develops an extraordinary complexity and exotic richness when fully mature; Robinson, 2009: Light gold, very fresh and gorgeous and complete. Just washed over the palate - so clean and vital and reverberating, not to mention revitalising even to a palate that had been treated to all the wines above already. What a feat! What a wine! Wonderful satiny texture and great balance and charm, 19; Parker, 2005: There are 10,000 cases of this perfect sweet white Bordeaux. The 2001 Yquem reveals a hint of green in its light gold color. While somewhat reticent aromatically, with airing, it offers up honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee, and buttered nut-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied with gorgeously refreshing acidity as well as massive concentration and unctuosity. Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. This large-scaled, youthful Yquem appears set to take its place among the most legendary vintages of the past, and will age effortlessly for 75+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100+, 100; www.yquem.fr ]
Pale gold with a lemon flush, clearly the palest wine of the 12. Initially opened, the bouquet was tending adolescent / awkward, the components more apparent than the totality. But even at that stage one could see there were greater mealy, barrel ferment, and lees-autolysis components than any other of the wines. This is the clue to recognising Yquem in a strictly blind tasting, finding the wine with these distinctive signs of unusually intensive elevage in new oak. The other key component from the outset was the viscosity, the texture, the richness on tongue. It is simply much more concentrated and glycerol-rich than the others. With air and time a wonderful honeyed, stonefruits and botrytis golden-fruited slightly madeira cake and purest palest caramel aroma gradually expanded in the glass, and the extraordinary thing is, there was no hint of VA at all – the purity is phenomenal. In other Yquems over the years I have felt the new oak intrusive, though given the weight of received wisdom about the wine, any vintage of the wine, you are not allowed to say so. But here the fine grained elegance of the oak, and it's lovely mealy / hessian / vanillin aromas and gentle flavours are simply exemplary. This will surely marry up into one of the purest and most elegant Yquems ever. Whereas with most wines one can imagine how it could be better, with this one such thoughts seem irrelevant. Thus for the first time for me, this wine earns full points. Others much more familiar with Ch d'Yquem than I say it will cellar for 100 years. To judge from the lighter 1962 and 1966 wines I have been watching since release, now representing half that estimate, achieving that time will be easy, given such perfect balance and concentration in the 2001. One of the top three wines for the group, on the night. Two days later, unequivocally the top wine, simply perfection. GK 07/14
Pale gold with a lemon flush, clearly the palest wine of the 12. Initially opened, the bouquet was tending adolescent / awkward, the components more apparent than the totality. But even at that stage one could see there were greater mealy, barrel ferment, and lees-autolysis components than any other of the wines. This is the clue to recognising Yquem in a strictly blind tasting, finding the wine with these distinctive signs of unusually intensive elevage in new oak. The other key component from the outset was the viscosity, the texture, the richness on tongue. It is simply much more concentrated and glycerol-rich than the others. With air and time a wonderful honeyed, stonefruits and botrytis golden-fruited slightly madeira cake and purest palest caramel aroma gradually expanded in the glass, and the extraordinary thing is, there was no hint of VA at all – the purity is phenomenal. In other Yquems over the years I have felt the new oak intrusive, though given the weight of received wisdom about the wine, any vintage of the wine, you are not allowed to say so. But here the fine grained elegance of the oak, and it's lovely mealy / hessian / vanillin aromas and gentle flavours are simply exemplary. This will surely marry up into one of the purest and most elegant Yquems ever. Whereas with most wines one can imagine how it could be better, with this one such thoughts seem irrelevant. Thus for the first time for me, this wine earns full points. Others much more familiar with Ch d'Yquem than I say it will cellar for 100 years. To judge from the lighter 1962 and 1966 wines I have been watching since release, now representing half that estimate, achieving that time will be easy, given such perfect balance and concentration in the 2001. One of the top three wines for the group, on the night. Two days later, unequivocally the top wine, simply perfection. GK 07/14
Cote Brune, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $937 [ Cork, 49 mm; Sy 100%, average vine age 35 years, typically cropped at 35 hl/ha = 4.55 t/ha = 1.84 t/ac; Parker rating for year 96; NZ price at purchase $575; minimum 28 days cuvaison, not usually destemmed, 42 months in 100% new barrels, all 228-litre; Parker in characterising the three Cote-Rotie grands crus, says of La Landonne: extraordinary density and power, as well as a brooding backwardness that is extremely impressive; J.L-L, 2011: the robe is full; the nose is complete, deep, but there is subtlety in it; the prime fruit is dark plum, but it is varied with herb notes, surely testament to the hot year, its southern leaning, and there is a mineral angle as well. The palate is suave, tasty, wholesome – it is at a sweet moment now, even though it still lengthens on its oak raising. Its black fruit is extremely fine and continuous, its core is deep, deep. It still ends on its tannin which provides a crunchy late moment. It remains in thrall to its vintage and to its raising, is a very young wine. 2036-2039, ******; Robinson, 2006: Very intense, deep and leathery. Savoury, very Syrah. Very deep and rich start with very dry savoury finish. Good combination: the severity of Landonne and the ripeness of '03. All three single vineyard wines very consistent styles through the two vintages. Keep this for ages, 19; Parker, 2007: 100; J Dunnuck @ Parker, 2014: the most classic feel, with searing minerality, liquid smoke and bacon fat-like aromas being carried by massive amounts of inky dark fruits. Closer in style to the La Turque, with a powerful, structured profile, it nevertheless has off the charts texture, depth and purity, all of which allow it to thrill even now. It should be the longest lived of the four Cote-Roties, 100; Wine Spectator, 2007: Plush and smoky, with loads of flesh carrying black olive, fig, tobacco, currant and game notes. The broad, powerful finish shows a very roasted quality, with dark, smoky bacon and fig notes and an exotic hint of spice. This is a huge wine that only shows bits of what it will eventually offer. Best from 2010 through 2030. 500 cases made, 98; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, amazingly fresh, the deepest colour of the 12 wines. The bouquet is simply astonishing. If cassis character represents the absolute peak of perfection for syrah in its ripening curve, I have never smelt a syrah so vibrantly aromatic and cassisy. The bouquet is mouthwatering, with dusky rose florals as well. It would contrast with a highly cassisy cabernet due to its faint undertone of sweet black pepper. There is a suggestion of new oak in the aromatics, but the bouquet is sensationally grape-dominant, extraordinary. Palate follows perfectly, a glorious depth of cassis flavour, fresh, vibrant, wonderful concentration which seems almost fat in mouth, yet not at all heavy. The flavour seems lengthened almost for ever on exquisite tannins and cedary oak. There is scarcely any hint of the hot summer in this wine. In one sense the wine is still youthful, but there is just a little mellowing, as it embarks on its plateau of maturity. Five people rated this their top wine of the evening, two their second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Glorious wine, it is hard to imagine how it could be better. Just a trace more florality, maybe. GK 05/17
Ruby and velvet, amazingly fresh, the deepest colour of the 12 wines. The bouquet is simply astonishing. If cassis character represents the absolute peak of perfection for syrah in its ripening curve, I have never smelt a syrah so vibrantly aromatic and cassisy. The bouquet is mouthwatering, with dusky rose florals as well. It would contrast with a highly cassisy cabernet due to its faint undertone of sweet black pepper. There is a suggestion of new oak in the aromatics, but the bouquet is sensationally grape-dominant, extraordinary. Palate follows perfectly, a glorious depth of cassis flavour, fresh, vibrant, wonderful concentration which seems almost fat in mouth, yet not at all heavy. The flavour seems lengthened almost for ever on exquisite tannins and cedary oak. There is scarcely any hint of the hot summer in this wine. In one sense the wine is still youthful, but there is just a little mellowing, as it embarks on its plateau of maturity. Five people rated this their top wine of the evening, two their second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Glorious wine, it is hard to imagine how it could be better. Just a trace more florality, maybe. GK 05/17
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $365 [ cork 50mm, ullage 13mm; original en primeur price $200; cepage CS 65%, Me 31, CF 3.5, PV 0.5, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new likely increasing towards the modern 60%; James Molesworth at Wine Spectator suggests that 25,555 cases of the 2005 were produced, but for the grand vin that is surely a misprint / typo. 15,555 would fit with the long-term average; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 23 – Oct. 9, 2005 ... the year of drought. ... by the harvest, the volume of rainfall was less than half the average quantity of the past 30 years; Wine: 2005 impresses by its exceptional power, the amazing pure fruit, and the extraordinary engaging elegance without having the overwhelming charm of the 2003. Stylistically, very classical and very Bordeaux-like, without austerity; J. Robinson, 2017: Tasted blind. Sweet, luscious nose. Lots of raciness and grace. Masses of tannin buried under really rather fine fruit. Dry but not drying finish. Pretty sophisticated. 2019 – 2040, 18; Neal Martin @ RP, 2016: The bouquet is extremely detailed, displaying more red berry fruit compared to the 2010 Montrose that leans towards black. Graphite and cedar emerge with time, even an unusual floral scent that is uncommon with respect to this property, whilst all the time retaining fantastic focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a ferrous tincture on the entry. There are the first signs of secondary notes (dried leaves and bay leaf), but it is the tannic backbone and the precision that really defines this Montrose at the moment. For certain, it is masculine and structured, yet it has enormous potential, perhaps more than was suggested when it was first released? This is for the long term, 2025 – 2065, 97; R. Parker, 2006: ... a sweet, provocative nose of creme de cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, and subtle wood. Medium to full-bodied, elegant yet powerful, fresh, and nuanced, the acids are higher and the pH lower in 2005 than in 2002. The 2005 should be a long-lived classic, but patience will be required ... some of the highest tannins ever measured. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035, 2015 – 2035, 92 – 94 +; weight bottle and closure 541 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, still some carmine, and velvet, the third-deepest wine. This is another wine that opened up dramatically over the 24 and 48-hour interval. It gradually reveals components in the style of the 2010, but more aromatic and zingy, with the cassis characteristic of cabernet sauvignon very evident in the cedary complexity. In the set it is therefore related to the 1996, 1986, 1975 and 1966 in style, but is markedly richer, and better fruited, the darkly plummy higher proportion of merlot filling out the palate nicely. The wine is still essentially primary, but the tannins are starting to soften. It sits with the 2010 beautifully, shares some of its floral complexity, and defines the concept cassis on bouquet even more perfectly, but is not so dramatically rich. Nonetheless, there is a crystalline purity to this wine, and it is still richer than virtually all good New Zealand examples of the cabernet / merlot wine-style, so thus has much to teach us. This 2005 was well-liked, with three first places, and four second-favourite. Though not quite as rich as the 2010, it is technically pure, and will cellar beautifully for another 40 years. On the qualities showing today, some of Parker’s marks for the 2005 seem a little conservative. GK 07/21
Ruby, still some carmine, and velvet, the third-deepest wine. This is another wine that opened up dramatically over the 24 and 48-hour interval. It gradually reveals components in the style of the 2010, but more aromatic and zingy, with the cassis characteristic of cabernet sauvignon very evident in the cedary complexity. In the set it is therefore related to the 1996, 1986, 1975 and 1966 in style, but is markedly richer, and better fruited, the darkly plummy higher proportion of merlot filling out the palate nicely. The wine is still essentially primary, but the tannins are starting to soften. It sits with the 2010 beautifully, shares some of its floral complexity, and defines the concept cassis on bouquet even more perfectly, but is not so dramatically rich. Nonetheless, there is a crystalline purity to this wine, and it is still richer than virtually all good New Zealand examples of the cabernet / merlot wine-style, so thus has much to teach us. This 2005 was well-liked, with three first places, and four second-favourite. Though not quite as rich as the 2010, it is technically pure, and will cellar beautifully for another 40 years. On the qualities showing today, some of Parker’s marks for the 2005 seem a little conservative. GK 07/21
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $365 [ cork 49mm, ullage 15mm; original en primeur price $163; cepage CS 62%, Me 34, CF 3, PV 2, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new likely increasing towards the modern 60%; 15,830 x 9-litre cases; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 11 – Sept. 26; Wine: The wines were extremely fat and rich, with no over maturity; the tannins were very powerful, yet very melted and elegant, with impressive ageing potential. 2003 will be a vintage worth being waited for. A vintage categorized to be a historical success for Montrose. In her 2004 report on the en primeur tastings for the 2003 vintage, Jancis Robinson listed Ch Montrose among her top 14 wines of the vintage, along with Chx Latour, Lafite, Petrus, Lafleur and Ausone; J. Robinson, 2005: Very dark crimson, the deepest of all these wines with colour all the way out to the rim. Young, fresh, very frank aromas – still distinctly unevolved. Extremely dry, savoury and mineral – not a hint of the raisiny sweetness that dogs so many 2003s. Wonderfully rich and layered yet dry and savoury on the finish. A hint of unsweetened chocolate with a floral topnote. Great hit on the front palate, then something dry and scrunchily appetising on the finish. Very very long. 2015 – 2030, 19; 2003 Ch Montrose is a critical wine for learning about the diversity of absolute wine quality in New Zealand ... for those who want to learn. It was cropped at 35 hl/ha (4.55 t/ha = 1.84 t/ac), a rate near-inconceivable to most New Zealand winemakers. It has a pH of 3.9, a value near-inconceivable to technology-obsessed Australian winemakers. At the Farr Vintners 2010 blind review of the 2003 Bordeaux vintage, including all the most-famous wines, 2003 Montrose placed fifth overall, out of 100 wines tasted. Farr Vintners, London, are arguably now the greatest and most knowledgeable bordeaux wine merchants in the world. Farr Vintners summary of the 2003 vintage, 2004, on 2003 Ch Montrose: ... a truly great and powerful wine that has perfect balance. This is the greatest Montrose that we have ever tasted and a testament to the vintage. A clear contender for wine of the vintage; R. Parker, 2014: A candidate for a perfect score, the 2003 Montrose has been a superstar since the first time I tasted it in barrel. Showing no signs of weakening, it is an amazing wine from this fabulous terroir. It boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as a stunning perfume of blueberries, black currants, blackberries, licorice and camphor. Dense, full-bodied and rich with an unctuous texture, well-integrated, melted tannins, and a long, heady finish, this big, brawny, super-intense, gorgeous 2003 is just beginning to enter its plateau of full maturity. It should remain there for at least two decades. 2014 – 2034, 99; weight bottle and closure 537 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different from any other in the set, though in its complex, fragrant, rich, nearly sultry complexity it shares something with the 1990, but here all a little crisper, purer, and more aromatic. It is the volume of ripe darkly plummy berry plus cassis and fragrant cigar leaf-tobacco, all wrapped up in slightly spicy and cedary oak, that is captivating in this 2003. It is beyond words. The palate is velvety, no other word for it, yet not as plush as the 2009. There is just a hint of leafy tobacco-y complexity in the berry that is refreshing and distinctive, but there is virtually no hint of over-ripeness, just the epitome of bordeaux complexity in a ripe year. It is much more ‘straight’ than the 1990: it takes me back to the equally magical 1959. The fusion of all the bordeaux sensory elements in this wine is extraordinary – so different and more complex and subtle than the berry plus oak plus all too often pH control of even the richest Australian cabernet / merlot. This wine was well received, with three first places, three second places, and no hint of technical defect seen. In one sense this wine is forward in its development, compared with classical Ch Montrose, with already some suggestions of tertiary components. It will cellar for 30 years all the same. GK 07/21
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different from any other in the set, though in its complex, fragrant, rich, nearly sultry complexity it shares something with the 1990, but here all a little crisper, purer, and more aromatic. It is the volume of ripe darkly plummy berry plus cassis and fragrant cigar leaf-tobacco, all wrapped up in slightly spicy and cedary oak, that is captivating in this 2003. It is beyond words. The palate is velvety, no other word for it, yet not as plush as the 2009. There is just a hint of leafy tobacco-y complexity in the berry that is refreshing and distinctive, but there is virtually no hint of over-ripeness, just the epitome of bordeaux complexity in a ripe year. It is much more ‘straight’ than the 1990: it takes me back to the equally magical 1959. The fusion of all the bordeaux sensory elements in this wine is extraordinary – so different and more complex and subtle than the berry plus oak plus all too often pH control of even the richest Australian cabernet / merlot. This wine was well received, with three first places, three second places, and no hint of technical defect seen. In one sense this wine is forward in its development, compared with classical Ch Montrose, with already some suggestions of tertiary components. It will cellar for 30 years all the same. GK 07/21
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $934 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 6, release price c.$435; Spectator rating for year 96; a single 1 ha vineyard on the Cote Brune; typically Sy 93%, Vi 7, co-fermented, average vine age 25 years, typically cropped at 4.55 t/ha = 1.84 t/ac; in the winery, fermentation employs punching-down to keep the cap immersed, up to 35 days cuvaison, 42 months in 100% new French oak barrels, all 228-litre, not fined or filtered; Parker, 1997 in characterising the three Cote-Rotie grands crus, says of La Turque: … a synthesis in style between La Mouline and La Landonne … not as tannic or muscular as La Landonne … nearly the same compelling aromatics as La Mouline … the Rhone’s answer to Burgundy’s great duo of grand cru vineyards, Richebourg and Musigny; JR@JR, 2014: Very sweet and intense on the nose. Heady, obviously oaky, but like an exotic, irresistible tincture. Round and worked and ultimately perhaps very slightly soulless but it is designed to give pleasure and it does. The tannins are very well managed. Round and broad but furled for the future, 18; J.L-L, 2011: the nose is intricate, immediate, breezes along really well. In its make-up figure licorice, black berries – it is a more mobile bouquet than the 1999 Mouline’s, the latter a more soaked wine. The palate has a graceful, level layer of black fruit, and does not explode as I would have thought, ending quietly. There are crisp black fruits that do not really expand on the finish. It is muscly, lithe wine whose late stages are intricate, not obvious. The fruit is like plums, nearly heading for kirsch, though it doesn't go that far, thankfully. Herbs feature on the aftertaste, a testament to the heat of the year. To 2033, ****** (NB: J.L-L rarely awards six stars; RP@WA, 2003: The 1999 Cote Rotie La Turque reveals notes of toasty vanilla and espresso in addition to Asian spices, mocha, pepper, blackberries, creosote, and roasted meats. The exotic perfume is followed by a wine with phenomenal intensity, sweet, well-integrated tannin, huge body, and loads of concentrated fruit. It is a tour de force in winemaking. What is so remarkable about this cuvee is its tremendous layers of flavor, awesome texture, and perfect balance. This is an astonishing offering from one of the world’s greatest winemakers. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025, 100; weight bottle and closure: 573 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest wine of the 12 (though if La Mouline had been included, it was deeper and fresher still). Bouquet projects the most wonderful floral aroma, deepest wallflower and dianthus but with a sweet undertone suggesting violets and dusky roses, plus an aromatic note of freshly-cracked black peppercorns, on sweet ripe cassisy berry with hints of blueberry, all remarkably fragrant. Flower and berry aromas totally dominate any vanillin / oak-related characters. Palate is velvety, wonderfully cassisy berryfruit, the density of berry suggesting a cropping rate significantly less than the Brune & Blonde, the oak almost totally in the background until the late finish. This was clearly the top wine on the night, with a depth and velvety complexity well ahead of the other top wines. [ But, had the La Mouline been in the lineup, once it had been put aside for a couple of days (under ice) with 4 x 100 mm² Gladwrap® sheets in the decanted 750 ml bottle, that wine was even deeper, more floral and sensuous, and more velvety in berry character, almost certainly a 20-point wine.] La Turque was clearly the top wine on the night for the group as a whole, with seven top places, and five second. A near-perfect syrah. Though in one sense approaching maturity, La Turque impressed with its freshness and relative youth as well. It will cellar at least another 20 – 25 years. A great experience. GK 10/20
Ruby and velvet, the deepest wine of the 12 (though if La Mouline had been included, it was deeper and fresher still). Bouquet projects the most wonderful floral aroma, deepest wallflower and dianthus but with a sweet undertone suggesting violets and dusky roses, plus an aromatic note of freshly-cracked black peppercorns, on sweet ripe cassisy berry with hints of blueberry, all remarkably fragrant. Flower and berry aromas totally dominate any vanillin / oak-related characters. Palate is velvety, wonderfully cassisy berryfruit, the density of berry suggesting a cropping rate significantly less than the Brune & Blonde, the oak almost totally in the background until the late finish. This was clearly the top wine on the night, with a depth and velvety complexity well ahead of the other top wines. [ But, had the La Mouline been in the lineup, once it had been put aside for a couple of days (under ice) with 4 x 100 mm² Gladwrap® sheets in the decanted 750 ml bottle, that wine was even deeper, more floral and sensuous, and more velvety in berry character, almost certainly a 20-point wine.] La Turque was clearly the top wine on the night for the group as a whole, with seven top places, and five second. A near-perfect syrah. Though in one sense approaching maturity, La Turque impressed with its freshness and relative youth as well. It will cellar at least another 20 – 25 years. A great experience. GK 10/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $246 [ cork, 55 mm; Gr 50 – 65%, Mv 25 – 50, Sy 0 – 10; some whole bunches, fermented in cuves, cuvaison 40 days; elevation 15 – 18 months in puncheons 30% new; fined, filtered, organic; reviews for this wine are almost completely lacking, so J.L-L is quoted nearly in full: Sleekly fruited, Morello black cherry aroma with wispy coffee notes ... soaked black cherries, plus a curious note of anchovy ... The palate has ... precise, crystalline black fruit at its heart ... Shapely tannins line its sides through to the finale, ****(*); typical production up to 500 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 749 g; www.closducaillou.com ]
Good ruby, a little development showing, midway in depth. Bouquet is simply exhilarating, beautiful aromatic garrigue / floral top notes on red and black fruits, savoury, enticing, almost saliva-inducing. Flavour is extraordinary, black cherry in an aromatic way, potentially velvety texture (despite the given alcohol) which is wondrously fine-grained, the whole mouthfeel reminiscent of a big, slightly spirity, dark Cote-de-Nuits wine. This wine is so rich, the new oak component is near-invisible, yet it adds wonderful vibrancy and length. This is a very special wine, with a totally glorious flavour, to cellar 10 – 35 years. Nine people rated this their top or second wine, in the set of 12. GK 06/17
Good ruby, a little development showing, midway in depth. Bouquet is simply exhilarating, beautiful aromatic garrigue / floral top notes on red and black fruits, savoury, enticing, almost saliva-inducing. Flavour is extraordinary, black cherry in an aromatic way, potentially velvety texture (despite the given alcohol) which is wondrously fine-grained, the whole mouthfeel reminiscent of a big, slightly spirity, dark Cote-de-Nuits wine. This wine is so rich, the new oak component is near-invisible, yet it adds wonderful vibrancy and length. This is a very special wine, with a totally glorious flavour, to cellar 10 – 35 years. Nine people rated this their top or second wine, in the set of 12. GK 06/17
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $696 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; 9.3 ha of Sy at Hermitage, Bessards most, then L'Hermite and 5 other vineyards; all de-stemmed, most of fermentation in s/s; cuvaison can be to 4 weeks; traditionally up to 18 months in barrel, 5 – 15% new, the remainder to 5 years old, now sometimes to 26 months; assembled in steel, minimal fining, no filtration; production varies round 2,000 x 9-litre cases; Julia Harding @ J Robinson, 2015: Gorgeous aroma: some oak sweetness but it does not dominate the fragrant fruit that is both red and black - and seductive. The red fruit lifts out of the glass as the wine opens. Supple, finely spiced and still quite closed on the palate but it’s there in all its peppery, scented glory. Firm, compact tannins, very very fine and finishing nicely dry, 19; John Livingstone-Learmonth (note J.L-L marks out of 6 stars, but uses 6 very rarely), 2012: The wine works on all fronts – depth, persistence, pockets of fragrance, is very long, nuanced. Très Grand Vin, ******. 2049-2055; R Parker, 2012: Pure perfection, the 2010 Hermitage reminds Jean-Louis Chave of their 1990. It appears to be a richer, fresher example of what I remember the 1990 tasting like in 1992. The wine exhibits an opaque purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blackberry fruit intermixed with creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, acacia flowers, bouquet garni, meat and crushed rocks. Full-bodied and stunningly rich with laser-like precision, this is a powerful, massive yet exceptionally well-balanced wine that should be forgotten for a decade and drunk over the following 30-40 years, 100; there appears to be no effective website, in 2018; ]
Ruby, nearly carmine still, and velvet, a fabulous colour, the third deepest. First sniff, and the immediate impression is: how could syrah be more perfect? There is a sensuous deeply floral dusky quality, on rich ripe aromatic cassis, all shaped by subtle / perfect cedary oak and a hint of spicy sweet black pepper. There is an element of deeper, darker, ripest dark plums too, but no hint of over-ripeness. Palate is both vibrant and velvet, with the volume of cassisy berry and its dominance over the fragrant but merely shaping oak seeming absolute. Again the black pepper spice is subtle and invigorates the wine. To a person interested in wine style as much as, perhaps more, than wine technology, this seems perfection. Tasters present included some of the most experienced syrah winemakers in the country. Some of the latter however tended to be uneasy about a brett component. It simply had not occurred to me. Since the tasting I have cross-questioned the wine very closely, and noted that one equally-experienced winemaker commented: ‘yes, it is there, but bear in mind that the winemaker may want that level of brett, as complexity’. All in all, I continue to think this near-perfect syrah, of staggering richness, freshness and elegance. Cellar 20 – 45 years. Eight thought this a northern Rhone Valley wine, but tasters did not rate it as highly as I did – some for the reasons given. No first places, one second, two least. Interestingly, not one person thought the wine might be Cote Rotie, illustrating the validity of the concept ‘Hermitage’. GK 11/18
Ruby, nearly carmine still, and velvet, a fabulous colour, the third deepest. First sniff, and the immediate impression is: how could syrah be more perfect? There is a sensuous deeply floral dusky quality, on rich ripe aromatic cassis, all shaped by subtle / perfect cedary oak and a hint of spicy sweet black pepper. There is an element of deeper, darker, ripest dark plums too, but no hint of over-ripeness. Palate is both vibrant and velvet, with the volume of cassisy berry and its dominance over the fragrant but merely shaping oak seeming absolute. Again the black pepper spice is subtle and invigorates the wine. To a person interested in wine style as much as, perhaps more, than wine technology, this seems perfection. Tasters present included some of the most experienced syrah winemakers in the country. Some of the latter however tended to be uneasy about a brett component. It simply had not occurred to me. Since the tasting I have cross-questioned the wine very closely, and noted that one equally-experienced winemaker commented: ‘yes, it is there, but bear in mind that the winemaker may want that level of brett, as complexity’. All in all, I continue to think this near-perfect syrah, of staggering richness, freshness and elegance. Cellar 20 – 45 years. Eight thought this a northern Rhone Valley wine, but tasters did not rate it as highly as I did – some for the reasons given. No first places, one second, two least. Interestingly, not one person thought the wine might be Cote Rotie, illustrating the validity of the concept ‘Hermitage’. GK 11/18
Saint-Estephe Second-Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $469 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 12mm; $352 landed; the 2010 wine is CS 53%, Me 37, CF 9, PV 1, all hand-picked, the bunches hand-sorted, the berries optically sorted then again hand-sorted; fermentation in s/s, cuvaison up to 25 days, elevation 18 months in 60% new barrels; average production 16,650 x 9-litre cases; climatically the chateau compares the 2010 wine with 1929, 1945, 1947, 1959 (the greatest Montrose I have tasted), 1961, 1989 and 2009; not known if a consulting oenologist; a Jancis Robinson Top 20 of 2010 wine; JR@JR, 2015: Brooding and magnificent. Still lots to give. Heady and dense and very Montrose. Substantial and with masses of backbone. Admirable, 18; NM@Vinous, 2020: … an outstanding bouquet with graphite infused black fruit, cedar and tobacco, extremely well focused and seeming to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is beautifully balanced with perfect acidity, gentle grip ... fine body and it fans out wonderfully on the persistent finish. Outstanding, 98 (99 at the FV tasting); RP@WA, 2014: This is considered to be among the greatest vintages ever made in Montrose ... an incredible nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, with hints of incense, licorice, and acacia flowers. Tannins are incredibly sweet and very present. The wine is full-bodied, even massive, with great purity, depth and finish ... a 50- to 75-year wine, 100; Parker also notes that the chateau considers the wine will cellar to 2100; 2010 Ch Montrose has become so rare, Farr Vintners do not have it in stock – unusual; good website; weight bottle and closure: 563 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very fresh and clearly the deepest, richest and most saturated of the wines. Yet the bouquet has a freshness to it, just an aromatic edge to the cassis, which is most unusual. Behind are florals, darkest roses and violets, intense cassis more than blackberry fruit, and further below in the nett bouquet impression is sweet oak. In mouth the richness is tactile: oh, how I'd like a dry extract on this wine, it must be well over 30 g/L. Now I have some idea what that fabulous 1959 Montrose, the greatest Montrose I have ever tasted, was like as a young wine. The richness of berry totally overwhelms the cedary oak, yet good acid and the Saint-Estephe tannin (as well as the oak) all give the wine impeccable structure. A glorious Montrose which will cellar for as long as the 50 mm corks hold. Perceiving the quality, since the chateau itself states this is a 90 year wine, a pity they did not use 54 mm corks. Close to perfection. Three people rated Montrose their top wine, and three second favourite. Cellar 20 – 60 years. GK 09/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very fresh and clearly the deepest, richest and most saturated of the wines. Yet the bouquet has a freshness to it, just an aromatic edge to the cassis, which is most unusual. Behind are florals, darkest roses and violets, intense cassis more than blackberry fruit, and further below in the nett bouquet impression is sweet oak. In mouth the richness is tactile: oh, how I'd like a dry extract on this wine, it must be well over 30 g/L. Now I have some idea what that fabulous 1959 Montrose, the greatest Montrose I have ever tasted, was like as a young wine. The richness of berry totally overwhelms the cedary oak, yet good acid and the Saint-Estephe tannin (as well as the oak) all give the wine impeccable structure. A glorious Montrose which will cellar for as long as the 50 mm corks hold. Perceiving the quality, since the chateau itself states this is a 90 year wine, a pity they did not use 54 mm corks. Close to perfection. Three people rated Montrose their top wine, and three second favourite. Cellar 20 – 60 years. GK 09/20
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $533 [ traditional compound champagne cork; Broadbent rating for vintage: ***** (tentatively, not tasted at point of publication); Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 96 [ second only to 1990 ], Drink or hold. Ripe and intense, firmly structured and potentially long-lived. Cepage not revealed, but Stevenson estimates PN 70 – 80%, balance chardonnay, all old-vine grand cru wines; all MLF, no oak use known but not impossible, en tirage c.10 years; in a previous tasting I thought the dosage around 8 g/L; Robinson, 2006: Still pale gold. Very deep and sumptuous on the nose. Smells like a cross between red and white Côte de Beaune. Lots of lemon cream sensation and very fine bead. Explosive. Still tight and there’s lots yet to come but certainly capable of giving great pleasure now. You almost feel it needs decanting there is so much there! Not especially long. More Pinot than in the past, 18.5 +; Galloni (in R. Parker), 2009: The 1996 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill is an immensely rewarding, complete Champagne that is drinking well today but that also has the potential to continue to improve in bottle. Nothing in particular stands out here, but as is often the case with this cuvee, I am struck by the wine’s awesome balance and supreme harmony. Simply put, this is a strikingly beautiful wine from Pol Roger, 95.; www.champagne-bollinger.com ]
Glowing straw, the third lightest / freshest. Bouquet shows a total integration of berry and autolysis that approaches perfection. The hint of red-fruit aromatics is obvious alongside the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay, but nowhere near as apparent as the 1990 Bollinger. One could not ask for more perfect autolysis, crust of perfect fragrant baguette. The wine sits exactly between the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay and the 1990 Bollinger, more substantial and more pinot noir than the former, yet so elegant and subtle (yet rich) alongside the latter. In mouth the wine is firm, almost austere, astonishingly youthful, the quality of the autolysis substituting for suggestions of oak backbone, as seen for example in the Bollinger wines. The flavour lasts and lasts, yet though rich in one sense, the wine is also almost ethereal. Dosage seems around the 6 – 7 g/L mark, in today's company. An absolutely compelling example of the methode champenoise winestyle, to cellar for decades. The top wine of the tasting, by a wide margin. GK 05/16
Glowing straw, the third lightest / freshest. Bouquet shows a total integration of berry and autolysis that approaches perfection. The hint of red-fruit aromatics is obvious alongside the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay, but nowhere near as apparent as the 1990 Bollinger. One could not ask for more perfect autolysis, crust of perfect fragrant baguette. The wine sits exactly between the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay and the 1990 Bollinger, more substantial and more pinot noir than the former, yet so elegant and subtle (yet rich) alongside the latter. In mouth the wine is firm, almost austere, astonishingly youthful, the quality of the autolysis substituting for suggestions of oak backbone, as seen for example in the Bollinger wines. The flavour lasts and lasts, yet though rich in one sense, the wine is also almost ethereal. Dosage seems around the 6 – 7 g/L mark, in today's company. An absolutely compelling example of the methode champenoise winestyle, to cellar for decades. The top wine of the tasting, by a wide margin. GK 05/16
Gimblett Gravels mostly, a little Roy's Hill, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.1%; $120 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Sy 98.7%, fermented on skins only of Vi 1.3%, hand-picked from on average c.11-year old vines planted at c.3,000 vines / ha and cropped @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 28 days (though one batch 56 days) with 30% whole bunches retained, mostly cultured-yeast; MLF mostly in tank; 12 months in French oak c.53% new; RS 0.23 g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production 556 x 9-L cases; release date November 2015; this pre-release evaluation bottle courtesy Warren Gibson; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in depth, not quite as deep as the less-oaked Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah. Dianthus / carnations are the signature note of fine Northern Rhone syrah. Even though the bouquet is infantile, there is already a beautiful foretelling of that character. Behind the florality is a tightly interwoven berry and oak synthesis showing a more French quality of elevation than most of the wines. The potentially floral qualities rest on rich ripe deep cassisy berry with wonderful purity. The key issue however in this wine, and several of the fine syrahs in this tasting, is the significant whole-bunch component, and the contribution that technique makes to perceived florality in the final wine. This approach borrows from the 'pioneering' work of Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in the Cotes de Nuits. I say 'pioneering' because he has merely put into practice certain older or traditional practices in Burgundy, which were becoming lost with the increasing mechanisation of grape harvest and pre-fermentation treatment. Homage clearly has greater oak exposure than Trinity's Gimblett wine, so some vanillin is showing too. Flavours are already very beautiful: this is total Hermitage in concentration, ripeness and depth, all characters near-perfect. The level of oak seems near-ideal by traditional Hermitage standards, the wine showing a sophistication of elevation that outshines the wonderful Matua Matheson wine, making this young Homage already graceful. Later info reveals time in barrel was 12 months, noteworthy. Many new-world tasters would however think it under-oaked. I am tempted to say this is the most perfect young red wine I have tasted from New Zealand. As you savour it, a suggestion of black pepper creeps into the cassis, subtly differentiating it from a high-cabernet wine. This is simply a great young wine, closely matching the finest Hermitage, to cellar for 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in depth, not quite as deep as the less-oaked Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah. Dianthus / carnations are the signature note of fine Northern Rhone syrah. Even though the bouquet is infantile, there is already a beautiful foretelling of that character. Behind the florality is a tightly interwoven berry and oak synthesis showing a more French quality of elevation than most of the wines. The potentially floral qualities rest on rich ripe deep cassisy berry with wonderful purity. The key issue however in this wine, and several of the fine syrahs in this tasting, is the significant whole-bunch component, and the contribution that technique makes to perceived florality in the final wine. This approach borrows from the 'pioneering' work of Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, in the Cotes de Nuits. I say 'pioneering' because he has merely put into practice certain older or traditional practices in Burgundy, which were becoming lost with the increasing mechanisation of grape harvest and pre-fermentation treatment. Homage clearly has greater oak exposure than Trinity's Gimblett wine, so some vanillin is showing too. Flavours are already very beautiful: this is total Hermitage in concentration, ripeness and depth, all characters near-perfect. The level of oak seems near-ideal by traditional Hermitage standards, the wine showing a sophistication of elevation that outshines the wonderful Matua Matheson wine, making this young Homage already graceful. Later info reveals time in barrel was 12 months, noteworthy. Many new-world tasters would however think it under-oaked. I am tempted to say this is the most perfect young red wine I have tasted from New Zealand. As you savour it, a suggestion of black pepper creeps into the cassis, subtly differentiating it from a high-cabernet wine. This is simply a great young wine, closely matching the finest Hermitage, to cellar for 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 05/15
Douro, Portugal: 21%; $410 [ cork, 48mm; main grapes understood to be touriga franca and tinta roriz, touriga nacional, but no relative ratios found; Parker, 1989: Fonseca is one of the great port lodges, producing the most exotic and most complex port. If Fonseca lacks the sheer weight and power of a Taylor, Dow or Warre, or the opulent sweetness and intensity of a Graham, it excels in its magnificently complex, intense bouquet of plummy, cedary, spicy fruit and long, broad, expansive flavors. With its lush, seductive character, one might call it the Pomerol of Vintage ports. When it is young, it often loses out in blind tastings to the heavier, weightier, more tannic wines, but I always find myself upgrading my opinion of Fonseca after it has had 7-10 years of age. The 1977 has developed magnificently in the bottle, and while it clearly needs another decade to reach its summit, it is the best Fonseca since the 1970 and 1963, 93; Simon Field MW, of Berry Bros & Rudd: When last tasted in November 2010, the Fonseca impressed with both its charm, about which we knew, but also its structural power, about which we may have been less sure. The 1977s Port wines were much lauded on release, but one or two questions were asked as to whether they would ... last the course in the manner of the greatest vintages. Tasting ... the Fonseca was therefore reassuring: the black fruits, cassis and morello, are still evidenced, the spirit has integrated nicely and there is gentle spice on the finish. Fonseca's famous elegance pervades, effortless and evanescent; James Suckling @ Wine Spectator, 2008: What a Vintage Port. Dark ruby center, with a dark garnet edge. Aromas of flowers, blackberry and licorice. Subtle and complex. Wow. What a palate. Full, concentrated and rich, yet balanced and beautiful. Solid and sleepy. Still not giving all it has to give. This is just coming around. Gorgeous and classy. Love it. Drink now, 100; www.fonseca.pt ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, a sensational colour for 41 years of age, one of the two wines showing the most ‘red’ in the ruby, above midway in depth. Likewise the bouquet has a freshness and intensity to it which is remarkable, red fruits more than brown, wonderfully piquant and exciting, orange oil again, red cherry, red plum, currants, nougat and cedary oak lifted by alcohol, and a particular spicy quality reminiscent of cinnamon and grenache. In mouth the wine stands out for its concentration, richness, sweetness and length, while remaining fresh and exhilarating, chock-full of vintage port flavour, with a very long fruit-filled aftertaste, almost youthful. This wine has a great cellar future ahead of it, sensationally so given its 41 years of age. Two tasters had this as their second-favourite wine. GK 05/18
Glowing ruby and garnet, a sensational colour for 41 years of age, one of the two wines showing the most ‘red’ in the ruby, above midway in depth. Likewise the bouquet has a freshness and intensity to it which is remarkable, red fruits more than brown, wonderfully piquant and exciting, orange oil again, red cherry, red plum, currants, nougat and cedary oak lifted by alcohol, and a particular spicy quality reminiscent of cinnamon and grenache. In mouth the wine stands out for its concentration, richness, sweetness and length, while remaining fresh and exhilarating, chock-full of vintage port flavour, with a very long fruit-filled aftertaste, almost youthful. This wine has a great cellar future ahead of it, sensationally so given its 41 years of age. Two tasters had this as their second-favourite wine. GK 05/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $535 [ cork; Sy 100%, age 40 – 90 years; cropped at less than half the normal 35 - 37 hL / ha (1.7 – 1.9 t/ac), so less than 1 t/ac; fermented in temperature-controlled s/s, 5 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; production 330 cases, much less than le Sol; the name Ex Voto embraces the thought of giving thanks; Parker 170: It is the most alcoholic of all the wines at 15%, but its off-the-chart richness, full-bodied, powerful, and amazing creme de cassis flavors along with truffle, crushed rocks, and acacia flowers, are utterly profound. 100; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly a hint of carmine, the deepest of the Guigal grands crus, in the middle across the set. Bouquet on this syrah is even more intensely cassisy than la Turque, and going back and forth between the two, it is now easier to detect the presence of viognier in la Turque – marvellous. The concentration of cassisy berry and syrah character is exceptional, what one hopes of Hermitage and these days, infrequently encounters. If one were to be really carping, there is trace raisiny / over-ripe character, yet it is so vividly cassis, and it was after all a hot dry year, who cares. Likewise, there is trace brett, at a level that is frankly delicious. On palate one immediately registers the alcohol. The label gives a completely imaginary figure of 13% (as for all the reds including and above the Brune & Blonde label). Parker records 15% and Tanzer 15.5%. Yet because the oaking is so beautifully incorporated with the fruit, there is no alcohol / oak interaction / harshness as bedevils Australian wines, the palate instead being more dry smooth blackcurrant liqueur. Extraordinary wine, the richest Hermitage I have ever tasted, infinitely desirable. Cellar 10 – 50 years. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, nearly a hint of carmine, the deepest of the Guigal grands crus, in the middle across the set. Bouquet on this syrah is even more intensely cassisy than la Turque, and going back and forth between the two, it is now easier to detect the presence of viognier in la Turque – marvellous. The concentration of cassisy berry and syrah character is exceptional, what one hopes of Hermitage and these days, infrequently encounters. If one were to be really carping, there is trace raisiny / over-ripe character, yet it is so vividly cassis, and it was after all a hot dry year, who cares. Likewise, there is trace brett, at a level that is frankly delicious. On palate one immediately registers the alcohol. The label gives a completely imaginary figure of 13% (as for all the reds including and above the Brune & Blonde label). Parker records 15% and Tanzer 15.5%. Yet because the oaking is so beautifully incorporated with the fruit, there is no alcohol / oak interaction / harshness as bedevils Australian wines, the palate instead being more dry smooth blackcurrant liqueur. Extraordinary wine, the richest Hermitage I have ever tasted, infinitely desirable. Cellar 10 – 50 years. GK 06/07
Rheingau, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork, 45mm; in the handout I noted that the colour appeared deep, but Broadbent’s reviews indicated that may be no worry … and indeed that was the case. There is now an exact wine-searcher value for this bottle: $NZ2,042. The von Schonborn estate in the Rheingau amounts to 50 ha, planted 91% to riesling, the balance pinot noir and pinot blanc, with annual production totalling around 25,500 9-litre cases. Brook comments that though von Schonborn is one of the best-known estates in the Rheingau, quality was inconsistent until 1995. He further comments that von Schonborn is the principal owner of the 5.2 ha Marcobrunn vineyard. Soils are rich in marl [ie calcareous] and consistently yield rieslings that are rich, spicy and full-flavoured, but the richness and body may mean some loss of elegance. No notes for our wine, but to illuminate the colour and vocabulary aspect of our tasting, here are David Schildknecht’s (Wine Advocate) thoughts on the 2009 (NB) of our label: [ The wine is ] amber, viscous, and pungently smoky and spicy. Salted caramel, peach preserves, vanilla cream, and crystallized ginger inform a buttery palate rather incongruously laced with fresh lemon and adhering with formidable tenacity. ... one can only wait for 25-30 years to see whether harmony and further complexity emerge, 91. Half bottles of the current vintage of this TBA sell for €600 in Germany ... and total production of the 2009 was fewer than 70 half-bottles. To further illustrate, Michael Broadbent's 1992 notes on a 1971 von Schonborn Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese: Harmonious, honeyed botrytis, outrageously lovely petroly Riesling, intensely sweet, concentrated, not of this world – no score given; www.weingut-schloss-schoenborn.de ]
Old mahogany with an old-gold edge, brass-rimmed, much the deepest wine. The first thing you notice as you pour the wine is, it is astonishingly ‘thick’. The second aspect is the remarkable freshness and volume of the bouquet, relative to its dark appearance. The fruits are dark, sultanas, sticky black raisins, fresh moist prunes in the best sense, spicy and nutty, a little oak, darkly honeyed with suggestions of beautiful caramel toffee, yet vibrant. Palate is velvet, again the finest moistest Christmas cake or traditional English Christmas pudding with ground almonds and spice, yet so much more exciting, and simply never-ending. One particularly knowledgeable taster of German wines spoke to the wine, describing it as 'ethereal'. For the group, this was the favourite wine of the evening quite clearly, a wine beyond the experience of most of us. Residual sugar must be approaching the 300 grams / litre range. For both this wine and the Kupfergrube, a slight question mark on the developed colour, since the wines were bought at auction, though of Wellington origin. Storage conditions may have been warmer than for the Josephshofer Trockenbeerenauslese, with its thought to be more ‘correct’ colour, as noted below. Could the wine have been even fresher, therefore, in different storage ? Tantalising thought. Memorable, even so: nine top rankings, three second places. GK 11/17
Old mahogany with an old-gold edge, brass-rimmed, much the deepest wine. The first thing you notice as you pour the wine is, it is astonishingly ‘thick’. The second aspect is the remarkable freshness and volume of the bouquet, relative to its dark appearance. The fruits are dark, sultanas, sticky black raisins, fresh moist prunes in the best sense, spicy and nutty, a little oak, darkly honeyed with suggestions of beautiful caramel toffee, yet vibrant. Palate is velvet, again the finest moistest Christmas cake or traditional English Christmas pudding with ground almonds and spice, yet so much more exciting, and simply never-ending. One particularly knowledgeable taster of German wines spoke to the wine, describing it as 'ethereal'. For the group, this was the favourite wine of the evening quite clearly, a wine beyond the experience of most of us. Residual sugar must be approaching the 300 grams / litre range. For both this wine and the Kupfergrube, a slight question mark on the developed colour, since the wines were bought at auction, though of Wellington origin. Storage conditions may have been warmer than for the Josephshofer Trockenbeerenauslese, with its thought to be more ‘correct’ colour, as noted below. Could the wine have been even fresher, therefore, in different storage ? Tantalising thought. Memorable, even so: nine top rankings, three second places. GK 11/17
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $487 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; the meaning of the name lost in legend; upslope from Clos de Vougeot and les Amoureuses; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, cuvaison up to 20 days; MLF and up to 18 months in French oak up to 100% new; for many the subtlest yet finest of the grands crus; www.drouhin.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest, and clearly oak-influenced. And thus we come to the 2005 Drouhin les Musigny (I'm writing these from least to greatest), already a wine of fable for the 2005 vintage. Thankfully, the wines were presented rigorously blind, yet on being asked to speak to the final flight, there was no doubt in my mind that the middle wine was the best – whatever it was. The quality of the floral component on this pinot defies description, there being every sweet red and brown flower one can think of, and dark roses and violets too. In mouth, the fruit unfolds magically, layer upon layer of dark cherry, perfect acid balance, velvet texture, just everything great pinot noir should be. It is not as oaky as the Chambertin, but it seems richer and more intensely flavoured than even the Amoureuses. Possibly the acid balance is a little soft for the longest haul, but this is exquisite burgundy, the floral qualities suffusing the entire palate. Perhaps this wine will develop the mythical peacock's tail. All the overseas excitement about this wine seems totally true. Those who taste it are privileged. Local pinot winemakers who turned down the opportunity to do so were unwise. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest, and clearly oak-influenced. And thus we come to the 2005 Drouhin les Musigny (I'm writing these from least to greatest), already a wine of fable for the 2005 vintage. Thankfully, the wines were presented rigorously blind, yet on being asked to speak to the final flight, there was no doubt in my mind that the middle wine was the best – whatever it was. The quality of the floral component on this pinot defies description, there being every sweet red and brown flower one can think of, and dark roses and violets too. In mouth, the fruit unfolds magically, layer upon layer of dark cherry, perfect acid balance, velvet texture, just everything great pinot noir should be. It is not as oaky as the Chambertin, but it seems richer and more intensely flavoured than even the Amoureuses. Possibly the acid balance is a little soft for the longest haul, but this is exquisite burgundy, the floral qualities suffusing the entire palate. Perhaps this wine will develop the mythical peacock's tail. All the overseas excitement about this wine seems totally true. Those who taste it are privileged. Local pinot winemakers who turned down the opportunity to do so were unwise. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $825 [ cork 51mm; cepage this year CS 53%, Me 40, PV 7, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.20 months, 45% new, light toast; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, the middle wine for depth. Bouquet here is the perfect complement to the 2010, just as wondrously pure, but a little more development than expected. The wine has lost nearly all its primary fruit characters, instead showing a rich amalgam of near-floral qualities and 'winey' fragrance on wonderfully rich berryfruit, with the faintest suggestions of browning, plus brown pipe tobacco and cedar. In mouth there is a velvety richness of fruit, the firmness attributed to petit verdot in the 2010 now totally melted away into a glorious lightly cedar-infused near-perfect cabernet / merlot blend. This wine takes me back to the beauty of the 1966 Ch Palmer when it was a young wine – back when at $6.35 one could afford a case of it, even on the salaries of the day. The 2005 and 2010 Palmers are of comparable richness, though the 2005 being more developed does seem fractionally richer. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, the middle wine for depth. Bouquet here is the perfect complement to the 2010, just as wondrously pure, but a little more development than expected. The wine has lost nearly all its primary fruit characters, instead showing a rich amalgam of near-floral qualities and 'winey' fragrance on wonderfully rich berryfruit, with the faintest suggestions of browning, plus brown pipe tobacco and cedar. In mouth there is a velvety richness of fruit, the firmness attributed to petit verdot in the 2010 now totally melted away into a glorious lightly cedar-infused near-perfect cabernet / merlot blend. This wine takes me back to the beauty of the 1966 Ch Palmer when it was a young wine – back when at $6.35 one could afford a case of it, even on the salaries of the day. The 2005 and 2010 Palmers are of comparable richness, though the 2005 being more developed does seem fractionally richer. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 11/15
Cote Brune, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $1,000 [ Cork, 49 mm; Sy 93%, Vi 7, co-fermented, average vine age 25 years, typically cropped at 35 hl/ha = 4.55 t/ha = 1.84 t/ac; Parker rating for year 96; NZ price at purchase $575; c. 28 days cuvaison, 42 months in 100% new barrels, all 228-litre; Parker in characterising the three Cote-Rotie grands crus, says of La Turque: a synthesis in style between La Mouline and La Landonne … not as tannic or muscular as La Landonne … nearly the same compelling aromatics as La Mouline … the Rhone’s answer to Burgundy’s great duo of grand cru vineyards, Richebourg and Musigny; J.L-L, 2011: dark robe; there are wisps of mineral, prune, ground coffee in a very solid bouquet – it shows airs of baked, hot plains and stones which are offset by the relative breeze of the mineral elements that include toasting and mint. The palate bears a lot of savoury fruit – is an affair of real depth and tasty generosity. This has great length, a wonderful roundness with the charge of the hot vintage at the end. Its freshness is striking, with poise and elegance lining up well. 2034-2036, *****; Robinson, 2006: Very interesting menthol note on this energetic, superripe, very opulent wine that is JUST this side of overripe but saved by acidity and freshness. Really dramatic and rich. So rich it tastes almost drinkable now. Tannins deeply submerged beneath a richly embroidered canopy of fruit. Obviously picked before end August, before grapes started to dry. Lots of glam oak, 19; Parker, 2007: 100; J Dunnuck @ Parker, 2016: I’ve always loved the 2003s from the Guigal family and the 2003 Cote-Rotie la Turque has yet to ever disappoint. An incredible perfume of smoked herbs, charred meats, violets, licorice and blackcurrants gives way to a huge, unctuous, powerful Cote-Rotie that has masses of ripe, sweet tannin, full-bodied richness and a finish that just won’t quit. Enjoy this heavenly elixir over the coming 2-3 decades, 100; Wine Spectator, 2007: Incredibly dense and concentrated, with a polished layer of mocha-infused toast pushed by blackberry, black currant, black tea and dark olive flavors. This has tremendous power, but is also very suave, with sweet, exotic fruit notes that linger endlessly on the long, fleshy finish. Best from 2010 through 2030. 210 cases made, 98; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly as fresh as La Landonne, but not quite the depth, the third deepest wine. Bouquet here is nearly as glorious as the La Landonne, the same fresh aromatic cassis but a little more dusky-rose floral, and not quite the depth. Once one knows the identity, you try to see how to recognise the viognier component, but it is near impossible. Palate is a little softer than the La Landonne, not showing the extraordinary depth of aromatic cassis that wine has, but the level of fruit and richness is comparable. Oak is detectable, lengthening the flavour wonderfully, but again not dominating. This is beautiful wine too, which could easily be marked as highly as La Landonne. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Ruby and velvet, nearly as fresh as La Landonne, but not quite the depth, the third deepest wine. Bouquet here is nearly as glorious as the La Landonne, the same fresh aromatic cassis but a little more dusky-rose floral, and not quite the depth. Once one knows the identity, you try to see how to recognise the viognier component, but it is near impossible. Palate is a little softer than the La Landonne, not showing the extraordinary depth of aromatic cassis that wine has, but the level of fruit and richness is comparable. Oak is detectable, lengthening the flavour wonderfully, but again not dominating. This is beautiful wine too, which could easily be marked as highly as La Landonne. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Douro, Portugal: – %; $441 [ cork, 48mm; cepage not known, but usually 75% or so touriga nacional and touriga franca; 18 months in older oak (none new), no fining or filtration; considered to be drier than the other Symington group wines; Broadbent has Dow as one of the top five wines of the vintage, but notes in 2001 (after he had tasted it formally more than 43 times) that it was now fully to over-mature, drying sometimes, at best: still sweet, rich with marvellous flavour and length; Robinson in 2006 has a different view, noting that the 1963 is the finest Dow she has tasted, and worth quoting in full (since she rarely scores at the 19.5 level): Mid to pale ruby with a brick rim. Wonderfully mature, complex nose with dried fruits – prunes? – but freshness too. Hint of dark chocolate. Alcohol wonderfully integrated. Then on the palate a real dancer of a wine – perfectly lively and truly tonic on the palate. Real delicacy – not desperately sweet, just beautifully balanced. Very very clean finish with a definite whisper of tannin on the finish. The Syms reckons this would be one of the top four or five vintage ports of the 20th century by anyone’s reckoning and certainly it demonstrated to me exactly what I love about really mature, top quality vintage port – a world away from young ruby, 19.5; Robert Parker, 1989: The 1963 is a classic, a monumental, rich, still tannic wine that will last at least another 30 years, 92; www.dows-port.com ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, a little older than the 1963 Fonseca, below midway in depth. Bouquet is understated, but even at this age nearly floral in a dusky way, with currants and browning red plummy fruits, plus some of the piquancy of orange oil and dried Otago apricots, and a hint of marzipan, all melded into the essence of mature vintage port. Palate is wonderfully rich, long, and sustained, with an integration of fruit and oak that stands out in the set, not at all tanniny yet with a clear backbone and length, finishing smoothly and in one sense almost ‘dry’. It is not the richest or sweetest in the set, but it is ‘complete’. Robinson’s reported comments and assessment seemed perfectly appropriate. Will hold for years. Two tasters had the 1963 Dow’s as their top wine. GK 05/18
Glowing garnet and ruby, a little older than the 1963 Fonseca, below midway in depth. Bouquet is understated, but even at this age nearly floral in a dusky way, with currants and browning red plummy fruits, plus some of the piquancy of orange oil and dried Otago apricots, and a hint of marzipan, all melded into the essence of mature vintage port. Palate is wonderfully rich, long, and sustained, with an integration of fruit and oak that stands out in the set, not at all tanniny yet with a clear backbone and length, finishing smoothly and in one sense almost ‘dry’. It is not the richest or sweetest in the set, but it is ‘complete’. Robinson’s reported comments and assessment seemed perfectly appropriate. Will hold for years. Two tasters had the 1963 Dow’s as their top wine. GK 05/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $204 [ cork, 50 mm; Gr 55 – 65%, Mv 20 – 25, Sy 10, others 5; all destemmed, 21 days cuvaison; elevation c.12 months in large foudres, no new oak; not fined or filtered; just the one cuvée of Chateauneuf; J.L-L: magic fruit; very long, beats 1990, ******; Robinson, 2012: Lots of black fruits on the nose (c’est très kirsché, says Avril approvingly) and a hint of animal and masses of matter. Lots of tannin and a bit of alcohol on the end. Needs lots of time. Very deep and long, 19; Parker, 2012: ... gorgeously pure black raspberry, black currant and kirsch liqueur notes intermixed with notions of spring flowers, tapenade, licorice and spice box ... full-bodied ... remarkably fresh and well-delineated, 99; typical production 6,500 – 7,500 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 688 g; www.clos-des-papes.fr ]
Good ruby, scarcely distinguishable from the Caillou La Reserve in weight, fractionally fresher in hue, in the middle of the field for depth. The freshness and volume of red and black cherry fruit pouring from the glass here is extraordinary. It is not quite so garrigue-aromatic as the top Caillou, instead just a hint of cinnamon. Palate is a little fresher and more tanniny at this stage, but again wonderful potential texture. Wines like these remind you yet again how coarse in texture so much allegedly premium Australian red wine is, with their almost invariable tartaric acid adjustment harshness, further exacerbated by excess new oak. Clos des Papes has no new oak at all, yet has a superb tannin structure. This and the Caillou La Reserve are Chateauneufs of the highest rank, of a quality rarely encountered. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for this wine, perhaps because it was wine 12 and fatigue was setting in (with the higher alcohols), perhaps because the wine is relatively subtle, only one person rating it second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Good ruby, scarcely distinguishable from the Caillou La Reserve in weight, fractionally fresher in hue, in the middle of the field for depth. The freshness and volume of red and black cherry fruit pouring from the glass here is extraordinary. It is not quite so garrigue-aromatic as the top Caillou, instead just a hint of cinnamon. Palate is a little fresher and more tanniny at this stage, but again wonderful potential texture. Wines like these remind you yet again how coarse in texture so much allegedly premium Australian red wine is, with their almost invariable tartaric acid adjustment harshness, further exacerbated by excess new oak. Clos des Papes has no new oak at all, yet has a superb tannin structure. This and the Caillou La Reserve are Chateauneufs of the highest rank, of a quality rarely encountered. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for this wine, perhaps because it was wine 12 and fatigue was setting in (with the higher alcohols), perhaps because the wine is relatively subtle, only one person rating it second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $535 [ cork; Sy 93%, Vi 7, 100% de-stemmed; average vine age 17 years; cropped at less than half the normal 35 – 37 hL / ha (1.7 – 1.9 t/ac), so less than 1 t/ac; fermented in s/s, 5 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; Parker 170: an amazing aromatic profile of espresso coffee interwoven with scorched earth, tar, truffle, incense, blackberry, bacon fat, and flowers. Powerful, thick flavors ooze across the palate with a viscous texture, amazing purity, and just enough acidity and tannin to give uplift and precision … 100; Robinson: Very interesting menthol note on this energetic, superripe, very opulent wine that is JUST this side of overripe but saved by acidity and freshness. Really dramatic and rich. …. Tannins deeply submerged beneath a richly embroidered canopy of fruit. 19; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, just below half way in depth of colour for the set, the second lightest of the grands crus. Bouquet is magical, a glorious combination of syrah berry at the point of ripeness where it is losing the lightest dianthus fractions of bouquet, but still is darkly red rose florals, on rich ripe cassis scarcely showing any hot-year raisining. The benison of viognier can be identified, once one thinks about it. This wine is in effect pure, no brett, for all reasonable discussion purposes. Palate is velvety rich. What does Guigal do to achieve such magical oak integration given 42 months in 100% new oak, all integrated into the body of the wine as in great chardonnay. The oak simply is not loud, a vivid contrast to the Grange. Aftertaste is perhaps the most over-ripe component, some chocolate notes in the intense berry, maybe a sort of Black Forest gateau suggestion at this point, yet wonderfully dry and long – just lovely. Alcohol is almost certainly more 14%-ish than the 13 given. 2003 La Turque finishes on berry, not oak, astonishing. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, just below half way in depth of colour for the set, the second lightest of the grands crus. Bouquet is magical, a glorious combination of syrah berry at the point of ripeness where it is losing the lightest dianthus fractions of bouquet, but still is darkly red rose florals, on rich ripe cassis scarcely showing any hot-year raisining. The benison of viognier can be identified, once one thinks about it. This wine is in effect pure, no brett, for all reasonable discussion purposes. Palate is velvety rich. What does Guigal do to achieve such magical oak integration given 42 months in 100% new oak, all integrated into the body of the wine as in great chardonnay. The oak simply is not loud, a vivid contrast to the Grange. Aftertaste is perhaps the most over-ripe component, some chocolate notes in the intense berry, maybe a sort of Black Forest gateau suggestion at this point, yet wonderfully dry and long – just lovely. Alcohol is almost certainly more 14%-ish than the 13 given. 2003 La Turque finishes on berry, not oak, astonishing. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/07
Coonawarra and Kalimna, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $1,058 [ Screwcap, ullage c.25mm; original price c.$380; this wine is if anything more famous than Block 42, in that it takes its heritage directly back to 1962 Bin 60A, made by Max Schubert after his Bordeaux odyssey, and agreed by all those who have tasted it to be the greatest wine Penfolds has ever made. Penfolds considered the cool year 2004 to match 1962, and hence made this follow-up wine. It shows an incredible sense of heritage and perspective, to wait 42 years to try and make this second bottling. 56% of the wine is Coonawarra Block 20 cabernet sauvignon, the balance being shiraz from Kalimna Blocks 4 and 14, and Koonunga Hill Block 53G. Again, the Penfolds website is infuriatingly vague (and not enough effort made to correct mistakes), but Lisa Perrotti-Brown has access to Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker, and advises that fermentation was completed in new American oak hogsheads, followed by 13 months elevation in similar barrels. Sources vary, but there seem to be about 500 x 9-litre cases of this wine (like the Block 42, but hard to be sure, now that 6-packs are the standard unit for these expensive wines). Victoria Daskal, Managing Editor at The World of Fine Wine, London, 2009: Tangy berries and minty nose. Very good fruit and prevalent oak. Advised to wait, but it is excellent now. Full flavour, layers of fruit, mint, oak, like hitting a flavour tune fork and feeling it reverberate on your palate: zesty and lively and young, 18; RP@RP, 2006: Its blackberry, blueberry, tar, lead pencil shavings, licorice, and spice box-scented bouquet is followed by a wine boasting an unctuous texture buttressed by decent acidity as well as fabulous extract and richness. This stunning blend should have a minimum of three decades of aging potential and be a true collector's item for many years to come, 98; weight bottle and closure: 712 g; ; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, youthful for its age, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is aromatic, piquant, enticing, with wonderful dark fresh berry characters approaching cassis in quality, though it is hard to tease out the berry from aromatic new oak. The wine has a faint pennyroyal lift, almost subliminal, but making it exciting to smell. It is not euc'y. Palate follows perfectly, not overly rich or overstated, the cabernet speaking much more loudly at this stage, the wine having reminders of a young Bordeaux such as Mouton-Rothschild (with its noticeable oak), but then the palate is softened and fleshed-out by silky shiraz fruit, feeling as if it were free-run juice. Any acid adjustment for this wine is subtly done, it thus pretty well escaping the great peril of many Australian red wines, a spiky added-tartaric finish. When compared with Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 of the same year, the wine is gentler, more bordeaux-like, not as obviously American oak, and in particular it finishes more attractively. Great wine, and so far as you can tell not in any way closed or compacted by being bottled under screwcap. Top wine for four tasters, the top wine in that respect, and one second-favourite. Thought to be cabernet-dominant by half the group. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 04/21
Ruby, carmine and velvet, youthful for its age, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is aromatic, piquant, enticing, with wonderful dark fresh berry characters approaching cassis in quality, though it is hard to tease out the berry from aromatic new oak. The wine has a faint pennyroyal lift, almost subliminal, but making it exciting to smell. It is not euc'y. Palate follows perfectly, not overly rich or overstated, the cabernet speaking much more loudly at this stage, the wine having reminders of a young Bordeaux such as Mouton-Rothschild (with its noticeable oak), but then the palate is softened and fleshed-out by silky shiraz fruit, feeling as if it were free-run juice. Any acid adjustment for this wine is subtly done, it thus pretty well escaping the great peril of many Australian red wines, a spiky added-tartaric finish. When compared with Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 of the same year, the wine is gentler, more bordeaux-like, not as obviously American oak, and in particular it finishes more attractively. Great wine, and so far as you can tell not in any way closed or compacted by being bottled under screwcap. Top wine for four tasters, the top wine in that respect, and one second-favourite. Thought to be cabernet-dominant by half the group. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 04/21
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $300 [ cork, 55mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from vines averaging 40 years age, Le Meal the main vineyard and others at c.2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); website not forthcoming as to elevage, but Livingstone-Learmonth and Robert Parker have good info: all destemmed, c.22 days cuvaison temperature-controlled to max 30°C, MLF preferably in tank; oxygenation as needed, then 12 – 18 months (depending on vintage) in barrique, 20% new now, balance 1 and 2-year so now a modern approach to elevage; assembly in tank, may be fined, filtered; production now varies with vintage up to 2,900 x 9-litre cases, much less than the latter years of the Jaboulet family, coupled with a large percentage (say, 25%) now declassified to La Petite Chapelle and a further percentage completely declassified; with Jaboulet now owned by the Frey family of Ch La Lagune (who also hold 45 percent of Champagne Billecart-Salmon), the renaissance of the formerly famous but latterly sadly deteriorated Jaboulet house is now well in train. Rumours abound that La Lagune barrels are now in use for La Chapelle. Given the centuries-old links between Bordeaux and Hermitage, this makes sense; overseeing winemaker Caroline Frey graduated in oenology from the University of Bordeaux in 2002, dux of the class. There she met consultant oenologist (the late) Denis Dubourdieu, who she regards as her mentor and inspiration; Jancis Robinson, 2015: Exceptionally dark crimson. Dense yet opulent nose. Extremely ripe. Yet dry on the finish. This is much more sinewy and less offputtingly concentrated than the Grange 2010. Fine-grained tannins. Savoury and dramatic, 2016 – 2030, 18.5; Jeb Dunnuck, 2015: ... a blockbuster in the making, ... not for those craving instant gratification. Massively concentrated and dense, it offers sensational minerality to go with tons of dark fruits, bacon, black olive, beef blood and graphite. Building in the glass and showing more and more mid-palate density and serious amounts of tannin, this serious, chiseled and structured Hermitage needs to be forgotten for another decade, 2025 - 2060, 97+; Robert Parker, 2011, on the achievements of the new owners and Caroline Frey: ... this is one of the great qualitative turn arounds in the wine world. It is welcomed by all wine lovers given the historic legacy of the wines of Jaboulet and the importance of this famous firm in all of France. Ms. Frey, who is also responsible for the brilliant wines produced at La Lagune in Bordeaux, has reduced the amount of new oak for the red wines to about 20% and to negligible proportions for the whites; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine, a sensational rich and youthful colour. On smelling this, the immediate thought of young and great Bordeaux first flits across the mind: Mouton-Rothschild or Pichon Baron. Look again and it is exquisite spicy darkest syrah, a touch of black peppercorn in the spice, a freshness and lift in the cassis which is exemplary, and rather more new oak than the 2010 Chave (hence the Bordeaux thought). Palate confirms the bouquet in every detail, the wine perhaps not quite so rich as the Chave, but because of the oak every bit as big in flavour. And even so, the oak does not dominate or interfere unduly with the classic syrah flavour. I’d just prefer a little less. To judge from 1969 Jaboulet La Chapelle tasted recently, this could be a 50 year wine, just. Cellar 20 – 45 years. One top place, and two second-favourite votes. Only one taster thought this a Northern Rhone Valley wine, perhaps on the oak. GK 11/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine, a sensational rich and youthful colour. On smelling this, the immediate thought of young and great Bordeaux first flits across the mind: Mouton-Rothschild or Pichon Baron. Look again and it is exquisite spicy darkest syrah, a touch of black peppercorn in the spice, a freshness and lift in the cassis which is exemplary, and rather more new oak than the 2010 Chave (hence the Bordeaux thought). Palate confirms the bouquet in every detail, the wine perhaps not quite so rich as the Chave, but because of the oak every bit as big in flavour. And even so, the oak does not dominate or interfere unduly with the classic syrah flavour. I’d just prefer a little less. To judge from 1969 Jaboulet La Chapelle tasted recently, this could be a 50 year wine, just. Cellar 20 – 45 years. One top place, and two second-favourite votes. Only one taster thought this a Northern Rhone Valley wine, perhaps on the oak. GK 11/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $399 [ 55mm cork; hand-picked from 40 – 60 year vines at < 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); website not forthcoming as to elevage, but Robert Parker reports 15 months in barrel, 20% new oak; Parker, 96+: great wine; Tanzer, 96: intensely perfumed (NZ winemakers please note, how do you smell floral components if the wine is over-oaked, vanillin alone is not enough); Robinson, 18+: real density; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour and weight, the richest of the Jaboulets. Bouquet impresses first for its wonderful purity, then its eloquent expression of perfectly ripe cassis just grading into bottled black doris plums. This smells at the perfect point of varietal expression, in terms of my ripening curve for syrah (The World of Fine Wine, Issue 34, 2011). When you focus on the bouquet, there are dusky florals too, hinting at darkest red roses and violets, but also mingling with traces of freshly cracked black pepper. Tasting the wine is simply heavenly, it is a perfect condensation of all the aromas on bouquet, into a moderately rich yet not heavy wine of great clarity and focus, illuminated but in no way dominated by new oak. In this key component, it contrasts with nearly all the New Zealand wines. And it is wonderfully fresh. I imagine the 2009 is a bigger wine, but sadly it was not available for this tasting. If it is both larger and as fresh and focussed, then perhaps it is perfection, but meanwhile, this is definitive. Any person who loves syrah, and all New Zealand winemakers who make syrah, and therefore expect New Zealanders to pay them for it, are duty-bound to secure at least a 6-box of this wine. And preferably a dozen, for it will cellar for twice that time. It is an absolute benchmark wine. It is one of the most beautiful young wines I have ever tasted, comparable with 1966 Ch Palmer at release. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour and weight, the richest of the Jaboulets. Bouquet impresses first for its wonderful purity, then its eloquent expression of perfectly ripe cassis just grading into bottled black doris plums. This smells at the perfect point of varietal expression, in terms of my ripening curve for syrah (The World of Fine Wine, Issue 34, 2011). When you focus on the bouquet, there are dusky florals too, hinting at darkest red roses and violets, but also mingling with traces of freshly cracked black pepper. Tasting the wine is simply heavenly, it is a perfect condensation of all the aromas on bouquet, into a moderately rich yet not heavy wine of great clarity and focus, illuminated but in no way dominated by new oak. In this key component, it contrasts with nearly all the New Zealand wines. And it is wonderfully fresh. I imagine the 2009 is a bigger wine, but sadly it was not available for this tasting. If it is both larger and as fresh and focussed, then perhaps it is perfection, but meanwhile, this is definitive. Any person who loves syrah, and all New Zealand winemakers who make syrah, and therefore expect New Zealanders to pay them for it, are duty-bound to secure at least a 6-box of this wine. And preferably a dozen, for it will cellar for twice that time. It is an absolute benchmark wine. It is one of the most beautiful young wines I have ever tasted, comparable with 1966 Ch Palmer at release. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/14
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $130 [ cork, 55mm, ullage 16mm; original price c.$146; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: … a late harvest resulting in beautifully ripe, racy, terroir-driven wines for aging. The spine of ’05 with extra flesh, 98; Marc Perrin: The main idea of 2010 is ripe, but fabulous balance. We had the same phenolics as '09, but 1.5 degrees less of alcohol ... It's back to the very classic style of the Southern Rhone … the wines are intense, but not heavy; J.L-L, 2013: The palate comes forward on sealed, dark fruits, lissom and live tannins, a joyful abundance ... 2018 – 2045, ****** (NB: 6 stars very rarely applied by J.L-L); JR@JR, 2011: Mourvèdre was especially good in 2010, apparently. Very dense and meaty on the nose. Appetising and no shortage of flesh but no heavy sweetness or alcohol. Really quite racy! Complex. 2015 – 2030, 18; RP@RP, 2012: This is a gorgeous wine ... with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich ..., 2015 – 2045, 95; JM@WS, 2012: Aromatically, it's the purest Beaucastel I've ever experienced ... It's very intense without any heaviness, with remarkable freshness and purity ... It is clearly classic in quality and is easily among the elite vintages that Beaucastel has ever produced; JM later scored it 96; weight bottle and closure: 873 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a similar weight to the 2016 but fractionally older, marginally the deepest wine, but much, much lighter than the Penfolds last month. Total wine style is very close to the 2016, the wine pure and lightly aromatic, again the role of mourvedre apparent and reminding of cabernet sauvignon, but the whole wine smelling just a little richer. It is also a little drier / more tanniny, without quite the fresh berry bloom of the youthful 2016. There is a hint of beguiling garrigue, though. Palate is richer and more concentrated than the 2016, the richest in the set apart from the ultra-low cropping rate Hommage à Jacques Perrin, clearly aromatic, the dark mourvedre even more apparent, dark plum and nearly cassis flavours, with wonderful palate depth on the furry-tannins / berry flavours of the mourvedre component. Again the alcohol is very well hidden. I imagine this will take years to crust in bottle, leaving a fragrant soft wine like 1989 now, but pure. Four tasters rated the 2010 their favourite wine of the evening, and another four their second-favourite. Tasters were unanimous there was no brett. Magnificent wine, to cellar 20 – 45 years. GK 05/21
Ruby and velvet, a similar weight to the 2016 but fractionally older, marginally the deepest wine, but much, much lighter than the Penfolds last month. Total wine style is very close to the 2016, the wine pure and lightly aromatic, again the role of mourvedre apparent and reminding of cabernet sauvignon, but the whole wine smelling just a little richer. It is also a little drier / more tanniny, without quite the fresh berry bloom of the youthful 2016. There is a hint of beguiling garrigue, though. Palate is richer and more concentrated than the 2016, the richest in the set apart from the ultra-low cropping rate Hommage à Jacques Perrin, clearly aromatic, the dark mourvedre even more apparent, dark plum and nearly cassis flavours, with wonderful palate depth on the furry-tannins / berry flavours of the mourvedre component. Again the alcohol is very well hidden. I imagine this will take years to crust in bottle, leaving a fragrant soft wine like 1989 now, but pure. Four tasters rated the 2010 their favourite wine of the evening, and another four their second-favourite. Tasters were unanimous there was no brett. Magnificent wine, to cellar 20 – 45 years. GK 05/21
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $349 [ cork; Sy 100% 65 years average age, from le Pavillon on mid to upper slopes on granite; hand-harvested "just beyond peak maturity"; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in open-top oak vessels, fermentation to 32 C, cuvaison up to 4 weeks; 15 – 18 months in 50% new French oak; regular racking; not fined or filtered; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious syrah colour, though not quite the deepest. Bouquet is pinpoint syrah, the sweetest and purest of the four, wallflower florals in a firm way, clear-cut cassis, subtle black pepper, and lots of dark fruit best characterised as darkest bottled black doris plum. This suite of specific syrah varietal aromas is also exactly found in 2006 New Zealand Church Road Syrah Reserve, and 2005 Te Mata Syrah Bullnose, but in both cases without the firm authority of this wine. Palate is the perfect match, succulent in its richness (like the 2006 Church Road Reserve), but again firmer than the New Zealand examples even though seemingly less new oak-affected, wonderful dry extract, great cassisy length, and a clear black peppercorn and berry finish. Not for nothing did Professor Sainsbury describe red Hermitage as the 'manliest' wine in the world ! It is not a very big wine, but is perfectly proportioned. Cellar 10 – 30 + years. GK 07/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious syrah colour, though not quite the deepest. Bouquet is pinpoint syrah, the sweetest and purest of the four, wallflower florals in a firm way, clear-cut cassis, subtle black pepper, and lots of dark fruit best characterised as darkest bottled black doris plum. This suite of specific syrah varietal aromas is also exactly found in 2006 New Zealand Church Road Syrah Reserve, and 2005 Te Mata Syrah Bullnose, but in both cases without the firm authority of this wine. Palate is the perfect match, succulent in its richness (like the 2006 Church Road Reserve), but again firmer than the New Zealand examples even though seemingly less new oak-affected, wonderful dry extract, great cassisy length, and a clear black peppercorn and berry finish. Not for nothing did Professor Sainsbury describe red Hermitage as the 'manliest' wine in the world ! It is not a very big wine, but is perfectly proportioned. Cellar 10 – 30 + years. GK 07/08
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Sy 97%, Vi 3, grown on a north-facing slope, hand-picked; co-fermented in s/s; 18 months in all-French oak, 33% new; Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 2012: ... warm blackberry, black currant, bacon and charcoal notes with a hint of black pepper. Some oak flavor is evident on the entry but is complemented by good black fruit concentration, vibrant acidity and a medium level of rounded tannins. This Syrah has a long finish and should drink well to 2016+, 89; Michael Cooper, 2014: The outstanding 2010 … is very powerful (14.5 per cent alcohol) and notably concentrated, with layers of blackcurrant, plum, black-pepper, coffee and nut flavours, underpinned by firm, ripe tannins. A majestic red … it should flourish for a decade, *****; www.cablebay.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fine colour, but not one of the deep ones, the third to lightest. One sniff of this, and there is a florality, a sensuality and a beauty to this wine which is comparable only with the finest Cote de Nuits grand cru burgundy. Yet running alongside that statement, it is also clearly syrah: textbook florals including Prof Saintsbury's wall-flower (likely to be dianthus, then), sweet red roses, beautiful cassis, a touch of blueberry, and subliminal black pepper. This is extraordinarily beautiful syrah. Palate shows a restraint in oak handling which is in vivid contrast to the Guigal, and consequently a softness, suppleness and charm on palate which again takes one straight back to the Cote de Nuits. In a sense therefore it is exquisite pinot noir, but pinot noir on steroids. It is not as rich as the Chave or the Guigal, yet in some ways it is even more beautiful, and technically perfect. It is more Cote Rotie than Hermitage in style, with its softness, florality, and (no other word for it) femininity. Prof Saintsbury did after all hold the view that Hermitage was the most ‘manly’ of wines. On the night this was far and away the top wine of the tasting, 12 first places, three second – an extraordinary unanimity, and a remarkable result. In part that result reflects familiarity: it is telling that not one person present had ever previously tasted and compared the three great Hermitages La Chapelle, J. L. Chave and Ex Voto together (and blind on this occasion). We are isolated in New Zealand, and it is imperative winemakers assemble tastings to counter that. Eleven thought it Northern Rhone Valley wine, but curiously, only 2 Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 11/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fine colour, but not one of the deep ones, the third to lightest. One sniff of this, and there is a florality, a sensuality and a beauty to this wine which is comparable only with the finest Cote de Nuits grand cru burgundy. Yet running alongside that statement, it is also clearly syrah: textbook florals including Prof Saintsbury's wall-flower (likely to be dianthus, then), sweet red roses, beautiful cassis, a touch of blueberry, and subliminal black pepper. This is extraordinarily beautiful syrah. Palate shows a restraint in oak handling which is in vivid contrast to the Guigal, and consequently a softness, suppleness and charm on palate which again takes one straight back to the Cote de Nuits. In a sense therefore it is exquisite pinot noir, but pinot noir on steroids. It is not as rich as the Chave or the Guigal, yet in some ways it is even more beautiful, and technically perfect. It is more Cote Rotie than Hermitage in style, with its softness, florality, and (no other word for it) femininity. Prof Saintsbury did after all hold the view that Hermitage was the most ‘manly’ of wines. On the night this was far and away the top wine of the tasting, 12 first places, three second – an extraordinary unanimity, and a remarkable result. In part that result reflects familiarity: it is telling that not one person present had ever previously tasted and compared the three great Hermitages La Chapelle, J. L. Chave and Ex Voto together (and blind on this occasion). We are isolated in New Zealand, and it is imperative winemakers assemble tastings to counter that. Eleven thought it Northern Rhone Valley wine, but curiously, only 2 Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 11/18
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $418 [ cork; cepage PN 70%, Ch 30; understood to be no BF; en tirage c.9 years; little detail on the website; current vintage price in NZ c.$265; www.polroger.com ]
Straw, about midway in depth of hue. One sniff however, and any doubts arising from relatively forward colour are dispelled. This is the kind of champagne you dream of, once one has ever tasted Pol Roger's famous Churchill, or Bollinger's likewise RD. The depth of baguette-crust autolysis on bouquet has a quality to it reminiscent of Vogel's Original Mixed-grain lightly toasted, but there is no way the thought of aldehydes intrudes. As soon as you taste it, it is clearly high pinot noir, a certain firmness, richness and backbone, yet not fruity at all. The length of flavour resting on this more-pinot than chardonnay fruit, plus the extended autolysis qualities, together are a delight. Finish is infinite, perfect acid balance, dosage in the middle, maybe 8 g/L. This should hold for some years, but is perfection now. Highly rated by the group. GK 11/14
Straw, about midway in depth of hue. One sniff however, and any doubts arising from relatively forward colour are dispelled. This is the kind of champagne you dream of, once one has ever tasted Pol Roger's famous Churchill, or Bollinger's likewise RD. The depth of baguette-crust autolysis on bouquet has a quality to it reminiscent of Vogel's Original Mixed-grain lightly toasted, but there is no way the thought of aldehydes intrudes. As soon as you taste it, it is clearly high pinot noir, a certain firmness, richness and backbone, yet not fruity at all. The length of flavour resting on this more-pinot than chardonnay fruit, plus the extended autolysis qualities, together are a delight. Finish is infinite, perfect acid balance, dosage in the middle, maybe 8 g/L. This should hold for some years, but is perfection now. Highly rated by the group. GK 11/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $100 [ cork; Sy 100% Limmer clone, (if like the 2006) hand-harvested @ just under 2.5 t/ac from a stony part of the vineyard; 100% de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top oak cuves, 22 days cuvaison including cold-soak; no BF component; MLF and 20 months in French oak 40% new; RS nil; filtered; release date 1 June 2009, not on website yet, c. 1000 cases (of 12) of the 2007; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midnight deep, glorious. Not to beat about the bush, Craggy Range's Syrah Le Sol is internationally their most famous wine after a mere six vintages (no 2003), and this 2007 is unequivocally the finest yet. It is the star wine in the 2007 Craggy Range premium releases. I don't have the previous vintages in front of me, but I have attended to each one closely. This wine is both lower in alcohol and lower in new oak than most of them, so on bouquet the saturation of explicit syrah cassisy berry complete with a touch of cracked black peppercorn seems much greater. There is almost a floral component, darkly wallflower, though one is at peril of 'willing' it to be there, so exciting is the bouquet. In mouth all the promise of the bouquet unfolds, aromatic cassisy berry and darkest plum dominant, a touch of black pepper, beautiful balance, no rough edges, a real beauty in the making. The depth of fruit is wondrous. This is both great New Zealand syrah, and a great Hermitage look-alike. It is therefore a praiseworthy retreat from the more heroic winestyle some earlier Le Sols presented.
To my mind, all that is needed now is even more emphasis on the floral component of the bouquet, for that is where the greatest Hermitage excels (and converges with great Cote Rotie). In discussing the wine, CEO Steve Smith related the picking is deferred in the Le Sol block until there is slight dimpling of the berry skin – a trace of raisining in effect. This must run the risk of some sur-maturité, of losing some floral precursors, relative to the sweet 'tree-ripened' fully mature grape at maximum plumpness. Think of how quickly a perfect big black plum changes from immensely fragrant and enticing to blowsy and over-ripe, if left on the tree. Picking a tranche of fruit for Le Sol a critical a few days earlier would not only optimise the critical dianthus and wallflower component of perfect syrah, but also maybe lower the alcohol slightly as a side benefit. The alcohol this year is 14.2%, and it gets away with it. But every point below 14% improves the silky texture of any wine (given full physiological maturity). On the floral side, Te Mata's Bullnose Syrah provides the most consistent New Zealand model so far (the 2005 particularly), since the best sites in the Ngatarawa Triangle have shown themselves to be superior to the Gimblett Gravels in achieving the exact floral components which characterise great syrah. Alongside this Le Sol, the 2007 Bullnose looks decidedly feminine and Cote Rotie-like, compared with the more imposing and Hermitage-like persona of Le Sol. This is the highest score I have given to a New Zealand wine, but whether that means it is the best New Zealand wine I have tasted becomes a bit rarefied. The key thing is, one must cellar it, and other contenders like 2005 Tom when released, to check such thoughts over the years to come. Cellar the 2007 Le Sol for 5 – 25 years, joyfully, for it is going to be relatively freely available, for the first time. VALUE, even at $100, when compared with good Hermitage. GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midnight deep, glorious. Not to beat about the bush, Craggy Range's Syrah Le Sol is internationally their most famous wine after a mere six vintages (no 2003), and this 2007 is unequivocally the finest yet. It is the star wine in the 2007 Craggy Range premium releases. I don't have the previous vintages in front of me, but I have attended to each one closely. This wine is both lower in alcohol and lower in new oak than most of them, so on bouquet the saturation of explicit syrah cassisy berry complete with a touch of cracked black peppercorn seems much greater. There is almost a floral component, darkly wallflower, though one is at peril of 'willing' it to be there, so exciting is the bouquet. In mouth all the promise of the bouquet unfolds, aromatic cassisy berry and darkest plum dominant, a touch of black pepper, beautiful balance, no rough edges, a real beauty in the making. The depth of fruit is wondrous. This is both great New Zealand syrah, and a great Hermitage look-alike. It is therefore a praiseworthy retreat from the more heroic winestyle some earlier Le Sols presented.
To my mind, all that is needed now is even more emphasis on the floral component of the bouquet, for that is where the greatest Hermitage excels (and converges with great Cote Rotie). In discussing the wine, CEO Steve Smith related the picking is deferred in the Le Sol block until there is slight dimpling of the berry skin – a trace of raisining in effect. This must run the risk of some sur-maturité, of losing some floral precursors, relative to the sweet 'tree-ripened' fully mature grape at maximum plumpness. Think of how quickly a perfect big black plum changes from immensely fragrant and enticing to blowsy and over-ripe, if left on the tree. Picking a tranche of fruit for Le Sol a critical a few days earlier would not only optimise the critical dianthus and wallflower component of perfect syrah, but also maybe lower the alcohol slightly as a side benefit. The alcohol this year is 14.2%, and it gets away with it. But every point below 14% improves the silky texture of any wine (given full physiological maturity). On the floral side, Te Mata's Bullnose Syrah provides the most consistent New Zealand model so far (the 2005 particularly), since the best sites in the Ngatarawa Triangle have shown themselves to be superior to the Gimblett Gravels in achieving the exact floral components which characterise great syrah. Alongside this Le Sol, the 2007 Bullnose looks decidedly feminine and Cote Rotie-like, compared with the more imposing and Hermitage-like persona of Le Sol. This is the highest score I have given to a New Zealand wine, but whether that means it is the best New Zealand wine I have tasted becomes a bit rarefied. The key thing is, one must cellar it, and other contenders like 2005 Tom when released, to check such thoughts over the years to come. Cellar the 2007 Le Sol for 5 – 25 years, joyfully, for it is going to be relatively freely available, for the first time. VALUE, even at $100, when compared with good Hermitage. GK 03/09
Cote Brune, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $937 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 7mm; release price c.$435; Spectator rating for year 96; a single 2 ha vineyard on the Cote Brune; typically Sy 100%, average vine age 35 years, typically cropped at 4.55 t/ha = 1.84 t/ac; in the winery, the grapes not usually destemmed, fermentation employs the submerged-cap technique to keep the cap immersed, minimum 28 days cuvaison, 42 months in 100% new French oak barrels, all 228-litre, the wine not fined or filtered; Parker, 1997 in characterising the three Cote-Rotie grands crus, says of La Landonne: … extraordinary density and power, as well as a brooding backwardness that is extremely impressive; JR@JR, 2005: Intriguingly mossy nose. Obviously hidden depths there. Very dry and quite tough at the moment. Very Landonne. Dark and racy yet with richness. Lots of ripe tannin very well complemented by ripe fruit, 19; J.L-L, 2011: a high mix of deep berry fruit, eucalyptus, licorice, Indian curry, garrigue herbs from the hot summer. A downhome, slightly funky note hovers. Decant this. The palate has a really silken debut, carries well with crunchy black fruit transported to us, before a crisp, decisive finale. It is almost still finding its way, is not there yet. It has a fine-tuned, not weighty depth. I consider today the Mouline to be the weightiest of the Big Three 1999s. This has not yet amplified – it runs straight down the line, and has mighty, scented tannins along its sides. Time still helpful here … One of most powerful Landonnes I`ve ever known – to 2036. ******; RP@WA, 2003: … the finest effort Guigal has ever coaxed out of this vineyard. It appears less animalistic than usual, offering gorgeously pure notes of incense, melted road tar, fried bacon, blackberries, blueberries, smoked meats, and vanilla. Literally out of this world in terms of flavor concentration and balance, the finish lasts well over 60 seconds. What is so remarkable about this cuvee is its tremendous layers of flavor, awesome texture, and perfect balance. This is an astonishing offering from one of the world’s greatest winemakers. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030, 100; weight bottle and closure: 572 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third-deepest wine. The initial dominant note on bouquet in 1999 La Landonne is a spearmint character, very pure, but far exceeding garrigue complexity, and therefore not totally attractive. I cannot explain it, but happily, it faded. Below are obscured dianthus florals which became much more apparent with air, and good cassisy berry in a more robust presentation than La Turque, showing some reminders of Hermitage … as befits a 100% syrah wine. New oak is much more apparent than La Turque. Flavour is zingy and aromatic, sweet black pepper more apparent here, no hiding the comparison with Hermitage now, with the ripeness at picking perfectly pitched at cassis-level berry complexity and quality, the flavours saturating all corners of the mouth. Aftertaste is long and cassisy, the vanillin / new oak component building on the aftertaste. Though a rich wine, it does not seem quite as rich (in terms of dry extract) as La Turque. This too was popular, three top places and five second votes. In the New Zealand context, these two top wines, La Landonne and La Turque, provided an unparalleled learning opportunity for anyone critically interested in syrah the winestyle. Cellar another 20 – 25 years. GK 10/20
Ruby and velvet, the third-deepest wine. The initial dominant note on bouquet in 1999 La Landonne is a spearmint character, very pure, but far exceeding garrigue complexity, and therefore not totally attractive. I cannot explain it, but happily, it faded. Below are obscured dianthus florals which became much more apparent with air, and good cassisy berry in a more robust presentation than La Turque, showing some reminders of Hermitage … as befits a 100% syrah wine. New oak is much more apparent than La Turque. Flavour is zingy and aromatic, sweet black pepper more apparent here, no hiding the comparison with Hermitage now, with the ripeness at picking perfectly pitched at cassis-level berry complexity and quality, the flavours saturating all corners of the mouth. Aftertaste is long and cassisy, the vanillin / new oak component building on the aftertaste. Though a rich wine, it does not seem quite as rich (in terms of dry extract) as La Turque. This too was popular, three top places and five second votes. In the New Zealand context, these two top wines, La Landonne and La Turque, provided an unparalleled learning opportunity for anyone critically interested in syrah the winestyle. Cellar another 20 – 25 years. GK 10/20
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $499 [ cork 50mm, ullage 16mm; original en primeur price $292; cepage CS 65%, Me 29, CF 5, PV 1, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, 60% new; pH 3.7; 17,000 x 9-litre cases; Montrose website: Vintage: The summer settled a hot and dry weather until the early fall ... Our obsession was to find the balance so fragile between the perfect maturity of the berries (sugar, tannin) and the freshness of the juice extended by an acidity. … Wine: an exceptional vintage of grand quality; J. Robinson, 2010: 72% of total production. Picked ... much earlier than Cos! Average yield 38 hl/ha. Extremely dark crimson with strong purple notes. Low-key but modestly confident nose – much more married than some recent vintages. Pretty raw and austere and very much St-Estèphe. Very inky finish. Lovely nose and succulence but a little bit tough on the end. Certainly harks back to classical St-Estèphe in a way that Cos very much doesn’t. 2017 – 2029, 16.5; J. Robinson, 2019: Fresh and concentrated. Really very luscious and beautifully balanced. This is looking most impressive now. Very Montrose and very 2009. Rich and ripe. 2018 -- 2040, 18.5; Robert Parker's first appraisal of the 2009 Ch Montrose in 2010, a wine he has twice subsequently marked 100 points, underlines his skill and ability to evaluate young wine accurately: If you think the 2003 Montrose (which merited 100 points) was powerful (13.2% alcohol), keep in mind that the 2009 Montrose came in at 13.7% alcohol. There is no sense of hotness, only extraordinary transparency and precision, allied to massive fruit intensity. ... this super-concentrated claret possesses a style reminiscent of the sumptuous 1990 combined with the structure of the 1989. ... the finish is endless. The flavor profile bursts with black currant, blackberry, and boysenberry fruit intertwined with hints of spring flowers and crushed rocks. Huge body, sweet tannin, and wonderful freshness make for one of the all-time great wines ever produced at Montrose, 96 – 100; R. Parker, 2014 ... an extremely open-knit and opulent blueberry, blackberry and creme de cassis nose. ... It is unctuously textured – thicker and juicier than the 2010 and more forward. 2019 – 2069, 100; weight bottle and closure 563 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, impenetrably deep, clearly the richest and deepest wine, magnificent. The bouquet is almost as rich and velvety, absolutely plush dusky berry inclining more to blackberry and the darkly plummy, almost suggesting merlot dominance, the cassisy cabernet component losing some aromatics in this warmer year. It is somewhat more Napa Valley cabernet / merlot wine in style, alongside the 2010 and particularly the 2005. Yet the wine is still fragrant, and nearly floral in a dusky, darkest roses way, so there is still much to please the classical claret lover. Palate follows naturally from the bouquet, but this is the only wine in the set where there is a hint of a higher alcohol level coming through, making the oak more noticeable. This wine and the 1996 represent the two ends of a desirable Ch Montrose character-spread, the 1996 intensely aromatic and leaner, the 2009 almost roly-poly in comparison. The style has its appeal, three first places, four second-favourites, but one taster rated it their least of the set. Too big for that taster – interesting ! Conversely, were this a San Francisco-based tasting, the 2009 would probably be the undoubted top wine. The dry extract in this wine is colossal, way over 30 g/L … I am sure. It was seen as technically pure. Cellar 50 years at least, but again, how you wish for 54 / 55 mm corks. GK 07/21
Ruby, carmine and velvet, impenetrably deep, clearly the richest and deepest wine, magnificent. The bouquet is almost as rich and velvety, absolutely plush dusky berry inclining more to blackberry and the darkly plummy, almost suggesting merlot dominance, the cassisy cabernet component losing some aromatics in this warmer year. It is somewhat more Napa Valley cabernet / merlot wine in style, alongside the 2010 and particularly the 2005. Yet the wine is still fragrant, and nearly floral in a dusky, darkest roses way, so there is still much to please the classical claret lover. Palate follows naturally from the bouquet, but this is the only wine in the set where there is a hint of a higher alcohol level coming through, making the oak more noticeable. This wine and the 1996 represent the two ends of a desirable Ch Montrose character-spread, the 1996 intensely aromatic and leaner, the 2009 almost roly-poly in comparison. The style has its appeal, three first places, four second-favourites, but one taster rated it their least of the set. Too big for that taster – interesting ! Conversely, were this a San Francisco-based tasting, the 2009 would probably be the undoubted top wine. The dry extract in this wine is colossal, way over 30 g/L … I am sure. It was seen as technically pure. Cellar 50 years at least, but again, how you wish for 54 / 55 mm corks. GK 07/21
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $235 [ cork; cepage thought to vary around PN 75%, Ch 25; understood to be no BF, understood to be hand-riddled; www.polroger.co.uk not yet running; PR fluff only on the main website; www.polroger.com ]
Straw more than lemon, above midway in depth. Bouquet is one kind of champagne perfection, showing beautiful pinot fruit, in superbly complex baguette crust autolysis, deep and satisfying. Palate combines ripe fruit with the feeling of richness, yet there is no hint of fruitiness. The integration of the crusty autolysis component right through the palate is magical, lasting long into the aftertaste. There are suggestions of finest cashew, yet the wine is refreshed by marvellous acid as well as the bubbles. Like the 1996 of this label, recently tasted in non-note-taking circumstances, this is near-perfect champagne which will cellar well. It seems more brut than most. Residual could be hard to judge on a wine of this fruit quality and concentration, though. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 11/06
Straw more than lemon, above midway in depth. Bouquet is one kind of champagne perfection, showing beautiful pinot fruit, in superbly complex baguette crust autolysis, deep and satisfying. Palate combines ripe fruit with the feeling of richness, yet there is no hint of fruitiness. The integration of the crusty autolysis component right through the palate is magical, lasting long into the aftertaste. There are suggestions of finest cashew, yet the wine is refreshed by marvellous acid as well as the bubbles. Like the 1996 of this label, recently tasted in non-note-taking circumstances, this is near-perfect champagne which will cellar well. It seems more brut than most. Residual could be hard to judge on a wine of this fruit quality and concentration, though. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 11/06
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $138 [ cork, 50mm; Daniel and Frederic Coulon own 32 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and another 25 in Rasteau, all farmed organically and biodynamically. Boisrenard is the top cuvée at Beaurenard, and is included to illustrate a (in one sense) ‘modern’ wine, though the Coulons emphasise tradition in discussing it. The youngest vines in this wine 65 years old, some Gr 122 years, all hand-harvested at c.2.4 t / ha = 1 t/ac ... a cropping rate rarely matched in New Zealand. All (now) 18 permitted varieties are used in Boisrenard … most in token quantities. The bunches are de-stemmed, but the berries scarcely crushed. Cuvaison is all wild-yeasts, can be up to 35 days, in oak vats. Elevation usually 18 – 21 months in foudres and some barriques, 20% new, but according to AC@JR, only 12 months in foudre for the 2019; not fined or filtered; production this label up to 1,650 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L comments on Beaurenard in general: Very good domaine, highly reliable, with admirable quality over the decades ... There is sleek fruit, very consistent quality ... The special red Boisrenard is overtly oaked, so allow plenty of time; for the 2019 specifically, J.L-L allows his highest praise, 6 stars, rarer even than 100 points chez Parker, saying: ‘a fabulous regal wine’: J.L-L, 2020: cask sample; immensely dark robe, almost all black. The bouquet is a sturdy, oaked do, with a firm black Morello cherry fruit aroma at its centre, notes of black olives; it mixes, for now, the cellar and the land. The palate draws on regal reserves of sève [sap] from the old vines, their effortless, uber suave richness, with prime, ripe tannins putting a layer of velvet into the finish. The texture is silken, and the depth comes from within, thanks to the old vines. There is fantastic, gliding richness on the second half, the length exceptional. This is a treat, a wine to leave until 2026, say, which will allow the oak to infuse further - if you open it earlier, you are committing a crime, since there will be too much oak. Its elements from the vineyard are top notch. ... 2050-52, ******; JC@RP, 2022: The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Boisrenard is 80% Grenache, with the balance a mix of the other permitted varieties. Fermentation took place in wood (including a small proportion of new barrels), with maturation in foudres. Scents of mint and garrigue accent black cherries and plum on the nose, and I thought I detected a hint of charred oak as well (tasted blind). Full-bodied, rich and velvety, this is a thickly textured, concentrated beauty, with a long, mocha-tinged finish. While it could use a year or two to soften, it should drink well for more than a decade. 93+; weight bottle and closure 623 g; www.beaurenard.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine, a wonderful colour. Like most of the wines, initially poured the bouquet is reticent. It gradually opens up to darkest cassis and black cherry invigorated by lightly-aromatic garrigue notes, and fine cedary new oak suggestions. The berry-rich palate is totally saturated with very fine furry tannins, the flavour incredibly long, rich and satisfying, yet unlike so many deeper wines of this colour these days, bone dry to the finish. This is benchmark modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a serious cellaring style, accurately characterised by Livingstone-Learmonth. Boisrenard was the second-favourite wine in the tasting, eight tasters rating it their top wine, and three their second-favourite. The ideal advice would be to buy a case ... and leave it sealed for 20 years. On return you will find treasure. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 04/24
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine, a wonderful colour. Like most of the wines, initially poured the bouquet is reticent. It gradually opens up to darkest cassis and black cherry invigorated by lightly-aromatic garrigue notes, and fine cedary new oak suggestions. The berry-rich palate is totally saturated with very fine furry tannins, the flavour incredibly long, rich and satisfying, yet unlike so many deeper wines of this colour these days, bone dry to the finish. This is benchmark modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a serious cellaring style, accurately characterised by Livingstone-Learmonth. Boisrenard was the second-favourite wine in the tasting, eight tasters rating it their top wine, and three their second-favourite. The ideal advice would be to buy a case ... and leave it sealed for 20 years. On return you will find treasure. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 04/24
Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $154 [ traditional compound champagne cork; PN 60%, Ch 40, all grand cru vineyards; recent vintages have had no MLF component; some old-oak barrel-fermented base wines; long tirage perhaps 10 – 12 years or so, details not made available; dosage 4 – 5 g/L; website superficial; in a formal blind tasting in Stockholm in 1999, the 1959 of this label (judged from a magnum) won the title 'Champagne of the Millennium', judged against 150 of the finest 20th Century champagnes. A magnum of the winning wine later sold for £3,300; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Colour is rich straw, the deepest of the white champagnes. Bouquet is wonderfully pure, fragrant both from grapes and a depth of autolysis almost beyond baguette-crust into lightly toasted Vogel's Multigrain and suggestions of cashew. Pinot noir is the dominant fruit aroma. Palate immediately has this wonderful perfumed lift to it which seems to characterise the house, and it tastes of pinot meunier too, yet there is none in the cepage. Richness and texture of palate, and complexity of white cherry and cashew flavour, are most impressive, the fruit and flavour long and rich, even though the dosage is so low. This is grand cru vineyards, and conservative cropping rates, speaking. The palate is substantial, yet as with other great champagnes, it is not 'fruity'. This is glorious wine, to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 04/16
Colour is rich straw, the deepest of the white champagnes. Bouquet is wonderfully pure, fragrant both from grapes and a depth of autolysis almost beyond baguette-crust into lightly toasted Vogel's Multigrain and suggestions of cashew. Pinot noir is the dominant fruit aroma. Palate immediately has this wonderful perfumed lift to it which seems to characterise the house, and it tastes of pinot meunier too, yet there is none in the cepage. Richness and texture of palate, and complexity of white cherry and cashew flavour, are most impressive, the fruit and flavour long and rich, even though the dosage is so low. This is grand cru vineyards, and conservative cropping rates, speaking. The palate is substantial, yet as with other great champagnes, it is not 'fruity'. This is glorious wine, to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 04/16
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $435 [ Broadbent rating for vintage: *****, an exceptional year, the third largest on record; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 97 [ the best in the last 40 years ], Drink or hold, big, powerful and full-flavored; PN 65%, Ch 35, BF and MLF, base wine matured in all-old oak, seven years en tirage, dosage c.8 g/L; Broadbent, 2002: … highest mark of 25 top champagnes … in Copenhagen, a well-nigh perfect wine with another 10 years to go. *****; Robinson, 2010: Pale copper. Rich and mushroomy on the nose. Broad and firm. Quite a bit of evolution but it's much less evolved than Dom P or Krug 1990. This could be the perfect moment to drink this. Wonderful persistence, 19; Wine Spectator, 1999: A sense of opulence marks this highly concentrated, creamy-textured 1990 Champagne, with its ripe, generous fruit flavors complementing the toasty, honeyed nuances acquired from aging on the lees. Lingering finish. Drink now through 2004. 20,000 cases made, 95 (NB: Wine Spectator Top 100, 1999); www.champagne-bollinger.com ]
Straw, just above midway in lightness. Bouquet is much fresher than the other Bollingers, quite extraordinary, showing great pinot noir depth and nearly aromatic fruit, with crust-of-baguette passing to Vogel's Multigrain autolysis, powerful, beautiful, a kind of perfection in the more substantial Bollinger style. Intentionally placed immediately after the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay, so tasters could contrast a chardonnay wine with a pinot noir-led wine, this is a much richer, weightier, obviously pinot-based and more aromatic wine, with a depth of autolysis that is powerful. The contrast is dramatic, flowers and sunshine versus a veal main-course dinner, yet both are beautiful. A wonderful wine in its inimitable way, but even this near-perfection not pleasing the anti-Bollinger tasters. The third most favoured wine for the group, equal with the 1975 Comtes. GK 05/16
Straw, just above midway in lightness. Bouquet is much fresher than the other Bollingers, quite extraordinary, showing great pinot noir depth and nearly aromatic fruit, with crust-of-baguette passing to Vogel's Multigrain autolysis, powerful, beautiful, a kind of perfection in the more substantial Bollinger style. Intentionally placed immediately after the 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay, so tasters could contrast a chardonnay wine with a pinot noir-led wine, this is a much richer, weightier, obviously pinot-based and more aromatic wine, with a depth of autolysis that is powerful. The contrast is dramatic, flowers and sunshine versus a veal main-course dinner, yet both are beautiful. A wonderful wine in its inimitable way, but even this near-perfection not pleasing the anti-Bollinger tasters. The third most favoured wine for the group, equal with the 1975 Comtes. GK 05/16
Aloxe-Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France: 13.5%; $179 [ cork; biodynamic vineyards, average vine age c.40 years; full MLF, c.12 months in barrel, 33% new, with batonnage; Domaine Bonneau du Martray is the single largest holding in Corton-Charlemagne at 9.5 hectares; the website is simply a statement the establishment exists, and cannot receive visitors – no info; www.bonneaudumartray.com ]
Lemon, fresher than the 2010. Bouquet is everything good chardonnay should be, near acacia blossom florals, white stonefruits, crushed oystershell minerality, the slightest trace of high-solids odour acceptable at the sub-marzipan level, and likewise the oak playing second fiddle to the fruit complexity. New Zealand winemakers please note. Taken all together there is an integration here which is both powerful (in a velvet-gloved way) and beautiful. Palate however is where this wine triumphs, there immediately being tactile fruit richness of a quality scarcely ever encountered. This 2009 stands out from all the others in this respect, and reminds me of the 1971 Corton Charlemagne I used as a guiding light into chardonnay in early days, except there is more new oak. It is conceivable some could say the acid is on the gentle side, but I doubt it – the richness masks. The colour alone at third to lightest suggests perfect balance. Wonderful wine, richer than the Chartron Chevalier-Montrachet, to cellar 5 – 15 years, at least. GK 05/13
Lemon, fresher than the 2010. Bouquet is everything good chardonnay should be, near acacia blossom florals, white stonefruits, crushed oystershell minerality, the slightest trace of high-solids odour acceptable at the sub-marzipan level, and likewise the oak playing second fiddle to the fruit complexity. New Zealand winemakers please note. Taken all together there is an integration here which is both powerful (in a velvet-gloved way) and beautiful. Palate however is where this wine triumphs, there immediately being tactile fruit richness of a quality scarcely ever encountered. This 2009 stands out from all the others in this respect, and reminds me of the 1971 Corton Charlemagne I used as a guiding light into chardonnay in early days, except there is more new oak. It is conceivable some could say the acid is on the gentle side, but I doubt it – the richness masks. The colour alone at third to lightest suggests perfect balance. Wonderful wine, richer than the Chartron Chevalier-Montrachet, to cellar 5 – 15 years, at least. GK 05/13
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $293 [ cork, 50mm; New Zealand release price $125; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 96; J.L-L, 2016: The bouquet ... has a big, deep heart founded around coulis, intense blackberry, with licorice, buffed black leather. It’s still a little rugged. The palate starts on a rich, thorough display of black berry, black stone fruits, courses with vigorous content, and holds nothing back; its richness goes deep. The tannins are bright, and are helping its late clarity. It is only half a wine. The finish is tangy, concentrated on a bite of darkness. It is a bit like 1999. 2026 – 38, ****(*); RP@R. Parker, 2011: As close to perfect as a Cornas can be, this is the single greatest Cornas I have ever tasted. Its black/purple color is accompanied by notes of blueberry liqueur, blackberries, charcoal, incense, licorice and a subtle notion of smoke. This seamless, full-bodied, exquisitely pure, complex, savory blockbuster … will hit full maturity in 5-7 years, and should last for 25-30 years thereafter, 99; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, not quite so brightly-hued as the 2010. Bouquet on this wine is wonderfully close to the 2010, nearly as floral, not quite so aromatic and black-pepper-lifted, again glorious cassis but also a hint of blackberries in the sun, as also seen in warmer years in Medoc wines. Like the 2010, you can't exactly smell oak, yet the wine would be totally different without it. This too is an exhilarating syrah bouquet, as big-year and warm in style as is possible while still retaining varietal accuracy and authenticity. Palate is just a notch riper than the 2010, more darkest plum and less cassis, less thought of florals suffused right through the wine, yet magically still retaining suggestions of sweet black pepper. In one sense, that is the test of maximum ripeness versus over-ripeness in syrah. Length of palate and finish is slightly softer and not quite as tannin-furry as the 2010. This 2009 was clearly the second most favoured wine by the group, two first places, six second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/18
Ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, not quite so brightly-hued as the 2010. Bouquet on this wine is wonderfully close to the 2010, nearly as floral, not quite so aromatic and black-pepper-lifted, again glorious cassis but also a hint of blackberries in the sun, as also seen in warmer years in Medoc wines. Like the 2010, you can't exactly smell oak, yet the wine would be totally different without it. This too is an exhilarating syrah bouquet, as big-year and warm in style as is possible while still retaining varietal accuracy and authenticity. Palate is just a notch riper than the 2010, more darkest plum and less cassis, less thought of florals suffused right through the wine, yet magically still retaining suggestions of sweet black pepper. In one sense, that is the test of maximum ripeness versus over-ripeness in syrah. Length of palate and finish is slightly softer and not quite as tannin-furry as the 2010. This 2009 was clearly the second most favoured wine by the group, two first places, six second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/18
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $994 [ cork 50 mm, ullage 8 mm; original price c.$60; cepage then c.CS 60%, Me 40, planted at 8 – 10,000 vines / ha, average age of vines c.35 years, cropped at c.50 hl/ha (6.5 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac); typically 18 months in barrel, % new then c.75%, only slightly less than now (80%); Parker in 1991 thought Cos one of the best wines of the Medoc, its fleshy texture due to the high merlot, and at that point ahead of Ch Montrose; Broadbent, 2002: well-nigh perfect bouquet, gentle, harmonious; surprisingly sweet though finishing dry, good fruit, ****; Parker 1991: … a monumental wine ... explosive blackcurrant fruit ... massive, rich, full-bodied, and loaded with extract and tannin, this remains one of the greatest Cos d'Estournels I have ever tasted, 97; Parker, 2000: Sweet aromas of jammy black fruits intermixed with roasted espresso and vanillin jump from the glass of this young, concentrated, full-bodied, succulent effort. An opulent texture, low acidity, and splendidly pure, concentrated, blackberry and cassis fruit suggest this 1982 can be drunk now, or cellared for another 15-20 years, 96; W. Kelley, 2022: Remarkably youthful and saturated in appearance, it exhibits inviting aromas of sweet berry fruit, plums, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a full-bodied, fleshy, lusty, almost unctuous palate of notable concentration and depth. Its fleshy core of fruit is still framed by sweet, powdery tannins, 96; weight bottle and closure 567 g; www.estournel.com ]
Glowing ruby and some garnet, in the middle for weight of colour, but the second reddest / most ruby and fresh in hue. Bouquet is restrained, you have to work at it, to reveal a silken and nearly floral delicacy – fading roses – with red fruits dominating now, bottled plums, plus the subtlest hint of brown fruits (for example moist dates) and subtle cedary oak. Palate is supremely elegant, velvety, beautiful berry with fine-grained cedary oak shaping but not obtrusive. Seen as the most balanced and harmonious of all the wines by tasters, seven first places, clearly aromatic, cabernet sauvignon-led, no faults at all. Intensity of flavour, power without weight, very beautiful silky claret indeed, no wonder Jancis Robinson liked it so much. As is so often the case with bottles showing a hint of reductive odours in the first few years after bottling, there is now no hint of that aspect. Perfect maturity now, but has the balance to last some years. GK 11/23
Glowing ruby and some garnet, in the middle for weight of colour, but the second reddest / most ruby and fresh in hue. Bouquet is restrained, you have to work at it, to reveal a silken and nearly floral delicacy – fading roses – with red fruits dominating now, bottled plums, plus the subtlest hint of brown fruits (for example moist dates) and subtle cedary oak. Palate is supremely elegant, velvety, beautiful berry with fine-grained cedary oak shaping but not obtrusive. Seen as the most balanced and harmonious of all the wines by tasters, seven first places, clearly aromatic, cabernet sauvignon-led, no faults at all. Intensity of flavour, power without weight, very beautiful silky claret indeed, no wonder Jancis Robinson liked it so much. As is so often the case with bottles showing a hint of reductive odours in the first few years after bottling, there is now no hint of that aspect. Perfect maturity now, but has the balance to last some years. GK 11/23
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ CS 65%, Me 25, PV 5, CF 5; 49 ha, 17 000 cases. Broadbent (2002) considers Ducru, Latour and Cheval Blanc the wines of the vintage *****, and Parker (1991) rates the 1970 the best Ducru between 1961 and 1982, 91. ]
Ruby and garnet. Bouquet on this wine is still very beautiful, as it has been from day one. There is a heavenly integration of (now fading) flowers, cassis, pipe tobacco, cedar, and red fruits. Palate is supple and lovely, still with cassis but mellowed out, all the bouquet characters totally integrated into fully mature classic claret, perfectly balanced, still lovely body, not too oaky as some of the first growths are, the wine drying a little. 750s are at the tail end of the plateau of maturity, or tapering off it, and should be enjoyed in the next five or so years while there is still supple fruit. Wines like this provide the complete answer to the doubters: why cellar wine. Such ethereal silky beauty is hard to imagine in still-youthful wines, let alone the infantile ones off the shelf. GK 03/05
Ruby and garnet. Bouquet on this wine is still very beautiful, as it has been from day one. There is a heavenly integration of (now fading) flowers, cassis, pipe tobacco, cedar, and red fruits. Palate is supple and lovely, still with cassis but mellowed out, all the bouquet characters totally integrated into fully mature classic claret, perfectly balanced, still lovely body, not too oaky as some of the first growths are, the wine drying a little. 750s are at the tail end of the plateau of maturity, or tapering off it, and should be enjoyed in the next five or so years while there is still supple fruit. Wines like this provide the complete answer to the doubters: why cellar wine. Such ethereal silky beauty is hard to imagine in still-youthful wines, let alone the infantile ones off the shelf. GK 03/05
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; CS 65%, Me 25, PV 5, CF 5; 49 ha, 17,000 cases. One of the finest clarets I have ever tasted, not big, but very beautiful. Broadbent 1980: classic but undeveloped bouquet; concentrated, deep, stern and unyielding, but great potential. ****, till 2010. In 2002: [ Re the 1970 vintage ] … leaving aside Latour, I rate Ducru and Cheval Blanc as the best wines. The most recent bottles at best superb, sweet-nosed, harmonious, perfect flavour and balance … drying. ***** Parker 1991: the best Ducru between 1961 and 1982. Impeccably balanced, smooth as silk, till 2000 91, and 1996: This wine has been fully mature and delicious for many years, so I was not surprised by how stunning this bottle was. It has always been an outstanding wine for the vintage - complex, rich, savory, and the quintessentially elegant Bordeaux. This beauty continues to reveal the fragrance and finesse that one expects from Lafite-Rothschild but so rarely finds. A fragrant, complex bouquet of cedar, herbs, vanillin, fruitcake, and coffee is followed by a soft, gentle, graciously-constructed wine with sweet layers of fruit. I am not sure how much longer the 1970 Ducru will keep, but from regular bottle, it is delicious and should be consumed. How nice it would be to have a stock of magnums of this wine in the cellar! 92; www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com ]
Ruby and garnet, a good ratio of ruby, one of the deepest. One sniff, and this is heaven, exactly what mature claret or cabernet / merlot from an appropriate temperate climate should smell like: deeply floral even violets, wonderfully mature but not obviously browning cassis, total cigar-box integration of the dark tobacco and cedar, and great volume – just pouring from the glass. Palate follows perfectly, displaying a poise and elegance of flavour so much dreamed about, so rarely encountered, in a wine-tasting career. This wine is still fresh, vibrantly cassisy, yet gentle and harmonious, all the characters on bouquet lingering wondrously on the aftertaste. Other wines (in other tastings) may be bigger and thus score higher for those to whom size is important, but this is perhaps the most beautifully fragrant and poised Bordeaux blend I have ever tasted. Like 1966 Ch Palmer, it has been beautiful from youth to maturity. Now fully mature in a temperate climate cellar, but no hurry. Clearly the top wine in the blind tasting, 15 of 22 tasters rating it their first or second-placed. GK 03/10
Ruby and garnet, a good ratio of ruby, one of the deepest. One sniff, and this is heaven, exactly what mature claret or cabernet / merlot from an appropriate temperate climate should smell like: deeply floral even violets, wonderfully mature but not obviously browning cassis, total cigar-box integration of the dark tobacco and cedar, and great volume – just pouring from the glass. Palate follows perfectly, displaying a poise and elegance of flavour so much dreamed about, so rarely encountered, in a wine-tasting career. This wine is still fresh, vibrantly cassisy, yet gentle and harmonious, all the characters on bouquet lingering wondrously on the aftertaste. Other wines (in other tastings) may be bigger and thus score higher for those to whom size is important, but this is perhaps the most beautifully fragrant and poised Bordeaux blend I have ever tasted. Like 1966 Ch Palmer, it has been beautiful from youth to maturity. Now fully mature in a temperate climate cellar, but no hurry. Clearly the top wine in the blind tasting, 15 of 22 tasters rating it their first or second-placed. GK 03/10
Saint Julien Second Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $240 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 13mm; $196 landed; the 2010 is CS 77%, Me 21, CF 2, vineyard average age 40 years, planted to 9,100 vines / ha, increasingly tending to organic practice; all hand-harvested, then optical sorting; fermentation in wooden cuves, cuvaison up to 21 days, elevation 16 – 18 months in 60% new barrels; average production 22,000 x 9-litre cases; consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot (also Las Cases); A Jancis Robinson Top 20 of 2010 wine; Farr Vintners frequently imply that Leoville Barton is the quintessential Englishman's claret, a wine which sells itself, year in, year out. For the 2010 they comment in 2011: Pure cassis on the nose with a classy overlay of oak. On the palate this is classically structured with a black cherry and blackcurrant core, ripe, rounded cedary tannins, freshness and impeccable balance. Intense sweet fruit yet dry and firm. Controlled and refined. This is what great Bordeaux is all about, 17.5+; RP@WA, 2013: ... the Leoville Barton is one of the spectacular wines of the vintage ... It is a classic, powerful Bordeaux made with no compromise ... notes of pen ink and creme de cassis, good acidity, sweet, subtle oak, and massive extraction and concentration. ... The beautiful purity, symmetry, and huge finish ... make this one of the all-time great classics from Leoville Barton. Anticipated maturity: 2028-2065+, 96+; website demanding; weight bottle and closure: 592 g; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest of the wines, very fresh. One sniff and the excitement / pleasure is extraordinary. This wine shines a laser beam on the concept ‘cassis’ as a marker / descriptor for high-cabernet wines. There is a purity of Médoc character here which eclipses even the Montrose, because the ratio of cabernet sauvignon at 77% is so much higher. Thus there is a freshness and depth of florality giving the bouquet a rare authority, for the West Bank. And it is totally free of the complexity notes sometimes encountered in yester-year Barton. Palate likewise has a freshness and aromatic quality bespeaking perfect ripeness of the cabernet sauvignon, showing what a great and complex grape it is when perfectly ripened in temperate climates, and then not over-oaked. It is not as rich as the off-the-scale Montrose, and does not need to be. This wine too is near perfection for young West Bank claret. The length yet lightness and freshness of the aftertaste is a delight. Two people rated Leoville Barton their top wine, and six as their second favourite. The finest young Leoville Barton I have tasted. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest of the wines, very fresh. One sniff and the excitement / pleasure is extraordinary. This wine shines a laser beam on the concept ‘cassis’ as a marker / descriptor for high-cabernet wines. There is a purity of Médoc character here which eclipses even the Montrose, because the ratio of cabernet sauvignon at 77% is so much higher. Thus there is a freshness and depth of florality giving the bouquet a rare authority, for the West Bank. And it is totally free of the complexity notes sometimes encountered in yester-year Barton. Palate likewise has a freshness and aromatic quality bespeaking perfect ripeness of the cabernet sauvignon, showing what a great and complex grape it is when perfectly ripened in temperate climates, and then not over-oaked. It is not as rich as the off-the-scale Montrose, and does not need to be. This wine too is near perfection for young West Bank claret. The length yet lightness and freshness of the aftertaste is a delight. Two people rated Leoville Barton their top wine, and six as their second favourite. The finest young Leoville Barton I have tasted. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $535 [ Cork 54 mm, ullage 13 mm; landed cost $300; along with Ducru-Beaucaillou and the other two Leovilles, Las Cases has long been one of the top four wines of Saint-Julien – and considered by many to be undoubtedly the top wine. It is one of the top three (of 12) contenders for the rank Super-Second. Ducru-Beaucaillou has been owned outright by the Delon family since the mid-1900s, following a long acquisition programme extending over most of the century. They also own Ch Nenin and Ch Potensac. Cepage then more CS 65%, Me 20, CF 12, PV 3, but the PV since removed; average vine age 52 years, planted at 8,600 vines per hectare, and cropped at an average of 46 hl/ha = 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison to 20 days in temperature-controlled vats variously s/s, concrete and oak; elevation varies according to vintage, but can be to 24 months, with at least 50% sometimes even 100% new oak; the winery has adopted new technology such as reverse osmosis in some years; Brook 2007 considers Las Cases the richest and most powerful of the Saint-Julien wines: A run of fine vintages reaches its climax with the magnificent 2000, with its intense, blackcurranty nose, its sumptuous fruit and powerful structure, its huge tannins and striking length of flavour; JR @ JR, 2005: As deep as Léoville Barton, but with more aroma. Real lift and interest on the nose, then tea leaves on the palate. Racy, lively, and full. A good, racy wine. Very impressive already, 18.5; RP @ WA, 2003: This wine has put on weight and, as impressive as it was from cask, it is even more brilliant from bottle. Only 35% of the crop made it into the 2000 Leoville Las Cases, a blend of 76.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.4% Merlot, and 8.8% Cabernet Franc. The wine is truly profound, with an opaque purple color and a tight but promising nose of vanilla, sweet cherry liqueur, black currants, and licorice in a dense, full-bodied, almost painfully rich, intense style with no hard edges. This seamless classic builds in the mouth, with a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. Still primary, yet extraordinarily pure, this compelling wine, which continues to build flavor intensity and exhibit additional layers of texture, is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the great Leoville Las Cases. In another sense, it symbolizes / pays homage to proprietor Michel Delon, who passed away in 2000. Michel has been succeeded by his son, Jean-Hubert, another perfectionist. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040, 99; production averages 18,000 x 9-litre cases of the grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 553 g; www.domaines-delon.com ]
Youthful ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, the third deepest and clearly the youngest wine on the table. Bouquet is simply sensational, the richness of fragrant deeply floral dark roses and heliotrope on berryfruit complexed with subtle cedar – the epitome of concept claret (West Bank). This seems a wine of First Growth quality, the bouquet very exciting. Palate is scarcely any less, a velvety depth of cassis, blueberry and bottled black doris plums all lengthened on fragrant cedary oak but in no way dominated by it, the wine showing textbook precision, richness and length, yet not at all heavy. Bordeaux blends don't need to be much better than this: a beautiful wine at the very start of its plateau of maturity. Four people had Las Cases as their top wine, six as their second favourite. A great experience. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 11/20
Youthful ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, the third deepest and clearly the youngest wine on the table. Bouquet is simply sensational, the richness of fragrant deeply floral dark roses and heliotrope on berryfruit complexed with subtle cedar – the epitome of concept claret (West Bank). This seems a wine of First Growth quality, the bouquet very exciting. Palate is scarcely any less, a velvety depth of cassis, blueberry and bottled black doris plums all lengthened on fragrant cedary oak but in no way dominated by it, the wine showing textbook precision, richness and length, yet not at all heavy. Bordeaux blends don't need to be much better than this: a beautiful wine at the very start of its plateau of maturity. Four people had Las Cases as their top wine, six as their second favourite. A great experience. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 11/20
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $878 [ Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $878 [ Cork, 53 mm; CS 75%, Me 20%, PV & CF 5; 22 – 28 months in new barrels; 33,000 cases; Peppercorn: At its best Margaux is one of the most sumptuous and sensual of Medoc wines, with all the perfume and finesse of a fine [ district ] Margaux, allied to more body. Broadbent: A masculine Margaux. In 2000: … crisp fruit opening up beautifully; sweet, lovely, attractive but very tannic. Give it lots of time. *(***); Robinson, 2008: Very tight and unyielding. Mineral with a slightly dry end. Still very taut. I would wait awhile for this, 17+; Parker, 1996: The 1986 Margaux continues to be the most powerful, tannic, and muscular Margaux made in decades. Did the 1928 or 1945 have as much power and depth as the 1986 ? The reluctant nose shows aromas of smoky, toasty new oak and black currants, and a few flowers. The wine is mammoth, with extraordinary extract, superb balance, and a frightfully tannic finish. This is a Margaux of immense stature, made in a masculine, full-bodied style. It should prove nearly immortal in terms of aging potential, but will it have the awesome potential I first predicted? 2000-2050, 96; and the last word to the chateau itself, with its website going back through every single vintage of the 1900s, so contrasting with the blinkered here-and-now approach of so many New Zealand wineries: 1986 was an amazing vintage, including the very slow evolution almost of wines from a previous generation; the tannic structure is very tight, very dense and does soften with difficulty over time. The bouquet now begins to open [ 2007 ]; but we feel that it still shows a small part of its huge potential. The palate is full and rich, still firm … ; bottle weight 563 g; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
Ruby and garnet, fractionally deeper and redder than the Mouton, the deepest colour. Bouquet is enchanting. Here in contradistinction to the Mouton, the cassisy berry is in the ascendant, with a depth and complexity even after 30 years including a suggestion of violets florals. For most people the purity of bouquet was stunning, but a couple of experienced tasters felt this particular bottle showed slight impairment. In mouth the comparison and contrast with the Mouton was spectacular, even at the blind stage these two wines showing a complexity and nobility of the fruit / oak interaction which eclipsed the other 10 bottles. The quality of cassis-oriented fruit on palate here is magical, the fruit dominating the oak but still totally shaped by it. The palate is nearly as concentrated as the Mouton, with the aftertaste enormously long on berry, and cedary oak too, but much less so than the Mouton. Comment in the room suggested 1986 Ch Margaux is distressingly variable in bottle, sadly, so every opening is a prayer of hope, and chance. This is the best bottle I have seen, by far. For the group, this wine was almost as clearly top wine as the Mouton, nine votes for favourite or second place, but it spoke more clearly as being of First Growth quality, eight thinking it so. Total balance in this wine seems near-perfect, and good bottles will cellar for another 10 – 30 years easily. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, fractionally deeper and redder than the Mouton, the deepest colour. Bouquet is enchanting. Here in contradistinction to the Mouton, the cassisy berry is in the ascendant, with a depth and complexity even after 30 years including a suggestion of violets florals. For most people the purity of bouquet was stunning, but a couple of experienced tasters felt this particular bottle showed slight impairment. In mouth the comparison and contrast with the Mouton was spectacular, even at the blind stage these two wines showing a complexity and nobility of the fruit / oak interaction which eclipsed the other 10 bottles. The quality of cassis-oriented fruit on palate here is magical, the fruit dominating the oak but still totally shaped by it. The palate is nearly as concentrated as the Mouton, with the aftertaste enormously long on berry, and cedary oak too, but much less so than the Mouton. Comment in the room suggested 1986 Ch Margaux is distressingly variable in bottle, sadly, so every opening is a prayer of hope, and chance. This is the best bottle I have seen, by far. For the group, this wine was almost as clearly top wine as the Mouton, nine votes for favourite or second place, but it spoke more clearly as being of First Growth quality, eight thinking it so. Total balance in this wine seems near-perfect, and good bottles will cellar for another 10 – 30 years easily. GK 08/16
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $160 [ cork; CS 62%, Me 34, CF 3, PV 1, planted to 9000 vines / ha, average vine age 43, cropped @ 35 hl/ha (c. 1.8 t/ac) in 2003 (against an average of 42 (2.2 t/ac)); 3 – 4 week cuvaison, temperature-controlled; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak 50 – 70% new; Parker: This superb, huge, ripe wine is one of the vintage's most prodigious offerings … blackberries, cassis, fabulous purity, substantial tannin ... 97; Robinson: ... deep and dense in every way, yet wonderful freshness ... not a hint of over-ripeness ... the tannins beautifully ripe and sustained. 19; price has increased markedly since landing. ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of this set. Top wine of the tasting for me was second-growth Ch Montrose. It showed a concentration of pure cassis, dark florals (violets) and black plum fruit which reigned supreme, essence of cabernet / merlot, shaped by classical cedary oak, but not dominated by artefact-laden charry / coffee oak as is increasingly the trend in modern bordeaux. Palate is unbelievably dense, pure, super-concentrated and crisp, showing wondrously ripe cassis and pipe-tobacco notes, but no sur-maturité. Acid balance is fresh and excellent, and the grape tannins are marvellous, shaped by but again not dominated by classically-styled oak.
This is absolutely great claret, as inspiring to me now as 1966 Ch Palmer was in my formative wine years. It is made in the way bordeaux traditionally has been, essence of bordeaux, Englishman's claret, before public taste shifted towards the more obvious flavours beloved by American wine commentators – chocolate, coffee and other artefacts deliberately added to the wine by the winemaker, via cooperage tricks. In the tasting, my enthusiasm for the wine was regarded as a little iconoclastic by the gathering, perhaps because I draw my yardsticks from earlier vintages (and practices) than most attending. I will therefore note in passing that it is Jancis Robinson's top bordeaux of the vintage. This Montrose should cellar for 20 – 40 years easily (as the aforementioned 66 Palmer has, I can confirm) – it should not be touched for 10 years. Very little reached New Zealand – just a few cases – so if you ever see it at auction, grab it. It won't be cheap – this wine's reputation will grow by the year. GK 10/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of this set. Top wine of the tasting for me was second-growth Ch Montrose. It showed a concentration of pure cassis, dark florals (violets) and black plum fruit which reigned supreme, essence of cabernet / merlot, shaped by classical cedary oak, but not dominated by artefact-laden charry / coffee oak as is increasingly the trend in modern bordeaux. Palate is unbelievably dense, pure, super-concentrated and crisp, showing wondrously ripe cassis and pipe-tobacco notes, but no sur-maturité. Acid balance is fresh and excellent, and the grape tannins are marvellous, shaped by but again not dominated by classically-styled oak.
This is absolutely great claret, as inspiring to me now as 1966 Ch Palmer was in my formative wine years. It is made in the way bordeaux traditionally has been, essence of bordeaux, Englishman's claret, before public taste shifted towards the more obvious flavours beloved by American wine commentators – chocolate, coffee and other artefacts deliberately added to the wine by the winemaker, via cooperage tricks. In the tasting, my enthusiasm for the wine was regarded as a little iconoclastic by the gathering, perhaps because I draw my yardsticks from earlier vintages (and practices) than most attending. I will therefore note in passing that it is Jancis Robinson's top bordeaux of the vintage. This Montrose should cellar for 20 – 40 years easily (as the aforementioned 66 Palmer has, I can confirm) – it should not be touched for 10 years. Very little reached New Zealand – just a few cases – so if you ever see it at auction, grab it. It won't be cheap – this wine's reputation will grow by the year. GK 10/06
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $1,850 [ cork 50mm; DFB; CS 94%, Me 6; average vine age c.50 years; 100% new French barriques for 19-22 months; c.25,000 cases; www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com ]
Ruby and velvet, still nearly carmine, the second deepest wine. Freshly opened, the wine smells like a caricature of new-world me-too oaky charry cabernet. But as it breathes up in the glass, the oak transforms into beautiful cedar saturated with glorious cassisy berryfruit. The next day the berry is even showing floral and lighter notes of instant appeal, very beautiful. Below the berry and plum there is a thread of pipe tobacco, adding complexity. Flavours in mouth marry cassis and cedar with enormous body, texture and presence, which to my taste (the following day) is compelling, once some of the obvious early oak has blown off / softened. The dry extract here is of reference quality, making so many New Zealand claims to red wine excellence simply hot air. This is a glorious wine, to cellar 20 – 50 years. But who could, at the price now. Even en primeur, it was around $NZ1600 landed. And in the blind tasting, because it had had the benefit of air, it did turn out to be the absolute top wine in 45 – a comfort considering the price. GK 03/15
Ruby and velvet, still nearly carmine, the second deepest wine. Freshly opened, the wine smells like a caricature of new-world me-too oaky charry cabernet. But as it breathes up in the glass, the oak transforms into beautiful cedar saturated with glorious cassisy berryfruit. The next day the berry is even showing floral and lighter notes of instant appeal, very beautiful. Below the berry and plum there is a thread of pipe tobacco, adding complexity. Flavours in mouth marry cassis and cedar with enormous body, texture and presence, which to my taste (the following day) is compelling, once some of the obvious early oak has blown off / softened. The dry extract here is of reference quality, making so many New Zealand claims to red wine excellence simply hot air. This is a glorious wine, to cellar 20 – 50 years. But who could, at the price now. Even en primeur, it was around $NZ1600 landed. And in the blind tasting, because it had had the benefit of air, it did turn out to be the absolute top wine in 45 – a comfort considering the price. GK 03/15
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $475 [ cork 48mm; CS 60, Me 35, CF 4, PV 1, average vine age 30 years, planted 9,000 vines / ha; typically cropped at 5.85 t/ha = 2.34 t/ac; 15 – 17 day cuvaison, 15 – 18 months in barrel, 70% new oak, some MLF in barrel; fined, no filtration; production up to 20,000 cases (then); Robinson, 2014: Classic cedary nose ... not as intensely fruity as it once was. A few lightly dusty tannins in the background. Very appetising though. Good fragrance. Opened up in the glass to become an absolutely classic left bank claret with just the right amount of fruit and an appetising but not painful dry cedary finish. I can't see it getting any better though. Fruit is gentle, fading, 18; Parker, 2009: one of this estate’s two or three finest wines made in the last 40 years ... creme de cassis, blue and black fruits, and a hint of licorice as well as an impressively long finish ... another two decades or more, 97; www.pichonbaron.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, a lively hue, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises the magic of the claret winestyle, showing a sensational volume of browning cassis, cedar and brown pipe tobacco, plus a floral suggestion nearly port-wine magnolia or violets, all totally moulded into a heavenly whole, simply soaring from the glass. Cabernet / merlot doesn't get much better than this. Palate follows perfectly, rich yet light, vibrant cassis, singing, refreshing, not over-ripe, the ratio of berry to tannins (both grape and oak) near-perfect. At a peak, but will hold for years. The loveliest wine experience I have had for years. Top equal wine for the group, 11 votes for favourite or second wine. GK 10/15
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, a lively hue, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises the magic of the claret winestyle, showing a sensational volume of browning cassis, cedar and brown pipe tobacco, plus a floral suggestion nearly port-wine magnolia or violets, all totally moulded into a heavenly whole, simply soaring from the glass. Cabernet / merlot doesn't get much better than this. Palate follows perfectly, rich yet light, vibrant cassis, singing, refreshing, not over-ripe, the ratio of berry to tannins (both grape and oak) near-perfect. At a peak, but will hold for years. The loveliest wine experience I have had for years. Top equal wine for the group, 11 votes for favourite or second wine. GK 10/15
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $251 [ traditional compound champagne cork; Broadbent rating for vintage: ***** (tentatively, not tasted at point of publication); Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 96 [ second only to 1990 ], Drink or hold. Ripe and intense; firmly structured and potentially long-lived; Now labelled Blanc de Blancs, Ch 100%, MLF, no oak, 8 – 9 years en tirage, dosage c.9 g/L; in my view, this vintage is benchmark champagne; Robinson, 2006: Extremely lively mousse. Wonderful meat and two veg nose – broad and yet dense. A certain creaminess reminiscent of cream soda. Lots of interest here with something reminds me a bit of Dom Pérignon character. Very tight knit underneath too but there is sufficient bouquet already to keep one entranced, 18.5; Wine Spectator, 2004: Subtle, with elegance and verve, this firm, lean bubbly has graphite, ginger and candied fruit embedded into its marblelike structure. It appears glacial in its advance, so be patient. Best from 2006 through 2015, 92; www.polroger.com ]
Straw yet still with a lemon wash, the lightest wine and a remarkable hue for 20 years age. On bouquet the wine still shows citrussy chardonnay, exquisite crust-of-baguette autolysis, and great purity of mealy chardonnay fruit. Palate is succulent yet taut, perfect chardonnay citrus and only slightly mealy flavours (as yet), fresh baguette crust notes scarcely deepened to any Vogel's analogy, not at all biscuitty, great length. Tastes a little drier than the given dosage, on the acid. A lovely wine which gave great pleasure to many tasters, being the second most favoured. GK 05/16
Straw yet still with a lemon wash, the lightest wine and a remarkable hue for 20 years age. On bouquet the wine still shows citrussy chardonnay, exquisite crust-of-baguette autolysis, and great purity of mealy chardonnay fruit. Palate is succulent yet taut, perfect chardonnay citrus and only slightly mealy flavours (as yet), fresh baguette crust notes scarcely deepened to any Vogel's analogy, not at all biscuitty, great length. Tastes a little drier than the given dosage, on the acid. A lovely wine which gave great pleasure to many tasters, being the second most favoured. GK 05/16
Pomerol (one of the top growths), Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $540 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 12mm; landed $440; the 2010 wine is Me 86%, CF 8, CS 6, the latter unusual for Pomerol, average vine age 50 years, max crop permitted per vine 1,000 g, all cropped at 4.6 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; fermentation in temperature-controlled oak cuves or s/s, a little cooler than most at 28°C; elevation 18 – 22 months in 100% new barrels; production 5,000 x 9-litre cases. The chateau considers 2010 a perfect year: ... a concise year, with low yields: small berries that were well nourished by perfectly healthy vine canopies with maximum photosynthesis potential. 2010 is a ripe, tannic, balanced wine with amazing fruit and wonderful acidity. The Merlot is dense, vinous, suave, full, and with breed. It simply rolls around the palate. The smaller proportion of Cabernet Franc is lace-like in texture, ripe, complex, flavoursome and very lingering on the palate. The Cabernet Sauvignon is lively, delicious to taste and savoury. Even in such a small proportion, it brings that touch of freshness that is necessary in the final blend. A Jancis Robinson Top 20 of 2010 wine; JR@JR, 2011: ... floral and scented and pretty. Very concentrated and intense. ... Lovely completeness. Great balance and build. Very, very long. ... Very serious – a marvellously intellectual Merlot, 18.5; JR@JR, 2020: Very complex, distinctive nose. Sweet Indian ink on the nose. Wonderfully flattering glossy texture with more nuance than many 2010 right-bank wines. There are depths to this with beautifully ripe tannins in abundance. Why couldn’t everyone manage this? This is an outstanding wine by any measure, with the Cabernet adding so much, 18.5; RP@WA, 2013: Thienpont thinks he has produced three wines - 2008, 2009 and 2010 - that are the greatest trilogy in the history of Vieux Chateau Certan, rivaling what this estate did in 1947, 1948 and 1949; L.P-B@WA, 2020: the nose opens as a complete spice-bomb, featuring notes of fenugreek, cumin seed and cinnamon stick over a core of Black Forest cake, plum preserves and blueberry pie with hints of fragrant earth and crushed stones. Full-bodied, rich and seductive in the mouth, it is laden with layers of black and blue fruit preserves, framed by super plush tannins, finishing epically long and perfumed, 100; owned by the Thienpont family since 1924 ... the much sought-after Ch Le Pin is also in the wider family; the Thienpont family also includes consulting oenologists; Vieux Château Certan is one of the top few Pomerols, in some years (eg 2010) outclassing Ch Petrus; weight bottle and closure: 554 g ; www.vieux-chateau-certan.com ]
Fairly fresh ruby and some velvet, the second lightest wine, with more development showing. There is nothing light about the bouquet, however, it showing a softness, freshness and typicité bespeaking high merlot made fragrant with cabernet franc (and trace cabernet sauvignon, unusual for Pomerol). Bouquet is both floral, roses and lilac, with beautiful fragrant cedary oak quietly underpinning, on plummy, redcurrant and blueberry fruit. So sleek and enticing. Palate is exactly the same, much richer than expected, the longer flavour bottled omega plums and blueberry. This is very beautiful wine contrasting vividly with the more aromatic cabernet sauvignon dominating the Leoville Barton. In their purity and depth of berry flavour, and the subtlety and beauty of their oaking, they make a special pair of 2010 Bordeaux, epitomising the contrast between east and west bank wines. This is near perfection in young east bank claret. Seven people rated Vieux Chateau Certan their favourite wine, and three had it second, making it the ‘top’ wine of the tasting. Half the tasters accurately recorded this as a merlot-dominant wine. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 09/20
Fairly fresh ruby and some velvet, the second lightest wine, with more development showing. There is nothing light about the bouquet, however, it showing a softness, freshness and typicité bespeaking high merlot made fragrant with cabernet franc (and trace cabernet sauvignon, unusual for Pomerol). Bouquet is both floral, roses and lilac, with beautiful fragrant cedary oak quietly underpinning, on plummy, redcurrant and blueberry fruit. So sleek and enticing. Palate is exactly the same, much richer than expected, the longer flavour bottled omega plums and blueberry. This is very beautiful wine contrasting vividly with the more aromatic cabernet sauvignon dominating the Leoville Barton. In their purity and depth of berry flavour, and the subtlety and beauty of their oaking, they make a special pair of 2010 Bordeaux, epitomising the contrast between east and west bank wines. This is near perfection in young east bank claret. Seven people rated Vieux Chateau Certan their favourite wine, and three had it second, making it the ‘top’ wine of the tasting. Half the tasters accurately recorded this as a merlot-dominant wine. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 09/20
Sauternes Grand Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $600 [ cork; Se 80%, SB 20, planted to 6500 vines / ha, cropped @ c. 8 hL/ha (0.4 t/ac), average vine age 30 years; BF and 42 months in new French oak; Parker:… this perfect sweet white … with airing, honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee and nuts … full-bodied, refreshing acidity … will take its place amongst the legendary vintages of the past … 100; Robinson: Quite exceptionally rich, heady and unctuous on the nose … extremely round and complete with just a hint of bitter marmalade … super-ripe … heavy botrytis … 19.5; Wine Spectator also rate it 100 points; price has increased markedly since landing; www.chateau-yquem.fr ]
Lemon with a faint gold wash, the lightest of the three sauternes. So much has been written about this wine from the great 2001 vintage in Sauternes, and so many having described it as the perfect 20-point /100-point wine, it is redundant to describe it further. At this stage it is infantile, the new oak (for 42 months) obtrusive. It is not as rich as I had imagined, the residual sugar being a relatively low 150 g/L, but the concentration, length and aftertaste are superb – a function of the sugar-free dry extract being approximately 50 g/L, an extraordinary figure. The staggering quality is the acid balance, so dramatically piquant and fresh compared with all the 2003s I have tasted. This freshness is where the 2001 sweet Bordeaux excel. In 10 years time the wine should be magical. To quote Robert Parker again: Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. It will cellar for decades. GK 10/06
Lemon with a faint gold wash, the lightest of the three sauternes. So much has been written about this wine from the great 2001 vintage in Sauternes, and so many having described it as the perfect 20-point /100-point wine, it is redundant to describe it further. At this stage it is infantile, the new oak (for 42 months) obtrusive. It is not as rich as I had imagined, the residual sugar being a relatively low 150 g/L, but the concentration, length and aftertaste are superb – a function of the sugar-free dry extract being approximately 50 g/L, an extraordinary figure. The staggering quality is the acid balance, so dramatically piquant and fresh compared with all the 2003s I have tasted. This freshness is where the 2001 sweet Bordeaux excel. In 10 years time the wine should be magical. To quote Robert Parker again: Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. It will cellar for decades. GK 10/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $66 [ screwcap; clone 95 mainly, hand-harvested @ 6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac); BF in French oak 42% new; some wild yeast, some MLF, 10 months LA, limited stirring; RS <2 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
A remarkable hue of lemon, the greenest of the four chardonnays, always a good sign. Bouquet is simply beautiful, exquisite purity, pale acacia floral notes on white and yellow stonefruits, with crushed oystershell minerality, neither oak nor alcohol apparent. On bouquet alone, one is tempted to say: this is the best Beaux Cailloux yet. In mouth the flavour and texture amply confirm that this is the best chardonnay Craggy Range have so far made. Admittedly they have been slow off the mark with their chardonnay relative to their reds, but this wine changes that perception forever. It has the texture and weight of a good Corton-Charlemagne, the oak is as subtle as best French white burgundy, and the length of palate and integration of stonefruit, barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF is remarkable. This may well be the best chardonnay ever made in New Zealand. Sadly it is the last Beaux Cailloux till the 2018 vintage probably. Due to leaf-roll virus, the vineyard has to be completely cleaned out and replanted. Therefore, buy as much as you can afford, and watch wonderful mealy and cashew complexities develop over 5 – 12 years. GK 05/13
A remarkable hue of lemon, the greenest of the four chardonnays, always a good sign. Bouquet is simply beautiful, exquisite purity, pale acacia floral notes on white and yellow stonefruits, with crushed oystershell minerality, neither oak nor alcohol apparent. On bouquet alone, one is tempted to say: this is the best Beaux Cailloux yet. In mouth the flavour and texture amply confirm that this is the best chardonnay Craggy Range have so far made. Admittedly they have been slow off the mark with their chardonnay relative to their reds, but this wine changes that perception forever. It has the texture and weight of a good Corton-Charlemagne, the oak is as subtle as best French white burgundy, and the length of palate and integration of stonefruit, barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF is remarkable. This may well be the best chardonnay ever made in New Zealand. Sadly it is the last Beaux Cailloux till the 2018 vintage probably. Due to leaf-roll virus, the vineyard has to be completely cleaned out and replanted. Therefore, buy as much as you can afford, and watch wonderful mealy and cashew complexities develop over 5 – 12 years. GK 05/13
Cote Blonde, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $892 [ Cork, 49 mm; Sy 89%, Vi 11, co-fermented, average vine age 75 years, typically cropped at 37 hl/ha = 4.8 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; Parker rating for year 96; NZ price at purchase $575; c. 28 days cuvaison, 42 months in 100% new barrels, all 228-litre; Parker in characterising the three Cote-Rotie grands crus, says of La Mouline: It is one of the world’s most intensely perfumed wines … the most supple and seductive of Guigal’s single-vineyard treasures; J.L-L, 2011: the robe is still dark; sunny bouquet whose red fruit lies quietly, is latent more than obvious. There is a smoky top air, but the undertone is persistent. There are good waves of fruit and more arresting details such as airs of juniper and coffee. The palate is unusually big and savoury for Mouline, holds abundant gras richness, is sweet and fat throughout. The black fruit is smoky, peppery, very dense and continuous. A good and filled-up wine, and while it is dense, there is a a sweet depth and a succulent, coated finale that is not static, 2030-2033, *****; Robinson, 2006: [ Note that Robinson has scored both the 1978 and the 1983 La Mouline 20 points, a score she in effect never allocates ] Extremely intense and glamorous and appealing. Still young and unformed but opulent spice, great succulence, leathery notes – masses there but great balance. Not hot. And not raisined. Fresh. It’s the intensity that is the key characteristic. Good dry finish and it does taste like Cote-Rotie. Neat and lovely – tastes of purple fruits. Not a trace of heat on the finish – finishes quite dry actually, 18.5+; Parker, 2007: The 2003 Cote-Rotie La Mouline is by far the most delicate and elegant wine (11% Viognier is co-fermented with 89% Syrah) but the enormous aromatics of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, black raspberry, mocha, caramel, and cola, and enormous full-bodied opulence and striking velvety, seamless texture make for one of the most memorable wines anyone could ever drink. This wine should age effortlessly for 25-30 or more years, 100; Wine Spectator, 2007: Racy and defined, with a torrent of pure red currant and raspberry ganache that pours out from the core, around which a mouthwatering mineral note swirls. Has a terrific spine, with iron and spice notes mingling with the endless stream of raspberry fruit. Purer than the La Landonne and the La Turque in 2003, without the vintage's extra roasted power. A really stunning display of fruit and precision. Drink now through 2030. 230 cases made, 99; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly ‘older’ in appearance than La Landonne and La Turque, and a little deeper than the latter, the second deepest wine. There is something of the chameleon in this wine, each time you smell it, it seems different. Initially opened, it shows just a hint hint of the baked character betraying a hotter vintage, as in 2003 Brune & Blonde, and the 1998 Gigondas. With air however, the bouquet expanded, presenting a dusky floral dimension, dark red roses and deepest violets maybe, smelling very smooth. As with La Turque, but moreso with the very high level of viognier (11%) in this wine, you search for descriptors. It is totally different from La Landonne, not the vibrant cassis, yet there is a plushness of fruit on bouquet that becomes seductive. You end up wanting to think there are yellow flowers and stonefruit characters in the cassisy and plummy fruit, but only because you know about the viognier. Palate is certainly very different: there is no doubt this wine is fatter and much fleshier, the latter perhaps the key to detecting a viognier component. It seeme a little more tannic as well. Again there is just a suggestion of the year being too hot for grape-derived aromatics, but it is still a wonderful mouthful of wine. As Helen Masters (Ata Rangi) said, you wish you could compare it with a cooler / more ‘perfect’ year, in the way that the Brune & Blonde sequence illustrates. La Mouline was the clear favourite on the night, maybe because of the enhanced textural viscosity, with six marking it the top wine of the night, five their second. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Ruby and velvet, clearly ‘older’ in appearance than La Landonne and La Turque, and a little deeper than the latter, the second deepest wine. There is something of the chameleon in this wine, each time you smell it, it seems different. Initially opened, it shows just a hint hint of the baked character betraying a hotter vintage, as in 2003 Brune & Blonde, and the 1998 Gigondas. With air however, the bouquet expanded, presenting a dusky floral dimension, dark red roses and deepest violets maybe, smelling very smooth. As with La Turque, but moreso with the very high level of viognier (11%) in this wine, you search for descriptors. It is totally different from La Landonne, not the vibrant cassis, yet there is a plushness of fruit on bouquet that becomes seductive. You end up wanting to think there are yellow flowers and stonefruit characters in the cassisy and plummy fruit, but only because you know about the viognier. Palate is certainly very different: there is no doubt this wine is fatter and much fleshier, the latter perhaps the key to detecting a viognier component. It seeme a little more tannic as well. Again there is just a suggestion of the year being too hot for grape-derived aromatics, but it is still a wonderful mouthful of wine. As Helen Masters (Ata Rangi) said, you wish you could compare it with a cooler / more ‘perfect’ year, in the way that the Brune & Blonde sequence illustrates. La Mouline was the clear favourite on the night, maybe because of the enhanced textural viscosity, with six marking it the top wine of the night, five their second. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $118 [ standard compound cork; PN 61%, Ch 34, PM 5, all premier or grand cru vineyards; 5% of the base wine fermented in foudres; MLF employed; en tirage c.6 – 7 years; dosage 8 g/L; www.veuveclicquot.com ]
Quite a rich lemon, below midway in depth (of the whites). Bouquet is simply astonishing, exhibiting rich mealy ‘fruit’ (yet not fruity in the sense of so many New Zealand methodes) with a depth of autolysis which is classically Le Moulin-quality baguette crust, but includes a hint of Vogel’s Multigrain too. Flavour is equally perfect: a remarkable melding of the constituent varieties with nearly cashew autolysis depth and complexity, and a richness confirming the wine is all premier cru and grand cru fruit. Sweetness to the finish is near-perfect at 8 g/L, a level that pleases many enthusiasts (apart from those subscribing to the latest fad of zero-dosage, for the snobs). You can't easily tell from the highly integrated flavours whether chardonnay or pinot noir is dominant, but Veuve Clicquot is typically a pinot-led wine. With the depth of autolysis, it hardly seems to matter. There was comment that the depth of autolysis added a little bite to the very long finish, so perhaps it wouldn't be rated so highly by the delicacy brigade. This wine displays perfectly what yeast autolysis in the methode champenoise class is all about. And the oak-fermentation in foudre component is a textbook example of how oak should be used in the elevation of serious methode champenoise wines. Anyone interested in the methode champenoise winestyle must try this … and secure a case, for reference. Cellar 5 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 05/17
Quite a rich lemon, below midway in depth (of the whites). Bouquet is simply astonishing, exhibiting rich mealy ‘fruit’ (yet not fruity in the sense of so many New Zealand methodes) with a depth of autolysis which is classically Le Moulin-quality baguette crust, but includes a hint of Vogel’s Multigrain too. Flavour is equally perfect: a remarkable melding of the constituent varieties with nearly cashew autolysis depth and complexity, and a richness confirming the wine is all premier cru and grand cru fruit. Sweetness to the finish is near-perfect at 8 g/L, a level that pleases many enthusiasts (apart from those subscribing to the latest fad of zero-dosage, for the snobs). You can't easily tell from the highly integrated flavours whether chardonnay or pinot noir is dominant, but Veuve Clicquot is typically a pinot-led wine. With the depth of autolysis, it hardly seems to matter. There was comment that the depth of autolysis added a little bite to the very long finish, so perhaps it wouldn't be rated so highly by the delicacy brigade. This wine displays perfectly what yeast autolysis in the methode champenoise class is all about. And the oak-fermentation in foudre component is a textbook example of how oak should be used in the elevation of serious methode champenoise wines. Anyone interested in the methode champenoise winestyle must try this … and secure a case, for reference. Cellar 5 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 05/17
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $535 [ cork; Sy 89%, Vi 11, co-fermented, 100% de-stemmed; average vine age 77 years; cropped at less than half the normal 35 - 37 hL / ha (1.7 – 1.9 t/ac), so less than 1 t/ac; fermented in s/s, 5 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; Tanzer records an actual alcohol of > 14%; Parker 170: La Mouline is by far the most delicate and elegant wine … the enormous aromatics of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, black raspberry, mocha, caramel, and cola, and enormous full-bodied opulence and striking velvety, seamless texture make for one of the most memorable wines anyone could ever drink. 100; Robinson: Extremely intense and glamorous and appealing. Still young and unformed but opulent spice, great succulence, leathery notes – masses there but great balance. Not hot. And not raisined. Fresh. It’s the intensity that is the key. Good dry finish and it does taste like Cote-Rotie. Neat and lovely – tastes of purple fruits. … 18.5 +; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the lightest of the grand crus, and towards the lightest in the tasting. Bouquet on this Guigal interpretation of syrah is the least varietal, the most floral, and the most burgundian of the grands crus. Nor is it as varietal as the Brune & Blonde, but it is a good deal richer and more voluptuous. The 11% viognier adds a wonderful fresh yellow stonefruits and floral vanilla pod quality through bouquet and palate. Palate is velvety rich, burgundian particularly in the sense one thinks of a great chardonnay in the exquisite oak integration and length of aftertaste, yet one thinks of red burgundy too. The texture is simply divine – this wine would be so good with so many foods. And it is pure too. This is an exceptionally hard wine to score, for style triumphs over varietal precision. It does not seem big, yet the concentration and dry extract on tongue is fabulous. Pure hedonism in red wine. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, the lightest of the grand crus, and towards the lightest in the tasting. Bouquet on this Guigal interpretation of syrah is the least varietal, the most floral, and the most burgundian of the grands crus. Nor is it as varietal as the Brune & Blonde, but it is a good deal richer and more voluptuous. The 11% viognier adds a wonderful fresh yellow stonefruits and floral vanilla pod quality through bouquet and palate. Palate is velvety rich, burgundian particularly in the sense one thinks of a great chardonnay in the exquisite oak integration and length of aftertaste, yet one thinks of red burgundy too. The texture is simply divine – this wine would be so good with so many foods. And it is pure too. This is an exceptionally hard wine to score, for style triumphs over varietal precision. It does not seem big, yet the concentration and dry extract on tongue is fabulous. Pure hedonism in red wine. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork, 54mm; DFB; original price $399, has not yet registered on wine-searcher; CS 100%; fruit hand-picked at optimum ripeness from selected low-yielding vines in the Irongate vineyard, cropped at 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac, 24 days cuvaison; the wine matured for 10 months in French oak (barriques) c.45% new, at which point the best two barriques were selected and returned for a further 7 months to two of the new barrels; minimal fining and filtering; so far as is I know, the wine has not been offered for review, in New Zealand or overseas: thus there are no descriptions. At the time of release, Adam Hazeldine, Babich chief winemaker, described the wine thus: Sweetly perfumed with violet and blackberry. Hints of vanilla and smokey cedar join also to create a warm and embracing aroma. Sweet floral and dark fruit elements continue on the exceptionally smooth and dense palate. Complex flavours reminiscent of fruit cake, cocoa, leather and tobacco all combine in an harmonious wine that is both serious and beguiling; dry extract 28.2 g/L; production two barriques giving c. 330 bottles and 100 magnums (i.e. 44 x 9-litre case equivalents); weight bottle and closure: 709 g; www.babichwines.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine to a degree, and velvet, a little more age showing than some, the fourth deepest. Bouquet is simply exhilarating. It is like a laser-beam illuminating the concepts of violets, cassis and cabernet sauvignon, the whole aroma one of crystalline purity. There have been odd bordeaux like this for me over the years, but the vibrancy, precision and mouthwatering purity of this bouquet is of a quality rarely encountered. Palate follows harmoniously to a degree that is unbelievable. Normally straight cabernet sauvignon is characterised by its great bouquet and aromatics, but then the palate lacking a little, crying out for softer plummy merlot to flesh it out. Not this wine. The quality of vibrant berry on palate is both long and sufficiently wide, and the depth of cassisy flavour supported by beautiful cedary oak is exquisite. Acid and tannin balances are superb. For those who understand classical Bordeaux, this is is an extraordinary and revelatory New Zealand wine. For those brought up on the writings of New World winewriters, with their preference for big, over-ripe and over-oaked wines – they simply will not get it. This wine epitomises the beauty achievable in cabernet sauvignon in temperate-climate viticultural regions analogous with Bordeaux, in a near-perfect year. Reference to the 100-point Dominus in this tasting, a very highly-rated Californian cabernet, but hot-climate by comparison with the Babich, amply confirms the point. This wine sets a new standard for cabernet-dominated wines in New Zealand. Since it also commemorates a remarkable achievement for a winery in a young wine country, and since there is so little of it, it would be carping to comment on the price, other than to note it is unlikely to be sustained. One person rated the Babich the top wine in the tasting, two their second, so it wasn't a stand-out for the group. My advice is, bide your time, watch out for this wine coming up at auction: it is a fair bet people won't pay the release price. Cellar 10 – 40 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Dense ruby, carmine to a degree, and velvet, a little more age showing than some, the fourth deepest. Bouquet is simply exhilarating. It is like a laser-beam illuminating the concepts of violets, cassis and cabernet sauvignon, the whole aroma one of crystalline purity. There have been odd bordeaux like this for me over the years, but the vibrancy, precision and mouthwatering purity of this bouquet is of a quality rarely encountered. Palate follows harmoniously to a degree that is unbelievable. Normally straight cabernet sauvignon is characterised by its great bouquet and aromatics, but then the palate lacking a little, crying out for softer plummy merlot to flesh it out. Not this wine. The quality of vibrant berry on palate is both long and sufficiently wide, and the depth of cassisy flavour supported by beautiful cedary oak is exquisite. Acid and tannin balances are superb. For those who understand classical Bordeaux, this is is an extraordinary and revelatory New Zealand wine. For those brought up on the writings of New World winewriters, with their preference for big, over-ripe and over-oaked wines – they simply will not get it. This wine epitomises the beauty achievable in cabernet sauvignon in temperate-climate viticultural regions analogous with Bordeaux, in a near-perfect year. Reference to the 100-point Dominus in this tasting, a very highly-rated Californian cabernet, but hot-climate by comparison with the Babich, amply confirms the point. This wine sets a new standard for cabernet-dominated wines in New Zealand. Since it also commemorates a remarkable achievement for a winery in a young wine country, and since there is so little of it, it would be carping to comment on the price, other than to note it is unlikely to be sustained. One person rated the Babich the top wine in the tasting, two their second, so it wasn't a stand-out for the group. My advice is, bide your time, watch out for this wine coming up at auction: it is a fair bet people won't pay the release price. Cellar 10 – 40 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $699 [ cork 50mm; cepage this year Me 54%, CS 40, PV 6, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.20 months, 45% new, light toast; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful deep claret colour, the second deepest wine. Bouquet shows wonderful darkest roses merlot florality underpinned by both dark plum and cassisy berry characters, at this stage fruit totally dominant over oak. This fruit-dominant ratio in the young wine is noteworthy, relative to so many over-oaked young New Zealand cabernet / merlot blends. The purity and intensity of bouquet is wonderful. In flavour immediately the firmness of the petit verdot component suggests itself, but there is no hardness in the sense of stalkyness such as Pichon Lalande (which until recently had up to 8% petit verdot in the blend) has often shown. The freshness of the wine is sensational, totally belying the 14.5% alcohol. Flavour is long, at this stage finishing on grape tannins awaiting softening. The subtlety of the oak is particularly attractive: this is a classic young claret despite the alcohol. Grelat agreed the 2010 was classic, but 'masculine' (not the usual for Palmer), and compared it with the 1983 (not 1982, in Margaux), or more particularly the 'legendary' 1961. The dry extract is wonderful. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful deep claret colour, the second deepest wine. Bouquet shows wonderful darkest roses merlot florality underpinned by both dark plum and cassisy berry characters, at this stage fruit totally dominant over oak. This fruit-dominant ratio in the young wine is noteworthy, relative to so many over-oaked young New Zealand cabernet / merlot blends. The purity and intensity of bouquet is wonderful. In flavour immediately the firmness of the petit verdot component suggests itself, but there is no hardness in the sense of stalkyness such as Pichon Lalande (which until recently had up to 8% petit verdot in the blend) has often shown. The freshness of the wine is sensational, totally belying the 14.5% alcohol. Flavour is long, at this stage finishing on grape tannins awaiting softening. The subtlety of the oak is particularly attractive: this is a classic young claret despite the alcohol. Grelat agreed the 2010 was classic, but 'masculine' (not the usual for Palmer), and compared it with the 1983 (not 1982, in Margaux), or more particularly the 'legendary' 1961. The dry extract is wonderful. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels 65%, Te Awanga 35%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $74 [ cork, 50 mm; original price $90; Sy 98.7%, Vi 1.3, co-fermented where possible; all hand-picked from vines of average age 13 years; on average 4 days cold-soak, approximately 25% whole-bunch, cuvaison averaged 14 days, all cultured-yeast; wild-MLF in barrel; 18 months in oak c.40% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered to bottle; Hemming @ Robinson, 2016: Dense, compact style. Impeccable fruit density with a good dose of spicy oak on top, but the primary fruit flavours are fairly simple so far. Glossy, polished and impressive. Just slightly light to finish – doesn’t quite follow through as you might expect from the power of the initial impact, 2017 – 2023, 17+; Worobiec @ Wine Spectator, 2016: Fragrant and juicy, bursting with white pepper, herb and a savory, sanguine bass note, wild blackberry flavors lingering on the firm finish. Drink now through 2023, 88; Chan, 2015: ... a beautifully tight and elegantly concentrated Syrah with black fruits, spices and complex detail, carried by very refined, but serious structure. 10-15+ years, 19.5+; dry extract 31.9 g/L; production 273 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 700 g; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, not as young as some, the third deepest colour. Bouquet shows wonderful purity of dusky rose florals on cassisy dark berry and dark plum fruit, all with added zing from subtle black pepper. This bouquet is a near-perfect expression of optimal syrah varietal quality, the grapes ripened to the aromatic fragrant cassis point on my syrah ripening curve. Initial palate is succulent juicy berry subtly firmed by cedary oak, the flavours rich and aromatic and berry-dominant, not interfered with by alcohol, a delight. At this stage the wine seems infantile alongside Bullnose, with its much more sophisticated elevage, but I expect complexity to increase in cellar. Some might feel the oaking fractionally underdone, and the acid and tannin balances a little soft, but give it time. It is on the late palate that the wonderful richness and texture consequent on a dry extract of 31.9 g/L is apparent: you can feel the slippery thickness, texture and body of the wine on the top of the tongue. This wine was far and away the most-preferred wine of the evening, seven people rating it their top wine, and two their second. A glorious New Zealand syrah matching fine Hermitage, or even Cote Rotie – the latter comparison because of its softness. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/17
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, not as young as some, the third deepest colour. Bouquet shows wonderful purity of dusky rose florals on cassisy dark berry and dark plum fruit, all with added zing from subtle black pepper. This bouquet is a near-perfect expression of optimal syrah varietal quality, the grapes ripened to the aromatic fragrant cassis point on my syrah ripening curve. Initial palate is succulent juicy berry subtly firmed by cedary oak, the flavours rich and aromatic and berry-dominant, not interfered with by alcohol, a delight. At this stage the wine seems infantile alongside Bullnose, with its much more sophisticated elevage, but I expect complexity to increase in cellar. Some might feel the oaking fractionally underdone, and the acid and tannin balances a little soft, but give it time. It is on the late palate that the wonderful richness and texture consequent on a dry extract of 31.9 g/L is apparent: you can feel the slippery thickness, texture and body of the wine on the top of the tongue. This wine was far and away the most-preferred wine of the evening, seven people rating it their top wine, and two their second. A glorious New Zealand syrah matching fine Hermitage, or even Cote Rotie – the latter comparison because of its softness. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/17
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ cork; three successive picks, the ripest at 43° Brix; 2 x 375 ml bottles, the colours very slightly different but the bouquets and flavours essentially identical, showing how good cork can be … but still raising the thought of how much better the wine would be now under screwcap; winemaker Kym Milne, MW; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Glowing old gold. Bouquet is simply sensational, beautifully botrytised and bush-honeyed riesling with great freshness, clear aromatics and terpenes, still some fresh varietal hints (vanillin and linalool) if you look for them. Hard to tell if a hint of oak, the wine being so concentrated, plus the riesling aromatics. Palate is remarkable, richer, smoother and finer than the Millton, again tasting as if some oak but it could be the concentrated riesling terpenes, the sweetness totally married into the richness and honeyed flavour. With the superb acid balance so many of the 1991 wines in Marlborough showed, the aftertaste is long and almost refreshing. One of New Zealand's greatest wines, ever. Will hold. GK 12/17
Glowing old gold. Bouquet is simply sensational, beautifully botrytised and bush-honeyed riesling with great freshness, clear aromatics and terpenes, still some fresh varietal hints (vanillin and linalool) if you look for them. Hard to tell if a hint of oak, the wine being so concentrated, plus the riesling aromatics. Palate is remarkable, richer, smoother and finer than the Millton, again tasting as if some oak but it could be the concentrated riesling terpenes, the sweetness totally married into the richness and honeyed flavour. With the superb acid balance so many of the 1991 wines in Marlborough showed, the aftertaste is long and almost refreshing. One of New Zealand's greatest wines, ever. Will hold. GK 12/17
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $395 [ Cork 55mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from vines averaging 40 years age, Le Meal the main vineyard and others at c.2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); website not forthcoming as to elevage, but Livingstone-Learmonth and Robert Parker have good info: all destemmed, c.22 days cuvaison temperature controlled to max 30°C, MLF preferably in tank; oxygenation as needed, then 12 – 18 months depending on vintage in barrique, 20% new now, balance 1 and 2-year so now a more modern (too modern ?) approach to elevage; assembly in tank, may be fined, filtered; production now varies with vintage 1650 – 4150 cases, much less than the latter years of Jaboulet, coupled with a large percentage (say, 25%) now declassified to La Petite Chapelle and a further percentage completely declassified; with Jaboulet now owned by the Frey family of Ch La Lagune (along with Ayala and 45 percent of champagne Billecart-Salmon), the renaissance of the formerly famous but latterly sadly deteriorated Jaboulet house is now well in train. Rumours abound that La Lagune barrels are now in use for La Chapelle. Given the centuries-old links between Bordeaux and Hermitage, this makes sense; overseeing winemaker Caroline Frey graduated in oenology from the University of Bordeaux in 2002, dux of the class. There she met consultant oenologist Denis Dubourdieu, who she regards as her mentor and inspiration. Sothebys interviewed her in 2012, and say (ungrammatically): The quality of the wines, at both properties, have been undergoing a renaissance and show Caroline's total commitment to quality; this will be an exciting bottle, and I hope the first opportunity for many to assess the resurrected wine in the context of its peers; Robinson, Dec 2012: Deeper colour than the 2011. Very masculine, dense and convincing. Luscious and much softer than I was expecting; the fruit seems to overwhelm the tannins! But there is lots of acidity and freshness here too. Real density, 18+; Raynolds in Tanzer, 2012: Opaque purple. Heady, intensely perfumed aromas of candied blueberry, cherry and violet, with a wild array of spice and herb qualities adding complexity. Cassis, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors stain the palate, with a vibrant mineral nuance providing lift. Closes with superb energy and cut, leaving floral, spice and blue fruit notes behind. I'd love to get my hands on some of this but between the low yield (reportedly between 10 and 18 hectoliters per hectare [ that is less than 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac]) and inevitable high price, who knows?, 96-98; Parker, 2012: This black/purple-colored beauty is revealing more weight and richness than it did last year from barrel, along with great precision, stunning minerality and enormous quantities of blackberry, cassis, beef blood and smoked game intertwined with hints of graphite and acacia flowers. With good acidity and richness as well as abundant, but ripe, well-integrated tannin, this great wine equals the titan produced in 2009. Forget it for 7-10 years and drink it over the following 30-50 years, 96+; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, more oak-influenced (in hue) than the Chave, one of the two deepest wines. Bouquet is glorious, a clear-cut rich sweet floral component worthy of Cote Rotie, florality to warm Prof Saintsbury's (gillyflower) heart. Below is rich ripe cassis grading to darkest bottled plums, a suspicion of cracked black peppercorn, quality potentially cedary oak, and great excitement. This bouquet is exhilarating. At this early stage, the palate does not quite live up to the bouquet. Because the wine is floral, there is the faintest hint of a fractionally less-ripe component. Fruit richness is very good but not on the scale of the Chave or the Guigal, and total acid is fractionally higher. There is therefore the faintest stalk / hard tannin at this early stage, which I expect to marry away totally. The aftertaste is darker fruits than the bouquet, and here the oak becomes a little noticeable, in youth. In essence, this wine is still a baby, awaiting marrying-up. It will become very beautiful. I expect it to approximate perfection on my ripening curve, in another 5 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, more oak-influenced (in hue) than the Chave, one of the two deepest wines. Bouquet is glorious, a clear-cut rich sweet floral component worthy of Cote Rotie, florality to warm Prof Saintsbury's (gillyflower) heart. Below is rich ripe cassis grading to darkest bottled plums, a suspicion of cracked black peppercorn, quality potentially cedary oak, and great excitement. This bouquet is exhilarating. At this early stage, the palate does not quite live up to the bouquet. Because the wine is floral, there is the faintest hint of a fractionally less-ripe component. Fruit richness is very good but not on the scale of the Chave or the Guigal, and total acid is fractionally higher. There is therefore the faintest stalk / hard tannin at this early stage, which I expect to marry away totally. The aftertaste is darker fruits than the bouquet, and here the oak becomes a little noticeable, in youth. In essence, this wine is still a baby, awaiting marrying-up. It will become very beautiful. I expect it to approximate perfection on my ripening curve, in another 5 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/14
Gimblett Gravels mostly, 7% Tutaekuri Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested; de-stemmed, 80% whole-berry, cold-soaked; MLF in barrel, 17 months in French oak; details on Vidal website shortly; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, and among the deepest. This wine captures all the elements of syrah, from buddleia to dark rose and boronia florals to gentle black pepper spice intermingled with both aromatic cassis and dark bottled plums. It shows the greatest purity, complexity and depth of syrah in the set, perfectly ripe yet not over-ripe. Palate is exactly the same, rich, long, saturated with flavours, subtly oaked, wonderfully aromatic on skin tannins, lingering long. This is great New Zealand syrah, probably the best so far made in this country, subtler and more complex (though slightly less concentrated) than le Sol, an absolute match for Hermitage up to four times the price. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer, for a truly great New Zealand red. This note drafted without reference to the previous one 5/06, for interest. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, and among the deepest. This wine captures all the elements of syrah, from buddleia to dark rose and boronia florals to gentle black pepper spice intermingled with both aromatic cassis and dark bottled plums. It shows the greatest purity, complexity and depth of syrah in the set, perfectly ripe yet not over-ripe. Palate is exactly the same, rich, long, saturated with flavours, subtly oaked, wonderfully aromatic on skin tannins, lingering long. This is great New Zealand syrah, probably the best so far made in this country, subtler and more complex (though slightly less concentrated) than le Sol, an absolute match for Hermitage up to four times the price. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer, for a truly great New Zealand red. This note drafted without reference to the previous one 5/06, for interest. GK 11/06
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $162 [ cork, 50mm; the cepage has changed in recent years, now more Mv, typically Gr 55%, Mv 30, Sy 10, the balance other AOC varieties including white grapes; cropped at little more than 2.6 t/ha = 1.05 t/ac; all de-stemmed; some months in vat, then 12 months in big old wood, then assembly in vat 2 months; not fined or filtered; production up to 7,500 x 9-litre cases; just the one wine; R. Hemming @ Robinson, 2017: Redcurrant, black pepper, fine tannin and subtle spice. Delicate and balanced and quite restrained overall – yet there is a long, deep, persistent finish that has plenty of potential. Resonant and graceful. 2017 - 2035, 17.5; J.L-L, 2017: a sweet, red berry fruited nose ... evident ripeness, airs of strawberry, flowers, spice. The palate ... prominent strawberry fruit, and floral, soft tannins ... Vincent Avril says: “The tannins are silken. The phenolics were very ripe, and it’s a good Mourvèdre vintage.” 2039-42, ****(*); J. Czerwinski @ R. Parker, 2017: ... a floral, elegant, unbelievably complex wine. Roses and violets, cherries and stone fruit, cinnamon and allspice and more are carried across the full-bodied yet almost weightless palate, finishing in a swirl of silky tannins and lingering spice. Drink it over the next two decades. 2017 - 2035, 97; bottle weight 638g; www.clos-des-papes.fr ]
Ruby, the third to lightest wine. This bouquet simply represents conventional Chateauneuf-du-Pape perfection, in terms of the more usual red-fruits dominated (raspberry) phase of the wine. It is clearly floral, with wonderful garrigue / bouquet garni complexity, but in a much lighter, more fragrant, hedge-roses and red-fruits style with raspberry, and nearly a hint of beeswax. The bouquet seems totally grenache-dominated, contra the cepage. On palate you feel you can nearly taste a hint of syrah black-pepper spice, but the mourvedre is near-invisible – just part of the backbone of the wine. This is so fragrant in mouth, the oaking again is perfect, and the given 15% alcohol is extraordinarily well-hidden. As the complementary red-fruits phase of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (to the Beaucastel), this is going to mellow into a wine challenging grand cru burgundy. It is very beautiful, and totally pure. Four first places, four second, so the ‘top wine’ on the night. As the definitive example of red-fruits Chateauneuf, it is critical to secure this wine while it is available. As outlined above, a case may seem expensive now, but it will never be regretted. Cellar 10 – 30-plus years. GK 08/18
Ruby, the third to lightest wine. This bouquet simply represents conventional Chateauneuf-du-Pape perfection, in terms of the more usual red-fruits dominated (raspberry) phase of the wine. It is clearly floral, with wonderful garrigue / bouquet garni complexity, but in a much lighter, more fragrant, hedge-roses and red-fruits style with raspberry, and nearly a hint of beeswax. The bouquet seems totally grenache-dominated, contra the cepage. On palate you feel you can nearly taste a hint of syrah black-pepper spice, but the mourvedre is near-invisible – just part of the backbone of the wine. This is so fragrant in mouth, the oaking again is perfect, and the given 15% alcohol is extraordinarily well-hidden. As the complementary red-fruits phase of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (to the Beaucastel), this is going to mellow into a wine challenging grand cru burgundy. It is very beautiful, and totally pure. Four first places, four second, so the ‘top wine’ on the night. As the definitive example of red-fruits Chateauneuf, it is critical to secure this wine while it is available. As outlined above, a case may seem expensive now, but it will never be regretted. Cellar 10 – 30-plus years. GK 08/18
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; fruit from both Southern Valleys and Wairau Plains, mix of hand-pick and machine, at roughly 9 – 10 t/ha = 3.6 – 4 t/ac; no SO2 at press, no skin contact, only the lightest pressings used, all juice cold-settled then into barrels, 93% older oak (up to 9 years), 7% new (light toast); long wild-yeast fermentations quite warm initially, usually extending to 11 – 12 months, occasionally longer, MLF typically 66% but ranging from 50 – 75% of barrels; the wine then assembled in s/s with full lees and held 6 or so months; RS 3 – 3.5 g/L, sterile-filtered to bottle; Wild has now grown to 25% of all Greywacke sauvignon; www.greywacke.com ]
Colour is rich lemon, still a wash of green, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully evocative, clearly ripe sauvignon with elderflower and freesia florals, plus a hint of red capsicum, on white nectarine fruit. The complexing of barrel-ferment is beautifully done, the wine not at all reductive and only faintly mineral, the oak fragrant, sweet and subtle, the MLF invisible (as it needs to be in quality sauvignon). Palate is vibrant, no other word for it, wonderfully ripe fruit flavours centred on pale stonefruits, with just a little zing from subliminal red capsicum and sweet basil. Oak is superbly subtle here, and the MLF still near-invisible, just a suggestion of glycerol-like texture melding with residual sugar so subtle you barely notice it, due to good acid balance. This is sensational sauvignon blanc defining anew what New Zealand sauvignon could be, mainly because it has palate weight reflecting a cropping rate most New Zealand sauvignon producers would not consider. Cellar 5 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Colour is rich lemon, still a wash of green, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully evocative, clearly ripe sauvignon with elderflower and freesia florals, plus a hint of red capsicum, on white nectarine fruit. The complexing of barrel-ferment is beautifully done, the wine not at all reductive and only faintly mineral, the oak fragrant, sweet and subtle, the MLF invisible (as it needs to be in quality sauvignon). Palate is vibrant, no other word for it, wonderfully ripe fruit flavours centred on pale stonefruits, with just a little zing from subliminal red capsicum and sweet basil. Oak is superbly subtle here, and the MLF still near-invisible, just a suggestion of glycerol-like texture melding with residual sugar so subtle you barely notice it, due to good acid balance. This is sensational sauvignon blanc defining anew what New Zealand sauvignon could be, mainly because it has palate weight reflecting a cropping rate most New Zealand sauvignon producers would not consider. Cellar 5 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 100%, all hand-picked from c.12-year old vines planted at 2,775 vines / ha and cropped @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.24 g/L; not sterile-filtered; production 250 x 9-L cases; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Cabernet / Merlot Reserves. Like the Library Release 2010 Chardonnay, here again one needs only one sniff, one sip, to say: this is probably the most beautiful and perfect pure merlot ever made in New Zealand. The depth of florality here, bespeaking a perfection of ripening hard to achieve even in Bordeaux (as recent tastings of Chx Petrus and Trotanoy confirmed) indicates both great sensitivity on the part of the winemakers, and the wisdom to pick before over-ripening. Below the dark red-rose floral beauty is deep dark berry, not quite cassis, not quite blackberry, more a particularly wonderful dark plum, fragrant in the sun, all nestled in gentle oak which will become cedary. Palate is every bit as good, a wine of total harmony, great berry richness and plummyness, oak still a little apparent, immense promise. I had this wine open alongside 2010 Ch Palmer, and allowing for youth, there are elements of shared beauty. It is infinitely sad that wines like this, the Reserve Syrah, and the 2013 Trinity Hill Syrah Homage do not seem to be examined objectively by the British wine press. Oh, yes, they are 'objective' by their own lights, but they seem to not assess the wines in totally blind mixed line-ups, with matching vintages of comparable Bordeaux, Californian or northern Rhone wines. So subconsciously, because the wines are judged by them as New Zealand wines, not the European wines they are used to and calibrated to, the New Zealand wines are never marked totally blind and totally objectively. And thus are scored lower, quite subconsciously. Buy as much of this stellar wine as you can afford, keep it 10 years at least without touching it, and then be prepared to be immensely proud of it, as great New Zealand merlot. Wine of this purity and delicacy simply cannot be made from a variety as subtle as merlot, in Australia, for climatic reasons. It will be a reference wine for years to come. Cellar 5 – 25 years, and longer if you like old wine. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Cabernet / Merlot Reserves. Like the Library Release 2010 Chardonnay, here again one needs only one sniff, one sip, to say: this is probably the most beautiful and perfect pure merlot ever made in New Zealand. The depth of florality here, bespeaking a perfection of ripening hard to achieve even in Bordeaux (as recent tastings of Chx Petrus and Trotanoy confirmed) indicates both great sensitivity on the part of the winemakers, and the wisdom to pick before over-ripening. Below the dark red-rose floral beauty is deep dark berry, not quite cassis, not quite blackberry, more a particularly wonderful dark plum, fragrant in the sun, all nestled in gentle oak which will become cedary. Palate is every bit as good, a wine of total harmony, great berry richness and plummyness, oak still a little apparent, immense promise. I had this wine open alongside 2010 Ch Palmer, and allowing for youth, there are elements of shared beauty. It is infinitely sad that wines like this, the Reserve Syrah, and the 2013 Trinity Hill Syrah Homage do not seem to be examined objectively by the British wine press. Oh, yes, they are 'objective' by their own lights, but they seem to not assess the wines in totally blind mixed line-ups, with matching vintages of comparable Bordeaux, Californian or northern Rhone wines. So subconsciously, because the wines are judged by them as New Zealand wines, not the European wines they are used to and calibrated to, the New Zealand wines are never marked totally blind and totally objectively. And thus are scored lower, quite subconsciously. Buy as much of this stellar wine as you can afford, keep it 10 years at least without touching it, and then be prepared to be immensely proud of it, as great New Zealand merlot. Wine of this purity and delicacy simply cannot be made from a variety as subtle as merlot, in Australia, for climatic reasons. It will be a reference wine for years to come. Cellar 5 – 25 years, and longer if you like old wine. GK 11/15
Douro, Portugal: – %; $363 [ cork, 50mm; original price $37.50; the Taylor’s website lists the five ‘standard’ grapes in this order: touriga nacional, touriga francesa, tinta roriz, tinta barroca, tinta cao, though whether the order is significant in terms of cepage is not clear; Taylor’s is often regarded as the longest-lived vintage port, though not the richest or sweetest; Robinson, 2016: Light ruby, this wine ... looked pretty mature. Spicy, earthy nose. Jewelly, round texture indicated that the tannins had retreated well into the background. Gentle fruity core with red pepper notes and more spice on the fairly dry and notably fresh finish. I must admit that I thought it was older than a 1977, 18.5; Roy Hersh, 2007, recalling his top 12 vintage ports of the last 40 years: Magenta color and showing no signs of nearly 30 years old in its appearance. Ahhh, this is what a fine Taylor '77 should deliver ... it is hard not to love this youthful VP. It took some coaxing and time to open up and showed a rich, full-bodied sumptuous Port. The structure is focused and the acidity and tannins are in perfect synch with the bold and brash berry fruit. Totally enjoyable right now and it portends a drinking window that should rival the ... legendary 1945. I beg to differ with those that think this is already at maturity today. Not even close! With at least six hours in decanter I'd probably have gone up another couple of points as I bet some of the spirit on the finish would have shown greater integration (and length), 95+; Parker, 1989: This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. ... Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades. ... The 1977 has consistently been at the top of my list of vintage ports in this great vintage, although the Dow, Graham, and Fonseca are equally splendid. It is a mammoth, opaque, statuesque vintage port of remarkable depth and power, but it should not be touched before 2000, 96; www.taylor.pt ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, with the Graham’s the oldest of the 1977s, the second-lightest wine. On the night the bouquet was restrained to a degree, at the later discussion stage five people (out of 24) thinking it showed just a trace of TCA / scalping. The next day the wine had blossomed, showing an almost browning cassis aromatic quality, with clear reminders of a high cabernet and cedar Bordeaux wine such as Grand-Puy-Lacoste, plus hints of currants and nougat. But it was on the palate that this wine came into its own, there being a fine-grain almost ethereal quality to the texture and flavour, wonderfully subtle yet not weak, long and very beautiful, again with fine claret reminders. Being lighter and drier in one sense, it was perhaps out-gunned by the sweeter wines, with one-only first place vote, and one second. GK 05/18
Glowing garnet and ruby, with the Graham’s the oldest of the 1977s, the second-lightest wine. On the night the bouquet was restrained to a degree, at the later discussion stage five people (out of 24) thinking it showed just a trace of TCA / scalping. The next day the wine had blossomed, showing an almost browning cassis aromatic quality, with clear reminders of a high cabernet and cedar Bordeaux wine such as Grand-Puy-Lacoste, plus hints of currants and nougat. But it was on the palate that this wine came into its own, there being a fine-grain almost ethereal quality to the texture and flavour, wonderfully subtle yet not weak, long and very beautiful, again with fine claret reminders. Being lighter and drier in one sense, it was perhaps out-gunned by the sweeter wines, with one-only first place vote, and one second. GK 05/18
Douro, Portugal: – %; $203 [ cork, 50mm; main grapes touriga franca, touriga nacional, tinta barroca, tinta roriz; NB: 1977 Dow's Vintage Port has a reputation for many poor bottles, with elevated VA. We have to hope this bottle is a good one; Rupert Symington, 2017, speaking of the 1977 Dow at a tasting with Wine Spectator: I would call ‘77 one of the last of the really old-style Vintage Ports – farmers’ wines rather than négociant wines ... foot-trodden; Broadbent, 1991: Colour loss started mid-80s. The nose endlessly fascinating with sweet fig-like fruit, a squeeze of tangerine, cognac-like spirit, developing fragrance. Consistently exciting flavour, medium sweet, fairly full-bodied, intense, assertive, the grip of a good vintage and a long lean dry finish. Maturity to well beyond 2020, *****; Robinson, 2016: Pale transparent ruby. High toned and subtle orange peel and great freshness. Some treacle and beautifully ready. Hint of roses. Spirit but not too much. Great stuff!, 18.5; Hersh, 2011: Medium cranberry red center and slight bricking on the edge. Intoxicating floral fragrance that filled the room, during its nine hour decant; accented by anise, plum and raspberry notes and a bit of spirit. Fresh, fleshy grape, dark cherry and fig flavors melded with underpinnings of licorice, chocolate and warming spirit. It's developing into a stunning middle-aged Port at 34 years of age, with little signs of nearing peak yet. Rich and multi-faceted, smooth and velvety ... even more so the second day it was opened. The acidity was near perfect and the tannins are tame but omnipresent; while the finish was spicy, warm and extremely long, 94; www.dows-port.com ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, one of the two reddest wines, just above midway in depth. In addition to the browning red fruits quality of the bouquet, there is a piquant note reminding a little of orange oil and dried Otago apricots, exciting, attractive. [ Otago dried apricots are intensely varietal, very different from Turkish hot-climate fruits ]. This wine too showed some of the cinnamon / spicy qualities of fine grenache. In mouth it is rich, sweet, concentrated and long, though not quite matching the 1977 Fonseca. Like the 1963 Dow, there is already great harmony and length on the dry-ish finish, and none of the cooked-prune notes some of the other wines show. Four people rated this their top wine, and two their second. GK 05/18
Glowing ruby and garnet, one of the two reddest wines, just above midway in depth. In addition to the browning red fruits quality of the bouquet, there is a piquant note reminding a little of orange oil and dried Otago apricots, exciting, attractive. [ Otago dried apricots are intensely varietal, very different from Turkish hot-climate fruits ]. This wine too showed some of the cinnamon / spicy qualities of fine grenache. In mouth it is rich, sweet, concentrated and long, though not quite matching the 1977 Fonseca. Like the 1963 Dow, there is already great harmony and length on the dry-ish finish, and none of the cooked-prune notes some of the other wines show. Four people rated this their top wine, and two their second. GK 05/18
Douro, Portugal: – %; $623 [ cork, 52mm; cepage understood to be mainly tinta roriz, touriga franca, touriga nacional; Broadbent, 2002: … a consistently beautiful wine. One of the top ‘63s, and one of the best-ever Fonsecas. In 1998: richly coloured, cinnamon and cress fragrance, still sweet, fairly assertive, tall, shapely, lissom, *****; Roy Hersh, 2009: 1963 Fonseca Vintage Port – It does not get much better than this in the VP world. … heat which arrived in time for the harvest. Fortunately, the nights were considerably cooler and the levels of acidity increased with the extra hang time, along with deeply extracted colors and super-concentrated flavors. “Nearly perfect” was the verdict of the Port trade, at the time. This Fonseca Vintage Port ... offers a stunning nose of boysenberry and blueberry fruit, with violets ... on the palate ... great plum character of Fonseca comes to the fore along with smoky cherry and chocolate that combines for one sumptuous and tantalizing finish. Great body weight, yet it is so smooth that it feels like liquid butterscotch, 97; Richard Mayson, 2016: This is one of the greatest Ports of the twentieth century … lovely mature garnet hue; fine, fragrant and surging from the glass, floral with a touch of savoury cedar; still very fresh on the palate, fine, elegant almost delicate sweet summer berry fruit but all there, still beautifully structured yet gentle, elegant and so, so fresh all the way through to the finish. Long and very fine. Outstanding, 19.5; Neal Martin @ R Parker, 2013: ... a dark russet color. The nose is beautifully defined … walnut, small cherries, juniper berries and a touch of spirit that expands in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful balance and fine tannins. It has tremendous weight matched by nigh perfect acidity. It is very harmonious, almost honeyed towards the finish with hazelnut and cloves infusing the decayed fruit and hints of menthol on the spicy aftertaste. This is a sublime Fonseca that will last another two or three decades with ease. Drink now-2030+, 96; www.fonseca.pt ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, a little fresher / redder than the 1963 Dow’s, and (remarkably) only fractionally older than the 1977 Fonseca, the third deepest (that is, fractionally deeper than the 1977 Fonseca). The bouquet shows an intensity and beauty of vintage port character which is a standout in the set, yet it is so hard to find words to characterise it. There are red fruits browning now, currants (meaning grape currants), glacé fig and maybe trace prune in the best sense of fresh moist prunes (not cooked), a touch of marzipan, great excitement and an enticing uplift. Palate continues the bouquet, long, rich and sweet, yet finishing a little more oaky / spirity / not quite with the sheer harmony of the understated 1963 Dow’s. Again one can cellar this with confidence. The total quality of this wine appealed to tasters, seven first places, three second. GK 05/18
Glowing ruby and garnet, a little fresher / redder than the 1963 Dow’s, and (remarkably) only fractionally older than the 1977 Fonseca, the third deepest (that is, fractionally deeper than the 1977 Fonseca). The bouquet shows an intensity and beauty of vintage port character which is a standout in the set, yet it is so hard to find words to characterise it. There are red fruits browning now, currants (meaning grape currants), glacé fig and maybe trace prune in the best sense of fresh moist prunes (not cooked), a touch of marzipan, great excitement and an enticing uplift. Palate continues the bouquet, long, rich and sweet, yet finishing a little more oaky / spirity / not quite with the sheer harmony of the understated 1963 Dow’s. Again one can cellar this with confidence. The total quality of this wine appealed to tasters, seven first places, three second. GK 05/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $73 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 5, 9 years, harvested @ c 1.8 t/ac; 12% whole bunch, 5 day cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, up to 24 days cuvaison; 13 months in French oak 40% new; Robinson '05: This bottling from a single, relatively high vineyard is much deeper coloured and at the moment less distinctive and expressive than the regular bottling. Presumably it will unfurl and overtake the other wine with time. 18; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Good ruby, nearly a flush of carmine and velvet, much more a pinot colour than the 2002 Quartz Reef Bendigo. Bouquet is dramatically lighter and more floral than the Bendigo, a quite superb Cote de Nuits-like aromatic evocation of the daphne / roses / boronia and violets florals of great pinot noir. Palate likewise is lighter and more fragrant than the Bendigo, yet like it has layers of flavour and the inbuilt succulence of fine pinot, on magically subtle new oak. Those who prefer a deeper richer almost syrah-styled pinot will rate the Bendigo 2002 higher, but this Mt Difficulty is simply one of New Zealand's greatest pinots yet. My top wine of the entire 2007 Pinot Noir Proceedings. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Good ruby, nearly a flush of carmine and velvet, much more a pinot colour than the 2002 Quartz Reef Bendigo. Bouquet is dramatically lighter and more floral than the Bendigo, a quite superb Cote de Nuits-like aromatic evocation of the daphne / roses / boronia and violets florals of great pinot noir. Palate likewise is lighter and more fragrant than the Bendigo, yet like it has layers of flavour and the inbuilt succulence of fine pinot, on magically subtle new oak. Those who prefer a deeper richer almost syrah-styled pinot will rate the Bendigo 2002 higher, but this Mt Difficulty is simply one of New Zealand's greatest pinots yet. My top wine of the entire 2007 Pinot Noir Proceedings. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked clone 95 @ grand cru cropping rate; 100% BF with appropriate fraction solids in French oak 30% new, 100% MLF, plus 12 months LA & some batonnage; 20.3 g/L dry extract, < 1 g/L RS; 200 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemon more than straw, nearly a touch of green, a superb chardonnay colour, much more lemon than the standard 2006 Escarpment Chardonnay. On bouquet there is a depth and beauty to this wine that immediately reminds of famous old world chardonnays one has been lucky enough to taste – a Drouhin Laguiche Montrachet here, a Romanee-Conti one there. It smells of every stonefruit you can imagine, not as obvious as golden queen peach, but not as pale as white nectarine. And added to that there is the glorious mealy complexity of beautifully done lees-autolysis and perfect MLF, giving a baguette crust and Vogel's wholegrain toast buttered with palest European butter quality, on a totally dry very long finish. This is fully comparable with the Te Mata Elston I enthused about recently, and maybe is better – a tasting to look forward to (along with Sacred Hill Riflemans, a Kumeu River etc). Palate is bolder than the Elston, tremendously rich, very long, yet subtle in its mealy stonefruit and cashew flavours. One could never tire of tasting / drinking chardonnay of this calibre. It may not be as rich as those great French benchmark wines mentioned, but nonetheless 2006 Escarpment Kupe Chardonnay is clearly fine international chardonnay. It is the best Larry McKenna has made, and perhaps New Zealand's most complete and finest example of the grape yet. Cellar 3 – 10 years, but should hold longer. GK 03/08
Lemon more than straw, nearly a touch of green, a superb chardonnay colour, much more lemon than the standard 2006 Escarpment Chardonnay. On bouquet there is a depth and beauty to this wine that immediately reminds of famous old world chardonnays one has been lucky enough to taste – a Drouhin Laguiche Montrachet here, a Romanee-Conti one there. It smells of every stonefruit you can imagine, not as obvious as golden queen peach, but not as pale as white nectarine. And added to that there is the glorious mealy complexity of beautifully done lees-autolysis and perfect MLF, giving a baguette crust and Vogel's wholegrain toast buttered with palest European butter quality, on a totally dry very long finish. This is fully comparable with the Te Mata Elston I enthused about recently, and maybe is better – a tasting to look forward to (along with Sacred Hill Riflemans, a Kumeu River etc). Palate is bolder than the Elston, tremendously rich, very long, yet subtle in its mealy stonefruit and cashew flavours. One could never tire of tasting / drinking chardonnay of this calibre. It may not be as rich as those great French benchmark wines mentioned, but nonetheless 2006 Escarpment Kupe Chardonnay is clearly fine international chardonnay. It is the best Larry McKenna has made, and perhaps New Zealand's most complete and finest example of the grape yet. Cellar 3 – 10 years, but should hold longer. GK 03/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.1%; $60 [ cork; DFB; CS 93%, Me 7, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 16 months in French oak 71% new, fined and filtered; 350 cases; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the tasting. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing a Leoville Las Cases-like saturation of fully ripe cabernet cassis and darkest plum, infused with potential cedar and subtle violets florals, wonderfully clean, just beautiful. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, total cassis, aromatic fruit much richer than Coleraine, subtle oak, marvellous. The aftertaste is cassis, rich berry, and faint cedar. This is the greatest New Zealand cabernet / merlot so far released in the post-Prohibition era, despatching for ever the notion that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet sauvignon. American commentators on New Zealand wines need to note that this is perfectly ripe cabernet, like fine-year classed-growth Bordeaux, not over-ripened like so many Napa Valley examples of the grape. Thus it still retains the magical lightness and florals which make great Bordeaux blends refreshing (to use a Jancis Robinson term), rather than overpowering. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the tasting. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing a Leoville Las Cases-like saturation of fully ripe cabernet cassis and darkest plum, infused with potential cedar and subtle violets florals, wonderfully clean, just beautiful. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, total cassis, aromatic fruit much richer than Coleraine, subtle oak, marvellous. The aftertaste is cassis, rich berry, and faint cedar. This is the greatest New Zealand cabernet / merlot so far released in the post-Prohibition era, despatching for ever the notion that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet sauvignon. American commentators on New Zealand wines need to note that this is perfectly ripe cabernet, like fine-year classed-growth Bordeaux, not over-ripened like so many Napa Valley examples of the grape. Thus it still retains the magical lightness and florals which make great Bordeaux blends refreshing (to use a Jancis Robinson term), rather than overpowering. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 85%, CF 9, CS & Ma 6, hand-harvested; if like the 2006, cropped @ c.2.6 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in oak cuves; 19 months in 60% new French oak; fined and filtered; production around 2000 cases, exported widely; release date 1 June '09, not on website yet; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, a glorious young claret colour, one of the densest in the set, much richer than 2007 Coleraine. And the bouquet is pretty glorious too, explicit merlot florals uplifted by the alcohol, but in this instance, seemingly neither spirity or aggressive. That is I think largely a benefit of subtler use of oak than sister-wine The Quarry shows, though Sophia is still more assertive than '07 Coleraine. Aromas include violets and dark red roses, cassis, fresh tree-ripened and bottled black doris plums, and cedar, all delightfully fresh for the size of the wine. In mouth there is tactile plummy berry of exciting weight, a whole size larger than 2007 Coleraine but not losing anything from size (when compared with the Aroha pinot, for example), and the floral quality on bouquet saturates the palate. This is a big and quite bold wine, but despite the youthful tannin one is left simply with the succulent richness of fruit, and a fabulous merlot flavour made aromatic by new oak. Few countries in the world can achieve this purity of perfectly ripe merlot varietal expression. The total winestyle in youth is rich Saint Emilion rather than Pomerol, cepage notwithstanding, but it will be great to check it out every so often over the next 20 years, and watch this facet of the wine's style evolve. This is one of the finest Bordeaux blends ever made in New Zealand. It will be a wonderful keeping wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years plus. VALUE. GK 03/09
Ruby carmine and velvet, a glorious young claret colour, one of the densest in the set, much richer than 2007 Coleraine. And the bouquet is pretty glorious too, explicit merlot florals uplifted by the alcohol, but in this instance, seemingly neither spirity or aggressive. That is I think largely a benefit of subtler use of oak than sister-wine The Quarry shows, though Sophia is still more assertive than '07 Coleraine. Aromas include violets and dark red roses, cassis, fresh tree-ripened and bottled black doris plums, and cedar, all delightfully fresh for the size of the wine. In mouth there is tactile plummy berry of exciting weight, a whole size larger than 2007 Coleraine but not losing anything from size (when compared with the Aroha pinot, for example), and the floral quality on bouquet saturates the palate. This is a big and quite bold wine, but despite the youthful tannin one is left simply with the succulent richness of fruit, and a fabulous merlot flavour made aromatic by new oak. Few countries in the world can achieve this purity of perfectly ripe merlot varietal expression. The total winestyle in youth is rich Saint Emilion rather than Pomerol, cepage notwithstanding, but it will be great to check it out every so often over the next 20 years, and watch this facet of the wine's style evolve. This is one of the finest Bordeaux blends ever made in New Zealand. It will be a wonderful keeping wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years plus. VALUE. GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 62%, CF 34, CS 4; average vine age 6 years; 80% new French barriques for 19 months; 2300 cases; Halliday: A faint whiff of cedar, even tobacco, along with black fruits on the bouquet; has great drive and energy to the palate, and a very long finish; JR 2/08: Deep crimson but weaker rim. Very winning and flattering – quite alive and pungent. Round. The Cabernet Franc really helps to give it fragrance and freshness. 17; WS 5/08: Very concentrated, with sweaty saddle leather flavors battling black currant, mineral and violet tones. Lead pencil, peat moss and gripping tannins linger on the leathery finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2010. 500 cases imported. 86; N. Martin 4/08: The 2005 Sophia is a blend of 62% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, hand-picked, de-stemmed and aged for 19 months in French oak of which 80% is new. It displays a less ostentatious nose but has even better delineation with scents of red cherries, wild strawberry and gravel, the palate full-bodied and ripe with layers of thick black fruits on the backward finish. It needs serious cellaring. 93; GK 19; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest, densest and most velvety of all the wines. Bouquet is much more opulent and large-scale than The Gimblett wine, yet at the same time, to first sniff it is reserved, even austere in the sense of very youthful, right now. Darkest fragrant nearly floral plum dominates, but again with cassis qualities too: good merlot really is very bright and fragrant in the New Zealand viticultural milieu. Palate however is immediately sumptuous, no other word for it, the richest of all the wines, with the promise of fresh aromatic fruit flavours to come. It is all tightly held in check by oak, at this stage. It is therefore not as fragrant and accessible as some of the other wines, but it will cellar much longer, 10 – 30 years. GK 10/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest, densest and most velvety of all the wines. Bouquet is much more opulent and large-scale than The Gimblett wine, yet at the same time, to first sniff it is reserved, even austere in the sense of very youthful, right now. Darkest fragrant nearly floral plum dominates, but again with cassis qualities too: good merlot really is very bright and fragrant in the New Zealand viticultural milieu. Palate however is immediately sumptuous, no other word for it, the richest of all the wines, with the promise of fresh aromatic fruit flavours to come. It is all tightly held in check by oak, at this stage. It is therefore not as fragrant and accessible as some of the other wines, but it will cellar much longer, 10 – 30 years. GK 10/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.1%; $60 [ cork; DFB; CS 93%, Me 7, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 16 months in French oak 71% new, fined and filtered; dry extract 28.4 g/L; 350 cases; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the tasting. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing a saturation of fully ripe cabernet cassis and darkest plum, infused with potential cedar and subtle violets florals, wonderfully clean, just beautiful. It can be compared with a cabernet-dominant second growth, such as one of the Leovilles. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, total cassis, aromatic fruit much richer than Coleraine, subtle oak, marvellous. The aftertaste is cassis, rich berry, and faint cedar. Four months ago, I thought this the greatest New Zealand cabernet / merlot so far released in the modern era, but now it has to either share that with 2005 Tom, or give way to that wine. Either way, it dispatches for ever the notion that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet sauvignon. American commentators on New Zealand wines need to note that this is perfectly ripe cabernet, like fine-year classed-growth Bordeaux, not over-ripened like so many Napa Valley examples of the grape. Thus it still retains the magical lightness and florals which make great Bordeaux blends refreshing (to use a Jancis Robinson term), rather than overpowering. This 2005 Quarry offers a wonderfully dramatic contrast between a merlot-dominant wine such as 2005 Tom, and this cabernet sauvignon-dominated one, yet both are superlative. What a joy it will be to compare them one with the other, and with selected 2005 Bordeaux, over the next 20 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the tasting. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing a saturation of fully ripe cabernet cassis and darkest plum, infused with potential cedar and subtle violets florals, wonderfully clean, just beautiful. It can be compared with a cabernet-dominant second growth, such as one of the Leovilles. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, total cassis, aromatic fruit much richer than Coleraine, subtle oak, marvellous. The aftertaste is cassis, rich berry, and faint cedar. Four months ago, I thought this the greatest New Zealand cabernet / merlot so far released in the modern era, but now it has to either share that with 2005 Tom, or give way to that wine. Either way, it dispatches for ever the notion that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet sauvignon. American commentators on New Zealand wines need to note that this is perfectly ripe cabernet, like fine-year classed-growth Bordeaux, not over-ripened like so many Napa Valley examples of the grape. Thus it still retains the magical lightness and florals which make great Bordeaux blends refreshing (to use a Jancis Robinson term), rather than overpowering. This 2005 Quarry offers a wonderfully dramatic contrast between a merlot-dominant wine such as 2005 Tom, and this cabernet sauvignon-dominated one, yet both are superlative. What a joy it will be to compare them one with the other, and with selected 2005 Bordeaux, over the next 20 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
The Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $56 [ screwcap; DFB; Sy, three clones plus a handful of viognier co-fermented; hand-picked from c.15-year old vines planted at c.3,000 vines / ha and cropped @ c.4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 3 – 4 days cold-soak, cuvaison in oak cuves averaged 14 days with 10% whole bunches retained, mostly wild-yeast; MLF in barrel; 10 months in 90% French oak c.45% new, 10% American white; RS <2 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 28.4 g/L; production 250 x 9-L cases; released and sold-out; www.matua.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, intense, the third deepest wine, like the Villa Maria, exceptional. This wine epitomises the wonderful floral beauty which syrah can achieve in temperate climates, when perfectly ripened. One runs out of words in trying to pin down florality of this quality, but it is dark and 'sweet', with reminders of wallflowers, darkest roses, violets and a top note of dianthus. Below there is beautiful cassis of benchmark quality, a little cooler and more aromatic than some, enriched by dark plum. Florals and berry are shaped by oak, but the thought of it dominating doesn't arise. The intensity of aromatic cassis firmed by black pepper on palate is of reference quality. Has there been a syrah in New Zealand to so exactly pinpoint perfect syrah varietal florality as this wine ? Palate weight is deceptive. Because the berry quality is so focussed and beautiful, in one sense the wine seems light on the tongue. Yet the fruit weight is in fact well up with better New Zealand practice. This wine is noteworthy for its 10% whole-bunch component in fermentation, and its low cropping rate, one of the two lowest. Dry extract must be approaching the 30 g/L barrier [ later, not quite, showing this is a hard parameter to taste for ]. This is one of New Zealand's top syrahs in the 2013 vintage, matching fine Hermitage. Like the Homage, the wine shows particular sensitivity in its use of oak. Note the elevation of 10 months. This kind of approach will greatly differentiate New Zealand red winemaking from Australian, and takes us much closer to European standards. This will benefit exports greatly. In the Regional Wines tasting, 14 tasters rated this the top wine at the blind stage, unequivocally the most-favoured wine on the night. What a transformation there is at Matua under new winemaker Nikolai St George, after so many years of dreary wines. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, intense, the third deepest wine, like the Villa Maria, exceptional. This wine epitomises the wonderful floral beauty which syrah can achieve in temperate climates, when perfectly ripened. One runs out of words in trying to pin down florality of this quality, but it is dark and 'sweet', with reminders of wallflowers, darkest roses, violets and a top note of dianthus. Below there is beautiful cassis of benchmark quality, a little cooler and more aromatic than some, enriched by dark plum. Florals and berry are shaped by oak, but the thought of it dominating doesn't arise. The intensity of aromatic cassis firmed by black pepper on palate is of reference quality. Has there been a syrah in New Zealand to so exactly pinpoint perfect syrah varietal florality as this wine ? Palate weight is deceptive. Because the berry quality is so focussed and beautiful, in one sense the wine seems light on the tongue. Yet the fruit weight is in fact well up with better New Zealand practice. This wine is noteworthy for its 10% whole-bunch component in fermentation, and its low cropping rate, one of the two lowest. Dry extract must be approaching the 30 g/L barrier [ later, not quite, showing this is a hard parameter to taste for ]. This is one of New Zealand's top syrahs in the 2013 vintage, matching fine Hermitage. Like the Homage, the wine shows particular sensitivity in its use of oak. Note the elevation of 10 months. This kind of approach will greatly differentiate New Zealand red winemaking from Australian, and takes us much closer to European standards. This will benefit exports greatly. In the Regional Wines tasting, 14 tasters rated this the top wine at the blind stage, unequivocally the most-favoured wine on the night. What a transformation there is at Matua under new winemaker Nikolai St George, after so many years of dreary wines. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Ngatarawa Triangle 70%, Gimblett Gravels & Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, 3 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration; c. 12 months in burgundy barrels c. 55% new, 500 cases; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
This was the standout wine on the day, particularly for the pinpoint beauty of its wallflower and dusky rose florals, the richness and perfect ripeness of the cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and the elegance, balance and length of the carefully-oaked palate. Great wine, as in previous reviews, but looking even better on this occasion. The opportunity subsequently arose to compare this wine with the 2005 Chapoutier Hermitage individual vineyard 'grand cru' wines, and this Church Road was not shamed by even the best of them. The main point of difference was not in the smells, flavours, richness or varietal specificity displayed, but simply the Church Road being less of a long-term (20 years plus) cellar wine – the winemaker's market-reality reflection of current New Zealand attitudes to cellaring red wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 06/08
This was the standout wine on the day, particularly for the pinpoint beauty of its wallflower and dusky rose florals, the richness and perfect ripeness of the cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and the elegance, balance and length of the carefully-oaked palate. Great wine, as in previous reviews, but looking even better on this occasion. The opportunity subsequently arose to compare this wine with the 2005 Chapoutier Hermitage individual vineyard 'grand cru' wines, and this Church Road was not shamed by even the best of them. The main point of difference was not in the smells, flavours, richness or varietal specificity displayed, but simply the Church Road being less of a long-term (20 years plus) cellar wine – the winemaker's market-reality reflection of current New Zealand attitudes to cellaring red wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 06/08
Gevrey Chambertin Grand Cru, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $308 [ cork; 30 – 35 hl/ha (1.5 – 1.8 t/ac); 10% whole-bunch, c. 15 day cuvaison in s/s; MLF and up 22 months in French oak 100% new; Coates: Full, rich and oaky on the nose. This is really very special. Full-bodied, rich and opulent. Excellent grip. Very, very classy fruit. Quite magnificent. Very, very long and very, very impressive. Grand vin! From 2015; Parker / Rovani: 94 – 96; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Ruby, a touch of velvet, the deepest of the Rousseaus (apart from the village Gevrey). Bouquet is just sensational, a perfect evocation of deeply floral boronia and violets pinot noir, backed by aromatic black and red cherries, and subtle new oak. Palate is velvet, clear dark cherry fruit, beautiful balance with fragrant oak not as assertive as the Chambertin or Clos St Jacques. This is an infant beauty, which in 10 years will be superb indeed, revealing nearly all there is to know about the variety pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 07/06
Ruby, a touch of velvet, the deepest of the Rousseaus (apart from the village Gevrey). Bouquet is just sensational, a perfect evocation of deeply floral boronia and violets pinot noir, backed by aromatic black and red cherries, and subtle new oak. Palate is velvet, clear dark cherry fruit, beautiful balance with fragrant oak not as assertive as the Chambertin or Clos St Jacques. This is an infant beauty, which in 10 years will be superb indeed, revealing nearly all there is to know about the variety pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 07/06
Maraekakaho 75%, Gimblett Gravels 25, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; all hand-picked, the 75% Keltern vineyard immediately west of the Bridge Pa Triangle, 25% Ngakirikiri Vineyard, Gimblett Gravels; clone 55 is 75%, clone 15 is 25; both vineyards c.12 years age; whole-bunch pressed, some juice settling and some juice oxidation; 100% barrique-ferment, 88% wild-yeast ferments maintained 18 – 24°, 50% through MLF; 10 months in French oak 38% new, plus older oak to 2 years, batonnage for 12 weeks only; RS 1.9 g/L; sterile-filtered; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Straw, still nearly with a lemon wash, sensational colour for a five-year-old New Zealand chardonnay. One sniff, one sip, and the short answer is: this is one of the greatest chardonnays ever made in New Zealand. And more importantly, you discover that this wine has been created from the best (that is, the least-reduced) barrels of the 2010 Keltern Chardonnay (discussed below), comprising 75% of the blend, with 25% of the wine from Ngakirikiri vineyard. The beauty and complexity of this wine absolutely proves the nonsense of 2010 Keltern ever being a Trophy and gold medal wine. Yes, even here, there is a just-detectable trace of reduction, but it can reasonably and constructively be described as gun-flint / gun-smoke / cracked greywacke / 'minerality', intimately entwined with stunning fruit and mealy and toasty barrel fermentation characters, all producing smells very close to to crushed hazelnuts (or, if you are particularly sensitive to it), crushed walnuts. The palate is magical, great richness, the peaches a little yellower now, oak framing the fruit, the mealy / nutty flavours and textures extending the palate marvellously. Great New Zealand wine, one to rejoice in, and buy by the case, quickly. There are only 190 cases (of 12) available. Cellar 5 – 15 or more years. GK 11/15
Straw, still nearly with a lemon wash, sensational colour for a five-year-old New Zealand chardonnay. One sniff, one sip, and the short answer is: this is one of the greatest chardonnays ever made in New Zealand. And more importantly, you discover that this wine has been created from the best (that is, the least-reduced) barrels of the 2010 Keltern Chardonnay (discussed below), comprising 75% of the blend, with 25% of the wine from Ngakirikiri vineyard. The beauty and complexity of this wine absolutely proves the nonsense of 2010 Keltern ever being a Trophy and gold medal wine. Yes, even here, there is a just-detectable trace of reduction, but it can reasonably and constructively be described as gun-flint / gun-smoke / cracked greywacke / 'minerality', intimately entwined with stunning fruit and mealy and toasty barrel fermentation characters, all producing smells very close to to crushed hazelnuts (or, if you are particularly sensitive to it), crushed walnuts. The palate is magical, great richness, the peaches a little yellower now, oak framing the fruit, the mealy / nutty flavours and textures extending the palate marvellously. Great New Zealand wine, one to rejoice in, and buy by the case, quickly. There are only 190 cases (of 12) available. Cellar 5 – 15 or more years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $150 [ screwcap; CS 97%, Me 3, 62%; 18 months in French oak c.52% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, a classic and glorious youthful claret colour. Bouquet is clearly the most fragrant, sophisticated, and subtle in the set, yet at the same time rich and voluminous. There are top notes of violets and related florals, on intense cassisy berry of perfect aromatic ripeness, all shaped by cedary oak. Palate follows harmoniously, fruit richness of tactile quality dominating the oak, showing great length of flavour yet no hint of heaviness. Notwithstanding the youth of the wine, the alcohol balance is subtle and tender in mouth, and there is no harshness of added tartaric. This is glorious temperate-climate cabernet of international quality, to cellar for 20 – 30 years. It will still be the lovely if frail drinking in 50 years. GK 03/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, a classic and glorious youthful claret colour. Bouquet is clearly the most fragrant, sophisticated, and subtle in the set, yet at the same time rich and voluminous. There are top notes of violets and related florals, on intense cassisy berry of perfect aromatic ripeness, all shaped by cedary oak. Palate follows harmoniously, fruit richness of tactile quality dominating the oak, showing great length of flavour yet no hint of heaviness. Notwithstanding the youth of the wine, the alcohol balance is subtle and tender in mouth, and there is no harshness of added tartaric. This is glorious temperate-climate cabernet of international quality, to cellar for 20 – 30 years. It will still be the lovely if frail drinking in 50 years. GK 03/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ cork 46mm; Me 86%, Ma 6, Sy 5, CS 2, CF 1, hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at 3,333 vines / ha and cropped @ 7 t/ha = 2.8 t/ac; cuvaison 30 – 40 days, mostly wild-yeast; MLF mostly in tank; 18 months in French oak c.35% new; RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; sterile-filtered; dry extract 28.4 g/L; production not disclosed; release date August 2015; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Tony Bish; www.sacredhill.com ]
A lovely fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, not one of the deep ones, midway in fact. One sniff of this reminds of violets, deepest darkest roses, and glorious sun-ripened dark plums, the kind of juicy plum that bursts in your mouth and goes everywhere. You can't help thinking, blind, this has to be merlot, though like some Saint-Emilions with a significant cabernets component, it is aromatic too. The syrah adds to that. In mouth there is a richness of texture, and a weight of plummy fruit, which is benchmark Pomerol. The new oak component is significantly less in taste terms than Helmsman, which may be why I am ranking Brokenstone higher. What a glorious wine, showing both finesse and delicacy yet wonderful richness, coupled with magical oak. It seems fractionally richer than Helmsman. Hill Labs report 2013 Brokenstone has a dry extract of 28.4 g/L, comparable with the 2010 Ch Paveil de Luze used as a marker wine in my April bordeaux-blends article. Only when you taste this subtle Brokenstone wine, do you go back to the Hieronymous and wonder if the latter wine has gained just a bit much dark aromatic character from its higher percentage of malbec. It is hard to believe that Brokenstone would not be a finer wine still without malbec. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
A lovely fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, not one of the deep ones, midway in fact. One sniff of this reminds of violets, deepest darkest roses, and glorious sun-ripened dark plums, the kind of juicy plum that bursts in your mouth and goes everywhere. You can't help thinking, blind, this has to be merlot, though like some Saint-Emilions with a significant cabernets component, it is aromatic too. The syrah adds to that. In mouth there is a richness of texture, and a weight of plummy fruit, which is benchmark Pomerol. The new oak component is significantly less in taste terms than Helmsman, which may be why I am ranking Brokenstone higher. What a glorious wine, showing both finesse and delicacy yet wonderful richness, coupled with magical oak. It seems fractionally richer than Helmsman. Hill Labs report 2013 Brokenstone has a dry extract of 28.4 g/L, comparable with the 2010 Ch Paveil de Luze used as a marker wine in my April bordeaux-blends article. Only when you taste this subtle Brokenstone wine, do you go back to the Hieronymous and wonder if the latter wine has gained just a bit much dark aromatic character from its higher percentage of malbec. It is hard to believe that Brokenstone would not be a finer wine still without malbec. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels 85%, Roy's Hill 15%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $130 [ cork 50mm; Sy 98.7%, fermented on skins only of Vi 1.3%, hand-picked from on average c.11-year old vines planted at c.3,000 vines / ha and cropped @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 28 days (though one batch 56 days) with 30% whole bunches retained (this approach only in the ripest years), mostly cultured-yeast; MLF started in tank and completed in barrel; 12 months in French oak c.53% new; RS 0.23 g/L; sterile-filtered; production 556 x 9-L cases; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the Trinity wines, wonderfully promising. Bouquet is little short of sensational, showing a lifted quality combining florality, aromatic cassisy berry, freshly-cracked black pepper spice, varietal grapeyness and subtle potentially cedary oak which is top-flight, by any international standards. It is quite different from the great 2013 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve, yet both are wonderfully valid syrah statements. Palate is saturated with flavour, and full-bodied by Northern Rhone standards. By the sometimes bizarre standards of Australian wine evaluation, where florals are not seen, and size is so important, this wine might be seen as medium-bodied. Length of flavour is remarkable, given the youth and (in a sense, at this stage) awkwardness of the palate. This Homage differs from its predecessors in displaying a more apparent whole-bunch component. This will marry in over the next five years, and make the wine even more Northern Rhone / Hermitage (or perhaps more accurately, Cote Rotie) in style. The whole-bunch character might be at a desirable maximum, though. With its balanced more European-level alcohol, this is yet another wine to illustrate the glorious physiological maturity a number of the top Hawkes Bay reds achieved in the temperate 2013 vintage. Simply buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and don't touch it for five years at least. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the Trinity wines, wonderfully promising. Bouquet is little short of sensational, showing a lifted quality combining florality, aromatic cassisy berry, freshly-cracked black pepper spice, varietal grapeyness and subtle potentially cedary oak which is top-flight, by any international standards. It is quite different from the great 2013 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve, yet both are wonderfully valid syrah statements. Palate is saturated with flavour, and full-bodied by Northern Rhone standards. By the sometimes bizarre standards of Australian wine evaluation, where florals are not seen, and size is so important, this wine might be seen as medium-bodied. Length of flavour is remarkable, given the youth and (in a sense, at this stage) awkwardness of the palate. This Homage differs from its predecessors in displaying a more apparent whole-bunch component. This will marry in over the next five years, and make the wine even more Northern Rhone / Hermitage (or perhaps more accurately, Cote Rotie) in style. The whole-bunch character might be at a desirable maximum, though. With its balanced more European-level alcohol, this is yet another wine to illustrate the glorious physiological maturity a number of the top Hawkes Bay reds achieved in the temperate 2013 vintage. Simply buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and don't touch it for five years at least. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/15
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13.5%; $47 [ screwcap; 100% Mendoza clone @ lower cropping rate than Kumeu River wine; 100% BF in a little more than 20% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon. In contrast to the 2004 Kumeu River Chardonnay, the Maté’s wine shows a softer and richer bouquet, totally pure and fragrant, with almost a suggestion of acacia blossom and other white florals. The fruit is not as dramatically pure Mendoza in character as the 2005, there being more a mixed nectarine fruit quality complexed by lees-autolysis and baguette crust, which is very attractive. Palate is glorious, oily rich, sensational chardonnay, fine acid balance, near-invisible oak, yet all the complexity derived from total barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis in barrel. This wine reminds me of a 1969 Corton-Charlemagne which gave me immense pleasure from cellar, in the 20 following years. This 2004 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay is undoubtedly one of New Zealand's finest examples of the grape to date. With its 13.5% alcohol, it sets a model of restraint and subtlety which some more heavy-handed proprietors in other districts could well emulate. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 02/06
Lemon. In contrast to the 2004 Kumeu River Chardonnay, the Maté’s wine shows a softer and richer bouquet, totally pure and fragrant, with almost a suggestion of acacia blossom and other white florals. The fruit is not as dramatically pure Mendoza in character as the 2005, there being more a mixed nectarine fruit quality complexed by lees-autolysis and baguette crust, which is very attractive. Palate is glorious, oily rich, sensational chardonnay, fine acid balance, near-invisible oak, yet all the complexity derived from total barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis in barrel. This wine reminds me of a 1969 Corton-Charlemagne which gave me immense pleasure from cellar, in the 20 following years. This 2004 Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay is undoubtedly one of New Zealand's finest examples of the grape to date. With its 13.5% alcohol, it sets a model of restraint and subtlety which some more heavy-handed proprietors in other districts could well emulate. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 02/06
Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $53 [ cork, 46 mm; original price $50; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak some new; RS nil; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2015: ... very peppery notes on the nose over a core of lovely black cherry and black raspberry fruit with hints of lavender and anise. Medium-bodied, elegant, taut and muscular, it gives firm, rounded tannins and great freshness in the mouth with lingering cracked pepper flavors. 2015 - 2020, 90+; Cooper, 2016: ... very refined ... and highly fragrant, with concentrated plum and black-pepper flavours and ripe supple tannins. A lovely, sweet-fruited, very harmonious red, it should be at its best 2017 +, *****; dry extract not available; production not disclosed, reputed to exceed 1,500 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 580 g; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth of colour. But any doubts on lack of concentration are dispelled with one sniff of the bouquet. This is by far the most sensational bouquet in the set of 12 wines, showing a florality, complexity, and quality of aroma of a calibre matched by for example the best years of Guigal (village) Cote Rotie, or even their Chateau d’Ampuis bottling. The point of picking is perfect to show syrah at its most gloriously floral, confirmed by the given alcohol of 13%, but then all the characteristic classical syrah grape aromas of dianthus, carnations, and old-fashioned red roses are augmented by a quality of oak elevation unmatched in the set. In mouth the wine is not as rich as (notably) Airavata and the Villa Reserve, but it is still pretty good. It is richer than 2013 Coleraine, I think, meaning the dry extract is greater. And the acid and tannin balances are superb. So this wine is a little smaller than some in the company, but it is perfectly formed, little short of exquisite. Total style achieved is Cote Rotie through and through, glorious. Three people rated this their top wine, and it is noteworthy that three thought it the French wine. One could not own too much of this wine, if absolute quality and sheer pleasure in enjoying fine wine at table is the goal of keeping a cellar. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth of colour. But any doubts on lack of concentration are dispelled with one sniff of the bouquet. This is by far the most sensational bouquet in the set of 12 wines, showing a florality, complexity, and quality of aroma of a calibre matched by for example the best years of Guigal (village) Cote Rotie, or even their Chateau d’Ampuis bottling. The point of picking is perfect to show syrah at its most gloriously floral, confirmed by the given alcohol of 13%, but then all the characteristic classical syrah grape aromas of dianthus, carnations, and old-fashioned red roses are augmented by a quality of oak elevation unmatched in the set. In mouth the wine is not as rich as (notably) Airavata and the Villa Reserve, but it is still pretty good. It is richer than 2013 Coleraine, I think, meaning the dry extract is greater. And the acid and tannin balances are superb. So this wine is a little smaller than some in the company, but it is perfectly formed, little short of exquisite. Total style achieved is Cote Rotie through and through, glorious. Three people rated this their top wine, and it is noteworthy that three thought it the French wine. One could not own too much of this wine, if absolute quality and sheer pleasure in enjoying fine wine at table is the goal of keeping a cellar. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $304 [ cork, 50mm; DFB; original en primeur price $125 (at which point it sold out); CS 52%, PV 19, Ma 12, Me 12, CF 4, carmenere 1, hand-picked, organic vineyard; yields may be as low as 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; up to 30-day cuvaison; MLF in barrel; oak usually 90% French, 10 US, 65% new; filtered; 1080 cases in 2013; Perrotti-Brown, 2015: ... a youthfully mute nose revealing delicate notes of red and blackcurrants, mulberries and plums with hints of cedar, pencil lead, earth and violets plus a hint of cloves. Quite solid and muscular in the mouth with tons of densely packed fruit supported by a solid foundation of firm grainy tannins and lively acid, it has a very long finish, 94; no Cooper or Chan review; dry extract 30.2 g/L; production 1,240 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 586 g; www.stonyridge.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, and one of the freshest, a glorious colour. Freshly opened this wine is infantile. Open and decant it hours ahead of using it. It opens up to present a wonderfully vibrant aromatic cassisy version of the concept ‘bordeaux style’. In with the cassis are perfectly ripe blackberries in the sun, enticing. In mouth the berry flavours are vibrant and fresh, even firm, not the singular focus of the Babich 100-Years wine, a more complex array of berry flavours reflecting the more complex cepage. Texture, richness and body in the wine are absolutely of classed growth Bordeaux standards, as the dry extract confirms, with the fruit superbly matched to cedary oak. Acid and tannin balances are exemplary. This is a wine to match and in fact easily surpass the quality of 1987 Stonyridge Larose, which I reported on at the time in National Business Review as being the finest red wine in New Zealand, from the 1987 vintage. The 1987 is still superb today, as fully mature wine, so it follows: cellar this wine for 10 – 40 years, probably 50. For the group, two people rated this their top wine, one their second. In my view, this 2013 wine confirms Stonyridge’s ranking, as one of the top two or three vineyards in New Zealand. This position can only be augmented by winemaker Martin Pickering advising that from the 2016 vintage, Stonyridge will be bottling Larose with leading-edge M A Silva premium ‘One-by-One’ corks. Finally a cork company (this one based in Sonoma County) has solved the technical difficulties of assessing each and every cork by gas phase spectroscopy, and guaranteeing every cork is free from TCA. At a cost of roughly $1.50 per cork, 40% more than a standard 49mm cork, this is the consumer’s ultimate safeguard. Great news. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine, and one of the freshest, a glorious colour. Freshly opened this wine is infantile. Open and decant it hours ahead of using it. It opens up to present a wonderfully vibrant aromatic cassisy version of the concept ‘bordeaux style’. In with the cassis are perfectly ripe blackberries in the sun, enticing. In mouth the berry flavours are vibrant and fresh, even firm, not the singular focus of the Babich 100-Years wine, a more complex array of berry flavours reflecting the more complex cepage. Texture, richness and body in the wine are absolutely of classed growth Bordeaux standards, as the dry extract confirms, with the fruit superbly matched to cedary oak. Acid and tannin balances are exemplary. This is a wine to match and in fact easily surpass the quality of 1987 Stonyridge Larose, which I reported on at the time in National Business Review as being the finest red wine in New Zealand, from the 1987 vintage. The 1987 is still superb today, as fully mature wine, so it follows: cellar this wine for 10 – 40 years, probably 50. For the group, two people rated this their top wine, one their second. In my view, this 2013 wine confirms Stonyridge’s ranking, as one of the top two or three vineyards in New Zealand. This position can only be augmented by winemaker Martin Pickering advising that from the 2016 vintage, Stonyridge will be bottling Larose with leading-edge M A Silva premium ‘One-by-One’ corks. Finally a cork company (this one based in Sonoma County) has solved the technical difficulties of assessing each and every cork by gas phase spectroscopy, and guaranteeing every cork is free from TCA. At a cost of roughly $1.50 per cork, 40% more than a standard 49mm cork, this is the consumer’s ultimate safeguard. Great news. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $124 [ supercritical 'cork'; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 100%; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; this wine is the largest volume yet made of Homage, nearly 600 cases; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper and fresher than the Huchet. In the blind tasting the bouquet on Homage is fresher and more vibrant than the Huchet, being wonderfully floral with fresh cassis. Additionally, in this tasting Homage showed a delightful hint of bush honey in the aroma, which I didn't get last time. This is a legitimate facet of Rhone syrah expression, which 1982 Jaboulet Les Jumelles and other odd Rhone syrahs over the years have demonstrated, very particular. Palate weight is akin to the Huchet, but the wine is slightly fresher, as if the grapes were picked a little earlier, with more floral notes and fresher aromatics. There is a savoury hint here too. Homage and Huchet make a phenomenal pair of New Zealand syrahs, with at this moment, Homage slightly ahead. I imagine they will jockey for position over the next 15 years or so. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper and fresher than the Huchet. In the blind tasting the bouquet on Homage is fresher and more vibrant than the Huchet, being wonderfully floral with fresh cassis. Additionally, in this tasting Homage showed a delightful hint of bush honey in the aroma, which I didn't get last time. This is a legitimate facet of Rhone syrah expression, which 1982 Jaboulet Les Jumelles and other odd Rhone syrahs over the years have demonstrated, very particular. Palate weight is akin to the Huchet, but the wine is slightly fresher, as if the grapes were picked a little earlier, with more floral notes and fresher aromatics. There is a savoury hint here too. Homage and Huchet make a phenomenal pair of New Zealand syrahs, with at this moment, Homage slightly ahead. I imagine they will jockey for position over the next 15 years or so. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $62 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested; inoculated yeast, 21 days cuvaison; MLF and 16 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet is simply sensational, a complete suite of beautifully fragrant florals extending from dianthus / carnations through dark roses to boronia and violets, (apart from the colour) sharing much with fine Cote de Nuits pinot noir, but enlivened by freshly cracked black peppercorn. Palate is rich and ripe, at a perfect point of explicit physiological maturity and ripeness for syrah, embodying all the florals, ripe peppercorn, cassis and bottled black doris plum key descriptors, with sweet ripe tannins. And the dry extract is admirable. I will be surprised if this is not 30 g/L or more – a true grand cru cropping rate. There is a firmness and authority in this syrah matched only by great Hermitage, no matter for how long English wine writers persist in dismissively comparing our syrahs with Crozes-Hermitage.
Because of the pace of evolution in New Zealand red wines currently, aided by a run of benign vintages, I appreciate I am making the following kind of statement perhaps too frequently. Nonetheless, this 2006 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve is one of the greatest red wines ever made in New Zealand, illustrating to perfection the grape-derived complexity our temperate climate can produce in New Zealand red wine, without recourse to unsubtle oak. Likewise, it is probably our finest syrah yet, though there are several contenders. This Reserve Syrah has the most amazing finegrain finish, lingering on perfectly ripe varietal fruit, just beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet is simply sensational, a complete suite of beautifully fragrant florals extending from dianthus / carnations through dark roses to boronia and violets, (apart from the colour) sharing much with fine Cote de Nuits pinot noir, but enlivened by freshly cracked black peppercorn. Palate is rich and ripe, at a perfect point of explicit physiological maturity and ripeness for syrah, embodying all the florals, ripe peppercorn, cassis and bottled black doris plum key descriptors, with sweet ripe tannins. And the dry extract is admirable. I will be surprised if this is not 30 g/L or more – a true grand cru cropping rate. There is a firmness and authority in this syrah matched only by great Hermitage, no matter for how long English wine writers persist in dismissively comparing our syrahs with Crozes-Hermitage.
Because of the pace of evolution in New Zealand red wines currently, aided by a run of benign vintages, I appreciate I am making the following kind of statement perhaps too frequently. Nonetheless, this 2006 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve is one of the greatest red wines ever made in New Zealand, illustrating to perfection the grape-derived complexity our temperate climate can produce in New Zealand red wine, without recourse to unsubtle oak. Likewise, it is probably our finest syrah yet, though there are several contenders. This Reserve Syrah has the most amazing finegrain finish, lingering on perfectly ripe varietal fruit, just beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/08
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale & Padthaway, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $160 [ cork; CS 100%, from an unusually cool dry summer (which means quality in Australia); 14 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads; Penfolds rate the ’02 with the 1996 and 1990; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, denser even than the ’02 RWT, the darkest of the cabernets. Bouquet is immensely powerful both from intense cassis, and from scads of new oak, reminding immediately of a latter-day version of the recently-tasted 1986 Mouton-Rothschild. On palate, the concentration of cassis is remarkable, the wine intensely aromatic, both intrinsically and from the excess (surely) of new American oak. Yet it has to be said, the level of oak is only a fraction that of the 2001 Grange. The total balance, given the richness, is good (in its style), and both berry and oak linger for ages on the palate, with the ultimate last word going, unbelievably, to the cassis. This augurs well for its development in cellar. Like the 2002 RWT, this is a great example of the Penfolds style, from a great year. Only a few vintages reach this quality of berry flavour, usually these wines being simply too hot-climate. Invest in as much as you can afford, for it will cellar for half a lifetime, 10 – 50 years. 2002 Penfolds Bin 707 will be wonderful in 10, 20 or 40 years – take your pick. Just provide for it ! GK 07/06
Dense ruby and velvet, denser even than the ’02 RWT, the darkest of the cabernets. Bouquet is immensely powerful both from intense cassis, and from scads of new oak, reminding immediately of a latter-day version of the recently-tasted 1986 Mouton-Rothschild. On palate, the concentration of cassis is remarkable, the wine intensely aromatic, both intrinsically and from the excess (surely) of new American oak. Yet it has to be said, the level of oak is only a fraction that of the 2001 Grange. The total balance, given the richness, is good (in its style), and both berry and oak linger for ages on the palate, with the ultimate last word going, unbelievably, to the cassis. This augurs well for its development in cellar. Like the 2002 RWT, this is a great example of the Penfolds style, from a great year. Only a few vintages reach this quality of berry flavour, usually these wines being simply too hot-climate. Invest in as much as you can afford, for it will cellar for half a lifetime, 10 – 50 years. 2002 Penfolds Bin 707 will be wonderful in 10, 20 or 40 years – take your pick. Just provide for it ! GK 07/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $105 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 5.4 t/ha (2.2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; no cold-soak, inoculated, c.11 days ferment, total cuvaison 20 days; MLF and 17 months in French oak 38% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; understood to be at least 400 cases (of 12); 8 top rankings, 2 second; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour, and a great hue too. Bouquet is one of two compellingly floral renderings of syrah in the tasting, showing wonderful deep sweet wallflower and darkest rose, on aromatic cassis and darkest bottled plums more omega than black doris, all framed in appropriately subtle oak. Palate is velvety rich, exhibiting all the qualities found on bouquet, plus some black pepper and great texture, indicating an absolutely grand cru cropping rate. The winestyle is totally Hermitage. The floral and aromatic qualities together with the richness of fruit and subtlety of oak-handling lift this wine into a new quality level for New Zealand syrah. The fruit is superlative. I register I made much the same claim for the 2010 Homage recently, but in this particular showing, 2010 Le Sol is ahead. Both wines will provide sensational comparative tastings for the next 5 – 20 years. Anybody who does not secure a case of each to witness their evolution in the years to come is not only not passionate about wine, but is denying themselves a great deal of interest and pleasure. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour, and a great hue too. Bouquet is one of two compellingly floral renderings of syrah in the tasting, showing wonderful deep sweet wallflower and darkest rose, on aromatic cassis and darkest bottled plums more omega than black doris, all framed in appropriately subtle oak. Palate is velvety rich, exhibiting all the qualities found on bouquet, plus some black pepper and great texture, indicating an absolutely grand cru cropping rate. The winestyle is totally Hermitage. The floral and aromatic qualities together with the richness of fruit and subtlety of oak-handling lift this wine into a new quality level for New Zealand syrah. The fruit is superlative. I register I made much the same claim for the 2010 Homage recently, but in this particular showing, 2010 Le Sol is ahead. Both wines will provide sensational comparative tastings for the next 5 – 20 years. Anybody who does not secure a case of each to witness their evolution in the years to come is not only not passionate about wine, but is denying themselves a great deal of interest and pleasure. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $41 [ screwcap; grapes night-harvested @ 4 t/ac; BF with wild yeasts in French oak with a low percentage new, fermenting so slowly continued to mid-Dec. '05., some MLF; continued LA in barrel till Nov. '06 – a total of 19 months; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Glowing lemon, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is simply sensational. I don't think there's ever been a Te Koko so floral, fragrant and beautiful as this. Just on bouquet alone, this bids fair to be the finest sauvignon ever made in New Zealand. Floral components on bouquet are centred around yellow honeysuckle, but with other more typical Marlborough sauvignon characters such as elderflower too, grading into rich black passionfruit, yellow stonefruit, sweet basil and the spice of ripest red capsicum. Palate adds wonderful barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and big baguette-crust complexities, with a purity and freshness which makes one wonder if there is any MLF component this year. Yet a certain creamy fatness on the palate suggests there is [later confirmed]. This is simply incredible sauvignon blanc, grown at a true grand cru cropping rate and tasting superbly rich accordingly. Every sauvignon drinker must try this as a special treat, with food. Cellar 2 – 10 years at least, depending on taste preferences. GK 05/08
Glowing lemon, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is simply sensational. I don't think there's ever been a Te Koko so floral, fragrant and beautiful as this. Just on bouquet alone, this bids fair to be the finest sauvignon ever made in New Zealand. Floral components on bouquet are centred around yellow honeysuckle, but with other more typical Marlborough sauvignon characters such as elderflower too, grading into rich black passionfruit, yellow stonefruit, sweet basil and the spice of ripest red capsicum. Palate adds wonderful barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and big baguette-crust complexities, with a purity and freshness which makes one wonder if there is any MLF component this year. Yet a certain creamy fatness on the palate suggests there is [later confirmed]. This is simply incredible sauvignon blanc, grown at a true grand cru cropping rate and tasting superbly rich accordingly. Every sauvignon drinker must try this as a special treat, with food. Cellar 2 – 10 years at least, depending on taste preferences. GK 05/08
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $169 [ cork; 14 months in French oak 66% new, 34% 1-year; RWT = Red Winemaking Trial; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, the deepest of the shirazes. One sniff, and this is marvellous Australian shiraz / syrah, and seeing the wine in the same context as the 2003 Chapoutier selections parcellaires serves only to confirm how good it is. Just on bouquet, the great thing about it is it is not euc'y, not boysenberry over-ripe, not too oaky, and not showing perceptible VA, all of which are endemic in premium Australian shiraz. Instead, it shows plush fruit spanning cassis to darkest black doris plums touching on blueberry, with fragrant nearly cedary French oak delightfully subdued and making the whole thing aromatic. It is not quite cool enough to show a floral or cracked peppercorn “syrah” component on bouquet, but it is very close. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, suggestions of boysenberry sur maturité creeping in now, velvety rich as if some barrel-ferment, blueberries too, more oak than the bouquet indicates, immensely concentrated. The berry flavours last and last in the mouth. This wine will cellar for 10 – 40 years, and end up looking much like the 1970 Bin 28 does now - leaving aside the differing oaks. This is not as silly as it sounds, for in those days Bin 28 was truly a premium wine, with much of the fruit derived from the Kalimna vineyard. Great wine – one could not cellar too much of this. GK 07/06
Dense ruby and velvet, the deepest of the shirazes. One sniff, and this is marvellous Australian shiraz / syrah, and seeing the wine in the same context as the 2003 Chapoutier selections parcellaires serves only to confirm how good it is. Just on bouquet, the great thing about it is it is not euc'y, not boysenberry over-ripe, not too oaky, and not showing perceptible VA, all of which are endemic in premium Australian shiraz. Instead, it shows plush fruit spanning cassis to darkest black doris plums touching on blueberry, with fragrant nearly cedary French oak delightfully subdued and making the whole thing aromatic. It is not quite cool enough to show a floral or cracked peppercorn “syrah” component on bouquet, but it is very close. Palate is the bouquet liquefied, suggestions of boysenberry sur maturité creeping in now, velvety rich as if some barrel-ferment, blueberries too, more oak than the bouquet indicates, immensely concentrated. The berry flavours last and last in the mouth. This wine will cellar for 10 – 40 years, and end up looking much like the 1970 Bin 28 does now - leaving aside the differing oaks. This is not as silly as it sounds, for in those days Bin 28 was truly a premium wine, with much of the fruit derived from the Kalimna vineyard. Great wine – one could not cellar too much of this. GK 07/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $130 [ screwcap; CS 97%, Me 3, 62% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at 2,720 vines / ha and cropped @ 4.2 t/ha = 1.7 t/ac; cuvaison 35 – 42 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak c.52% new; RS 0.3 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 31.5 g/L; production 500 x 9-L cases; preview of this totally new special series wine courtesy Nick Picone, all marketing and release details still to be decided; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Colour is a velvety fresh and vibrant carmine and ruby, slightly deeper than the Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, second only to the Elspeth. This wine is a bit out to one side in the tasting. It is both incredibly rich, and so young as to seem awkward. Subtleties such as its floral qualities only reveal themselves after many hours breathing in the glass, deepest violets melding with cassis, all still to emerge. The intensity of the fully ripe cassis character tiptoes towards certain West Australian high-cabernet wines, but the oak handling here while emphatic is still more subtle than most Australian wines. Put this cabernet alongside Penfolds Bin 707, and it seems quite innocent. In mouth the fruit is of a calibre rarely seen in New Zealand cabernet sauvignon. It is riper, richer and even more aromatic than the Mills Reef Elspeth, yet there is no hint of over-ripeness. It has a laser-like varietal definition and clarity which the Helmsman, though very good, just misses, due to more apparent oak. The first impact is reminiscent of Tom MacDonald's original 1965 cabernet, at the time, but the concentration of berry is greater, and the oak both finer and less. Villa Maria have a sensational wine here, with a 50-year cellar life, a wine so infantile now as to be hard to assess. But it is all there, it is all in proportion, it is beautifully clean and it is potentially a very beautiful Medoc-style red. It will score higher in 10 years time. I will be surprised if the dry extract here is less than 30 g/L [ confirmed since writing at 31.5 g/L, wonderful ]; the wine is tactile in its richness. Release details for this Special Edition wine are well in the future, at a level and price-point above current Reserve and Single Vineyard wines. I imagine close liaison with the Villa Maria H/Q cellar shop at Mangere will be essential, to secure it. A triumph. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 05/15
Colour is a velvety fresh and vibrant carmine and ruby, slightly deeper than the Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, second only to the Elspeth. This wine is a bit out to one side in the tasting. It is both incredibly rich, and so young as to seem awkward. Subtleties such as its floral qualities only reveal themselves after many hours breathing in the glass, deepest violets melding with cassis, all still to emerge. The intensity of the fully ripe cassis character tiptoes towards certain West Australian high-cabernet wines, but the oak handling here while emphatic is still more subtle than most Australian wines. Put this cabernet alongside Penfolds Bin 707, and it seems quite innocent. In mouth the fruit is of a calibre rarely seen in New Zealand cabernet sauvignon. It is riper, richer and even more aromatic than the Mills Reef Elspeth, yet there is no hint of over-ripeness. It has a laser-like varietal definition and clarity which the Helmsman, though very good, just misses, due to more apparent oak. The first impact is reminiscent of Tom MacDonald's original 1965 cabernet, at the time, but the concentration of berry is greater, and the oak both finer and less. Villa Maria have a sensational wine here, with a 50-year cellar life, a wine so infantile now as to be hard to assess. But it is all there, it is all in proportion, it is beautifully clean and it is potentially a very beautiful Medoc-style red. It will score higher in 10 years time. I will be surprised if the dry extract here is less than 30 g/L [ confirmed since writing at 31.5 g/L, wonderful ]; the wine is tactile in its richness. Release details for this Special Edition wine are well in the future, at a level and price-point above current Reserve and Single Vineyard wines. I imagine close liaison with the Villa Maria H/Q cellar shop at Mangere will be essential, to secure it. A triumph. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 05/15
Bridge Pa Triangle 67%, Gimblett Gravels 23%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $200 [ 49mm cork; DFB; CS 67%, Me 33; all hand-picked and sorted with great attention to fruit quality for the Tom parcels, at an approximate cropping rate of 6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation mostly in oak cuves, a fraction in s/s, cuvaison up to 30 days for the CS components, 26 for the Me, with particular attention to aeration; 22 months in all-French oak c.92% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; light fining, not filtered; RS is given as 2 g/L, but that is the non-fermentable sugars: in the usual sense (of glucose and fructose) nil would be more realistic; winemaker Chris Scott estimates 2013 is the driest year in the viticultural zone for 70 years, and not unduly hot; c.500 cases; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a perfect young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend colour, but far from the deepest, just above midway. Bouquet is simply sensational. Having tasted every wine in the series (loosely speaking) since the debut 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 65/3, and cellared and studied all those worth cellaring, I can say there has not been a wine in all those years to match the quality of bouquet this 2013 Tom Cabernet / Merlot displays. The perfection of the cassis-led berry component is of young Ch Palmer quality. But equally important is the backing-off on oak which has been an issue in the Tom series in some years. Here the fruit, the berry, speaks triumphantly, with a floral component hinting at violets, darkest roses and port-wine magnolia, which is magnificent. In mouth the near-perfection continues. There is all the fruit quality, character and style of better Bordeaux classed growths, yet the wine is not heavy or overbearing in any way, and the highish alcohol is wonderfully well hidden. It seems to me a perfect matching of the Hawkes Bay viticultural and near-coastal regime with that of Bordeaux. Flavour is cassis-led, with bottled black doris dark plum fruit filling out the palate (the merlot component), plus cedary oak slightly more apparent now than on bouquet adding spice and savour. The saturation of berry, the concentration of fruit flavour in mouth, and the degree to which this wine has mopped up the high percentage of new oak, is magical.
Where does this wine sit, in the Bordeaux scheme of things ? The first growths are almost irrelevant, being made for a captive market more concerned with monetary values and snob appeal than actual wine quality. New oak satisfies them, though needless to say there is usually stellar fruit quality too. But at a more accessible level, this 2013 Tom sits fair and square in the second growths. It reminds of Leoville-Barton but is not as dry, and it has an absolute purity that that wine sometimes lacks. It is not quite as rich and weighty and pretend-First Growth as Leoville Las Cases. I have already made a comparison with Ch Palmer, despite the cepage not matching, but it is of that order. Or Pontet-Canet, noting that neither of these two are strictly second-growths, but they are performing at that level. Church Road do not make dry extract analyses, implying they don't export the wine to Europe. On the basis of the 2013 Elephant Hill Airavata with its dry extract over 31 g/L (and also the 2014 Escarpment Pinot Noir Kupe of similar concentration, to hand from the Wairarapa tasting), I would estimate it surpasses the 30 g/L dividing line between real quality, and lesser. This wine needs to be seen in Europe, though there is the risk some will be tripped up by the given 2 g/L residual sugar, see above. It is also worth noting that certain highly-rated older vintages of classed growths in Bordeaux have not been rigorously bone-dry (1947 Cheval Blanc for example measures 3 g/L RS, and has a current wine-searcher valuation of NZ$14,366 per 750 ml bottle), so one needs to be careful before condemning the wine on this technicality. If this step is taken, dry extract via export certification will follow. It is one of the finest Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends made so far in New Zealand.
Some comment is needed on the price, which seems to reflect a measure of cynicism on the part of Pernod-Ricard management, that 'the affluent market will take this in its stride'. This is sad in one way. We don't need the Californian 'trophy wine' and money-rules syndrome in New Zealand. Others say, however, that this approach is the only way to have New Zealand's best wines taken seriously in export markets. That too is a sad commentary on human nature. Since the wine is somewhat limited in quantity (of the order of 500 cases), and since the quality is in fact exemplary, these factors once known will add to its appeal as a social status symbol. It will therefore probably sell out in fairly short order. The advice therefore has to be, buy as much as you can afford, and cellar it for 10 – 30 years.
The absolute quality of this wine raises the interesting question, what do the less-critical New Zealand winewriters who have already allocated one-hundred-point scores to demonstrably lesser Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlots from the 2013 vintage now do ? As the actual quality of New Zealand wine advances in leaps and bounds with every good vintage, never has the need for objectivity and international calibration in New Zealand wine evaluation been more urgently needed, but sadly, less apparent. We must not fall into the Australian winewriting model (and trap) of absurd praise of local wines, as if no other wine country existed. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a perfect young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend colour, but far from the deepest, just above midway. Bouquet is simply sensational. Having tasted every wine in the series (loosely speaking) since the debut 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 65/3, and cellared and studied all those worth cellaring, I can say there has not been a wine in all those years to match the quality of bouquet this 2013 Tom Cabernet / Merlot displays. The perfection of the cassis-led berry component is of young Ch Palmer quality. But equally important is the backing-off on oak which has been an issue in the Tom series in some years. Here the fruit, the berry, speaks triumphantly, with a floral component hinting at violets, darkest roses and port-wine magnolia, which is magnificent. In mouth the near-perfection continues. There is all the fruit quality, character and style of better Bordeaux classed growths, yet the wine is not heavy or overbearing in any way, and the highish alcohol is wonderfully well hidden. It seems to me a perfect matching of the Hawkes Bay viticultural and near-coastal regime with that of Bordeaux. Flavour is cassis-led, with bottled black doris dark plum fruit filling out the palate (the merlot component), plus cedary oak slightly more apparent now than on bouquet adding spice and savour. The saturation of berry, the concentration of fruit flavour in mouth, and the degree to which this wine has mopped up the high percentage of new oak, is magical.
Where does this wine sit, in the Bordeaux scheme of things ? The first growths are almost irrelevant, being made for a captive market more concerned with monetary values and snob appeal than actual wine quality. New oak satisfies them, though needless to say there is usually stellar fruit quality too. But at a more accessible level, this 2013 Tom sits fair and square in the second growths. It reminds of Leoville-Barton but is not as dry, and it has an absolute purity that that wine sometimes lacks. It is not quite as rich and weighty and pretend-First Growth as Leoville Las Cases. I have already made a comparison with Ch Palmer, despite the cepage not matching, but it is of that order. Or Pontet-Canet, noting that neither of these two are strictly second-growths, but they are performing at that level. Church Road do not make dry extract analyses, implying they don't export the wine to Europe. On the basis of the 2013 Elephant Hill Airavata with its dry extract over 31 g/L (and also the 2014 Escarpment Pinot Noir Kupe of similar concentration, to hand from the Wairarapa tasting), I would estimate it surpasses the 30 g/L dividing line between real quality, and lesser. This wine needs to be seen in Europe, though there is the risk some will be tripped up by the given 2 g/L residual sugar, see above. It is also worth noting that certain highly-rated older vintages of classed growths in Bordeaux have not been rigorously bone-dry (1947 Cheval Blanc for example measures 3 g/L RS, and has a current wine-searcher valuation of NZ$14,366 per 750 ml bottle), so one needs to be careful before condemning the wine on this technicality. If this step is taken, dry extract via export certification will follow. It is one of the finest Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends made so far in New Zealand.
Some comment is needed on the price, which seems to reflect a measure of cynicism on the part of Pernod-Ricard management, that 'the affluent market will take this in its stride'. This is sad in one way. We don't need the Californian 'trophy wine' and money-rules syndrome in New Zealand. Others say, however, that this approach is the only way to have New Zealand's best wines taken seriously in export markets. That too is a sad commentary on human nature. Since the wine is somewhat limited in quantity (of the order of 500 cases), and since the quality is in fact exemplary, these factors once known will add to its appeal as a social status symbol. It will therefore probably sell out in fairly short order. The advice therefore has to be, buy as much as you can afford, and cellar it for 10 – 30 years.
The absolute quality of this wine raises the interesting question, what do the less-critical New Zealand winewriters who have already allocated one-hundred-point scores to demonstrably lesser Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlots from the 2013 vintage now do ? As the actual quality of New Zealand wine advances in leaps and bounds with every good vintage, never has the need for objectivity and international calibration in New Zealand wine evaluation been more urgently needed, but sadly, less apparent. We must not fall into the Australian winewriting model (and trap) of absurd praise of local wines, as if no other wine country existed. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $ – [ cork; Me 40%, CS 30, CF 30 @ c. 1.25 kg / vine, 4300 vines / ha; French oak; the score should be in square brackets [ 19 + ] to indicate the sample is not the final ‘as bottled’ wine; www.bfvwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, deeper, denser and more velvety than the 2005 Alluviale, in fact, the deepest colour of the set. Bouquet is deeply and darkly floral, subtle and sensuous. Below the florals the depth of fruit is sensational, pure cassis and darkest plums, plus some toasty new oak. On palate, the concentration of florals and fruit is a joy to behold, the flavour more implicit than explicit, but the richness and dry extract already palpable on tongue. If this builds the bouquet in bottle that the ‘05 Alluviale already shows, and with the finesse of its oak, this will be a great wine. It will be more in a St Emilion style than a Medoc one. It is much richer than the 2005 Alluviale, yet shows no sign of sur maturité. There is a compelling climatic contrast between the near-perfection this winestyle displays, versus the elephantine Caymus. The two wines illustrate just how marvellous the Hawkes Bay climate is for Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, deeper, denser and more velvety than the 2005 Alluviale, in fact, the deepest colour of the set. Bouquet is deeply and darkly floral, subtle and sensuous. Below the florals the depth of fruit is sensational, pure cassis and darkest plums, plus some toasty new oak. On palate, the concentration of florals and fruit is a joy to behold, the flavour more implicit than explicit, but the richness and dry extract already palpable on tongue. If this builds the bouquet in bottle that the ‘05 Alluviale already shows, and with the finesse of its oak, this will be a great wine. It will be more in a St Emilion style than a Medoc one. It is much richer than the 2005 Alluviale, yet shows no sign of sur maturité. There is a compelling climatic contrast between the near-perfection this winestyle displays, versus the elephantine Caymus. The two wines illustrate just how marvellous the Hawkes Bay climate is for Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 11/06
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13%; $66 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 3.6 t/ha (1.4 t/ac) from 12-year old vines (a mix of Davis and Dijon clones), growing in a season of 910 degree days; ferments include a 30% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 20 days; 11 months in French oak 34% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; 930 9-litre cases; exemplary spec sheets for each wine; www.valliwine.com ]
Maturing pinot noir ruby of some depth, in the middle of the deepest quarter of the 57 wines. Bouquet is an astonishing evocation of a totally Cote de Nuits pinot noir bouquet, rich with dusky rose florals and exquisite sweet aromatic black cherry fruit in the style of a great Morey-Saint-Denis, simply wonderful. Palate shows a richness, pinpoint ripeness, complexity and depth extremely rare in New Zealand pinot noir, the flavours aromatic cherry all through, fresh and vibrant, beautifully lengthened on simpatico new oak. The concentration carries through right to the finish, like great Burgundy. This wine is at a peak of complexity now, but has years ahead of it, say 3 – 12 years at least. There is a certain magic in this wine achieving the top place. In theory one might expect Gibbston to produce the most exciting and burgundian wines in Otago, wines closer to the Cote de Nuits in style, since it is one of the cooler districts there. All too often though, the wines of the Gibbston district fall a little short. This wine is a wonderful achievement, which we as a pinot noir producing country can be immensely proud of. I am unable to account for my remarkably different rating for this wine now, compared with a bottle three (only) years ago. Mild reduction does gradually marry away, but the interval does not seem long enough to account for the difference. Perhaps even with screwcap, there can be some variation from bottle to bottle, for example depending on the level in the tank from which the wine is being drawn / first bottled vs last bottled, etc. [ Since writing this, I have experienced two totally different bottles of the same 2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, one somewhat reduced, one perfect. Wine varies so much from bottle to bottle, even to a degree under screwcap, it is hard to be sure of any assertion. ] GK 06/17
Maturing pinot noir ruby of some depth, in the middle of the deepest quarter of the 57 wines. Bouquet is an astonishing evocation of a totally Cote de Nuits pinot noir bouquet, rich with dusky rose florals and exquisite sweet aromatic black cherry fruit in the style of a great Morey-Saint-Denis, simply wonderful. Palate shows a richness, pinpoint ripeness, complexity and depth extremely rare in New Zealand pinot noir, the flavours aromatic cherry all through, fresh and vibrant, beautifully lengthened on simpatico new oak. The concentration carries through right to the finish, like great Burgundy. This wine is at a peak of complexity now, but has years ahead of it, say 3 – 12 years at least. There is a certain magic in this wine achieving the top place. In theory one might expect Gibbston to produce the most exciting and burgundian wines in Otago, wines closer to the Cote de Nuits in style, since it is one of the cooler districts there. All too often though, the wines of the Gibbston district fall a little short. This wine is a wonderful achievement, which we as a pinot noir producing country can be immensely proud of. I am unable to account for my remarkably different rating for this wine now, compared with a bottle three (only) years ago. Mild reduction does gradually marry away, but the interval does not seem long enough to account for the difference. Perhaps even with screwcap, there can be some variation from bottle to bottle, for example depending on the level in the tank from which the wine is being drawn / first bottled vs last bottled, etc. [ Since writing this, I have experienced two totally different bottles of the same 2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, one somewhat reduced, one perfect. Wine varies so much from bottle to bottle, even to a degree under screwcap, it is hard to be sure of any assertion. ] GK 06/17
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $200 [ 49mm cork; Sy 100% (mass selection clone) intensively hand-managed in the vineyard to optimise a reduced crop; the crop hand-harvested and sorted, all with great attention to fruit quality for the Tom parcels, at an approximate cropping rate of 6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac), all destemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, fermentation in an open-top oak cuve, up to 31 days cuvaison, particular attention to aeration during and after fermentation; 22 months in French small oak 71% new, with racking to both aerate and clarify the wine; RS is given as 2.5 g/L, but that is the non-fermentable sugars: in the usual sense (of glucose and fructose) nil would be more realistic; neither fined nor filtered; winemaker Chris Scott estimates 2013 is the driest year in the viticultural zone for 70 years, and not unduly hot; around 150 cases; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet on this new syrah version of Tom is just beautiful, a perfect expression of dusky floral (nearly wall-flower) and fragrant cassis-laden syrah exactly matching fine Hermitage in style. The saturation of berry on bouquet is both extraordinary and superb, totally dominant to oak. Palate does little to dissuade one from this interpretation, and the weight of fruit is sensational: this is a wine to be compared with fine years of either the now re-invigorated Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage, or J L Chave Hermitage. It shows cassisy berry filled out with suggestions of bottled black doris plums plus a slight aromatic lift of subliminal black pepper, and gentle oak. It is more forward than the 2013 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve (under screwcap, not in this tasting set), but also closely matches both that wine and the 2013 Airavata Syrah for concentration, thus indicating a dry extract around or better than the 30 g/L mark – wonderful. Unlike the Airavata, there is little or no sign of whole-bunch fermentation evident on bouquet in this Tom Syrah. The quality of dry extract is further confirmed by the way the wine has totally absorbed the 71% new oak – which on the face of it would seem high for fine syrah (Guigal notwithstanding).
This is phenomenal wine, totally of finest international temperate-climate syrah quality. It is every bit as good in its way as the Tom Cabernet / Merlot. It may well be the finest 2013 Hawkes Bay syrah of all: only future rigorously blind tastings will reveal the answer to that issue. The given 2.5 g/L residual sugar will raise a point of order for some critical tasters, but as explained for Tom Cabernet /Merlot, this is unfermentable sugar. Most wineries would omit that in their specs. But even if it were fermentable, one would be inclined to let it pass, given the other qualities the wine shows. This wine is an exhilarating success for Chris Scott, the only regret being there are only c.150 cases of it. But conversely, how fantastic it is that the Church Road winemakers kept this finest parcel of fruit separate, and did not increase the volume with lesser batches. As I have written before, the Bridge Pa Triangle can be every bit the match for the much-hyped Gimblett Gravels, and particularly for syrah and merlot. This wine is the living proof of that assertion, though Church Road does have a prime site within the Triangle. As for the 2013 Tom Cabernet / Merlot, the British wine establishment acutely needs to see this wine, given their often-patronising assessments about New Zealand syrah matching good Crozes-Hermitage. As for the Cabernet / Merlot however, the given residual sugar will need explaining, for those seeking to criticise. It will be a worthwhile exercise, in years to come, to set up rigorously blind tastings of 12 comparable 2013 syrahs including this one, and see if tasters can in fact recognise these unfermentable sugars, against a background of such berry richness. Cellar 5 – 20 years, though it will hold longer. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet on this new syrah version of Tom is just beautiful, a perfect expression of dusky floral (nearly wall-flower) and fragrant cassis-laden syrah exactly matching fine Hermitage in style. The saturation of berry on bouquet is both extraordinary and superb, totally dominant to oak. Palate does little to dissuade one from this interpretation, and the weight of fruit is sensational: this is a wine to be compared with fine years of either the now re-invigorated Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage, or J L Chave Hermitage. It shows cassisy berry filled out with suggestions of bottled black doris plums plus a slight aromatic lift of subliminal black pepper, and gentle oak. It is more forward than the 2013 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve (under screwcap, not in this tasting set), but also closely matches both that wine and the 2013 Airavata Syrah for concentration, thus indicating a dry extract around or better than the 30 g/L mark – wonderful. Unlike the Airavata, there is little or no sign of whole-bunch fermentation evident on bouquet in this Tom Syrah. The quality of dry extract is further confirmed by the way the wine has totally absorbed the 71% new oak – which on the face of it would seem high for fine syrah (Guigal notwithstanding).
This is phenomenal wine, totally of finest international temperate-climate syrah quality. It is every bit as good in its way as the Tom Cabernet / Merlot. It may well be the finest 2013 Hawkes Bay syrah of all: only future rigorously blind tastings will reveal the answer to that issue. The given 2.5 g/L residual sugar will raise a point of order for some critical tasters, but as explained for Tom Cabernet /Merlot, this is unfermentable sugar. Most wineries would omit that in their specs. But even if it were fermentable, one would be inclined to let it pass, given the other qualities the wine shows. This wine is an exhilarating success for Chris Scott, the only regret being there are only c.150 cases of it. But conversely, how fantastic it is that the Church Road winemakers kept this finest parcel of fruit separate, and did not increase the volume with lesser batches. As I have written before, the Bridge Pa Triangle can be every bit the match for the much-hyped Gimblett Gravels, and particularly for syrah and merlot. This wine is the living proof of that assertion, though Church Road does have a prime site within the Triangle. As for the 2013 Tom Cabernet / Merlot, the British wine establishment acutely needs to see this wine, given their often-patronising assessments about New Zealand syrah matching good Crozes-Hermitage. As for the Cabernet / Merlot however, the given residual sugar will need explaining, for those seeking to criticise. It will be a worthwhile exercise, in years to come, to set up rigorously blind tastings of 12 comparable 2013 syrahs including this one, and see if tasters can in fact recognise these unfermentable sugars, against a background of such berry richness. Cellar 5 – 20 years, though it will hold longer. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $90 [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 2.4 t/ac; 95% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation; 18 months in French oak 52% new; better supply of the '05 @ 650 cases, but 65% will be exported; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the darker end of the set. The degree to which this wine has come together in bottle since my report in April is staggering. There are now explicit floral components on bouquet, violets, dianthus and darkest roses, and the dominance of cassisy berry over oak is dramatic. Alongside the top Guigal and Penfolds wines, 2005 Le Sol is delightfully primary still, extraordinarily pure, the least oak-affected. It is now varietal to a degree that makes most Hermitage wines shrink by comparison. And it is completely free of brett. The result is magical, a great wine of absolutely international stature, even more impressive than in my previous report. In this blind tasting it fully matches 2002 Grange in terms of quality, while differing in style quite markedly. Le Sol could be European, whereas that is scarcely a possibility for Grange. Only on the later palate and finish does it not have quite the superb fruit concentration, weight and dry extract of the Guigal grands crus or Penfolds Grange. A lower cropping rate will be needed, to get Le Sol absolutely into this top league of the world's finest syrahs, showing not oppressive size but infinite length and subtlety – a product of higher dry extract. In this tasting my relative marks amongst these wines reflects a style preference for explicit varietal quality and beauty, the purest wines (those lacking brett or oak artefact) scoring higher. But ultimately, concentration on palate is the ultimate arbiter, if all else be equal. Cellar 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the darker end of the set. The degree to which this wine has come together in bottle since my report in April is staggering. There are now explicit floral components on bouquet, violets, dianthus and darkest roses, and the dominance of cassisy berry over oak is dramatic. Alongside the top Guigal and Penfolds wines, 2005 Le Sol is delightfully primary still, extraordinarily pure, the least oak-affected. It is now varietal to a degree that makes most Hermitage wines shrink by comparison. And it is completely free of brett. The result is magical, a great wine of absolutely international stature, even more impressive than in my previous report. In this blind tasting it fully matches 2002 Grange in terms of quality, while differing in style quite markedly. Le Sol could be European, whereas that is scarcely a possibility for Grange. Only on the later palate and finish does it not have quite the superb fruit concentration, weight and dry extract of the Guigal grands crus or Penfolds Grange. A lower cropping rate will be needed, to get Le Sol absolutely into this top league of the world's finest syrahs, showing not oppressive size but infinite length and subtlety – a product of higher dry extract. In this tasting my relative marks amongst these wines reflects a style preference for explicit varietal quality and beauty, the purest wines (those lacking brett or oak artefact) scoring higher. But ultimately, concentration on palate is the ultimate arbiter, if all else be equal. Cellar 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/07
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $136 [ Cork 49mm, ullage 17mm; original price c.$80; RWT = Red Winemaking Trial; fermentation completed and elevation 14 months in all French hogsheads (thus contrasting with Grange), 69% new; J. Harding@JR, 2014: Very fine dark fruit. Pure, dry, dark and mineral. Lots of spice but also savoury. Soft and chocolate textured but a lovely dark dry fruit flavour. Very smooth. Has that savoury character of Douro reds but it's softer, smoother and more approachable. Delicious, 18; J. Miller@RP, 2007: … delivers an expressive nose of smoke, leather, grilled bacon, game, blueberry, and licorice. Full-bodied, it is dense, ripe, and layered as well as opulent. More forward than the Magill Estate, this hedonistic Shiraz can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve for another 8-10 years, 95; weight bottle and closure: 606 g; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a good colour for its age, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is softer and ‘sweeter’ than the top Cabernets, less aromatic, less oaky, only the faintest piquant lift, instead nearly floral, with exquisite berry inclining mostly to blueberry, some red plum, no overt oak. Palate is beautiful, of syrah quality, great length, purity and depth, not obviously oaky, not obviously tartaric-adjusted, but instead long and 'sweet' on dry extract. I imagine against a very good Hermitage of the same age, the blueberry level of ripeness would seem a bit lush, but as a quality expression of syrah in a ripe year, this RWT would fare very well indeed. The alcohol is well hidden in the succulent berry, and any tartaric addition is well-nigh invisible. One top vote, one second, and mysteriously, two least. Seen as shiraz by half the group. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 04/21
Ruby and velvet, a good colour for its age, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is softer and ‘sweeter’ than the top Cabernets, less aromatic, less oaky, only the faintest piquant lift, instead nearly floral, with exquisite berry inclining mostly to blueberry, some red plum, no overt oak. Palate is beautiful, of syrah quality, great length, purity and depth, not obviously oaky, not obviously tartaric-adjusted, but instead long and 'sweet' on dry extract. I imagine against a very good Hermitage of the same age, the blueberry level of ripeness would seem a bit lush, but as a quality expression of syrah in a ripe year, this RWT would fare very well indeed. The alcohol is well hidden in the succulent berry, and any tartaric addition is well-nigh invisible. One top vote, one second, and mysteriously, two least. Seen as shiraz by half the group. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 04/21
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $352 [ cork 50mm, ullage 17mm; original price c.$129; cepage CS 63%, Me 31, CF 4, PV 2, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new likely increasing towards the modern 60%; 15,000 x 9-litre cases; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 22 – Oct. 7; August was hot and dry. The weather was still fair in September and the conditions of maturation were ideal. Wine: The Merlots were rich and highly complex. The Cabernet francs were extremely fine and the Cabernets-Sauvignon very ripe, revealing full wines, combining power, finesse and complexity; Coates, 2004: Wine: Classy Cabernet nose. Not a blockbuster. But balanced and very ripe. Fullish body. Very well balanced. Very lovely cool Cabernet. Harmonious and long. Very complete. 2011 – 2030, 17.5; Broadbent, 2002: Vintage: *** to *****, … a very good year, fairly uniform in quality with some really outstanding wines. Wine: Not included; J. Robinson, 2005: Already starting to develop a bouquet of tertiary aromas. Great refinement and elegance. Not quite as dense as the 2003 although no shortage of impact and the same velvety textures but with more obvious acidity. Rich. Should be ready to drink well before the monumental 2003 but not last as long, 18; R. Parker, 2003: ... 2000 Montrose is the finest effort produced since the compelling 1990 and 1989. This gigantically sized, tannic, backward effort boasts a saturated inky purple color followed by a huge nose of acacia flavors, crushed blackberries, creme de cassis, vanilla, hickory smoke, and minerals. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, dense, and multi-layered, this unreal Montrose should last for 30+ years. ... a special wine that has exceptional purity and length. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040, 96; weight bottle and closure 544 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Bright ruby and some velvet, a classic claret colour at 20 years, above midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different from the younger wines, this 2000 suddenly having spread its wings, with secondary and even hints of tertiary aromas apparent in the cassis, blackberry and darkly plummy aromatic berry complexity. This impression of harmony and complexity is greatly reinforced in mouth, the firmer aromatic cassis component now melding with softer merlot and dark tobacco, to produce a classic claret, fragrant, complex, sufficiently rich to be exemplary by last century standards, but a little lighter than the modern top wines. In this set, its absolute style-mate is the 1982. This is the complete ‘textbook’ claret, the balance of berry and oak perfect, the wine just starting on its plateau of maturity. Being a little more modest than the contemporary wines, only two top places, and two second. But the charm and balance of this 2000 is now ready to provide tasters with a great deal of pleasure at table. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 07/21
Bright ruby and some velvet, a classic claret colour at 20 years, above midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different from the younger wines, this 2000 suddenly having spread its wings, with secondary and even hints of tertiary aromas apparent in the cassis, blackberry and darkly plummy aromatic berry complexity. This impression of harmony and complexity is greatly reinforced in mouth, the firmer aromatic cassis component now melding with softer merlot and dark tobacco, to produce a classic claret, fragrant, complex, sufficiently rich to be exemplary by last century standards, but a little lighter than the modern top wines. In this set, its absolute style-mate is the 1982. This is the complete ‘textbook’ claret, the balance of berry and oak perfect, the wine just starting on its plateau of maturity. Being a little more modest than the contemporary wines, only two top places, and two second. But the charm and balance of this 2000 is now ready to provide tasters with a great deal of pleasure at table. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 07/21
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $152 [ cork; BF and MLF in new French oak, plus 9 months LA and batonnage; www.guigal.com ]
Lemon-straw, faintly fresher than the village Condrieu. 2008 may have been lesser for the northern Rhone reds, but these whites from Guigal are delightful. Perhaps they are not quite as rich as Americans prefer, which brings them even more exactly into relevance for New Zealanders. The Doriane is the best I can recollect, simply because there is less oak, and brilliant exposition of citrus florals grading to fresh-cut apricots on bouquet, followed by apricot fruit and subtle oak. In mouth, the MLF component is attractively subtle and only just noticeable, the oak is a little more apparent than at the bouquet stage, and the varietal definition is exquisitely accurate. The wine is rich enough to not seem bone dry, benchmark viognier, but a wine for the short term though, I suspect, 2 – 4 years. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw, faintly fresher than the village Condrieu. 2008 may have been lesser for the northern Rhone reds, but these whites from Guigal are delightful. Perhaps they are not quite as rich as Americans prefer, which brings them even more exactly into relevance for New Zealanders. The Doriane is the best I can recollect, simply because there is less oak, and brilliant exposition of citrus florals grading to fresh-cut apricots on bouquet, followed by apricot fruit and subtle oak. In mouth, the MLF component is attractively subtle and only just noticeable, the oak is a little more apparent than at the bouquet stage, and the varietal definition is exquisitely accurate. The wine is rich enough to not seem bone dry, benchmark viognier, but a wine for the short term though, I suspect, 2 – 4 years. GK 10/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $149 [ cork, 55mm, ullage 15mm; original price $180; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: This truly rare vintage is a new benchmark ... warm during the day but cool at night, with an unusually large diurnal swing that led to slow, even ripening across all varieties while maintaining acidity. Reds are laden with fruit, yet extremely racy and fresh in feel, 99; de Beaucastel website: The 2016 vintage in the Southern Rhone valley is exceptional, both in terms of quality and quantity ...; J.L-L, 2017: The tannins are ripe and deep, and approachable, fleshy. This is Beaucastel in the more modern recent style. There is velvet wine within an actually firm casing; it has more foundation than the 2015, *****; RH@JR, 2017: Floral and rich on the palate with gorgeous spice mix and effortless balance. A great wine, with great pedigree – you can taste this in the sheer elegance and intensity, 18; JM@WS, 2019: ... lengthy finish as the fruit unwinds slowly. Concentrated yet precise, 97; JC@RP, 2017: ... amazing purity in its scents of dark fruit and licorice, richness and weight without any excess of alcohol and a finish that goes on and on, 95 – 97 (97 later); still available in discriminating New Zealand merchants; weight bottle and closure: 874 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the freshest and second-deepest, but neither heavy nor unduly deep, a lovely colour. Bouquet has dark berry freshness and wineyness to it, mourvedre dominant now, all absolutely pure, with trace garrigue aromatics. Compared with the 2015, there is a greater firmness and aromatic quality to the wine, the mourvedre component hinting at cabernet sauvignon as in a bordeaux blend, dark berries dominant over red, almost a hint of elderberry. Palate likewise reveals dark berries more noticeable than the red / raspberry / cinnamon-styled grenache, perfect fresh acid balance, appreciable dry extract, very subtle oak just detectable on the bouquet, and then again on the later palate, where it is hard to separate from the tannins of the mourvedre. The alcohol is amazingly well hidden. The nett balance is such that in 20 years, you feel this wine will show a near-burgundian quality, such as the 2001 and 1989 show now. The tasting group did not assess this wine, so no collective view. No hint of brett. Such perfect balance will cellar for many years, though it is not a dramatically big wine. Cellar for 15 – 40 years. GK 05/21
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the freshest and second-deepest, but neither heavy nor unduly deep, a lovely colour. Bouquet has dark berry freshness and wineyness to it, mourvedre dominant now, all absolutely pure, with trace garrigue aromatics. Compared with the 2015, there is a greater firmness and aromatic quality to the wine, the mourvedre component hinting at cabernet sauvignon as in a bordeaux blend, dark berries dominant over red, almost a hint of elderberry. Palate likewise reveals dark berries more noticeable than the red / raspberry / cinnamon-styled grenache, perfect fresh acid balance, appreciable dry extract, very subtle oak just detectable on the bouquet, and then again on the later palate, where it is hard to separate from the tannins of the mourvedre. The alcohol is amazingly well hidden. The nett balance is such that in 20 years, you feel this wine will show a near-burgundian quality, such as the 2001 and 1989 show now. The tasting group did not assess this wine, so no collective view. No hint of brett. Such perfect balance will cellar for many years, though it is not a dramatically big wine. Cellar for 15 – 40 years. GK 05/21
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 9%; $30 [ screwcap; not on website; no info forthcoming; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon. Bouquet is intensely floral, with holy grass, freesia, vanilla and subtle acacia notes really obvious on bouquet, confuseable only with fine Mosel at an auslese level of sweetness in a botrytis year. Palate confirms, a perfect balance of nectary fruit yet refreshing lime zest and citrus-like acid, plus beautifully handled phenolics, the flavour and gentle sweetness lingering long in the mouth. Wonderful. Offhand, it is the most beautiful and complex New Zealand riesling I can remember. It should cellar for 15 years, at least, and confuse many tasters along the way. GK 06/11
Elegant lemon. Bouquet is intensely floral, with holy grass, freesia, vanilla and subtle acacia notes really obvious on bouquet, confuseable only with fine Mosel at an auslese level of sweetness in a botrytis year. Palate confirms, a perfect balance of nectary fruit yet refreshing lime zest and citrus-like acid, plus beautifully handled phenolics, the flavour and gentle sweetness lingering long in the mouth. Wonderful. Offhand, it is the most beautiful and complex New Zealand riesling I can remember. It should cellar for 15 years, at least, and confuse many tasters along the way. GK 06/11
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $345 [ Cork, 54mm; Sy 100; general elevation etc see Intro; Robinson, 2012: Very masculine, dense and convincing. Luscious and much softer than I was expecting; the fruit seems to overwhelm the tannins! But there is lots of acidity and freshness here too. Real density, 18+; Parker, 2012: ... It should be fascinating to compare the potentially legendary 2010 Hermitage La Chapelle with the prodigious 2009 La Chapelle over the next 30-40 years. … showing more weight and richness than it did last year from barrel, along with great precision, stunning minerality and enormous quantities of blackberry, cassis, beef blood and smoked game intertwined with hints of graphite and acacia flowers. With good acidity and richness as well as abundant, but ripe, well-integrated tannin, this great wine equals the titan produced in 2009. Forget it for 7-10 years and drink it over the following 30-50 years, 96+; website not always accessible; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, without doubt the deepest wine. Bouquet is wonderfully rich and fresh, fresh enough to retain cassis though this is just on the cusp, grading to darkest bottled plum (black doris), lovely aromatic complexity in which subliminal black pepper on subtle new oak adds depth. This is much more dynamic and vital than the 2009, much more exciting. Flavours match the bouquet beautifully, again much fresher, tightly wound, more like the 1990, very dry, very good concentration and length in mouth. A magical syrah might have a greater floral component than this wine, but even so this is text-book. I did not taste the 1990 as a young wine, and the 1978 was never sold at retail in New Zealand, so this is the most impressive young La Chapelle in my experience. A heritage wine. It was clearly the most liked wine by the group, with six first-place rankings. Cellar 15 – 45 years, to judge from the 1969. GK 09/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, without doubt the deepest wine. Bouquet is wonderfully rich and fresh, fresh enough to retain cassis though this is just on the cusp, grading to darkest bottled plum (black doris), lovely aromatic complexity in which subliminal black pepper on subtle new oak adds depth. This is much more dynamic and vital than the 2009, much more exciting. Flavours match the bouquet beautifully, again much fresher, tightly wound, more like the 1990, very dry, very good concentration and length in mouth. A magical syrah might have a greater floral component than this wine, but even so this is text-book. I did not taste the 1990 as a young wine, and the 1978 was never sold at retail in New Zealand, so this is the most impressive young La Chapelle in my experience. A heritage wine. It was clearly the most liked wine by the group, with six first-place rankings. Cellar 15 – 45 years, to judge from the 1969. GK 09/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $127 [ cork; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-harvested @ c. 1 t/ac from vines 12 years old (the syrah); the percentage Vi hard to estimate, as there is both fruit (strictly 2%), but also fermentation of the red on the much greater volume of pressed skins from the dry white Viognier; 100% de-stemmed; a shorter cuvaison than the Esk Valley Reserve, maybe 15 days; MLF and 18 months in French oak 92% new; 311 cases; winemakers Warren Gibson & John Hancock; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the weight of 2004 Le Sol, but a great colour. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, total Hermitage / Northern Rhone in style, in a clearly more floral and slightly less massive presentation than Le Sol. There is explicit black peppercorn, as well as carnation / dianthus and dark rose florals on cassisy berry. A little charry oak adds complexity, without distortion. Palate shows beautifully fine-grained fruit in very high quality potentially cedary French oak, with cassis grading through to dark bottled plums and berry. It is a more delicate rendering of syrah cassis than Le Sol, and thus in a sense the wine is even closer to classic Hermitage. Academic brett adds to that impression. The wine has absorbed its 100% new oak totally, and shows little evidence of it on palate. This is great syrah, sublimely elegant, competing at the highest level with the Cuillerons and Chaves of the latter-day Northern Rhone hierarchy. It makes the 2004 Le Sol it is up against look a little clumsy, but at the highest level of achievement, let me make clear. On the price front, though, I object to this premature New Zealand setting of inflated prices by people such as Pernod-Ricard (with Tom), Trinity Hill, Stonyridge, and too many pinot producers. I believe our wine achievements as a nation do not yet justify a pricing structure which appeals to trophy-hunters, and at the same time does a disservice to everyday wine-drinkers and New Zealand wine as a whole. And some of the wines offered at these fancy prices have simply lacked the quality needed. At the very least, such ambitions should reflect the excellence of a particular vintage. But, all that said, if one is to include a wine such as this in fact excellent Homage Syrah in future rigorously-blind reviews, one has to buy it. It may be New Zealand's finest syrah so far – if not it is very close to it. It is not the biggest – 'finest' is used advisedly. So, buy as much as you can afford, and cellar it 5 – 15 years. GK 12/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the weight of 2004 Le Sol, but a great colour. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, total Hermitage / Northern Rhone in style, in a clearly more floral and slightly less massive presentation than Le Sol. There is explicit black peppercorn, as well as carnation / dianthus and dark rose florals on cassisy berry. A little charry oak adds complexity, without distortion. Palate shows beautifully fine-grained fruit in very high quality potentially cedary French oak, with cassis grading through to dark bottled plums and berry. It is a more delicate rendering of syrah cassis than Le Sol, and thus in a sense the wine is even closer to classic Hermitage. Academic brett adds to that impression. The wine has absorbed its 100% new oak totally, and shows little evidence of it on palate. This is great syrah, sublimely elegant, competing at the highest level with the Cuillerons and Chaves of the latter-day Northern Rhone hierarchy. It makes the 2004 Le Sol it is up against look a little clumsy, but at the highest level of achievement, let me make clear. On the price front, though, I object to this premature New Zealand setting of inflated prices by people such as Pernod-Ricard (with Tom), Trinity Hill, Stonyridge, and too many pinot producers. I believe our wine achievements as a nation do not yet justify a pricing structure which appeals to trophy-hunters, and at the same time does a disservice to everyday wine-drinkers and New Zealand wine as a whole. And some of the wines offered at these fancy prices have simply lacked the quality needed. At the very least, such ambitions should reflect the excellence of a particular vintage. But, all that said, if one is to include a wine such as this in fact excellent Homage Syrah in future rigorously-blind reviews, one has to buy it. It may be New Zealand's finest syrah so far – if not it is very close to it. It is not the biggest – 'finest' is used advisedly. So, buy as much as you can afford, and cellar it 5 – 15 years. GK 12/07
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $175 [ cork; Cuilleron makes four Condrieus, all with 100% MLF, like Guigal: the standard cuvee including younger vine material La Petite Cote, all hand-picked from sites above Chavanay, all BF on low-solids in older oak 2 – 5 years, 100% MLF plus LA, batonnage and 9 months in barrel, c. 1300 cases; the Les Chaillets label totalling around 1500 cases, made from older vines (sometimes labelled Vieilles Vignes) on steeper slopes above Chavanay, all hand-harvested with a little sur-maturité, low-solids juice wild-yeast-fermented and 100% MLF in barrel, with up to 30% new oak, plus 10 months lees autolysis and batonnage; the extremely rare Vertige from the top lieu-dit in Condrieu (about 125 cases depending on the year), from even older vines on a steep granite slope, all barrel-fermented with a much higher percentage new, plus MLF, LA and batonnage, in barrel up to 18 months; and if conditions permit, in some years a botrytised late-harvest Les Ayguets from sites above Chavanay, hand-harvested in up to 8 tranches through to December, similar fermentation to Chaillets, usually 100 – 110 g/L RS, up to 400 cases (of 500 ml bottles) – a cellar wine in Cuilleron’s view; Cuilleron is imported into NZ by The Wine Importer (who has ’07 Les Ayguets, $125, but not Vertige), and latterly Glengarry; www.isasite.net/Cuilleron ]
Colour is gorgeous lemon with nearly a flush of green, the most elegant and fresh of the viognier colours. Bouquet is simply sensational, divinely citrus and mock orange blossom floral, clear-cut fresh and canned apricots perfectly aromatic and ripe but not over-ripe, a suggestion of limes, all made piquant by barrel-ferment in new oak. Despite the alcohol and time in oak, the bouquet is totally fresh, aromatic, bursting with grapeyness, so unlike Yalumba's Virgilius where the artefact intrudes and so often dominates. Palate continues the freshness, but in the wonderful richness one can see complexing lees-autolysis, barrel-ferment and subtle MLF characters, and the interplay of oak tannins and grape phenolics. It smells and tastes as if it sees more new oak than the others, but it is not dominated by it – glorious. The wine shows the beauty of a good MLF component, perfect acid balance, slightly less than fully ripe apricots, all lingering long on gentle phenolics, close to bone dry. Cellar 1 – 4 years, maybe six. This wine is essential tasting for all New Zealand viognier producers. I cannot stress the word essential too much. GK 02/09
Colour is gorgeous lemon with nearly a flush of green, the most elegant and fresh of the viognier colours. Bouquet is simply sensational, divinely citrus and mock orange blossom floral, clear-cut fresh and canned apricots perfectly aromatic and ripe but not over-ripe, a suggestion of limes, all made piquant by barrel-ferment in new oak. Despite the alcohol and time in oak, the bouquet is totally fresh, aromatic, bursting with grapeyness, so unlike Yalumba's Virgilius where the artefact intrudes and so often dominates. Palate continues the freshness, but in the wonderful richness one can see complexing lees-autolysis, barrel-ferment and subtle MLF characters, and the interplay of oak tannins and grape phenolics. It smells and tastes as if it sees more new oak than the others, but it is not dominated by it – glorious. The wine shows the beauty of a good MLF component, perfect acid balance, slightly less than fully ripe apricots, all lingering long on gentle phenolics, close to bone dry. Cellar 1 – 4 years, maybe six. This wine is essential tasting for all New Zealand viognier producers. I cannot stress the word essential too much. GK 02/09
South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $591 [ Cork 49mm, ullage 25mm; original price c.$125; CS 100%, from Barossa Valley including Kalimna, McLaren Vale and 23% Coonawarra; fermentation completed and 15 months in all-new American hogsheads; J. Harding@JR, 2006: Very intense blackcurrant and cassis leaf edge. Very intense pure cassis, sweet ripe tannins but still has a touch of the freshness of cassis leaf. Very very thick pile with just a touch of grip on the very end. After time in the glass: spicy, lavender chocolate (I had some lavender-flavoured chocolate recently!), wonderfully fresh even though it is so ripe and pure, melted chocolate tannins, 17.5; J. Miller@RP, 2007: … it exhibits a classic Cabernet nose of cedar, tobacco, spice box, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Medium-bodied (13.5% alcohol) but dense and concentrated, with tons of black fruit flavor, the wine is tightly knit, structured, beautifully balanced, and very promising. It needs a minimum of 10-12 years of cellaring and should provide pleasure through 2040, 95; weight bottle and closure: 598 g; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, nearly carmine, and velvet, youthful for its age, the third deepest wine. Bouquet is intensely berried, with a light pennyroyal lift but not euc'y, like the 60A piquant and enticing, but the new oak a good deal more noticeable. The purity of berry on bouquet is captivating. Palate likewise is intensely cassisy, a staggering depth of berry and fruit, and much better balance of berry to oak than some of the heavily-handled later 1990s Bin 707s, the depth of fruit such that the length of flavour almost covers over any ‘cabernet hole’ in the palate. Only when you compare the palate carefully with the 60A, do you notice a relative shortness here, compared with the near-succulence of the 60A, with its benison of shiraz filling out the texture. Finish too is not as fine as the 60A, just a little tartaric spikiness is noticeable. It is a pity Penfolds do not pay relatively more attention to mouthfeel and texture, considering world wine standards, and less to pH meters. I would love to see this wine at 45 years, when some of the tartaric may be sparkling crystals on the cork, and the liquid thus gentler. Top wine for three tasters, and second-favourite for another three, so one of the top wines for the group. Recognised as cabernet-dominant by eight tasters. Cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/21
Ruby, nearly carmine, and velvet, youthful for its age, the third deepest wine. Bouquet is intensely berried, with a light pennyroyal lift but not euc'y, like the 60A piquant and enticing, but the new oak a good deal more noticeable. The purity of berry on bouquet is captivating. Palate likewise is intensely cassisy, a staggering depth of berry and fruit, and much better balance of berry to oak than some of the heavily-handled later 1990s Bin 707s, the depth of fruit such that the length of flavour almost covers over any ‘cabernet hole’ in the palate. Only when you compare the palate carefully with the 60A, do you notice a relative shortness here, compared with the near-succulence of the 60A, with its benison of shiraz filling out the texture. Finish too is not as fine as the 60A, just a little tartaric spikiness is noticeable. It is a pity Penfolds do not pay relatively more attention to mouthfeel and texture, considering world wine standards, and less to pH meters. I would love to see this wine at 45 years, when some of the tartaric may be sparkling crystals on the cork, and the liquid thus gentler. Top wine for three tasters, and second-favourite for another three, so one of the top wines for the group. Recognised as cabernet-dominant by eight tasters. Cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/21
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $422 [ cork; Sy 100% 80 years average age, adjacent the Ermite chapel on top of Hermitage hill on granite; hand-harvested ideally at minimum 13 degrees alcohol; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in open-top concrete vessels, fermentation to 32 C, cuvaison up to 6 weeks; 15 – 18 months in 100% new French oak; regular racking; not fined or filtered; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the lightest of the four Hermitage syrahs, but still good. And the reason is evident as soon as one smells it, for the ratio and influence of new oak is greater than the other three. Like Pavillon the bouquet is redolent of wallflowers / carnations, cassis and darkest plums, though it is harder to pick up the black peppercorn, due to the oak. Palate is not quite as succulent as Pavillon, and the new oak is more noticeable – no doubt accounting for the higher scores for this wine (in many instances). Actual richness expressed as dry extract seems not quite as high as Pavillon, but it too should cellar for 10 – 30 + years. GK 07/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the lightest of the four Hermitage syrahs, but still good. And the reason is evident as soon as one smells it, for the ratio and influence of new oak is greater than the other three. Like Pavillon the bouquet is redolent of wallflowers / carnations, cassis and darkest plums, though it is harder to pick up the black peppercorn, due to the oak. Palate is not quite as succulent as Pavillon, and the new oak is more noticeable – no doubt accounting for the higher scores for this wine (in many instances). Actual richness expressed as dry extract seems not quite as high as Pavillon, but it too should cellar for 10 – 30 + years. GK 07/08
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $574 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; vine age 40 – 90 years; 30% of the fruit from Bessards, on granite, balance Greffieux, L’Hermite, Murets; hand-picked at c.4.55 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; fermented in temperature-controlled s/s, c.4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in believed to be 100% new French oak; the name Ex Voto embraces the thought of giving thanks (for locating vineyards in Hermitage), first year 2001; not fined or filtered; production c.800 x 9-litre cases; J. Livingstone-Learmonth, 2014: Here we go: this is a rocking, full, true Hermitage bouquet, an abundance of closely packed berries in the aroma, soaked cherries and a small line of menthol, tobacco. The palate runs with liberal fruit, that is so very long. This has the joy of the great vintage in expressive quantity, the fruit boundless. Eat your heart out, Bordeaux - no wonder Hermitage was shipped there to bolster their wines, 2034-37, *****; Jeb Dunnuck @ R Parker, 2015: The 2010 Hermitage Ex Voto continues to top out on my scale. This extraordinary Hermitage has more minerality and delineation than the 2009, as well as overflowing aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, jammy blackberries, violets, graphite and wood smoke. Massively concentrated, full-bodied, decadent, layered and sexy, it needs short-term cellaring but should be just about immortal in the cellar, 100; www.guigal.com ]
Fresh ruby and velvet, not the depth of the top two, due to the greater oak exposure, in fact below midway in depth. At the tasting this wine was not quite singing: nobody felt any fault showed, but one or two agreed it was quiet on bouquet. So I put it to bed that night with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® in the XL5 glass, and the following day it was transformed. A textbook illustration of scalping, by TCA below threshold. The next day it smelt how it tasted the night before: wonderful cassisy berry matched stride for stride by sweet vanillin cedary oak, the vanillin dominating any grape-floral component, so in one sense the wine presents as a Guigal first and foremost, and Hermitage second. Fruit richness in mouth is colossal, however. How the Guigals get their oak so soft, sweet, cedary and fragrant, I know not. Perhaps for their wines of this calibre, their grand cru / individual vineyard wines, they weather it five or six years instead of the three other conscientious coopers now use. The Guigals do after all have their own in-house cooperage. The length of flavour here is extraordinary, but it is vanillin-infused (rather than due to varietal spice, say). Dry extract here is on a par with the Chave, but the wine being technically faultless, it clearly is a 50 year proposition. As would be anticipated for a wine with this quality of oak, two tasters rated it their top wine, and two their second. Six thought it Northern Rhone Valley. Cellar 25 – 50 years. GK 11/18
Fresh ruby and velvet, not the depth of the top two, due to the greater oak exposure, in fact below midway in depth. At the tasting this wine was not quite singing: nobody felt any fault showed, but one or two agreed it was quiet on bouquet. So I put it to bed that night with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® in the XL5 glass, and the following day it was transformed. A textbook illustration of scalping, by TCA below threshold. The next day it smelt how it tasted the night before: wonderful cassisy berry matched stride for stride by sweet vanillin cedary oak, the vanillin dominating any grape-floral component, so in one sense the wine presents as a Guigal first and foremost, and Hermitage second. Fruit richness in mouth is colossal, however. How the Guigals get their oak so soft, sweet, cedary and fragrant, I know not. Perhaps for their wines of this calibre, their grand cru / individual vineyard wines, they weather it five or six years instead of the three other conscientious coopers now use. The Guigals do after all have their own in-house cooperage. The length of flavour here is extraordinary, but it is vanillin-infused (rather than due to varietal spice, say). Dry extract here is on a par with the Chave, but the wine being technically faultless, it clearly is a 50 year proposition. As would be anticipated for a wine with this quality of oak, two tasters rated it their top wine, and two their second. Six thought it Northern Rhone Valley. Cellar 25 – 50 years. GK 11/18
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $1,030 [ cork 54mm, ullage 14mm; original price c.$72; cepage 1990 CS 64%, Me 32, CF 4, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new then unknown, maybe less than now (60%); 18,000 x 9-litre cases; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 14th – Oct. 3rd ... the summer was historically hot and dry. The little rain in September favoured the abundance of the harvest, perfectly healthy and ripe. Wine: ... fabulously balanced on the palate, very silky, fine texture showing an incredible length with empyreumatic aromas. [ ie: smelling of burnt organic matter as a result of decomposition at high temperatures – creosote and other empyreumatic oils.]; Coates, 2004: Wine: Rich, full, firm and concentrated on the nose. Still backward. Fullish body. Tannic and backward. Very good fruit. Undeniably impressive. Much more classic than the Cos d’Estournel. The tannin just a little too much. Needs time, 17.5; Broadbent, 2002: Vintage: ***** An excellent vintage. [ Broadbent rates it the best of the 1990s ]. Wine: I disliked intensely its barnyard smell and taste, no rating; J. Robinson, 2009: This is a famous wine, though not all bottles seem in perfect condition. At first, the nose was not utterly pure and precise, but it seemed to clean itself up in the glass. It was definitely sweeter and richer than any Montrose I can think of and was pleasing, flattering and easy to drink with some very fine tannins and just a little dustiness on the finish, 17.5; R. Parker, 2014: Some bottles of this wine have a definite brett population that gives off the notes of sweaty horses ... I suspect that the brett population is in all of them, but unless the wine hits some heat along the transportation route or in storage, the wine will not show any brett. This one tasted at the chateau, as well as those I’ve had from my cellar, have been pristine ... This wine has an incredibly complex nose of spring flowers, blackberry and cassis liqueur, scorched earth and barbecue spice. It is full-bodied, majestic and opulent, with low acidity and fabulous fruit. It is close to full maturity. The wine should continue to drink well for at least another 30 or more years ... absolutely magnificent, broad, savory and mouth-filling. This is one of the all-time modern legends from Bordeaux as well as Chateau Montrose, 100; weight bottle and closure 559 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not so much older than the 2000, but lighter in overall depth, below midway. Bouquet here is related to the 2003, with a great volume of soft aromas even more complex and integrated and tertiary than that wine. The amount of complex berry with brown cigar leaf-tobacco, brown mushrooms, and thoughts of truffles and spices is captivating – another wine to defy description in mere words. The most experienced bordeaux taster in the room summed it up as ‘simply gorgeous’. My reaction to the wine was one of delight, my previous bottle of 1990 Ch Montrose having shown quite a baked character, more as hinted at by the chateau's ‘empyreumatic’ descriptor. Careful tasters did find some signs of brett complexity in this wonderful bouquet, but it simply has to be said, like the 1989 Ch de Beaucastel, the total beauty of the wine on bouquet and its velvety palate overwhelms the technical detail. Palate is immediately closer to the 2003 than any other wine, and yes, on the late palate, perhaps you can see it is not quite ideally technically pure – a little too exotic and spicy. Six tasters rated the 1990 their top wine of the evening, and two more their second-favourite. Conversely, four had it as their least wine, with nine tasters recording brett. Interesting and divisive wine, in which those preoccupied with the detail of technology, pH and the like simply cannot recognise the total beauty and achievement of the whole wine. To an average palate, or even a fairly experienced one, there is very little sign of objectionable brett character in this bottle. But as is obvious from the Net, other bottles are totally different … as is always the case with brett-affected wines. We were lucky. Future cellar life is a gamble with any wine containing brett, but there is the richness of fruit here for good bottles to last many years yet. Just luck from now on. GK 07/21
Ruby and velvet, not so much older than the 2000, but lighter in overall depth, below midway. Bouquet here is related to the 2003, with a great volume of soft aromas even more complex and integrated and tertiary than that wine. The amount of complex berry with brown cigar leaf-tobacco, brown mushrooms, and thoughts of truffles and spices is captivating – another wine to defy description in mere words. The most experienced bordeaux taster in the room summed it up as ‘simply gorgeous’. My reaction to the wine was one of delight, my previous bottle of 1990 Ch Montrose having shown quite a baked character, more as hinted at by the chateau's ‘empyreumatic’ descriptor. Careful tasters did find some signs of brett complexity in this wonderful bouquet, but it simply has to be said, like the 1989 Ch de Beaucastel, the total beauty of the wine on bouquet and its velvety palate overwhelms the technical detail. Palate is immediately closer to the 2003 than any other wine, and yes, on the late palate, perhaps you can see it is not quite ideally technically pure – a little too exotic and spicy. Six tasters rated the 1990 their top wine of the evening, and two more their second-favourite. Conversely, four had it as their least wine, with nine tasters recording brett. Interesting and divisive wine, in which those preoccupied with the detail of technology, pH and the like simply cannot recognise the total beauty and achievement of the whole wine. To an average palate, or even a fairly experienced one, there is very little sign of objectionable brett character in this bottle. But as is obvious from the Net, other bottles are totally different … as is always the case with brett-affected wines. We were lucky. Future cellar life is a gamble with any wine containing brett, but there is the richness of fruit here for good bottles to last many years yet. Just luck from now on. GK 07/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $45 [ cork; DFB; hand-picked; MLF and 20 months in new French oak; cepage lacking on website; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some residual carmine, a remarkable colour, more youthful than the 2004, or the 2003 Andrew Will. Bouquet on this wine is now simply sensational, displaying a combination of violets florals, cassisy berry and potentially cedary oak which puts it in the top echelon of either Hawkes Bay blends, or Bordeaux blends sensu stricto. Palate is similar, the violets florals liquefied through gorgeous dense cassis and black plums, rich, beautifully balanced, long and satisfying. This 2002 Sacred Hill Helmsman is one of the greatest ‘claret’ styles ever made New Zealand (in the post-Prohibition era), and deserves to be in the cellar of all who love Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends. A pre-release sample was reviewed favourably on this site May 2004. It will cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 11/06
Ruby and velvet, some residual carmine, a remarkable colour, more youthful than the 2004, or the 2003 Andrew Will. Bouquet on this wine is now simply sensational, displaying a combination of violets florals, cassisy berry and potentially cedary oak which puts it in the top echelon of either Hawkes Bay blends, or Bordeaux blends sensu stricto. Palate is similar, the violets florals liquefied through gorgeous dense cassis and black plums, rich, beautifully balanced, long and satisfying. This 2002 Sacred Hill Helmsman is one of the greatest ‘claret’ styles ever made New Zealand (in the post-Prohibition era), and deserves to be in the cellar of all who love Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends. A pre-release sample was reviewed favourably on this site May 2004. It will cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 11/06
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 11%; $22 [ screwcap; riesling planted 1998, hand-picked @ 1.6 t/ac; whole-bunch pressed, long 40-day cool fermentation in s/s; 3 – 4 months lees contact and stirring; pH 2.98, RS 48 g/L; www.blackestate.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is simply sensational middle-Mosel riesling, in the style of a textbook label such as best Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr or nearby familiar label at a spatlese level. White florals abound, going as far as freesia notes, with holygrass (Hierochloe), citric and vanillin qualities plus surely some botrytis to achieve such complexity, just beautiful [15 – 20% botrytis confirmed ]. Palate is full, lovely pale stonefruits, spatlese sweetness confirmed, fine-grained acid, long, elegant, pure. This is superb riesling, by either German or New Zealand standards, one of the best ever made in this country. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/09
Lemongreen. Bouquet is simply sensational middle-Mosel riesling, in the style of a textbook label such as best Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr or nearby familiar label at a spatlese level. White florals abound, going as far as freesia notes, with holygrass (Hierochloe), citric and vanillin qualities plus surely some botrytis to achieve such complexity, just beautiful [15 – 20% botrytis confirmed ]. Palate is full, lovely pale stonefruits, spatlese sweetness confirmed, fine-grained acid, long, elegant, pure. This is superb riesling, by either German or New Zealand standards, one of the best ever made in this country. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/09
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 13%; $595 [ cork, 49mm; CS 65%, Sh 35; vinification assumed to be similar to Grange, ferment completed in new American oak, then 18 months in American oak, 100% new; not on Penfolds website, strange; www.grayswine.com.au: Commemorative Release - 150th Anniversary Year – 1994. In 1990, with Coonawarra at its best, Penfolds produced another great wine in the tradition of the famous 1966 Vintage Bin 620 ... Released 1994 to commemorate Penfolds 150 years of winemaking in Australia, this wine named Bin 920 is a blend of the finest Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz of the vintage; Halliday, 1994: ... amazingly lush, opulent plummy fruit on the bouquet; the palate has layer upon layer of dark plum, cassis and cherry fruit with equally layered soft and supple tannins running throughout. Will be ready long before Bin 90A, though nonetheless has a 20-year future, 95; Halliday, 1999: Fragrant sweet fruit, an essence of cassis and plum on the bouquet, balanced with subtle oak. A massive wine with layer upon layer upon layer of flavour in the mouth. Nowhere near ready to drink, exceptional concentration. Leave till 2020, *****; Robinson, 2011: Dry and muscular. Alcohol plus acid. Tart for the moment. This one seems to need forever to shine, 17.5; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest and second-most-red / freshest wine. Bouquet is wonderfully cassisy and aromatic, the oak on a knife-edge as to excess or not, but on balance, the bouquet is ripe, fresh (i.e. not over-ripe), cassisy and cedary, the cabernet component having the upper hand. Freshness continues in the rich palate, wonderful texture again cassis but some blackberry, oak noticeable but there is excellent richness to absorb it. This wine is a nearly-beautiful example of the Penfolds style, without being a caricature of it as so many are. Ideally the oak would be less assertive, though. It has a finesse scarcely known to Grange, with the shiraz fleshing out the cabernet beautifully. Tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, no first places, one second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Ruby and velvet, the deepest and second-most-red / freshest wine. Bouquet is wonderfully cassisy and aromatic, the oak on a knife-edge as to excess or not, but on balance, the bouquet is ripe, fresh (i.e. not over-ripe), cassisy and cedary, the cabernet component having the upper hand. Freshness continues in the rich palate, wonderful texture again cassis but some blackberry, oak noticeable but there is excellent richness to absorb it. This wine is a nearly-beautiful example of the Penfolds style, without being a caricature of it as so many are. Ideally the oak would be less assertive, though. It has a finesse scarcely known to Grange, with the shiraz fleshing out the cabernet beautifully. Tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, no first places, one second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/17
The Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100% hand-picked at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac, and hand-sorted; 3 days soak then up to 13 days cuvaison in open-top fermenters including cuves, 25% whole bunches retained in fermentation; no press wine in final blend, 26 months in French barrique-sized oak 40% new, 1 month on lees in s/s; not fined, sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 31.2 g/L; production 139 x 9-litre cases; ‘Earth’ refers to the older alluviums and soils of The Triangle, often underlain by the Red Metal formation; weight bottle and closure 701 g; https://elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious deep serious-red colour, the deepest of the reds. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, dusky florals almost hinting at violets plus a gentle black pepper aromatic lift, melding into deep cassisy berry, understated oak which will one day show cedary touches, clearly temperate-climate syrah, all exquisitely pure. Palate is rich, great cassisy berryfruit depth, and remarkable freshness, sustained by fragrant oak, but not dominated by it, the black pepper developing a little on the tongue, confirming (at the blind stage) that this should be syrah. In taste terms alone, the dry extract in this wine is perceptibly of classical grand cru proportions, marvellous. Later reference to the specs confirmed that supposition. This is the kind of wine-making approach we need in New Zealand, if our red wines are to make the jump to international recognition and fame. A glorious and totally international temperate-climate handling of syrah, to cellar 15 – 40 years. This wine demonstrates yet again the pre-eminence of The Triangle, as the source of the finest and most floral syrahs in Hawkes Bay. GK 06/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious deep serious-red colour, the deepest of the reds. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, dusky florals almost hinting at violets plus a gentle black pepper aromatic lift, melding into deep cassisy berry, understated oak which will one day show cedary touches, clearly temperate-climate syrah, all exquisitely pure. Palate is rich, great cassisy berryfruit depth, and remarkable freshness, sustained by fragrant oak, but not dominated by it, the black pepper developing a little on the tongue, confirming (at the blind stage) that this should be syrah. In taste terms alone, the dry extract in this wine is perceptibly of classical grand cru proportions, marvellous. Later reference to the specs confirmed that supposition. This is the kind of wine-making approach we need in New Zealand, if our red wines are to make the jump to international recognition and fame. A glorious and totally international temperate-climate handling of syrah, to cellar 15 – 40 years. This wine demonstrates yet again the pre-eminence of The Triangle, as the source of the finest and most floral syrahs in Hawkes Bay. GK 06/20
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $159 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$130; typically Sy 93 – 95% & Vi 5 – 7, average age 40 years, both Cote Brune and Cote Blonde sites used, average yield 4.4 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; 4 weeks cuvaison; 36 – 38 months in French oak thought to be all new; production around 2,000 x 9-litre cases; John Livingstone-Learmonth, no date: compact, stylish black fruit/pine aromas; good silky, streamlined red fruit, then darkens, gets punchy. Quite full end, persists, with sound tannic structure. To 2022, *****; JD@RP, 2014: a knockout bottle of wine that gives up gorgeously mature aromas and flavors of kirsch, blackberry, game, olive and spice in its medium-bodied, seamless and elegant profile. It’s a rock-star effort that’s drinking at full maturity ... While the single vineyard releases get all the buzz, this isn’t far behind in quality, especially in recent vintages, and can represent an incredible value, 95; weight bottle and closure: 571 g; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, above midway in depth, but below midway in the ratio of ruby to garnet. Bouquet is simply magnificent, syrah at its dramatic best, picked at the perfect point of ripeness to retain florals in the grapes, and grown in a year without undue heat, further enhancing the florals. The floral analogies are old-fashioned carnations and other dianthus, wallflowers, and an underpinning of dusky red roses. Fruit and berry characters are centred on aromatic cassis browning now, some dark plums, and cedary oak. The whole bouquet is spiced by faint black pepper. This is a simply mouthwatering smell: what syrah should be about, and so rarely is. Palate is equally magnificent, not at all big and heavy, more the size of great Cote de Nuits pinot noir, but the cedary oak a little more noticeable. Tasters liked this wine, four first-places (the highest vote) and two second. The subtle power of the wine was such that nine tasters thought it Hermitage, rather than Cote Rotie. Though a bit oaky in the Guigal style, this wine was a joy to taste. Fully mature now: will fade gracefully for maybe 15 years. GK 11/19
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, above midway in depth, but below midway in the ratio of ruby to garnet. Bouquet is simply magnificent, syrah at its dramatic best, picked at the perfect point of ripeness to retain florals in the grapes, and grown in a year without undue heat, further enhancing the florals. The floral analogies are old-fashioned carnations and other dianthus, wallflowers, and an underpinning of dusky red roses. Fruit and berry characters are centred on aromatic cassis browning now, some dark plums, and cedary oak. The whole bouquet is spiced by faint black pepper. This is a simply mouthwatering smell: what syrah should be about, and so rarely is. Palate is equally magnificent, not at all big and heavy, more the size of great Cote de Nuits pinot noir, but the cedary oak a little more noticeable. Tasters liked this wine, four first-places (the highest vote) and two second. The subtle power of the wine was such that nine tasters thought it Hermitage, rather than Cote Rotie. Though a bit oaky in the Guigal style, this wine was a joy to taste. Fully mature now: will fade gracefully for maybe 15 years. GK 11/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $159 [ cork, 54mm, ullage 21mm; original price c.$105; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: Great vintage of racy, structured reds … that have continued to put on weight as they evolve. Best are just starting to open up now, 94; Pierre Perrin, May 2011: Balanced, good ripening this year. It showed a very Grenache style when it was young – juicy, red fruit, black fruit, then it rather fell down and went into this quiet phase; J.L-L, 2013: It has the stamp of Mourvèdre, openly so, and gives licorice and pepper on the exit, a wee note of dryness, ****; JH@JR, 2005: Much more developed than the 2005. A lot more undergrowth and leather and tertiary characters. Very leathery on the palate but not at all lean. No primary fruit remaining but the fruit flesh is still there. And the tannins still surprisingly present, 17; RP@RP, 2004: a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025, 96; weight bottle and closure: 873 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, clearly older, exactly in the middle for depth. I placed this wine in position one for the tasting, to highlight to tasters the wonderful near-floral / aromatic garrigue quality (lavender, rosemary, thyme) some of the best Southern Rhone Valley wines show. Bouquet has a gentleness and potential complexity to it which will in time remind of an aromatic Cote de Nuits wine, certain Clos de la Roche bottlings for example. Both in bouquet and palate, you feel grenache and syrah dominate this year, the mourvedre very much in the background. No alcohol thoughts arise at all. Total palate weight is less than the 2010 or 2015, red fruits browning now, with beautiful harmony and wine-maturity already showing. One taster ranked the wine their favourite, and two their second-favourite, all agreeing there was no brett. A lovely wine eminently approachable now, but will hold gracefully for 10 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 05/21
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, clearly older, exactly in the middle for depth. I placed this wine in position one for the tasting, to highlight to tasters the wonderful near-floral / aromatic garrigue quality (lavender, rosemary, thyme) some of the best Southern Rhone Valley wines show. Bouquet has a gentleness and potential complexity to it which will in time remind of an aromatic Cote de Nuits wine, certain Clos de la Roche bottlings for example. Both in bouquet and palate, you feel grenache and syrah dominate this year, the mourvedre very much in the background. No alcohol thoughts arise at all. Total palate weight is less than the 2010 or 2015, red fruits browning now, with beautiful harmony and wine-maturity already showing. One taster ranked the wine their favourite, and two their second-favourite, all agreeing there was no brett. A lovely wine eminently approachable now, but will hold gracefully for 10 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 05/21
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.8%; $218 [ 49mm cork; a 4 – 5-star vintage in the Northern Rhone, according to Broadbent, the wines concentrated with good acid and tannin balance, 90 and tannic for Parker; Sy 100% from the Cote Brune, cropped at c.3.2 t/ha (1.3 t/ac); 12 months in barrel 100% new; Harding in Robinson, 2011: Deep garnet and touch of mahogany at the core. Strong notes of forest floor but still has sweet cherry fruit, a little cooked. Certain amount of VA. Dry papery tannins, quite austere though fresh on the palate, a little angular but not drying (yet). Tea leaves. Slightly awkward wine, 16; Parker, 1997: … The 1995 La Mordoree may turn out to rival the phenomenal 1991. It is the most complex, elegant, and multi-dimensional young Cote Rotie I have tasted from Chapoutier. The awesome aromatics include scents of coffee, black raspberries, vanilla, chocolate, hickory smoke, flowers, and Provencal olives. Super rich, with exceptional delicacy and precision, this wine is less massive than the 1991, but perhaps more compelling because of its extraordinary delicacy. This wine's texture and complexity suggest that Cote Rotie truly is the Musigny of the Rhone Valley, 95; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby and velvet, glowing, the third deepest, some age showing. This wine has the most beautiful floral components of any of the batch. The bouquet is sweet, combining red roses with boronia and lilac in a rich, velvety almost pinot noir-like way, but then adding a depth not found in pinot noir. That depth includes shadows of cassis and sweet cracked black pepper corn, almost subliminal. Palate is richly fruity, cassis and bottled plums again all faintly spiced, with some oak framing the fruit. It has reached a perfect peak of maturity, which it will hold for some years. An absolutely glorious wine achieving true Cote Rotie florality and burgundian softness, yet without any viognier. Remarkable. Cellar 5 – 12 years, though the balance is so perfect it will hold longer. Decant well beforehand. Top wine for two people. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, glowing, the third deepest, some age showing. This wine has the most beautiful floral components of any of the batch. The bouquet is sweet, combining red roses with boronia and lilac in a rich, velvety almost pinot noir-like way, but then adding a depth not found in pinot noir. That depth includes shadows of cassis and sweet cracked black pepper corn, almost subliminal. Palate is richly fruity, cassis and bottled plums again all faintly spiced, with some oak framing the fruit. It has reached a perfect peak of maturity, which it will hold for some years. An absolutely glorious wine achieving true Cote Rotie florality and burgundian softness, yet without any viognier. Remarkable. Cellar 5 – 12 years, though the balance is so perfect it will hold longer. Decant well beforehand. Top wine for two people. GK 09/14
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $106 [ cork; probably PN 60%, Ch 40; www.polroger.co.uk not yet running; www.polroger.com ]
Lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet on this wine is wonderful, a complete champagne showing a perfect integration of classic baguette autolysis on nearly floral white cherry and apple fruit. In mouth, the wine is equally good, mouthfilling yet fresh and firm, perfect acid balance, not at all aggressive, and a gorgeous aftertaste in which white cherry and baguette crust meld together. This elegant flavour with its perfect acid lingers wonderfully. Dosage is subtly understated. Model champagne. Cellar to 20 years. GK 12/06
Lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet on this wine is wonderful, a complete champagne showing a perfect integration of classic baguette autolysis on nearly floral white cherry and apple fruit. In mouth, the wine is equally good, mouthfilling yet fresh and firm, perfect acid balance, not at all aggressive, and a gorgeous aftertaste in which white cherry and baguette crust meld together. This elegant flavour with its perfect acid lingers wonderfully. Dosage is subtly understated. Model champagne. Cellar to 20 years. GK 12/06
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $79 [ cork; third each PN, PM, Ch; 108 000 cases; www.polroger.co.uk or www.polroger.com ]
Lemonstraw. This bouquet comes close to champagne perfection, showing magnificent clean yeast autolysis as complex and enticing as fresh-baked Vogels wholegrain loaf, on superb fruit. The whole bouquet is rich, yet not fruity in any simple sense. Palate simply extends the bouquet, glorious, matching and surpassing many a vintage champagne, long flavoured, again rich yet not at all fruity, beautiful acid balance and brut dosage. The wholegrain / baguette autolysis lingers long on the superb aftertaste. This is simply marvellous champagne, which will cellar for many years. GK 11/05
Lemonstraw. This bouquet comes close to champagne perfection, showing magnificent clean yeast autolysis as complex and enticing as fresh-baked Vogels wholegrain loaf, on superb fruit. The whole bouquet is rich, yet not fruity in any simple sense. Palate simply extends the bouquet, glorious, matching and surpassing many a vintage champagne, long flavoured, again rich yet not at all fruity, beautiful acid balance and brut dosage. The wholegrain / baguette autolysis lingers long on the superb aftertaste. This is simply marvellous champagne, which will cellar for many years. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $120 [ cork; DFB; release date 2009; Me 65%, CS 35, all hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 6-year old vines; cuvaison 3 weeks for the CS component, 4 weeks for Me; no BF; 22 months in French oak c. 85% new, no lees stirring; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.1 g/L; 200 cases only; not on website for some time yet; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, a magnificent colour. Bouquet is one of the most deeply floral and dusky in the set, darkest red roses and even violets, plus suggestions of lilac and lighter fractions, very beautiful. Below is rich cassis again very deep and dusky, grading into darkest bottled plums, wondrously rich yet not heavy, richer than the 2005 Quarry, and all enlivened by sweet fragrant potentially cedary and cigar-box oak subtly underpinning the fruit. Palate is all the bouquet and more, showing wonderful berryfruit. It can only be compared with a merlot-rich top second growth (except that unlike the previous Toms and some second growths, 2005 Tom shows no hint of brett). Aftertaste is velvety, saturated with dark berryfruits. I would love to have a dry extract for this wine – it is exemplary. This is sensational and essential New Zealand wine, which can walk on any world stage that knows fine wine (as opposed to big wine). Finally after a very shaky start indeed, here is a Tom to match the growing myth of Tom McDonald, the man. This 2005 Church Road Tom may well be the greatest Bordeaux-blend winestyle ever created New Zealand. The fact that it was offered for comparative assessment in this review, in contradistinction to the wines of some aspirants to that status, shows how intense the desire to excel is nowadays in Pernod-Ricard's New Zealand wineries. What a challenge they are now laying down to other winemakers, along with Craggy Range. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, a magnificent colour. Bouquet is one of the most deeply floral and dusky in the set, darkest red roses and even violets, plus suggestions of lilac and lighter fractions, very beautiful. Below is rich cassis again very deep and dusky, grading into darkest bottled plums, wondrously rich yet not heavy, richer than the 2005 Quarry, and all enlivened by sweet fragrant potentially cedary and cigar-box oak subtly underpinning the fruit. Palate is all the bouquet and more, showing wonderful berryfruit. It can only be compared with a merlot-rich top second growth (except that unlike the previous Toms and some second growths, 2005 Tom shows no hint of brett). Aftertaste is velvety, saturated with dark berryfruits. I would love to have a dry extract for this wine – it is exemplary. This is sensational and essential New Zealand wine, which can walk on any world stage that knows fine wine (as opposed to big wine). Finally after a very shaky start indeed, here is a Tom to match the growing myth of Tom McDonald, the man. This 2005 Church Road Tom may well be the greatest Bordeaux-blend winestyle ever created New Zealand. The fact that it was offered for comparative assessment in this review, in contradistinction to the wines of some aspirants to that status, shows how intense the desire to excel is nowadays in Pernod-Ricard's New Zealand wineries. What a challenge they are now laying down to other winemakers, along with Craggy Range. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed; wild yeast, BF in French oak 75% new, and 10 months LA, batonnage, MLF etc; www.vavasour.com ]
Rich lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet is sensational, the kind of chardonnay smell one might encounter in a bottle labelled Corton-Charlemagne. There is wonderful waxy stonefruit chardonnay fruit, and superb mealy lees-autolysis and barrel-ferment components, somewhere in character between apple shortcake and fine baguette crust. Truly, this is a beautiful chardonnay bouquet. Palate does not lessen the impact, with a weight of fruit which is tactile, richer even than the 2004 Kumeu River Maté’s, yet it is fresh and elegant, the high alcohol surprisingly well-hidden in the big body. This is great chardonnay, one of the finest ever produced in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Rich lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet is sensational, the kind of chardonnay smell one might encounter in a bottle labelled Corton-Charlemagne. There is wonderful waxy stonefruit chardonnay fruit, and superb mealy lees-autolysis and barrel-ferment components, somewhere in character between apple shortcake and fine baguette crust. Truly, this is a beautiful chardonnay bouquet. Palate does not lessen the impact, with a weight of fruit which is tactile, richer even than the 2004 Kumeu River Maté’s, yet it is fresh and elegant, the high alcohol surprisingly well-hidden in the big body. This is great chardonnay, one of the finest ever produced in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments temperature-controlled to max. c. 17 degrees in the barrel; 100% MLF and 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak new and 1-year; pH 3.46, RS 2.3 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Having averred this might be New Zealand's best chardonnay, it seemed a useful wine to include in this big blind tasting. And it really is sensational, coming through to the top again. It is totally best international practice chardonnay, floral and fragrant and ‘sweet’ on bouquet, long in mouth and ripe all through, not unduly dominated by oak or alcohol. All wine-lovers owe it to themselves to taste and preferably cellar this wine, to be familiar with it and have to hand an absolute benchmark for excellence in chardonnay. It's worth noting this wine has its own dedicated chardonnay vineyard in the Dartmoor Valley, where the grapes are grown ungrafted. This is a cooler site than the Gimblett Gravels, and it shows in the floral complexity of bouquet Riflemans displays. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Having averred this might be New Zealand's best chardonnay, it seemed a useful wine to include in this big blind tasting. And it really is sensational, coming through to the top again. It is totally best international practice chardonnay, floral and fragrant and ‘sweet’ on bouquet, long in mouth and ripe all through, not unduly dominated by oak or alcohol. All wine-lovers owe it to themselves to taste and preferably cellar this wine, to be familiar with it and have to hand an absolute benchmark for excellence in chardonnay. It's worth noting this wine has its own dedicated chardonnay vineyard in the Dartmoor Valley, where the grapes are grown ungrafted. This is a cooler site than the Gimblett Gravels, and it shows in the floral complexity of bouquet Riflemans displays. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ Gr dominant. In a rare example of one of the great man’s blindspots, in 1980 Broadbent did not consider the Rhone worthy of inclusion in his first Cellar Book, and this wine does not figure in the latest. Parker (1997) in 1994 however did not like it: herbal, animal-scented, medium body, some sweet fruit, a lean attenuated style, drying out. 83 ]
Ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, a soft warm spicy evocation of grenache and a dash of syrah etc at it's burgundian best. The play of aromas is infinite, red fruits spanning cherries and raspberries to red plums all mellowed with age, floral / savoury herbes components making the wine piquant, and this wonderful warmth of stick-cinnamon. The wine Parker reports on was simply not the same bottling run, for every bottle from my case has been variations on wonderful. It has confidently been identified as burgundy by noteworthy wine people, in blind presentations. Palate is rich yet drying a little now, not big, silky in a slightly furry way, just slipping past perfect maturity. Magnificent. In the absence of real burgundy in the same blind flight, it can easily be taken for a fine Cote de Nuits. Only the subtle cinnamon might alert an acute taster. Fully mature, yet holding well. Nothing to wait for, and the risk of losing flesh. Glorious with food. GK 03/06
Ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, a soft warm spicy evocation of grenache and a dash of syrah etc at it's burgundian best. The play of aromas is infinite, red fruits spanning cherries and raspberries to red plums all mellowed with age, floral / savoury herbes components making the wine piquant, and this wonderful warmth of stick-cinnamon. The wine Parker reports on was simply not the same bottling run, for every bottle from my case has been variations on wonderful. It has confidently been identified as burgundy by noteworthy wine people, in blind presentations. Palate is rich yet drying a little now, not big, silky in a slightly furry way, just slipping past perfect maturity. Magnificent. In the absence of real burgundy in the same blind flight, it can easily be taken for a fine Cote de Nuits. Only the subtle cinnamon might alert an acute taster. Fully mature, yet holding well. Nothing to wait for, and the risk of losing flesh. Glorious with food. GK 03/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $105 [ 51mm cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 5.4 t/ha (2.2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; no cold-soak, inoculated, total cuvaison 20 days; MLF and 17 months in French oak 38% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and finest colour in the set. I have written about this wine before. Revisiting it, it seems to me one of the greatest red wines made so far in New Zealand. The depth of precise cassis-laden and deeply floral berry is magic, the richness in mouth is thrilling, comparable with fine Hermitage, and the oak is relatively restrained. It is wonderfully varietal. In the tasting, the wine did not appeal to the group as unequivocally as I hoped. I interpret this as the subconscious predilection New Zealanders have for more oak in their reds than Europe (in general) considers necessary or desirable. Accordingly, this wine shared line honours with the Vidal Legacy, which I had placed last in the sequence, so its greater apparent oak would not carry over into Le Sol (had it been last). Also, in tastings like this, there is a subconscious tendency for tasters to assume the last wine will be the best wine. This 2010 Le Sol will give immense pleasure for many years, and cellar for 10 – 20, maybe 25 years. Buy as much as you can afford. GK 09/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and finest colour in the set. I have written about this wine before. Revisiting it, it seems to me one of the greatest red wines made so far in New Zealand. The depth of precise cassis-laden and deeply floral berry is magic, the richness in mouth is thrilling, comparable with fine Hermitage, and the oak is relatively restrained. It is wonderfully varietal. In the tasting, the wine did not appeal to the group as unequivocally as I hoped. I interpret this as the subconscious predilection New Zealanders have for more oak in their reds than Europe (in general) considers necessary or desirable. Accordingly, this wine shared line honours with the Vidal Legacy, which I had placed last in the sequence, so its greater apparent oak would not carry over into Le Sol (had it been last). Also, in tastings like this, there is a subconscious tendency for tasters to assume the last wine will be the best wine. This 2010 Le Sol will give immense pleasure for many years, and cellar for 10 – 20, maybe 25 years. Buy as much as you can afford. GK 09/13
Ngatarawa Triangle 55%, Gimblett Gravels 45, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration (syrah is sulphide-prone); c. 12 months in burgundy barrels c. 53% new, c. 600 cases (as 12s); Catalogue: not in; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet optimises syrah as grown on the Hill of Hermitage, precise wallflower and dianthus florals, perfect pepper ripened to black pepper, fragrant cassis and a deep underpinning of bottled black doris plums, all made more aromatic by quality oak. Palate likewise shows beautiful ripeness, and great body, length and style totally capturing the intrinsic beauty of syrah. This is in the top handful of syrahs so far made in New Zealand, an absolute challenger to top-flight Hermitage. The market has recognised both that and the fair price – 600-odd cases sold out rapidly. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet optimises syrah as grown on the Hill of Hermitage, precise wallflower and dianthus florals, perfect pepper ripened to black pepper, fragrant cassis and a deep underpinning of bottled black doris plums, all made more aromatic by quality oak. Palate likewise shows beautiful ripeness, and great body, length and style totally capturing the intrinsic beauty of syrah. This is in the top handful of syrahs so far made in New Zealand, an absolute challenger to top-flight Hermitage. The market has recognised both that and the fair price – 600-odd cases sold out rapidly. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $124 [ cork; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 100%, mostly Limmer clone, some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard in the hill of Hermitage, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; this wine is the largest volume yet made of Homage, nearly 600 cases; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the most perfect colour of all the syrahs, and the darkest. Bouquet is textbook Northern Rhone syrah, spicy cassis, darkest plum and gently aromatic oak lifted by a near-floral quality, wall flowers and black pepper. It is a much cooler wine than the 2009, cassis being dominant. In mouth the concentration of berry flavour is colossal, the cassis coming through, yet the weight is in one sense quite light, magical, with beautifully subtle oaking. This wine captures all the memories of great examples of Jaboulet's earlier La Chapelle wines, before the decline. It is very much Hermitage in style. It is therefore totally fitting the wine should be named Homage for the memory of Gerard Jaboulet.
It is hard to juggle all the Le Sols and other fine New Zealand syrahs of the last 10 years such as later Deerstalkers and one or two subtler ones from Waiheke Island in one's mind, but this is either the greatest syrah so far made in New Zealand, or one of the very few candidates. This wine combines absolute concentration with quality of flavour and beauty, and is therefore in a different league from for example, Te Mata's Bullnose syrah, which in its best years is beautiful but not so rich. Many other candidates are clumsy in their oak handling, alongside this Homage. Note how wondrously the 100% new oak has been assimilated. That is what a cropping rate around 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) allows – the absorption capability being a function of dry extract. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 03/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the most perfect colour of all the syrahs, and the darkest. Bouquet is textbook Northern Rhone syrah, spicy cassis, darkest plum and gently aromatic oak lifted by a near-floral quality, wall flowers and black pepper. It is a much cooler wine than the 2009, cassis being dominant. In mouth the concentration of berry flavour is colossal, the cassis coming through, yet the weight is in one sense quite light, magical, with beautifully subtle oaking. This wine captures all the memories of great examples of Jaboulet's earlier La Chapelle wines, before the decline. It is very much Hermitage in style. It is therefore totally fitting the wine should be named Homage for the memory of Gerard Jaboulet.
It is hard to juggle all the Le Sols and other fine New Zealand syrahs of the last 10 years such as later Deerstalkers and one or two subtler ones from Waiheke Island in one's mind, but this is either the greatest syrah so far made in New Zealand, or one of the very few candidates. This wine combines absolute concentration with quality of flavour and beauty, and is therefore in a different league from for example, Te Mata's Bullnose syrah, which in its best years is beautiful but not so rich. Many other candidates are clumsy in their oak handling, alongside this Homage. Note how wondrously the 100% new oak has been assimilated. That is what a cropping rate around 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) allows – the absorption capability being a function of dry extract. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 03/13
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $133 [ cork 53mm; Gr 40%, Mv 20, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, minor vars 15, Mv & Sy destemmed; organic viticulture; up to 18 months in mostly old oak (syrah receives some new-oak BF); flash pasteurisation of must pre-fermentation c. 1 minute @ 80°C; Parker vineyard rating *****, noting Beaucastel is the longest-lived wine of the southern Rhone; Parker, 2003: The 1998 is unquestionably one of the great modern-day Beaucastels, but because of its high Grenache content, it is different from some of the other classics: 96; Parker, 2000: the 1998 is flamboyant … explosive richness, thick, juicy blackberry and kirsch liqueur, smoke, licorice, roasted meats, and truffles. The acidity seems low (analytically it is the same as 1999), and the wine fat, full-bodied, and intense … it will evolve for 25-30 years: 95; Robinson, 2005: Dark ruby. Autumn scents – quite intense. Sweet, herby, lots of acidity. No welcoming core of fruit although the raw ingredients are rather good. Dry finish. Hard work at present!: 16; weight bottle and closure: 860g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, exactly in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, contained, fragrant, complex, not exactly saying grenache or syrah-dominant, just pure, appealing and winey, little or no brett. It is on the palate that this wine suddenly springs into life, displaying a richness and complexity that is both multi-flavoured and multi-layered. It is so rich it seems succulent, a vivid demonstration of dry extract in red wine, gorgeous. The flavour is more obviously grenache-dominant, red fruits browning a little, but wonderfully rich and juicy, with furry tannins more grape (mourvedre) than oak. The aftertaste goes on and on … a whole spectrum of grape flavours, again, just wonderful. This is one of the purest, finest and richest Beaucastels I have tasted: a glorious example of Chateauneuf-du-Pape the winestyle. The second most popular wine on the night, perfect now, and will cellar 5 – 20 years more. GK 08/16
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, exactly in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, contained, fragrant, complex, not exactly saying grenache or syrah-dominant, just pure, appealing and winey, little or no brett. It is on the palate that this wine suddenly springs into life, displaying a richness and complexity that is both multi-flavoured and multi-layered. It is so rich it seems succulent, a vivid demonstration of dry extract in red wine, gorgeous. The flavour is more obviously grenache-dominant, red fruits browning a little, but wonderfully rich and juicy, with furry tannins more grape (mourvedre) than oak. The aftertaste goes on and on … a whole spectrum of grape flavours, again, just wonderful. This is one of the purest, finest and richest Beaucastels I have tasted: a glorious example of Chateauneuf-du-Pape the winestyle. The second most popular wine on the night, perfect now, and will cellar 5 – 20 years more. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $160 [ cork, superb 55mm; cepage typically Gr 30%, Mv 30, Co 10, Sy 7 – 10, Ci 5, the balance the other authorised varieties, but actual ratios vary year to year; all de-stemmed; organic viticulture; up to 18 months in large old oak, though the syrah receives some new oak via barrel-fermentation; flash pasteurisation of must pre-fermentation 1 – 2 minutes @ 80°C; fined, not filtered; annual production 18,300 x 9-litre cases; R. Hemming MW @ Robinson, 2016: Superb juiciness and bramble fruits. Some blackcurrant notes on the palate, a very savoury cigar and cedar character and a gentle Provençal herby note. Loads of breadth and complexity, 2018 - 2035, 17.5; J.L-L, 2017: ... a good, serene inset of black berry fruit which is stylish, also shows tobacco, white pepper. The palate is crisp, purposeful ... The length is good, very Mourvedre-inspired, *****; J. Czerwinski @ R. Parker, 2017: ... an amazing effort, especially when one considers the production volume. Loaded with black cherry fruit and cola-like spice, this full-bodied, richly textured wine never seems heavy or warm, while exotic Indian spice notes linger on the finish. It should drink well for at least 20 years. 2018 - 2035, 96; An earlier review by J. Dunnuck quotes the Perrins as saying that in 2015: the Grenache and Mourvedre were the clear standouts, both possessing terrific concentration, purity of fruit and ripe tannic structure; bottle weight 862g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby, some carmine, and velvet, the second deepest colour. Bouquet is extraordinary, an immediate capturing of all that is elusive about the concept: what does mourvedre smell and taste like. This bouquet is dusky roses, midnight-deep, hints of port-wine magnolia, darkest bottled damson plums, lightest cedar from the oak, all wonderfully understated yet cohesive. Palate is velvet, again those midnight-dark fruits, even hints of black olives in the best sense, on this dark fruit – yet with no hint of over-ripeness. This is the best ‘role-of-mourvedre’ demonstration wine I have seen for AOC Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but it is also one of the best young Beaucastels ever. The oak handling is magical. Buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and feel thrilled to have secured 30-plus years of infinite pleasure. This wine represents the dark-fruits phase of Chateauneuf-du-Pape: to complement it in cellar with the red-fruits phase, a matching quantity of the 2015 Clos des Papes would be a further investment in absolute pleasure. A totally pure wine. Two first places, four second. Cellar 10 – 35 years.
Incidentally, Beaucastel being famous for its high percentage of mourvedre, there is a lot of misinformation in print in the less-thoughtful wine media, suggesting mourvedre smells like some aspects of Brettanomyces. This is nonsense, a miss-correlation. Yes, brett has commonly played quite a role in more traditional winemaking in the Southern Rhone Valley. And yes, mourvedre is commonly grown in the same region. But no, mourvedre well-vinified neither smells nor tastes of brett. GK 08/18
Ruby, some carmine, and velvet, the second deepest colour. Bouquet is extraordinary, an immediate capturing of all that is elusive about the concept: what does mourvedre smell and taste like. This bouquet is dusky roses, midnight-deep, hints of port-wine magnolia, darkest bottled damson plums, lightest cedar from the oak, all wonderfully understated yet cohesive. Palate is velvet, again those midnight-dark fruits, even hints of black olives in the best sense, on this dark fruit – yet with no hint of over-ripeness. This is the best ‘role-of-mourvedre’ demonstration wine I have seen for AOC Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but it is also one of the best young Beaucastels ever. The oak handling is magical. Buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and feel thrilled to have secured 30-plus years of infinite pleasure. This wine represents the dark-fruits phase of Chateauneuf-du-Pape: to complement it in cellar with the red-fruits phase, a matching quantity of the 2015 Clos des Papes would be a further investment in absolute pleasure. A totally pure wine. Two first places, four second. Cellar 10 – 35 years.
Incidentally, Beaucastel being famous for its high percentage of mourvedre, there is a lot of misinformation in print in the less-thoughtful wine media, suggesting mourvedre smells like some aspects of Brettanomyces. This is nonsense, a miss-correlation. Yes, brett has commonly played quite a role in more traditional winemaking in the Southern Rhone Valley. And yes, mourvedre is commonly grown in the same region. But no, mourvedre well-vinified neither smells nor tastes of brett. GK 08/18
Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $305 [ traditional compound champagne cork; Ch 100%, all grand cru vineyards; Robinson records that around 66% of this vintage went through MLF; around 33% old-oak barrel-fermented base wines; c.8 years en tirage, details not made available; dosage 4 g/L; website superficial; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Colour is intriguing, much deeper than the non-vintage Blanc de Blancs or even the Brut Reserve, yet there is a yellow glow to it still linking it to Blanc de Blancs. In one sense bouquet is not so clearly autolysed as the non-vintage Blanc de Blancs, but as soon as you taste it, you realise the bouquet is a whole dimension deeper and richer. It is closest in style to a great Meursault, but enhanced by bubbles. Thus the autolysis has an oatmealy depth to it, and stunning purity, enchanting. Palate and mouthfeel follow on perfectly, essence of complex mealy chardonnay, great body (for champagne), perfect acid balance and length. As a young wine it is at a peak of perfection now, but it will cellar for another 25 years, or more. GK 04/16
Colour is intriguing, much deeper than the non-vintage Blanc de Blancs or even the Brut Reserve, yet there is a yellow glow to it still linking it to Blanc de Blancs. In one sense bouquet is not so clearly autolysed as the non-vintage Blanc de Blancs, but as soon as you taste it, you realise the bouquet is a whole dimension deeper and richer. It is closest in style to a great Meursault, but enhanced by bubbles. Thus the autolysis has an oatmealy depth to it, and stunning purity, enchanting. Palate and mouthfeel follow on perfectly, essence of complex mealy chardonnay, great body (for champagne), perfect acid balance and length. As a young wine it is at a peak of perfection now, but it will cellar for another 25 years, or more. GK 04/16
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $434 [ Single bottle; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 97 – the best in the last 40 years: Drink or hold, big, powerful and full-flavored; PN 65%, Ch 35, BF and MLF, base wine matured in all-old oak, seven years en tirage, dosage c.8 g/L; Broadbent, 2002: … highest mark of 25 top champagnes … in Copenhagen, a well-nigh perfect wine with another 10 years to go, *****; JR@J. Robinson, 2010: Pale copper. Rich and mushroomy on the nose. Broad and firm. Quite a bit of evolution but it's much less evolved than Dom P or Krug 1990. This could be the perfect moment to drink this. Wonderful persistence, 19; Wine Spectator, 1999: A sense of opulence marks this highly concentrated, creamy-textured 1990 Champagne, with its ripe, generous fruit flavors complementing the toasty, honeyed nuances acquired from aging on the lees. Lingering finish. Drink now through 2004. 20,000 cases made, 95; in Wine Spectator Top 100, 1999, wine number 11: Bollinger is at the top of its game … ; www.champagne-bollinger.com ]
Straw with a gold undertone, appreciably deeper than the Deutz: this bottle less CO2 pressure and bubble than expected. A bigger, softer, deeper and more mealy bouquet than the Deutz, clear baguette-crust autolysis plus cashew and even a hint of hazelnuts, with a subtle but clear note of oak complexity from the barrel fermentation. In mouth the wine is totally different in style to the Deutz, being ample, rich, long, the autolysis and baguette-crust grading to stonefruit, cashew and hazelnut, much more body, still good acid but more in balance than the Deutz. It is totally grand cru white burgundy in weight, with subtle oak lengthening the flavour appreciably. A great champagne in its style, at the peak of maturity or maybe a little old for the more fastidious, the oak perhaps to a maximum. Will hold in this style for some years on the pleasing acid balance, for those who treasure older champagne styles. One vote for top wine of the night (in the 12), one second place. GK 03/20
Straw with a gold undertone, appreciably deeper than the Deutz: this bottle less CO2 pressure and bubble than expected. A bigger, softer, deeper and more mealy bouquet than the Deutz, clear baguette-crust autolysis plus cashew and even a hint of hazelnuts, with a subtle but clear note of oak complexity from the barrel fermentation. In mouth the wine is totally different in style to the Deutz, being ample, rich, long, the autolysis and baguette-crust grading to stonefruit, cashew and hazelnut, much more body, still good acid but more in balance than the Deutz. It is totally grand cru white burgundy in weight, with subtle oak lengthening the flavour appreciably. A great champagne in its style, at the peak of maturity or maybe a little old for the more fastidious, the oak perhaps to a maximum. Will hold in this style for some years on the pleasing acid balance, for those who treasure older champagne styles. One vote for top wine of the night (in the 12), one second place. GK 03/20
Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; biodynamic vineyards, average vine age c.40 years; full MLF, c.12 months in barrel, 33% new, with batonnage; Domaine Bonneau du Martray is the single largest holding in Corton-Charlemagne at 9.5 hectares; the website is simply a statement the establishment exists, and cannot receive visitors – no info; www.bonneaudumartray.com ]
Deeper lemon than the 2009, but noteworthy that is still lemon, not straw. This is rather different from the 2009, there being a more evolved fruit / autolysis / oak quality to the bouquet adding an almost biscuit note to yellow rather than white fruits. There is a trace more high-solids character here than the 2009, which I would normally mark down. Once the wine is in mouth, however, like the 2009 the sheer majesty of the fruit weight and concentration removes any doubts. This is nearly as impressive as the 2009, the richness of the mealy fruit / autolysis / oak interaction lingering long. There is quite a yellow stonefruits note to it. There is greater minerality here than the 2009, and reminders of Le Montrachet. It will cellar another decade, at least. GK 05/13
Deeper lemon than the 2009, but noteworthy that is still lemon, not straw. This is rather different from the 2009, there being a more evolved fruit / autolysis / oak quality to the bouquet adding an almost biscuit note to yellow rather than white fruits. There is a trace more high-solids character here than the 2009, which I would normally mark down. Once the wine is in mouth, however, like the 2009 the sheer majesty of the fruit weight and concentration removes any doubts. This is nearly as impressive as the 2009, the richness of the mealy fruit / autolysis / oak interaction lingering long. There is quite a yellow stonefruits note to it. There is greater minerality here than the 2009, and reminders of Le Montrachet. It will cellar another decade, at least. GK 05/13
Saint-Joseph, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $100 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100%; said to be made from the oldest vines in Saint-Joseph; cropping rate around 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 15% whole-bunch; raised in barrels second-year and older, none new; Chave website not functional yet, some information at a merchant website www.shiverick.com; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 633 g; www.domainejlchave.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, quite dense, a great syrah colour, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is enchanting, showing both richness and delicacy in the way only the most perfectly attuned climates can produce, where the grapes ripen just to peak physiological maturity, scarcely beyond. The depth of pure wallflower and dusky rose florality on cassisy and bottled black doris plum is wonderful, of a depth / weight comparable with Hermitage itself. Exquisite cedary oak is barely detectable. Palate is velvety in texture, yet this is not a huge wine by Hermitage standards. But for Saint-Joseph, it must reflect a remarkably conservative cropping rate [ later confirmed ]. This wine shows near-perfect varietal expression, thanks largely to the concentration plus extraordinary subtlety of beautiful oak. Maison Vauron receive an annual allocation of 48 bottles. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, quite dense, a great syrah colour, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is enchanting, showing both richness and delicacy in the way only the most perfectly attuned climates can produce, where the grapes ripen just to peak physiological maturity, scarcely beyond. The depth of pure wallflower and dusky rose florality on cassisy and bottled black doris plum is wonderful, of a depth / weight comparable with Hermitage itself. Exquisite cedary oak is barely detectable. Palate is velvety in texture, yet this is not a huge wine by Hermitage standards. But for Saint-Joseph, it must reflect a remarkably conservative cropping rate [ later confirmed ]. This wine shows near-perfect varietal expression, thanks largely to the concentration plus extraordinary subtlety of beautiful oak. Maison Vauron receive an annual allocation of 48 bottles. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $228 [ cork, 50mm; New Zealand release price $161; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 99; J.L-L. 2017: A lot of people think 2015 is a great big year, but it has elegance also. … gunflint grapiness, licorice, a hint of acetate, clear red fruits, violets: the nose is well varied ... it is tight but well filled, has a core of great concentration, with a relative elegance … red fruit, raspberry, red cherry. It ends on a classic Cornas crunch, mineral, pumice stone. This is not a big, black-fruited monster, is a lithe wine, very Cornas, 2046 – 49, *****; J. Czerwinski @ R. Parker, 2017: ... enormously complex and compelling. Almond skin, cherries, blood and herbal notes all combine on the nose, while on the palate this medium to full-bodied wine is firmly tannic but ripe and balanced, with a rich, velvety and nearly endless finish, 97; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby, carmine / magenta and velvet, a midnight-deep wine, the deepest wine, totally remarkable for its depth and freshness. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, and deep, but not as floral / aromatic as the 2010 quite clearly, and maybe even less so than the 2009. The difference in age makes that comparison hard, the youth of the wine having its own fresh-fruit fragrance, but the thought arises that 2015 may be an even warmer year than 2009. I wonder if the floral and aromatic qualities of perfectly ripened syrah will emerge, as the obvious youth retreats. There is still delicate sweet black pepper, a vital marker for syrah not being too ripe. Palate is remarkable for its purity and velvety texture, the depth of near-cassis and darkly plummy berry lifted by black pepper a delight. All the reports from the Rhone Valley suggest that the 2015 and 2016 vintages bear the same relation to each other as 2009 does to the more aromatic 2010 vintage following. At this stage the 2015 seems fractionally riper again than the 2009, so it is therefore pushing the limits for syrah varietal accuracy. One person had the 2015 as their top wine, and three their second favourite. This 2015 is a totally modern wine, which dispels completely any lingering ideas that Domaine Clape or Cornas are old-fashioned. To judge from the 1983 today, this can be cellared for 15 – 35 years. GK 09/18
Ruby, carmine / magenta and velvet, a midnight-deep wine, the deepest wine, totally remarkable for its depth and freshness. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, and deep, but not as floral / aromatic as the 2010 quite clearly, and maybe even less so than the 2009. The difference in age makes that comparison hard, the youth of the wine having its own fresh-fruit fragrance, but the thought arises that 2015 may be an even warmer year than 2009. I wonder if the floral and aromatic qualities of perfectly ripened syrah will emerge, as the obvious youth retreats. There is still delicate sweet black pepper, a vital marker for syrah not being too ripe. Palate is remarkable for its purity and velvety texture, the depth of near-cassis and darkly plummy berry lifted by black pepper a delight. All the reports from the Rhone Valley suggest that the 2015 and 2016 vintages bear the same relation to each other as 2009 does to the more aromatic 2010 vintage following. At this stage the 2015 seems fractionally riper again than the 2009, so it is therefore pushing the limits for syrah varietal accuracy. One person had the 2015 as their top wine, and three their second favourite. This 2015 is a totally modern wine, which dispels completely any lingering ideas that Domaine Clape or Cornas are old-fashioned. To judge from the 1983 today, this can be cellared for 15 – 35 years. GK 09/18
Barsac Premier Cru, Bordeaux:, France: – %; $216 [ cork 54mm, ullage 22mm; original cost $21; cepage around Se 75%, SB 23, Mu 2; The wine is barrel-fermented, percentage new oak not clear, and aged in small oak for 16 – 18 months, production averages round 3,500 cases per annum. Reviews scarce. NM@NM, 2011: … a sprightly citrus-driven nose with hints of mango and quince developing with time in glass. The palate is bestowed with a touch of spice and dried pineapple on the entry, fanning out beautifully with a crisp, dried apricot and marmalade tinged finish. Coutet is defined by its vivacity and acidity and this is a perfect example of it. Very fine, 93; RP@RP, 1986: Every bit as good as the more open-knit and expressive 1976, the 1975 is lighter and more typically Coutet in its proportions, with a graceful, fresh taste, very good concentration, and years of evolution ahead. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002, 86; weight bottle and closure 567 g; www.chateaucoutet.com ]
Glowing gold, a wash of old gold, perfect for its age. Bouquet is classic Ch Coutet, a wonderful aromatic and complex zingy top-note hinting at wild-ginger blossom, on rich golden queen and bottled quince fruit, all complexed by honeyed and beeswax botrytis richness and softness, and framed in fine oak. Flavour follows superbly, succulent fruit richness greater than many classed sauternes, hints of honeycomb, with more new oak than expected for the era. The oak extends the palate and dries the finish, so with the acid of the year, the wine despite its maturing flavours finishes long and fresh, inviting another sip. Again, like the old champagne, tasters simply loved the wine. Fully mature and complex now, but the quality 54mm corks mean the wine will hold in cellar for some years to come. GK 03/25
Glowing gold, a wash of old gold, perfect for its age. Bouquet is classic Ch Coutet, a wonderful aromatic and complex zingy top-note hinting at wild-ginger blossom, on rich golden queen and bottled quince fruit, all complexed by honeyed and beeswax botrytis richness and softness, and framed in fine oak. Flavour follows superbly, succulent fruit richness greater than many classed sauternes, hints of honeycomb, with more new oak than expected for the era. The oak extends the palate and dries the finish, so with the acid of the year, the wine despite its maturing flavours finishes long and fresh, inviting another sip. Again, like the old champagne, tasters simply loved the wine. Fully mature and complex now, but the quality 54mm corks mean the wine will hold in cellar for some years to come. GK 03/25
Saint Julien Second Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $468 [ Cork, 56mm, ullage 7mm; $395 landed; CS 90%, Me 10, planted at 10,000 vines / ha; fermentation in s/s, then concrete vats, in better years elevation in 80%, latterly 100% new oak for 18 months; average production 18,300 x 9-litre cases; consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot. Farr V., 2011: Massive, yet precise and very long. The best wine that we tasted in St Julien in 2010 and a truly great Ducru that should surpass even the 1982 in time, 18.5; NM@Vinous, 2020: a seriously fine bouquet with plenty of black fruit, cedar and hints of camphor that blossom from the glass. So much vigour and intensity here, yet it remains beautifully delineated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain, supple tannins. There is a fine bead of acidity, fresh and focused, one of the most pliant Saint-Julien crus in this flight with a supple finish that belies that structure underneath, 96; RP@WA, 2013: With loads of minerality ... and slightly more structure and tannin than Poyferre … this is a blockbuster, fabulous Ducru Beaucaillou that should be at its best a good decade from now and last 40-50 years. The proprietor is not alone in thinking this is the finest Ducru Beaucaillou since the 1961. The classic wet rock, creme de cassis, subtle oak and gravelly stoniness of the vineyard come through in this spectacular, full-bodied, gorgeously pure and intense effort. This is wine for the ages that should be forgotten for at least a decade, 98+; unhelpful website; weight bottle and closure: 836 g; www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another very fresh and beautiful young claret colour, the fourth deepest wine. Bouquet is bigger on the Ducru, a lot more apparent new oak, a wine wanting to be ‘seen’ as a First Growth, you almost think. Below is beautifully aromatic cabernet sauvignon cassisy berry, but the level of vanillin from the oak somewhat masks any florals, so you think first of heliotrope. In mouth the freshness and youth of the wine is dramatic, glorious cassisy berry filled out with 10% merlot, but at this early stage the level of new oak, highest cedary quality though it is, is a little intrusive. This will mature into a very aromatic and zingy example of classed-growth claret, showing not quite the palate weight of the Leoville Barton. There is just a hint of the New World, yet the suppleness and magic of the Old. Three people rated Ducru their top wine, and five had it in second place. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another very fresh and beautiful young claret colour, the fourth deepest wine. Bouquet is bigger on the Ducru, a lot more apparent new oak, a wine wanting to be ‘seen’ as a First Growth, you almost think. Below is beautifully aromatic cabernet sauvignon cassisy berry, but the level of vanillin from the oak somewhat masks any florals, so you think first of heliotrope. In mouth the freshness and youth of the wine is dramatic, glorious cassisy berry filled out with 10% merlot, but at this early stage the level of new oak, highest cedary quality though it is, is a little intrusive. This will mature into a very aromatic and zingy example of classed-growth claret, showing not quite the palate weight of the Leoville Barton. There is just a hint of the New World, yet the suppleness and magic of the Old. Three people rated Ducru their top wine, and five had it in second place. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $550 [ Spare, but as 750 ml; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 91: Excellent all-around vintage; structured, lots of fruit; CS 65%, Me 25, PV 5, CF 5; 49 ha, 17,000 cases. One of the finest clarets I have ever tasted, not big, but very beautiful. Broadbent 1980: classic but undeveloped bouquet; concentrated, deep, stern and unyielding, but great potential, till 2010, ****; Broadbent 2002: [ on 1970 Bordeaux ] … leaving aside Latour, I rate Ducru and Cheval Blanc as the best wines. The most recent bottles at best superb, sweet-nosed, harmonious, perfect flavour and balance … drying, *****; Parker 1991: the best Ducru between 1961 and 1982. Impeccably balanced, smooth as silk, till 2000, 91, and 1996: It has always been an outstanding wine for the vintage - complex, rich, savory, and the quintessentially elegant Bordeaux. This beauty continues to reveal the fragrance and finesse that one expects from Lafite-Rothschild but so rarely finds. A fragrant, complex bouquet of cedar, herbs, vanillin, fruitcake, and coffee is followed by a soft, gentle, graciously-constructed wine with sweet layers of fruit. I am not sure how much longer the 1970 Ducru will keep, but from regular bottle, it is delicious and should be consumed. How nice it would be to have a stock of magnums of this wine in the cellar! 92; www.chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com ]
Ruby and garnet, astonishingly youthful for its age, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is equally astonishing, nearly primary aromatic cassisy berry, subtlest brown tobacco and cedary oak, unlike the modern ‘spirity’ wines so favoured by American reviewers, no alcohol apparent on bouquet, lovely. Palate is the same, all the elegance and pin-point flavour saturation of a wine not dominated by alcohol, the quality of browning cassis remarkable for its age, the oak in equally perfect balance. It is simply remarkable how youthful this wine is ex magnum, relative to the 750 my last review reflects. Classic west bank claret at the pinnacle of maturity, delicate yet amazingly long and sustained, very beautiful. Parker sums this wine up perfectly. Three votes as top wine, five for second-favourite, one of the three top wines. Rob Bishop, avowedly a pinot noir man, thought it well-nigh perfect – particularly pleasing. Nine tasters correctly identified this wine as old bordeaux, with six favouring the Northern Rhone Valley. In magnums, has some years ahead of it: in 750s in a temperate climate, probably au point or agreeably fading a little now. GK 03/20
Ruby and garnet, astonishingly youthful for its age, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is equally astonishing, nearly primary aromatic cassisy berry, subtlest brown tobacco and cedary oak, unlike the modern ‘spirity’ wines so favoured by American reviewers, no alcohol apparent on bouquet, lovely. Palate is the same, all the elegance and pin-point flavour saturation of a wine not dominated by alcohol, the quality of browning cassis remarkable for its age, the oak in equally perfect balance. It is simply remarkable how youthful this wine is ex magnum, relative to the 750 my last review reflects. Classic west bank claret at the pinnacle of maturity, delicate yet amazingly long and sustained, very beautiful. Parker sums this wine up perfectly. Three votes as top wine, five for second-favourite, one of the three top wines. Rob Bishop, avowedly a pinot noir man, thought it well-nigh perfect – particularly pleasing. Nine tasters correctly identified this wine as old bordeaux, with six favouring the Northern Rhone Valley. In magnums, has some years ahead of it: in 750s in a temperate climate, probably au point or agreeably fading a little now. GK 03/20
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $ – [ 50mm cork; a Corney & Barrow (London) selection; Steven Spurrier notes the vineyard: Adjoins the top of Clos de Vougeot, producing wines with a rich ruby colour and fine bouquet. They are firm and velvety on the palate, in flavour not unlike a good Pomerol, and age superbly; our wine is long past that point, but is included in the hope it will accompany the 1953 Margaux rather nicely, and perhaps make it look younger ….; Domaine Gouroux was well-regarded back then, the vineyards now passed to Jean-Marc Millot amongst others. ]
The amber and rosy garnet colour of this wine was not the palest of the set, by four. Just a sniff and one is instantly transfixed. This is great pinot noir in the full bloom of maturity, wondrously floral still, and actually smelling rich. It reminds me of the great 1945 burgundy John Avery brought out to the National Wine Competition judging (now Air New Zealand) at The Chateau, central North Island, in the mid-1980s. The best aroma descriptors still seem to be boronia and roses now justifying the term aethereal, though also some browning now, on truly burgundian fruit. In mouth there is velvety cherry fruit, ageing obviously but still rich and satisfying, plus secondary and tertiary flavours which are wondrously mouth-filling and complex, just a mite of tannin showing but offset by the fruit sweetness, the total palate impression simply glorious.
This Grands-Echezeaux pinot is four times as rich at 42 years of age as the 2003 Mount Difficulty Target Gully at 10 years of age, loosely speaking. How do we bridge that concentration gap, in New Zealand ? Is it only vine age coupled with cropping rate, or is the absolute concentration of character achieved by perhaps 10,000 vines per hectare, with each vine putting all its energies into half a kilo of fruit, the key ? This wine has all the beauty, complexity, perfect balance, palate weight and texture the 1953 Ch Margaux should have had, but it is dramatically pinot-y, not claret-y / cedary. A simply great wine experience, of a calibre rarely encountered. It is now just slipping over the edge of its plateau of maturity. Unfortunately there is no clue on the bottle whether the grower / producer was Louis Gouroux or Henri Gouroux, neither now practising. Corney & Barrow (Specially Selected by), the original suppliers, could not enlighten me. GK 11/13
The amber and rosy garnet colour of this wine was not the palest of the set, by four. Just a sniff and one is instantly transfixed. This is great pinot noir in the full bloom of maturity, wondrously floral still, and actually smelling rich. It reminds me of the great 1945 burgundy John Avery brought out to the National Wine Competition judging (now Air New Zealand) at The Chateau, central North Island, in the mid-1980s. The best aroma descriptors still seem to be boronia and roses now justifying the term aethereal, though also some browning now, on truly burgundian fruit. In mouth there is velvety cherry fruit, ageing obviously but still rich and satisfying, plus secondary and tertiary flavours which are wondrously mouth-filling and complex, just a mite of tannin showing but offset by the fruit sweetness, the total palate impression simply glorious.
This Grands-Echezeaux pinot is four times as rich at 42 years of age as the 2003 Mount Difficulty Target Gully at 10 years of age, loosely speaking. How do we bridge that concentration gap, in New Zealand ? Is it only vine age coupled with cropping rate, or is the absolute concentration of character achieved by perhaps 10,000 vines per hectare, with each vine putting all its energies into half a kilo of fruit, the key ? This wine has all the beauty, complexity, perfect balance, palate weight and texture the 1953 Ch Margaux should have had, but it is dramatically pinot-y, not claret-y / cedary. A simply great wine experience, of a calibre rarely encountered. It is now just slipping over the edge of its plateau of maturity. Unfortunately there is no clue on the bottle whether the grower / producer was Louis Gouroux or Henri Gouroux, neither now practising. Corney & Barrow (Specially Selected by), the original suppliers, could not enlighten me. GK 11/13
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $180 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 10mm; $156 landed; CS 83%, Me 17, planted at 10,000 vines / ha, average age 38 years, all hand-picked; cuvaison to 21 days, elevation 16 – 18 months in 75% new oak; average production 16,250 x 9-litre cases; consulting oenologist Eric Boissenot; A Jancis Robinson Top 20 of 2010 wine; NM@WA, 2012: The 2010 has a wonderful bouquet that is reticent at first, probably because it was tasted just three months after bottling. But there is patently great fruit intensity here: blackcurrant and a touch of pomegranate, interwoven with graphite and sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied is underpinned by wonderful freshness and vitality, marrying the austerity of both Pauillac and the vintage, with intense ... fruit. It offers stunning definition, the finish quintessential Pauillac – a little aloof, a little aristocratic, but utterly compelling. This will be a benchmark wine for the estate, 97; JR@JR, 2020: Correct, classic claret with an undertow but the opposite of showy. Lots of both tannin and fruit here. Classic Cabernet. Lots in reserve and great length. QGV. Drink 2020 – 2042, 17.5; JM@WS, 2013: This is dense but silky around the edges, with crushed plum and black currant fruit lined with roasted vanilla bean, tobacco and loam notes. Everything hangs solidly through the finish, lined with finely beaded acidity and leaving an echo of singed anise. Best from 2015 through 2028, 93; model website; weight bottle and closure: 602 g; www.chateau-grand-puy-lacoste.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, again beautifully fresh, though below midway in depth. Bouquet has all the charm and cut-through found in so many Grand-Puy-Lacostes over the years, this wonderful integration of florals, berry and cedar already at 10 years showing some of the complexity that lies ahead. The floral note is more heliotrope, due to the cedary component, but it is subtle alongside Ducru. Berry notes are a seamless mix of cassis, dark plum and blueberry, wonderfully pure. Flavours simply recapitulate the bouquet, a suppleness and charm which the Ducru won’t show for another 10 years, yet there is beautiful texture in mouth. This will be accessible sooner than the wines rated more highly (Vieux Chateau Certan aside), a very beautiful wine indeed, deceptively more substantial than it seems. On the night, Grand-Puy-Lacoste seemed understated, with no top places, and one second-favourite. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 9/20 GK 09/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, again beautifully fresh, though below midway in depth. Bouquet has all the charm and cut-through found in so many Grand-Puy-Lacostes over the years, this wonderful integration of florals, berry and cedar already at 10 years showing some of the complexity that lies ahead. The floral note is more heliotrope, due to the cedary component, but it is subtle alongside Ducru. Berry notes are a seamless mix of cassis, dark plum and blueberry, wonderfully pure. Flavours simply recapitulate the bouquet, a suppleness and charm which the Ducru won’t show for another 10 years, yet there is beautiful texture in mouth. This will be accessible sooner than the wines rated more highly (Vieux Chateau Certan aside), a very beautiful wine indeed, deceptively more substantial than it seems. On the night, Grand-Puy-Lacoste seemed understated, with no top places, and one second-favourite. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 9/20 GK 09/20
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $311 [ Spare; original price $345; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 98: Reds are racy ... even better defined than '09; Sy 100%; J. Livingstone-Learmonth advises Le Méal the main vineyard, then Les Bessards, some Rocoules, average vine age 40 years, the grapes destemmed, cooled, usually 22 days cuvaison, some oxygenation, for the 2009 and 2010 c. 20% new oak, the balance 1 – 3 year oak barrique-sized, c.12 – 15 months elevation depending on season, then 3 months (presumably assembly) in vat, at one stage some fining and filtering, not clear currently; production up to 1990 or a little later assumed to be less than 4,000 cases, some years half that, progressively through balance of century and till Freys took over increasing to a max known of 8,900 cases, since purchase 2006 decreasing to historical levels again, the 2009 (a reduced crop year) just under 2,000 cases; JR@JR, 2012: Very masculine, dense and convincing. Luscious and much softer than I was expecting; the fruit seems to overwhelm the tannins! But there is lots of acidity and freshness here too. Real density, 18+; Parker, 2012: It should be fascinating to compare the potentially legendary 2010 Hermitage La Chapelle with the prodigious 2009 La Chapelle over the next 30-40 years. … showing more weight and richness than it did last year from barrel, along with great precision, stunning minerality and enormous quantities of blackberry, cassis, beef blood and smoked game intertwined with hints of graphite and acacia flowers. With good acidity and richness as well as abundant, but ripe, well-integrated tannin, this great wine equals the titan produced in 2009. Forget it for 7-10 years and drink it over the following 30-50 years, 96+; website not always accessible; www.jaboulet.com ]
Rich ruby and velvet, a little lighter and older than the 2010 Palmer, but still clearly the second deepest red wine. A wonderfully floral, fragrant and aromatic berry bouquet, more floral and less spirity than the 2010 Ch Palmer, cassis predominant, dark fruits, astute tasters detecting some sweet black pepper, subtle new oak. Sensational purity. Palate is immensely focussed, intense aromatic cassis-led and dark plum berry shaped by cedary oak, a lovely soft spicy lift from black pepper, and the oak not dominating unduly. Livingstone-Learmonth's concern that the wine is too Bordeaux-influenced in its styling will be solved with time in cellar. The alcohol is at a maximum for delicacy, but well contained. This is going to make a very beautiful bottle, in maturity. Two votes for favourite wine, two as second-favourite, but in a curious result not explored on the night, three as least wine. In a conclusion which would please the spirits of chateaux proprietors past, nine tasters thought this wine from Bordeaux, and five Northern Rhone. This is a glorious wine, which will cellar 20 – 40 + years. GK 03/20
Rich ruby and velvet, a little lighter and older than the 2010 Palmer, but still clearly the second deepest red wine. A wonderfully floral, fragrant and aromatic berry bouquet, more floral and less spirity than the 2010 Ch Palmer, cassis predominant, dark fruits, astute tasters detecting some sweet black pepper, subtle new oak. Sensational purity. Palate is immensely focussed, intense aromatic cassis-led and dark plum berry shaped by cedary oak, a lovely soft spicy lift from black pepper, and the oak not dominating unduly. Livingstone-Learmonth's concern that the wine is too Bordeaux-influenced in its styling will be solved with time in cellar. The alcohol is at a maximum for delicacy, but well contained. This is going to make a very beautiful bottle, in maturity. Two votes for favourite wine, two as second-favourite, but in a curious result not explored on the night, three as least wine. In a conclusion which would please the spirits of chateaux proprietors past, nine tasters thought this wine from Bordeaux, and five Northern Rhone. This is a glorious wine, which will cellar 20 – 40 + years. GK 03/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $87 [ cork, 54 mm; the Sabon family established Domaine Janasse in 1973. Both daughter Isabelle and son Cristophe are oenology graduates. Antonio Galloni’s website Vinous rates the wines thus: Combining power, intensity, and sensuality, the wines of La Janasse rank among the very best of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. There traditionally have been three Chateauneuf cuvées, this is the standard wine (formerly Tradition), varying around Gr 70%, Sy 15, Mv 13, Ci 2, the fruit 80% de-stemmed, then cuvaison up to 28 days. Elevation typically 80% in vat or old foudre, 20% in barrels, one third of the barrels new for the syrah and mourvedre, for 12 months, then assembly 6 months in vat; fined, not filtered; J.L-L, 2017: (barrel sample) ... bold black fruits such as prune, ripe stewed raspberry, has a lingering depth. There are garrigue notions, and it will become a real cornucopia of influences as it ages, highly impressive. The palate runs broadly and with style ... spiced black fruits with some tarry tannins ... The finish is wide, persistent, to 2042, ****(*); JC@RP, 2018: The 2016 ... exhibits more dark fruit than I would've expected, with black cherries, black olives and tar all mingling on the nose. In the mouth ... full-bodied, rich and velvety, with a lush, lingering finish ... sheer concentration and ripeness, to 2030, 93; production averages 1,160 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 618 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.lajanasse.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is one of the deeper and quieter ones, but it still has this extraordinary freshness and beauty that typifies the 2016s. There is a dusky floral component, and some subtle garrigue, then a depth of aromatic berry which is more on the darker fruits side, grading to cassis. On bouquet one is not sure about oak. Palate is immediately deep and sensuous, great concentration, exquisite berry with both syrah and mourvedre making a great contribution. Now you can taste beautiful oak, and some new oak, but the extraordinary fruit weight dominates totally. As the standard wine from Janasse, this is remarkably high quality. Cellar for 10 – 35 years. In the group tasting, this was marginally the most popular wine, eight first places, four second. Available from Caro’s and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is one of the deeper and quieter ones, but it still has this extraordinary freshness and beauty that typifies the 2016s. There is a dusky floral component, and some subtle garrigue, then a depth of aromatic berry which is more on the darker fruits side, grading to cassis. On bouquet one is not sure about oak. Palate is immediately deep and sensuous, great concentration, exquisite berry with both syrah and mourvedre making a great contribution. Now you can taste beautiful oak, and some new oak, but the extraordinary fruit weight dominates totally. As the standard wine from Janasse, this is remarkably high quality. Cellar for 10 – 35 years. In the group tasting, this was marginally the most popular wine, eight first places, four second. Available from Caro’s and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; a €175 = $NZ279 bottle; the Labet & Dechelette wines are the only ones to be completely made within the Clos. This 200-case Vieilles Vignes bottling comes from part of the crop from a defined plot of c.1 ha planted in 1910. It is made with a high % of whole-bunch, and 100% new oak; no website found. ]
Classic rich pinot noir ruby, a gorgeous colour, clearly above midway in the combined sets, the deepest of Blair's wines. Bouquet is deeply and darkly pinot noir varietal, darkest rose grading to boronia florality, black cherry the main fruit, with an exciting aromatic lift developing with air, faint suggestions of dark plum. In bouquet terms, this is about as ripe as fine pinot noir can be, and retain florality. Palate is sensational, immediately tightening up back to aromatic black cherry, not dark plum, shaped by new oak but not as dominated by it as some of the 2005 wines. Freshly opened this wine was demonstrably good, 18.5, but bespeaking its youth, 48 hours later the floral and enchanting side of the wine, the true 'pinosity', had become much more apparent. This was especially noticeable against some of the more massive 2005s, resulting in the score now allocated. This is far and away the greatest Clos de Vougeot wine I have ever seen, illustrating exactly what is lacking in so many of the more tannic 2005s. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/15
Classic rich pinot noir ruby, a gorgeous colour, clearly above midway in the combined sets, the deepest of Blair's wines. Bouquet is deeply and darkly pinot noir varietal, darkest rose grading to boronia florality, black cherry the main fruit, with an exciting aromatic lift developing with air, faint suggestions of dark plum. In bouquet terms, this is about as ripe as fine pinot noir can be, and retain florality. Palate is sensational, immediately tightening up back to aromatic black cherry, not dark plum, shaped by new oak but not as dominated by it as some of the 2005 wines. Freshly opened this wine was demonstrably good, 18.5, but bespeaking its youth, 48 hours later the floral and enchanting side of the wine, the true 'pinosity', had become much more apparent. This was especially noticeable against some of the more massive 2005s, resulting in the score now allocated. This is far and away the greatest Clos de Vougeot wine I have ever seen, illustrating exactly what is lacking in so many of the more tannic 2005s. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/15
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; CS 65%, Me 19, CF 13, PV 3; up to 20 days cuvaison; up to 20 months in French oak; no filtration ]
Ruby and velvet, marginally the deepest and most youthful of the six. Bouquet initially is on the burly side, but with more air opens to reveal a marvellously complete claret, the cassis of cabernet sauvignon and plum of merlot in good balance, plus almost a suggestion of blackberry (+ve, but very ripe). Bouquet as a whole is moving into the secondary stage of developmental complexity, with in addition to the fruit notes, much dark tobacco, and lovely cedary oak. The whole bouquet is warm and inviting. Palate is rich, ripe yet lovely natural acid, gentle alcohol, with a complexity and integration of berry, tobacco and oak that lingers superbly. A stylish beautifully balanced claret, rich for the year. This was the favourite wine, for the group. Parker considers it: the quintessential St Julien … one of the great modern-day wines of Bordeaux. Cellar another 10 – 20 years. GK 05/07
Ruby and velvet, marginally the deepest and most youthful of the six. Bouquet initially is on the burly side, but with more air opens to reveal a marvellously complete claret, the cassis of cabernet sauvignon and plum of merlot in good balance, plus almost a suggestion of blackberry (+ve, but very ripe). Bouquet as a whole is moving into the secondary stage of developmental complexity, with in addition to the fruit notes, much dark tobacco, and lovely cedary oak. The whole bouquet is warm and inviting. Palate is rich, ripe yet lovely natural acid, gentle alcohol, with a complexity and integration of berry, tobacco and oak that lingers superbly. A stylish beautifully balanced claret, rich for the year. This was the favourite wine, for the group. Parker considers it: the quintessential St Julien … one of the great modern-day wines of Bordeaux. Cellar another 10 – 20 years. GK 05/07
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $376 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 9mm; $269 landed; the 2010 is CS 79%, Me 18, CF 2, PV 1, hand-picked and hand-sorted; elevation 15 months in 70% new barrels; average production 35,000 x 9-litre cases; no consulting oenologist; SS@Decanter, 2011: Very good concentration of Cabernet fruits, rich and earthy, vibrant, vigorous flavours and packed with energy, 18; Farr Vintners, 2020: [ it is worth noting here that Farr Vintners are as cautious in their marking as JR, so 18 and above from them is approaching sensational, for ordinary mortals. ] Tasted Blind at the Southwold Group Ten Years On tasting. This was the third highest scoring wine of the whole tasting. ... an evocative and rich nose of cassis, graphite and sweet spices. Rich and ripe but supremely refined and driven. The palate is incredibly intense and very pure in black fruit, with blackcurrants, bramble and a little dark cherry. Layers of spice build through the mid palate in tandem with mouthcoating and rich tannins. A wine of great depth and precision, this ... could be the greatest Lynch Bages ever made, 19; L.P-B@WA, 2020: … the 2010 Lynch Bages comes sailing out of the glass with notes of redcurrant jelly, black cherry compote and cassis plus wafts of smoked meats, tar, cigar box and dried roses. Full-bodied, the palate is stacked with red and black fruit layers, framed by ripe, firm, fine-grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long. 2020-2044, 96; weight bottle and closure: 599 g; www.jmcazes.com/en/chateau-lynch-bages ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another remarkably fresh wine, the second deepest. Bouquet is incredibly pure, a depth of near-violets florality on highly cassisy berry, all shaped by cedary oak. Freshly opened it was a little reticent, so in bouquet the quality recognised by Stephen Browett did not jump out at you. In flavour it is the freshness and aromatics of the cabernet sauvignon component that strikes you, and the astonishing youth of the wine. It is more berry-dominant than the Ducru and Grand-Puy, but less intensely cassisy and rich than the Leoville Barton. Nor is it as rich as the Montrose. The flavours present a harmony, elegance and complexity that is remarkable, with a perfect balance to oak, but overall restraint. Another wonderful wine, with the freshness and poise of this remarkable 2010 vintage. To a person who has been tasting Bordeaux off and on for 50 years, it is the absolute purity of these modern wines that is compelling. It will be fascinating to watch Lynch-Bages over the next 20 years, and see if the great future for it foretold by Stephen Browett unfolds. Three people rated Lynch-Bages as their top wine, and one second. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another remarkably fresh wine, the second deepest. Bouquet is incredibly pure, a depth of near-violets florality on highly cassisy berry, all shaped by cedary oak. Freshly opened it was a little reticent, so in bouquet the quality recognised by Stephen Browett did not jump out at you. In flavour it is the freshness and aromatics of the cabernet sauvignon component that strikes you, and the astonishing youth of the wine. It is more berry-dominant than the Ducru and Grand-Puy, but less intensely cassisy and rich than the Leoville Barton. Nor is it as rich as the Montrose. The flavours present a harmony, elegance and complexity that is remarkable, with a perfect balance to oak, but overall restraint. Another wonderful wine, with the freshness and poise of this remarkable 2010 vintage. To a person who has been tasting Bordeaux off and on for 50 years, it is the absolute purity of these modern wines that is compelling. It will be fascinating to watch Lynch-Bages over the next 20 years, and see if the great future for it foretold by Stephen Browett unfolds. Three people rated Lynch-Bages as their top wine, and one second. Cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 09/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $458 [ cork, 50mm, original price c.$175; Gr 95 – 100%, trace other vars., all >80 years age; all destemmed; cuvaison up to 28 days in vat, then elevation c.18 months in vat (concrete); was older oak elevation pre 2002, and again from 2006 on; not fined, is filtered; organic and biodynamic wine; production c.350 x 9-litre cases; RP@RP, 2007, recorded that the alcohol is in fact 16.7%; J.L-L, no date: The Vieilles Vignes is one of the great Châteauneuf-du-Papes; JR@JR, 2006: Robinson's assessment of this wine is of particular interest. For this wine, and the 2003 equally, she records her highest score ever for Domaine Marcoux (though she does have 20 or so other chateauneuf reviews at 19, and barely a handful higher): Very sumptuous yet not too concentrated – everything in great proportion. Not especially deep colour. Sweet and juicy on the front palate but with great integrity and restraint without being wimpy ... Dry but not drying finish. Very impressive wine that should have an impressively long life. This just hums without battering the senses. Lovely! 2009 – 2021, 19; J.L-L, 2008: ... oily, liqueur style aroma – sweet-toned red fruits, a little nuttiness; the nose is elegant, assured with a herb-garrigue presence. The palate continues in the same vein – straight into a refined, attractive red fruit that has a suave texture, a poised allure. Tremendous harmony here – wow! It is very consecutive and persistent, its refinement classy. The taste is plum, not quite to the extent of kirsch, in its beautiful palate. Gentle tannins pop up here and there. ... Great balance, a wine that shows the striking finesse of Châteauneuf-du-Pape when it is made from Grenache - all or mostly, 2030-34, ******; JD@RP, 2015: The 2005 Marcoux Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a rock star that’s up with the top 2-3 wines of the vintage. Perfumed, complex and brilliantly Provencal, with sweet kirsch, pepper, crushed flowers and dried earth, it’s full-bodied, seamless and silky on the palate, with no hard edges and incredible length. Opening up in the glass, drink this heavenly Châteauneuf anytime over the coming decade or more, 2015 - 2030, 99; weight bottle and cork 666 g; the website www.domainedemarcoux.fr is a holding page only; some info at; www.chateauneuf.dk/en/cdpen81.htm ]
Ruby and some garnet, lighter to the edge, midway in depth. This wine totally conveys the subtle magic of near-100% grenache Southern Rhone Valley wine, in a softly floral bouquet for all the world like a slightly spirity grand cru Corton. Bouquet blends a pink rose floral with fruit like red-tinged stewed nectarines, really sensuous, and totally pure. Palate is sensational, clearly the richest / greatest dry extract of any of these wines, both succulent and tactile, yet totally dry. There is enormous fruit length, sustained on both the tannins of the year, and what seems trace large wood. This wine was placed at number 12 in the lineup, on its richness, but it followed an equally sensational wine which was darker, more aromatic, and less subtle. Consequently #12 was somewhat overlooked by the group, two second place votes only. This wine is magical now, perhaps at its peak for people who don't follow old wine. It will however hold, and soften, for another 10 – 20 years. GK 07/19
Ruby and some garnet, lighter to the edge, midway in depth. This wine totally conveys the subtle magic of near-100% grenache Southern Rhone Valley wine, in a softly floral bouquet for all the world like a slightly spirity grand cru Corton. Bouquet blends a pink rose floral with fruit like red-tinged stewed nectarines, really sensuous, and totally pure. Palate is sensational, clearly the richest / greatest dry extract of any of these wines, both succulent and tactile, yet totally dry. There is enormous fruit length, sustained on both the tannins of the year, and what seems trace large wood. This wine was placed at number 12 in the lineup, on its richness, but it followed an equally sensational wine which was darker, more aromatic, and less subtle. Consequently #12 was somewhat overlooked by the group, two second place votes only. This wine is magical now, perhaps at its peak for people who don't follow old wine. It will however hold, and soften, for another 10 – 20 years. GK 07/19
Saint-Estephe 2nd Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $316 [ Cork 50mm; CS 62%, Me 34, CF 3, PV 1; Ch Montrose is one of the three finest wines in St Estephe, a district traditionally sniffed at by the superior, but now coming into its own with global warming. The style of Montrose has tended to be more fragrant than Cos d'Estournel, in the good years. Vine density 9000 / ha, and average vine age is around 40 years. The 2003 was cropped @ 35 hl/ha (c. 1.8 t/ac), against an average of 42 (2.2 t/ac); the wine spends c.18 months in barrel with 50 – 70% new; second wine Le Dame de Montrose; at one point the 2003 was considered a likely wine of the vintage, Parker marking it 100, but it has settled back a little from that assessment; however, Farr Vintners report that 2003 Montrose placed fifth overall, out of 100 wines tasted blind, at the 2003 Farr Vintners Blind Tasting held in October 2010, so that is still pretty elevated company; and likewise Berry Brothers & Rudd, another famous London wine merchant, say: “If ever there was any doubt that the wines of St Estephe had triumphed in 2003 then a taste of this magnificent wine immediately put the record straight. A wonderful nose of ripe, pure Cabernet Sauvignon with layers of spicy oak introduces a palate that is at once intense, multi-dimensional, loaded with minerals, black cherries, firm acidity and powerful tannins, all singing in perfect harmony. This is possibly the best Montrose ever made, surpassing its 2000 and possibly even its legendary 1990.” With assessments like that, one has to think that the very severe team at Jancis Robinson are making something of a fetish of scoring wines low, awaiting a perfection that perhaps can never be attained. They have marked it half a point lower in each successive tasting since release, the latest 17, so here for interest is their first impression: Robinson, 2005: Very dark crimson, the deepest of all these wines with colour all the way out to the rim. Young, fresh, very frank aromas – still distinctly unevolved. Extremely dry, savoury and mineral – not a hint of the raisiny sweetness that dogs so many 2003s. Wonderfully rich and layered yet dry and savoury on the finish. A hint of unsweetened chocolate with a floral topnote. Great hit on the front palate, then something dry and scrunchily appetising on the finish. Very very long, 19; Parker, Aug 2014: A candidate for a perfect score, the 2003 Montrose has been a superstar since the first time I tasted it in barrel. Showing no signs of weakening, it is an amazing wine from this fabulous terroir. It boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as a stunning perfume of blueberries, black currants, blackberries, licorice and camphor. Dense, full-bodied and rich with an unctuous texture, well-integrated, melted tannins, and a long, heady finish, this big, brawny, super-intense, gorgeous 2003 is just beginning to enter its plateau of full maturity. It should remain there for at least two decades, 99; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, one of the more developed hues, just above midway in depth. Bouquet however is quite the reverse, being wonderfully fresh and fragrant, and even violets-floral, all rising from a cassis and berry-rich wine in which there is no hint of sur-maturité or excess oak. Palate follows wonderfully, the fruit melding with soft cedary oak to produce at 10 years of age a classic claret just embarking on its plateau of maturity. Texture is superb already, nearly as velvety as the Las Cases, the flavour lingering long, neither spirity or oaky. Classic and very beautiful claret, and clearly the most-favoured wine by the winemakers, this warmer-than-usual-year St Estephe tasted like a fine Pauillac in a normal year. Cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, some garnet, one of the more developed hues, just above midway in depth. Bouquet however is quite the reverse, being wonderfully fresh and fragrant, and even violets-floral, all rising from a cassis and berry-rich wine in which there is no hint of sur-maturité or excess oak. Palate follows wonderfully, the fruit melding with soft cedary oak to produce at 10 years of age a classic claret just embarking on its plateau of maturity. Texture is superb already, nearly as velvety as the Las Cases, the flavour lingering long, neither spirity or oaky. Classic and very beautiful claret, and clearly the most-favoured wine by the winemakers, this warmer-than-usual-year St Estephe tasted like a fine Pauillac in a normal year. Cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 11/14
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $129 [ cork; price en primeur landed; CS 63%, Me 31, CF 4, PV 2 = cepage in 2000 (Parker), planted to 9000 vines / ha, average vine age 40, usually cropped @ c.42 hl / ha (2.2 t/ac); 3 – 4 week cuvaison, temperature-controlled; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak 50 – 70% new; JR: 18; RP 95+; WS: 96; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby and velvet, more colour development than the Cos 2000, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet on initial opening, totally pure, supremely classical, no suggestions of chocolate or toast or contemporary trendyness. The wine gradually opens to slightly roses-floral deep cassis grading to dark plum and light new oak, with just a hint of cedar to come. Palate immediately amplifies the cassis, great concentration, a complex dark plum component more omega than black doris, a vivid impression of skin tannin more than oak, and a potentially velvety texture. This is particularly fine and classical claret, elegant, harmonious and balanced throughout, lingering long in mouth. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Ruby and velvet, more colour development than the Cos 2000, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet on initial opening, totally pure, supremely classical, no suggestions of chocolate or toast or contemporary trendyness. The wine gradually opens to slightly roses-floral deep cassis grading to dark plum and light new oak, with just a hint of cedar to come. Palate immediately amplifies the cassis, great concentration, a complex dark plum component more omega than black doris, a vivid impression of skin tannin more than oak, and a potentially velvety texture. This is particularly fine and classical claret, elegant, harmonious and balanced throughout, lingering long in mouth. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $317 [ cork, 49mm; purchase price $70; Gr 70%, Mv 10, Sy, Ci, counoise and vaccarese all 5, some of the grenache 90 years old, some 100+; this wine in the ‘90s contrasted with traditional practice in Chateauneuf du Pape, being completely destemmed, then c.50% of the wine aged in new small oak for 9 months or more, the balance in s/s, with a total elevation of 24 months (since 1998 the new oak has been reduced markedly); filtered to bottle; though other wines in our tasting have greater reputations, for the 1998 vintage this wine currently has the highest price on the new arbiter wine-searcher.com – $NZ317; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2014: A wine that can flirt with perfection on any given day ... overflowing blackcurrants, chocolate dusted meat, graphite and toasted spice-like aromas and flavors. It has off-the-charts richness and depth on the palate ... and serious length ... a relatively modern-styled Chateauneuf, 97; R. Parker, 2000: ... fabulous symmetry, this is one of the most remarkable Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted, 96; J.L-L, 2008: ... palate black plum or prune fruit has style and poise – it is juicy, unlike many 1998s now, ***(*); bottle weight 642g; www.domaine-mordoree.com ]
Ruby more than garnet, the deepest of the wines. Bouquet epitomises modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape, nearly floral, clearly fragrant, the new oak seeming to intensify the syrah component of the cepage, thus adding cassis notes to the red fruits fragrance. This is a sensational bouquet, defining one kind of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a sunny year. Palate shows beautiful fresh aromatic fruit, the oak to a max but acceptable, cinnamon-spicy grenache now dominant, the fruit nearly succulent at one point, yet there are still tannins to lose. This is glorious ripe-year Chateauneuf-du-Pape, now embarking on its plateau of maturity, yet with more softening to come. There is already quite heavy crusting in the bottle. Totally pure wine. The most favoured wine for the group, 11 first places, two second. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/18
Ruby more than garnet, the deepest of the wines. Bouquet epitomises modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape, nearly floral, clearly fragrant, the new oak seeming to intensify the syrah component of the cepage, thus adding cassis notes to the red fruits fragrance. This is a sensational bouquet, defining one kind of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a sunny year. Palate shows beautiful fresh aromatic fruit, the oak to a max but acceptable, cinnamon-spicy grenache now dominant, the fruit nearly succulent at one point, yet there are still tannins to lose. This is glorious ripe-year Chateauneuf-du-Pape, now embarking on its plateau of maturity, yet with more softening to come. There is already quite heavy crusting in the bottle. Totally pure wine. The most favoured wine for the group, 11 first places, two second. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/18
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $1,335 [ Cork, 54mm; actual cepage 1986 CS 80%, Me 10, CF 8, PV 2; 20 – 24 months in new oak; 27,500 cases; Peppercorn: Quintessential Pauillac … concentrated blackcurrant bouquet and flavour combined with a richness and opulence that disguise the tannin more than at Latour; Broadbent: Outstandingly the best ’86, spectacular, intense varietal fragrance, packed tight with fruit. In 1994: Nose peppery at first, then it sprang to life; on the palate the sweetness of ripe grapes and alcohol. Full-bodied, full-flavoured, fabulous fruit, very dry finish. 2012 – 2030: **(***); Robinson, 2016: This was always an exceptional wine, but an exceptionally slow-maturing one. It was served blind and seemed immediately like Mouton with its sweet, light mintiness and spice. This opulent monument of a wine has at least cast off enough tannin to provide majestic drinking now. What a treat to encounter this wine again at this exciting stage of its life: 19; Parker, 1994: In 1986, Mouton-Rothschild produced the most profound wine of a great northern Medoc vintage. It requires coaxing and extended airing to bring forth the subdued bouquet of minerals, celestial blackcurrants, smoky new oak, and spices. The wine possesses incredible concentration, full body, fabulous length, and is – well – perfect. 2005-2050: 100; Parker later reported on a tasting of Californian and French cabernets of the 1986 vintage: In most tastings where a great Bordeaux is inserted with California Cabernets, the Bordeaux comes across as drier, more austere, and not nearly as rich and concentrated (California wines are inevitably fruitier and more massive). To put it mildly, the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild held its own (and then some), in a flight that included the Caymus Special Selection, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23, Dunn Howell Mountain, and Joseph Phelps Eisele Vineyard. Clearly the youngest looking, most opaque and concentrated wine of the group, it tastes …. of creme de cassis in abundance, exhilarating purity, and awesome layers of finish … impeccably made. Anticipated maturity till 2096; bottle weight 552 g; www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com ]
Ruby and garnet, still remarkably red, the second deepest wine. Bouquet to first impression is overwhelmingly cedary, cedar of superlative quality, quite magical in a vinous context, but immediately a little voice says, yes but, I want my great clarets to smell of grapes first and foremost. The purity and alcohol zing on bouquet is enchanting, the given alcohol being the usual French nonsense for the era. It is in mouth that this wine suddenly expands fourfold, to become sensationally velvety, all embracing and enchanting. Now one can taste the cassis, browning a little now, which coupled with supreme poise, finesse, and elegance, the combination of berry and cedar in mouth lasts and lasts, with needless to say a divine but cedary aftertaste. Acid balance seems perfect, the wine having freshness right through. Since it seems not quite perfection on bouquet, though, for scoring I side more with Robinson. Perfect now, but will cellar many years, 20 +, drying all the while. By a small margin, the favourite wine for the group, 10 first or second places, but only six ranking it a First Growth, interestingly. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, still remarkably red, the second deepest wine. Bouquet to first impression is overwhelmingly cedary, cedar of superlative quality, quite magical in a vinous context, but immediately a little voice says, yes but, I want my great clarets to smell of grapes first and foremost. The purity and alcohol zing on bouquet is enchanting, the given alcohol being the usual French nonsense for the era. It is in mouth that this wine suddenly expands fourfold, to become sensationally velvety, all embracing and enchanting. Now one can taste the cassis, browning a little now, which coupled with supreme poise, finesse, and elegance, the combination of berry and cedar in mouth lasts and lasts, with needless to say a divine but cedary aftertaste. Acid balance seems perfect, the wine having freshness right through. Since it seems not quite perfection on bouquet, though, for scoring I side more with Robinson. Perfect now, but will cellar many years, 20 +, drying all the while. By a small margin, the favourite wine for the group, 10 first or second places, but only six ranking it a First Growth, interestingly. GK 08/16
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $606 [ Cork 49 mm, ullage 20 mm; landed cost $298; along with Ch Leoville Las Cases and La Mission Haut-Brion, one of the top three certainties as a Super-Second (out of 12 contenders). The Palmer estate has been in essentially the same ownership since 1938, with the Sichel and Mahler-Besse families now in control. In some years, Ch Palmer has challenged its neighbour Ch Margaux, as the top wine of the district. Cepage CS 47%, Me 47, PV 6 (but the 2000 is CS 53, Me 47), average vine age 35 years, planted at 10,000 vines per hectare, cropped at an average of 46 hl /ha = 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison up to 30 days in temperature-controlled s/s vats, followed by up to 21 months in barrel 45% new; Ch Palmer is of interest in that the previous technical director experimented with both lower and higher cropping rates, before settling on around 46 hl. He felt that markedly lower cropping rates compromised the finesse of Ch Palmer; Parker writes of Ch Palmer in general: When Palmer has a great vintage, no other left bank growth is as aromatically seductive to the nose and palate … The style of Palmer's wine is characterized by a sensational fragrance and bouquet … The bouquet has the forward fruity richness of a great Pomerol but the complexity and character of a Margaux. The wine’s texture is rich, often supple, and lush, but always deeply fruity and concentrated. The emphasis on quality can be seen from the 2000 vintage, where 45% of the crop was released as Ch Palmer, 40 % as Alter Ego de Palmer, and the rest sold off. Robinson’s sequential notes are interesting: Robinson 2005: Heady, confident, Margaux nose that suggests something way above third growth status. Very gentle texture. Lovely opulence on the front of the palate, followed by chewy tannins. Round. Not overdone. Great balance, 18; and then in 2016: Light, very fine, mature nose that has more than a hint of old fashioned claret with lightly tarry note that segues into the cusp of floral and fruity. Certainly very light and fragrant – good old fashioned Margaux. Beautiful balance. Long and silky. Dry finish after lovely sweet fruit. The antithesis of bodybuilder wine, 18; RP @ WA, 2010: … an almost exotic floral nose, soft, undulating tannins, and tremendous opulence and flesh, with a full-bodied mouthfeel, silky tannins, and loads of floral notes intermixed with blue and black fruits as well as hints of smoke and incense in its complex aromatics. This wine is drinking beautifully and should continue to do so for up to two more decades, 95; production averages 11,250 x 9-litre cases of the grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 563 g; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, just above midway in depth. Some people have difficulty with the concept of red wine being floral, but this 2000 Ch Palmer is a textbook experience in fragrant claret. Thoughts of violets as well as darkest roses arise from this totally pure and berry-led bouquet, the depth of nearly cassisy and darkly plummy berry being a delight. This purity and focus on the berry component is unusual in top Bordeaux, cedary complexity being way in the background. Flavours in mouth continue the berry-led approach, simply wonderful cassis softened by bottled dark plums, the oak so subtle, the wine long in flavour though not quite as rich as Las Cases. A very beautiful and classic Palmer indeed, fractionally less intense than Las Cases. Four people rated Ch Palmer their top wine, and seven their second-favourite. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Ruby, some velvet, just above midway in depth. Some people have difficulty with the concept of red wine being floral, but this 2000 Ch Palmer is a textbook experience in fragrant claret. Thoughts of violets as well as darkest roses arise from this totally pure and berry-led bouquet, the depth of nearly cassisy and darkly plummy berry being a delight. This purity and focus on the berry component is unusual in top Bordeaux, cedary complexity being way in the background. Flavours in mouth continue the berry-led approach, simply wonderful cassis softened by bottled dark plums, the oak so subtle, the wine long in flavour though not quite as rich as Las Cases. A very beautiful and classic Palmer indeed, fractionally less intense than Las Cases. Four people rated Ch Palmer their top wine, and seven their second-favourite. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Pauillac Second Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $301 [ cork, 50mm; original price c.$75; CS 80%, Me 20%, cropped at c.5.9 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; elevation 18 – 22 months, with around 60% new oak; production of the grand vin varies round 20,000 x 9-litre cases; Broadbent, 2002: A big, ripe, fleshy wine, ***(*); JH@JR, 2017: quite deep and looking younger than its years. Sweet, almost creamy, dark fruit, seems more Merlot than Cabernet on the nose, whatever the makeup of the wine. Plus a touch of menthol freshness. But also has a delicacy and elegance within that sweetness. Still has a very fine-grained grip framing that depth of fruit. Very moreish. Not quite as fan-tailed as the Léoville Las Cases, more power on the palate, 17.5; RP@RP, 1993: The 1989 is this property's finest wine in at least three decades. One of the most opaque wines of the vintage, with a black/purple color suggesting exceptional extract and super-ripeness, its aroma reminded me of essence of cassis and plums intertwined with the scent of smoky new oak. Spectacularly rich and ripe, with layer upon layer of compelling extract, this well-balanced, full-bodied wine has the requisite tannin and depth to age well for three decades. To 2030, 96; weight bottle and closure: 549 g; www.pichonbaron.com ]
Ruby, velvet and some garnet, the deepest wine, and midway in the ruby : garnet stakes. Right from first opening, this wine smelt gorgeous: a lovely depth of fragrant cassisy berry browning now, some complex dark pipe-tobacco notes, and cedary oak. Palate is by an order of magnitude the richest wine on the table, showing perfect ripeness of the cabernet component, a big velvety mouthful of ripe fruit with beautiful oak, no hint of over-ripeness, and great length of classic Bordeaux flavours. I’m sure the alcohol is higher than the given 13%, though. This was one of the most popular wines, six first-places, one second. It is at a peak of maturity, and will hold this form for another 10 – 20 years, then decline gracefully. Definitive claret, in a New Zealand context. GK 11/19
Ruby, velvet and some garnet, the deepest wine, and midway in the ruby : garnet stakes. Right from first opening, this wine smelt gorgeous: a lovely depth of fragrant cassisy berry browning now, some complex dark pipe-tobacco notes, and cedary oak. Palate is by an order of magnitude the richest wine on the table, showing perfect ripeness of the cabernet component, a big velvety mouthful of ripe fruit with beautiful oak, no hint of over-ripeness, and great length of classic Bordeaux flavours. I’m sure the alcohol is higher than the given 13%, though. This was one of the most popular wines, six first-places, one second. It is at a peak of maturity, and will hold this form for another 10 – 20 years, then decline gracefully. Definitive claret, in a New Zealand context. GK 11/19
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France: 12%; $90 [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100%; thought to be mostly a single-vintage blend; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Colour is fractionally paler than the Cuvée Reserve, and perhaps a hint more lemon. One sniff, and having spoken so highly of the cuvée wine, all one can say about the bouquet is the purity is sensational, and the depth and quality of autolysis is extraordinary, as if the wine were 50 to 100% longer en tirage. This bouquet is simply wonderful. In mouth the degree of yeast autolysis complexity is crust of finest baguette, clearly of Le Moulin (Willis Street, Wellington, perhaps the finest baguettes in New Zealand) quality. But the astonishing thing is, this wine is so rich (and I'm sure this could be demonstrated with a dry extract analysis) that the virtually nil dosage (2 g/L) is invisible. This is blanc de blancs champagne of a quality rarely encountered. It reminds me of the quality Taittinger Comtes de Champagne used to be in the 1960s. The depth of autolysis makes one think there has to be some pinot noir in it, but not so, and again there is this pure mineral / chalky underpinning. Anybody with the slightest interest in quality methode champenoise, and particularly in the blanc de blancs style, needs to taste this wine. You will not be disappointed. Cellar 10 – 20 years or so. GK 07/14
Colour is fractionally paler than the Cuvée Reserve, and perhaps a hint more lemon. One sniff, and having spoken so highly of the cuvée wine, all one can say about the bouquet is the purity is sensational, and the depth and quality of autolysis is extraordinary, as if the wine were 50 to 100% longer en tirage. This bouquet is simply wonderful. In mouth the degree of yeast autolysis complexity is crust of finest baguette, clearly of Le Moulin (Willis Street, Wellington, perhaps the finest baguettes in New Zealand) quality. But the astonishing thing is, this wine is so rich (and I'm sure this could be demonstrated with a dry extract analysis) that the virtually nil dosage (2 g/L) is invisible. This is blanc de blancs champagne of a quality rarely encountered. It reminds me of the quality Taittinger Comtes de Champagne used to be in the 1960s. The depth of autolysis makes one think there has to be some pinot noir in it, but not so, and again there is this pure mineral / chalky underpinning. Anybody with the slightest interest in quality methode champenoise, and particularly in the blanc de blancs style, needs to taste this wine. You will not be disappointed. Cellar 10 – 20 years or so. GK 07/14
Sauternes / Fargues Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 49mm cork; Se 89%, SB 8; Mu 3; average age of vines 25 years, planted at 7,500 vines / ha, average yield just under 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; fermentation in both s/s and barrel, then 18 – 24 months depending on the weight of the vintage in 70% new small oak; average production around 6,000 cases per annum; owned by the Rothschilds of Ch Lafite; BBR: Ch Rieussec is one of the richest and most exotic of all Sauternes ... a classic full-bodied Sauternes that is deep golden-yellow in colour and packed with lusciously sweet, honeyed fruits ... its best vintages rival those from d`Yquem; Robinson, 2012: Manages to be both tangy and luscious. Broad. Electric vitality. Lovely and slightly brulée. Not quite as sweet as the Suduiraut. Long and reverberant, 18.5; Parker, 2004: A monumental effort, the 2001 Rieussec boasts a light to medium gold color in addition to a fabulous perfume of honeysuckle, smoky oak, caramelized tropical fruits, creme brulee, and Grand Marnier. The wine is massive and full-bodied yet neither over the top nor heavy because of good acidity. With intense botrytis as well as a 70-75-second finish, this amazing Sauternes will be at its apogee between 2010-2035, 99; www.lafite.com/fr/les-chateaux/chateau-rieussec ]
Gold, the fourth deepest in hue. Right from opening, and long after, this wine shows a slight VA lift to intense golden queen peachy fruit. It therefore becomes a question of assessing whether there is the fruit to carry the VA. Needless to say, no northern hemisphere wine website mentions VA for any of the 2001 sauternes in this tasting, whereas the simple fact is that 25% of the wines have a perceptible trace. Such is the difficulty of finding accurate / objective wine information anywhere, whether on-line or by magazine or book. The winestyle here is quite different from d'Yquem, being noticeably darker in its peachy fruit, with a clear golden syrup pudding integration of the barrel work with honeyed stonefruit. In mouth the wine immediately gains points, for it is rich and luscious, the VA not high enough to coarsen the palate. Fruit concentration is delightful. At the tasting it was more open and communicative than the Yquem, which took longer to unfurl. This won't cellar quite as long as the Yquem, being further forward in its evolution – but should still be good for 10 – 35 years. One of the top three wines for the group, on the night, luscious and lingering. GK 07/14
Gold, the fourth deepest in hue. Right from opening, and long after, this wine shows a slight VA lift to intense golden queen peachy fruit. It therefore becomes a question of assessing whether there is the fruit to carry the VA. Needless to say, no northern hemisphere wine website mentions VA for any of the 2001 sauternes in this tasting, whereas the simple fact is that 25% of the wines have a perceptible trace. Such is the difficulty of finding accurate / objective wine information anywhere, whether on-line or by magazine or book. The winestyle here is quite different from d'Yquem, being noticeably darker in its peachy fruit, with a clear golden syrup pudding integration of the barrel work with honeyed stonefruit. In mouth the wine immediately gains points, for it is rich and luscious, the VA not high enough to coarsen the palate. Fruit concentration is delightful. At the tasting it was more open and communicative than the Yquem, which took longer to unfurl. This won't cellar quite as long as the Yquem, being further forward in its evolution – but should still be good for 10 – 35 years. One of the top three wines for the group, on the night, luscious and lingering. GK 07/14
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $125 [ cork, 50mm; Sy hand-harvested from the Les Bessards lieu-dit @ c.5.1 t/ha = 2.1 t/ac, from vines averaging 43 years age; no whole bunch component, wild-yeast ferments with around 30 days cuvaison / days on skins; MLF in barrel; 24 months in French oak perhaps 10% new; thought to be sterile-filtered to bottle, dry extract not available; production c.250 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 577 g; J.L-L, 2016: The bouquet is inky, holds very dark small berry fruits with oak-vanilla and coffee beans airs thrusting forward. The palate has a cool, mineral glint ... freshness ... has iron in its soul, is an interesting, highly stylish and intricate wine that will unfurl gradually, carrying multiple nuances. There is real granite ping on the close, a spearmint style clack of freshness, to 2035, *****; J. Dunnuck, 2016: … a big, fleshy, gorgeously layered and sexy red that has lots of tannin, full-bodied richness, tons of cassis, black raspberry and graphite aromatics, with a finish that won't quit. It’s a dead serious Hermitage that’s going to require patience, 94-96; www.gillesrobin.com ]
Magenta, ruby and velvet, the deepest and inkiest of the 12 wines, magnificent. Bouquet is not the most demonstrative in the set, but it has exquisite purity and midnight-deep dusky florals, darkest roses, on quietly aromatic and spicy cassisy berry. Oak is almost invisible, on bouquet. This is very beautiful syrah. Palate has a varietal accuracy and focus which is amazing, the oak now detectable as a shaping influence only, the flavour lingering delightfully on deep cassisy berry, grape tannins as much as oak, and a hint of black pepper. Richness is in the better half of the set. A magical example of Hermitage, to cellar 20 – 30 years. Six people rated this their top example of syrah, by far the clearest vote on the night, while four thought it French. GK 11/19
Magenta, ruby and velvet, the deepest and inkiest of the 12 wines, magnificent. Bouquet is not the most demonstrative in the set, but it has exquisite purity and midnight-deep dusky florals, darkest roses, on quietly aromatic and spicy cassisy berry. Oak is almost invisible, on bouquet. This is very beautiful syrah. Palate has a varietal accuracy and focus which is amazing, the oak now detectable as a shaping influence only, the flavour lingering delightfully on deep cassisy berry, grape tannins as much as oak, and a hint of black pepper. Richness is in the better half of the set. A magical example of Hermitage, to cellar 20 – 30 years. Six people rated this their top example of syrah, by far the clearest vote on the night, while four thought it French. GK 11/19
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $504 [ cork; up to 22 months in 100% new French oak; Rousseau owns 2.1 ha, 16.7% of this pre-eminent vineyard; making approx 725 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. This year, it is le Chambertin proper, not Clos de Beze, that appeals most. It is less obviously new-oaky than some recent years. The depth and precision of precise boronia and violets floral bouquet blending into red and black cherry pinot fruit is just beautiful. In mouth, the palate weight is terrific, perfect near-black cherry fruit, not as acid as the Clos St Jacques or Clos de Beze, more the richness of the Clos de la Roche but purer. This is great pinot noir, showing all the key features required, not over-ripe and not over-oaked. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/08
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. This year, it is le Chambertin proper, not Clos de Beze, that appeals most. It is less obviously new-oaky than some recent years. The depth and precision of precise boronia and violets floral bouquet blending into red and black cherry pinot fruit is just beautiful. In mouth, the palate weight is terrific, perfect near-black cherry fruit, not as acid as the Clos St Jacques or Clos de Beze, more the richness of the Clos de la Roche but purer. This is great pinot noir, showing all the key features required, not over-ripe and not over-oaked. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/08
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $100 [ cork, 50 mm; see standard wine for background; cepage this single-vineyard wine in 2016 an unusual Gr 80%, Ci 20, significant percentage not de-stemmed; cuvaison up to 30 days; elevation up to 30% of the wine in concrete vat, the balance in second- to fourth-year 600s for 14 months; not fined or filtered; J.L-L, 2017: (barrel sample) The bouquet is filled with black fruits ... The palate is rich and savoury, spreads a wide canvas, and finishes with good length ...It’s well and closely packed, and manages a finish with menthol-like cut. The tannins pile in quite thickly, to 2042, ****(*); JC@RP, 2018: ... enchanting floral aromas, intoxicating raspberry and cherry fruit and enthralling hints of Swiss cocoa. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it nevertheless comes across as fresh and nearly weightless. The use of stems (the wine is all whole bunches) and an elevated proportion of Cinsault has certainly contributed to this wine's soaring aromas and sense of freshness. It's a fascinating wine, to 2035, 97; production averages 1,125 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 611 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.st-prefert.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet: considering the unusual cepage, the colour is surprisingly well above midway. This wine develops the most astonishing bouquet, all you could ever ask for from a complex southern Rhone, very fragrant on garrigue showing both floral and savoury notes, aromatic, piquant, nearly saliva-inducing. In mouth the fruit has an almost pinot noir-like charm, but the richness and aromatics are greater. It tastes as if there is newish oak somewhere in the elevation, and the length of gently spicy red grape, red cherry and plum (plus cinnamon) flavours is extraordinary. Very beautiful wine, to cellar 10 – 30 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet: considering the unusual cepage, the colour is surprisingly well above midway. This wine develops the most astonishing bouquet, all you could ever ask for from a complex southern Rhone, very fragrant on garrigue showing both floral and savoury notes, aromatic, piquant, nearly saliva-inducing. In mouth the fruit has an almost pinot noir-like charm, but the richness and aromatics are greater. It tastes as if there is newish oak somewhere in the elevation, and the length of gently spicy red grape, red cherry and plum (plus cinnamon) flavours is extraordinary. Very beautiful wine, to cellar 10 – 30 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $45 [ cork, 55mm; Gr 65%, 80 years, Sy 25, 40 years, Mv 10, 40 years; one third of the crop not destemmed; the website implies all the wine 12 months in second-year barrels, then 6 months in foudre, the proprietors noting that elevage longer than usual, given the quality of the vintage; not fined or filtered; pH not given, but stated by the makers to be: astonishingly low … which will give the wine: ... an unprecedented destiny. For both the Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes and the Chateauneuf-du-Pape Speciale, Joe Czerwinski @ RP notes that the whole-bunch component is raised in concrete, not all in oak of various kinds, as the T-L website implies. This approach may therefore also apply to the closely related Rasteau Vieilles Vignes and the standard Chateauneuf. JR: 17; J. Suckling: 93; J. Dunnuck: 92-94; available from Caro’s, Auckland; www.tardieu-laurent.fr ]
Dark ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, the third deepest. Bouquet needs time, to reveal enchanting lightly aromatic dark berry notes, hints of nearly-cassis (rare in this district), a lot of dark plum, some raspberry / boysenberry. The fruit is complexed by fragrant but not quite floral garrigue aromatics, and subtle oak with a noticeable dark toasty note. This bouquet smells wonderfully exciting. Palate is rich, fresh, deep, long, nearly velvety, beautiful furry grape tannins, all the berry flavours extended on pure but not too obtrusive oak, and lovely fine-grained, soft, but good acid. The concentration here matches or exceeds good Chateauneuf-du-Pape norms. Four first-places. Cellar 20 – 35 years. GK 04/19
Dark ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, the third deepest. Bouquet needs time, to reveal enchanting lightly aromatic dark berry notes, hints of nearly-cassis (rare in this district), a lot of dark plum, some raspberry / boysenberry. The fruit is complexed by fragrant but not quite floral garrigue aromatics, and subtle oak with a noticeable dark toasty note. This bouquet smells wonderfully exciting. Palate is rich, fresh, deep, long, nearly velvety, beautiful furry grape tannins, all the berry flavours extended on pure but not too obtrusive oak, and lovely fine-grained, soft, but good acid. The concentration here matches or exceeds good Chateauneuf-du-Pape norms. Four first-places. Cellar 20 – 35 years. GK 04/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $65 [ cork; original price; Gr 70%, Sy 15, Ci 5, others 10, hand-harvested from 55-year-old vines in what many consider Chateauneuf's most famous vineyard; cuvaison c.15 days, elevation 12 months in old oak, 12 months in concrete; Parker 6/10: Between 1978 and 2007, this 1998 is the greatest Vieux Telegraphe that was produced. It has taken a good decade for this wine to shed its tannins and come out of a dormant, closed period. It has finally emerged, and notes of iodine, seaweed, black currants, incense, and sweet cherries as well as hot rocks jump from the glass of this full-bodied, powerful wine. It possesses considerable elegance and purity, along with loads of raspberries and incense, in a round, juicy, rich style that is just emerging from the closet. The wine is still youthful and a pre-adolescent in terms of its ultimate evolution. Approachable now, it will continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Bravo! 95; www.vignoblesbrunier.fr ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth, attractive. Bouquet is glorious, totally grape-dominant, the red berries and cinnamon of grenache, darker berry and spice from syrah, and beautiful winey complexity as if mourvedre contributed well in this warmer year. Palate shows great berry and fruit, slightly furry tannins, negligible new oak which appeals greatly, marvellous length and savour as well as technical purity. Model Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The perfect balance will enable this wine to cellar symmetrically and beautifully into advanced old age, 10 – 15 maybe 20 years more. GK 04/12
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth, attractive. Bouquet is glorious, totally grape-dominant, the red berries and cinnamon of grenache, darker berry and spice from syrah, and beautiful winey complexity as if mourvedre contributed well in this warmer year. Palate shows great berry and fruit, slightly furry tannins, negligible new oak which appeals greatly, marvellous length and savour as well as technical purity. Model Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The perfect balance will enable this wine to cellar symmetrically and beautifully into advanced old age, 10 – 15 maybe 20 years more. GK 04/12
Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $375 [ cork; hand-harvested; (guideline) BF, LA, MLF in 30% new French oak; no specific info [then] on website; www.louisjadot.com ]
Lemon more than straw, one of the best colours. Bouquet is exquisitely clean and pure, white stone fruits and a suggestion of acacia florals, with underlying winemaking complexities. Palate makes clear the beautifully subtle barrel ferment, lees autolysis and MLF components, all superbly integrated though youthful, potentially mealy and hazelnuts, fine-grained acid and a suggestion of mineral, new oak underpinning. Not particularly rich, but supremely fine. This wine illustrates why great white burgundy is so admired. It will cellar 5 – 15 + years, harmoniously. GK 07/05
Lemon more than straw, one of the best colours. Bouquet is exquisitely clean and pure, white stone fruits and a suggestion of acacia florals, with underlying winemaking complexities. Palate makes clear the beautifully subtle barrel ferment, lees autolysis and MLF components, all superbly integrated though youthful, potentially mealy and hazelnuts, fine-grained acid and a suggestion of mineral, new oak underpinning. Not particularly rich, but supremely fine. This wine illustrates why great white burgundy is so admired. It will cellar 5 – 15 + years, harmoniously. GK 07/05
Awatere & Wairau Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $22 [ screwcap; all s/s; RS < 4 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Some self-debate here whether to go out on a limb and show the marvellously complex 2005 Te Koko recently commented on, or use something simpler and more classical. In the end, hoping the foods would be simpler (I had green mussels in mind), I went for the deceptively simplest purest most perfect Marlborough sauvignon readily available, the Astrolabe Awatere & Wairau blend. The only choice then was, would it be 2007 or 2008. Either would be ideal, with their superbly fresh citrus, black passionfruit and sweet basil complexity, but on this occasion I bowed to conventional wisdom and used the current offering. A great result, a marvellous New Zealand sauvignon with the body and dry extract to be remarkably versatile with food. GK 12/08
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Some self-debate here whether to go out on a limb and show the marvellously complex 2005 Te Koko recently commented on, or use something simpler and more classical. In the end, hoping the foods would be simpler (I had green mussels in mind), I went for the deceptively simplest purest most perfect Marlborough sauvignon readily available, the Astrolabe Awatere & Wairau blend. The only choice then was, would it be 2007 or 2008. Either would be ideal, with their superbly fresh citrus, black passionfruit and sweet basil complexity, but on this occasion I bowed to conventional wisdom and used the current offering. A great result, a marvellous New Zealand sauvignon with the body and dry extract to be remarkably versatile with food. GK 12/08
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ screwcap; clone mendoza predominates, mostly hand-harvested @ 3.8 t/ac; most of the juice is wild-yeast fermented in French oak with a small percentage new, a smaller percentage starts fermentation inoculated in s/s, but all of it completes fermentation in barrel; 12 months LA and some batonnage in barrel, then a further month or two in barrel, c.80% MLF; RS 2.9 g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemon, a great colour. Bouquet on this wine epitomises coolish-climate chardonnay. It displays beautiful acacia-blossom florals, on mineral-infused stonefruits and cashew. Mineral as I use the term is not a euphemism for reduced sulphurs as marked up by northern hemisphere tasters, but instead is the smell of freshly-cracked greywacke. This wine could at a pinch be confused with grand cru chablis, and more easily with classed wines from the Puligny-Montrachet district. Palate develops marvellous cashew flavours in stonefruit, the result of superb barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis, yet the oak is unrecognisable as such. The texture is rich yet fine-grained, lingering superbly. The ’06 was great, but this 2007 Cloudy Bay immediately becomes the new benchmark for serious South Island chardonnay, matching the 2007 Sacred Hill Riflemans from the North Island, and perhaps surpassing it. All aspiring chardonnay winemakers owe themselves a case of this wine, not only to study its evolution, but also for use in benchmarking exercises. Cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 05/09
Lemon, a great colour. Bouquet on this wine epitomises coolish-climate chardonnay. It displays beautiful acacia-blossom florals, on mineral-infused stonefruits and cashew. Mineral as I use the term is not a euphemism for reduced sulphurs as marked up by northern hemisphere tasters, but instead is the smell of freshly-cracked greywacke. This wine could at a pinch be confused with grand cru chablis, and more easily with classed wines from the Puligny-Montrachet district. Palate develops marvellous cashew flavours in stonefruit, the result of superb barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis, yet the oak is unrecognisable as such. The texture is rich yet fine-grained, lingering superbly. The ’06 was great, but this 2007 Cloudy Bay immediately becomes the new benchmark for serious South Island chardonnay, matching the 2007 Sacred Hill Riflemans from the North Island, and perhaps surpassing it. All aspiring chardonnay winemakers owe themselves a case of this wine, not only to study its evolution, but also for use in benchmarking exercises. Cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 05/09
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.5%; $22 [ screwcap; hand-harvested very ripe, whole-bunch pressed, long cool s/s fermentation with cultured yeast and minimal solids; 6 weeks LA and stirring; pH 3.85, RS 6.3 g/L; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Lemon, a great colour for gewurztraminer. Initially opened, there is a whisper of sulphur and mercaptan in the Alsatian style. Decant the wine into an open-mouthed jug, and leave for an hour or two. It then reveals a simply sensational gewurztraminer bouquet of Alsace vendage tardive quality, in which the alcohol is well hidden (gewurztraminer like viognier and grenache hides alcohol well). There are marvellous yellow florals including both wild ginger and yellow honeysuckle, and explicit lychee fruit spiced by citronella and backed by stonefruit. This bouquet (once breathed) is simply stunning. Palate follows on beautifully, sufficient phenolics to give backbone to the strong flavours, excellent acid, ‘riesling-dry’ sweetness (but appearing medium-dry due to the high pH), all combining to give great texture and length. Thank heaven for a wine not made to wine-school formulae – here beauty has come before science. The complexity of flavour suggests there might be some barrel fermentation in old oak here – if so it has been done superbly – but it could be just the depth of flavour on gewurz aromatics [ no oak ]. This is Alsatian grand cru quality gewurztraminer from New Zealand, for $22. It will be better still in a year, and will cellar 2 – 6 years. Keep an eye on it though, noting the pH. GK 05/09
Lemon, a great colour for gewurztraminer. Initially opened, there is a whisper of sulphur and mercaptan in the Alsatian style. Decant the wine into an open-mouthed jug, and leave for an hour or two. It then reveals a simply sensational gewurztraminer bouquet of Alsace vendage tardive quality, in which the alcohol is well hidden (gewurztraminer like viognier and grenache hides alcohol well). There are marvellous yellow florals including both wild ginger and yellow honeysuckle, and explicit lychee fruit spiced by citronella and backed by stonefruit. This bouquet (once breathed) is simply stunning. Palate follows on beautifully, sufficient phenolics to give backbone to the strong flavours, excellent acid, ‘riesling-dry’ sweetness (but appearing medium-dry due to the high pH), all combining to give great texture and length. Thank heaven for a wine not made to wine-school formulae – here beauty has come before science. The complexity of flavour suggests there might be some barrel fermentation in old oak here – if so it has been done superbly – but it could be just the depth of flavour on gewurz aromatics [ no oak ]. This is Alsatian grand cru quality gewurztraminer from New Zealand, for $22. It will be better still in a year, and will cellar 2 – 6 years. Keep an eye on it though, noting the pH. GK 05/09
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ screwcap; clone 15 and others, 100% BF in 20% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. This is one of the pure sweet fruit styles in the Kumeu River premium chardonnay range, like the ‘04 Maté’s. White peach and stonefruits are dominant, with marvellously mealy barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters complexing it. Below, one can just detect some of the nuttiness which is overt in the 2003, but at this ’02 level of concentration it is great. Palate is marvellous, rich nearly oily stonefruits and mealy complexity, oak totally absorbed / balanced, the flavour lingering for ever – truly succulent. This is exemplary chardonnay. At a peak now, in one sense, but will cellar 1 – 6 years. GK 02/06
Lemonstraw. This is one of the pure sweet fruit styles in the Kumeu River premium chardonnay range, like the ‘04 Maté’s. White peach and stonefruits are dominant, with marvellously mealy barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters complexing it. Below, one can just detect some of the nuttiness which is overt in the 2003, but at this ’02 level of concentration it is great. Palate is marvellous, rich nearly oily stonefruits and mealy complexity, oak totally absorbed / balanced, the flavour lingering for ever – truly succulent. This is exemplary chardonnay. At a peak now, in one sense, but will cellar 1 – 6 years. GK 02/06
Haro, Rioja, Spain: – %; $ – [ 45mm cork; Winesearcher: Avg Price NZ$190; original cost <$5, Ch Montrose then $4.35, so relatively expensive, currently on sale in Germany for €166; latterly related Bilbainas wines are 100% tempranillo from the Rioja Alta, but earlier is likely to have included graciano at least; aged in both large oak and then American oak barrique-sized perhaps including a little new even back then, for an unknown time but probably exceeding four years. Then aged in bottle for much longer. It was seen as a burgundy-style, contrasting with the Vieja Reserva, and released latest 1960s. No tasting notes found from established writers. 1953 highly regarded in parts of Spain, but for Rioja Jan Read rates the vintage 3/10 in a classic sense, contrasting with 10/10 for 1952, also noting that exceptions abound in the Spanish climatic milieu; www.bodegasbilbainas.com ]
Rosy garnet and ruby, simply beautiful, and above midway in depth. Bouquet is of a quality to lose oneself in totally, great Rioja of a quality scarcely encountered these days, with so many consumers thinking oak equates with quality, and too many winemakers scurrying to satisfy that perverted preference. Here the dominant aroma is the very particular red fruits and citrus [ Jamaican grapefruit in the traditional slatted-wood case with one blue-mouldy fruit in it, +ve ] smell of mature tempranillo, fragrant like the 1971 burgundy, fruit-rich, the oak merely shaping. Palate is clearly burgundian, and nearly as wonderful and perfectly balanced as the Gouroux, but not quite so fine-grained – on both the varietal tannins and the American oak. If anything it is richer and more tactile, and more youthful, though that is not quite the right word. My impression of the wine is that it is not quite so perfect as the 1952 of this label, but it is of a quality hard to find today, particularly in New Zealand. This wine too is a great experience, and there is no hurry to finish it. It was imported by one of New Zealand's most discriminating wine merchants from an earlier era, Dick Maling in Christchurch, and became available in about 1970.
Characterising great old rioja is not easy, so it is worth quoting someone long-experienced in the wines of the region. Jan Read (1973) quoted the Spanish oenologist Don Victor de Zuniga as saying of Rioja wines: "independent of the conditions of the harvest and quality of the crop, they present quite distinct properties of nose, flavour, alcoholic content, colour and extract." Anyone who has drunk the wines will recognise and enjoy those qualities. A highly perceptive connoisseur like André Simon may differentiate between the bouquets of Lafite Margaux and Latour, describing them as being evocative of violets, wallflower and verbena; and such descriptions sometimes seem justified ... In the case of the Riojas, they do not seem helpful. Of the old Reservas, all that can honestly be said is that they are glorious and individual old wines, with a roundness and intensity of flavour, a characteristic acidity and a bouquet entirely sui generis and of the Rioja.. GK 11/13
Rosy garnet and ruby, simply beautiful, and above midway in depth. Bouquet is of a quality to lose oneself in totally, great Rioja of a quality scarcely encountered these days, with so many consumers thinking oak equates with quality, and too many winemakers scurrying to satisfy that perverted preference. Here the dominant aroma is the very particular red fruits and citrus [ Jamaican grapefruit in the traditional slatted-wood case with one blue-mouldy fruit in it, +ve ] smell of mature tempranillo, fragrant like the 1971 burgundy, fruit-rich, the oak merely shaping. Palate is clearly burgundian, and nearly as wonderful and perfectly balanced as the Gouroux, but not quite so fine-grained – on both the varietal tannins and the American oak. If anything it is richer and more tactile, and more youthful, though that is not quite the right word. My impression of the wine is that it is not quite so perfect as the 1952 of this label, but it is of a quality hard to find today, particularly in New Zealand. This wine too is a great experience, and there is no hurry to finish it. It was imported by one of New Zealand's most discriminating wine merchants from an earlier era, Dick Maling in Christchurch, and became available in about 1970.
Characterising great old rioja is not easy, so it is worth quoting someone long-experienced in the wines of the region. Jan Read (1973) quoted the Spanish oenologist Don Victor de Zuniga as saying of Rioja wines: "independent of the conditions of the harvest and quality of the crop, they present quite distinct properties of nose, flavour, alcoholic content, colour and extract." Anyone who has drunk the wines will recognise and enjoy those qualities. A highly perceptive connoisseur like André Simon may differentiate between the bouquets of Lafite Margaux and Latour, describing them as being evocative of violets, wallflower and verbena; and such descriptions sometimes seem justified ... In the case of the Riojas, they do not seem helpful. Of the old Reservas, all that can honestly be said is that they are glorious and individual old wines, with a roundness and intensity of flavour, a characteristic acidity and a bouquet entirely sui generis and of the Rioja.. GK 11/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; several clones, the oldest 15 years at hand-harvest; earlier vintages have been cropped at c. 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 9 days cold-soak, 7 days fermentation, 9 days maceration, giving a cuvaison of 25 days, 25% whole bunches; 16 months in French oak, some new, MLF in barrel the following spring; light fining only; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
This is one of the finest pinot noirs thus far made in New Zealand. Right from the medium cherry ruby colour, it emphasises that fine pinot noir is about beauty, rather more than weight. The bouquet is breathtaking, a wonderful interweaving of floral notes with sweet mixed-cherry fruit. Palate is soft, enticing, totally burgundian. The standard 2009 Mt Difficulty is seriously beautiful, but this is just magically more concentrated. Every winemaker in New Zealand who aspires to make quality pinot noir needs to buy, taste and own this wine, for reference. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 08/11
This is one of the finest pinot noirs thus far made in New Zealand. Right from the medium cherry ruby colour, it emphasises that fine pinot noir is about beauty, rather more than weight. The bouquet is breathtaking, a wonderful interweaving of floral notes with sweet mixed-cherry fruit. Palate is soft, enticing, totally burgundian. The standard 2009 Mt Difficulty is seriously beautiful, but this is just magically more concentrated. Every winemaker in New Zealand who aspires to make quality pinot noir needs to buy, taste and own this wine, for reference. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 08/11
Ngatarawa Triangle 55% & Gimblett Gravels 45, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration; c.12 months in burgundy barrels c. 53% new, c. 600 cases (as 12s); www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, close to the Mudbrick Reserve. Bouquet is soft, sweet, and deeply floral, with a hint of cracked black peppercorn, plus superb cassis and darkest plum richness. Oaking is gentler than either the Mudbrick Reserve or the Weeping Sands, and the quality of the deep cassisy dark plum is opulent, really velvet, yet with this intriguing sensuous floral and freshly cracked black pepper lift through both bouquet and palate. This is wonderful transparent wine reminiscent of the beauty and style of great pinot noir, but three times the size – loosely speaking. It is a candidate for the greatest syrah made in New Zealand in the modern era, in that it has deeply woven florality right through the bouquet and palate. [ In such a final analysis, it would probably be pipped at the post by 2007 Trinity Hill Syrah Homage.] For the EIT syrahs as a whole, this was the top-rated wine for the group. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, close to the Mudbrick Reserve. Bouquet is soft, sweet, and deeply floral, with a hint of cracked black peppercorn, plus superb cassis and darkest plum richness. Oaking is gentler than either the Mudbrick Reserve or the Weeping Sands, and the quality of the deep cassisy dark plum is opulent, really velvet, yet with this intriguing sensuous floral and freshly cracked black pepper lift through both bouquet and palate. This is wonderful transparent wine reminiscent of the beauty and style of great pinot noir, but three times the size – loosely speaking. It is a candidate for the greatest syrah made in New Zealand in the modern era, in that it has deeply woven florality right through the bouquet and palate. [ In such a final analysis, it would probably be pipped at the post by 2007 Trinity Hill Syrah Homage.] For the EIT syrahs as a whole, this was the top-rated wine for the group. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Bendigo district, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ screwcap; 4 clones from 9-year old vines hand-harvested @ 1.8 t/ac, co-fermented with wild yeasts and 20% whole-bunches; total cuvaison including cold-soak up to 31 days; c. 14 months in French oak 16% new; bottled unfined and unfiltered; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is dramatically floral and cherry-red fruits, almost a kirsch quality (+ve), wonderfully fragrant, pure and appealing. Palate shows an excellent concentration of fragrant red cherry and some black cherry, on beautifully subtle oak, all as understated as the Rousseau top wines, yet it turns out to be Otago. After the flavour, concentration, texture and dry extract, the oak handling in particular demands the highest praise. This is sensational New Zealand pinot noir, one of the very best ever made, a wine which will eclipse many same-vintage burgundy grands crus. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is dramatically floral and cherry-red fruits, almost a kirsch quality (+ve), wonderfully fragrant, pure and appealing. Palate shows an excellent concentration of fragrant red cherry and some black cherry, on beautifully subtle oak, all as understated as the Rousseau top wines, yet it turns out to be Otago. After the flavour, concentration, texture and dry extract, the oak handling in particular demands the highest praise. This is sensational New Zealand pinot noir, one of the very best ever made, a wine which will eclipse many same-vintage burgundy grands crus. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Gimblett Gravels 97.5%, Bridge Pa Triangle 2.5, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.4%; $155 [ cork; CS 58%, Me 42; all hand-picked, the dominant cabernet @ 5.1 t/ha (minutely over 2 t/ac), absolutely a serious classed-growth cropping rate, but the merlot at a surprising 9.6 t/ha (3.8 t/ac), and hand-sorted from on-average 12-year old vines; 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation mostly in oak cuves, a fraction in s/s, cuvaison up to 5 weeks for the CS components, less for Me; 21 months in all-French oak c.81% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; not fined or filtered; RS <1 g/L; 450 cases; Parker: 91; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great freshness for the five years, midway in the top third for weight of colour. The wine benefits from decanting a couple of times, to show a rich bordeaux-blend with signs of secondary complexity starting to appear. The berry aromas include much cassis and dark plum, but there are hints of blueberries too, so that blind the mind wanders to syrah. And then there is an aromatic edge that reminds of malbec, too, but on reflection is misinterpreted oak. In mouth the wine is velvety rich, still tannic on grape tannin as much as oak, totally warm-year Medoc in approach, and a big Medoc such as Leoville Las Cases. The cassis component is much more evident now. This is a very ripe wine, at the upper limit of ripeness and oaking for elegance, if we are to match Bordeaux. Winemaker Chris Scott is clear this is the style he wants, but Bordeaux is a tapestry of many colours, as indeed is Hawkes Bay, and as these 60 wines in the tasting confirm. Close tasting of some of the other wines in the Hot Reds Expo would I hope convince Chris that fine claret styles can be made from fresher / more aromatic grapes than 2009 alone, as the 2010 bordeaux are widely acknowledged to have achieved, and 2010 La Chapelle tasted alongside these Hawkes Bay wines vividly shows. Meanwhile this 2009 is one of the all-time benchmark New Zealand reds, like 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, which those long-sighted enough to provide for will be tasting and talking about until 2050. I can guarantee that, having shown that 1965 wine to Hawkes Bay winemakers in 2008. Any chance to secure this wine in auction, therefore, act. As Harry Waugh used to say, there is still a lot of tannin to lose, here, but the result is going to be of international calibre. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great freshness for the five years, midway in the top third for weight of colour. The wine benefits from decanting a couple of times, to show a rich bordeaux-blend with signs of secondary complexity starting to appear. The berry aromas include much cassis and dark plum, but there are hints of blueberries too, so that blind the mind wanders to syrah. And then there is an aromatic edge that reminds of malbec, too, but on reflection is misinterpreted oak. In mouth the wine is velvety rich, still tannic on grape tannin as much as oak, totally warm-year Medoc in approach, and a big Medoc such as Leoville Las Cases. The cassis component is much more evident now. This is a very ripe wine, at the upper limit of ripeness and oaking for elegance, if we are to match Bordeaux. Winemaker Chris Scott is clear this is the style he wants, but Bordeaux is a tapestry of many colours, as indeed is Hawkes Bay, and as these 60 wines in the tasting confirm. Close tasting of some of the other wines in the Hot Reds Expo would I hope convince Chris that fine claret styles can be made from fresher / more aromatic grapes than 2009 alone, as the 2010 bordeaux are widely acknowledged to have achieved, and 2010 La Chapelle tasted alongside these Hawkes Bay wines vividly shows. Meanwhile this 2009 is one of the all-time benchmark New Zealand reds, like 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, which those long-sighted enough to provide for will be tasting and talking about until 2050. I can guarantee that, having shown that 1965 wine to Hawkes Bay winemakers in 2008. Any chance to secure this wine in auction, therefore, act. As Harry Waugh used to say, there is still a lot of tannin to lose, here, but the result is going to be of international calibre. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/14
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14%; $36 [ CS 90%, Ma 7, Me 3; extended cuvaison, partial BF and 18 months in French oak; www.vassefelix.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet. A big sweet ripe and slightly charry cabernet bouquet, smelling of beautiful cassis and darkest plum, plus some barrel ferment components. Palate is gloriously rich, ripe and yet subtle, retaining the complexity of the grape, and not smothering it with oak or eucalyptus. Alcohol aside, this astonishingly Bordeaux-like wine will cellar for 15 – 20 years, and could be run with classed growths. In that company, I guess it would seem faintly minty. GK 06/04
Ruby and velvet. A big sweet ripe and slightly charry cabernet bouquet, smelling of beautiful cassis and darkest plum, plus some barrel ferment components. Palate is gloriously rich, ripe and yet subtle, retaining the complexity of the grape, and not smothering it with oak or eucalyptus. Alcohol aside, this astonishingly Bordeaux-like wine will cellar for 15 – 20 years, and could be run with classed growths. In that company, I guess it would seem faintly minty. GK 06/04
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $25 [ screwcap, 7% BF in new French oak puncheons, several months LA; RS 1 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is immediately clean and crisp sauvignon ripened to the red capsicum and black passionfruit level. Like the Astrolabe Awatere benchmark wine, it shows some sweet basil herbes and even elder blossom complexity. Palate is gorgeous, all the flavour of top examples of the grape, yet drier than most. The Awatere aromatics are readily apparent. This label has climbed to be one of the stars in the Babich range, and one of New Zealand’s best sauvignons, with superbly subtle complexity factors such as barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis built in, the oak near-invisible. This is how oak should be used in sauvignon ! Great food wine, and yet another to show that the top 2008 Marlborough sauvignons are as good as any year. Much too much has been made of Marlborough’s later-season rainfall, in what is intrinsically a low-rainfall and free-draining zone. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is immediately clean and crisp sauvignon ripened to the red capsicum and black passionfruit level. Like the Astrolabe Awatere benchmark wine, it shows some sweet basil herbes and even elder blossom complexity. Palate is gorgeous, all the flavour of top examples of the grape, yet drier than most. The Awatere aromatics are readily apparent. This label has climbed to be one of the stars in the Babich range, and one of New Zealand’s best sauvignons, with superbly subtle complexity factors such as barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis built in, the oak near-invisible. This is how oak should be used in sauvignon ! Great food wine, and yet another to show that the top 2008 Marlborough sauvignons are as good as any year. Much too much has been made of Marlborough’s later-season rainfall, in what is intrinsically a low-rainfall and free-draining zone. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $33 [ screwcap; 100% BF with 'full solids' in controlled cool temperatures; c. 9 months LA, stirring, 70% MLF; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is magnificent, opening vaguely like some even richer kind of Bollinger RD, with superlative yeast autolysis from immaculate barrel fermentation in appropriately older oak. And notwithstanding the ref. to full solids in the website, there is no dull high-solids odour – great ! Along with the superb baguette crust aromas is beautiful peach, cashew and stonefruit. Palate is exceptional too, a tactile viscosity of cashew and peach and finest pale butter, like some kind of superb sweet croissant, yet finishing dry. The flavours linger superbly. Cellar 3 – 6 years, maybe a little longer, but already the wine is delicious. GK 02/08
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is magnificent, opening vaguely like some even richer kind of Bollinger RD, with superlative yeast autolysis from immaculate barrel fermentation in appropriately older oak. And notwithstanding the ref. to full solids in the website, there is no dull high-solids odour – great ! Along with the superb baguette crust aromas is beautiful peach, cashew and stonefruit. Palate is exceptional too, a tactile viscosity of cashew and peach and finest pale butter, like some kind of superb sweet croissant, yet finishing dry. The flavours linger superbly. Cellar 3 – 6 years, maybe a little longer, but already the wine is delicious. GK 02/08
Alsace, France: 13%; $ – [ bottle courtesy Peter Saunders ]
A great bouquet capturing all the floral and complex beauty of the variety – nearly rosepetal in intensity, followed by a crisp (nearly dry), flavoursome, and non-spirity long palate, with orders of magnitude more to say in a varietal sense than our thus-far all-too-often relatively bland and alcoholic offerings. Wonderful wine now, but will cellar for some years. GK 10/04
A great bouquet capturing all the floral and complex beauty of the variety – nearly rosepetal in intensity, followed by a crisp (nearly dry), flavoursome, and non-spirity long palate, with orders of magnitude more to say in a varietal sense than our thus-far all-too-often relatively bland and alcoholic offerings. Wonderful wine now, but will cellar for some years. GK 10/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2, cropped 1 tonne / acre; MLF in tank, 17 months in new French oak, neither fined nor filtered; www.trinityhillwines.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, fabulous. Over the last few years, I have nominated several wines as the best example of New Zealand syrah so far. But all must stand aside, with the debut of the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah. This is great wine, a wine to put many reputed Hermitages in the shade. Bouquet is a wonderful expression of the variety, showing darkest cassis perhaps concealing deep florals yet to emerge, blackest plums, and suggestions of cracked black peppercorns wrapped up in charry soft oak, as if some of the wine were barrel-fermented. Palate is gloriously rich, long on cassis aromatics and spice, potentially soft, but firm now, as befits a longterm cellar wine, with the oak still to marry in, but not excessive. Style is totally European, and John Hancock speaks of the name Homage embracing the memory of the late Gerard Jaboulet, in whose time their wine la Chapelle was the most famous Hermitage of all. Total production of this excitingly rich benchmark wine was small (a few hundred cases of 6), and it is sold out at the winery. It may be still sparingly available in New Zealand retail (e.g. First Glass, Takapuna, Regional Wines, Wellington), and via Laurent-Perrier (UK) Ltd in England, and Pacific Vine International in USA. It will cellar for 10 - 20 years. Many a Hermitage producer could be respectful of this wine. GK 06/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, fabulous. Over the last few years, I have nominated several wines as the best example of New Zealand syrah so far. But all must stand aside, with the debut of the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah. This is great wine, a wine to put many reputed Hermitages in the shade. Bouquet is a wonderful expression of the variety, showing darkest cassis perhaps concealing deep florals yet to emerge, blackest plums, and suggestions of cracked black peppercorns wrapped up in charry soft oak, as if some of the wine were barrel-fermented. Palate is gloriously rich, long on cassis aromatics and spice, potentially soft, but firm now, as befits a longterm cellar wine, with the oak still to marry in, but not excessive. Style is totally European, and John Hancock speaks of the name Homage embracing the memory of the late Gerard Jaboulet, in whose time their wine la Chapelle was the most famous Hermitage of all. Total production of this excitingly rich benchmark wine was small (a few hundred cases of 6), and it is sold out at the winery. It may be still sparingly available in New Zealand retail (e.g. First Glass, Takapuna, Regional Wines, Wellington), and via Laurent-Perrier (UK) Ltd in England, and Pacific Vine International in USA. It will cellar for 10 - 20 years. Many a Hermitage producer could be respectful of this wine. GK 06/05
Mosel, Germany: 8%; $110 [ www.drloosen.de ]
Lemon. The classic smell of fine Mosel, gorgeous acacia and other white florals, vanillin, suggestions of apple and white stonefruits, and beautifully pure botrytis. Palate is a nectar of all those things, beautifully rich and balanced, sufficient acid. This will cellar for 10 – 20 years, on the great purity. GK 11/04
Lemon. The classic smell of fine Mosel, gorgeous acacia and other white florals, vanillin, suggestions of apple and white stonefruits, and beautifully pure botrytis. Palate is a nectar of all those things, beautifully rich and balanced, sufficient acid. This will cellar for 10 – 20 years, on the great purity. GK 11/04
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c. 11 months in French oak; < 2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, a touch of gold. Bouquet on this Elston is marvellous, showing the full beauty of a high-mendoza New Zealand chardonnay at full maturity. There is glorious bottled golden queen peach fruit complexed by lees-autolysis, MLF and oak, into a (best) ice cream sundae and wafers beauty. Palate is exactly the same, even more peachy, a delightful cashew nuttiness on the finish, which winemaker Peter Cowley commented on, suggesting time is running out for this wine. Don't keep Elston beyond 8 years, he said. That depends I guess on how much you like older wines – for sure, this 2000 is sensational at the moment. On checking back, I find in 2004 I offered the thought the 2000 was 'the greatest Elston yet', which ties in nicely with the tenor of this report. Luxuriate in it over the next year or two. GK 03/08
Lemonstraw, a touch of gold. Bouquet on this Elston is marvellous, showing the full beauty of a high-mendoza New Zealand chardonnay at full maturity. There is glorious bottled golden queen peach fruit complexed by lees-autolysis, MLF and oak, into a (best) ice cream sundae and wafers beauty. Palate is exactly the same, even more peachy, a delightful cashew nuttiness on the finish, which winemaker Peter Cowley commented on, suggesting time is running out for this wine. Don't keep Elston beyond 8 years, he said. That depends I guess on how much you like older wines – for sure, this 2000 is sensational at the moment. On checking back, I find in 2004 I offered the thought the 2000 was 'the greatest Elston yet', which ties in nicely with the tenor of this report. Luxuriate in it over the next year or two. GK 03/08
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France: 12%; $359 [ cork; Ch 100% ]
Lemonstraw, above midway in depth, the hue giving little clue to its blanc de blancs status. Bouquet does not have quite the authority of the Churchill, but in its lighter style, it shows equally remarkable baguette crust autolysis, and is quite magical. On palate the chardonnay dominance shows a little more clearly, but the depth of autolysis still makes the cepage hard to pick. In mouth the palate weight is less than the Churchill, and acid is firm for the year, with clean citric notes in white cherry fruit, plus a touch of apple shortcake confounded by a very brut finish. This is simply great refreshing champagne, which will cellar for decades. GK 11/06
Lemonstraw, above midway in depth, the hue giving little clue to its blanc de blancs status. Bouquet does not have quite the authority of the Churchill, but in its lighter style, it shows equally remarkable baguette crust autolysis, and is quite magical. On palate the chardonnay dominance shows a little more clearly, but the depth of autolysis still makes the cepage hard to pick. In mouth the palate weight is less than the Churchill, and acid is firm for the year, with clean citric notes in white cherry fruit, plus a touch of apple shortcake confounded by a very brut finish. This is simply great refreshing champagne, which will cellar for decades. GK 11/06
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ screwcap; machine harvested not in heat of day at c. 4 t/ac, destemmed, cool-fermented in s/s with no solids and a neutral yeast strain; pH 3.47, RS 3.2 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Here is the near-perfect straight Marlborough sauvignon, totally a stainless steel wine yet with wonderful complexity (often with sauvignon, due to its aromatics, one imagines a trace barrel-ferment component), achieved it would seem from fruit ripened to a perfect point (or points) of ripeness, and grown at a fairly low cropping rate. It has achieved optimal flavour intensity for a modern sauvignon. Key characters are faintly musky sauvignon ripened to the yellow honeysuckle and sautéed red capsicum level, ample fruit expressed as black passionfruit pulp, and piquant varietal complexity from sweet basil herbes. Richness in mouth is marvellous, acid balance is fresh, and residual sweetness for a sophisticated ‘sauvignon dry’ finish is perfect. This wine will cellar for 10 or more years, depending on preference for older sauvignon flavours. They can be pretty interesting, you know ! GK 04/09
Lemongreen. Here is the near-perfect straight Marlborough sauvignon, totally a stainless steel wine yet with wonderful complexity (often with sauvignon, due to its aromatics, one imagines a trace barrel-ferment component), achieved it would seem from fruit ripened to a perfect point (or points) of ripeness, and grown at a fairly low cropping rate. It has achieved optimal flavour intensity for a modern sauvignon. Key characters are faintly musky sauvignon ripened to the yellow honeysuckle and sautéed red capsicum level, ample fruit expressed as black passionfruit pulp, and piquant varietal complexity from sweet basil herbes. Richness in mouth is marvellous, acid balance is fresh, and residual sweetness for a sophisticated ‘sauvignon dry’ finish is perfect. This wine will cellar for 10 or more years, depending on preference for older sauvignon flavours. They can be pretty interesting, you know ! GK 04/09
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $100 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 25, PM 15; no MLF; www.champagne-bollinger.fr ]
The colour is indistinguishable from the Pol Roger, surprisingly. Bouquet is drier and nuttier, less floral, more Vogel’s Wholegrain, on aromatic fruit and one imagines, a whisper of oak – unlike the vintage, one can’t be sure. This sample is much fresher and less developed than Bollinger NV traditionally has been. Palate is wonderfully rich and flavoursome, the cherry of high pinot, superb autolysis and mealy complexity nearly of cashew depth, a bigger flavour all round than the Pol, and fractionally drier in dosage. It seems light alongside the 1995 RD, however. Cellar to 20 years plus. GK 12/06
The colour is indistinguishable from the Pol Roger, surprisingly. Bouquet is drier and nuttier, less floral, more Vogel’s Wholegrain, on aromatic fruit and one imagines, a whisper of oak – unlike the vintage, one can’t be sure. This sample is much fresher and less developed than Bollinger NV traditionally has been. Palate is wonderfully rich and flavoursome, the cherry of high pinot, superb autolysis and mealy complexity nearly of cashew depth, a bigger flavour all round than the Pol, and fractionally drier in dosage. It seems light alongside the 1995 RD, however. Cellar to 20 years plus. GK 12/06
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; simpler variations on 2004 practice, qv; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Like the 1994, this wine stands a little apart in showing a whisper of Puligny-Montrachet-styled complexity about it, which romantically, one can call mineral, but more prosaically is sulphur-related. It is so subtle as to be academic, but will keep the wine fresher than some vintages. There is also glorious golden queen peachy fruit, and great barrel-ferment and wholemeal lees autolysis complexity. Palate is rich, oily-rich, peaches and best dried figs, the alcohol more harmonious than some, the lees autolysis beautifully mealy and well integrated. Definitive Clearview Reserve Chardonnay, and likewise definitive Hawkes Bay mendoza chardonnay in the rich style, as well. Perfection now, or will hold in cellar 3 – 6 years, maybe longer. GK 10/05
Lemonstraw. Like the 1994, this wine stands a little apart in showing a whisper of Puligny-Montrachet-styled complexity about it, which romantically, one can call mineral, but more prosaically is sulphur-related. It is so subtle as to be academic, but will keep the wine fresher than some vintages. There is also glorious golden queen peachy fruit, and great barrel-ferment and wholemeal lees autolysis complexity. Palate is rich, oily-rich, peaches and best dried figs, the alcohol more harmonious than some, the lees autolysis beautifully mealy and well integrated. Definitive Clearview Reserve Chardonnay, and likewise definitive Hawkes Bay mendoza chardonnay in the rich style, as well. Perfection now, or will hold in cellar 3 – 6 years, maybe longer. GK 10/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $31 [ cork; BF & LA in new and 1-year French oak for 10 months, no MLF; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Deep lemon, very attractive. Bouquet on this wine is little short of sensational, great New Zealand and Hawkes Bay chardonnay, chockful of golden queen peaches and finest glacé figs. Oak and complex wine-making inputs have melted away into wonderful harmony. Palate develops the yellow fruits delightfully, the flavours long and fine and powerful, yet almost delicate on the tongue, with satisfying baguette-crust yeast autolysis and complexity. This is stunning wine, and the aftertaste superb. When Church Road get their Reserve Chardonnay spot-on, it is unbeatable. Interesting to see the more yellow stonefruits characters of the mendoza clone alongside and relative to the more white stonefruits of the top Jadots. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 07/05
Deep lemon, very attractive. Bouquet on this wine is little short of sensational, great New Zealand and Hawkes Bay chardonnay, chockful of golden queen peaches and finest glacé figs. Oak and complex wine-making inputs have melted away into wonderful harmony. Palate develops the yellow fruits delightfully, the flavours long and fine and powerful, yet almost delicate on the tongue, with satisfying baguette-crust yeast autolysis and complexity. This is stunning wine, and the aftertaste superb. When Church Road get their Reserve Chardonnay spot-on, it is unbeatable. Interesting to see the more yellow stonefruits characters of the mendoza clone alongside and relative to the more white stonefruits of the top Jadots. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $120 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed but still some whole-berries; wild yeast, up to 13 days ferment, total cuvaison 26 days; MLF mostly in tank, 12 months in French oak 72% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; around 500 cases; 5 top rankings, 2 second; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the deepest wine. In this tasting, Homage was less together than Le Sol. Even so, the depth of concentrated cassis on bouquet is reminiscent of La Chapelle in the 1980s, and the oak is fragrant and potentially cedary, but tonight standing apart a little. A floral component was not so evident. In mouth the concentration of aromatic cassis is marvellous, and the length of varietal fruit flavour and quality of oak is impressive. The later flavours however continue to show the components, still awaiting some melding and harmony. This wine too will develop spectacularly in bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the deepest wine. In this tasting, Homage was less together than Le Sol. Even so, the depth of concentrated cassis on bouquet is reminiscent of La Chapelle in the 1980s, and the oak is fragrant and potentially cedary, but tonight standing apart a little. A floral component was not so evident. In mouth the concentration of aromatic cassis is marvellous, and the length of varietal fruit flavour and quality of oak is impressive. The later flavours however continue to show the components, still awaiting some melding and harmony. This wine too will develop spectacularly in bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $120 [ cork; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 91%, mostly Limmer clone, some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard in the hill of Hermitage, 9% Vi, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, 15 – 18 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the lightest of the Trinity Hill Reds. This is the odd one out, in its 9% viognier, and what a wine it is. Styling is totally Cote Rotie, and immediately the Guigal grands crus come to mind. Like them it has a high percentage of new oak, yet it scarcely shows. The power of the wine is such that is hard at first to say if the wine is floral, exactly, but it is certainly very fragrant. Later one decides yes, clearly dusky red roses. The suppleness of palate is a delight, the cassis and plummy berry showing a little maturity now, slightly more oak than the 2010, the faintest touch of leather in a positive way. It would be great to see this wine in a blind tasting of the Guigal grands crus of the same year, La Mouline particularly. I doubt it will be shamed, and the oak might be subtler. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/13
Ruby and velvet, the lightest of the Trinity Hill Reds. This is the odd one out, in its 9% viognier, and what a wine it is. Styling is totally Cote Rotie, and immediately the Guigal grands crus come to mind. Like them it has a high percentage of new oak, yet it scarcely shows. The power of the wine is such that is hard at first to say if the wine is floral, exactly, but it is certainly very fragrant. Later one decides yes, clearly dusky red roses. The suppleness of palate is a delight, the cassis and plummy berry showing a little maturity now, slightly more oak than the 2010, the faintest touch of leather in a positive way. It would be great to see this wine in a blind tasting of the Guigal grands crus of the same year, La Mouline particularly. I doubt it will be shamed, and the oak might be subtler. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/13
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $153 [ cork; 15 months in French oak 70% new, 30% 1-year; RWT = Red Winemaking Trial; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, the same hue as the 2002 RWT, but not the density. Bouquet is great however, a little fresher than the 2002, with nearly a hint of dark lilac florals and cracked pepper, a distinct suggestion of syrah rather than shiraz. Palate continues in exactly the same vein, beautiful cassis, dark plum and blueberry, a toasty suggestion on the oak as if there is a barrel-ferment component, all a little fresher and crisper than the 2002, but not quite as concentrated. This too is Barossa shiraz at its best, reminiscent of the earlier famous 1970 and '71 Bin 28 shirazes. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/06
Ruby and velvet, the same hue as the 2002 RWT, but not the density. Bouquet is great however, a little fresher than the 2002, with nearly a hint of dark lilac florals and cracked pepper, a distinct suggestion of syrah rather than shiraz. Palate continues in exactly the same vein, beautiful cassis, dark plum and blueberry, a toasty suggestion on the oak as if there is a barrel-ferment component, all a little fresher and crisper than the 2002, but not quite as concentrated. This too is Barossa shiraz at its best, reminiscent of the earlier famous 1970 and '71 Bin 28 shirazes. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $26 [ cork; Me 87%, CS 5, CF 5, Ma 3; part fermented in open oak cuves; 17 months in 50% new French oak; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresh and lovely. If you've ever wondered why people talk about violets in the bouquet of good merlot, and think it's all tosh, just try this wine. The florals on bouquet are simply sensational, perfect violets, backed by soft warm ripe black plummy fruit. Palate is like velvet, great fruit, subtle oak, no winemaking infelicities, just near-perfect fragrant pure merlot of some depth and weight and Pomerol style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresh and lovely. If you've ever wondered why people talk about violets in the bouquet of good merlot, and think it's all tosh, just try this wine. The florals on bouquet are simply sensational, perfect violets, backed by soft warm ripe black plummy fruit. Palate is like velvet, great fruit, subtle oak, no winemaking infelicities, just near-perfect fragrant pure merlot of some depth and weight and Pomerol style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 04/06
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; no details on website yet; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the standard Peregrine. Bouquet has a kind of midnight darkest red going on velvety black quality to it, deeper and darker than the Peregrine, yet still clearly floral and black cherry, rather than the simpler concept of dark plums. Palate has exactly the same extraordinary quality, velvety, deep, succulent, wonderfully rich, yet neither heavy or porty, beautifully balanced, highly varietal, long in the aftertaste. Oaking is exquisite. Quite simply, buy as much of this and the 2005 Peregrine as you can afford – they are very fairly priced, in contrast to many lesser wines from other districts. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the standard Peregrine. Bouquet has a kind of midnight darkest red going on velvety black quality to it, deeper and darker than the Peregrine, yet still clearly floral and black cherry, rather than the simpler concept of dark plums. Palate has exactly the same extraordinary quality, velvety, deep, succulent, wonderfully rich, yet neither heavy or porty, beautifully balanced, highly varietal, long in the aftertaste. Oaking is exquisite. Quite simply, buy as much of this and the 2005 Peregrine as you can afford – they are very fairly priced, in contrast to many lesser wines from other districts. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $100 [ WPN ]
Full ruby. One of the biggest pinots in the entire proceedings, but magically retaining the three essentials for good pinot: striking florals, crisp and fragrant varietal berry, and hints of savoury complexities. Palate weight firm, rich, tending tannic, more obviously a cellaring wine than many, big but not heavy, beautifully balanced and dry. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/01
Full ruby. One of the biggest pinots in the entire proceedings, but magically retaining the three essentials for good pinot: striking florals, crisp and fragrant varietal berry, and hints of savoury complexities. Palate weight firm, rich, tending tannic, more obviously a cellaring wine than many, big but not heavy, beautifully balanced and dry. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/01
Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France: 14%; $499 [ cork; hand-harvested, organic vineyard practice; BF in 40% new oak, 16 months LA; www.bourgogne-chartron.com ]
Lemon, the third to lightest. Bouquet however is far from the lightest, being quiet but substantial, ripe, fragrant in a crushed oystershell, stonefruit and traces of ground almond way, clear peach flesh, barrel-ferment character, and alcohol. Palate is much bigger, by far the richest of the Chartron wines, pale stonefruit, light oak, clear mealyness from lees-autolysis, and despite the richness a firm backbone of acid. This should cellar wonderfully, 5 – 15 years. Great white burgundy. GK 04/13
Lemon, the third to lightest. Bouquet however is far from the lightest, being quiet but substantial, ripe, fragrant in a crushed oystershell, stonefruit and traces of ground almond way, clear peach flesh, barrel-ferment character, and alcohol. Palate is much bigger, by far the richest of the Chartron wines, pale stonefruit, light oak, clear mealyness from lees-autolysis, and despite the richness a firm backbone of acid. This should cellar wonderfully, 5 – 15 years. Great white burgundy. GK 04/13
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $353 [ actual vineyard; Sy 100%; average vine age 25 years; cropped 35 - 37 hL / ha; fermented in s/s, 4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of these Guigal 2001 releases. Bouquet needs a breath of air / swirling, to become the most complex of the ‘grands crus’, with suggestions of dianthus florals, dark cassis and rich fruit, spicy oak, and herbes de Provence, with an enticing savoury complexity. The spicy nearly nutmeggy oak brings the Bannockburn Shiraz from Geelong to mind. Palate is very rich, again the most complex of the top wines, great berryfruit but inclining to suggestions of over-ripeness like the other two, suggestions of pepper and spice, very dry, firm acid, all relieved by the sustained volume and complexity of bouquet in mouth. The utmost critic would notice there is a little brett in the complexity, but don't be put off by that. Tasting the concentration of this wine alongside the village Brune et Blonde makes one realise how relatively mild and commercial that very pleasant wine has become, with the flowering of the premium wines. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of these Guigal 2001 releases. Bouquet needs a breath of air / swirling, to become the most complex of the ‘grands crus’, with suggestions of dianthus florals, dark cassis and rich fruit, spicy oak, and herbes de Provence, with an enticing savoury complexity. The spicy nearly nutmeggy oak brings the Bannockburn Shiraz from Geelong to mind. Palate is very rich, again the most complex of the top wines, great berryfruit but inclining to suggestions of over-ripeness like the other two, suggestions of pepper and spice, very dry, firm acid, all relieved by the sustained volume and complexity of bouquet in mouth. The utmost critic would notice there is a little brett in the complexity, but don't be put off by that. Tasting the concentration of this wine alongside the village Brune et Blonde makes one realise how relatively mild and commercial that very pleasant wine has become, with the flowering of the premium wines. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Waimea Plains, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is classic rose-petal and wild ginger blossom with a beautiful hint of complexing citronella, sweet lees autolysis and almost mealy complexity, on equally classic lychee and pale stonefruit. Palate is both rich yet crisp, beautiful fruit and texture in mouth, near-dry, a delicate gewurz bite giving classical varietal definition, the whole wine totally Alsatian in style, long and satisfying in mouth, and not alcoholic. Apart from excess alcohol, most gewurzs fail the absolute quality test at the aftertaste stage, so many going barley-sugar and inelegant in mouth. This one sails on magnificently, refreshing and lingering for ages. It is quite simply one of the best gewurztraminers thus far made in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is classic rose-petal and wild ginger blossom with a beautiful hint of complexing citronella, sweet lees autolysis and almost mealy complexity, on equally classic lychee and pale stonefruit. Palate is both rich yet crisp, beautiful fruit and texture in mouth, near-dry, a delicate gewurz bite giving classical varietal definition, the whole wine totally Alsatian in style, long and satisfying in mouth, and not alcoholic. Apart from excess alcohol, most gewurzs fail the absolute quality test at the aftertaste stage, so many going barley-sugar and inelegant in mouth. This one sails on magnificently, refreshing and lingering for ages. It is quite simply one of the best gewurztraminers thus far made in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; SB 100%; a small percentage BF, 4 months LA; RS 1.9 g/L; www.highfield.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is intensely black passionfruit, sweet and clean, some elderflower and honeysuckle florals, scarcely a hint of musk, a marvellous modern Marlborough sauvignon. Palate is very rich, great sweet-basil-tinted black passionfruit, fresh acid but not excess, perfect residual at an imperceptible dry level. This is exceptional sauvignon, and one finds out why on visiting the website. There is absolute mastery of the oak-handled component, but the fruit must be very low-cropped too, to provide such good body at such low residual. A model wine, to cellar 5 – 12 years, on taste. GK 03/07
Lemongreen. Bouquet is intensely black passionfruit, sweet and clean, some elderflower and honeysuckle florals, scarcely a hint of musk, a marvellous modern Marlborough sauvignon. Palate is very rich, great sweet-basil-tinted black passionfruit, fresh acid but not excess, perfect residual at an imperceptible dry level. This is exceptional sauvignon, and one finds out why on visiting the website. There is absolute mastery of the oak-handled component, but the fruit must be very low-cropped too, to provide such good body at such low residual. A model wine, to cellar 5 – 12 years, on taste. GK 03/07
Brancott Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $28 [ screwcap; Gw 100%, night-picked for optimum flavour retention from 14-year vines; overnight skin contact, no press-wine, clear-settled juice cool-fermented with commercial yeasts, no MLF component; made as 'vendage tardive'; pH 3.67; RS 8.7 g/L; dry extract 27.4; www.saintclair.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, the deepest of the whites. Bouquet is sensationally varietal, a combination of wild ginger blossom and yellow himalayan honeysuckle florals on lychee and stonefruit, with clear spice too, and the pungent floral note of lemon balm also hinted at. This can be a negative, but is OK here. Palate is rich, dramatically varietal and saturated with fruit, the phenolics and spice of the variety adding backbone and length to the rich fruit, all sustained by a similar residual sugar to the two pinot gris. For both the pinot gris and this gewurztraminer, they all have the body to go with food very well, but the trick is to match the particular flavours and touch of tannin with appropriate foods, including some spiced / Asian dishes. This wine marches in Alsatian company. Cellar 2 – 6 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw, the deepest of the whites. Bouquet is sensationally varietal, a combination of wild ginger blossom and yellow himalayan honeysuckle florals on lychee and stonefruit, with clear spice too, and the pungent floral note of lemon balm also hinted at. This can be a negative, but is OK here. Palate is rich, dramatically varietal and saturated with fruit, the phenolics and spice of the variety adding backbone and length to the rich fruit, all sustained by a similar residual sugar to the two pinot gris. For both the pinot gris and this gewurztraminer, they all have the body to go with food very well, but the trick is to match the particular flavours and touch of tannin with appropriate foods, including some spiced / Asian dishes. This wine marches in Alsatian company. Cellar 2 – 6 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/13
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $49 [ screwcap; hand-harvested clone mendoza planted in 1990; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak up to 30% new; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
This magnificent chardonnay bridges the gap between the subtle 2008 Coddington and the bolder 2007 Riflemans, being richer and more yellow-fruited than Coddington, but with the same great finesse. Palate is firmer and finer than the 2007 Riflemans, so some may prefer the greater flesh of Riflemans, some the leaner thoroughbred Maté's. Both are magnificent New Zealand chardonnays, which can be shown confidently to overseas visitors. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 10/10
This magnificent chardonnay bridges the gap between the subtle 2008 Coddington and the bolder 2007 Riflemans, being richer and more yellow-fruited than Coddington, but with the same great finesse. Palate is firmer and finer than the 2007 Riflemans, so some may prefer the greater flesh of Riflemans, some the leaner thoroughbred Maté's. Both are magnificent New Zealand chardonnays, which can be shown confidently to overseas visitors. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 10/10
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.9%; $842 [ Cork, 54mm; Sy 100; price given is wine-searcher average for that vintage of the wine; general elevation etc see Intro; John Comerford has drawn my attention to recent Forum discussions, with rather many comments that the wine is now inconsistent, many bottles not matching the high praise of Parker. There is speculation it was not all bottled as one batch. We can only hope that in our more temperate climate, New Zealand bottles will be better, but we need to note, 1990 dates from before the general use of temperature-controlled shipping; Robinson, 2001: (8 separate tastings betweeen 1994 and 2011, marks vary 17.5 to 19.5, the earlier marks higher, as here) This is a gloriously glossy standard bearer. It is concentrated, inky, rich and spicy and should ideally be kept for quite a while but there is so much sheer weight that the ripeness of the fruit will console you over the tannic spine should you decide to open a bottle now. It's the purity and freshness of the fruit that is so impressive about this classic bottle, 19; Parker, 1997: (5 separate notes between 1992 and 2000, scores 99 increasing to 100) ... The 1990 La Chapelle is monumental. Tasted several times in 1996 along with the 1989, 1988, 1983, and 1978, it was easily the most intense and complete wine of the group. The finest La Chapelle made since the 1961 and 1959, it is even richer, deeper, and more highly extracted than the perfect 1978. The percentage of new oak was increased to 50% because of the wine's power. The maceration period lasted an amazing 44 days. While Jaboulet experimented with prebottling filtration during the mid-eighties, this wine was put in the bottle with no processing. The huge nose of pepper, underbrush, and black fruits displays amazing intensity. In the mouth the wine has awesome concentration, extraordinary balance and power, and a fabulously long, huge finish that lasts for more than a minute. The tannins are considerable, but the prodigious quantities of sweet fruit and multidimensional, layered feel to the wine make it one of the most incredible young red wines I have ever tasted, 100; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the second bottle young for its age, clearly younger than the 1996 or 1999, the third deepest in colour. Bouquet is quiet, understated, not because it is reductive, just because it is incredibly taut. There are browning cassis and bottled black-doris plum components, like the 2010 maybe a hint of black pepper tied up in the oak, and amazingly, as the wine breathes up in the glass, 24 hours later it is fresher, much closer to the 2010, not the 2009. This surprised me, my general experience of 1990 French wines being the year was somewhat too warm for the aromatic characters I seek. Flavours follow logically, a really taut palate, not rich or heavy but very satisfying. The browning cassis component is now dominant, with a hint of brown mushroom. It is astonishing how akin these two wines are, despite there being 20 years between them: they stand above the others. Lovely now, but will cellar another 20 years. Three people had this as their favourite wine. The first bottle opened showed unacceptable oxidation, despite the cork appearing perfect – always an acute disappointment in a bottle at this value. John Comerford generously equipped the tasting with two bottles, in case. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, the second bottle young for its age, clearly younger than the 1996 or 1999, the third deepest in colour. Bouquet is quiet, understated, not because it is reductive, just because it is incredibly taut. There are browning cassis and bottled black-doris plum components, like the 2010 maybe a hint of black pepper tied up in the oak, and amazingly, as the wine breathes up in the glass, 24 hours later it is fresher, much closer to the 2010, not the 2009. This surprised me, my general experience of 1990 French wines being the year was somewhat too warm for the aromatic characters I seek. Flavours follow logically, a really taut palate, not rich or heavy but very satisfying. The browning cassis component is now dominant, with a hint of brown mushroom. It is astonishing how akin these two wines are, despite there being 20 years between them: they stand above the others. Lovely now, but will cellar another 20 years. Three people had this as their favourite wine. The first bottle opened showed unacceptable oxidation, despite the cork appearing perfect – always an acute disappointment in a bottle at this value. John Comerford generously equipped the tasting with two bottles, in case. GK 09/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $ – [ cork; Me 40%, CS 30, CF 30; release date: the future of this wine is now uncertain, with the withdrawal of Mark Blake from the New Zealand wine scene. It originally was intended for 2008 release at about the $80 mark; second wine 2005 Alluviale; www.bfvwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Freshly poured this wine is a little reticent, but with air the bouquet opens to be a little more aromatic than some, the new oak of potentially cedary quality infusing the cassis and darkest plum delightfully. Richness on palate is excellent, real cassis evident, all lingering well. This looks every bit as good as the previous report (30/11/06), and though perhaps slightly oakier than then registered, this too can be compared with classed growth Bordeaux, given the increasing use of new oak there. It has the fruit to blend it away. It might even be richer (in terms of dry extract) than The Quarry – an intriguing thought for tastings in 10 years time. Exciting wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Freshly poured this wine is a little reticent, but with air the bouquet opens to be a little more aromatic than some, the new oak of potentially cedary quality infusing the cassis and darkest plum delightfully. Richness on palate is excellent, real cassis evident, all lingering well. This looks every bit as good as the previous report (30/11/06), and though perhaps slightly oakier than then registered, this too can be compared with classed growth Bordeaux, given the increasing use of new oak there. It has the fruit to blend it away. It might even be richer (in terms of dry extract) than The Quarry – an intriguing thought for tastings in 10 years time. Exciting wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $125 [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-picked from hand-tended vines managed to optimise grape quality; cuvaison extending to 42 days; 15 months in barrel c.33% new; 76 cases; the wine is named for Brother Cyprian Huchet, the first winemaker at The Mission, until 1899; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, not the deepest of these four syrahs. Bouquet is simply sensational, totally berry dominant, totally syrah, illustrating a rich dark wallflower and darkest rose aroma, some vanillin new oak, hints of sweet black pepper, and rich bottled omega plums. In mouth, the wine is velvety rich, the fruit flavours now expanding to include cassis and blueberry, even a hint of blackberries-in-the-sun, a suggestion of savoury complexity like many Hermitage or Cornas syrahs. The texture is extraordinary, velvety rich, oak more apparent than the Homage, but still relatively in the background. This wine could not have been any riper, if it were to retain clear syrah definition (as opposed to shiraz). In style it is reminiscent of both coolest vintages of Rosemount Balmoral, and the remarkable 2010 Passage Rock Magnus. There are only 76 cases of this velvety beauty, so purchase direct (and soon) from the vineyard is recommended. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, not the deepest of these four syrahs. Bouquet is simply sensational, totally berry dominant, totally syrah, illustrating a rich dark wallflower and darkest rose aroma, some vanillin new oak, hints of sweet black pepper, and rich bottled omega plums. In mouth, the wine is velvety rich, the fruit flavours now expanding to include cassis and blueberry, even a hint of blackberries-in-the-sun, a suggestion of savoury complexity like many Hermitage or Cornas syrahs. The texture is extraordinary, velvety rich, oak more apparent than the Homage, but still relatively in the background. This wine could not have been any riper, if it were to retain clear syrah definition (as opposed to shiraz). In style it is reminiscent of both coolest vintages of Rosemount Balmoral, and the remarkable 2010 Passage Rock Magnus. There are only 76 cases of this velvety beauty, so purchase direct (and soon) from the vineyard is recommended. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $95 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ c.5 t/ha (2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated, cuvaison c. 24 days; MLF and 20 months in French oak 39% new; sterile-filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. Bouquet is simply classical syrah in the sense of Hermitage, dense cassis lifted with soft floral wallflower-like notes, plus wonderful purity and depth. Palate is a beautiful condensation of the bouquet, bountiful cassis grading to darkest plum, potentially cedary oak, perfect balance for an Hermitage styling. The quality of varietal berry is close to the definitive 2009 Church Road, but here rendered firmer by a little more oak. Great to see the finessing of Le Sol over the decade – this should be the finest one so far. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 07/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. Bouquet is simply classical syrah in the sense of Hermitage, dense cassis lifted with soft floral wallflower-like notes, plus wonderful purity and depth. Palate is a beautiful condensation of the bouquet, bountiful cassis grading to darkest plum, potentially cedary oak, perfect balance for an Hermitage styling. The quality of varietal berry is close to the definitive 2009 Church Road, but here rendered firmer by a little more oak. Great to see the finessing of Le Sol over the decade – this should be the finest one so far. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 07/12
Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; biodynamic vineyards, average vine age c.40 years; full MLF, c.12 months in barrel, 33% new, with batonnage; Domaine Bonneau du Martray is the single largest holding in Corton-Charlemagne at 9.5 hectares; the website is simply a statement the establishment exists, and cannot receive visitors – no info; www.bonneaudumartray.com ]
The colour is sensational lemongreen, the palest of the set. Bouquet is in the white stonefruits style of the 2009, but with greater crushed oystershell minerality. It is as pure as the 2009, scarcely any high-solids notes at all. On palate the purity of chardonnay varietal fruit is a delight, still pale white stonefruits, not as rich as the 2005 but contrasting delightfully in the white vs yellow nature of the fruit. The crushed oystershell minerality lasts right through to the aftertaste, very distinctive. Cellar another eight years, at least. This one is not is not quite as concentrated as the top two, but is purer even than the 2009. GK 05/13
The colour is sensational lemongreen, the palest of the set. Bouquet is in the white stonefruits style of the 2009, but with greater crushed oystershell minerality. It is as pure as the 2009, scarcely any high-solids notes at all. On palate the purity of chardonnay varietal fruit is a delight, still pale white stonefruits, not as rich as the 2005 but contrasting delightfully in the white vs yellow nature of the fruit. The crushed oystershell minerality lasts right through to the aftertaste, very distinctive. Cellar another eight years, at least. This one is not is not quite as concentrated as the top two, but is purer even than the 2009. GK 05/13
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 10 months in new oak; gold medal @ 2006 Easter Show; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. This wine was for me the highlight of the blind International Syrah Tasting presented by Remington Norman. In its beautiful darkest violets floral bouquet leading into rich cassis and blackest plum, it reminded of fine Hermitage. There is a suggestion of black peppercorn and spice, and it is all made aromatic by new oak (with a whisper of fragrant American too, I thought), yet not dominated by it. Sadly the alcohol is 14.5%, so like le Sol, it won't be so simpatico with some foods for a number of years, but it is a wonderful statement about New Zealand syrah. I note that some detractors in previous vintages have grizzled about brett in "all" Waiheke wines, so it is worth observing that in practical terms, this is pure. Cellar 10 – 20 years, particularly keeping it for blind comparative world-wide tastings. This is a really exciting New Zealand red. GK 01/07
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. This wine was for me the highlight of the blind International Syrah Tasting presented by Remington Norman. In its beautiful darkest violets floral bouquet leading into rich cassis and blackest plum, it reminded of fine Hermitage. There is a suggestion of black peppercorn and spice, and it is all made aromatic by new oak (with a whisper of fragrant American too, I thought), yet not dominated by it. Sadly the alcohol is 14.5%, so like le Sol, it won't be so simpatico with some foods for a number of years, but it is a wonderful statement about New Zealand syrah. I note that some detractors in previous vintages have grizzled about brett in "all" Waiheke wines, so it is worth observing that in practical terms, this is pure. Cellar 10 – 20 years, particularly keeping it for blind comparative world-wide tastings. This is a really exciting New Zealand red. GK 01/07
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ screwcap; mainly clone 15, hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed @ 1.75 t/ac (lower than usual); wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is sensational, showing the subtle acacia blossom floral qualities of finest chardonnay, very sensitively handled in oak. There is fine potential mealyness and white more than yellow stonefruit. Palate shows outstanding poise and elegance, no borderline reduction / toastyness as mentioned for the 2007 Riflemans, just the Meursault-like potential mealyness. This is not a big wine compared with Riflemans, but it is exquisitely fine, and tauter, illustrating New Zealand chardonnay at the highest international level. Cellar 3 – 10 years, if older chardonnay appeals. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is sensational, showing the subtle acacia blossom floral qualities of finest chardonnay, very sensitively handled in oak. There is fine potential mealyness and white more than yellow stonefruit. Palate shows outstanding poise and elegance, no borderline reduction / toastyness as mentioned for the 2007 Riflemans, just the Meursault-like potential mealyness. This is not a big wine compared with Riflemans, but it is exquisitely fine, and tauter, illustrating New Zealand chardonnay at the highest international level. Cellar 3 – 10 years, if older chardonnay appeals. GK 10/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.9%; $35 [ supercritical ‘cork’; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ c.1.2 t/ac, all de-stemmed, cultured yeast, cold soak up to 14 days and cuvaison up to 35 days; MLF and 12 months in barrel 90% French and 17% new, older American 10%; not sterile-filtered; 75 cases, release date Sept. 2009, the proprietor Steve Poletti offers an en primeur programme; website not up yet; ‘Dark dense complex wine from a fantastic vintage.’; www.awaroawines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is very ripe syrah, tip-toeing into Australian territory in the sense the thought ‘porty’ did pass through my mind to first sniff. On closer examination however it is explicitly black-pepper cool-climate syrah with dark cassis and nearly floral characters (but not as much as 2007 Bullnose), with some blueberry and black olive aromas too. Palate is strange, deeply spicy on the black pepper, rich and nearly viscous like a Napa Valley zinfandel, clearly spirity yet not rough, nor is it too oaky. Yet somehow the wine doesn’t quite gel, presumably because it is recently bottled. The ripeness of the fruit exceeds anything else on the table, the acid balance is appropriate, oak is subtle, and it is intensely varietal as syrah, not shiraz, so (later) no more thoughts of Australia. The closest analogy might be brett-free Californian syrah, or Le Sol, but it is subtler than the latter, with a beautiful pure chewing-on-grapeskins finish. I suspect in another year this will be looking sensational, despite the alcohol, and my mark though a bit gambitous, reflects that. Young syrahs are hard to assess accurately in their first six months or so after release. Te Mata’s Bullnose only blossoms after the 24-months-from-vintage stage, for example. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is very ripe syrah, tip-toeing into Australian territory in the sense the thought ‘porty’ did pass through my mind to first sniff. On closer examination however it is explicitly black-pepper cool-climate syrah with dark cassis and nearly floral characters (but not as much as 2007 Bullnose), with some blueberry and black olive aromas too. Palate is strange, deeply spicy on the black pepper, rich and nearly viscous like a Napa Valley zinfandel, clearly spirity yet not rough, nor is it too oaky. Yet somehow the wine doesn’t quite gel, presumably because it is recently bottled. The ripeness of the fruit exceeds anything else on the table, the acid balance is appropriate, oak is subtle, and it is intensely varietal as syrah, not shiraz, so (later) no more thoughts of Australia. The closest analogy might be brett-free Californian syrah, or Le Sol, but it is subtler than the latter, with a beautiful pure chewing-on-grapeskins finish. I suspect in another year this will be looking sensational, despite the alcohol, and my mark though a bit gambitous, reflects that. Young syrahs are hard to assess accurately in their first six months or so after release. Te Mata’s Bullnose only blossoms after the 24-months-from-vintage stage, for example. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ CS 71%, Ma 15, Me 14; www.kingsley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not the deepest of the set. This is a stunning bouquet, standing out in this bracket of cabernet / merlot and related wines from the Gimblett Gravels. In its beautiful violets florals, aromatic cassis and dark red berries, plus potentially cedary subtle oak, it is much the closest to classed Bordeaux in style. Palate is aromatic, intensely cabernet, not as weighty as some nor as alcoholic as others, just gorgeous crisp flavoursome fruit of great potential complexity. Marvellous wine, though not as rich as the Villa Merlot or the Unison Selection. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not the deepest of the set. This is a stunning bouquet, standing out in this bracket of cabernet / merlot and related wines from the Gimblett Gravels. In its beautiful violets florals, aromatic cassis and dark red berries, plus potentially cedary subtle oak, it is much the closest to classed Bordeaux in style. Palate is aromatic, intensely cabernet, not as weighty as some nor as alcoholic as others, just gorgeous crisp flavoursome fruit of great potential complexity. Marvellous wine, though not as rich as the Villa Merlot or the Unison Selection. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $80 [ cork; Me 40%, CS 30, CF 30; release date Sept. 07; goal of Californian proprietor Mark Blake is simply to make world-class merlot / cabernet in New Zealand; second wine Alluviale; www.bfvwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Freshly poured this wine is a little reticent, but with air the bouquet opens to be a little more aromatic than some, the new oak of potentially cedary quality infusing cassis and darkest plum delightfully. Richness on palate is excellent, real cassis evident, all lingering well. This looks every bit as good as the previous report (30/11/06), and though perhaps slightly oakier than then registered, this too can be compared with classed growth Bordeaux, given the increasing use of new oak there. It has the fruit to blend it away. It might even be richer (in terms of dry extract) than The Quarry – an intriguing thought for tastings in 15 years time. Exciting wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Freshly poured this wine is a little reticent, but with air the bouquet opens to be a little more aromatic than some, the new oak of potentially cedary quality infusing cassis and darkest plum delightfully. Richness on palate is excellent, real cassis evident, all lingering well. This looks every bit as good as the previous report (30/11/06), and though perhaps slightly oakier than then registered, this too can be compared with classed growth Bordeaux, given the increasing use of new oak there. It has the fruit to blend it away. It might even be richer (in terms of dry extract) than The Quarry – an intriguing thought for tastings in 15 years time. Exciting wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ cork; Me 87%, Ma 3, CS 5, CF 5, hand-harvested @ c 3 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; 17 months in French oak 50% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet is wonderfully ripe and rich, with violets and dark rose florals nearly as voluminous as Sophia, on round ripe plummy fruit. Palate is velvety plums, great length and depth, not quite the sparkle the extra new oak gives Sophia, but seemingly softer and richer and more varietal as a consequence. A few years ago, the thought of such a pinpoint varietal merlot being available on the New Zealand market in the $20 range was unthinkable. Marvellous wine, to cellar 5 – 15 years. The red wine buy of the year, in my view. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet is wonderfully ripe and rich, with violets and dark rose florals nearly as voluminous as Sophia, on round ripe plummy fruit. Palate is velvety plums, great length and depth, not quite the sparkle the extra new oak gives Sophia, but seemingly softer and richer and more varietal as a consequence. A few years ago, the thought of such a pinpoint varietal merlot being available on the New Zealand market in the $20 range was unthinkable. Marvellous wine, to cellar 5 – 15 years. The red wine buy of the year, in my view. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $60 [ cork; DFB; Me 92%, CF 7, CS 1; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 20 months in 70% new French oak; release date 1 June ’06; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great density, and a fresher hue than The Quarry, superb. Bouquet on this wine is back to the obviously violets and merlot-dominant St Emilion / Pomerol style of Craggy's Gimblett Merlot, but a little quieter at this stage. It is more oaky than that wine, but as with most of these top Craggy reds in 2004, the oak handling is exemplary, well matching the richness of the fruit. Bouquet complexity should develop in bottle. The actual freshness and intensity of berry is stunning. Palate is in one sense merely a more oaky version of the Gimblett wine, designed for a longer cellar life. With its percentage of cabernets, continuing the French analogy, this wine will be a marvellous foil for 2003 and 2005 St Emilions and Pomerols, in future comparative tastings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great density, and a fresher hue than The Quarry, superb. Bouquet on this wine is back to the obviously violets and merlot-dominant St Emilion / Pomerol style of Craggy's Gimblett Merlot, but a little quieter at this stage. It is more oaky than that wine, but as with most of these top Craggy reds in 2004, the oak handling is exemplary, well matching the richness of the fruit. Bouquet complexity should develop in bottle. The actual freshness and intensity of berry is stunning. Palate is in one sense merely a more oaky version of the Gimblett wine, designed for a longer cellar life. With its percentage of cabernets, continuing the French analogy, this wine will be a marvellous foil for 2003 and 2005 St Emilions and Pomerols, in future comparative tastings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Piedmont D.O.C.G., Italy: 5.7%; $17 [ cork; moscato di canelli on hillslopes around Canelli; 6.8% alcohol on website; Moscato d’Asti held in higher regard than the Spumante versions; www.chiarlo.it/English ]
Pale lemon green, very spritz / frizzante. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, heavenly freesias and sweet muscat, sweetly floral, subtle yet rich, lovely. Palate is total asti, exceptionally clean, concentrated, refreshing on the C02 load, perfect varietal definition, medium in sweetness with good acid. This is top-flight. Not a cellar wine beyond a year or so. GK 08/05
Pale lemon green, very spritz / frizzante. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, heavenly freesias and sweet muscat, sweetly floral, subtle yet rich, lovely. Palate is total asti, exceptionally clean, concentrated, refreshing on the C02 load, perfect varietal definition, medium in sweetness with good acid. This is top-flight. Not a cellar wine beyond a year or so. GK 08/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $64 [ screwcap; CS 76, Me 24, hand-picked, all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies up to 30 days; 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS nil; minimal fining and filtration; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. And the bouquet is simply astonishing, being sweetly floral as in violets and also (unpredictably) honeysuckle, on a depth of cassisy berry made aromatic by cedary oak, which all-in-all is totally classed growth Bordeaux. The palate is just as good, saturated cassis and dark plum, yet dry, wonderful length and breadth, very serious elevation (unlike some other reds here), a wine ideally suited to cellar investment. This is one of the great New Zealand bordeaux blends, which will give much pleasure. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 04/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. And the bouquet is simply astonishing, being sweetly floral as in violets and also (unpredictably) honeysuckle, on a depth of cassisy berry made aromatic by cedary oak, which all-in-all is totally classed growth Bordeaux. The palate is just as good, saturated cassis and dark plum, yet dry, wonderful length and breadth, very serious elevation (unlike some other reds here), a wine ideally suited to cellar investment. This is one of the great New Zealand bordeaux blends, which will give much pleasure. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 04/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $371 [ cork, 54mm, ullage 24mm; original price $49; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Broadbent, 2003: Chateauneuf-du-Pape was also successful, producing rich, complete reds, *****; Parker vintage chart rating: 94; J.L-L, 2002: ... broad, sappy, impressive big bouquet – loganberries lead the way ... evolves towards fungal, animal airs and a red mineral top note. Shows violets the next day ... wholesome, full palate, filled with brambly fruit ... and a sinewed, red berry texture late in the day, 2019 – 2022, *****; Robinson again has six reviews, most unusual, showing the esteem in which the 1989 and 1990 twosome is held in the UK. JH@JR, 2010: So delicate and perfumed and yet still well structured on the palate. Seems much younger than the 1990. Graceful, silky, juicy and lingering and hardly any undergrowth or leather as yet. A beautiful wine, 2001 – 2019, 18.5; RP@RP, 2003: The 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, black cherries, Asian spices, and cassis. Full-bodied and concentrated, it is one of the most powerful as well as highly extracted Beaucastels I have ever tasted, 2006 – 2023, 97; JS@WS, 1991: Wine Spectator 1991 Wine of the Year: Perhaps the greatest Beaucastel ever produced. Has the class and structure of a great vintage of Mouton-Rothschild. Deep, inky in color, with intense herb, plum, game and spice aromas, this full-bodied wine has an explosion of fruit and an iron backbone. Try the beginning of next century, 97; weight bottle and closure: 663 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby and more garnet than the 2001, a glowing mature burgundy colour, fresher than the 1990, the second lightest in depth. Bouquet is magical, total vinosity, a perfect illustration of a Southern Rhone Valley wine showing mature, lightly spicy, berryfruit with grenache and syrah dominant. There is some floral garigue complexity, and ‘sweet’ benign brett, with nutmeg and veal casserole (including bouquet garni) aromas, even a suggestion of umami. Palate is rich, soft, silky, superb balance of mature fruit to invisible oak, gentle acid balance, a wine absolutely burgundian in its beauty ... and crying out for a superb main-course. This is Chateauneuf-du-Pape at its subtlest and finest: soft, fragrant, round and velvety. Leaving aside the Mouton analogy, how correct and perceptive Wine Spectator was, all those years ago. Anybody who rejects this wine on a detectable brett factor simply does not like red wine very much / does not know about the joys of red wine with complex meat dishes / has their priorities totally wrong. Top wine for three tasters, and second favourite for one. Eight tasters detected brett, and four thought it excessive. Exquisite and perfectly mature now at 32 years, but will hold for 5 – 8 years more, the aftertaste pure. As with all wines showing brett, other bottles may be lesser. GK 05/21
Ruby and more garnet than the 2001, a glowing mature burgundy colour, fresher than the 1990, the second lightest in depth. Bouquet is magical, total vinosity, a perfect illustration of a Southern Rhone Valley wine showing mature, lightly spicy, berryfruit with grenache and syrah dominant. There is some floral garigue complexity, and ‘sweet’ benign brett, with nutmeg and veal casserole (including bouquet garni) aromas, even a suggestion of umami. Palate is rich, soft, silky, superb balance of mature fruit to invisible oak, gentle acid balance, a wine absolutely burgundian in its beauty ... and crying out for a superb main-course. This is Chateauneuf-du-Pape at its subtlest and finest: soft, fragrant, round and velvety. Leaving aside the Mouton analogy, how correct and perceptive Wine Spectator was, all those years ago. Anybody who rejects this wine on a detectable brett factor simply does not like red wine very much / does not know about the joys of red wine with complex meat dishes / has their priorities totally wrong. Top wine for three tasters, and second favourite for one. Eight tasters detected brett, and four thought it excessive. Exquisite and perfectly mature now at 32 years, but will hold for 5 – 8 years more, the aftertaste pure. As with all wines showing brett, other bottles may be lesser. GK 05/21
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 14%; $125
Rich pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, this is softly charry and looking quite modern in its oak treatment. With just a little breathing however, exquisite florals including violets blossom in the glass, in a wine of stunning purity. Palate is essence of pinot, potentially velvety, no excess of oak despite the first impression, saturated dark cherries yet no plummy heaviness, completely beautiful and one of the richest of the Girardins. Cellar to 25 + years. GK 08/04
Rich pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, this is softly charry and looking quite modern in its oak treatment. With just a little breathing however, exquisite florals including violets blossom in the glass, in a wine of stunning purity. Palate is essence of pinot, potentially velvety, no excess of oak despite the first impression, saturated dark cherries yet no plummy heaviness, completely beautiful and one of the richest of the Girardins. Cellar to 25 + years. GK 08/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.1%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 62%, CF 34, CS 4, hand-harvested @ 3.75 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 19 months in 80% new French oak; fined and filtered; 2500 cases; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. This is spellbinding wine, showing to perfection dense rich darkest plums-in-the sun aromas which are nearly floral, but all just a wee bit big and spirity and darkest chocolate, a hint of sur-maturité maybe. It is not quite as aromatic and fresh as The Quarry, but then neither is it cabernet-dominant. Palate is velvety, tremendous dry extract, oak beautifully in balance, the plush flavour lingering for ages. This is classic merlot, Pomerol in style, and in the upper equal-to-classed-growth range of the hierarchy. It is great to see even this biggest of the 2005 Craggys showing such restraint compared with some earlier years. In some ways it is a wine of Napa Valley richness too, yet it's cooler-climate freshness and fragrance is always evident. Either this or the more fragrant but fractionally lighter straight 2005 Gimblett Gravels Merlot is arguably the best merlot-dominant wine made in (post-Prohibition) New Zealand, though the marvellous 2004 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Merlot, just fractionally cooler and hence more floral, might pip the latter at the post. I don't have it alongside. Sophia will cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe more. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. This is spellbinding wine, showing to perfection dense rich darkest plums-in-the sun aromas which are nearly floral, but all just a wee bit big and spirity and darkest chocolate, a hint of sur-maturité maybe. It is not quite as aromatic and fresh as The Quarry, but then neither is it cabernet-dominant. Palate is velvety, tremendous dry extract, oak beautifully in balance, the plush flavour lingering for ages. This is classic merlot, Pomerol in style, and in the upper equal-to-classed-growth range of the hierarchy. It is great to see even this biggest of the 2005 Craggys showing such restraint compared with some earlier years. In some ways it is a wine of Napa Valley richness too, yet it's cooler-climate freshness and fragrance is always evident. Either this or the more fragrant but fractionally lighter straight 2005 Gimblett Gravels Merlot is arguably the best merlot-dominant wine made in (post-Prohibition) New Zealand, though the marvellous 2004 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Merlot, just fractionally cooler and hence more floral, might pip the latter at the post. I don't have it alongside. Sophia will cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe more. GK 05/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; Me 60%, CS 21, Ma 19; open-top fermenters, MLF in barrel, French oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, younger than the 2001. Bouquet is delightful, the same cassis and dark plum richness as the 2002, but all a notch less ripe and weighty, less oaky, and more fragrant and complex. Unlike the 2002, it is closer to Bordeaux than Australia in style. The palate shows delightful cassisy berry and fruit, attractive integration, and an appealing fruit to oak ratio, altogether more subtle and fragrant than the 2002. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/05
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, younger than the 2001. Bouquet is delightful, the same cassis and dark plum richness as the 2002, but all a notch less ripe and weighty, less oaky, and more fragrant and complex. Unlike the 2002, it is closer to Bordeaux than Australia in style. The palate shows delightful cassisy berry and fruit, attractive integration, and an appealing fruit to oak ratio, altogether more subtle and fragrant than the 2002. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/05
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $209
A good pinot ruby, a little older than some. Though still a little new-oaky (as most of the Girardin Grands Crus are), this is a magically burgundian bouquet. Stunning florals come first, with roses and boronia, then marvellous cherry fruit, all totally pure and ripe. Palate is long, aromatic, supple, re-stating the bouquet, and leaving florals on the palate – the so-called (and elusive) peacock's tail. Very beautiful wine, richer than the Girardin Clos de la Roche or Chambertin. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
A good pinot ruby, a little older than some. Though still a little new-oaky (as most of the Girardin Grands Crus are), this is a magically burgundian bouquet. Stunning florals come first, with roses and boronia, then marvellous cherry fruit, all totally pure and ripe. Palate is long, aromatic, supple, re-stating the bouquet, and leaving florals on the palate – the so-called (and elusive) peacock's tail. Very beautiful wine, richer than the Girardin Clos de la Roche or Chambertin. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments; partial MLF, 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak; RS <2g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemon-straw with a light gold wash, deeper than the 2005 Sauvage. The contrast between the 2007 and the 2005 Riflemans is vivid, but both are great chardonnays. The 2005 is now at its first point of maturity, with mellow and enticing aromas of golden queen peach rather than nectarines, yellow butter rather than white, and stunning baguette-crust complexity. The oak component is now completely integrated and invisible. Palate is rich and round yet still fine and fresh. Though you can smell butter in the best sense, it does not taste of it, and there is no hint of flabbyness. Oak is apparent on the later palate – compared with the top Kumeu chardonnays oak is at a maximum in Riflemans. This will hold for another 2 – 4 years, depending on how old you like your chardonnay. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw with a light gold wash, deeper than the 2005 Sauvage. The contrast between the 2007 and the 2005 Riflemans is vivid, but both are great chardonnays. The 2005 is now at its first point of maturity, with mellow and enticing aromas of golden queen peach rather than nectarines, yellow butter rather than white, and stunning baguette-crust complexity. The oak component is now completely integrated and invisible. Palate is rich and round yet still fine and fresh. Though you can smell butter in the best sense, it does not taste of it, and there is no hint of flabbyness. Oak is apparent on the later palate – compared with the top Kumeu chardonnays oak is at a maximum in Riflemans. This will hold for another 2 – 4 years, depending on how old you like your chardonnay. GK 10/10
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 10.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; cool-fermented totally in s/s; RS 188 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Straw with a lemon wash, very good. Bouquet here shows all the subtlety and finesse the Late-Harvest lacks. [ In one sense it is a surprise Villa Maria showed the lesser Late-Harvest wine against such a benchmark wine, but I guess in the context of such a spectacular lunch, and being the eleventh wine in the presentation sequence, they hoped people would not notice.] The bouquet is demonstration-quality pale honeyed botrytis on ripe riesling fruit, citrus with a green limey edge, subtlest marmalade, stunning purity, very high-tech. Palate is simply luscious, gorgeous freshness, excellent richness and nectary flavours, all lasting well in mouth despite slightly low total acid. Villa Maria have off and on (as the season dictates) made some beautiful Reserve Noble Rieslings since the 1990s, and this is one of the good ones. Well worth investing in, and cellaring 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Straw with a lemon wash, very good. Bouquet here shows all the subtlety and finesse the Late-Harvest lacks. [ In one sense it is a surprise Villa Maria showed the lesser Late-Harvest wine against such a benchmark wine, but I guess in the context of such a spectacular lunch, and being the eleventh wine in the presentation sequence, they hoped people would not notice.] The bouquet is demonstration-quality pale honeyed botrytis on ripe riesling fruit, citrus with a green limey edge, subtlest marmalade, stunning purity, very high-tech. Palate is simply luscious, gorgeous freshness, excellent richness and nectary flavours, all lasting well in mouth despite slightly low total acid. Villa Maria have off and on (as the season dictates) made some beautiful Reserve Noble Rieslings since the 1990s, and this is one of the good ones. Well worth investing in, and cellaring 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 14%; $195
Rich pinot noir ruby. From the moment of pouring, bouquet on this wine is one kind of pinot noir perfection, showing clearcut florals embracing both violets and suggestions of boronia (both gorgeous sweetly-scented flowers, yet it is amazing how many people cannot smell boronia), all made aromatic by finest fragrant oak. Palate is equally sublime, model pinot noir, soft, velvety, caressing, yet firmly aromatic on crunchy cherry fruit, rich yet as light as a feather. Nearly as rich as the Charmes, more floral, a little more new oaky at this stage. Cellar to 20 + years. GK 08/04
Rich pinot noir ruby. From the moment of pouring, bouquet on this wine is one kind of pinot noir perfection, showing clearcut florals embracing both violets and suggestions of boronia (both gorgeous sweetly-scented flowers, yet it is amazing how many people cannot smell boronia), all made aromatic by finest fragrant oak. Palate is equally sublime, model pinot noir, soft, velvety, caressing, yet firmly aromatic on crunchy cherry fruit, rich yet as light as a feather. Nearly as rich as the Charmes, more floral, a little more new oaky at this stage. Cellar to 20 + years. GK 08/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ Me 92%, Ma 5, CF 3; French oak 75% new, 12 months, plus 6 months in 2-year; www.sacredhill.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the best colours. Does need decanting, but breathes to a wonderful rich violets and cassis bouquet in which varietal fruit dominates oak beautifully. This is clearly good classed Bordeaux quality. Palate is succulent with cassisy and darkly plummy fruit, and fine oak now appears adding to the good structure. Incredibly, the suggestions of violets continues on the palate, and the concentration of fruit is superb, without being heavy. This is one of the greatest Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux Blends made thus far in New Zealand. It was one of the top two wines amongst tasters generally, with a number of winemakers voting it their top wine. Cellar to 20 years. GK 10/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the best colours. Does need decanting, but breathes to a wonderful rich violets and cassis bouquet in which varietal fruit dominates oak beautifully. This is clearly good classed Bordeaux quality. Palate is succulent with cassisy and darkly plummy fruit, and fine oak now appears adding to the good structure. Incredibly, the suggestions of violets continues on the palate, and the concentration of fruit is superb, without being heavy. This is one of the greatest Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux Blends made thus far in New Zealand. It was one of the top two wines amongst tasters generally, with a number of winemakers voting it their top wine. Cellar to 20 years. GK 10/04
Gimblett Gravels 72% & Ngatarawa Triangle 28, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $38 [ cork; CS 54%, Me 41, CF 5, all hand-picked at c.6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac from (on average) 10-year old vines; cuvaison extended to 35 days for some components; MLF and 22 months in 100% French oak c.50% new, with no BF or lees stirring, just racking; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
This wine was part of the Lincoln tasting – these were documented in more detail. It was one of the three blends designed to show complete wines, in contrast to the single varieties introducing the tasting. Being the richest of the three, it was placed last in the line-up. It opened completely consistently with previous bottles and previous notes on this site. It is a much bolder and richer style of Bordeaux blend, emulating something like an antipodean Las-Cases maybe. It will be a great New Zealand red, when cellared 5 – 20 years. GK 10/10
This wine was part of the Lincoln tasting – these were documented in more detail. It was one of the three blends designed to show complete wines, in contrast to the single varieties introducing the tasting. Being the richest of the three, it was placed last in the line-up. It opened completely consistently with previous bottles and previous notes on this site. It is a much bolder and richer style of Bordeaux blend, emulating something like an antipodean Las-Cases maybe. It will be a great New Zealand red, when cellared 5 – 20 years. GK 10/10
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $44 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; 16 months in French oak 33% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
The fresh ruby, carmine and velvet hue of this wine stood out, not as dense as the other two top wines, but youthful alongside the other 2005s. The similarity of style between this wine and the Church Road is devastating, both showing an explicitly beautiful syrah florality the Gimblett Gravels do not seem to so easily achieve. Both the Church Road and Bullnose come from the Ngatarawa Triangle, the two vineyards close by each other. Density and weight of the wine is a little less than the Church Road, the whole style illustrating top-notch Cote Rotie, the more 'feminine' side of syrah, to perfection. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
The fresh ruby, carmine and velvet hue of this wine stood out, not as dense as the other two top wines, but youthful alongside the other 2005s. The similarity of style between this wine and the Church Road is devastating, both showing an explicitly beautiful syrah florality the Gimblett Gravels do not seem to so easily achieve. Both the Church Road and Bullnose come from the Ngatarawa Triangle, the two vineyards close by each other. Density and weight of the wine is a little less than the Church Road, the whole style illustrating top-notch Cote Rotie, the more 'feminine' side of syrah, to perfection. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $210 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 9mm; release price c.$157; typically Sy 93%, Vi 7; a blend of 7 vineyards, average vine age 45 + years, typically cropped at 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac; Spectator rating for year 96; c. 28 days cuvaison, reports on elevation vary, but the Guigal website says 38 months in barrel, the oak all new; J.L-L records the first year for this label as 1995; J.L-L, no date: ... compact, stylish black fruit/pine aromas; good silky, streamlined red fruit, then darkens, gets punchy. Quite full end, persists, with sound tannic structure. Esp 2009 on, to 2022, *****; RP@WA, 2003: The 1999 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is the finest example yet … fabulous … a sweet nose of roasted herbs, bacon, licorice, smoke, blackberries, cherry liqueur, and toast. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured with hints of new saddle leather, tapenade, and creme de cassis, this large-scaled, well-delineated 1999 should hit its stride in 4-5 years, and last for two decades, 95; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, above midway in depth. The d’Ampuis sits between the Brune & Blonde and the grands crus in style, but in this 1999 set it is showing much greater oak influence. Bouquet is fragrant, but it is hard to isolate floral notes from oak vanillin. Behind is attractive aromatic cassisy berry, remarkably pure. In mouth some blueberry notes add to the dark cassisy berry, but the wine is not as rich as the grands crus, and the oak shows more. There is quite a contrast between the Brune & Blonde, and the d’Ampuis, in this set, the latter being not so much richer than the village wine, but showing a good deal more oak. In a sense therefore, there is an illusion of quality imposed on this wine, which pleases those who conflate oak with quality in wine evaluation (as in the New World ‘reserve label’ syndrome). That said, Ch d’Ampuis is nonetheless an exciting wine, and it pleased tasters, two top rankings and four second. The oak is likely to become a little more apparent as this wine matures, so perhaps cellar 10 – 20 years. CHECK GK 10/20
Ruby and some velvet, above midway in depth. The d’Ampuis sits between the Brune & Blonde and the grands crus in style, but in this 1999 set it is showing much greater oak influence. Bouquet is fragrant, but it is hard to isolate floral notes from oak vanillin. Behind is attractive aromatic cassisy berry, remarkably pure. In mouth some blueberry notes add to the dark cassisy berry, but the wine is not as rich as the grands crus, and the oak shows more. There is quite a contrast between the Brune & Blonde, and the d’Ampuis, in this set, the latter being not so much richer than the village wine, but showing a good deal more oak. In a sense therefore, there is an illusion of quality imposed on this wine, which pleases those who conflate oak with quality in wine evaluation (as in the New World ‘reserve label’ syndrome). That said, Ch d’Ampuis is nonetheless an exciting wine, and it pleased tasters, two top rankings and four second. The oak is likely to become a little more apparent as this wine matures, so perhaps cellar 10 – 20 years. CHECK GK 10/20
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $695 [ cork, 49mm; Sh 95%, CS 5; ferment completed in new American oak, then 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads; release price $AU140; Penfolds website: perhaps better than the highly acclaimed 1990. NOSE: a beautifully weighted and concentrated wine. The rich bouquet shows an incredible depth of ripe berry spice, tobacco, mocha and green tea aromas with unmistakable Penfolds oak handling; PALATE: The palate has intensely concentrated, mouthfilling fruit flavours showing spicy, rich berry fruit and earthy characters with masses of ripe tannins and integrated oak, finishing with excellent length; Halliday, 1999: a voluptuous and potent bouquet with cherry and plum fruit which is ripe but not jammy, much in the mould of the ‘83. The palate is showing much more than the ‘90 vintage, ripe, and with bold cherry and plum fruit, touches of liquorice and soft but persistent tannins, *****, and on his website, 96; Julia Harding @ Robinson, 2009: Aromatic with a clear eucalyptus note but pretty complex with a herbal and mocha hint, even lavender but also leather. More intense and riper cassis than the 1990. Firm, just a little chewy but soft and chocolatey tannin smoothness and then a silky finish. Very very long. More showy and less elegant than the 1990. Nice freshness, 18; bottle courtesy of Ray Martin, Lower Hutt; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, still surprisingly red, the freshest wine and the second deepest. Bouquet shows a dramatic volume of fresh shiraz, so fresh as to nearly have syrah varietal qualities – and thus it is immediately a rare wine in the Grange portfolio. Like the 1990 Bin 920, the fragrant Penfolds cedary oak is there, and you wish it were less, but it is still a remarkable example of Grange, relative to the often clumsy Penfolds idiom. Palate continues the excitement, the wine still nearly hinting at syrah, particularly the blueberry quality of the fruit, and nearly cassis, no hint of prunes or over-ripeness. This is the freshest and best-balanced Grange I have ever seen, almost a wine to compare with J L Chave Hermitage or (good years) Jaboulet La Chapelle, one of the few one would want to own. Again, tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, no first places, but there were two second places. Cellar 20 – 35 years. GK 09/17
Ruby and velvet, still surprisingly red, the freshest wine and the second deepest. Bouquet shows a dramatic volume of fresh shiraz, so fresh as to nearly have syrah varietal qualities – and thus it is immediately a rare wine in the Grange portfolio. Like the 1990 Bin 920, the fragrant Penfolds cedary oak is there, and you wish it were less, but it is still a remarkable example of Grange, relative to the often clumsy Penfolds idiom. Palate continues the excitement, the wine still nearly hinting at syrah, particularly the blueberry quality of the fruit, and nearly cassis, no hint of prunes or over-ripeness. This is the freshest and best-balanced Grange I have ever seen, almost a wine to compare with J L Chave Hermitage or (good years) Jaboulet La Chapelle, one of the few one would want to own. Again, tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, no first places, but there were two second places. Cellar 20 – 35 years. GK 09/17
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 2/10 and others, 19 years, harvested @ 2.4 t/ac; 10% whole bunch, 28 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 60% new; no fining, coarse filtration; www.pegasusbay.com ]
In colour, bouquet and texture, this wine is a fractionally lighter, more floral and fragrant, more elegant and sensuous, and less tannic version of the marvellous 2003. The depth of black cherry and darkest plum on palate is velvety, and yet the wine is still aromatic and crisp. It is not quite as Cote de Nuits-fragrant as the top two Otago wines, yet the palate is magnificent. Pegasus Bay pinot is evolving into something very beautiful, as the proprietors place more emphasis on building the critical floral dimension of their wines. And with less sur-maturité, it should be possible to get those alcohols down to or under the critical (in sensory terms) 14% mark. Even more so now, a winery to watch. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
In colour, bouquet and texture, this wine is a fractionally lighter, more floral and fragrant, more elegant and sensuous, and less tannic version of the marvellous 2003. The depth of black cherry and darkest plum on palate is velvety, and yet the wine is still aromatic and crisp. It is not quite as Cote de Nuits-fragrant as the top two Otago wines, yet the palate is magnificent. Pegasus Bay pinot is evolving into something very beautiful, as the proprietors place more emphasis on building the critical floral dimension of their wines. And with less sur-maturité, it should be possible to get those alcohols down to or under the critical (in sensory terms) 14% mark. Even more so now, a winery to watch. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ngatarawa Triangle 70%, Gimblett Gravels & Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, 3 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration; c. 12 months in burgundy barrels c. 55% new, 500 cases; winemaker (to watch) Chris Scott; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and denser than the Villa Maria Reserve. This magnificent syrah is very close to the Villa Reserve in all respects, and in its lower alcohol it may turn out to be superior. At this stage it differs essentially in seeming fractionally riper, the intensity of florals therefore being a little less, and the palate slightly softer and richer. There is a sternness in great Hermitage which the Villa shares, whereas this Church Road is more accessible in youth. Many will therefore rate it higher than the Villa, as indeed it may be. Both will be wonderful (and essential) cellar wines, for the concentration and dry extract here is also world-class. There might be slightly more oak in this wine than the Villa, but it does not mask the florality, cassis, dark plum and black peppercorn. Achieving such beautiful varietal flavours at 13.5% alcohol is a great achievement, something which Te Mata have so far had the lead in. Is the Ngatarawa Triangle the top syrah 'terroir' in the country, I wonder ? A stunning new world syrah, totally confuseable with the best of the old world, to cellar 5 – 20 years. And the price is a sheer delight. VALUE GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and denser than the Villa Maria Reserve. This magnificent syrah is very close to the Villa Reserve in all respects, and in its lower alcohol it may turn out to be superior. At this stage it differs essentially in seeming fractionally riper, the intensity of florals therefore being a little less, and the palate slightly softer and richer. There is a sternness in great Hermitage which the Villa shares, whereas this Church Road is more accessible in youth. Many will therefore rate it higher than the Villa, as indeed it may be. Both will be wonderful (and essential) cellar wines, for the concentration and dry extract here is also world-class. There might be slightly more oak in this wine than the Villa, but it does not mask the florality, cassis, dark plum and black peppercorn. Achieving such beautiful varietal flavours at 13.5% alcohol is a great achievement, something which Te Mata have so far had the lead in. Is the Ngatarawa Triangle the top syrah 'terroir' in the country, I wonder ? A stunning new world syrah, totally confuseable with the best of the old world, to cellar 5 – 20 years. And the price is a sheer delight. VALUE GK 05/08
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $31 [ screwcap; whole-bunch pressed, BF with wild yeast in new French oak; MLF and LA and batonnage, 10 months in barrel; www.gunnestate.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is exquisite varietal chardonnay, total Puligny-Montrachet in style, showing good barrel-fermented characters, and fragrant white stone fruits complexed by baguette-crust lees-autolysis, subtlest MLF, and peaches and cream aromas. Palate is wonderfully fresh, rich yet not big or heavy, delightful acid balance, lingering cashew flavours in the stonefruit, total harmony. This is fine New Zealand chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/07
Lemon. Bouquet is exquisite varietal chardonnay, total Puligny-Montrachet in style, showing good barrel-fermented characters, and fragrant white stone fruits complexed by baguette-crust lees-autolysis, subtlest MLF, and peaches and cream aromas. Palate is wonderfully fresh, rich yet not big or heavy, delightful acid balance, lingering cashew flavours in the stonefruit, total harmony. This is fine New Zealand chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $34 [ screwcap; clones 95, 15 and others; 40% MLF; 1 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemon. A softer mealier bouquet on this wine, with distinct reminders of Meursault in its splendid complexity. Palate is velvety, the alcohol well-absorbed, the flavours akin to pure peaches and cream and lightly toasted oatmeal, all lingering deliciously. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Lemon. A softer mealier bouquet on this wine, with distinct reminders of Meursault in its splendid complexity. Palate is velvety, the alcohol well-absorbed, the flavours akin to pure peaches and cream and lightly toasted oatmeal, all lingering deliciously. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Chablis, France: 13%; $67 [ cork ]
Brilliant lemongreen. This wine shows the most perfect and classical chablis bouquet in this set of 2002 Fevre chablis. It smells of pure white florals of an English garden kind, subtle like linden blossom, plus a fresh-cracked shell-limestone quality, and subtle white stonefruits below. Palate is all the bouquet promises, beautiful fruit and finegrain acid, scarcely new-oaked, subtly flavoured, lingering on the absolute purity of fruit and florals and minerality. Exquisite chardonnay, which will cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Brilliant lemongreen. This wine shows the most perfect and classical chablis bouquet in this set of 2002 Fevre chablis. It smells of pure white florals of an English garden kind, subtle like linden blossom, plus a fresh-cracked shell-limestone quality, and subtle white stonefruits below. Palate is all the bouquet promises, beautiful fruit and finegrain acid, scarcely new-oaked, subtly flavoured, lingering on the absolute purity of fruit and florals and minerality. Exquisite chardonnay, which will cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Maraekakaho, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $34 [ screwcap; clones 95 and 15, 100% wild yeast fermentation, 45% MLF, 9 months BF and LA in 75% new French oak; 1.8 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, a super colour. This is the consistently outstanding wine of the set for me, in 2003 and now, the bouquet showing a wonderful acacia floral lift on baguette crust and golden peach fruit, epitomising new world chardonnay. I have seen similar bouquets from both Grgich in the Napa Valley, and Gaja in Italy. Palate is mealy and complex, great body, the baguette and potentially nutty flavours reminiscent of Bollinger RD, but bigger, fleshier, all now beautifully integrated. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Lemongreen, a super colour. This is the consistently outstanding wine of the set for me, in 2003 and now, the bouquet showing a wonderful acacia floral lift on baguette crust and golden peach fruit, epitomising new world chardonnay. I have seen similar bouquets from both Grgich in the Napa Valley, and Gaja in Italy. Palate is mealy and complex, great body, the baguette and potentially nutty flavours reminiscent of Bollinger RD, but bigger, fleshier, all now beautifully integrated. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $295 [ cork; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, a lovely not too rich colour, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is syrah perfectly ripened to reveal a maximum expression of wallflower and dianthus florals, the sweet wallflower component being particularly enchanting. Cassis and dark plums-in-the-sun berry aromas accompany the floral quality, magnificent. Palate is fresh, firm, crisp, not too alcoholic, not a huge wine but beautifully balanced, medium weight, the subtlest hint of dark chocolate and black pepper in the aftertaste. This is supremely elegant syrah ! Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 03/10
Ruby carmine and velvet, a lovely not too rich colour, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is syrah perfectly ripened to reveal a maximum expression of wallflower and dianthus florals, the sweet wallflower component being particularly enchanting. Cassis and dark plums-in-the-sun berry aromas accompany the floral quality, magnificent. Palate is fresh, firm, crisp, not too alcoholic, not a huge wine but beautifully balanced, medium weight, the subtlest hint of dark chocolate and black pepper in the aftertaste. This is supremely elegant syrah ! Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 03/10
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ cool night-picked; 100% BF, all French 20% new; partial wild yeast fermentation, 'most' of the wine through MLF, extended LA 12-months +; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is sensational, with total acacia blossom complexity on beautiful chardonnay fruit, reminiscent of the finest chablis. Palate expands the bouquet into white stonefruits, oatmeal, potential hazelnuts, and a flinty and floral minerality which is stunning, going well beyond chablis towards wines such as Corton-Charlemagne. This might be Marlborough's finest chardonnay yet, not the biggest, but very beautiful. Cellar to 10 years. GK 07/04
Lemonstraw, a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is sensational, with total acacia blossom complexity on beautiful chardonnay fruit, reminiscent of the finest chablis. Palate expands the bouquet into white stonefruits, oatmeal, potential hazelnuts, and a flinty and floral minerality which is stunning, going well beyond chablis towards wines such as Corton-Charlemagne. This might be Marlborough's finest chardonnay yet, not the biggest, but very beautiful. Cellar to 10 years. GK 07/04
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; clones 5, 6, 10/5 and 777, the oldest (on own roots) 15 years at harvest; earlier vintages have been cropped at c. 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 9 days cold-soak, 7 days fermentation, 9 days maceration, giving a cuvaison of 25 days, 25% whole bunches; 16 months in French oak, some new, MLF in barrel the following spring; light fining only; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Fine pinot noir ruby. Bouquet epitomises fine New Zealand pinot noir, beautifully and warmly floral with violets, roses and boronia, attractive red and black cherry fruit which is not too black, subtle oak, and great excitement. Palate follows through perfectly, great international-quality pinot noir, supple, charming, with layers of flavour, yet not overly dark and fruity as so many Otago examples can be. Not a big wine or a show-stopper in the conventional New Zealand sense, but a very beautiful example of New Zealand pinot noir which is truly burgundian in styling. Cellar 3 – 8 years, 10 in a cool cellar. GK 06/11
Fine pinot noir ruby. Bouquet epitomises fine New Zealand pinot noir, beautifully and warmly floral with violets, roses and boronia, attractive red and black cherry fruit which is not too black, subtle oak, and great excitement. Palate follows through perfectly, great international-quality pinot noir, supple, charming, with layers of flavour, yet not overly dark and fruity as so many Otago examples can be. Not a big wine or a show-stopper in the conventional New Zealand sense, but a very beautiful example of New Zealand pinot noir which is truly burgundian in styling. Cellar 3 – 8 years, 10 in a cool cellar. GK 06/11
Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ whole bunch pressed, 100% BF and MLF; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon. This is an almost perfect chardonnay bouquet, totally seamless and beautiful. One cannot see fruit, oak or autolysis as components at all, just this effortless outpouring of a mouthwatering chardonnay smell – white stonefruits, finest oatmeal, button mushrooms (cooked), potential hazelnuts. Palate is succulent and equally glorious, marvellous drinking. This is the greatest Elston yet, and arguably therefore New Zealand’s finest chardonnay achievement. Well, it would be fun to disprove that statement, anyway. Will cellar to 10 years. GK 4/04 GK 04/04
Lemon. This is an almost perfect chardonnay bouquet, totally seamless and beautiful. One cannot see fruit, oak or autolysis as components at all, just this effortless outpouring of a mouthwatering chardonnay smell – white stonefruits, finest oatmeal, button mushrooms (cooked), potential hazelnuts. Palate is succulent and equally glorious, marvellous drinking. This is the greatest Elston yet, and arguably therefore New Zealand’s finest chardonnay achievement. Well, it would be fun to disprove that statement, anyway. Will cellar to 10 years. GK 4/04 GK 04/04
Meursault Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 14%; $90
Lemon, fractionally one of the two deepest, but still pretty pale. A rich and complex chardonnay bouquet combining citrus zest and white stonefruits with oak and slight charry notes. Palate is perhaps the richest in the tasting of 12, showing beautiful chardonnay stonefruits, attractive Meursault mealy and lightly mineral complexities, firm acid, great length. This is a potentially classic Meursault, given time in cellar to blossom. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/04
Lemon, fractionally one of the two deepest, but still pretty pale. A rich and complex chardonnay bouquet combining citrus zest and white stonefruits with oak and slight charry notes. Palate is perhaps the richest in the tasting of 12, showing beautiful chardonnay stonefruits, attractive Meursault mealy and lightly mineral complexities, firm acid, great length. This is a potentially classic Meursault, given time in cellar to blossom. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/04
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $44 [ screwcap; cropped at 4.2 t/ac; some whole-bunch, wild-yeast BF in mostly older French oak, followed by full MLF and LA for c. 18 months; not on website yet; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. One sniff and this has to be Te Koko in a blind tasting, an extraordinarily distinctive wine that is fast becoming almost as much an icon as the standard Cloudy Bay Sauvignon. The key to its extraordinary complexity on bouquet is the full MLF on top of barrel fermentation and extended lees-autolysis. This approach mellows out the hypoid notes that barrel-fermented sauvignons sometimes produce, and substitutes this extraordinary scrambled parsley and herbes eggs on Vogel's wholegrain toast quality that Te Koko shows. Palate likewise is rich, bigger and more mouth-filling than the Cape Crest or even the Sacred Hills Sauvage, with a texture of complex toasty yet dry fruit that is unmatched. This is by far the most refined Te Koko yet. It has taken me a few years to embrace the style wholeheartedly, but now I will say it: this is one of the great New Zealand wines, and certainly the most distinctive. It cries out for smoked mullet and salad, but would go with an infinity of foods. Cellar 5 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/07
Lemonstraw. One sniff and this has to be Te Koko in a blind tasting, an extraordinarily distinctive wine that is fast becoming almost as much an icon as the standard Cloudy Bay Sauvignon. The key to its extraordinary complexity on bouquet is the full MLF on top of barrel fermentation and extended lees-autolysis. This approach mellows out the hypoid notes that barrel-fermented sauvignons sometimes produce, and substitutes this extraordinary scrambled parsley and herbes eggs on Vogel's wholegrain toast quality that Te Koko shows. Palate likewise is rich, bigger and more mouth-filling than the Cape Crest or even the Sacred Hills Sauvage, with a texture of complex toasty yet dry fruit that is unmatched. This is by far the most refined Te Koko yet. It has taken me a few years to embrace the style wholeheartedly, but now I will say it: this is one of the great New Zealand wines, and certainly the most distinctive. It cries out for smoked mullet and salad, but would go with an infinity of foods. Cellar 5 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/07
Hunawihr, Central Alsace: 14%; $ – [ cork – second bottle available; hand-harvested from c. 50-year old vines; the grapes come from the 1.67 ha Rosacker vineyard in Hunawihr, which has been owned by the Trimbach family for more than 200 years (a Trimbach monopole); it is a grand cru vineyard on limestone planted solely to riesling, but because of the reputation of the wine, they consider it unnecessary to state 'grand cru' on the label; c.750 cases (all variants) per annum (varying), but the Vendanges Tardives is made only rarely, the most recent vintage available being the 2002; according to Roberson Wines of London, 'one of the most coveted wines in the world'; in general Clos Ste Hune is harvested at around 50 hl/ha (7.5 t/ha = 3 t/ac), but would be much less for the Vendanges Tardives. Elevation is primarily in s/s, and there is no MLF; 1989 according to Broadbent "an admirable year, combining abundance and excellent quality *****"; Jancis Robinson describes the wine as rich but developed, and scores it 19, drawing to my attention yet another wine acronym seemingly linked to the Australian Wine Research Institute's never-ending quest to analyse the life and soul out of every pleasant flavour in wine – TDN (the so-called kerosene complexity-note aged riesling may develop); Corney & Barrow (London) have this vintage listed currently at £360, which may be more relevant; the rarity of even the standard Clos Ste Hune Riesling may be gleaned from the fact the most recent vintage available is the 2007, and that is c.$NZ200 per bottle; www.trimbach.fr ]
Light glowing gold, the third deepest. Bouquet is sensational, botrytis of superlative purity, almost nectary but more passing to honeyed, on bottled stonefruits plus amazingly fresh hints of citrusy / zesty riesling augmenting. Alcohol is wonderfully hidden, except there is a substance to this wine that also reminds of subtlest sauternes. In mouth there is not quite the exquisite elegance and harmony the bouquet shows, but instead great fruit richness and some sweetness with both citrus and white and yellow stonefruit suggestions, as well as waxy botrytis. It does not taste as old as it looks until the late finish, when some skin phenolics start to appear. The long finish is again reminiscent of sauternes, with even some suggestions of old oak – big old wood. There was diffident mention of some oxidation, but I prefer my interpretation. The tannin backbone would make it sensational with certain rich foods. Quite an experience, at a peak, but no hurry. [ TDN: rather than just give the (long) chemical name the term is derived from, I have received the suggestion to give the address of the article, for those interested in more info. It is a .pdf, and does not seem to communicate in this way. Instead google: "Aged Riesling and the development of TDN" with double-quotes, and it leads straight to it, first-up.] GK 03/14
Light glowing gold, the third deepest. Bouquet is sensational, botrytis of superlative purity, almost nectary but more passing to honeyed, on bottled stonefruits plus amazingly fresh hints of citrusy / zesty riesling augmenting. Alcohol is wonderfully hidden, except there is a substance to this wine that also reminds of subtlest sauternes. In mouth there is not quite the exquisite elegance and harmony the bouquet shows, but instead great fruit richness and some sweetness with both citrus and white and yellow stonefruit suggestions, as well as waxy botrytis. It does not taste as old as it looks until the late finish, when some skin phenolics start to appear. The long finish is again reminiscent of sauternes, with even some suggestions of old oak – big old wood. There was diffident mention of some oxidation, but I prefer my interpretation. The tannin backbone would make it sensational with certain rich foods. Quite an experience, at a peak, but no hurry. [ TDN: rather than just give the (long) chemical name the term is derived from, I have received the suggestion to give the address of the article, for those interested in more info. It is a .pdf, and does not seem to communicate in this way. Instead google: "Aged Riesling and the development of TDN" with double-quotes, and it leads straight to it, first-up.] GK 03/14
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 10 years; cool early spring, good flowering, some crop reduction needed; later summer and autumn an ideal season, producing berries with full physiological maturity at lower brix levels than some years, a very promising harmonious vintage; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good bright pinot noir ruby, one of the deeper ones. This seemed to me the most beautiful and floral of all the pinots, combining complex dusky red rose aromas with boronia, on red and black cherry fruit. Flavours in mouth show great suppleness and charm, clear-cut pinot noir of Cote de Nuits complexity and aromatic quality, with beautiful tannins. The balance of fruit to oak is exemplary, lovely texture, giving great length and good cellar potential. The top wine in the set. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Good bright pinot noir ruby, one of the deeper ones. This seemed to me the most beautiful and floral of all the pinots, combining complex dusky red rose aromas with boronia, on red and black cherry fruit. Flavours in mouth show great suppleness and charm, clear-cut pinot noir of Cote de Nuits complexity and aromatic quality, with beautiful tannins. The balance of fruit to oak is exemplary, lovely texture, giving great length and good cellar potential. The top wine in the set. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments temperature-controlled to max. c. 17 degrees in the barrel; partial MLF and 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak new and 1-year; RS in 2004 < 2 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemonstraw. In its youth, this was arguably the finest Riflemans to date, and it is still superb. Fruit aromas and flavours have deepened to yellow stonefruits, but the baguette-crust autolysis complexity is still sensational. Palate is at a first peak of purity, wonderfully mouth-filling and textured, the butter still delicate but not as pale as the 2007. A joy to drink. If you prefer younger chardonnay, time to be finishing this up. Will hold another five years at least, for those who like mature wines. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw. In its youth, this was arguably the finest Riflemans to date, and it is still superb. Fruit aromas and flavours have deepened to yellow stonefruits, but the baguette-crust autolysis complexity is still sensational. Palate is at a first peak of purity, wonderfully mouth-filling and textured, the butter still delicate but not as pale as the 2007. A joy to drink. If you prefer younger chardonnay, time to be finishing this up. Will hold another five years at least, for those who like mature wines. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ the black-labelled one; whole-bunch pressed, LA & partial MLF in French oak; www.trinityhill.com ]
Paleish lemonstraw. A fragrant, toasty and faintly charry topnote on underlying peachy and mealy chardonnay fruit makes for an appealing contemporary chardonnay bouquet. In mouth the oak-related characters retreat, and fruit is dominant. There is outstanding texture and richness of mouthfeel in an almost Meursault-like style, and a long supple balanced finish, which hides its alcohol well. This is excellent chardonnay which can be compared with many fine French examples. It is more succulent than the Te Awa, richer than the Cloudy Bay, and should cellar for 10 years or more. GK 07/04
Paleish lemonstraw. A fragrant, toasty and faintly charry topnote on underlying peachy and mealy chardonnay fruit makes for an appealing contemporary chardonnay bouquet. In mouth the oak-related characters retreat, and fruit is dominant. There is outstanding texture and richness of mouthfeel in an almost Meursault-like style, and a long supple balanced finish, which hides its alcohol well. This is excellent chardonnay which can be compared with many fine French examples. It is more succulent than the Te Awa, richer than the Cloudy Bay, and should cellar for 10 years or more. GK 07/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; CS 76, Me 24, hand-picked @ 6.8 t/ha (2.7 t/ac), all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies up to 30 days; 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS <1 g/L; minimal fining and filtration; 350 cases; Robinson: 16; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a lovely limpid colour, towards the top of the lightest third. Bouquet is showing some secondary development now, the cassis with a browning edge, and as is all too frequent in New Zealand wine, the oak is noticeable. It is however high quality fragrant oak, developing attractively into the cedary quality so desired in the best Medocs, and Pauillac noticeably. Flavours reflect the bouquet, lots of cassis (and even if browning, cassis retains its distinctive flavour), good flesh, the merlot sustaining the palate well. Its not as rich as Tom, but in a way it is fresher, which adds to its attraction. This is sophisticated wine, and an attractive example of a Hawkes Bay blend. The consistency of achievement between this and the 2010 Legacy is highly commendable. I did not realise until the editing and checking stage that I had tasted this wine so many times. Happily the present result is in line, in a rigorously blind exercise. The Robinson score is surely out of line – we all err in this matter from time to time. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, a lovely limpid colour, towards the top of the lightest third. Bouquet is showing some secondary development now, the cassis with a browning edge, and as is all too frequent in New Zealand wine, the oak is noticeable. It is however high quality fragrant oak, developing attractively into the cedary quality so desired in the best Medocs, and Pauillac noticeably. Flavours reflect the bouquet, lots of cassis (and even if browning, cassis retains its distinctive flavour), good flesh, the merlot sustaining the palate well. Its not as rich as Tom, but in a way it is fresher, which adds to its attraction. This is sophisticated wine, and an attractive example of a Hawkes Bay blend. The consistency of achievement between this and the 2010 Legacy is highly commendable. I did not realise until the editing and checking stage that I had tasted this wine so many times. Happily the present result is in line, in a rigorously blind exercise. The Robinson score is surely out of line – we all err in this matter from time to time. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ Me 92.5%, CF 5, Ma 2.5; MLF in barrel, 20 months French oak; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep. A vibrant berryrich bouquet of ripest cassis, darkest plums in the sun, suggestions of violets, all beautifully floral and fragrant. Flavours are velvety, wonderful berry and fruit, oak at this stage in beautiful balance to create total fragrance and potential cedar, without being oaky. This will develop elusive Bordeaux cigarbox complexity, and has superlative berryfruit, elegant balance, and great length. A lovely subtle wine which many proprietors in either Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay would be proud to own. A contender for Hawkes Bay’s greatest bordeaux-styled red in 2002 (though several wines have not yet been shown). Cellar 10 – 20 years. VALUE GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep. A vibrant berryrich bouquet of ripest cassis, darkest plums in the sun, suggestions of violets, all beautifully floral and fragrant. Flavours are velvety, wonderful berry and fruit, oak at this stage in beautiful balance to create total fragrance and potential cedar, without being oaky. This will develop elusive Bordeaux cigarbox complexity, and has superlative berryfruit, elegant balance, and great length. A lovely subtle wine which many proprietors in either Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay would be proud to own. A contender for Hawkes Bay’s greatest bordeaux-styled red in 2002 (though several wines have not yet been shown). Cellar 10 – 20 years. VALUE GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 55%, Ma 25, CS 20; MLF in barrel; 19 months in French oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. A rich bouquet initially showing richness more than fruit characters, so ripe is it, but overall darkly plummy, with the cassis becoming more apparent with air. Flavours in mouth are superbly concentrated, darkest cassis and plums, the chocolate dark ‘energy’ chocolate compared with the Villa Merlot Reserve. Nonetheless the oak is not too intrusive, and there is magnificent length on dry grape skins, fruit and oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years, and probably longer. GK 05/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. A rich bouquet initially showing richness more than fruit characters, so ripe is it, but overall darkly plummy, with the cassis becoming more apparent with air. Flavours in mouth are superbly concentrated, darkest cassis and plums, the chocolate dark ‘energy’ chocolate compared with the Villa Merlot Reserve. Nonetheless the oak is not too intrusive, and there is magnificent length on dry grape skins, fruit and oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years, and probably longer. GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels 67% and 33% Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $117 [ cork 50mm; Sy 98.5%, MS clone 85%, clone 470 15, plus 1.5% viognier co-fermented, planted at an average 2,525 vines per hectare and average age 14 years, all hand-picked at 3.3 t/ha = 1.4 t/ac); four days cold soak, cultured yeast ferments, 16 – 18 days cuvaison; MLF later in barrel; 25 months in French oak 45% new, plus 4 months in tank post-assembly before bottling; RS nil: sterile-filtered to bottle; note the dry extract at 30.9 g/L cracks the 30 g/L barrier: will we be able to taste this ? Production c.285 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 707 g; R. Campbell: Big, dense and very ripe red that is both elegant and a blockbuster with pepper, plum, berry, coffee and mocha flavours. A concentrated wine that's built to last. Drink 2019 - 2025, 96; JC@RP, 2019: a wine of dark-fruited ripeness and complexity. Plum and blueberry notes pick up hints of cracked pepper and violets, while the medium to full-bodied palate is dense and concentrated yet silky, finishing with hints of vanilla and lingering richness, to 2025, 94; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Magenta, ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this syrah, with a deeper duskier note hinting at black olives as sometimes found in the Jamet whole-bunch approach, on deeply cassisy berry, dark bottled plums, and cedar. On palate the richness of the liquid is immediately palpable, as confirmed by the class-leading 30.9 g/L dry extract, with a gorgeous texture. New oak with suggestions of cedar creeps in, and extends the flavour greatly. It is not quite as floral and fragrant as Le Sol, but is longer and deeper in flavour, reminiscent now more of Hermitage proper. This will be a long-term cellar prospect, 20 – 30 years. Tasters liked the wine greatly, three first places, four second-favourites, and six thought it French, second only to the Cornas. GK 11/19
Magenta, ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this syrah, with a deeper duskier note hinting at black olives as sometimes found in the Jamet whole-bunch approach, on deeply cassisy berry, dark bottled plums, and cedar. On palate the richness of the liquid is immediately palpable, as confirmed by the class-leading 30.9 g/L dry extract, with a gorgeous texture. New oak with suggestions of cedar creeps in, and extends the flavour greatly. It is not quite as floral and fragrant as Le Sol, but is longer and deeper in flavour, reminiscent now more of Hermitage proper. This will be a long-term cellar prospect, 20 – 30 years. Tasters liked the wine greatly, three first places, four second-favourites, and six thought it French, second only to the Cornas. GK 11/19
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak some new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, like the 2010 not a heavyweight. Bouquet is the 2010 exactly, just melded and more harmonious, the florals and cassis more evident, the black pepper gorgeous and light oak even less visible. Palate gives the impression of being just a little more weighty than the 2010, but that is awfully hard to gauge because, as noted for the 2010, the wine comes together tremendously in the year after bottling. This is arguably the most beautiful Bullnose yet, and therefore perhaps New Zealand's most elegant syrah. It is certainly not the biggest, a number of others seeking size (and oak) before beauty. It will be a magical food wine in a few more years – one could scarcely own too much of this ! Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, like the 2010 not a heavyweight. Bouquet is the 2010 exactly, just melded and more harmonious, the florals and cassis more evident, the black pepper gorgeous and light oak even less visible. Palate gives the impression of being just a little more weighty than the 2010, but that is awfully hard to gauge because, as noted for the 2010, the wine comes together tremendously in the year after bottling. This is arguably the most beautiful Bullnose yet, and therefore perhaps New Zealand's most elegant syrah. It is certainly not the biggest, a number of others seeking size (and oak) before beauty. It will be a magical food wine in a few more years – one could scarcely own too much of this ! Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; release Sept. ’06, ’04 c. $47; 100% Mendoza clone @ lower cropping rate than Kumeu River wine; 100% BF in a little more than 20% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. The contrast in the two wines Kumeu River and Maté’s this year is more noticeable than in some seasons. First impressions are of great fruit richness, yellow peaches rather more than white, greater concentration, and more barrel-ferment / lees-autolysis / oak integration and baguette crust mealyness. Palate is equally impressive, nearly an oily viscosity, great golden queen peach fruit, firming oak and natural acid giving an already marvellous texture which will become silkier over the next three or so years, all leading to a long mealy finish. All this is achieved at 13% or so alcohol, further refining the palate quality. This should cellar for 5 – 8 years. Alongside the 2005 Te Mata Elston, the Maté’s is softer, richer, more accessible now. NB: notes based on final assembled blend, pre-bottling. GK 02/06
Lemonstraw. The contrast in the two wines Kumeu River and Maté’s this year is more noticeable than in some seasons. First impressions are of great fruit richness, yellow peaches rather more than white, greater concentration, and more barrel-ferment / lees-autolysis / oak integration and baguette crust mealyness. Palate is equally impressive, nearly an oily viscosity, great golden queen peach fruit, firming oak and natural acid giving an already marvellous texture which will become silkier over the next three or so years, all leading to a long mealy finish. All this is achieved at 13% or so alcohol, further refining the palate quality. This should cellar for 5 – 8 years. Alongside the 2005 Te Mata Elston, the Maté’s is softer, richer, more accessible now. NB: notes based on final assembled blend, pre-bottling. GK 02/06
Walla Walla Valley, Washington, USA: 13.9%; $93 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$65; Sy 100% from 2 vineyards; 60% whole bunch fermentation, winemaking detail scanty on website; 15 months in 100% French oak 20% new; this is the winery's top syrah, seeking to emulate Cote Rotie / Hermitage, a four-barrel selection resulting in 97 cases; WA / Miller, 2008: aromas of smoke, meat, game, and blueberry ... in a lean style, it gains its structure from acidity. The flavors are attractive and wine has solid length ... wines to tickle the intellect ... diversity is a good thing. 91; www.gramercycellars.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet progressively opens up to a very exciting multifaceted display of syrah florals, including a definitive wallflower note, as well as roses, violets, plus some cracked black peppercorn. Below is cassis and fresh dark plums, with no hints of sur-maturité, all beautifully soft and round, yet aromatic too. Palate shows all the bouquet attributes of great syrah, in a beautiful texture, softer and more charming now than Craggy Range Le Sol. This is a superb syrah of a calibre to scare proprietors in Hermitage. Noteworthy winemaking components to my taste include the freshness, the multidimensional aroma complexities which I associate with whole-bunch / ripe-stem use in a warmer climate, and only 20% new oak.
The proprietor's mission statement has much to say to New Zealand winemakers of the bigger-is-better school. Summarised: Harrington's goal ... balanced wines with limited new oak influence that taste of a specific place ... minimalist winemaking ... commitment to quality and dedication to sustainability. We feel that a long term relationship is essential, working with the same blocks in the same vineyards each vintage ... to harvest ripe – not over-ripe – grapes, intervene minimally in the winemaking process, and not to smother the wine with a lot of new oak. We believe that too many wines have excessive alcohol and new oak, are overly fruity and taste like they could be from anywhere. We create wines that display balance, fruit and earthiness, and minimal new oak flavors. This is our passion ... to produce wines that complement food ....
This is one of the finest syrahs I have ever tasted – worth the entry fee to the Symposium to taste this wine alone, and be inspired by it. In my view the key revelation is the use of whole bunch, which ties in perfectly with the bouquet attributes. It also ties in nicely with the views hinted at by James Halliday in the morning, in his chiding Rod Easthope for being a bit closed-mind on the issue. This wine shows to a tee both the wisdom of seeking first to emulate the great French models, and that it can be done in the new world. That is a far cry from being convinced the new world can do better, which usually means size rather than subtlety. On that note, Jay Miller's words (on erobertparker.com) imply he respects the style of the Gramercy, but it is not quite his favourite (which appears to be bigger). Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet progressively opens up to a very exciting multifaceted display of syrah florals, including a definitive wallflower note, as well as roses, violets, plus some cracked black peppercorn. Below is cassis and fresh dark plums, with no hints of sur-maturité, all beautifully soft and round, yet aromatic too. Palate shows all the bouquet attributes of great syrah, in a beautiful texture, softer and more charming now than Craggy Range Le Sol. This is a superb syrah of a calibre to scare proprietors in Hermitage. Noteworthy winemaking components to my taste include the freshness, the multidimensional aroma complexities which I associate with whole-bunch / ripe-stem use in a warmer climate, and only 20% new oak.
The proprietor's mission statement has much to say to New Zealand winemakers of the bigger-is-better school. Summarised: Harrington's goal ... balanced wines with limited new oak influence that taste of a specific place ... minimalist winemaking ... commitment to quality and dedication to sustainability. We feel that a long term relationship is essential, working with the same blocks in the same vineyards each vintage ... to harvest ripe – not over-ripe – grapes, intervene minimally in the winemaking process, and not to smother the wine with a lot of new oak. We believe that too many wines have excessive alcohol and new oak, are overly fruity and taste like they could be from anywhere. We create wines that display balance, fruit and earthiness, and minimal new oak flavors. This is our passion ... to produce wines that complement food ....
This is one of the finest syrahs I have ever tasted – worth the entry fee to the Symposium to taste this wine alone, and be inspired by it. In my view the key revelation is the use of whole bunch, which ties in perfectly with the bouquet attributes. It also ties in nicely with the views hinted at by James Halliday in the morning, in his chiding Rod Easthope for being a bit closed-mind on the issue. This wine shows to a tee both the wisdom of seeking first to emulate the great French models, and that it can be done in the new world. That is a far cry from being convinced the new world can do better, which usually means size rather than subtlety. On that note, Jay Miller's words (on erobertparker.com) imply he respects the style of the Gramercy, but it is not quite his favourite (which appears to be bigger). Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; sold out at winery, and regrettably no info on website on wines other than currently for sale; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, about as big as pinot noir needs to be. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, an absolute crystallisation of pinot noir the variety. The depth of the floral component is magnificent, darkest rose, boronia and violets, on pure black cherry fruit – absolutely beautiful and heady in a dusky way. Palate is crisply varietal, superb black cherry subtly oaked, no more alcohol (at 14%) than some (honestly-labelled) burgundies from the 2002 and 2003 vintages, all lingering long on velvety texture and wonderful extract. Aftertaste is superbly varietal, lightly aromatic, rich yet delicate. Though similar in style to the prestige Pinnacle, this Peregrine is fresher and more floral, giving it an enviable edge at this early stage. The standard wine epitomises New Zealand pinot noir as expressed in Otago, a little more fleshy than fine Cote de Nuits, yet showing many features in common with some of their best modern wines. Peregrine is laying down a serious challenge to Felton Road, who for some time have been regarded as the pre-eminent Central Otago pinot producer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, about as big as pinot noir needs to be. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, an absolute crystallisation of pinot noir the variety. The depth of the floral component is magnificent, darkest rose, boronia and violets, on pure black cherry fruit – absolutely beautiful and heady in a dusky way. Palate is crisply varietal, superb black cherry subtly oaked, no more alcohol (at 14%) than some (honestly-labelled) burgundies from the 2002 and 2003 vintages, all lingering long on velvety texture and wonderful extract. Aftertaste is superbly varietal, lightly aromatic, rich yet delicate. Though similar in style to the prestige Pinnacle, this Peregrine is fresher and more floral, giving it an enviable edge at this early stage. The standard wine epitomises New Zealand pinot noir as expressed in Otago, a little more fleshy than fine Cote de Nuits, yet showing many features in common with some of their best modern wines. Peregrine is laying down a serious challenge to Felton Road, who for some time have been regarded as the pre-eminent Central Otago pinot producer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Awatere 60% & Wairau Valleys, New Zealand: 13.5%; $22 [ screwcap; all s/s; RS < 4 g/L, slightly less than earlier years; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Yet another year of perfect Marlborough sauvignon from winemaker Simon Waghorn, who also in effect oversees the viticulture. This probably explains Astrolabe's now consistently achieving such a perfect expression of varietal ripeness at which to harvest, and the contrasting ripenesses needed to achieve optimal varietal complexity. The wine is entirely a stainless steel presentation of sauvignon blanc, yet in this deceptive simplicity of approach it achieves extraordinary beauty and complexity. Bouquet is sweet honeysuckle florals and black passionfruit almost as if there were a little riesling in the wine, but made piquant and savoury from sweet basil-like fresh herbes, and some sautéed ripest red capsicums. Palate delivers on bouquet wonderfully, the cropping rate and associated fruit ripeness so perfect the residual sweetness seems slightly higher than the district average, whereas it is lower. The wine is still 'dry', the entire mouthful richly flavoured, juicy, long flavoured and sustained in mouth. For several years now, this standard Astrolabe blend, and the straight Awatere version in the Discovery range, have been in the top few straight sauvignons in New Zealand – if not the best. This year's wine is simply delicious. Cellar 2 – 10 years, for interesting but different flavours. GK 11/08
Pale lemongreen. Yet another year of perfect Marlborough sauvignon from winemaker Simon Waghorn, who also in effect oversees the viticulture. This probably explains Astrolabe's now consistently achieving such a perfect expression of varietal ripeness at which to harvest, and the contrasting ripenesses needed to achieve optimal varietal complexity. The wine is entirely a stainless steel presentation of sauvignon blanc, yet in this deceptive simplicity of approach it achieves extraordinary beauty and complexity. Bouquet is sweet honeysuckle florals and black passionfruit almost as if there were a little riesling in the wine, but made piquant and savoury from sweet basil-like fresh herbes, and some sautéed ripest red capsicums. Palate delivers on bouquet wonderfully, the cropping rate and associated fruit ripeness so perfect the residual sweetness seems slightly higher than the district average, whereas it is lower. The wine is still 'dry', the entire mouthful richly flavoured, juicy, long flavoured and sustained in mouth. For several years now, this standard Astrolabe blend, and the straight Awatere version in the Discovery range, have been in the top few straight sauvignons in New Zealand – if not the best. This year's wine is simply delicious. Cellar 2 – 10 years, for interesting but different flavours. GK 11/08
Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California, U.S.A: 13.9%; $ – [ cork; CS, some CF, Me, PV; US$100; wild-yeast fermentation; MLF in barrel; bottle courtesy of Philip Rich, Melbourne; no website found, but some info at: http://www.internationalcellar.com/184897?id=EetRECKz&mv_pc=352 ]
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is dramatically cassis, wonderfully concentrated, very pure. There is a little brambly / blackberry richness, but unlike so many Californian reds, this wonderful wine is neither over-ripe, or bretty. Palate is very intense in youth, all cassis, austere in the sense it seems 100% cabernet sauvignon, yet rich too. There are hints of cedar and complexity to come, best Mouton-like. Cellar 5 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 10/07
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is dramatically cassis, wonderfully concentrated, very pure. There is a little brambly / blackberry richness, but unlike so many Californian reds, this wonderful wine is neither over-ripe, or bretty. Palate is very intense in youth, all cassis, austere in the sense it seems 100% cabernet sauvignon, yet rich too. There are hints of cedar and complexity to come, best Mouton-like. Cellar 5 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 10/07
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $535 [ cork; Sy 100%; 5 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good weight of colour, not too different from the 2006 Sacred Hill Deerstalkers, though not as dense as the 2007. Bouquet has an extraordinary combination of the wallflower florals indicative of the finest syrah, plus an aromatic cassis and oak lift, which is almost subtlest / coolest-year Grange in quality. Palate is certainly oaky, much oakier than the Cote Rotie grands crus including the straight syrah La Landonne, and palate weight is not as rich as even light year / cool Grange. Varietal accuracy is vastly greater, though. This is gorgeous syrah, not quite the richness of the 2005, the oak at a maximum for European-styled finesse, and with scarcely any hint of brett. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good weight of colour, not too different from the 2006 Sacred Hill Deerstalkers, though not as dense as the 2007. Bouquet has an extraordinary combination of the wallflower florals indicative of the finest syrah, plus an aromatic cassis and oak lift, which is almost subtlest / coolest-year Grange in quality. Palate is certainly oaky, much oakier than the Cote Rotie grands crus including the straight syrah La Landonne, and palate weight is not as rich as even light year / cool Grange. Varietal accuracy is vastly greater, though. This is gorgeous syrah, not quite the richness of the 2005, the oak at a maximum for European-styled finesse, and with scarcely any hint of brett. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/10
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; SB 100% Central Otago-grown @ Lowburn; small % BF; not much info on website; www.amisfield.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. A very distinctive and subtle sauvignon much more in French style, some elder blossom, some subtle lees-autolysis complexity. Palate is ripe, rich, firm, almost a sturmer-apple complexity to it, the oak just perfect, not dominating the variety at all, but lengthening it superbly, 'dry' finish. Total flavour is scarcely varietal, yet well-fruited and fresher than chardonnay, supremely elegant and lovely drinking. See further comment under '06 Craggy Range Sauvignon Te Muna. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Lemongreen. A very distinctive and subtle sauvignon much more in French style, some elder blossom, some subtle lees-autolysis complexity. Palate is ripe, rich, firm, almost a sturmer-apple complexity to it, the oak just perfect, not dominating the variety at all, but lengthening it superbly, 'dry' finish. Total flavour is scarcely varietal, yet well-fruited and fresher than chardonnay, supremely elegant and lovely drinking. See further comment under '06 Craggy Range Sauvignon Te Muna. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $115 [ Champion wine of the 2004 Challenge; Ch 100%; MLF 100%; perhaps a little BF in older oak; www.champagne-deutz.com ]
Lemon, a little deeper than the Lemaire. The comparison of these two wines is fascinating, and wonderfully instructive. They are both beautiful, first of all, but in its two years’ extra age, and it's MLF component, the Deutz shows a softer and even more intense baguette-crust complexity, producing a great bouquet with tremendous character. Palate is pure chardonnay, plus equally pure autolysis, a little drier on dosage than the Lemaire. Even moreso than that wine, it epitomises the flavour of a chardonnay blanc de blancs, yet it is not fruity. Great champagne. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/05
Lemon, a little deeper than the Lemaire. The comparison of these two wines is fascinating, and wonderfully instructive. They are both beautiful, first of all, but in its two years’ extra age, and it's MLF component, the Deutz shows a softer and even more intense baguette-crust complexity, producing a great bouquet with tremendous character. Palate is pure chardonnay, plus equally pure autolysis, a little drier on dosage than the Lemaire. Even moreso than that wine, it epitomises the flavour of a chardonnay blanc de blancs, yet it is not fruity. Great champagne. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/05
Multi-region: Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Tumbarumba, Adelaide Hills, Australia: 12.8%; $55 [ Ch 100%: hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed: BF in new and one-year French oak; barrel-selection for freshness and tight acid etc; RS 2.9 g/L; www.hardywines.com.au ]
Lemon with a green wash, sensational for the year. Bouquet is total chardonnay, delightful purity, nearly floral, classical white stonefruits and custard-apple augmented but not dominated by barrel-ferment and lees autolysis, infinitely appealing. Palate is magical, not only for its concentration and length of fruit and varietal flavours, but also for its low alcohol, restraint with oak, and richness, combined with youthful poise and finesse. This is great Australian chardonnay, which will cellar 5 – 12 years. It is in the same class as fine examples of the Leeuwin Art Chardonnay, and is another wine pointing to the future of this variety in Australasia. GK 10/05
Lemon with a green wash, sensational for the year. Bouquet is total chardonnay, delightful purity, nearly floral, classical white stonefruits and custard-apple augmented but not dominated by barrel-ferment and lees autolysis, infinitely appealing. Palate is magical, not only for its concentration and length of fruit and varietal flavours, but also for its low alcohol, restraint with oak, and richness, combined with youthful poise and finesse. This is great Australian chardonnay, which will cellar 5 – 12 years. It is in the same class as fine examples of the Leeuwin Art Chardonnay, and is another wine pointing to the future of this variety in Australasia. GK 10/05
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork; original price $11.10; a Sichel Selection ]
Gold with a flush of old gold, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is just what you would imagine or hope a 35-year-old riesling auslese might be, in an ideal world. The white flowers are now yellow flowers, the nectar has deepened to a sweet kind of bush honey, there are waxy complexity notes from botrytis, all underlain by golden-queen stonefruit, and it is still vividly varietal. Palate fulfils that promise, luscious fruit, beautiful acid balance, still quite sweet, very long indeed. As Stephen Bennett commented, it was well worth the trip down from Auckland for this wine alone. On the late aftertaste, one can detect there may be a little drying in a few more years. Nearing the end of its plateau of excellence, but still some years in this. GK 03/12
Gold with a flush of old gold, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is just what you would imagine or hope a 35-year-old riesling auslese might be, in an ideal world. The white flowers are now yellow flowers, the nectar has deepened to a sweet kind of bush honey, there are waxy complexity notes from botrytis, all underlain by golden-queen stonefruit, and it is still vividly varietal. Palate fulfils that promise, luscious fruit, beautiful acid balance, still quite sweet, very long indeed. As Stephen Bennett commented, it was well worth the trip down from Auckland for this wine alone. On the late aftertaste, one can detect there may be a little drying in a few more years. Nearing the end of its plateau of excellence, but still some years in this. GK 03/12
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $209 [ cork; neither fined nor filtered; no info on website yet; www.avco.org/girardin ]
A great pinot noir ruby and velvet, the second darkest of the French wines, yet so much lighter softer and more enticing than many over-extractive New Zealand pinot colours. Bouquet is big, rich, ripe, deep, with sultry dark lilac florals, black cherries, plums, and a suggestion of savoury / gamey / lightly bretty complexity which marries in with the florals superbly. Palate is the high point on this wine, absolutely liquid velvet in its richness of black cherries and plums, yet fresh and aromatic too. Lovely Burgundy in a darker richer style, to cellar 5 – 15 years plus. GK 12/05
A great pinot noir ruby and velvet, the second darkest of the French wines, yet so much lighter softer and more enticing than many over-extractive New Zealand pinot colours. Bouquet is big, rich, ripe, deep, with sultry dark lilac florals, black cherries, plums, and a suggestion of savoury / gamey / lightly bretty complexity which marries in with the florals superbly. Palate is the high point on this wine, absolutely liquid velvet in its richness of black cherries and plums, yet fresh and aromatic too. Lovely Burgundy in a darker richer style, to cellar 5 – 15 years plus. GK 12/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 9.6%; $25 [ screwcap; Gm 239 vines planted 1994; first noble wine; virtually 100% botrytised, cold-settled, cool-fermented in s/s; pH 3.45, RS 165 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Bright light gold. Bouquet is marvellous, clear-cut total botrytis on an equally clear riesling base, showing voluminous white and yellow flowers, nectar, beeswax, golden peaches. Palate follows harmoniously with clear emphasis on the riesling terpenes adding zing to the flavour, rich honeyed sweetness yet good acid balance, all extended on very long flavours in which all these components maintain their balance and relative lightness. I wonder if there is trace oak in this [ No ! ]. If so it is beautifully subtle. Going back to it, it is a delight how the botrytis can be recognised, as well as the grape, yet the wine is totally integrated, fresh and light. Magic. Wines such as this can be deceptively long-lived in cellar – Larry McKenna’s 1987 Muller-Thurgau Late-Harvest for Martinborough Vineyards is still fantastic. It is hard to foretell with new world sweet wines, though, so perhaps 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Bright light gold. Bouquet is marvellous, clear-cut total botrytis on an equally clear riesling base, showing voluminous white and yellow flowers, nectar, beeswax, golden peaches. Palate follows harmoniously with clear emphasis on the riesling terpenes adding zing to the flavour, rich honeyed sweetness yet good acid balance, all extended on very long flavours in which all these components maintain their balance and relative lightness. I wonder if there is trace oak in this [ No ! ]. If so it is beautifully subtle. Going back to it, it is a delight how the botrytis can be recognised, as well as the grape, yet the wine is totally integrated, fresh and light. Magic. Wines such as this can be deceptively long-lived in cellar – Larry McKenna’s 1987 Muller-Thurgau Late-Harvest for Martinborough Vineyards is still fantastic. It is hard to foretell with new world sweet wines, though, so perhaps 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $65 [ 50 mm cork; Gr 65%, Mv 25, Sy 10; average vine age 40 years; cropped c.3.75 t/ha = c.1.5 t/ac; traditional extended cuvaison; 24 months in large French oak, 50% new; c.21,000 cases; www.guigal.com ]
Elegant ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second to lightest and fractionally the least youthful of the wines. Bouquet is simply sensational fragrant Cotes du Rhone / Chateauneuf grenache-lead red, wonderful red and black cherry / red plum fruit, voluminous cinnamon and garrigue floral and spice notes, great excitement in the glass. Palate is already velvety, scarcely any new oak apparent (joy !), yet lovely tannins, a mouth-filling wine that is the most burgundian of the set – a little softness already. The sensations in the mouth as the bulk of the fruit and tannins subside, and the garrigue and spice notes return, is a delight. One thing to comment on: note the cepage. In my experience with southern Rhone reds, wines with more grenache than mourvedre, and more mourvedre than syrah cellar particularly well and develop wonderful burgundian complexity with age. It is this change in cepage that has lead to the relative fall in quality of Guigal's Cotes du Rhone over the last 30 years, now it is syrah-lead. This is magical wine, exemplifying all the best qualities of Guigal's reds over the last 30 years. Like my 1983 Guigal Gigondas mentioned earlier, buy this wine by the case-lot, and treasure it. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 10/12
Elegant ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second to lightest and fractionally the least youthful of the wines. Bouquet is simply sensational fragrant Cotes du Rhone / Chateauneuf grenache-lead red, wonderful red and black cherry / red plum fruit, voluminous cinnamon and garrigue floral and spice notes, great excitement in the glass. Palate is already velvety, scarcely any new oak apparent (joy !), yet lovely tannins, a mouth-filling wine that is the most burgundian of the set – a little softness already. The sensations in the mouth as the bulk of the fruit and tannins subside, and the garrigue and spice notes return, is a delight. One thing to comment on: note the cepage. In my experience with southern Rhone reds, wines with more grenache than mourvedre, and more mourvedre than syrah cellar particularly well and develop wonderful burgundian complexity with age. It is this change in cepage that has lead to the relative fall in quality of Guigal's Cotes du Rhone over the last 30 years, now it is syrah-lead. This is magical wine, exemplifying all the best qualities of Guigal's reds over the last 30 years. Like my 1983 Guigal Gigondas mentioned earlier, buy this wine by the case-lot, and treasure it. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 10/12
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $77 [ cork; Me 45%, CS 37, CF 18; average vine age 20 years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Fine ruby and velvet, not quite as youthful as the 2007, naturally. Bouquet stands out in this blind tasting of 60 reds for its harmony, integration, ripeness, florality, and total classed-growth Margaux styling. The violets florals in perfect cassis and black doris bottled plum fruit are enchanting, with potentially cedary oak wonderfully subtle, yet lifting the whole wine. Palate is a little firmer than bouquet still, great length of flavour and balance, a classic expression of the New Zealand Cabernet / Merlot style, reflecting a climate uncannily close to the Bordeaux model. A wine for New Zealanders to be proud of. It is essential in cellar for the '2005 Bordeaux and competitors' tastings keen wine people are looking forward to eagerly. Cellar 10 – 20 + years. GK 03/09
Fine ruby and velvet, not quite as youthful as the 2007, naturally. Bouquet stands out in this blind tasting of 60 reds for its harmony, integration, ripeness, florality, and total classed-growth Margaux styling. The violets florals in perfect cassis and black doris bottled plum fruit are enchanting, with potentially cedary oak wonderfully subtle, yet lifting the whole wine. Palate is a little firmer than bouquet still, great length of flavour and balance, a classic expression of the New Zealand Cabernet / Merlot style, reflecting a climate uncannily close to the Bordeaux model. A wine for New Zealanders to be proud of. It is essential in cellar for the '2005 Bordeaux and competitors' tastings keen wine people are looking forward to eagerly. Cellar 10 – 20 + years. GK 03/09
Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $20 [ screwcap; www.madfishwines.com.au ]
Brilliant lemongreen, an excellent colour. Bouquet is finest Australian riesling, but also close to some best New Zealand (e.g. Waipara) styles, with vanilla-pod and linalool-laden florals close to both freesia and holygrass (Hierochloe) in aroma, seasoned by clear lime-zest complexity. Palate has heaps of flavour, fresh acid, and lovely fresh under-ripe nectarine flavours, fine-grained and long on an off-dry finish which is I suspect slightly above the ‘dry’ boundary (7.5 g/L). Cellar 5 – 15 years or so. GK 07/06
Brilliant lemongreen, an excellent colour. Bouquet is finest Australian riesling, but also close to some best New Zealand (e.g. Waipara) styles, with vanilla-pod and linalool-laden florals close to both freesia and holygrass (Hierochloe) in aroma, seasoned by clear lime-zest complexity. Palate has heaps of flavour, fresh acid, and lovely fresh under-ripe nectarine flavours, fine-grained and long on an off-dry finish which is I suspect slightly above the ‘dry’ boundary (7.5 g/L). Cellar 5 – 15 years or so. GK 07/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $42 [ screwcap; c. 18 months in French oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. A rich ripe smooth bouquet of deeply plummy fruit and a hint of pennyroyal, plus milk chocolate and hessian oak, all smelling delicious. Palate shows fantastic concentration of darkest plums, some cassis, and fragrant oak to a max, producing a long aromatic aftertaste on which the cassis grows wonderfully. An intriguing palate profile. Very cellar-worthy, 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. A rich ripe smooth bouquet of deeply plummy fruit and a hint of pennyroyal, plus milk chocolate and hessian oak, all smelling delicious. Palate shows fantastic concentration of darkest plums, some cassis, and fragrant oak to a max, producing a long aromatic aftertaste on which the cassis grows wonderfully. An intriguing palate profile. Very cellar-worthy, 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels 72% & Ngatarawa Triangle 28, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ cork; CS 54%, Me 41, CF 5, all hand-picked at c.2.5 t/ac from (on average) 10-year old vines; cuvaison extended to 35 days for some components; MLF and 22 months in 100% French oak c.50% new, with no BF or lees stirring, just racking; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, wonderfully dense, one of the deepest. Bouquet is glorious, superb violets-related and dark rose florals on crisp cassis and darkest bottled plums fruit, matched by appropriate potentially cedary oak. This initial impression is confirmed by wonderful presence in mouth, great ripeness, superb body and dry extract, fresh berry, bone dry, absolutely velvety. This is looking to be one of the finest New Zealand Cabernet / Merlots so far. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 01/10
Ruby carmine and velvet, wonderfully dense, one of the deepest. Bouquet is glorious, superb violets-related and dark rose florals on crisp cassis and darkest bottled plums fruit, matched by appropriate potentially cedary oak. This initial impression is confirmed by wonderful presence in mouth, great ripeness, superb body and dry extract, fresh berry, bone dry, absolutely velvety. This is looking to be one of the finest New Zealand Cabernet / Merlots so far. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 01/10
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $42 [ screwcap; SB cropped at c. 4 t/ac; some whole-bunch fermentation, wild-yeast BF in mostly older French oak, followed by full LA (but only partial MLF) for c. 18 months; RS 3 g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is extraordinary, clearly related to sauvignon with plentiful white elder blossom and black passionfruit fruitiness, plus more obscure red capsicum and sweet basil savoury complexities. These are all enriched by baguette-quality barrel-ferment and prolonged lees autolysis and subtle partial MLF, to produce chardonnay-like aromas too. Palate brings up the MLF fatness more, but the whole wine is elegant and restrained in its full-flavoured style. The texture is magical. This is much the most compelling Te Koko yet, and I attribute this fairly and squarely to the incomplete MLF (about 30%) in this vintage. Sauvignon blanc and the MLF fermentation have a difficult relationship, in which the MLF creaminess can easily become either lactic or cheesy and clumsy with sauvignon. Some previous Te Kokos have been simply too bold. This one is beautiful, with complex flavours running out to the corners of one's mouth, and persisting a very long time. In its clearly winemaker-influenced style, it could be rated the greatest sauvignon thus far made in New Zealand. That said, it is only fair to further comment, that many would find the wine too strong, and too complex. For them there is the near-perfect 2008 Astrolabe pure varietal sauvignon also in this batch. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is extraordinary, clearly related to sauvignon with plentiful white elder blossom and black passionfruit fruitiness, plus more obscure red capsicum and sweet basil savoury complexities. These are all enriched by baguette-quality barrel-ferment and prolonged lees autolysis and subtle partial MLF, to produce chardonnay-like aromas too. Palate brings up the MLF fatness more, but the whole wine is elegant and restrained in its full-flavoured style. The texture is magical. This is much the most compelling Te Koko yet, and I attribute this fairly and squarely to the incomplete MLF (about 30%) in this vintage. Sauvignon blanc and the MLF fermentation have a difficult relationship, in which the MLF creaminess can easily become either lactic or cheesy and clumsy with sauvignon. Some previous Te Kokos have been simply too bold. This one is beautiful, with complex flavours running out to the corners of one's mouth, and persisting a very long time. In its clearly winemaker-influenced style, it could be rated the greatest sauvignon thus far made in New Zealand. That said, it is only fair to further comment, that many would find the wine too strong, and too complex. For them there is the near-perfect 2008 Astrolabe pure varietal sauvignon also in this batch. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 11/08
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $425 [ Cork 50mm, ullage 20mm; original price c.$250; Sy 100% hand-picked at 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac from non-grafted bush-vine syrah planted in 1920 on a site said to be 45° slope; current vintage $A400; no back vintages on website (despite price), current spends 18 months in 100% new French oak; Wine Spectator, 2004: Polished, round and beautifully balanced to bring the blueberry, plum and blackberry character into relief, the lingering flavors riding effortlessly on superfine tannins. More refined, not as big or chunky as previous vintages: 95; RP@RP, 2004: An extraordinary perfume of flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, roasted meat, new saddle leather, and earth is followed by a wine with sweet tannin, sensational concentration, full body, an unctuous texture, and a full-throttle, tannic finish. Yet it reveals unbelievable elegance and finesse. Too many Euro-centric elitists argue that Australian wines are too rich and over the top, but all of these offerings have been made by someone with great talent and vision who takes the extraordinary ripeness and purity of fruit available from these old vine vineyards and crafts them into wines that are quite European in style ... just richer and denser. The 2002 Astralis is a tour de force. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025+, 99; weight bottle and closure: 864 g; www.clarendonhills.com.au ]
Ruby, a hint of garnet creeping in, velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is intriguing, a soft and pure depth of plummy dark berry with cedary complexity factors woven through it. There is not quite the clinical purity of the young Penfolds wines, but instead an almost European complexity, softness, and charm. On palate the fruit is slightly ‘cooler’ than the RWT, hints of cassis and darkest black doris plummy berry, attractive oak of potentially cedary quality, and long, long richness. There is no hint of acid addition to the tail. If comparison with Hermitage was permissible for RWT, it is even more appropriate here, with its extra dimension of flavour complexity. Only fair to mention that this is the first ‘pure’ and sweet bottle of 2002 Astralis I have tasted, previous bottles having some brett complexity. In that regard, two tasters offered the descriptor ‘bacony’ for this wine. Recognised as shiraz-dominant by eight tasters. Top wine for two tasters. A lovely bottle, to cellar 10 – 30 years, noting that each bottle will be different. GK 04/21
Ruby, a hint of garnet creeping in, velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is intriguing, a soft and pure depth of plummy dark berry with cedary complexity factors woven through it. There is not quite the clinical purity of the young Penfolds wines, but instead an almost European complexity, softness, and charm. On palate the fruit is slightly ‘cooler’ than the RWT, hints of cassis and darkest black doris plummy berry, attractive oak of potentially cedary quality, and long, long richness. There is no hint of acid addition to the tail. If comparison with Hermitage was permissible for RWT, it is even more appropriate here, with its extra dimension of flavour complexity. Only fair to mention that this is the first ‘pure’ and sweet bottle of 2002 Astralis I have tasted, previous bottles having some brett complexity. In that regard, two tasters offered the descriptor ‘bacony’ for this wine. Recognised as shiraz-dominant by eight tasters. Top wine for two tasters. A lovely bottle, to cellar 10 – 30 years, noting that each bottle will be different. GK 04/21
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $44 [ cork; Sy 100%, including clone 470, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; 16 months in French oak 33% new; the winery states: It is more concentrated than any previous vintage and will cellar for at least ten years.; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, markedly lighter than the 'big' wines. Against the Yering Station and Craggy wines, this is (in a positive sense) almost a beauty and the beast deal. 2005 Bullnose has achieved superbly floral and fragrant full physiological maturity, at a palate-friendly 13.5%. The floral component is sensational, overlapping with fine pinot in its violets, boronia and darkest roses as well as carnations, underpinned by sweet cassis and black peppercorn. Palate is the logical extension of bouquet, already delicious, in the style of both modern Cote Rotie, and Hermitage. Bullnose in recent years has gone from strength to strength, but this is the most beautiful of all. Cellar 10 – 15 years, perhaps more. GK 01/07
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, markedly lighter than the 'big' wines. Against the Yering Station and Craggy wines, this is (in a positive sense) almost a beauty and the beast deal. 2005 Bullnose has achieved superbly floral and fragrant full physiological maturity, at a palate-friendly 13.5%. The floral component is sensational, overlapping with fine pinot in its violets, boronia and darkest roses as well as carnations, underpinned by sweet cassis and black peppercorn. Palate is the logical extension of bouquet, already delicious, in the style of both modern Cote Rotie, and Hermitage. Bullnose in recent years has gone from strength to strength, but this is the most beautiful of all. Cellar 10 – 15 years, perhaps more. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; indicative price c. $100; CS 50%, Me 50; release date 2011, not on website for some time yet; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresh and dense, a great young claret colour. Bouquet is wonderfully floral, darkest roses / violets giving an exciting lift and excitement to classic cabernet / merlot cassis and bottled black doris plums, plus spice and complexity from vanillin and hessian new French oak. Palate shows great ripeness at a maximum for optimal florality, potentially velvety texture but at this stage with the 'fibre' of new oak apparent in very rich fruit. This is a great young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend, one of the finest such wines made in New Zealand so far. Alcohol aside (which is well hidden) it reminds me of the calibre of 1966 Ch Palmer as it was in an evaluation of some young 1966 Bordeaux 40 years ago. On that occasion I cellared a case, and watched it blossom over the years. It is still great, today. That will be the need for this one, on release probably in later 2011. The style of Tom is closer to great St Julien, however. It sailed through the field of 64 red wines in a rigorous blind tasting, without any doubt as to which was the top wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresh and dense, a great young claret colour. Bouquet is wonderfully floral, darkest roses / violets giving an exciting lift and excitement to classic cabernet / merlot cassis and bottled black doris plums, plus spice and complexity from vanillin and hessian new French oak. Palate shows great ripeness at a maximum for optimal florality, potentially velvety texture but at this stage with the 'fibre' of new oak apparent in very rich fruit. This is a great young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend, one of the finest such wines made in New Zealand so far. Alcohol aside (which is well hidden) it reminds me of the calibre of 1966 Ch Palmer as it was in an evaluation of some young 1966 Bordeaux 40 years ago. On that occasion I cellared a case, and watched it blossom over the years. It is still great, today. That will be the need for this one, on release probably in later 2011. The style of Tom is closer to great St Julien, however. It sailed through the field of 64 red wines in a rigorous blind tasting, without any doubt as to which was the top wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels 72% & Ngatarawa Triangle 28, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ cork; CS 54%, Me 41, CF 5, mostly hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from (on average) 8-year old vines; cuvaison extended to 35 days for some components; MLF and 22 months in 100% French oak c. 50% new, with no BF or lees stirring at all, just racking; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; release date August 2009; Catalogue: not in; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense, more carmine than the 2006. As the name implies, with cabernet listed first, the cassis and aromatic component on bouquet is fractionally more evident than the 2006 wine, and it is all less melded. The floral violets complexity component of the bouquet is superb, of a quality rarely seen. Palate tastes fresher too, not as yet quite the great plummy depth of the 2006 but an equal volume of flavour, and all much more cabernet-dominant. The quality of oak handling is delightful. Tobacco complexities are not evident yet, but potential cedar is. These two wines offer further evidence (not that it is needed) of the tasting skills and great palate of Chris Scott, chief winemaker at Church Road. These wines and the Reserve Syrah have yet to receive the worldwide recognition they deserve, and the price (happily for the consumer) reflects this. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense, more carmine than the 2006. As the name implies, with cabernet listed first, the cassis and aromatic component on bouquet is fractionally more evident than the 2006 wine, and it is all less melded. The floral violets complexity component of the bouquet is superb, of a quality rarely seen. Palate tastes fresher too, not as yet quite the great plummy depth of the 2006 but an equal volume of flavour, and all much more cabernet-dominant. The quality of oak handling is delightful. Tobacco complexities are not evident yet, but potential cedar is. These two wines offer further evidence (not that it is needed) of the tasting skills and great palate of Chris Scott, chief winemaker at Church Road. These wines and the Reserve Syrah have yet to receive the worldwide recognition they deserve, and the price (happily for the consumer) reflects this. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ cork; 40% hand-picked @ c. 7.5 t/ha (3.5 t/ac); whole-bunch pressed, limited cold-settling; c.10% BF in non-new French 500-litre barrels with some wild yeast fermentation; 9 months elevation on lees to enhance texture; pH 3.22, RS 1 g/L; biodynamic; www.churtonwines.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. On bouquet this wine shows the absolute purity the 2011 lacks, with wonderfully ripe sauvignon blanc complexed with some old oak, barrel-ferment and considerable lees-autolysis. In mouth the wine is at a peak of perfection now, the palate showing pale stonefruit flesh, almost invisible old oak adding structure, gentle acid, great length, a marvellous wine. Winemaker Sam Weaver seeks wines which will age, and show mineral complexity and body. This wine fills the bill. It may not get better than it is now, but I suspect this will still be rewarding drinking in another 6 – 8 years. Wonderful with food. GK 03/13
Lemonstraw. On bouquet this wine shows the absolute purity the 2011 lacks, with wonderfully ripe sauvignon blanc complexed with some old oak, barrel-ferment and considerable lees-autolysis. In mouth the wine is at a peak of perfection now, the palate showing pale stonefruit flesh, almost invisible old oak adding structure, gentle acid, great length, a marvellous wine. Winemaker Sam Weaver seeks wines which will age, and show mineral complexity and body. This wine fills the bill. It may not get better than it is now, but I suspect this will still be rewarding drinking in another 6 – 8 years. Wonderful with food. GK 03/13
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $531 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; purchase price c.$550; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, the second deepest wine. Bouquet shows rich aromatic berry even hinting at black pepper and cassis in this cooler year, but unfortunately the varietal beauty of the fruit is somewhat obscured by far too much and too toasty oak. Below that mask is dense dark bottled plum fruit such as black doris. Palate has the wonderful freshness of berry the very best 2010 Northern Rhone syrahs show, great richness and length, and great cellar potential, but here with the risk the whole wine will be corrupted by the excess oak and end up tending leathery rather than velvety. This level of oak completely masks the floral notes fine syrah is famous for, and pretty well obscures any subtle pepper. Certainly in future comparative tastings of these great 2010 Northern Rhones, Le Pavillon will lose out on varietal precision compared to some of the more subtly raised syrahs from Hermitage and nearby districts, notably from producers such as J L Chave, Domaine Jamet, Auguste Clape, latter-day Jaboulet La Chapelle, and maybe possibly even Guigal’s Ex Voto, but the wine nonetheless will appeal to many. Sadly, these days, many, including too many winewriters, mark up oak. It was well received by the group, two first places, four second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 98. GK 10/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, the second deepest wine. Bouquet shows rich aromatic berry even hinting at black pepper and cassis in this cooler year, but unfortunately the varietal beauty of the fruit is somewhat obscured by far too much and too toasty oak. Below that mask is dense dark bottled plum fruit such as black doris. Palate has the wonderful freshness of berry the very best 2010 Northern Rhone syrahs show, great richness and length, and great cellar potential, but here with the risk the whole wine will be corrupted by the excess oak and end up tending leathery rather than velvety. This level of oak completely masks the floral notes fine syrah is famous for, and pretty well obscures any subtle pepper. Certainly in future comparative tastings of these great 2010 Northern Rhones, Le Pavillon will lose out on varietal precision compared to some of the more subtly raised syrahs from Hermitage and nearby districts, notably from producers such as J L Chave, Domaine Jamet, Auguste Clape, latter-day Jaboulet La Chapelle, and maybe possibly even Guigal’s Ex Voto, but the wine nonetheless will appeal to many. Sadly, these days, many, including too many winewriters, mark up oak. It was well received by the group, two first places, four second. Cellar 10 – 35 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 98. GK 10/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 81%, CF 10, CS 7, Ma 2, hand-harvested @ c. 2.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in oak cuves; 18 months in 50% new French oak; fined and filtered; RS nil; production around 2000 cases, exported widely; Catalogue: no description; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, minutely less carmine than the same firm’s Gimblett Gravels Merlot. If the standard Gimblett Gravels Merlot is superb, this wine is exactly the same in its wonderful violets florals, and its glorious bottled black doris and some dark cassis saturated fruit on the palate, but it is even richer, with more apparent new oak. It is absolutely of classed growth Bordeaux quality, and not Fourth or Fifth either. The violets florals run right through into the palate – a wonderful complexity factor only achievable in a cool-temperate viticultural climate. Craggy Range (along with Church Road in this Expo) are making explicit all the promise the Hawkes Bay viticultural region has shown for decades now, since the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. These two Craggy Merlots are two of the greatest achievements with the variety so far in New Zealand. The challenge now is to get those alcohols under 14% to emphasise even more the beauty of the variety. The magic of the 2007 season (dry, and not hot) has allowed them to get away with 14.3% this year. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, minutely less carmine than the same firm’s Gimblett Gravels Merlot. If the standard Gimblett Gravels Merlot is superb, this wine is exactly the same in its wonderful violets florals, and its glorious bottled black doris and some dark cassis saturated fruit on the palate, but it is even richer, with more apparent new oak. It is absolutely of classed growth Bordeaux quality, and not Fourth or Fifth either. The violets florals run right through into the palate – a wonderful complexity factor only achievable in a cool-temperate viticultural climate. Craggy Range (along with Church Road in this Expo) are making explicit all the promise the Hawkes Bay viticultural region has shown for decades now, since the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. These two Craggy Merlots are two of the greatest achievements with the variety so far in New Zealand. The challenge now is to get those alcohols under 14% to emphasise even more the beauty of the variety. The magic of the 2007 season (dry, and not hot) has allowed them to get away with 14.3% this year. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $133 [ cork, 50mm; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 100%, mostly Limmer clone, plus some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard on the hill of Hermitage, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; the 2010 was at that point the largest volume made of Homage, nearly 600 x 9-litre cases; the name is a tribute to the late Gerard Jaboulet, John Hancock (then chief winemaker) having worked the 1996 vintage at Jaboulet with Gerard, back when Jaboulet’s Hermitage La Chapelle was world-famous; Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 2012: ... the 2010 Homage Gimblett Gravels Syrah is a little closed, with notes of blueberries and plums plus hints of allspice, chocolate and toast. Medium to full-bodied, it gives a good core of mid-palate flesh supported by medium to high acid and a medium to firm level of rounded tannins, going savory / earthy in the long finish. Drink it now to 2018+, 91; Michael Cooper, 2013: The 2010 vintage is a '7 out of 7 year', believes winemaker John Hancock. Densely coloured and still purple-flushed, it is powerful, with great depth of superbly ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, framed by ripe, supple tannins. ... well worth cellaring to at least 2015+, *****; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good young syrah colour, precisely in the middle for depth. Bouquet is a little different from the wines rated more highly, there being quite a whole-bunch fragrance to the wine, akin to the Jamet but much sweeter, riper, and more positive. Floral notes therefore include suggestions of buddleia and boronia as well as roses, on vibrant cassisy berry plus black pepper. Oak is invisible initially, on bouquet. Palate is very aromatic, the oak now immediately more apparent, plenty of cassis not quite as sweet and ripe as the Cable Bay, black pepper spice, just a subliminal thought that slightly more ripeness would have been good, to make it more like the 2009. This 2010 Homage is richer than 2010 Le Sol. Voting on this wine was interesting, no first places, but seven second places. So it too was well-liked, and again the caveats expressed re the Cable Bay wine probably apply. Eight thought it Northern Rhone Valley wine, and five further thought it Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/18
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good young syrah colour, precisely in the middle for depth. Bouquet is a little different from the wines rated more highly, there being quite a whole-bunch fragrance to the wine, akin to the Jamet but much sweeter, riper, and more positive. Floral notes therefore include suggestions of buddleia and boronia as well as roses, on vibrant cassisy berry plus black pepper. Oak is invisible initially, on bouquet. Palate is very aromatic, the oak now immediately more apparent, plenty of cassis not quite as sweet and ripe as the Cable Bay, black pepper spice, just a subliminal thought that slightly more ripeness would have been good, to make it more like the 2009. This 2010 Homage is richer than 2010 Le Sol. Voting on this wine was interesting, no first places, but seven second places. So it too was well-liked, and again the caveats expressed re the Cable Bay wine probably apply. Eight thought it Northern Rhone Valley wine, and five further thought it Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/18
North-Western Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $227 [ cork, 50mm; original price c.$200; Sh 95% more than 100 years old and dry-grown, plus 5% barrel-fermented viognier added pre-bottling; Halliday rates the vintage in the Barossa Valley 5/10; Torbreck Runrig is rated Exceptional in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the first-level group of 22 wines. The wine is too recent to be in Australia's Classic Wines by Halliday; Runrig is the flagship wine of the famous winery and vineyard Torbreck, which visionary Dave Powell built from scratch. His goal was to match the wines of the Rhone Valley. Elevation 30 months in French oak 100% new; production c.600 x 9-litre cases; JH@JR, 2008: Some menthol, maybe even lavender. Perfumed and floral. Rich and spicy and full and very rich in the mouth. Scented but still has chocolate-like tannins. Dry, dark firm, dense and powerful but not overbearing. Elegant in a big style. Moreish but may be too big for some foods? To 2013, 18; L.P-B@RP, 2013: 1999 RunRig presents an incredible nose with complex and layered aromas of smoked bacon, dried mulberries, kirsch and leather intermingling with sandalwood, anise and potpourri nuances. Medium to full-bodied, this is a very elegant wine with vibrant acid and concentrated fruit, structured with medium levels of grainy tannins through the long and layered finish. It is just beautiful. To 2024+, 99; weight bottle and closure: 582 g; www.torbreck.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly the deepest and freshest / reddest wine. Bouquet is amazing, no hint of over-ripe Australian boysenberry, instead the characteristic flowering mint Prostanthera floral note confuseable with, and (in moderation) just as attractive as, garrigue complexity, on deeply cassisy exquisitely fresh plummy berry, plus cedary oak of a beauty and subtlety to match the top Guigal. That is saying something. In mouth the velvety fragrant quality of cassisy berry is of a quality rarely encountered in Australian reds. Only to the late palate is there the slightest suggestion of acid adjustment. This is wine-making of the highest degree, the wine exhilarating. Tasters reacted well to this wine too, three first-places and two second. Yet to my absolute astonishment, 16 tasters correctly located this wine in Australia, at the blind stage. It is the richest wine in the set: a dry extract figure would be illuminating. It is approaching early maturity, with 20, maybe 30 years cellar life ahead of it. This lovely wine is a pointer to what could be achieved in Australian winemaking, if the country’s winemakers tasted more widely. GK 11/19
Ruby and velvet, clearly the deepest and freshest / reddest wine. Bouquet is amazing, no hint of over-ripe Australian boysenberry, instead the characteristic flowering mint Prostanthera floral note confuseable with, and (in moderation) just as attractive as, garrigue complexity, on deeply cassisy exquisitely fresh plummy berry, plus cedary oak of a beauty and subtlety to match the top Guigal. That is saying something. In mouth the velvety fragrant quality of cassisy berry is of a quality rarely encountered in Australian reds. Only to the late palate is there the slightest suggestion of acid adjustment. This is wine-making of the highest degree, the wine exhilarating. Tasters reacted well to this wine too, three first-places and two second. Yet to my absolute astonishment, 16 tasters correctly located this wine in Australia, at the blind stage. It is the richest wine in the set: a dry extract figure would be illuminating. It is approaching early maturity, with 20, maybe 30 years cellar life ahead of it. This lovely wine is a pointer to what could be achieved in Australian winemaking, if the country’s winemakers tasted more widely. GK 11/19
Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $131 [ cork; Domaine du Duc de Magenta monopole; hand-harvested; (guideline) BF, LA, MLF in 30% new French oak; no specific info [then] on website; www.louisjadot.com ]
Fresh lemonstraw. A big bouquet, combining some acacia florals with an aromatic new oak character, and some winemaking complexities already evident – some hazelnut meal in rich white stonefruit. Palate is rich yet bone dry, elegant stonefruits, fine-grained acid, lingering mealiness, and an exciting depth of flavour. This is great white burgundy, and classic Puligny-Montrachet, more accessible now than the Batard-Montrachet. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/05
Fresh lemonstraw. A big bouquet, combining some acacia florals with an aromatic new oak character, and some winemaking complexities already evident – some hazelnut meal in rich white stonefruit. Palate is rich yet bone dry, elegant stonefruits, fine-grained acid, lingering mealiness, and an exciting depth of flavour. This is great white burgundy, and classic Puligny-Montrachet, more accessible now than the Batard-Montrachet. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 55%, Ma 25, CS 20; MLF in barrel, 19 months in French oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
This wine has recently been reviewed favourably (5/04), so it was intriguing to have it somewhere among the 12 blind wines. On this occasion, it appeared understated on bouquet, but with phenomenal fruit richness on palate, so one has to take the wine very seriously indeed. It gradually opened to dense plummy fruit lifted by some cassis and oak, and the following day was showing a much better indication of its potentially Bordeaux-like complexities – fragrant and berryrich. Except that there is a faint New Zealand tell-tale in the suggestion of pennyroyal on bouquet. This is an exciting wine to cellar for decades rather than years. GK 07/04
This wine has recently been reviewed favourably (5/04), so it was intriguing to have it somewhere among the 12 blind wines. On this occasion, it appeared understated on bouquet, but with phenomenal fruit richness on palate, so one has to take the wine very seriously indeed. It gradually opened to dense plummy fruit lifted by some cassis and oak, and the following day was showing a much better indication of its potentially Bordeaux-like complexities – fragrant and berryrich. Except that there is a faint New Zealand tell-tale in the suggestion of pennyroyal on bouquet. This is an exciting wine to cellar for decades rather than years. GK 07/04
Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand: 13.5%; $31 [ screwcap; RS 17 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, fresh, crisp, floral and spicy, with an almost perfect expression of precise lychee and rosepetal varietal fruit lifted with citronella piquancy, and spiced with wild ginger florals. Palate is superbly fresh and crisp, enough phenolics and extract to secure pinpoint varietal character, yet not in any way coarse, perfect acid balance for length of flavour, well balanced to reasonably subtle residual sweetness – medium. It is not quite as fresh as the Johanneshof, but the weight of varietal character is greater. This wine avoids the great weakness of gewurztraminer, a flabby variously 'barley-sugar' finish. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 08/06
Pale lemon. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, fresh, crisp, floral and spicy, with an almost perfect expression of precise lychee and rosepetal varietal fruit lifted with citronella piquancy, and spiced with wild ginger florals. Palate is superbly fresh and crisp, enough phenolics and extract to secure pinpoint varietal character, yet not in any way coarse, perfect acid balance for length of flavour, well balanced to reasonably subtle residual sweetness – medium. It is not quite as fresh as the Johanneshof, but the weight of varietal character is greater. This wine avoids the great weakness of gewurztraminer, a flabby variously 'barley-sugar' finish. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 08/06
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $44 [ cork; Sy 100%, including clone 470, 16 months in French oak 33% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the lighter wines. But it is not lighter in other dimensions: if the le Sol is Hermitage, in this tasting the Bullnose is Cote Rotie, the florals much more concentrated at the dianthus and roses part of the olfactory spectrum. Below is fragrant cassis, blueberry and plum, even more floral than the Esk Valley wine. Palate continues in the same vein, berry winning totally, velvety texture and admirable alcohol, flavoursome, the oak much less apparent. This is beautiful succulent wine, almost overlapping with great Cote de Nuits, softer than the other three top wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the lighter wines. But it is not lighter in other dimensions: if the le Sol is Hermitage, in this tasting the Bullnose is Cote Rotie, the florals much more concentrated at the dianthus and roses part of the olfactory spectrum. Below is fragrant cassis, blueberry and plum, even more floral than the Esk Valley wine. Palate continues in the same vein, berry winning totally, velvety texture and admirable alcohol, flavoursome, the oak much less apparent. This is beautiful succulent wine, almost overlapping with great Cote de Nuits, softer than the other three top wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; CS 76, Me 24, hand-picked @ 6.8 t/ha (2.7 t/ac), all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies up to 30 days; 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS <1 g/L; minimal fining and filtration; 350 cases; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, still some carmine. And then the last wine in the tasting / presentation, and what a success it looked in the line-up. There is just a hint of secondary characters and complexity appearing, and at the same time the berry richness is expanding relative to the oak. In mouth there is a gentleness and roundness to the wine which is totally captivating. This is a Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlot of total Bordeaux style, perhaps St Julien the closest – one of the Barton family ... or Branaire-Ducru. It is a wine to cellar by the case, as well as a wine to draw the students' attention to the international calibre of our best Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Maybe it is not as rich as Australian or American palates would prefer, but it has that all-important fine wine quality, charm and beauty. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, still some carmine. And then the last wine in the tasting / presentation, and what a success it looked in the line-up. There is just a hint of secondary characters and complexity appearing, and at the same time the berry richness is expanding relative to the oak. In mouth there is a gentleness and roundness to the wine which is totally captivating. This is a Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlot of total Bordeaux style, perhaps St Julien the closest – one of the Barton family ... or Branaire-Ducru. It is a wine to cellar by the case, as well as a wine to draw the students' attention to the international calibre of our best Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Maybe it is not as rich as Australian or American palates would prefer, but it has that all-important fine wine quality, charm and beauty. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Barossa Valley & Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $60 [ shiraz from Barossa, cabernet from Coonawarra; 12 months in new French & US oak, then 8 - 12 months in oak; seen as the flagship wine in the Jacobs Creek range; www.jacobscreek.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a wonderful colour for its age. This bouquet is sensational. First impression is benchmark cassis, as if the wine were a great cabernet / merlot. Below that is blueberry betraying the shiraz, but it is astonishing the extent to which the cabernet has taken over this wine. Oaking is subtle and smells like firmest French. Palate is equally marvellous, aromatic cassis, great finesse approaching Bordeaux in style, long and lingering on raisiny cassis skins. Beautiful and classic wine which will cellar for 20 – 30 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a wonderful colour for its age. This bouquet is sensational. First impression is benchmark cassis, as if the wine were a great cabernet / merlot. Below that is blueberry betraying the shiraz, but it is astonishing the extent to which the cabernet has taken over this wine. Oaking is subtle and smells like firmest French. Palate is equally marvellous, aromatic cassis, great finesse approaching Bordeaux in style, long and lingering on raisiny cassis skins. Beautiful and classic wine which will cellar for 20 – 30 years. GK 05/04
Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ cork, 46 mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from c.24-year old vines; all de-stemmed, 15 months in French oak usually 35 – 40% new; of the order of 100 barrels made; RS dry; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to 2015 Coleraine but fractionally fresher / less oak influence. I was so excited by the 2015 Bullnose, that in setting up the wines for writing up back at home, I opened 2013 Bullnose, to get a clear steer on actual achievements, as opposed to impressions gained in isolation. Bouquet of this 2015 has a depth of velvety florality I do not recall in young Bullnose before. It is stunning, darkest carnations, dianthus and red roses, dark black plums, some cassis, less black pepper than the 2013, and subtlest oak. Flavours in mouth are simply sensational. Again there is the velvety texture of classical French cropping rates expressed as dry extract, showing as beautiful mouth feel, long darkly cassisy and plummy berry flavours, and gently counterpointed oak, with a whisper of black pepper spice. The wine is as rich as 2015 Coleraine, or even slightly more concentrated. It is without doubt the greatest Bullnose thus far produced. It has the concentration of Yves Cuilleron's Cote Rotie Terres Sombres, one of the great (but unsung) Cote Roties. I wonder when the British will stop patronising New Zealand syrah, and give this wine (for example) its just ranking, right up there with some of the finest Cote Roties and Hermitages – but Bullnose markedly on the Cote Rotie side of the pairing. Cellar 5 – 20 years, longer for enthusiasts. The cropping and cellaring comments in the Coleraine review apply here, too. GK 03/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to 2015 Coleraine but fractionally fresher / less oak influence. I was so excited by the 2015 Bullnose, that in setting up the wines for writing up back at home, I opened 2013 Bullnose, to get a clear steer on actual achievements, as opposed to impressions gained in isolation. Bouquet of this 2015 has a depth of velvety florality I do not recall in young Bullnose before. It is stunning, darkest carnations, dianthus and red roses, dark black plums, some cassis, less black pepper than the 2013, and subtlest oak. Flavours in mouth are simply sensational. Again there is the velvety texture of classical French cropping rates expressed as dry extract, showing as beautiful mouth feel, long darkly cassisy and plummy berry flavours, and gently counterpointed oak, with a whisper of black pepper spice. The wine is as rich as 2015 Coleraine, or even slightly more concentrated. It is without doubt the greatest Bullnose thus far produced. It has the concentration of Yves Cuilleron's Cote Rotie Terres Sombres, one of the great (but unsung) Cote Roties. I wonder when the British will stop patronising New Zealand syrah, and give this wine (for example) its just ranking, right up there with some of the finest Cote Roties and Hermitages – but Bullnose markedly on the Cote Rotie side of the pairing. Cellar 5 – 20 years, longer for enthusiasts. The cropping and cellaring comments in the Coleraine review apply here, too. GK 03/17
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; clones mendoza and B95, hand-picked; 100% BF in French oak 20% new, with wild-yeast fermentations extending over 8 months, then full MLF; 11 months in barrel; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, the third deepest colour, glowing. Bouquet is simply sensational, combining beautiful rich highly varietal chardonnay with great lees autolysis complexity, plus an elusive component much sought-after in chardonnay, but rarely found, a suggestion of florality. The wine smells rich, shaped by oak but not at all dominated by it, with the autolysis characters spanning the best baguettes through to lightly-toasted Vogel's Multigrain bread. Palate shows a crispness and freshness of peach including golden queen peach fruit which is a delight, the autolysis adding body, mouthfeel and texture, which as you swallow seems glycerol-rich in the best possible way. Aftertaste is golden queen fruit sustained by both acid and oatmeally oak. The oak handling is excellent. The floral suggestion on bouquet comes back to haunt the later palate, with suggestions of golden honeysuckle, and this refreshing acid. A very beautiful wine to cellar 3 – 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/16
Lemonstraw, the third deepest colour, glowing. Bouquet is simply sensational, combining beautiful rich highly varietal chardonnay with great lees autolysis complexity, plus an elusive component much sought-after in chardonnay, but rarely found, a suggestion of florality. The wine smells rich, shaped by oak but not at all dominated by it, with the autolysis characters spanning the best baguettes through to lightly-toasted Vogel's Multigrain bread. Palate shows a crispness and freshness of peach including golden queen peach fruit which is a delight, the autolysis adding body, mouthfeel and texture, which as you swallow seems glycerol-rich in the best possible way. Aftertaste is golden queen fruit sustained by both acid and oatmeally oak. The oak handling is excellent. The floral suggestion on bouquet comes back to haunt the later palate, with suggestions of golden honeysuckle, and this refreshing acid. A very beautiful wine to cellar 3 – 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.1%; $75 [ cork; Me 40%, CS 30, CF 30; average vine age 5 years; 100% new French barriques for 18 months; 298 cases; Halliday: Very good colour; medium bodied, but complex; good balance of cassis, blackcurrant and redcurrant fruits backed by subtle tannins and integrated oak; long finish and after taste; GK: 19 +; this wine was referred to as: '2005 Blake Family Vineyard Merlot / Cabernet' in the Dec. 2007 review. The name 'Redd' alludes to the proprietor's interest in trout fishing, which first brought him to New Zealand, and introduced him to the Ngaruroro River. Reflecting on the quality of the current gravels in the river for trout spawning, combined with the quality of older now-dryland phases of the same gravels for viticulture, led to the name, which combines two of the passions in Mark Blake's life; www.bfvwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in density. Freshly opened the wine has an aromatic quality on bouquet which is quite exotic, hinting at lemon balm. It quickly marries down into an intensely cassisy wine like The Gimblett, yet richer, moving towards Sophia. Palate is magical, the best points of both wines, wonderfully berry-rich and aromatic, the oak showing a little much at this stage. It is completely in a ripe-year Bordeaux style, Margaux-like (district) maybe, but with more immaculate winemaking than many. Halliday described this as: one of the great wines in the line up. In the 'Evolution' article referred to in the introductory text, I have discussed the unfortunate loss of then-proprietor Mark Blake to New Zealand winemaking. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in density. Freshly opened the wine has an aromatic quality on bouquet which is quite exotic, hinting at lemon balm. It quickly marries down into an intensely cassisy wine like The Gimblett, yet richer, moving towards Sophia. Palate is magical, the best points of both wines, wonderfully berry-rich and aromatic, the oak showing a little much at this stage. It is completely in a ripe-year Bordeaux style, Margaux-like (district) maybe, but with more immaculate winemaking than many. Halliday described this as: one of the great wines in the line up. In the 'Evolution' article referred to in the introductory text, I have discussed the unfortunate loss of then-proprietor Mark Blake to New Zealand winemaking. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; CS 40%, Me 30, CF 29, PV 1, cropped @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison c.28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; RS 0.4 g/L; not sterile-filtered; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises the concept of violets-floral in cassisy berry, beautifully defining the cabernet / merlot winestyle. Berry is totally dominant to good cedary oak, and there is a temperate-climate elegance to this wine worthy of classed-growth bordeaux. In mouth there is a limpid quality to the berryfruit which is enchanting, contrasting with some of the wines which are more tightly-framed by new oak. The ripeness profile / point of picking seems perfect, for maximum flavour and wine complexity. Not a big wine, but big enough, with supreme finesse. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises the concept of violets-floral in cassisy berry, beautifully defining the cabernet / merlot winestyle. Berry is totally dominant to good cedary oak, and there is a temperate-climate elegance to this wine worthy of classed-growth bordeaux. In mouth there is a limpid quality to the berryfruit which is enchanting, contrasting with some of the wines which are more tightly-framed by new oak. The ripeness profile / point of picking seems perfect, for maximum flavour and wine complexity. Not a big wine, but big enough, with supreme finesse. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 25% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at c.3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; 17 months in French oak 35% new, with MLF in barrel; RS 0.34 g/L; not sterile-filtered; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and brightest of the reds. Bouquet is simply reference-quality straight Hermitage-style syrah, showing classic wallflower florals and fresh-cracked black peppercorn spice, on deep dark cassisy berry, with underlying very dark plum qualities plus new oak. Flavour is sensationally concentrated, again comparable with the finest Hermitage, but the wine is a little new oaky, at this stage. Even greater syrah beauty would be apparent with a much lower ratio of new oak, say half the present. Even so the wine has the fruit weight (>30 g/L dry extract) and volume to marry away the oak, over 10 years or so. 2013 was such a strong vintage for reds in Hawkes Bay, there may well be other contenders, but for the moment, this Reserve Villa Syrah and 2013 Trinity Hill Homage form the flankers of a wonderful suite of glorious Hawkes Bay syrah wines. The Villa Maria is the 'straight' syrah, with no whole bunch component, more Hermitage in style, and the Homage as soon as you have it alongside can be seen to be totally different, more floral, more Cote Rotie, reflecting its 30% whole-bunch component. Both wines are benchmark quality. Exhilarating wine, to buy as much as is practical, and wait. Under screwcap, it will be slower to evolve than under cork. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and brightest of the reds. Bouquet is simply reference-quality straight Hermitage-style syrah, showing classic wallflower florals and fresh-cracked black peppercorn spice, on deep dark cassisy berry, with underlying very dark plum qualities plus new oak. Flavour is sensationally concentrated, again comparable with the finest Hermitage, but the wine is a little new oaky, at this stage. Even greater syrah beauty would be apparent with a much lower ratio of new oak, say half the present. Even so the wine has the fruit weight (>30 g/L dry extract) and volume to marry away the oak, over 10 years or so. 2013 was such a strong vintage for reds in Hawkes Bay, there may well be other contenders, but for the moment, this Reserve Villa Syrah and 2013 Trinity Hill Homage form the flankers of a wonderful suite of glorious Hawkes Bay syrah wines. The Villa Maria is the 'straight' syrah, with no whole bunch component, more Hermitage in style, and the Homage as soon as you have it alongside can be seen to be totally different, more floral, more Cote Rotie, reflecting its 30% whole-bunch component. Both wines are benchmark quality. Exhilarating wine, to buy as much as is practical, and wait. Under screwcap, it will be slower to evolve than under cork. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 100%, all hand-picked from c.12-year old vines planted at 2,775 vines / ha and cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.24 g/L; not sterile-filtered; production around 250 x 9-L cases ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Great excitement in this glass, once the identifications became apparent: the Braided Gravels Merlot is starting to sing. There is a beautiful dusky merlot florality now a little more apparent, which is going to be wonderfully exciting to watch in the evolution of this wine. The bouquet suggests darkest red roses and port-wine magnolia, and maybe violets. Below is dense bottled black doris plum fruit, and suggestions of blueberry and trace cassis, just delightful, though (naturally) not quite so aromatic as the cabernet-led Tom 2013. Palate also is starting to unfold, revealing signs of the promise I outlined in my initial reviews of the wine last year. Villa Maria have some sensational wines out of the 2013 vintage. Their wines will be slow to reveal themselves under screwcap, however. This is a wine to secure by the case (of 12), as a first-class Hawkes Bay Merlot. Given the price now being asked for 2013 Tom, its $60 release price looks more than appealing. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Great excitement in this glass, once the identifications became apparent: the Braided Gravels Merlot is starting to sing. There is a beautiful dusky merlot florality now a little more apparent, which is going to be wonderfully exciting to watch in the evolution of this wine. The bouquet suggests darkest red roses and port-wine magnolia, and maybe violets. Below is dense bottled black doris plum fruit, and suggestions of blueberry and trace cassis, just delightful, though (naturally) not quite so aromatic as the cabernet-led Tom 2013. Palate also is starting to unfold, revealing signs of the promise I outlined in my initial reviews of the wine last year. Villa Maria have some sensational wines out of the 2013 vintage. Their wines will be slow to reveal themselves under screwcap, however. This is a wine to secure by the case (of 12), as a first-class Hawkes Bay Merlot. Given the price now being asked for 2013 Tom, its $60 release price looks more than appealing. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels 92% & Bridge Pa Triangle 8, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.5%; $49 [ cork; Me 77%, CS 23, mostly hand-picked the cabernet c. 3 weeks later than the merlot (just before the rain); cuvaison mostly in oak cuves extended to 35 days for some components; c.20 months in all-French oak c.60% new, balance 1-year, with no BF or lees stirring, just racking; not fined or filtered; RS < 2 g/L all unfermentable; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and denser than McDonald Series Cabernet Sauvignon, in the top third for weight of colour. The quality of cassis and berry here on bouquet is benchmark, with wonderful freshness and varietal precision, and a concentration on bouquet which is not only classed growth in quality, but Second Growth in level. In mouth the wine shows that wonderful and rare attribute of velvety concentration, and extraordinary freshness, coupled with a much lighter touch with the oak than some under this label have shown. The quality of fruit here is of a Tom standard, yet they didn't make one. Chris Scott has a fondness for really ripe wines, but when you taste the 2010 classed growth Bordeaux, they have this kind of freshness, contrasting with the sometimes slightly ponderous density of the ripe / sometimes over-ripe 2009s. It would be good if Tom maintained its standard, but was allowed to express some vintage variation in style, provided the quality is there. Bordeaux 2009 and 2010 provide the model. This wine is sensational, it may be lighter than 2009 Tom, but it is more beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years, and it will hold longer. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and denser than McDonald Series Cabernet Sauvignon, in the top third for weight of colour. The quality of cassis and berry here on bouquet is benchmark, with wonderful freshness and varietal precision, and a concentration on bouquet which is not only classed growth in quality, but Second Growth in level. In mouth the wine shows that wonderful and rare attribute of velvety concentration, and extraordinary freshness, coupled with a much lighter touch with the oak than some under this label have shown. The quality of fruit here is of a Tom standard, yet they didn't make one. Chris Scott has a fondness for really ripe wines, but when you taste the 2010 classed growth Bordeaux, they have this kind of freshness, contrasting with the sometimes slightly ponderous density of the ripe / sometimes over-ripe 2009s. It would be good if Tom maintained its standard, but was allowed to express some vintage variation in style, provided the quality is there. Bordeaux 2009 and 2010 provide the model. This wine is sensational, it may be lighter than 2009 Tom, but it is more beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years, and it will hold longer. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.1%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 62%, CF 34, CS 4, hand-harvested @ 3.25 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 19 months in 80% new French oak; fined and filtered; dry extract 28.9 g/L; 2200 cases; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very deep. This is spellbinding wine, showing to perfection dense rich darkest plums-in-the sun aromas which are nearly floral, but all just a wee bit big and spirity and darkest chocolate, a hint of sur-maturité maybe. It is not quite as aromatic and fresh as The Quarry, but then neither is it cabernet-dominant. Palate is velvety, tremendous dry extract, oak beautifully in balance, the plush flavour lingering for ages. This is classic merlot, modern Pomerol in style, and in the upper equal-to-classed-growth range of the hierarchy. It is great to see even this biggest of the 2005 Craggys showing such restraint compared with some earlier years. In some ways it is a wine of Napa Valley richness too, yet its cooler-climate freshness and fragrance is always evident. Either this or the more fragrant but fractionally lighter straight 2005 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels was arguably the best merlot-dominant wine made latterly in New Zealand, until the advent of the 2005 Church Road wines. 2005 Sophia will cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very deep. This is spellbinding wine, showing to perfection dense rich darkest plums-in-the sun aromas which are nearly floral, but all just a wee bit big and spirity and darkest chocolate, a hint of sur-maturité maybe. It is not quite as aromatic and fresh as The Quarry, but then neither is it cabernet-dominant. Palate is velvety, tremendous dry extract, oak beautifully in balance, the plush flavour lingering for ages. This is classic merlot, modern Pomerol in style, and in the upper equal-to-classed-growth range of the hierarchy. It is great to see even this biggest of the 2005 Craggys showing such restraint compared with some earlier years. In some ways it is a wine of Napa Valley richness too, yet its cooler-climate freshness and fragrance is always evident. Either this or the more fragrant but fractionally lighter straight 2005 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels was arguably the best merlot-dominant wine made latterly in New Zealand, until the advent of the 2005 Church Road wines. 2005 Sophia will cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Te Muna Valley, Martinborough district, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.4%; $125 [ 50mm cork; hand-harvested @ c. 3.8 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; fermentation in oak cuves and s/s, with wild yeasts, and 40% whole-bunch; 11 months in French oak 32% new; RS nil; not fined, coarse filter only; the Craggy Range website now is really model of how to do it – if only other leading New Zealand wineries would provide both this level of documentation for each wine, AND the same details for all back vintages; www.craggyrange.com ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby, clearly the deepest of the three Craggy Range pinot noirs (including the standard Te Muna Road wine in the Wairarapa pinot noir article, for link see under the Index, above), but still a typical pinot noir colour by Burgundy standards. The bouquet is simply beautiful, classic pinot noir, clearly floral in the sense of both pink and red roses as well as boronia, fragrant, aromatic in a subtle piquant way, red fruits dominant. In mouth the zingy red cherry grading to black fruits is exhilarating, the oak increasing slightly now, but the depth of flavour and texture dramatic. The aromatic excitement on palate and perfect varietal expression are totally Cote de Nuits, not Cote de Beaune – marvellous. This wine reminds of a great Clos de la Roche (from Morey-Saint-Denis, close by Gevrey-Chambertin), but is perhaps slightly more oaky than (for example) Drouhin's handling. This is Craggy Range's greatest pinot noir so far, and likewise one of Martinborough's finest to date. What a thrill. This wine vs the 2013 standard Te Muna wine, seems to me to offer the perfect confirmation that dry extract, and perceived texture and concentration, are in most cases linked with cropping rate. Note the clear differences in the two wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Perfect pinot noir ruby, clearly the deepest of the three Craggy Range pinot noirs (including the standard Te Muna Road wine in the Wairarapa pinot noir article, for link see under the Index, above), but still a typical pinot noir colour by Burgundy standards. The bouquet is simply beautiful, classic pinot noir, clearly floral in the sense of both pink and red roses as well as boronia, fragrant, aromatic in a subtle piquant way, red fruits dominant. In mouth the zingy red cherry grading to black fruits is exhilarating, the oak increasing slightly now, but the depth of flavour and texture dramatic. The aromatic excitement on palate and perfect varietal expression are totally Cote de Nuits, not Cote de Beaune – marvellous. This wine reminds of a great Clos de la Roche (from Morey-Saint-Denis, close by Gevrey-Chambertin), but is perhaps slightly more oaky than (for example) Drouhin's handling. This is Craggy Range's greatest pinot noir so far, and likewise one of Martinborough's finest to date. What a thrill. This wine vs the 2013 standard Te Muna wine, seems to me to offer the perfect confirmation that dry extract, and perceived texture and concentration, are in most cases linked with cropping rate. Note the clear differences in the two wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $120 [ cork; DFB; Me 65%, CS 35, all hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 6-year old vines; cuvaison 3 weeks for the CS component, 4 weeks for Me; no BF; 22 months in French oak c. 85% new, no lees stirring; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.1 g/L; 200 cases only; release date late '09 probably, not yet confirmed so wine not on website; Catalogue: TOM is the very best Bordeaux blend we can produce, and is only made in exceptional vintages. Tom can be Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot predominant depending on the season, with lesser amounts of Malbec and Cabernet Franc sometimes playing a role. TOM is a dense, powerful and complex red wine, with a backbone of fine textured tannin that helps ensure excellent cellaring potential; Awards: 94/100 Robert Parker.com. ‘Outstanding Bordeaux inspired wine that would out-inspire many a Bordeaux’; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, good density. The quality and volume of bouquet is extraordinary, combining dark rose / violets floral qualities with now-beautifully-integrated cassis, dark plum, dark tobacco and cedar, which is total classed-growth Bordeaux. The harmony of the wine is superb, alongside which many new world cab / merlots seem merely an admixture of berry, fruit, oak and alcohol. In mouth, the wine now seems lighter and fresher than the 2006 Church Road Reserve, and more aromatic, closer to the Esk Valley Reserve. I do not mean it is weaker, instead it has the delicacy and poise of great Medoc whereas the Church Road is more in a darker east-bank style. And there is a complexity of flavour beating all the others. People looking for sheer brawn in their wines as a measure of quality, as in so many highly-touted Australian cabernet blends, and therefore by definition almost less familiar with classed Bordeaux, may find this 2005 Tom understated. That is fantastic: every inch we can achieve which takes us more closely towards the classic Bordeaux model, and further from the American-influenced Australian one, is the measure of quality and difference in our wines we need to captivate the European market. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet, good density. The quality and volume of bouquet is extraordinary, combining dark rose / violets floral qualities with now-beautifully-integrated cassis, dark plum, dark tobacco and cedar, which is total classed-growth Bordeaux. The harmony of the wine is superb, alongside which many new world cab / merlots seem merely an admixture of berry, fruit, oak and alcohol. In mouth, the wine now seems lighter and fresher than the 2006 Church Road Reserve, and more aromatic, closer to the Esk Valley Reserve. I do not mean it is weaker, instead it has the delicacy and poise of great Medoc whereas the Church Road is more in a darker east-bank style. And there is a complexity of flavour beating all the others. People looking for sheer brawn in their wines as a measure of quality, as in so many highly-touted Australian cabernet blends, and therefore by definition almost less familiar with classed Bordeaux, may find this 2005 Tom understated. That is fantastic: every inch we can achieve which takes us more closely towards the classic Bordeaux model, and further from the American-influenced Australian one, is the measure of quality and difference in our wines we need to captivate the European market. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; clones 95, 15 and 9% of mendoza, hand-harvested and sorted; wild-yeast BF and MLF in all-French oak 58% new, balance 1-year, 14 months LA in barrel with some batonnage; RS < 1 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Full lemonstraw, a wonderful colour, just a little deeper than the Cloudy Bay. Bouquet is all one could ask of New Zealand chardonnay, showing superb golden queen peach fruit smelling more of mendoza than the percentage suggests, coupled with barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF complexity notes of baguette-crust quality. Flavour amplifies these themes, and both bouquet and flavour are wonderfully rich, satisfying and lingering, much more complex than the grape alone. This is where winemaker artefact transcends the original. And the wine is not harsh, or excessively oaky, alcoholic, or acid. Great New Zealand chardonnay to cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 04/08
Full lemonstraw, a wonderful colour, just a little deeper than the Cloudy Bay. Bouquet is all one could ask of New Zealand chardonnay, showing superb golden queen peach fruit smelling more of mendoza than the percentage suggests, coupled with barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF complexity notes of baguette-crust quality. Flavour amplifies these themes, and both bouquet and flavour are wonderfully rich, satisfying and lingering, much more complex than the grape alone. This is where winemaker artefact transcends the original. And the wine is not harsh, or excessively oaky, alcoholic, or acid. Great New Zealand chardonnay to cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 04/08
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $303 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; les Amoureuses – the lovers; a premier cru now rated and priced as a grand cru, adjoining les Musigny downslope; this vineyard contains some of Drouhin's oldest clones of pinot noir; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, cuvaison up to 22 days; MLF and up to 18 months in French oak up to 100% new; www.drouhin.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, about halfway in depth, lovely. As always, one greets these wonderfully evocative vineyard names with great anticipation. This wine lives up to that promise fully, showing beautifully fragrant clear florals including roses, boronia and violets, plus fragrant red fruits, and red and black cherry. Again there is this elegant potentially cedary oak the 2005 Drouhins display. Palate takes the wine a step further, the florals suffused right through the flavour, the depth of varietal character enchanting, the whole just beautiful all through. This wine speaks with wonderful authority, both of pinot noir the variety, and a great vintage in Burgundy. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 12/07
Good pinot noir ruby, about halfway in depth, lovely. As always, one greets these wonderfully evocative vineyard names with great anticipation. This wine lives up to that promise fully, showing beautifully fragrant clear florals including roses, boronia and violets, plus fragrant red fruits, and red and black cherry. Again there is this elegant potentially cedary oak the 2005 Drouhins display. Palate takes the wine a step further, the florals suffused right through the flavour, the depth of varietal character enchanting, the whole just beautiful all through. This wine speaks with wonderful authority, both of pinot noir the variety, and a great vintage in Burgundy. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels mostly, some Tutaekuri Valley, New Zealand: 13.75%; $ – [ screwcap; release late ’06; hand-harvested; not on website yet; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, a super colour and one of the deepest, just below ’04 le Sol. Bouquet shows a stunning quality of syrah, with the complete spectrum of varietal aromas – florals, black peppercorn, cassis and darkest plums – needed to define top-quality syrah. The floral notes include beautiful pinot-like boronia scents with suggestions of carnations and darkest roses, melding into a depth of cassis and richness of berryfruit on bouquet which is breathtaking. It is not quite as powerful as le Sol, but it is fresher and more floral. In mouth the berry richness is clearly deeper and denser than the ’04 Soler Syrah, the berry aromatics are greater, and the total oak is both less and finer. I would not be surprised if the ratio of new oak (all French) were higher than Soler, too. The aftertaste is essence of syrah, truly fine Hermitage quality. This wine is the equal of ’04 le Sol in richness, and though it is not as powerful, nor is it so alcoholic. And the blending-in of fruit from a cooler vineyard has optimised the bouquet and hence the varietal delicacy of bouquet, vis-a-vis le Sol, giving not only a greater floral component important in characterising the best syrah wines, but importantly a lower alcohol. This too is one of New Zealand's greatest reds so far, the match of le Sol. It will cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 05/06
Ruby carmine and velvet, a super colour and one of the deepest, just below ’04 le Sol. Bouquet shows a stunning quality of syrah, with the complete spectrum of varietal aromas – florals, black peppercorn, cassis and darkest plums – needed to define top-quality syrah. The floral notes include beautiful pinot-like boronia scents with suggestions of carnations and darkest roses, melding into a depth of cassis and richness of berryfruit on bouquet which is breathtaking. It is not quite as powerful as le Sol, but it is fresher and more floral. In mouth the berry richness is clearly deeper and denser than the ’04 Soler Syrah, the berry aromatics are greater, and the total oak is both less and finer. I would not be surprised if the ratio of new oak (all French) were higher than Soler, too. The aftertaste is essence of syrah, truly fine Hermitage quality. This wine is the equal of ’04 le Sol in richness, and though it is not as powerful, nor is it so alcoholic. And the blending-in of fruit from a cooler vineyard has optimised the bouquet and hence the varietal delicacy of bouquet, vis-a-vis le Sol, giving not only a greater floral component important in characterising the best syrah wines, but importantly a lower alcohol. This too is one of New Zealand's greatest reds so far, the match of le Sol. It will cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $110 [ cork 50mm; release price $95; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ c.5 t/ha (2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated, cuvaison c. 24 days; MLF and 20 months in French oak 39% new; sterile-filtered; N Martin @ R Parker, 2011: What a gorgeous Syrah this is. New Zealand’s finest? Quite possibly. It is taciturn at first, so I give it an hour in the decanter and boy, does it repay you. Pure blackcurrant, cassis and boysenberry on the nose that seems to have been sculpted by winemaker Steve Smith, piece by piece. The palate is beautifully balanced, primal with exquisite blackberry, blueberry and cassis, perfect acidity with a refined, composed finish that can only leave you with a grin on your face. Heavenly: 96; M Cooper, 2013: … deeply coloured and already highly approachable. It has a fragrant, spicy, slightly nutty bouquet. Dense and smooth, with highly concentrated cassis, plum and black pepper flavours, braced by ripe supple tannins, it should unfold well over the next decade: *****; weight bottle and closure: 955 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good syrah colour, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises fragrant, dark-berry, aromatic new-world syrah grown in a temperate climate, showing nearly floral (darkest roses) aromas, fresh trace black pepper, dark cassisy berry, exciting. Palate is rich, wonderfully soft, but neither low tannin nor low acid, just perfect wine balance. Aftertaste is long, beautifully varietal on the cassis and black pepper, sustained. This is a lovely wine. Two people rated it their second favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good syrah colour, the third deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises fragrant, dark-berry, aromatic new-world syrah grown in a temperate climate, showing nearly floral (darkest roses) aromas, fresh trace black pepper, dark cassisy berry, exciting. Palate is rich, wonderfully soft, but neither low tannin nor low acid, just perfect wine balance. Aftertaste is long, beautifully varietal on the cassis and black pepper, sustained. This is a lovely wine. Two people rated it their second favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. This wine is about as perfect on bouquet as pure Marlborough sauvignon can be: ripest red capsicums, sweetest honeysuckle, beautiful black passionfruit pulp, a hint of bouquet garni. Palate is equally as good, the flavours lengthening the bouquet magically, and adding sweet English gooseberries, on an elegant 'dry' finish balanced to perfect fruit sweetness. This wine must illustrate the kind of cropping rate that bespeaks grand cru quality, as opposed to a more commercial approach. Cellar to 10 years if older sauvignon flavours appeal. This will end up as the 1996 Cloudy Bay is now – perfect mature sauvignon. VALUE GK 10/04
Lemongreen. This wine is about as perfect on bouquet as pure Marlborough sauvignon can be: ripest red capsicums, sweetest honeysuckle, beautiful black passionfruit pulp, a hint of bouquet garni. Palate is equally as good, the flavours lengthening the bouquet magically, and adding sweet English gooseberries, on an elegant 'dry' finish balanced to perfect fruit sweetness. This wine must illustrate the kind of cropping rate that bespeaks grand cru quality, as opposed to a more commercial approach. Cellar to 10 years if older sauvignon flavours appeal. This will end up as the 1996 Cloudy Bay is now – perfect mature sauvignon. VALUE GK 10/04
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $414 [ cork; the cork is branded Clos de Beze, so a point of interest as to which Chambertin this is – Chambertin Clos de Beze immediately adjoins, both being at the top of the slope); hand-picked @ c. 1.8 t/ac; fermentation in wooden cuves, up to 18 days cuvaison; MLF and up to 24 months in French oak 100% new; www.drouhin.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above halfway, close to the Amoureuses, absolutely classic for the variety. Bouquet is different on this wine, the first impression being a similar glacé red cherry note to the Bonnes-Mares, but with a ratio of new oak which is the boldest in the set. More closely examined, the floral component is red rose and boronia, the fruit is cherry through and through, red grading to black, the volume of pure fruit delightful. In mouth, this is a bigger wine than those around it, but the weight of the fruit component compared with (say) the Amoureuses is masked by the oak. This really does need time to unfold, for it is almost tannic now. Exciting wine, to cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/07
Good pinot noir ruby, above halfway, close to the Amoureuses, absolutely classic for the variety. Bouquet is different on this wine, the first impression being a similar glacé red cherry note to the Bonnes-Mares, but with a ratio of new oak which is the boldest in the set. More closely examined, the floral component is red rose and boronia, the fruit is cherry through and through, red grading to black, the volume of pure fruit delightful. In mouth, this is a bigger wine than those around it, but the weight of the fruit component compared with (say) the Amoureuses is masked by the oak. This really does need time to unfold, for it is almost tannic now. Exciting wine, to cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; Me 85%, Ma 10, CS 5; hand-harvested, hand-plunged open-top fermenters, extended cuvaison; c. 18 months in new French oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and fresher than the Kingsley Cabernet / Malbec. If anyone ever doubted that fine merlot can be floral and smell of violets, they should take a sniff of the glorious bouquet on this wine. I admit there is a little pennyroyal and oak backup. On palate the wine is fabulously rich, total bottled black Doris plums, wonderful velvety tannins, a hint of desiccated coconut, quite remarkable. Dry extract on this wine must be over 30 g/L. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper and fresher than the Kingsley Cabernet / Malbec. If anyone ever doubted that fine merlot can be floral and smell of violets, they should take a sniff of the glorious bouquet on this wine. I admit there is a little pennyroyal and oak backup. On palate the wine is fabulously rich, total bottled black Doris plums, wonderful velvety tannins, a hint of desiccated coconut, quite remarkable. Dry extract on this wine must be over 30 g/L. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $38 [ screwcap; Sy 100% mass selection clone hand-harvested and sorted, all de-stemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, up to 30 days cuvaison in s/s, careful aeration; 17 months in barrel, French 87% the balance Hungarian, 34% new. This wine illustrates the complexity New Zealand syrah can achieve, comparable with the finest wines from the Northern Rhone Valley. On bouquet, take care to tease out the fragrant cedary oak from the beautifully varietal port-wine magnolia and darkest rose florals leading to cassisy berry and bottled black doris plums. In flavour the oak is still to marry in, but the fruit is sweet, ripe and full, yet so much more complex in its berry flavours than the hot-climate shiraz wine (7). The winemaker (Chris Scott) does not want much black pepper in his syrahs, so he ripens them well, but the spicy magical lift that subliminal black pepper conveys is still detectable; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine. Bouquet shows all the varietal perfection and complexity of the Te Awa wine, dusky florals, clear cassis and dark berry, black pepper, but all complexed with much more oak than the Te Awa. The nett result is a much more serious wine, made for cellaring. At this point, the Te Awa is the superior varietal wine, the Church Road the superior long-term style. The palate is at this stage overly influenced by oak, but the fruit richness is there for it all to marry up beautifully. Tasters need to dissect out the intense berry and clear black pepper, and assess those components, then project their taste impressions forward 20 years, when the oak will have become assimilated into the fruit structure, and the wine will have mellowed. Less good with food, right now. This is potentially great New Zealand syrah, made in a modern (i.e. highish new oak) Hermitage style. Cellar 10 - 30 years. GK 10/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine. Bouquet shows all the varietal perfection and complexity of the Te Awa wine, dusky florals, clear cassis and dark berry, black pepper, but all complexed with much more oak than the Te Awa. The nett result is a much more serious wine, made for cellaring. At this point, the Te Awa is the superior varietal wine, the Church Road the superior long-term style. The palate is at this stage overly influenced by oak, but the fruit richness is there for it all to marry up beautifully. Tasters need to dissect out the intense berry and clear black pepper, and assess those components, then project their taste impressions forward 20 years, when the oak will have become assimilated into the fruit structure, and the wine will have mellowed. Less good with food, right now. This is potentially great New Zealand syrah, made in a modern (i.e. highish new oak) Hermitage style. Cellar 10 - 30 years. GK 10/16
Dijon area, Burgundy, France: 20%; $38 [ plastic closure; the blackcurrant variety Black Burgundy is soaked in 20% neutral eau-de-vie for 10 weeks, then sweetened with cane sugar to 300 or more g/L. Cassis quality is a function of fruit quality, the eau-de-vie quality, and the ratio of berries to solution. This is a good one. Cassis is the key descriptor for perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon, but is equally applicable to temperate-climate syrah. It implies vibrant freshness, in contrast to the boysenberry / raisin qualities typically found in hot-climate syrah / shiraz. A Maison Vauron (Auckland) speciality; www.briottet.com ]
Glowing vivid red, just below midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises blackcurrant liqueur, stunning freshness and purity, the epitome of dark aromatic berries, almost saliva-inducing on the fruit character lifted by pure alcohol. This 'wine' epitomises saturated berry flavour, consequent not only on the concentration of blackcurrant fruit but also the rich texture from 300 g/L residual sugar. Yet the blackcurrants are so tannic, with fresh acid, the 'wine' is not cloying. This is marvellous cassis, which it is a thrill to introduce to such a group of people. Notwithstanding it is almost the key descriptor in red wine evaluation, only two students had in fact tasted cassis. Cassis does keep for some years, but gradually goes a little bit 'brown' and loses its exhilarating freshness. Ideally, keep it in the fridge, for not more than a couple of years. Students are asked to wash away the intense cassis and its high sugar with the viognier, not water, making the point this is a general guideline for serious wine tasting: never rinse with water. GK 10/16
Glowing vivid red, just below midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises blackcurrant liqueur, stunning freshness and purity, the epitome of dark aromatic berries, almost saliva-inducing on the fruit character lifted by pure alcohol. This 'wine' epitomises saturated berry flavour, consequent not only on the concentration of blackcurrant fruit but also the rich texture from 300 g/L residual sugar. Yet the blackcurrants are so tannic, with fresh acid, the 'wine' is not cloying. This is marvellous cassis, which it is a thrill to introduce to such a group of people. Notwithstanding it is almost the key descriptor in red wine evaluation, only two students had in fact tasted cassis. Cassis does keep for some years, but gradually goes a little bit 'brown' and loses its exhilarating freshness. Ideally, keep it in the fridge, for not more than a couple of years. Students are asked to wash away the intense cassis and its high sugar with the viognier, not water, making the point this is a general guideline for serious wine tasting: never rinse with water. GK 10/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 100%, all hand-picked from c.12-year old vines planted at 2,775 vines / ha and cropped @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.24 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production 250 x 9-L cases; just released; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth of colour. On bouquet however it is not middling. I wrote last year about the organic 2013 Villa Maria Merlot Cellar Selection which was such a good exemplar of the variety, for a Lincoln University oenology class. It showed the soft floral beguiling nature of the variety very well indeed, in a wine so much more silky and seductive than cabernet sauvignon. If that wine was good, this wine is near-benchmark. The depth of warm violets and darkest roses on bouquet is enchanting, though relative to the organic Cellar Selection Merlot the Braided Gravels bouquet is augmented by sweet oak vanillin. The florals rest on sensuous darkly plummy fruit with none of the aromatics of high-cassis cabernet sauvignon. On palate Braided Gravels is not one of the big wines. It is more on a par with Brokenstone maybe, but the razor-sharp varietal definition is clearer than that wine, where oak confuses things slightly. Like Coleraine, Braided Gravels wins points on its sheer beauty, rather than size. Winestyle is more fragrant soft Saint-Emilion than Pomerol, even though it 'should' be the other way round (on cepage).
In Ngakirikiri and Braided Gravels, Villa Maria and New Zealand have a spell-binding and textbook-quality illustration of the enchanting similarities and differences between cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I don't think a better matched pair has ever been made in New Zealand, if varietal accuracy is the criterion. The Sacred pair are good, but they are oakier and the cepage more diverse. Perhaps there have been Craggy pairings, in years they make The Quarry, but again oak and cepage complications make things not as crystal clear as the Villa two. These two wines speak volumes for the admirably sensitive approach new chief winemaker Nick Picone is bringing to Villa Maria wines, both in picking at pinpoint ripeness where florality is optimal, and then raising the wines with infinitely more care in oak, so that the variety has full expression. All students and lovers of cabernet and merlot in New Zealand need a case each of these two definitive wines, Ngakirikiri and Braided Gravels. Yes, that will cost, but for people truly interested in wine, they will be an investment. They will serve to benchmark tastings for years to come. Cellar Braided Gravels for a shorter time than Ngakirikiri, 5 – 20 years. GK 06/15
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth of colour. On bouquet however it is not middling. I wrote last year about the organic 2013 Villa Maria Merlot Cellar Selection which was such a good exemplar of the variety, for a Lincoln University oenology class. It showed the soft floral beguiling nature of the variety very well indeed, in a wine so much more silky and seductive than cabernet sauvignon. If that wine was good, this wine is near-benchmark. The depth of warm violets and darkest roses on bouquet is enchanting, though relative to the organic Cellar Selection Merlot the Braided Gravels bouquet is augmented by sweet oak vanillin. The florals rest on sensuous darkly plummy fruit with none of the aromatics of high-cassis cabernet sauvignon. On palate Braided Gravels is not one of the big wines. It is more on a par with Brokenstone maybe, but the razor-sharp varietal definition is clearer than that wine, where oak confuses things slightly. Like Coleraine, Braided Gravels wins points on its sheer beauty, rather than size. Winestyle is more fragrant soft Saint-Emilion than Pomerol, even though it 'should' be the other way round (on cepage).
In Ngakirikiri and Braided Gravels, Villa Maria and New Zealand have a spell-binding and textbook-quality illustration of the enchanting similarities and differences between cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I don't think a better matched pair has ever been made in New Zealand, if varietal accuracy is the criterion. The Sacred pair are good, but they are oakier and the cepage more diverse. Perhaps there have been Craggy pairings, in years they make The Quarry, but again oak and cepage complications make things not as crystal clear as the Villa two. These two wines speak volumes for the admirably sensitive approach new chief winemaker Nick Picone is bringing to Villa Maria wines, both in picking at pinpoint ripeness where florality is optimal, and then raising the wines with infinitely more care in oak, so that the variety has full expression. All students and lovers of cabernet and merlot in New Zealand need a case each of these two definitive wines, Ngakirikiri and Braided Gravels. Yes, that will cost, but for people truly interested in wine, they will be an investment. They will serve to benchmark tastings for years to come. Cellar Braided Gravels for a shorter time than Ngakirikiri, 5 – 20 years. GK 06/15
Gimblett Gravels mostly, a little Roy's Hill, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.1%; $120 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Sy 98.7%, fermented on skins only of Vi 1.3%, hand-picked @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 28 days (though one batch 56 days) with 30% whole-bunches retained; 12 months in French oak c.53% new; production 556 x 9-L cases; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, just below midway in depth. Oh, how this 2013 Homage is coming together ! It still has quite a long way to go, but it is transformed from a year ago. It is now really floral, wallflowers and dark roses, on cassisy berry with suggestions of black pepper, bottled plums, and blueberries too. And the oaking is magical, nearly invisible, yet wonderfully shaping the bouquet. Palate is more aromatic than Bullnose, more black pepper, more dark florals, perhaps richer fruit and less oak. Of these three top wines, this will in five years be the most compellingly varietal, I suspect. Naturally, varietal exactitude does not necessarily make great wine. In the other two, their elevation (even though emphatic in Tom) seems a more important part of their greatness. Cellar 5 – 20 years, and it will be different every year. What a great wine achievement. GK 07/16
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, just below midway in depth. Oh, how this 2013 Homage is coming together ! It still has quite a long way to go, but it is transformed from a year ago. It is now really floral, wallflowers and dark roses, on cassisy berry with suggestions of black pepper, bottled plums, and blueberries too. And the oaking is magical, nearly invisible, yet wonderfully shaping the bouquet. Palate is more aromatic than Bullnose, more black pepper, more dark florals, perhaps richer fruit and less oak. Of these three top wines, this will in five years be the most compellingly varietal, I suspect. Naturally, varietal exactitude does not necessarily make great wine. In the other two, their elevation (even though emphatic in Tom) seems a more important part of their greatness. Cellar 5 – 20 years, and it will be different every year. What a great wine achievement. GK 07/16
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $72 [ cork – superb 55 mm costing c. $2 each; hand-harvested CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 20 + years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic youthful claret colour, fractionally deeper and clearly younger than the 2005, but not a huge wine. Bouquet is sweetly floral, more floral than 2007 Craggy Range Sophia, with great cassisy berry reflecting the higher cabernet percentage, still very primary alongside the 2005. Palate is delightfully fleshy for a high-cabernet wine, every bit as good as the 2005 and probably better in the long run, with wonderfully subtle and integrated cedary oak. These two Coleraines are reminiscent of the before-their-time '82 and '83 wines, but now exhibiting more finesse, ripeness, richness and technical control. The Margaux analogy is even more apposite here. They show exactly why British winewriters increasingly say the best Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlot is the closest competitor Bordeaux has. Cellar either of these wines with great confidence for 10 – 20 + years, and open them only for people who appreciate fine wines sculpted in a classical style. Even so, that means buying two cases, to have only one bottle a year over their cellar-life (less than 20 years north of Taupo). Coming back to the wine at the re-tasting against notes stage, it is the best Coleraine ever, I think. Dry extract seems greater than the 2005. The whole wine is in a much more classical and understated Bordeaux / Medoc style than the matching blend 2007 Craggy Range The Quarry. Good too that Te Mata have reduced their price c.7% on their 2007 range, reflecting current economic vicissitudes. VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic youthful claret colour, fractionally deeper and clearly younger than the 2005, but not a huge wine. Bouquet is sweetly floral, more floral than 2007 Craggy Range Sophia, with great cassisy berry reflecting the higher cabernet percentage, still very primary alongside the 2005. Palate is delightfully fleshy for a high-cabernet wine, every bit as good as the 2005 and probably better in the long run, with wonderfully subtle and integrated cedary oak. These two Coleraines are reminiscent of the before-their-time '82 and '83 wines, but now exhibiting more finesse, ripeness, richness and technical control. The Margaux analogy is even more apposite here. They show exactly why British winewriters increasingly say the best Hawkes Bay cabernet / merlot is the closest competitor Bordeaux has. Cellar either of these wines with great confidence for 10 – 20 + years, and open them only for people who appreciate fine wines sculpted in a classical style. Even so, that means buying two cases, to have only one bottle a year over their cellar-life (less than 20 years north of Taupo). Coming back to the wine at the re-tasting against notes stage, it is the best Coleraine ever, I think. Dry extract seems greater than the 2005. The whole wine is in a much more classical and understated Bordeaux / Medoc style than the matching blend 2007 Craggy Range The Quarry. Good too that Te Mata have reduced their price c.7% on their 2007 range, reflecting current economic vicissitudes. VALUE GK 03/09
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $228 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 40; some BF in primary fermentation; no MLF; secondary fermentation under cork; disgorged 6/05; pretentious and inoperable website; www.champagne-bollinger.fr ]
Straw, one of the deeper wines. Bouquet is Bollinger at its finest, cashew-rich, great pinot noir-dominant fruit, a magical hint of oak, perfect baguette crust autolysis. Palate is mealy / nutty on the oak and autolysis, fresh acid, yet though rich in terms of champagne, the whole is in one sense relatively light (in Bollinger terms) and elegant. The depth of flavour however is magnificent, and is long and lingering in the mouth. One can just taste the oak here – this is exactly how oak should be used in the champagne style, nearly invisible, just adding to the cashew component of the autolysis, adding perhaps a shade of hazel. This will cellar 5 – 15 years plus – a wonderful wine. GK 11/06
Straw, one of the deeper wines. Bouquet is Bollinger at its finest, cashew-rich, great pinot noir-dominant fruit, a magical hint of oak, perfect baguette crust autolysis. Palate is mealy / nutty on the oak and autolysis, fresh acid, yet though rich in terms of champagne, the whole is in one sense relatively light (in Bollinger terms) and elegant. The depth of flavour however is magnificent, and is long and lingering in the mouth. One can just taste the oak here – this is exactly how oak should be used in the champagne style, nearly invisible, just adding to the cashew component of the autolysis, adding perhaps a shade of hazel. This will cellar 5 – 15 years plus – a wonderful wine. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels and Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ cork; Me 83%, CS 15, Ma 2, 80% hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 7-year old vines; cuvaison approx 24 days for the Me, 28 for the CS; no BF; 20 months in French oak c. 50% new, balance 1-year, no lees stirring, racked 3-monthly; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 1 g/L; Catalogue:… aromas of dark berry fruit, black cherry, and floral characters are complemented by integrated toast and spice from French oak and complexities of earth, cedar and a hint of minerality. The wine has excellent flesh and concentration, balanced by a backbone of ripe, fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and persistent; Awards: Gold @ Air New Zealand 2008; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is totally sensational, displaying a great depth of darkest ripest black plums, cassis, dark tobacco, and light potentially fragrant cedary oak. It is hard to imagine how a new world merlot / cabernet blend could smell more like a wonderful ripe-year classed St Emilion such as Pavie (before it became oaky). Palate is saturated and velvety, quite exceptional fruit of superb texture, showing great complexity of flavour, oak handling and balance. This is a great wine, to cellar 10 – 20 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is totally sensational, displaying a great depth of darkest ripest black plums, cassis, dark tobacco, and light potentially fragrant cedary oak. It is hard to imagine how a new world merlot / cabernet blend could smell more like a wonderful ripe-year classed St Emilion such as Pavie (before it became oaky). Palate is saturated and velvety, quite exceptional fruit of superb texture, showing great complexity of flavour, oak handling and balance. This is a great wine, to cellar 10 – 20 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $50 [ cork 45mm; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak some new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Beautiful ruby with a flush of velvet and carmine, below midway in depth. One sniff of this, and New Zealand syrah has never seemed so beautiful, so fragrant, and so totally Cote Rotie in style. Because of Guigal's oak practices, masterly though they are as alluded to in the Tom review, nonetheless the model for this wine is Yves Cuilleron's Cote Rotie Terres Sombres, rather than a Guigal wine. The depth of dark red carnations, port-wine magnolia and rose florals on this wine is spectacular, behind which is aromatic cassisy berry. These attributes epitomise syrah varietal character at pinpoint optimal ripeness. Flavours in mouth just expand the bouquet, a wine of supreme quality. It is not the richest wine, but it seems richer than the Te Mata norm, and the flavour persists wonderfully, on berry. You could argue this is the most beautiful syrah so far made in New Zealand, noting that syrah like pinot noir is about beauty rather more than size, heft or power. Those for whom only size and weight in the wine matter, will mock the notion that 2013 Bullnose can be scored the same as 2013 Tom. It is remarkably accessible already. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/16
Beautiful ruby with a flush of velvet and carmine, below midway in depth. One sniff of this, and New Zealand syrah has never seemed so beautiful, so fragrant, and so totally Cote Rotie in style. Because of Guigal's oak practices, masterly though they are as alluded to in the Tom review, nonetheless the model for this wine is Yves Cuilleron's Cote Rotie Terres Sombres, rather than a Guigal wine. The depth of dark red carnations, port-wine magnolia and rose florals on this wine is spectacular, behind which is aromatic cassisy berry. These attributes epitomise syrah varietal character at pinpoint optimal ripeness. Flavours in mouth just expand the bouquet, a wine of supreme quality. It is not the richest wine, but it seems richer than the Te Mata norm, and the flavour persists wonderfully, on berry. You could argue this is the most beautiful syrah so far made in New Zealand, noting that syrah like pinot noir is about beauty rather more than size, heft or power. Those for whom only size and weight in the wine matter, will mock the notion that 2013 Bullnose can be scored the same as 2013 Tom. It is remarkably accessible already. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/16
Gimblett Gravels (CS), Triangle (Me & Ma), Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $90 [ cork 50mm; DFB; CS 60%, Ma 21, Me 19, hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at 2,525 vines / ha and cropped @ 3.6 – 5 t/ha = 1.4 – 2 t/ac; cuvaison c.21 days, cultured-yeast; wild-MLF in barrel; 19 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; dry extract 29.7 g/L; production 201 x 9-L cases; release date March 2016; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Steve Skinner; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, among the deepest. Bouquet is wonderfully aromatic, clean, and fresh, reminiscent of a young Ch Montrose (in a way), deepest berry notes and violets. The depth of berry, coupled with perfect ripeness retaining full aromatics and freshness, yet with no hint of leafyness or stalks, is West-Bank Bordeaux at its best. It is more fragrant, and suppler, than the other high-malbec wine, The Patriarch. Arguably (or in principle) it would be a finer or even more subtle wine without malbec, but in this season, with appropriate ripeness even in that difficult grape, it does not let the wine down. It is one of the bigger wines on the table, and in its aromatic Medoc styling showing beautiful ripeness and real richness (also clearly over 30 g/L dry extract), it is very good indeed. Cellar 10 – 35 years, perhaps longer, with great anticipation. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, among the deepest. Bouquet is wonderfully aromatic, clean, and fresh, reminiscent of a young Ch Montrose (in a way), deepest berry notes and violets. The depth of berry, coupled with perfect ripeness retaining full aromatics and freshness, yet with no hint of leafyness or stalks, is West-Bank Bordeaux at its best. It is more fragrant, and suppler, than the other high-malbec wine, The Patriarch. Arguably (or in principle) it would be a finer or even more subtle wine without malbec, but in this season, with appropriate ripeness even in that difficult grape, it does not let the wine down. It is one of the bigger wines on the table, and in its aromatic Medoc styling showing beautiful ripeness and real richness (also clearly over 30 g/L dry extract), it is very good indeed. Cellar 10 – 35 years, perhaps longer, with great anticipation. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 75%, Me 25, 10% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at 3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ 4.4 t/ha = 1.75 t/ac; cuvaison 35 – 42 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank and barrel; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; RS 0.44 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 30.1 g/L; production 1200 x 9-L cases; released; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Intense ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. This wine needs a little coaxing, initially opened, but gradually reveals intense dark cassisy berry with sweet violets / dark florals, and even some blackberry notes, so clearly a whole notch riper than Coleraine. The flavours are strong, great richness, berry-led, really concentrated, more new oak showing than some. It will therefore need longer than several of the wines to reveal its beauty. Leaving aside the special yet-to-be-released 2013 Villa Cabernet Sauvignon Ngakirikiri, its closest soul-mate in the set is the Mills Reef Cabernet Sauvignon, both reflecting wonderful cabernet dominance. However in comparison with the Mills Reef wine, the merlot contribution to the Villa Maria's palate width couldn't be more obvious – a textbook demonstration of the merits of blending, in the claret class. Given its benchmark dry extract measurement, this wine will be a particularly interesting cellar prospect for the longer term, and should rate higher in years to come. This wine too achieves the magical 30 g/L mark for dry extract. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Intense ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. This wine needs a little coaxing, initially opened, but gradually reveals intense dark cassisy berry with sweet violets / dark florals, and even some blackberry notes, so clearly a whole notch riper than Coleraine. The flavours are strong, great richness, berry-led, really concentrated, more new oak showing than some. It will therefore need longer than several of the wines to reveal its beauty. Leaving aside the special yet-to-be-released 2013 Villa Cabernet Sauvignon Ngakirikiri, its closest soul-mate in the set is the Mills Reef Cabernet Sauvignon, both reflecting wonderful cabernet dominance. However in comparison with the Mills Reef wine, the merlot contribution to the Villa Maria's palate width couldn't be more obvious – a textbook demonstration of the merits of blending, in the claret class. Given its benchmark dry extract measurement, this wine will be a particularly interesting cellar prospect for the longer term, and should rate higher in years to come. This wine too achieves the magical 30 g/L mark for dry extract. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $90 [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 2.4 t/ac; 95% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation; 18 months in French oak 52% new; better supply of the '05 @ 7800 bottles, but 65% will be exported; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrant colour, the deepest of the syrahs. Bouquet is sensational, an exact capturing of syrah at a near-perfect ripeness point, retaining deep violets, boronia florals and cracked peppercorn, yet showing exquisite berry redolent of cassis and darkest plum. It is confuseable with fine cabernet / merlot were it not for the spice and black / white pepper. This is the most fragrant Le Sol yet, on bouquet, and tasters from hot climates may therefore think it under-ripe. Not however by European standards; I would hope a winemaker from Hermitage would say it was optimal ripeness, no sur-maturité. Palate follows superbly, great fresh cassis, darkest plum and aromatic body, great spice, the new oak marrying into deceptive concentration and richness, and the finish at 14% alcohol seeming remarkably more subtle than the 14.5% of the more ebullient '04 and '02 wines. The whole wine is more subtle than the two previous vintages, reflecting perhaps not only the vintage '05 per se, but also the 5% whole bunch now incorporated – a trend worth exploring further, to optimise bouquet florals and wine complexity. This is marvellous syrah for long-term cellaring, more Hermitage than Cote Rotie. It needs 5 years to soften, and will cellar for 10 – 20 + years. Eight tasters in 25 rated this their top wine, in a double-blind tasting. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrant colour, the deepest of the syrahs. Bouquet is sensational, an exact capturing of syrah at a near-perfect ripeness point, retaining deep violets, boronia florals and cracked peppercorn, yet showing exquisite berry redolent of cassis and darkest plum. It is confuseable with fine cabernet / merlot were it not for the spice and black / white pepper. This is the most fragrant Le Sol yet, on bouquet, and tasters from hot climates may therefore think it under-ripe. Not however by European standards; I would hope a winemaker from Hermitage would say it was optimal ripeness, no sur-maturité. Palate follows superbly, great fresh cassis, darkest plum and aromatic body, great spice, the new oak marrying into deceptive concentration and richness, and the finish at 14% alcohol seeming remarkably more subtle than the 14.5% of the more ebullient '04 and '02 wines. The whole wine is more subtle than the two previous vintages, reflecting perhaps not only the vintage '05 per se, but also the 5% whole bunch now incorporated – a trend worth exploring further, to optimise bouquet florals and wine complexity. This is marvellous syrah for long-term cellaring, more Hermitage than Cote Rotie. It needs 5 years to soften, and will cellar for 10 – 20 + years. Eight tasters in 25 rated this their top wine, in a double-blind tasting. GK 04/07
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $256 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Classic pinot ruby, below midway in depth across the 15 Jadots, and marginally the lightest of the grands crus. Bouquet on this wine shows a perfection of dark rosy and violets florals, passing into fragrant red and black cherry fruits. Not a big bouquet, but infinitely sweet and ripe and beguiling. Quality on palate is magical, at the same time firm and youthful, yet the potential velvet of future maturity can be sensed too. Flavour is pure black cherry, and the mouthfeel is as pure and sweet and refreshing as when eating them. Florals permeate the whole palate. Acid and oak (including some new oak) balances are perfect. Several tasters described this wine as the 'complete' pinot. I can imagine it developing the elusive peacock's tail, in years to come. Cellar 10 – 20 years.
As the top wine in the flight, the classic colour of this wine, lighter than many New Zealand pinots, is another reminder that from an international viewpoint, there is no correlation between colour and quality in pinot noir. This is a message we need to keep on remembering in New Zealand, beset as we are by commercial (and some research) influences which equate depth of colour in red wine with quality. GK 04/05
Classic pinot ruby, below midway in depth across the 15 Jadots, and marginally the lightest of the grands crus. Bouquet on this wine shows a perfection of dark rosy and violets florals, passing into fragrant red and black cherry fruits. Not a big bouquet, but infinitely sweet and ripe and beguiling. Quality on palate is magical, at the same time firm and youthful, yet the potential velvet of future maturity can be sensed too. Flavour is pure black cherry, and the mouthfeel is as pure and sweet and refreshing as when eating them. Florals permeate the whole palate. Acid and oak (including some new oak) balances are perfect. Several tasters described this wine as the 'complete' pinot. I can imagine it developing the elusive peacock's tail, in years to come. Cellar 10 – 20 years.
As the top wine in the flight, the classic colour of this wine, lighter than many New Zealand pinots, is another reminder that from an international viewpoint, there is no correlation between colour and quality in pinot noir. This is a message we need to keep on remembering in New Zealand, beset as we are by commercial (and some research) influences which equate depth of colour in red wine with quality. GK 04/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields not above 1.6 t/ac; up to 32% whole-bunch in some batches; up to 9 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 23 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 13 months in French oak c. 26% new; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers: 'The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines'; introduction to the Calvert concept 25 Nov 2008; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby, on a par with the 2007 Block 5, perhaps fractionally the deepest of the Feltons. This wine shows wonderfully explicit pinot characters, even more deeply floral than the standard Felton, yet with the same dark cherry fruit, all a little more aromatic as if the percentage of new oak were slightly higher than the standard wine. The richness of black cherry fruit on the somewhat firm palate (at this stage) is exhilarating. It will be exciting to see if these subtle differences are maintained as the wines soften with age over 3, 5 and 8 years. Great New Zealand pinot, to cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby, on a par with the 2007 Block 5, perhaps fractionally the deepest of the Feltons. This wine shows wonderfully explicit pinot characters, even more deeply floral than the standard Felton, yet with the same dark cherry fruit, all a little more aromatic as if the percentage of new oak were slightly higher than the standard wine. The richness of black cherry fruit on the somewhat firm palate (at this stage) is exhilarating. It will be exciting to see if these subtle differences are maintained as the wines soften with age over 3, 5 and 8 years. Great New Zealand pinot, to cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.3%; $143 [ 50mm cork; Sy 100%, all hand-harvested at 5.35 t/ha = 2.1 t/ac; 80% de-stemmed, 20% whole-bunch, inoculated ferments in oak cuves; MLF and 17 months in French oak 35% new; not fined, filtered; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Because the 2016 Gimblett Gravels syrah has less oak, its hue is deeper, but it is damnably difficult to say which is the darker wine of the two. At this early stage, 2016 Le Sol is not quite so wonderfully eloquent and varietal as the Gimblett Gravels wine, but the purity, quality of varietal expression, complexity and potential are self-evident. There are dusky florals, and cassis-like berry, but the black pepper lift is hopelessly entwined with the cedary oak, hard to single out but wonderfully exciting. Palate continues the absolute purity seen on bouquet, with beautiful flavour, balance, persistence and length. As with all the Craggy Range wines, the purity and styling is exemplary, but here again I believe greater concentration and dry extract is needed, to have the wines fully match the standard-bearers from Hermitage and Cote Rotie, or indeed the now-hefty price. But that said, the dry extract here does seem closer to the goal of 30 g/L than 2016 Sophia, for example. Wine is an ever-learning occupation, so notwithstanding previous scores, I think this is the finest and subtlest Le Sol yet – note the alcohol. Cellar 10 – 25 years, maybe a little longer. GK 08/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Because the 2016 Gimblett Gravels syrah has less oak, its hue is deeper, but it is damnably difficult to say which is the darker wine of the two. At this early stage, 2016 Le Sol is not quite so wonderfully eloquent and varietal as the Gimblett Gravels wine, but the purity, quality of varietal expression, complexity and potential are self-evident. There are dusky florals, and cassis-like berry, but the black pepper lift is hopelessly entwined with the cedary oak, hard to single out but wonderfully exciting. Palate continues the absolute purity seen on bouquet, with beautiful flavour, balance, persistence and length. As with all the Craggy Range wines, the purity and styling is exemplary, but here again I believe greater concentration and dry extract is needed, to have the wines fully match the standard-bearers from Hermitage and Cote Rotie, or indeed the now-hefty price. But that said, the dry extract here does seem closer to the goal of 30 g/L than 2016 Sophia, for example. Wine is an ever-learning occupation, so notwithstanding previous scores, I think this is the finest and subtlest Le Sol yet – note the alcohol. Cellar 10 – 25 years, maybe a little longer. GK 08/18
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $89 [ cork, 54mm; CS 60%, Me 32, CF 8; unusually warm and droughty season, GDD 1757, harvest late March to mid-April; release price $55; Cowley, 2017: dark, ripe, rich; Pierre Rovani @ R. Parker, 2000: ... offers explosive black fruit aromas. Medium to full-bodied and velvety-textured, this impressive wine coats the palate with blackberries, black currants, and freshly laid asphalt. ... firm, tannic structure. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2012, 90; Chan, 2008 review: Fruit in wonderful condition. Great richness and power of ripe black berried fruits and plums, sweet-smelling, with sur-maturite, and a touch of portiness. The palate is the richest, sweetest and ripest expression of ‘Coleraine’ yet, the warmth and ripeness oozing in lusciously decadent, rich dark fruits and savoury, jammy nuances. ... massive tannin structure ... without the floral elegance that the Te Mata style is preferred to possess, 19.5; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a remarkably fresh colour considering its age, clearly above midway in depth. The beauty of bouquet for this wine is remarkable. Among the young wines, it is near-identical (in style, not detail) to the 2009, reflecting a warmer year, with not quite the emphasis on florals that is considered ideal for Coleraine. Nonetheless there is a wonderful aromatic cassisy (slightly browning now) quality that lifts the bouquet and gives a freshness and near-florality, complexed by cedary oak of great sophistication which hints at cigar-boxes. 1998 truly was a cabernet sauvignon year, and this wine, with its higher than normal cabernet reflects that. In mouth the wine gives the impression of being fractionally richer than all the other Coleraines, while not matching good classed growths. Flavours are total Medoc, aromatic (the cabernet again) cassis and blackberry extended on cedary oak, perfect ripeness and acid balance, unusually good length and harmony. In this tasting, it certainly gives the impression of being one of the most perfect Cabernet / Merlot wines ever made in New Zealand.
It is intriguing therefore that Decanter magazine has recently announced that 1998 Te Mata Coleraine joins their select band of ‘Wine Legends’. Decanter Wine Legends is an Award that Decanter, London, the best-known British wine magazine, announces monthly. How long they have been running is not clear. Previous winners include: 1961 Ch Palmer; 1969 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Mouline; 1982 Ch de Beaucastel; 1990 Ch Montrose; 1993 Domaine Rousseau Chambertin; and 1994 Tyrrell’s Semillon Vat 1. The interesting thing about these Awards is that for many, they document the cropping rate, as an index of quality. For the six wines listed, the averaged cropping rate is 3.85 t/ha = 1.6 t/ha. In contrast the cropping rate given for 1998 Coleraine is 6.5 t/ha = 2.63 t/.ac, nearly twice as much. Though this figure is less than the norm given for Coleraine (7.5 t/ha = 3.05 t/ac), it is still clearly above the average for the super-seconds discussed earlier (6.05 t/ha = 2.45 t/ac). And as the figures for the other Legend wines show, it is far greater than wines considered ‘great’. Such a difference in cropping rate is both tasteable, as argued in Part 2, and can be verified by dry extract analysis. So in a small-scale way, 1998 Te Mata Coleraine by being a little richer, points the way towards what Te Mata could achieve for Coleraine, if they reduced the cropping rate to Bordeaux Second Growth or Super-Second levels. This wine is perfection now, in Coleraine terms, and will hold this form for another 15 – 20 years. It was the most favoured wine in the first tasting, seven tasters rating it first or second. Though I thought the wines identical for the two nights (when carefully compared side by side the following day), other wines triumphed on the second night, only three people rating the 1998 highly. GK 08/17
Ruby and velvet, a remarkably fresh colour considering its age, clearly above midway in depth. The beauty of bouquet for this wine is remarkable. Among the young wines, it is near-identical (in style, not detail) to the 2009, reflecting a warmer year, with not quite the emphasis on florals that is considered ideal for Coleraine. Nonetheless there is a wonderful aromatic cassisy (slightly browning now) quality that lifts the bouquet and gives a freshness and near-florality, complexed by cedary oak of great sophistication which hints at cigar-boxes. 1998 truly was a cabernet sauvignon year, and this wine, with its higher than normal cabernet reflects that. In mouth the wine gives the impression of being fractionally richer than all the other Coleraines, while not matching good classed growths. Flavours are total Medoc, aromatic (the cabernet again) cassis and blackberry extended on cedary oak, perfect ripeness and acid balance, unusually good length and harmony. In this tasting, it certainly gives the impression of being one of the most perfect Cabernet / Merlot wines ever made in New Zealand.
It is intriguing therefore that Decanter magazine has recently announced that 1998 Te Mata Coleraine joins their select band of ‘Wine Legends’. Decanter Wine Legends is an Award that Decanter, London, the best-known British wine magazine, announces monthly. How long they have been running is not clear. Previous winners include: 1961 Ch Palmer; 1969 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Mouline; 1982 Ch de Beaucastel; 1990 Ch Montrose; 1993 Domaine Rousseau Chambertin; and 1994 Tyrrell’s Semillon Vat 1. The interesting thing about these Awards is that for many, they document the cropping rate, as an index of quality. For the six wines listed, the averaged cropping rate is 3.85 t/ha = 1.6 t/ha. In contrast the cropping rate given for 1998 Coleraine is 6.5 t/ha = 2.63 t/.ac, nearly twice as much. Though this figure is less than the norm given for Coleraine (7.5 t/ha = 3.05 t/ac), it is still clearly above the average for the super-seconds discussed earlier (6.05 t/ha = 2.45 t/ac). And as the figures for the other Legend wines show, it is far greater than wines considered ‘great’. Such a difference in cropping rate is both tasteable, as argued in Part 2, and can be verified by dry extract analysis. So in a small-scale way, 1998 Te Mata Coleraine by being a little richer, points the way towards what Te Mata could achieve for Coleraine, if they reduced the cropping rate to Bordeaux Second Growth or Super-Second levels. This wine is perfection now, in Coleraine terms, and will hold this form for another 15 – 20 years. It was the most favoured wine in the first tasting, seven tasters rating it first or second. Though I thought the wines identical for the two nights (when carefully compared side by side the following day), other wines triumphed on the second night, only three people rating the 1998 highly. GK 08/17
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $41 [ screwcap; grapes night-harvested @ 4 t/ac; BF with wild yeasts in French oak with a low percentage new, a slow ferment continued to mid-Dec. '05., some MLF; continued LA in barrel till Nov. '06 – a total of 19 months; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Having enthused about this wine before, and with the 2006 to hand, this seemed another case where it was very desirable to put the 2005 in again as a kind of yardstick, as with the Riflemans in the chardonnays. The wine is still youthful and fresh, the MLF at a perfect maximum for both the variety (for sauvignon does not take happily to this fermentation) and the winestyle, the wine piquant and (sort-of) varietal in an elaborated succulent way. Te Koko has become a marvellous and pioneering alternative rendering of sauvignon, and is essential tasting. See previous review, 5/08. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Having enthused about this wine before, and with the 2006 to hand, this seemed another case where it was very desirable to put the 2005 in again as a kind of yardstick, as with the Riflemans in the chardonnays. The wine is still youthful and fresh, the MLF at a perfect maximum for both the variety (for sauvignon does not take happily to this fermentation) and the winestyle, the wine piquant and (sort-of) varietal in an elaborated succulent way. Te Koko has become a marvellous and pioneering alternative rendering of sauvignon, and is essential tasting. See previous review, 5/08. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $74 [ cork 46mm; CS 50%, Me 35, CF 15, hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at 3,333 vines / ha and cropped @ 7 t/ha = 2.8 t/ac; cuvaison 30 – 40 days, mostly wild-yeast; MLF mostly in tank; 20 months in French oak c.60% new; RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production not disclosed; release date August 2015; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Tony Bish; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is fascinating alongside Brokenstone, clearly showing the aromatic cassis-led character of a high-cabernet sauvignon wine, and equally clearly in the Medoc camp. As with all the top wines, the purity is marvellous. Here however the oak is showing a little more than some, but the fruit is there for it all to marry up, with time. It will become gloriously rich and cedary with some years in bottle. Helmsman has as much cabernet franc as Coleraine, but its character does not show through now, in comparison with that much prettier wine. Helmsman is a sturdier wine, closer to the Villa Cabernet / Merlot in style, markedly richer than Coleraine, another which will blossom after some years in cellar. Helmsman was far-and-away the most favoured wine by the Regional Wines tasting group, nine people rating it top on the night. It is fair to note that in these situations, like judgings, slightly more new oak often raises a wine's ranking. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is fascinating alongside Brokenstone, clearly showing the aromatic cassis-led character of a high-cabernet sauvignon wine, and equally clearly in the Medoc camp. As with all the top wines, the purity is marvellous. Here however the oak is showing a little more than some, but the fruit is there for it all to marry up, with time. It will become gloriously rich and cedary with some years in bottle. Helmsman has as much cabernet franc as Coleraine, but its character does not show through now, in comparison with that much prettier wine. Helmsman is a sturdier wine, closer to the Villa Cabernet / Merlot in style, markedly richer than Coleraine, another which will blossom after some years in cellar. Helmsman was far-and-away the most favoured wine by the Regional Wines tasting group, nine people rating it top on the night. It is fair to note that in these situations, like judgings, slightly more new oak often raises a wine's ranking. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Brancott Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 9%; $50 [ screwcap; www.forrest.co.nz ]
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
As New Zealand wine has become more and more international in character and capability, richer sweet courses have remained the food class where it has been hard to find a local wine that really measures up. Many of the rieslings have been too light and total acid too high for food comfort. Latterly with the move towards sauternes styles in Hawkes Bay, fruit ripeness has sometimes been less than perfect, with just a little mean green thread. Or sometimes the wines are over-developed and the oak is too assertive to complement food. And throughout the class, VAs have often been too high to sit happily with food. What a pleasure it is to record that even against a near-impossible traditional olde English Christmas pudding more suited to an old sweet fortified wine such as madeira, this remarkable John Forrest Collection Noble Riesling is of sufficient substance, complexity and botrytis purity to be magical. The wine's key feature is the dry extract and body, additional to the sweetness at 220 grams per litre. Food purists might argue that it is still too light for this assignment, but I thought it worked because of the body, and it refreshed the nose and palate beautifully. Also the subtlety of the oak component allowed the almonds in the pudding – a key feature – to show through delightfully. This Collection Noble Riesling is again one of the greatest sweet wines ever made in New Zealand. It will cellar for a decade at least, and maybe much longer. GK 12/08
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
As New Zealand wine has become more and more international in character and capability, richer sweet courses have remained the food class where it has been hard to find a local wine that really measures up. Many of the rieslings have been too light and total acid too high for food comfort. Latterly with the move towards sauternes styles in Hawkes Bay, fruit ripeness has sometimes been less than perfect, with just a little mean green thread. Or sometimes the wines are over-developed and the oak is too assertive to complement food. And throughout the class, VAs have often been too high to sit happily with food. What a pleasure it is to record that even against a near-impossible traditional olde English Christmas pudding more suited to an old sweet fortified wine such as madeira, this remarkable John Forrest Collection Noble Riesling is of sufficient substance, complexity and botrytis purity to be magical. The wine's key feature is the dry extract and body, additional to the sweetness at 220 grams per litre. Food purists might argue that it is still too light for this assignment, but I thought it worked because of the body, and it refreshed the nose and palate beautifully. Also the subtlety of the oak component allowed the almonds in the pudding – a key feature – to show through delightfully. This Collection Noble Riesling is again one of the greatest sweet wines ever made in New Zealand. It will cellar for a decade at least, and maybe much longer. GK 12/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; release date 1 June ’06; '04 not on website yet; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, a little denser and older (more oak-influenced) than the Block 14, twice the density of the ‘04 Bullnose, the deepest syrah in both tastings, matched only by the Hatton. Bouquet is quite simply magnificent, rich, ripe but not too over-ripe, vibrantly aromatic Gimblett Gravels syrah. There is a very dark floral component hinting at violets and darkest roses, on a spread of fully ripe cassis and darkest tree-ripened black doris plums, all enlivened by a hint of cracked black peppercorns. The high alcohol seems well-hidden. Palate is exactly the same except the peppercorns are now more apparent in aromatic berryfruit, all ripe, sustained, lingering beautifully. Heaven knows the palate of the Block 14 is superb, yet this is richer still, and made more aromatic by a higher percentage of new oak, and for three months longer. I earlier criticised the huge 2002 Le Sol for being much too over-ripe and too brawny, implying the wine saw itself as competing with Australian shirazes. This wine marks a welcome retreat to a more vibrant, aromatic, and exciting style, which competes head-on with Hermitage proper. It is not as big as the 2002, which may disappoint quantitative tasters, but it is a much finer wine. It outclasses 2003 Jaboulet la Chapelle (tasted blind alongside it) easily. How will the 2004 Trinity Hill Homage compare, I wonder ? This 2004 Le Sol gives the impression of being technically perfect (though the 14.5% alcohol confirms that more attention to building-in an enhanced floral component is still needed – Bullnose is ahead in that). This Le Sol is in the top handful of New Zealand red wines so far made (since Prohibition). Worth tracking down, from discriminating wine merchants only. It will cellar for 10 – 20 + years, easily. GK 05/06
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, a little denser and older (more oak-influenced) than the Block 14, twice the density of the ‘04 Bullnose, the deepest syrah in both tastings, matched only by the Hatton. Bouquet is quite simply magnificent, rich, ripe but not too over-ripe, vibrantly aromatic Gimblett Gravels syrah. There is a very dark floral component hinting at violets and darkest roses, on a spread of fully ripe cassis and darkest tree-ripened black doris plums, all enlivened by a hint of cracked black peppercorns. The high alcohol seems well-hidden. Palate is exactly the same except the peppercorns are now more apparent in aromatic berryfruit, all ripe, sustained, lingering beautifully. Heaven knows the palate of the Block 14 is superb, yet this is richer still, and made more aromatic by a higher percentage of new oak, and for three months longer. I earlier criticised the huge 2002 Le Sol for being much too over-ripe and too brawny, implying the wine saw itself as competing with Australian shirazes. This wine marks a welcome retreat to a more vibrant, aromatic, and exciting style, which competes head-on with Hermitage proper. It is not as big as the 2002, which may disappoint quantitative tasters, but it is a much finer wine. It outclasses 2003 Jaboulet la Chapelle (tasted blind alongside it) easily. How will the 2004 Trinity Hill Homage compare, I wonder ? This 2004 Le Sol gives the impression of being technically perfect (though the 14.5% alcohol confirms that more attention to building-in an enhanced floral component is still needed – Bullnose is ahead in that). This Le Sol is in the top handful of New Zealand red wines so far made (since Prohibition). Worth tracking down, from discriminating wine merchants only. It will cellar for 10 – 20 + years, easily. GK 05/06
Russian River Valley, Northern California, U.S.A.: 15.5%; $ – [ cork; c. US$65; 85 km NNW of San Francisco; Sy 100%, 525 cases; matured in French oak 80% new; from [ the elegant ] website: "We believe that the cooler climates along the northern coast of California have the potential to produce world-class Syrah, and that is our goal. … We feel the best way to accomplish this is by utilizing Indigenous fermentations, minimal handling, unobtrusive use of the finest French oak and bottling without filtering or fining"; Parker 162 on this wine: "A stunning effort … tremendous intensity along with notes of creosote, blackberry liqueur, cassis, and flowers in a structured, dense, chewy style 93 – 95"; www.paxwines.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, and one of the deepest. Bouquet is remarkable, deep and darkest berry, intensely rich, very ripe but still some suggestions of darkest floral complexity, and still all reasonably fresh. There is a lift around the dark berry like blackest plums in the sun, in which the alcohol plays a part. Palate is colossal, and now one can readily imagine slightly raisined cassis, but the dark plum component is not pruney. The depth and purity of the fruit is great, and the wine is not unduly tannic – just well balanced against its heroic richness. I would love to know a dry extract for this wine, for it is clearly richer than the 02 le Sol, yet dry – as noted elsewhere it is hard to be sure at this concentration. It is maybe not as varietal as best Hermitage or Hawkes Bay (little florals or spice, and noticeable alcohol), but as a warmer-climate extension of those districts, in its intense darkest ripe cassis and magnificent stature, it is clearly related, and syrah, not shiraz. It is exactly the kind of massive yet varietal syrah a cooler-climate taster imagined cooler parts of California could make, beyond the blah and all-too-common winemaking faults. The winery in describing this wine refers to violets and chocolate-covered blueberries in the bouquet, and goes on to say: What starts out as a scary dark and brooding wine is balanced out by really sweet tannins and bright red fruits. A persistent finish that is clean and fresh, in spite of the enormous weight and texture of this beast. Exciting. This was my top wine in the younger flight, at the unbreathed stage, and was the second most favoured by the tasters as a whole. Cellar 10 – 25 + years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a glorious colour, and one of the deepest. Bouquet is remarkable, deep and darkest berry, intensely rich, very ripe but still some suggestions of darkest floral complexity, and still all reasonably fresh. There is a lift around the dark berry like blackest plums in the sun, in which the alcohol plays a part. Palate is colossal, and now one can readily imagine slightly raisined cassis, but the dark plum component is not pruney. The depth and purity of the fruit is great, and the wine is not unduly tannic – just well balanced against its heroic richness. I would love to know a dry extract for this wine, for it is clearly richer than the 02 le Sol, yet dry – as noted elsewhere it is hard to be sure at this concentration. It is maybe not as varietal as best Hermitage or Hawkes Bay (little florals or spice, and noticeable alcohol), but as a warmer-climate extension of those districts, in its intense darkest ripe cassis and magnificent stature, it is clearly related, and syrah, not shiraz. It is exactly the kind of massive yet varietal syrah a cooler-climate taster imagined cooler parts of California could make, beyond the blah and all-too-common winemaking faults. The winery in describing this wine refers to violets and chocolate-covered blueberries in the bouquet, and goes on to say: What starts out as a scary dark and brooding wine is balanced out by really sweet tannins and bright red fruits. A persistent finish that is clean and fresh, in spite of the enormous weight and texture of this beast. Exciting. This was my top wine in the younger flight, at the unbreathed stage, and was the second most favoured by the tasters as a whole. Cellar 10 – 25 + years. GK 04/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $90 [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 2.4 t/ac; 95% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation; 18 months in French oak 52% new; 650 cases, but 65% will be exported; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet has married up attractively over the last year for this heroic wine, the alcohol retreating somewhat into wonderful black peppercorn-infused cassis and richest black doris plums, beautifully fragrant and spicy. There are even classical dianthus / carnations floral notes creeping in around the edges. Palate is saturated with flavour, enormously rich yet not heavy, perfectly oaked for the size. Except for the slightly burning spirit (which seems more than 14% exactly, and will inhibit its beauty with food), this is syrah in a remarkably Hermitage style too, a world-scale wine. Among the big wines, only alongside the Villa Reserve and Church Road Reserve does it lose a little finesse. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/08
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet has married up attractively over the last year for this heroic wine, the alcohol retreating somewhat into wonderful black peppercorn-infused cassis and richest black doris plums, beautifully fragrant and spicy. There are even classical dianthus / carnations floral notes creeping in around the edges. Palate is saturated with flavour, enormously rich yet not heavy, perfectly oaked for the size. Except for the slightly burning spirit (which seems more than 14% exactly, and will inhibit its beauty with food), this is syrah in a remarkably Hermitage style too, a world-scale wine. Among the big wines, only alongside the Villa Reserve and Church Road Reserve does it lose a little finesse. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/08
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 3.4 t/ha (1.4 t/ac) from 17-year old vines (a mix of Davis and Dijon clones); ferments include a 20% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 24 days; 11 months in French oak 32% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; growing season c.900 GDD; production 715 x 9-litre cases; exemplary website, both for current technical information, and previous vintages; www.valliwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the pinots, deeper than the 2016 Esk Valley Syrah. Bouquet has exquisite pinot noir florals capturing exactly the darker faces of pinot noir seen in parts of the Cote de Nuits: violets, lilac, dusky red roses, but all clearly even fresher and more floral than the Valli Bendigo. Palate is fresher than the Bendigo too, seeming lighter, with the florality continuing right into the palate – a wonderfully rare and desirable attribute in fine pinot noir. This will become even more apparent as the wine ages. There is a freshness, suppleness and charm in this wine reflecting great pinot noir, with critically less new oak than the Valli Bannockburn – wonderful. It is clearly a cooler wine than the Bendigo (note the GDD), but both are beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the pinots, deeper than the 2016 Esk Valley Syrah. Bouquet has exquisite pinot noir florals capturing exactly the darker faces of pinot noir seen in parts of the Cote de Nuits: violets, lilac, dusky red roses, but all clearly even fresher and more floral than the Valli Bendigo. Palate is fresher than the Bendigo too, seeming lighter, with the florality continuing right into the palate – a wonderfully rare and desirable attribute in fine pinot noir. This will become even more apparent as the wine ages. There is a freshness, suppleness and charm in this wine reflecting great pinot noir, with critically less new oak than the Valli Bannockburn – wonderful. It is clearly a cooler wine than the Bendigo (note the GDD), but both are beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $102 [ cork, 46mm; Gr 65%, Mv 20, Sy 10, minor others; main ferment in enamelled concrete vats, cuvaison to 28 days; syrah and mourvedre to barrels one third new, grenache being oxidation-prone in concrete, both 18 months; some stems if needed, now filtered, not sure 1998; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: ... classic notes of dried Provencal herbs, cured meats, kirsch, leather and exotic spices. These carry to a full-bodied, ripe, concentrated Chateauneuf du Pape that's fully mature ..., 92; R. Parker, 2003: A southern Rhone nose of garrigue ... pepper, wood spice, and gorgeously sweet black cherry and plum-like flavors ... impressive levels of glycerin, ripe fruit, and extract. Tannin is present, but it is sweet, 91; J.L-L, 2010: an excellent display of Châteauneuf’s finesse, ****(*); bottle weight 679g; www.domaine-les-cailloux.fr ]
Glowing garnet more than ruby, the third to lightest wine. Bouquet is again glorious: this is one of those Chateauneuf-du-Papes where in maturity, the wine can be confused with a ripe-year Cote de Nuits grand cru burgundy. The depth of near-boronia and lilac florals, plus garrigue complexity, is wonderful, backed by rich red fruits and some hints of grenache cinnamon spice. Palate is approaching full maturity, the tannins softening attractively, long fruit flavours and great complexity, and the florals continue right into the palate. A sensitive taster might detect a savoury brett note in the spice, but it is vanishingly subtle – positive at this level. Quite heavy crusting in bottle correlates with the tannin observations. The second-most favoured wine, four first places, five second. Probably at its peak right now, but will be fine for 5 – 10 years. GK 07/18
Glowing garnet more than ruby, the third to lightest wine. Bouquet is again glorious: this is one of those Chateauneuf-du-Papes where in maturity, the wine can be confused with a ripe-year Cote de Nuits grand cru burgundy. The depth of near-boronia and lilac florals, plus garrigue complexity, is wonderful, backed by rich red fruits and some hints of grenache cinnamon spice. Palate is approaching full maturity, the tannins softening attractively, long fruit flavours and great complexity, and the florals continue right into the palate. A sensitive taster might detect a savoury brett note in the spice, but it is vanishingly subtle – positive at this level. Quite heavy crusting in bottle correlates with the tannin observations. The second-most favoured wine, four first places, five second. Probably at its peak right now, but will be fine for 5 – 10 years. GK 07/18
Havelock North mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $140 [ cork, 50 mm; hand-harvested CS 54%, Me 36, CF 10; extended cuvaison; average vine age 25 + years; 17 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, noticeably deeper and richer than Awatea. And that trend continues with the bouquet, the wine being sweetly and wonderfully floral (violets, dark red roses), with benchmark aromatic cassis and black plum fruit, plus cedary oak of exquisite subtlety, and no hint of leaf. Palate does nothing to let the bouquet down, the berry ripeness being exemplary. For the first time in years, I am not left feeling, it is beautiful as far as it goes, but it lacks pinpoint ripeness (by Bordeaux standards), concentration, body and stuffing. The dry extract analysis I had made for 2013 Coleraine (the review dated 5/15, last two paras) confirms the latter comment, despite the hysterical reviews that wine received. I think this wine is both riper and richer than the 2013, and having tasted and cellared (the better of) them since the inaugural 1982 wine, this is the best Coleraine ever released. It shows a concentration and texture approaching Third Growth Bordeaux, and a purity and elegance exceeding many of them. If the proprietors want Coleraine to more consistently perform towards the level of the extravagant quotations they introduce this year's booklet with, then the message is clear: reduce the cropping rate each year to match the 2015, said to be one third less tonnes per hectare. Meanwhile, for the consumer, buy as much of this 2015 Coleraine as you can afford, and cellar it 5 – 25 years for 'ordinary' people, 40 years for enthusiasts. GK 03/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, noticeably deeper and richer than Awatea. And that trend continues with the bouquet, the wine being sweetly and wonderfully floral (violets, dark red roses), with benchmark aromatic cassis and black plum fruit, plus cedary oak of exquisite subtlety, and no hint of leaf. Palate does nothing to let the bouquet down, the berry ripeness being exemplary. For the first time in years, I am not left feeling, it is beautiful as far as it goes, but it lacks pinpoint ripeness (by Bordeaux standards), concentration, body and stuffing. The dry extract analysis I had made for 2013 Coleraine (the review dated 5/15, last two paras) confirms the latter comment, despite the hysterical reviews that wine received. I think this wine is both riper and richer than the 2013, and having tasted and cellared (the better of) them since the inaugural 1982 wine, this is the best Coleraine ever released. It shows a concentration and texture approaching Third Growth Bordeaux, and a purity and elegance exceeding many of them. If the proprietors want Coleraine to more consistently perform towards the level of the extravagant quotations they introduce this year's booklet with, then the message is clear: reduce the cropping rate each year to match the 2015, said to be one third less tonnes per hectare. Meanwhile, for the consumer, buy as much of this 2015 Coleraine as you can afford, and cellar it 5 – 25 years for 'ordinary' people, 40 years for enthusiasts. GK 03/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ Sy 98%, Vi 2, cropped 1 tonne / acre; MLF in tank, 17 months in new French oak, neither fined nor filtered; www.trinityhillwines.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, more youthful and a little denser than the Sacred Hill. The volume of bouquet on this wine is astonishing, with a modern fragrant and toasty component (as if from some barrel-ferment) laid over the top of deeply cassisy and plummy fruit. At this stage, the fragrant oak makes it hard to be sure if the elusive floral component of great syrah is there or not, but I suspect yes – time will tell. Palate is sensational, showing a concentration of strictly varietal fruit to match the best wines in the field, yet with much finer oaking than some. Flavours are cassis, darkest plum, and sweet black pepper, spiced with new fragrant oak. It is the most varietally aromatic wine in the set, which makes me fairly sure that florals will emerge. Palate and mouthfeel are classical great northern Rhone of marvellous weight and definition. It is a little softer than a comparable Rhone would be, and presumably will not cellar as long as such a wine, but in every other respect this is great world-class syrah. It is the finest syrah so far made in New Zealand, and makes a nonsense of those who say syrah is not exciting in this country. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, more youthful and a little denser than the Sacred Hill. The volume of bouquet on this wine is astonishing, with a modern fragrant and toasty component (as if from some barrel-ferment) laid over the top of deeply cassisy and plummy fruit. At this stage, the fragrant oak makes it hard to be sure if the elusive floral component of great syrah is there or not, but I suspect yes – time will tell. Palate is sensational, showing a concentration of strictly varietal fruit to match the best wines in the field, yet with much finer oaking than some. Flavours are cassis, darkest plum, and sweet black pepper, spiced with new fragrant oak. It is the most varietally aromatic wine in the set, which makes me fairly sure that florals will emerge. Palate and mouthfeel are classical great northern Rhone of marvellous weight and definition. It is a little softer than a comparable Rhone would be, and presumably will not cellar as long as such a wine, but in every other respect this is great world-class syrah. It is the finest syrah so far made in New Zealand, and makes a nonsense of those who say syrah is not exciting in this country. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels 65%, Te Awanga 35%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 50mm; Sy 98.7%, Vi 1.3, co-fermented where possible; all hand-picked from vines of average age 13 years planted at c.2,525 vines / ha and cropped variously between c.3.7 and c.5.8 t/ha (1.5 and 2.3 t/ac); on average 4 days cold-soak, 6 ferments experimenting with whole-bunch component blended into Airavata, average for finished wine probably 25% whole-bunch; cuvaison averaged 14 days, all cultured-yeast; wild-MLF always in barrel; 18 months in oak c.40% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 31.9 g/L; production 273 x 9-L cases; release date March 2016, pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Steve Skinner; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, wonderful freshness and density, the deepest and richest colour in the set. Bouquet is extraordinary, incredibly rich, fragrant but not exactly floral (yet), much cassis, darkest plum, some blueberry, plus at this stage rather much oak vanillin. It smells very young. The world changes when you taste it. Immediately there is a velvety concentration of fresh aromatic berryfruit of a depth and mouthfeel not previously achieved in New Zealand syrah. Flavours like aromas are youthful in the extreme, tending oaky at this pre-release stage, and it is hard to penetrate the wine. But there is no escaping the richness, concentration and texture of this dark plum and cassis-laden palate. It seems the richest wine on the table, and the dry extract at 31.9 g/L later confirms that is likely to be the case, being of a quality rarely achieved. It is the highest measured in the syrah bracket, noting that few have been measured. Yet the wine is not at all 'heavy', in any sensory way. This wine is all promise at this stage, everything is there except obvious florality. I fully expect the bouquet to develop surprisingly in bottle, like the Villa Maria. The whole wine will gradually unfold, and in five years will almost certainly score higher. In the Regional Wines tasting, four people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. This is a syrah to ensure you secure literally a lifetime supply. It should cellar for 10 – 25 and maybe 35 years. It will be referred to for years to come, as a benchmark New Zealand syrah. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, wonderful freshness and density, the deepest and richest colour in the set. Bouquet is extraordinary, incredibly rich, fragrant but not exactly floral (yet), much cassis, darkest plum, some blueberry, plus at this stage rather much oak vanillin. It smells very young. The world changes when you taste it. Immediately there is a velvety concentration of fresh aromatic berryfruit of a depth and mouthfeel not previously achieved in New Zealand syrah. Flavours like aromas are youthful in the extreme, tending oaky at this pre-release stage, and it is hard to penetrate the wine. But there is no escaping the richness, concentration and texture of this dark plum and cassis-laden palate. It seems the richest wine on the table, and the dry extract at 31.9 g/L later confirms that is likely to be the case, being of a quality rarely achieved. It is the highest measured in the syrah bracket, noting that few have been measured. Yet the wine is not at all 'heavy', in any sensory way. This wine is all promise at this stage, everything is there except obvious florality. I fully expect the bouquet to develop surprisingly in bottle, like the Villa Maria. The whole wine will gradually unfold, and in five years will almost certainly score higher. In the Regional Wines tasting, four people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. This is a syrah to ensure you secure literally a lifetime supply. It should cellar for 10 – 25 and maybe 35 years. It will be referred to for years to come, as a benchmark New Zealand syrah. GK 05/15
Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA: 13%; $ – [ cork; CS 80%, balance vineyard blend (mainly Me, some PV and CF); Paul Draper's Ridge Estate high up in the Santa Cruz mountains is legendary, the mountain wines often having a finesse, complexity and quality to them which (to the limited extent I have tasted them) some of the larger-scale lower-altitude Californian offerings seem to lack; another bottle reflecting the late Grant Jones' flair with wine; www.ridgewine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, still almost carmine, incredibly youthful. Bouquet is youthful too, smelling of almost pure cabernet sauvignon, very ripe cassis but definitely not hot-climate in style, berry dominant over oak, an exciting bouquet. Palate builds on that impression, the juicy richness of berry not quite Bordeaux in style, but complex and exciting in its own right, fruit dominating the fragrant cedary oak. A long supple aftertaste gives a clue to the future beauty of this wine. This is great Californian cabernet. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/17
Ruby and velvet, still almost carmine, incredibly youthful. Bouquet is youthful too, smelling of almost pure cabernet sauvignon, very ripe cassis but definitely not hot-climate in style, berry dominant over oak, an exciting bouquet. Palate builds on that impression, the juicy richness of berry not quite Bordeaux in style, but complex and exciting in its own right, fruit dominating the fragrant cedary oak. A long supple aftertaste gives a clue to the future beauty of this wine. This is great Californian cabernet. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/17
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: – %; $ – [ cork; $39 in 1988; Delas own 6.5 ha on the Hill of Hermitage, and rent 3.5; Sy 100%, some stems in the 1980s; up to 18 months in barrel, a small percentage new maybe in the 80s; Delas now part of the Roederer group (since 1996); www.delas.com ]
Colour is ruby and garnet, but still with good depth and freshness for its age. Bouquet is a perfect expression of syrah in full maturity, dramatic wallflower and carnations florals, good cassis and red and black plums, clear black peppercorn spice, all mellow and harmonious and lingering, yet surprisingly fresh. I showed this wine at the judges' dinner for the Royal Easter Show wine judging, thinking that many younger judges would be unfamiliar with one of New Zealand's most promising red varieties, in full maturity. The response on the night was gratifying, and a conserved sub-sample looked as good in this blind tasting a few days later – not at all fragile. Fully mature, but no hurry. GK 03/09
Colour is ruby and garnet, but still with good depth and freshness for its age. Bouquet is a perfect expression of syrah in full maturity, dramatic wallflower and carnations florals, good cassis and red and black plums, clear black peppercorn spice, all mellow and harmonious and lingering, yet surprisingly fresh. I showed this wine at the judges' dinner for the Royal Easter Show wine judging, thinking that many younger judges would be unfamiliar with one of New Zealand's most promising red varieties, in full maturity. The response on the night was gratifying, and a conserved sub-sample looked as good in this blind tasting a few days later – not at all fragile. Fully mature, but no hurry. GK 03/09
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $85 [ cork 49mm; Gr 70%, Mv 15, Sy 15; cuvaison to 30 days, closely monitored; elevation 12 months half in large old wood, half in concrete vat; no new oak; Les Deux Chenes refers to the two oak trees logo for the estate as a whole; imported by Truffle, Wellington; weight bottle and closure: 637 g; www.boislauzonenglish.photoavignon.com ]
Ruby and velvet, quite deep for Chateauneuf-du-Pape, clearly above midway in the mainly syrah and cabernet field of 27. Bouquet is wonderfully deep, dark, fragrant, nearly duskily floral, as if there were a high percentage of mourvedre and syrah in a grenache base. [ Later checking indicates a significant percentage of both. Robinson states the mourvedre is 20% in 2010. ] Berry notes include darker suggestions of cassis as well as raspberry, on an aromatic plummy matrix, with some cedary and silver-pine oak too, even perhaps a little new oak. The spirit is well-contained. Palate is soft, rich, velvety, tending over-ripe in the modern lush style American winewriting has forced on the world, all a little tannic at this early stage, otherwise beautifully balanced and harmonious, with the darker fruits providing the long flavours. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 08/16
Ruby and velvet, quite deep for Chateauneuf-du-Pape, clearly above midway in the mainly syrah and cabernet field of 27. Bouquet is wonderfully deep, dark, fragrant, nearly duskily floral, as if there were a high percentage of mourvedre and syrah in a grenache base. [ Later checking indicates a significant percentage of both. Robinson states the mourvedre is 20% in 2010. ] Berry notes include darker suggestions of cassis as well as raspberry, on an aromatic plummy matrix, with some cedary and silver-pine oak too, even perhaps a little new oak. The spirit is well-contained. Palate is soft, rich, velvety, tending over-ripe in the modern lush style American winewriting has forced on the world, all a little tannic at this early stage, otherwise beautifully balanced and harmonious, with the darker fruits providing the long flavours. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 08/16
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork, 46mm; fill height best of set – the wine all my hopes are hanging on, bought at release. Its rarity may be hinted at by wine-searcher recording no 1971 Kesselstatt trockenbeerenauslesen at all (at the time of preparing the notes). A clue to its value overseas may be gleaned from the only older Josephshofer TBA listed, 1959, there being two bottles, $NZ2,600 and $NZ5,100. The von Kesselstatt estate formerly head-quartered in Trier (Mosel Valley), but now in the Ruwer Valley, dates back to 1349. In 1978 it passed from Reichsgrafen (imperial counts) of Kesselstatt to the Gunther-Reh family. Though the estate was already well-regarded, the new owners concentrated on improving quality further, by consolidating the estate, and lowering yields. The firm now owns 36 ha, 12 each in Ruwer, Saar and Mosel Valleys. Vineyards are planted 98% to riesling, 2% experimental varieties. Fermentations where possible are wild-yeast, invariably in stainless steel, there is no deacidification and since 1994 no suss-reserve, and extended lees-ageing is favoured. Traditional oak elevation is used for some of the finest wines. The website carefully says: 'We categorically reject so-called new oenological procedures.' Annual production ranges from 20,000 – 26,500 9-litre cases. The large Josephshof site in Graach was acquired in 1858. Brook notes that he usually prefers the wines from Nies’chen and Goldtropfchen to the rich, broader Josephshof. We have the latter two both at the auslese level, so a rare and glorious opportunity to form our own opinion, corks willing. Josephshof is 4.7 ha (11.6 ac). The von Kesselstatt website describes the monopole vineyard thus: Josephshof lies between the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Domprobst sites. It is a south-facing and steep site with an angle of inclination up to 60 – 70 degrees, at an altitude of up to 180 meters. The soils are deep, weathered Devonian slate with a high percentage of fine earth – relatively heavy soils compared with those of the region as a whole. They yield full-bodied, spicy wines with incredible ageing potential. Often the wines have an unmistakable peach aroma with a hint of wild herbs and earthy, spicy components; a measure of the rarity of our tasting is that neither Robinson, Robert Parker in aggregate, or Wine Spectator have tasted this or any 1971 von Kesselstatt wines, despite their high ranking in the USA. No info, nothing known as to elevation but in fuder assumed (for the times), no 1971 Kesselstatt TBAs (from any vineyard) mentioned on the Net – even on Cellartracker; Brook comments further on the wines from the Josephshof site: Fine schist-slate soils with good water retention, so it can be very successful in dry years. The wines are slow to develop, full-bodied, occasionally earthy, and very long-lived. Annegret Reh-Gartner of Kesselstatt compares them to Hochheim in the Rheingau, with their softer acidity; www.kesselstatt.com ]
Old gold and hazelnut, a brassy rim. Bouquet is light and fresh for the wine’s colour, almost a thought of pink hedge-rose florals, obvious fruit yet no clear analogies, a complex of botrytis, pears, sultanas and raisins plus a hint of dried Otago apricots (much more piquant / varietal than Turkish), subtlest oak, all honeyed and slightly biscuitty. Flavour is astonishing, wonderfully fresh, all the bouquet characters yet finishing particularly on the Otago apricot note, excellent acid balance relative to the residual sugar guessed to be in the 200s, the fruit long yet drying in a positive way to the very neat finish. This wine has been in ideal Wellington cellar conditions for its entire life, and the colour is likely to be ‘correct’. The second favourite wine of the evening, six first places, four second. The wine will hold, but the corks won’t. GK 11/17
Old gold and hazelnut, a brassy rim. Bouquet is light and fresh for the wine’s colour, almost a thought of pink hedge-rose florals, obvious fruit yet no clear analogies, a complex of botrytis, pears, sultanas and raisins plus a hint of dried Otago apricots (much more piquant / varietal than Turkish), subtlest oak, all honeyed and slightly biscuitty. Flavour is astonishing, wonderfully fresh, all the bouquet characters yet finishing particularly on the Otago apricot note, excellent acid balance relative to the residual sugar guessed to be in the 200s, the fruit long yet drying in a positive way to the very neat finish. This wine has been in ideal Wellington cellar conditions for its entire life, and the colour is likely to be ‘correct’. The second favourite wine of the evening, six first places, four second. The wine will hold, but the corks won’t. GK 11/17
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments; 100% MLF, 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak up to 40% new and balance 1-year; RS 2.3 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
A wonderful glowing full lemon. Bouquet opens just a little reluctantly in the New Zealand context, but considering the French prototype and the barrel work this winestyle may be subjected to, it is understandable. With only slight aeration / decanting it clears to mealy / toasty / autolysed chardonnay fruit, the oak marrying away now, and the autolysis giving a baguette-crust quality of complexity. For chardonnay with its considerable barrel elevage, it is a fine line between a positive nett impression, and tending reductive. The fact some French chardonnays are patently reductive is not a reason to introduce any more of this character into our fresher New Zealand chardonnays, I believe. Like the 2007 Sauvage, the palate is magical, showing a saturation of nectarine fruit and subtle white-butter MLF complexity and texture which is enchanting. Acid balance is fresh and firm, and the length of flavour astonishing. This is great New Zealand chardonnay, which will cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 10/10
A wonderful glowing full lemon. Bouquet opens just a little reluctantly in the New Zealand context, but considering the French prototype and the barrel work this winestyle may be subjected to, it is understandable. With only slight aeration / decanting it clears to mealy / toasty / autolysed chardonnay fruit, the oak marrying away now, and the autolysis giving a baguette-crust quality of complexity. For chardonnay with its considerable barrel elevage, it is a fine line between a positive nett impression, and tending reductive. The fact some French chardonnays are patently reductive is not a reason to introduce any more of this character into our fresher New Zealand chardonnays, I believe. Like the 2007 Sauvage, the palate is magical, showing a saturation of nectarine fruit and subtle white-butter MLF complexity and texture which is enchanting. Acid balance is fresh and firm, and the length of flavour astonishing. This is great New Zealand chardonnay, which will cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 10/10
Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $163 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine, the vineyard adjoining Clos Vougeot, average vine age 25 – 30 years; hand-harvested, fermentation (some stalks) and cuvaison in open wooden vats 18 – 20 days; c. 18 months in barrels understood to be about 1/3 new; Wine Direct the NZ agents; www.drouhin.com ]
Good ruby, in the middle of the ‘03s for depth. Bouquet on this wine is the most clearly varietal in the set, with deepest red rose florals far darker and sweeter than buddleia, nearer violets. The florals meld with superb cherry-plum notes which are really warm and sun-drenched, but not roti. Palate is simply great pinot, darkest cherries, darkest plums, a touch of almond (and brett), finegrain tannins in abundance. This wine is velvety and rich, about as big as pinot can be before southern Rhone thoughts intrude, a great illustration of a drought year pinot which is still vividly fresh, floral and varietal. Cellar to 30 years. Wonderful. GK 03/06
Good ruby, in the middle of the ‘03s for depth. Bouquet on this wine is the most clearly varietal in the set, with deepest red rose florals far darker and sweeter than buddleia, nearer violets. The florals meld with superb cherry-plum notes which are really warm and sun-drenched, but not roti. Palate is simply great pinot, darkest cherries, darkest plums, a touch of almond (and brett), finegrain tannins in abundance. This wine is velvety and rich, about as big as pinot can be before southern Rhone thoughts intrude, a great illustration of a drought year pinot which is still vividly fresh, floral and varietal. Cellar to 30 years. Wonderful. GK 03/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $31 [ cork; described by the winemaker as an ‘oyster wine’ which will age, all s/s. RS 5.4 g/L, pH 2.93, so should be cellar-wine par excellence; www.frommwineries.com ]
Brilliant pale lemon. Bouquet is gorgeous, explicit riesling varietal character expressed as white flowers and holygrass / sweet vernal aromas, softly vanillin, hints of white nectarine, lovely. Palate shows gorgeous varietal terpenes, exact flavours with a citrus underpinning, ‘dry’ finish, and great length on the flavoursome aromatics, yet the wine is not phenolic. There is a hint of lees-autolysis / baguette complexity too, marvellous. How good to see the la Strada wines retreating from the higher total sulphurs of a few years ago. Cellar 3 – 15 years, possibly longer. GK 08/06
Brilliant pale lemon. Bouquet is gorgeous, explicit riesling varietal character expressed as white flowers and holygrass / sweet vernal aromas, softly vanillin, hints of white nectarine, lovely. Palate shows gorgeous varietal terpenes, exact flavours with a citrus underpinning, ‘dry’ finish, and great length on the flavoursome aromatics, yet the wine is not phenolic. There is a hint of lees-autolysis / baguette complexity too, marvellous. How good to see the la Strada wines retreating from the higher total sulphurs of a few years ago. Cellar 3 – 15 years, possibly longer. GK 08/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 75%, Me 25, from c.14-year old vines planted at 3,125 vines / ha; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another ‘perfect’ young claret colour, the fourth deepest. At five years of age, these top Hawkes Bay / NZ reds are just starting to blossom. The complexity of bouquet, its subtlety, and its precise bordeaux styling with fruit ahead of oak, are all glorious. Like 2013 Ngakirikiri, there is clear-cut cassis, but the soft floral component here is greater, reflecting the merlot content. Flavours in mouth are still taut and youthful, oak showing a little more now, seemingly not quite as rich as Ngakirikiri. This too is wonderful wine, to cellar 15 – 25 years, though it will hold longer. GK 03/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another ‘perfect’ young claret colour, the fourth deepest. At five years of age, these top Hawkes Bay / NZ reds are just starting to blossom. The complexity of bouquet, its subtlety, and its precise bordeaux styling with fruit ahead of oak, are all glorious. Like 2013 Ngakirikiri, there is clear-cut cassis, but the soft floral component here is greater, reflecting the merlot content. Flavours in mouth are still taut and youthful, oak showing a little more now, seemingly not quite as rich as Ngakirikiri. This too is wonderful wine, to cellar 15 – 25 years, though it will hold longer. GK 03/18
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $104 [ cork, 50mm; CS 54%, Me 36, CF 10; ended up a good season, smaller crops than usual, GDD 1405, harvest first half April; release price $140; Cowley, 2017: balanced, ripe fruit and fragrance; Huon Hooke (Australia), 2017: a ripe berry aroma which recalls blueberry, blackberry and raspberry. A fine, balanced but persuasive tannin grip, and excellent persistence. Very stylish wine with a big future. A top vintage, 96; Chan, 2017: The nose ... ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit with cassis liqueur, lifted by fragrant dark red florals, subtle notes of dark herbs, and enriched by pencilly oak. Medium-full bodied ... concentrated and intense, layered flavours of blackberries and blackcurrants, cassis and black plums ... balanced by considerable tannin extraction, the mouthfeel very fine-textured ... a very long ... finish, 19.5; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the brightest and freshest of the wines, reasonably enough, and also the deepest. The 2015 is totally different from all the other wines on the table, solely for the reasons of youth. Alongside the 2013, there is in effect no bouquet, in the sense of a hint of secondary development. It is all primary fruit notes, darkly plummy mainly, some blackberry, but a hint of cassis, roses and violets promising wonderful things to come. Palate is the same, a big mouthful of darkly plummy (bottled black doris) fruit, almost as if the wine were merlot-dominant: where are the cabernets ? If the 2013 is any guide, just waiting in the wings. The ripeness achieved in this wine is a delight. It seems to me riper and richer than the 2013, there is no conceivable hint of stalks, yet it is not quite as ripe as the 1998, so there is more certainty of florals to come. This is going to be a great Coleraine, in traditional Coleraine terms, to cellar 15 – 35 years. Even this wine, however, is not as rich as a good second growth. Again, I thought both bottles identical, but the response to this wine differed wildly between the two tastings. For the second group, six rated the 2015 their most-favoured or second wine, yet for the first night, zero. GK 08/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the brightest and freshest of the wines, reasonably enough, and also the deepest. The 2015 is totally different from all the other wines on the table, solely for the reasons of youth. Alongside the 2013, there is in effect no bouquet, in the sense of a hint of secondary development. It is all primary fruit notes, darkly plummy mainly, some blackberry, but a hint of cassis, roses and violets promising wonderful things to come. Palate is the same, a big mouthful of darkly plummy (bottled black doris) fruit, almost as if the wine were merlot-dominant: where are the cabernets ? If the 2013 is any guide, just waiting in the wings. The ripeness achieved in this wine is a delight. It seems to me riper and richer than the 2013, there is no conceivable hint of stalks, yet it is not quite as ripe as the 1998, so there is more certainty of florals to come. This is going to be a great Coleraine, in traditional Coleraine terms, to cellar 15 – 35 years. Even this wine, however, is not as rich as a good second growth. Again, I thought both bottles identical, but the response to this wine differed wildly between the two tastings. For the second group, six rated the 2015 their most-favoured or second wine, yet for the first night, zero. GK 08/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $80 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed, 5% whole-bunch; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; Craggy wines are not entered in NZ judgings, but like Te Mata, they do enter overseas semi-judgings. Robert Parker reviewed the 2002 thus: One of the finest reds I have ever tasted from New Zealand is the 2002 Le Sol (300 cases of 100% Syrah), which boasts tremendous freshness, concentration, and intensity. It reveals the acidity and definition of a top-notch northern Rhone as well as tremendous presence on the palate as well as remarkable elegance and precision. All of Syrah's characteristics – smoke, licorice, pepper, blackberries, and currants – are present in this beautifully knit, pure, concentrated 2002. Kudos to winemaker Steve Smith. 94; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a magnificent colour, the deepest on the table. Bouquet is intense, the richest of all the wines, but perhaps not the most complex. The fruit is riper than nearly all the others, more bottled black doris plums, but still with black pepper spicy complexity and clear varietal character. At this stage the oak is a bit loud. Palate is velvety rich, and there is no doubt the fruit is amply sufficient to marry up the oak in 5 – 10 years time. Flavour is saturated with berry, some cassis now showing, and blueberry as well as dark plums, long on fruit and oak. Despite its power, from memory this is a subtler wine than the 2002, a little more aromatic, and thus even closer to the Hermitage style than the 2002. If size and power are important to you, this may rate higher than the Vidal Reserve, but le Sol does not have quite the complexity. It will be great to see this bottle in 10 years, for this too is exceptional New Zealand red wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a magnificent colour, the deepest on the table. Bouquet is intense, the richest of all the wines, but perhaps not the most complex. The fruit is riper than nearly all the others, more bottled black doris plums, but still with black pepper spicy complexity and clear varietal character. At this stage the oak is a bit loud. Palate is velvety rich, and there is no doubt the fruit is amply sufficient to marry up the oak in 5 – 10 years time. Flavour is saturated with berry, some cassis now showing, and blueberry as well as dark plums, long on fruit and oak. Despite its power, from memory this is a subtler wine than the 2002, a little more aromatic, and thus even closer to the Hermitage style than the 2002. If size and power are important to you, this may rate higher than the Vidal Reserve, but le Sol does not have quite the complexity. It will be great to see this bottle in 10 years, for this too is exceptional New Zealand red wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; hand-picked from the Home Vineyard near the winery, clone mendoza, average vine age 25 years; whole-bunch pressed, minimal settling; 100% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment not cooled and 100% MLF; 12 months in French oak up to 30% new plus older oak to 5 years, batonnage as needed; pH 3.26, RS 1.7 g/l; not sterile-filtered; not entered in Shows; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, perfectly in the middle for hue and depth. Bouquet attractively illustrates chardonnay made mealy by barrel-ferment and extended lees-autolysis, not quite as markedly so as the Elston and therefore a little more new world in style. But even on bouquet, there is the gratifying suspicion this wine is rich and complex. Palate confirms that wonderfully, with mealy and cashew nut complexities a delight, the body and flesh including golden queen peach stonefruit all sensational. Acid balance is refreshing, oaking is to a restrained maximum but on balance not excessive, the length of flavour and concentration in mouth really exciting. The wine hints at Corton-Charlemagne, and its moderate alcohol reinforces that thought – great. In another two years this wine should be mellowing into a great chardonnay, cellar 3 – 8 years or longer, if you like old chardonnay. GK 03/12
Lemonstraw, perfectly in the middle for hue and depth. Bouquet attractively illustrates chardonnay made mealy by barrel-ferment and extended lees-autolysis, not quite as markedly so as the Elston and therefore a little more new world in style. But even on bouquet, there is the gratifying suspicion this wine is rich and complex. Palate confirms that wonderfully, with mealy and cashew nut complexities a delight, the body and flesh including golden queen peach stonefruit all sensational. Acid balance is refreshing, oaking is to a restrained maximum but on balance not excessive, the length of flavour and concentration in mouth really exciting. The wine hints at Corton-Charlemagne, and its moderate alcohol reinforces that thought – great. In another two years this wine should be mellowing into a great chardonnay, cellar 3 – 8 years or longer, if you like old chardonnay. GK 03/12
Bay View dissected coastal terrace, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; price unknown; (all figures estimates) Ma 45%, Me 35, CF 20, hand-harvested; all vars co-fermented as one batch; 100% new French oak c. 18 months; RS nil; perhaps 250 cases; the 1-hectare NNW-facing The Terraces vineyard was until recently pretty well unique in New Zealand, being planted on man-made terraces in a natural semi-amphitheatre reminiscent more of some famous Northern Rhone vineyard sites than broad-acre New Zealand plantings. Underlying soil parent materials are young sedimentaries including limestone and volcanic ash. Vineyard practice is special too, the cropping rate being of the order of 1 tonne per acre, all the constituent varieties are harvested on the one day, and co-fermented. Maximum production is 300 cases (of 12). The site was created in the 1940s, but lapsed into pine plantation. It was re-planted to vines in 1989; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine. This too is gloriously ripe cassisy wine, with an even greater aromatic edge to it than the 2013 Mills Reef Cabernet Elspeth, bespeaking the significant percentage of malbec. There is also more apparent oak than the 2013 Elspeth. In mouth this wine shows a concentration of berry, ripeness and potential charm and elegance, which is phenomenal. There is no hint of the traditional stalkyness found in New Zealand malbec, but the flavours are darker than a cabernet-dominant wine, due to that variety. This promises to be a high-scoring wine of exceptional potential – noting that The Terraces is one of the very few exceptions to my general doubts about malbec in New Zealand. Cellar 8 – 30 years. GK 06/14
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine. This too is gloriously ripe cassisy wine, with an even greater aromatic edge to it than the 2013 Mills Reef Cabernet Elspeth, bespeaking the significant percentage of malbec. There is also more apparent oak than the 2013 Elspeth. In mouth this wine shows a concentration of berry, ripeness and potential charm and elegance, which is phenomenal. There is no hint of the traditional stalkyness found in New Zealand malbec, but the flavours are darker than a cabernet-dominant wine, due to that variety. This promises to be a high-scoring wine of exceptional potential – noting that The Terraces is one of the very few exceptions to my general doubts about malbec in New Zealand. Cellar 8 – 30 years. GK 06/14
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $72 [ screwcap – Stelvin Lux; www.twopaddocks.com ]
Classic pinot noir, fractionally above midway in depth. Bouquet is dramatically varietal, beautiful sweet florals including darkest purple buddleia through deep dusky roses to boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. There is an exciting lift on the bouquet, taking the wine straight to Cote de Nuits. Palate is almost succulent, wonderful concentration, clearly aromatic in the most positive Cote de Nuits way, the whole wine in its youthful and still fleshy way reminding of vineyards such as Clos-Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin. This is benchmark wine in the great 2014 vintage in Central Otago, a wine against which others may be measured. Length of flavour is lovely: I look forward to a dry extract on this wine, it should be over 30 g/L. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Classic pinot noir, fractionally above midway in depth. Bouquet is dramatically varietal, beautiful sweet florals including darkest purple buddleia through deep dusky roses to boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. There is an exciting lift on the bouquet, taking the wine straight to Cote de Nuits. Palate is almost succulent, wonderful concentration, clearly aromatic in the most positive Cote de Nuits way, the whole wine in its youthful and still fleshy way reminding of vineyards such as Clos-Saint-Jacques, Gevrey-Chambertin. This is benchmark wine in the great 2014 vintage in Central Otago, a wine against which others may be measured. Length of flavour is lovely: I look forward to a dry extract on this wine, it should be over 30 g/L. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $336 [ cork; PN 70%, Ch 30; some BF in primary fermentation; no MLF; secondary fermentation under cork; en tirage 10 + years, disgorged 10/07; dosage 3 – 4 g/L; a pity there is no back-vintage info on the website; current vintage price in NZ c.$450; www.champagne-bollinger.fr ]
Straw, the second deepest, initially a worry. But like the Churchill, this too shows an extraordinary depth of benchmark lees-autolysis on high-pinot noir fruit. Again there is no trace of aldehyde it would be reasonable to mention, just great flavour development plus noticeably higher acid. It is not quite as fresh and magic as the Churchill, there is a trace more biscuit complexity, but you need them alongside each other, to even think that. This might not cellar quite as gracefully as Churchill, on the acid, but there is no hurry. Unlike Krug, Bollinger illustrates how oak should be used in champagne elevation. The richness conceals a low dosage, say 4 g/L. GK 11/14
Straw, the second deepest, initially a worry. But like the Churchill, this too shows an extraordinary depth of benchmark lees-autolysis on high-pinot noir fruit. Again there is no trace of aldehyde it would be reasonable to mention, just great flavour development plus noticeably higher acid. It is not quite as fresh and magic as the Churchill, there is a trace more biscuit complexity, but you need them alongside each other, to even think that. This might not cellar quite as gracefully as Churchill, on the acid, but there is no hurry. Unlike Krug, Bollinger illustrates how oak should be used in champagne elevation. The richness conceals a low dosage, say 4 g/L. GK 11/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $124 [ cork 49mm; release price $120; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 98%, mostly Limmer clone, 2 Vi, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; J Robinson, 2011: Another ridiculously heavy bottle from the land of greens. Now this is serious on the nose - I'm tempted to make comparisons with Hermitage here! Great intensity and lovely silky texture but serious depth. Bravo! This is very clever, because it could be enjoyed already and yet it clearly has one heck of a long way to go. Meaty, dense and manly - a great lesson in the Syrahness of Syrah. Lipsmackingly good. Luscious texture: 18; Lisa Perrotti-Brown @ R Parker, 2011: The 2009 Gimblett Gravels Homage Syrah offers ripe, pure blackberry and blueberry aromas with underlying notes of peppercorns, baking spices, earth, tree bark and mulberries. Medium bodied and taut in the mouth, the muscular blackberry and earth flavors are well supported by a firm level of fine grained tannins and crisp acidity. The finish is long and savory. Drink it 2012 through 2018+: 92; M Cooper, 2012: Densely coloured and floral, it has lovely mouthfeel and harmony, with substantial body, concentrated blackcurrant, plum, spice, liquorice and pepper flavours, gentle tannins, and a flowing, finely textured finish: *****; weight bottle and closure: 1042 g; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, both lighter and older than the same-year Le Sol, in fact the second to lightest wine. One sniff and the difference between these two benchmark wines is obvious. Le Sol is fresh, vibrant and new-world in style, whereas Homage is mellower, softer, more floral, much more European. Here there are the wallflower florals of great Hermitage, above cassisy berry now browning a little relative to the 2009 Le Sol. Palate is simply great syrah from Hermitage, at a lesser price than many. This is classic syrah in a very complex handling, all kinds of savoury tastes as well as browning cassis, yet long, soft and lovely. Interestingly, nobody rated this their top or second wine, and three had it as their least wine. I wondered if we in the New World are becoming too habituated to squeaky-clean high-tech wines, such as the Australian wine industry favours, wines which sometimes lack vinosity. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Ruby and some velvet, both lighter and older than the same-year Le Sol, in fact the second to lightest wine. One sniff and the difference between these two benchmark wines is obvious. Le Sol is fresh, vibrant and new-world in style, whereas Homage is mellower, softer, more floral, much more European. Here there are the wallflower florals of great Hermitage, above cassisy berry now browning a little relative to the 2009 Le Sol. Palate is simply great syrah from Hermitage, at a lesser price than many. This is classic syrah in a very complex handling, all kinds of savoury tastes as well as browning cassis, yet long, soft and lovely. Interestingly, nobody rated this their top or second wine, and three had it as their least wine. I wondered if we in the New World are becoming too habituated to squeaky-clean high-tech wines, such as the Australian wine industry favours, wines which sometimes lack vinosity. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $42 [ cork; Sy 100% from a single vineyard, oldest vines planted 1990; includes clone 470 for first time, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in French oak 40-ish % new; superb website info; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, showing precise syrah varietal complexity as found in the northern Rhone – dianthus and rose florals, cassis and dark plum berry, freshly cracked black peppers, and subtle complementary oak. Palate continues perfectly, the fruit velvety yet spicy throughout, the flavours lingering wonderfully. It is a little more floral and fragrant than the Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah, but slightly less rich. I wrote up the newly-released 2004 Te Mata Rhone winestyles rather enthusiastically in October 2005, so was keen to see if I had overdone it, in my blind re-tasting subsequent to the Te Mata presentation. That allowed the two Te Mata syrah wines to be assessed blind in a group of 22 reds, and Bullnose clearly was the top wine. It is undoubtedly Te Mata’s greatest achievement for the 2004 vintage. It shows a finesse, ripeness and style comparable to that achieved in the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah (though I have not seen them alongside). These wines really challenge the Rhone, and Hermitage specifically. With all eyes on the Jaboulet ’03 la Chapelle (expected imminently) to see if that iconic label has found its way out of the wilderness of the last 10 years, it will be exciting to see if it matches or beats this 2004 Te Mata Bullnose Syrah. A tasting to look forward to. 2004 Bullnose will cellar for 10 – 15 years, maybe 20. It will be great with food, and should be in all wine enthusiasts’ cellars. GK 03/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, showing precise syrah varietal complexity as found in the northern Rhone – dianthus and rose florals, cassis and dark plum berry, freshly cracked black peppers, and subtle complementary oak. Palate continues perfectly, the fruit velvety yet spicy throughout, the flavours lingering wonderfully. It is a little more floral and fragrant than the Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah, but slightly less rich. I wrote up the newly-released 2004 Te Mata Rhone winestyles rather enthusiastically in October 2005, so was keen to see if I had overdone it, in my blind re-tasting subsequent to the Te Mata presentation. That allowed the two Te Mata syrah wines to be assessed blind in a group of 22 reds, and Bullnose clearly was the top wine. It is undoubtedly Te Mata’s greatest achievement for the 2004 vintage. It shows a finesse, ripeness and style comparable to that achieved in the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah (though I have not seen them alongside). These wines really challenge the Rhone, and Hermitage specifically. With all eyes on the Jaboulet ’03 la Chapelle (expected imminently) to see if that iconic label has found its way out of the wilderness of the last 10 years, it will be exciting to see if it matches or beats this 2004 Te Mata Bullnose Syrah. A tasting to look forward to. 2004 Bullnose will cellar for 10 – 15 years, maybe 20. It will be great with food, and should be in all wine enthusiasts’ cellars. GK 03/06
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ supercritical cork; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c. 9 months in French oak c. 50% new; < 2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is vividly chardonnay, but taut, understated, totally undemonstrative, a wine tightly in bud, needing a year to start to open. At this stage, there are clean citric-edged white stonefruits, a touch of oatmeal and cashew lees-autolysis complexity, plus some oak-derived aromatics, all evident on bouquet. Palate simply wraps these aromas in flesh, all extraordinarily pure, refreshing acid, fair body, total Puligny-Montrachet in style. Comparing this wine alongside the very good 2006 Penfolds Hyland wine, which has won gold medals in major Australian shows, there is no contrast. The Elston has a complexity, succulence, and texture free from added acid, which is exemplary, comparable only with fine burgundy. Not having a complete vertical in front of me, I cannot be dogmatic: nonetheless, this is probably at least equal to the best Elston so far. Try and leave your case untouched for one year. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Pale lemon. Bouquet is vividly chardonnay, but taut, understated, totally undemonstrative, a wine tightly in bud, needing a year to start to open. At this stage, there are clean citric-edged white stonefruits, a touch of oatmeal and cashew lees-autolysis complexity, plus some oak-derived aromatics, all evident on bouquet. Palate simply wraps these aromas in flesh, all extraordinarily pure, refreshing acid, fair body, total Puligny-Montrachet in style. Comparing this wine alongside the very good 2006 Penfolds Hyland wine, which has won gold medals in major Australian shows, there is no contrast. The Elston has a complexity, succulence, and texture free from added acid, which is exemplary, comparable only with fine burgundy. Not having a complete vertical in front of me, I cannot be dogmatic: nonetheless, this is probably at least equal to the best Elston so far. Try and leave your case untouched for one year. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $49 [ screwcap; original price $60; Sy 100%, mostly machine-picked @ c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; 17 months in French oak 35% new, with MLF in barrel; no overseas reviews found; Cooper, 2016: Highly fragrant ... very concentrated, youthful and silky, with pure, vibrant plum and black-pepper flavours, a hint of liquorice, finely integrated oak, and notable complexity and depth. Best drinking 2017+, *****; Cuisine, 2015: A superb Hawke's Bay/Gimblett Gravels syrah ... intense and freshly aromatic with purple fruits, florals and exotic spices. In the mouth it has admirable power. A plush core of dense, brooding syrah fruit has wonderful persistence, and smoothly integrated, fine, ripe tannins back things up harmoniously, *****; dry extract 31.8; production 650 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 565 g; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest and freshest wine in the set. Bouquet is youthful and almost awkward alongside the Bullnose, yet all the components are there: dianthus and carnations florals, cassis and bottled black doris plums, black pepper and new French oak. It is just unknit. Impact in mouth is colossal, simply a wall of cassisy berry-fruit which saturates the tongue, black pepper again, then the oak still almost totally unintegrated. Like the Airavata, you can clearly see the wonderful dry extract rating of 31.8 g/L on the long, textured, almost thick (in the best sense) aftertaste. Like the top two wines, purity in this wine is phenomenal. I fully expect this Villa Maria Reserve to match or surpass the top two in 10 and particularly 20 years time, and unlike the top two, its styling is uncompromisingly Hermitage. The British winewriters who persist in their condescending assessment of New Zealand syrah as matching Crozes-Hermitage, obviously never set up rigorously blind tastings with both winemakers participating, and wines from the appellation to be compared alongside, in the way these two tastings were designed and executed. Two people rated the Villa their top wine of the evening, and one their second. It can be confidently cellared 10 – 30 years, more likely 40 years, under screwcap. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest and freshest wine in the set. Bouquet is youthful and almost awkward alongside the Bullnose, yet all the components are there: dianthus and carnations florals, cassis and bottled black doris plums, black pepper and new French oak. It is just unknit. Impact in mouth is colossal, simply a wall of cassisy berry-fruit which saturates the tongue, black pepper again, then the oak still almost totally unintegrated. Like the Airavata, you can clearly see the wonderful dry extract rating of 31.8 g/L on the long, textured, almost thick (in the best sense) aftertaste. Like the top two wines, purity in this wine is phenomenal. I fully expect this Villa Maria Reserve to match or surpass the top two in 10 and particularly 20 years time, and unlike the top two, its styling is uncompromisingly Hermitage. The British winewriters who persist in their condescending assessment of New Zealand syrah as matching Crozes-Hermitage, obviously never set up rigorously blind tastings with both winemakers participating, and wines from the appellation to be compared alongside, in the way these two tastings were designed and executed. Two people rated the Villa their top wine of the evening, and one their second. It can be confidently cellared 10 – 30 years, more likely 40 years, under screwcap. GK 06/17
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments temperature-controlled to max. c. 17 degrees in the barrel; 100% MLF and 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak new and 1-year; RS in 2007 2.3 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemongreen, a remarkable colour. Bouquet is sensationally pure and subtle, a very understated presentation of mendoza chardonnay, with magical lees-autolysis mealyness and barrel-ferment complexities enriching it. Palate has great texture, white stonefruit more than yellow, baguette-crust buttered with palest European butter flavours, succulent, long, yet refreshing. It is closer to Puligny-Montrachet or Montrachet than Meursault, but there are occasional other new world chardonnays it reminds me of – a Kistler from Sonoma comes to mind. This is great New Zealand chardonnay, one of the finest ever made here. Since there will be no 2008 Riflemans as such, all the fruit having been declassified, the need now is to buy twice as much 2007 as usual. It will cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Lemongreen, a remarkable colour. Bouquet is sensationally pure and subtle, a very understated presentation of mendoza chardonnay, with magical lees-autolysis mealyness and barrel-ferment complexities enriching it. Palate has great texture, white stonefruit more than yellow, baguette-crust buttered with palest European butter flavours, succulent, long, yet refreshing. It is closer to Puligny-Montrachet or Montrachet than Meursault, but there are occasional other new world chardonnays it reminds me of – a Kistler from Sonoma comes to mind. This is great New Zealand chardonnay, one of the finest ever made here. Since there will be no 2008 Riflemans as such, all the fruit having been declassified, the need now is to buy twice as much 2007 as usual. It will cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels (CS), Triangle (Me & Ma), Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $81 [ cork, 50mm; DFB; original price $90; CS 60%, Ma 21, Me 19, hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at 2,525 vines / ha and cropped @ 3.6 – 5 t/ha = 1.4 – 2 t/ac; cuvaison c.21 days, cultured-yeast; wild-MLF in barrel; 19 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; dry extract 29.7 g/L; no overseas reviews; Chan, 2015: a nose of ripe blackcurrants, cassis liqueur and blackberry fruit, along with suggestions of sweet black plums, melded with iron-earth and black minerals, and some spicy oak toast nuances. Medium-full bodied, the fruit flavours of ripe blackcurrants and blackberries are plush, sweet and vibrant with excellent freshness and vitality ... extraction and concentration are impressive, but the tannins very fine-grained … a very long, lingering finish, 20; Cooper, 2017: … mouthfilling, with ripe sweet-fruit characters and highly concentrated plum, spice, blackcurrant and coffee flavours. Lush and approachable in its youth, it should flourish for a decade, *****; production 201 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 577 g; ; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth of colour, one of the freshest. Right from opening, this wine has an exhilarating floral component evoking violets and darkest roses, as well as cassis and berry. This is another wine to be so fresh and vibrant as to be mouth-watering – on the berry quality. Wines from hotter climates simply cannot achieve this magical aromatic berry quality. This is why the best Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Island reds will have the capability to match the fine classed growths of Bordeaux. On palate despite the risky percentage of malbec (if absolute elegance is the goal, compare with The Terraces) the beauty of perfectly ripe berry-fruit continues, with supporting oak never dominating. Tannins are ripe, acid fractionally soft maybe. The wine is still very youthful, like the Larose, but is on track to become a wonderful bottle of wine, Medoc-style. Two people rated this their top wine of the evening, and three their second. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth of colour, one of the freshest. Right from opening, this wine has an exhilarating floral component evoking violets and darkest roses, as well as cassis and berry. This is another wine to be so fresh and vibrant as to be mouth-watering – on the berry quality. Wines from hotter climates simply cannot achieve this magical aromatic berry quality. This is why the best Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Island reds will have the capability to match the fine classed growths of Bordeaux. On palate despite the risky percentage of malbec (if absolute elegance is the goal, compare with The Terraces) the beauty of perfectly ripe berry-fruit continues, with supporting oak never dominating. Tannins are ripe, acid fractionally soft maybe. The wine is still very youthful, like the Larose, but is on track to become a wonderful bottle of wine, Medoc-style. Two people rated this their top wine of the evening, and three their second. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/17
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France: 12%; $187 [ laminated champagne cork; Ch 100%, hand-picked from a single Le Mesnil vineyard; all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.5 years en tirage; dosage c.4.5 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Clearly lemonstraw rather than lemon. The first thing to be said is: this is a big champagne showing a lot of autolysis character on bouquet. It is wholegrain Vogels breadcrust in style, as well as best baguette crust. But at the same time it is wonderfully pure and elegant, showing mealyness and an impression of richness without being fruity. Palate is exactly the same, you can feel the richness, there is a wonderful mealy complexity and near-nuttiness of autolysis, but the thought of sparkling chardonnay never occurs. Instead there is this satisfying length of flavour and complexity, hinting at 10 year-old Meursault but crisper, quite lovely. This is great but very complex blanc de blancs champagne, substantial yet light in a sense, exquisite balance and autolysis, some minerality, great length. Part of the quality evident in Les Chétillons results from the old vines in the dedicated Les Chétillons vineyard. One block averages 48 years, and a second 69 years. In the United Kingdom, Pierre Peters wines are distributed by Berry Brothers & Rudd, which is usually a pretty good index of the quality of a winemaker. For Les Chétillons in general, they say: “Les Chétillons comprises three prized parcels ranging from 46-67 years of age, separately vinified then blended into this, Pierre Peters’ magisterial top cuvée. It is the epitome of Mesnil, arguably the greatest grand cru for Chardonnay: with mineral, pure, concentrated power, Les Chétillons can age for decades”. The residual sweetness seems perfect. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 10/15
Clearly lemonstraw rather than lemon. The first thing to be said is: this is a big champagne showing a lot of autolysis character on bouquet. It is wholegrain Vogels breadcrust in style, as well as best baguette crust. But at the same time it is wonderfully pure and elegant, showing mealyness and an impression of richness without being fruity. Palate is exactly the same, you can feel the richness, there is a wonderful mealy complexity and near-nuttiness of autolysis, but the thought of sparkling chardonnay never occurs. Instead there is this satisfying length of flavour and complexity, hinting at 10 year-old Meursault but crisper, quite lovely. This is great but very complex blanc de blancs champagne, substantial yet light in a sense, exquisite balance and autolysis, some minerality, great length. Part of the quality evident in Les Chétillons results from the old vines in the dedicated Les Chétillons vineyard. One block averages 48 years, and a second 69 years. In the United Kingdom, Pierre Peters wines are distributed by Berry Brothers & Rudd, which is usually a pretty good index of the quality of a winemaker. For Les Chétillons in general, they say: “Les Chétillons comprises three prized parcels ranging from 46-67 years of age, separately vinified then blended into this, Pierre Peters’ magisterial top cuvée. It is the epitome of Mesnil, arguably the greatest grand cru for Chardonnay: with mineral, pure, concentrated power, Les Chétillons can age for decades”. The residual sweetness seems perfect. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 10/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ Me 92, Ma 6, CF 2; French oak 20 months; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep. On this occasion, undecanted and unaerated, the reductive note previously commented on dampened the wine down, initially. In this state, it does not score so highly. Later, breathed, it reveals a rich violets and cassis bouquet in which varietal fruit dominates oak beautifully. This is clearly good classed Bordeaux quality. Palate is succulent with cassisy and darkly plummy fruit, and fine oak now appears adding to the good structure. The concentration of fruit is superb, without being heavy. This is one of the greatest Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux Blends made thus far in New Zealand. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep. On this occasion, undecanted and unaerated, the reductive note previously commented on dampened the wine down, initially. In this state, it does not score so highly. Later, breathed, it reveals a rich violets and cassis bouquet in which varietal fruit dominates oak beautifully. This is clearly good classed Bordeaux quality. Palate is succulent with cassisy and darkly plummy fruit, and fine oak now appears adding to the good structure. The concentration of fruit is superb, without being heavy. This is one of the greatest Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux Blends made thus far in New Zealand. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Wairau Valley mostly, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; fruit from both Southern Valleys and Wairau Plains, a little Awatere the last year or two, mix of hand-pick and machine, at roughly 9 – 10 t/ha = 3.6 – 4 t/ac; no SO2 at press, no skin contact, only the lightest pressings used, all juice cold-settled then into barrels, 93% older oak (up to 9 years), 7% new (light toast); long wild-yeast fermentations quite warm initially, usually extending to 11 – 12 months, occasionally longer, MLF typically 66% but ranging from 50 – 75% of barrels; the wine then assembled in s/s with full lees and held 6 or so months; RS 3 – 3.5 g/L, total dry extract 21.2 g/ L; sterile-filtered to bottle; Wild has now grown to 25% of all Greywacke sauvignon; www.greywacke.com ]
Lemongreen, the second palest, but it does not look weak. This wine is about to be released. It is still a little gawky, the oak noticeable, no floral harmony evolved yet awhile. There is a fresh edge, but picking up a glass idly, again you could easily think it chardonnay, on bouquet. Palate immediately changes that, beautifully rich stone fruit, a sweet basil edge, MLF a little more noticeable at this early stage, perhaps because all the fruit gives the impression of being a little riper this year. Aftertaste does not confirm the thought of oak on bouquet, so expect this wine to harmonise wonderfully with another 12 – 18 months in bottle. Cellar 8 – 12 years. GK 05/17
Lemongreen, the second palest, but it does not look weak. This wine is about to be released. It is still a little gawky, the oak noticeable, no floral harmony evolved yet awhile. There is a fresh edge, but picking up a glass idly, again you could easily think it chardonnay, on bouquet. Palate immediately changes that, beautifully rich stone fruit, a sweet basil edge, MLF a little more noticeable at this early stage, perhaps because all the fruit gives the impression of being a little riper this year. Aftertaste does not confirm the thought of oak on bouquet, so expect this wine to harmonise wonderfully with another 12 – 18 months in bottle. Cellar 8 – 12 years. GK 05/17
Gimblett Gravels 97.5%, Bridge Pa Triangle 2.5, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.4%; $150 [ 48mm cork; CS 58%, Me 42; all hand-picked, the dominant cabernet @ 5.1 t/ha (minutely over 2 t/ac), absolutely a serious classed-growth cropping rate, but the merlot at a surprising 9.6 t/ha (3.8 t/ac), and hand-sorted from on-average 12-year old vines; 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation mostly in oak cuves, a fraction in s/s, cuvaison up to 5 weeks for the CS components, less for Me, no BF or lees work; 21 months in all-French oak c.81% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; not fined or filtered; RS <1 g/L; 450 cases; price will vary around given figure; release date 1 July 2013; [ post-publication addition ] as of 1 August 2013 the wine is effectively sold out at source – a very heartening message to those seeking to produce truly first-class / international-calibre wines in New Zealand; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, scarcely carmine, remarkably deep and dense, much deeper than the McDonald Series Merlot or even 2009 Ch Leoville-Barton. This is such a big wine, it benefits greatly from decanting and air. That is not a euphemism for it being reductive, merely to say it smells much better the next day, rather than freshly opened. The degree of ripeness here is pushing the limits for temperate-climate varietal beauty, rather like 2003 Ch Pavie or some of the 2009 Bordeaux, but once breathed, it is just on the right side of the line. It is not floral, but it is fragrant, burstingly-ripe black plums-in-the-sun fragrant. Delving deep, one could just say there is cassis, but it is touch and go, the wine lacking the freshness imperative to vibrant cassis expression. Cabernet sauvignon as such is therefore almost invisible in the bouquet. These fruit components on bouquet are framed by appropriate cedary oak.
In mouth, the wine is showing some sur-maturité, clearly moreso than the even richer 2009 Ch Montrose, with suggestions of the chocolate so loved by hot-climate (and other) winewriters who know no better, but there are also black cherries and bottled black doris plums, alcohol, and fragrant oak. It is so ripe it would almost go with black forest gateau, so by classical Medoc standards it is over-ripe and unsubtle. It is however also velvety and wondrously rich, and the year was hot, so while one can wish for more restraint, and better cabernet expression with greater florality, that is, slightly earlier picking, people not immersed in classical Bordeaux are going to love this wine. For those who think South Australia and the Napa Valley make the best cabernets in the world, this is a wine to seek out. Likewise for those who swear that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet.
Whether or not 2009 Tom is the best yet, as the winery claims, or simply the biggest Tom yet, depends totally on your frame of reference, therefore. I can imagine this wine being demonstrably better, and the even bigger 2009 Ch Montrose tasted with it a little later shows how. On a smaller scale, the 2011 McDonald Merlot right alongside also shows how, and that is 'only' a merlot. Perhaps the 2010 Tom will be such a wine, if the Church Road team were able to coax the cabernet to appropriate / perfect ripeness [ 1 August: No ]. Meanwhile, this is compelling New Zealand wine, representing one climatic extreme but not necessarily the most desirable one. It must be the richest cabernet / merlot ever made in New Zealand, to cellar 10 – 30 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/13
Ruby and velvet, scarcely carmine, remarkably deep and dense, much deeper than the McDonald Series Merlot or even 2009 Ch Leoville-Barton. This is such a big wine, it benefits greatly from decanting and air. That is not a euphemism for it being reductive, merely to say it smells much better the next day, rather than freshly opened. The degree of ripeness here is pushing the limits for temperate-climate varietal beauty, rather like 2003 Ch Pavie or some of the 2009 Bordeaux, but once breathed, it is just on the right side of the line. It is not floral, but it is fragrant, burstingly-ripe black plums-in-the-sun fragrant. Delving deep, one could just say there is cassis, but it is touch and go, the wine lacking the freshness imperative to vibrant cassis expression. Cabernet sauvignon as such is therefore almost invisible in the bouquet. These fruit components on bouquet are framed by appropriate cedary oak.
In mouth, the wine is showing some sur-maturité, clearly moreso than the even richer 2009 Ch Montrose, with suggestions of the chocolate so loved by hot-climate (and other) winewriters who know no better, but there are also black cherries and bottled black doris plums, alcohol, and fragrant oak. It is so ripe it would almost go with black forest gateau, so by classical Medoc standards it is over-ripe and unsubtle. It is however also velvety and wondrously rich, and the year was hot, so while one can wish for more restraint, and better cabernet expression with greater florality, that is, slightly earlier picking, people not immersed in classical Bordeaux are going to love this wine. For those who think South Australia and the Napa Valley make the best cabernets in the world, this is a wine to seek out. Likewise for those who swear that New Zealand cannot ripen cabernet.
Whether or not 2009 Tom is the best yet, as the winery claims, or simply the biggest Tom yet, depends totally on your frame of reference, therefore. I can imagine this wine being demonstrably better, and the even bigger 2009 Ch Montrose tasted with it a little later shows how. On a smaller scale, the 2011 McDonald Merlot right alongside also shows how, and that is 'only' a merlot. Perhaps the 2010 Tom will be such a wine, if the Church Road team were able to coax the cabernet to appropriate / perfect ripeness [ 1 August: No ]. Meanwhile, this is compelling New Zealand wine, representing one climatic extreme but not necessarily the most desirable one. It must be the richest cabernet / merlot ever made in New Zealand, to cellar 10 – 30 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 10%; $ – [ screwcap; was $24; the vineyard considers 2002 a near-perfect vintage; the wine late- and hand-harvested, no botrytis, wild-yeast fermentation, 50 g/L RS; Michael Cooper, 2004: … delicate and racy, with green apple and lemon aromas, a distinctly mineral streak, and searching flavours of lemon and limes, sweet and tangy. It should be very long-lived, *****; www.feltonroad.com ]
Lemon with a wash of straw, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is remarkably pure riesling, linalool and vanillin, suggestions of holy grass (Hierochloe), little or no botrytis, delicate. Palate immediately deepens the impression, citrusy riesling aromatics now, even hints of lime still at 12 years, great freshness, juicy, long on the residual sweetness and elegant acid. A perfect wine to illustrate the oft-stated British reportage that riesling is the unsung grape of Otago. Closely matches non-botrytisy Mosel spatlesen in nett impression. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Lemon with a wash of straw, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is remarkably pure riesling, linalool and vanillin, suggestions of holy grass (Hierochloe), little or no botrytis, delicate. Palate immediately deepens the impression, citrusy riesling aromatics now, even hints of lime still at 12 years, great freshness, juicy, long on the residual sweetness and elegant acid. A perfect wine to illustrate the oft-stated British reportage that riesling is the unsung grape of Otago. Closely matches non-botrytisy Mosel spatlesen in nett impression. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $64 [ screwcap; grown on the Cornerstone vineyard, hand-picked @ ± 4.0 - 5.8 t/ha = 1.6 - 2.4 t/ac; RS nil; 100 cases; not on website yet; RS nil; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the set. One sniff of the bouquet, and this is great syrah. It is not as floral as 2013 Bullnose, but it is even richer. The clarity of the cassis-led berry and darkest bottled black-doris plum fruit is straight out of Hermitage. Bouquet is complexed by black pepper and oak, but unlike many earlier iterations of the Forrest Collection wines, the oaking is within bounds, just, even by European standards. Palate is aromatic and vibrant on both berry and oak, nearly succulent in its depth and length, simply a superb statement about syrah in New Zealand. Buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and hide it away for five years, to marry up. It will cellar for 15 – 25 years. GK 03/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the set. One sniff of the bouquet, and this is great syrah. It is not as floral as 2013 Bullnose, but it is even richer. The clarity of the cassis-led berry and darkest bottled black-doris plum fruit is straight out of Hermitage. Bouquet is complexed by black pepper and oak, but unlike many earlier iterations of the Forrest Collection wines, the oaking is within bounds, just, even by European standards. Palate is aromatic and vibrant on both berry and oak, nearly succulent in its depth and length, simply a superb statement about syrah in New Zealand. Buy as much of this wine as you can afford, and hide it away for five years, to marry up. It will cellar for 15 – 25 years. GK 03/16
Bendigo Terraces, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $66 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 4.2 t/ha (1.7 t/ac) from 6-year old vines (Dijon clones, plus Abel clone), growing in a season of 1207 degree days; ferments include a 40% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 20 days; 11 months in French oak 34% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; 250 9-litre cases; exemplary spec sheets for each wine; www.valliwine.com ]
Classic pinot noir ruby showing a little more age than the Gibbston wine, in the middle of the second-deepest quarter of the wines. Bouquet here is quite different from the Gibbston wine, but equally a wonderful expression of floral and fragrant pinot noir from the Cote de Nuits, lilac, buddleia and pink hedge-rose florals on all-red fruits, oak again perfect. Palate is limpid, succulent even, all the mouthfeel of fine burgundy, a truly international wine. The cropping rate and dry extract here are of grand cru quality. As befits a warmer viticultural zone in the Otago district, fruit analogies here are more red cherry dominated, again wonderful length and beautifully judged oak. The whole wine shows Chambolle-Musigny analogies. Intriguing that given the reputation the Bendigo sub-district has for being the warmest part of Otago (for grapes), the actual number of degree days vis-a-vis Bannockburn is virtually the same. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Classic pinot noir ruby showing a little more age than the Gibbston wine, in the middle of the second-deepest quarter of the wines. Bouquet here is quite different from the Gibbston wine, but equally a wonderful expression of floral and fragrant pinot noir from the Cote de Nuits, lilac, buddleia and pink hedge-rose florals on all-red fruits, oak again perfect. Palate is limpid, succulent even, all the mouthfeel of fine burgundy, a truly international wine. The cropping rate and dry extract here are of grand cru quality. As befits a warmer viticultural zone in the Otago district, fruit analogies here are more red cherry dominated, again wonderful length and beautifully judged oak. The whole wine shows Chambolle-Musigny analogies. Intriguing that given the reputation the Bendigo sub-district has for being the warmest part of Otago (for grapes), the actual number of degree days vis-a-vis Bannockburn is virtually the same. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Havelock North mainly, Triangle and Woodthorpe, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ 46 mm supercritical cork (Diam); Ch 100% with some of the Havelock vines inherited from the Chambers Estate perhaps over 100 years old, 85% clone mendoza, hand-harvested; all BF with new oak only 15 – 20% this year; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel, with considerable lees work; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Fractionally deeper elegant lemon. Bouquet is infinitely sweeter, riper, and deeper than the Estate Chardonnay, with a wonderful near-baguette-crust quality of lees autolysis on golden queen peachy mendoza fruit. There is a shadow of cracked oyster shell minerality / complexity, but thankfully Peter Cowley and his winemaking team continue to avoid the oh-so-trendy (but objectionable) entrained sulphides approach. Palate brings all these elements together into a wine of Puligny-Montrachet quality, all a good deal more focussed and substantial than many years of Elston. Having tasted this label since the initial 1984 release, I'm tempted to say this is the best young Elston I have seen. The autolysis complexity is textbook, of a quality rarely achieved in chardonnay, and the palate richness is exemplary. The Brits are wrapped up in some of the Kumeu River chardonnays being the definitive New Zealand chardonnay, but they need to see this one. It combines richness, subtlety and complexity with stellar varietal quality. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/17
Fractionally deeper elegant lemon. Bouquet is infinitely sweeter, riper, and deeper than the Estate Chardonnay, with a wonderful near-baguette-crust quality of lees autolysis on golden queen peachy mendoza fruit. There is a shadow of cracked oyster shell minerality / complexity, but thankfully Peter Cowley and his winemaking team continue to avoid the oh-so-trendy (but objectionable) entrained sulphides approach. Palate brings all these elements together into a wine of Puligny-Montrachet quality, all a good deal more focussed and substantial than many years of Elston. Having tasted this label since the initial 1984 release, I'm tempted to say this is the best young Elston I have seen. The autolysis complexity is textbook, of a quality rarely achieved in chardonnay, and the palate richness is exemplary. The Brits are wrapped up in some of the Kumeu River chardonnays being the definitive New Zealand chardonnay, but they need to see this one. It combines richness, subtlety and complexity with stellar varietal quality. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/17
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; fruit from both Southern Valleys and Wairau Plains, mix of hand-pick and machine, at roughly 9 – 10 t/ha = 3.6 – 4 t/ac; no SO2 at press, no skin contact, only the lightest pressings used, all juice cold-settled then into barrels, 93% older oak (up to 9 years), 7% new (light toast); long wild-yeast fermentations quite warm initially, usually extending to 11 – 12 months, occasionally longer, MLF typically 66% but ranging from 50 – 75% of barrels; the wine then assembled in s/s with full lees and held 6 or so months; RS 3 – 3.5 g/L, sterile-filtered to bottle; Wild has now grown to 25% of all Greywacke sauvignon; www.greywacke.com ]
Rich lemon, not yet even a wash of straw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet on this 2011 is nearly as beautiful as the 2013, the oak fractionally more noticeable, varietal definition not as precise, so on bouquet the wine could be confused with chardonnay. Palate immediately brings the trace red capsicum zest and basil to the fore, the oak again slightly greater, wonderful palate length, and the MLF as subtle as the 2013. It is the subtlety of MLF that differentiates this wine from Te Koko. It needs to be invisible. Greywacke block MLF in a significant percentage of the barrels. This wine would be divine with food. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Rich lemon, not yet even a wash of straw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet on this 2011 is nearly as beautiful as the 2013, the oak fractionally more noticeable, varietal definition not as precise, so on bouquet the wine could be confused with chardonnay. Palate immediately brings the trace red capsicum zest and basil to the fore, the oak again slightly greater, wonderful palate length, and the MLF as subtle as the 2013. It is the subtlety of MLF that differentiates this wine from Te Koko. It needs to be invisible. Greywacke block MLF in a significant percentage of the barrels. This wine would be divine with food. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $125 [ standard compound cork; PN 50%, Ch 35, all premier or grand cru vineyards, + 15% PN as red wine; all s/s fermentation; MLF employed; en tirage 6.5 years; dosage 10.5 g/L; www.polroger.com ]
Coppery salmon hue. Once the gas is settled, one sniff and this is a pinot noir-dominant wine, but with remarkable purity of autolysis for a rosé. All too often, rosé methode champenoise wines can be a little bit clogged / muddied, but not here. The flavour is nearly as rich and complex as the 2008 Veuve Clicquot, but on a clear-cut red cherry base. Even when you taste the 100% chardonnay alongside, it is very hard to single out the chardonnay component in this rosé, so highly varietal is the palate, and so lovely the autolysis. Richness here is as impressive as the Veuve Clicquot. Even though it has a higher dosage, because it also has higher total acid, you simply don't notice. It tastes much drier than the next sweetest, the Piper. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Coppery salmon hue. Once the gas is settled, one sniff and this is a pinot noir-dominant wine, but with remarkable purity of autolysis for a rosé. All too often, rosé methode champenoise wines can be a little bit clogged / muddied, but not here. The flavour is nearly as rich and complex as the 2008 Veuve Clicquot, but on a clear-cut red cherry base. Even when you taste the 100% chardonnay alongside, it is very hard to single out the chardonnay component in this rosé, so highly varietal is the palate, and so lovely the autolysis. Richness here is as impressive as the Veuve Clicquot. Even though it has a higher dosage, because it also has higher total acid, you simply don't notice. It tastes much drier than the next sweetest, the Piper. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100% based on 2010 fruit, hand-picked from four vineyards (located in Le Mesnil, Avise, Cramant, Oger); all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.3.5 years en tirage; dosage c.2 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Lemon. Bouquet is more clearly chardonnay-derived, and less complexly autolysed, than Les Chétillons. Yet the degree of autolysis is still great, this one matching more exactly my concept of best-quality baguette crust, plus just a hint of white mushrooms. Palate is glorious. Somehow the wine achieves richness yet doesn't taste fruity; instead it is powerful in a paler way than Les Chétillons. Again there is lovely minerality on the palate, and it is hard not to write down 'chalky'. As to the finish, the dry extract in the wine is so stunning that the flavour and nett impression lingers long on apparent richness, yet the thought it might be nearly zero dosage (2 g/L) never occurs. This is what a low cropping rate does for sparkling wine, a factor dry extract mockers cannot acknowledge. In a way this wine is purer and more focussed than Les Chétillons, due to the greater autolysis complexity evident in the latter. Many might prefer this wine over the Chétillons, if they don't like too much flavour in their champagne. Cellar 5 – 20 years, a quite wonderful blanc de blancs. GK 10/15
Lemon. Bouquet is more clearly chardonnay-derived, and less complexly autolysed, than Les Chétillons. Yet the degree of autolysis is still great, this one matching more exactly my concept of best-quality baguette crust, plus just a hint of white mushrooms. Palate is glorious. Somehow the wine achieves richness yet doesn't taste fruity; instead it is powerful in a paler way than Les Chétillons. Again there is lovely minerality on the palate, and it is hard not to write down 'chalky'. As to the finish, the dry extract in the wine is so stunning that the flavour and nett impression lingers long on apparent richness, yet the thought it might be nearly zero dosage (2 g/L) never occurs. This is what a low cropping rate does for sparkling wine, a factor dry extract mockers cannot acknowledge. In a way this wine is purer and more focussed than Les Chétillons, due to the greater autolysis complexity evident in the latter. Many might prefer this wine over the Chétillons, if they don't like too much flavour in their champagne. Cellar 5 – 20 years, a quite wonderful blanc de blancs. GK 10/15
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $275 [ cork; CS 74, Me 14, CF 7, Ma 5, hand-harvested; c. 12 – 14 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; en primeur offer date 1 April 2009 "significantly" below the above price, release date 1 April 2010; Magna Praemia alludes to great reward, and contains a greater proportion of press juice; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the Waiheke wines, but not as deep as the Craggy Range Merlot. Given some air, bouquet is really something on this wine, deep, dark, but unlike the 2005, clearly floral, varietal and potentially bordeaux-like. The interaction of deep violets and aromatic cassis is as intense as the Craggy wine, at this stage suggesting a wine of great depth yet not over-influenced by oak. Palate shows a richness of fruit, and a quality of cassisy complexity, reminiscent of the 1987 Stonyridge Larose at the same stage. This wine (thus far) encapsulates my vision for an optimal Waiheke Island Bordeaux blend, and confirms again that cabernet sauvignon can be fully ripened on the best sites (and in good years) on Waiheke. It has the potential to be an outstanding New Zealand red of classed growth standard – at what level should await bottled samples. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the Waiheke wines, but not as deep as the Craggy Range Merlot. Given some air, bouquet is really something on this wine, deep, dark, but unlike the 2005, clearly floral, varietal and potentially bordeaux-like. The interaction of deep violets and aromatic cassis is as intense as the Craggy wine, at this stage suggesting a wine of great depth yet not over-influenced by oak. Palate shows a richness of fruit, and a quality of cassisy complexity, reminiscent of the 1987 Stonyridge Larose at the same stage. This wine (thus far) encapsulates my vision for an optimal Waiheke Island Bordeaux blend, and confirms again that cabernet sauvignon can be fully ripened on the best sites (and in good years) on Waiheke. It has the potential to be an outstanding New Zealand red of classed growth standard – at what level should await bottled samples. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $56 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 25% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at c.3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; variously 1 – 4 days cold-soak, cuvaison 21 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 17 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.34 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured yet; production 650 x 9-L cases; released; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, intense, the second deepest syrah. Bouquet is hard to tease apart on this wine, at this stage, but there is a darkly floral quality on saturated cassis and a suggestion of black pepper which is closest to the Matua in style, berryfruit dominant over oak in a most impressive way. Understated though. Follow-through from bouquet to palate is exceptional, the concentration and freshness of berry simply sensational. The flavour expands and fills every corner of the mouth, becoming exquisitely varietal. The oak in this 2013 Reserve is subtle compared with the 2010, though still significant alongside the Homage, for example. This is the finest syrah Villa Maria has ever made. It will score higher in a couple of years. The dry extract must be around 30 g/L. One could not own too many cases of this wine, I think, but it did not come through in the most-favoured wine stakes at the Regional Wines tasting. In my view it will outpace the Matua at the 6-year or so point, and be wonderfully rewarding wine to have under the house. It will cellar for 5 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, intense, the second deepest syrah. Bouquet is hard to tease apart on this wine, at this stage, but there is a darkly floral quality on saturated cassis and a suggestion of black pepper which is closest to the Matua in style, berryfruit dominant over oak in a most impressive way. Understated though. Follow-through from bouquet to palate is exceptional, the concentration and freshness of berry simply sensational. The flavour expands and fills every corner of the mouth, becoming exquisitely varietal. The oak in this 2013 Reserve is subtle compared with the 2010, though still significant alongside the Homage, for example. This is the finest syrah Villa Maria has ever made. It will score higher in a couple of years. The dry extract must be around 30 g/L. One could not own too many cases of this wine, I think, but it did not come through in the most-favoured wine stakes at the Regional Wines tasting. In my view it will outpace the Matua at the 6-year or so point, and be wonderfully rewarding wine to have under the house. It will cellar for 5 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $120 [ cork; vine age 25 – 60 years; wine-searcher valuation $338; www.mongeard.com ]
Great vintage and absolutely outstanding wine. Well-balanced with cellaring potential. Clear, jewel-bright garnet, paling at rim. Attractive and fragrant nose with rose florality, pencil shavings, vanilla nougat, dried cherries, strawberries and violets. Very elegant. Dry and complex on the palate, high acidity and tight structure with low tannins and long length. Palate has flavours of dried rose petals, cocoa powder and well-integrated hints of oak barrel. Vibrant and refined. RD 08/16
Great vintage and absolutely outstanding wine. Well-balanced with cellaring potential. Clear, jewel-bright garnet, paling at rim. Attractive and fragrant nose with rose florality, pencil shavings, vanilla nougat, dried cherries, strawberries and violets. Very elegant. Dry and complex on the palate, high acidity and tight structure with low tannins and long length. Palate has flavours of dried rose petals, cocoa powder and well-integrated hints of oak barrel. Vibrant and refined. RD 08/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; rave reviews in NZ. Wine Spectator only overseas to hand: "Streamlined and fragrant, with a medley of peppercorn, dark chocolate and black plum flavors. Fresh herb accents, toasty oak and racy tannins highlight the firm finish, which should soften with a year in bottle. To 2011. 91"; winemakers Doug Wisor, Rod Easthope and Steve Smith; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the lighter wines amongst the Australians, but the deepest of the New Zealand ones. This along with the other New Zealand wines is distinctive in the tasting, showing dianthus-related but dark florals, piquant black pepper, and delightfully rich cassis grading through to darker fruits. It reflects the syrah phase of the syrah / shiraz equation, at a very ripe Hermitage-level of ripeness. Palate builds dark plum fruit onto the cassis, subtle oak, good richness and mouthfeel, a little alcoholic but totally dry. This is an impressive syrah in a slightly massive sur-maturité winestyle, but still retaining its cool-climate syrah credentials. It is now more integrated than in my earlier reviews, but is not ageing unduly. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the lighter wines amongst the Australians, but the deepest of the New Zealand ones. This along with the other New Zealand wines is distinctive in the tasting, showing dianthus-related but dark florals, piquant black pepper, and delightfully rich cassis grading through to darker fruits. It reflects the syrah phase of the syrah / shiraz equation, at a very ripe Hermitage-level of ripeness. Palate builds dark plum fruit onto the cassis, subtle oak, good richness and mouthfeel, a little alcoholic but totally dry. This is an impressive syrah in a slightly massive sur-maturité winestyle, but still retaining its cool-climate syrah credentials. It is now more integrated than in my earlier reviews, but is not ageing unduly. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $158 [ screwcap; original price $150; CS 97%, Me 3, 62% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at 2,720 vines / ha and cropped @ 4.2 t/ha = 1.7 t/ac; cuvaison 35 – 42 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak c.52% new; RS 0.3 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 31.5 g/L; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2016: ... intense cassis, blueberry and blackberry aromas over notes of pencil shavings, cloves, lavender and dried herbs. Medium-bodied, the taut, elegant palate has good ripe tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with lovely poise, 92+; Cooper, 2017: … substantial body and bold, still extremely youthful, blackcurrant and plum-evoking flavours, showing lovely richness, purity and complexity. It should flourish for decades, *****; production 500 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 611 g; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and densest colour, and one of the freshest. Bouquet right from the outset doesn't quite capture the crystalline purity of cassis that the Babich 100 Years wine shows. To me the difference is the quality of the oak, this wine showing the more familiar dry hessian notes of ‘standard’ French oak, vs the magical cedary notes one or two of these wines show. But that aside (and it may be merely youth), the volume of the cassis-led bouquet here is wonderful, with great berry purity. On bouquet you also think there is more plummy merlot than the cepage allows. Flavour likewise is a little softer and wider than the Babich, belying the 97% cabernet sauvignon, but the oak has a lot more marrying away to do. The intensity and richness of this wine is such that will cellar for at least 40 years, more likely 50 under screwcap, and thus it has ample opportunity to become ever more harmonious. It is richer than the Babich wine, as is Hieronymus. Dry extract tells. Two people rated this their top wine, and one their second. Since it is still available, this is a wine to buy by the case, for twenty-first anniversaries and other events even further in the future. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and densest colour, and one of the freshest. Bouquet right from the outset doesn't quite capture the crystalline purity of cassis that the Babich 100 Years wine shows. To me the difference is the quality of the oak, this wine showing the more familiar dry hessian notes of ‘standard’ French oak, vs the magical cedary notes one or two of these wines show. But that aside (and it may be merely youth), the volume of the cassis-led bouquet here is wonderful, with great berry purity. On bouquet you also think there is more plummy merlot than the cepage allows. Flavour likewise is a little softer and wider than the Babich, belying the 97% cabernet sauvignon, but the oak has a lot more marrying away to do. The intensity and richness of this wine is such that will cellar for at least 40 years, more likely 50 under screwcap, and thus it has ample opportunity to become ever more harmonious. It is richer than the Babich wine, as is Hieronymus. Dry extract tells. Two people rated this their top wine, and one their second. Since it is still available, this is a wine to buy by the case, for twenty-first anniversaries and other events even further in the future. GK 06/17
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $200 [ 49mm cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested, at an approximate cropping rate of 6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac), all destemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, fermentation in an open-top oak cuve, up to 31 days cuvaison; 22 months in French small oak 71% new; production c. 150 9-L cases; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, perfectly in the middle of the field, for depth. Bouquet is deep, dark and aromatic, superbly syrah-varietal, straight out of Guigal's Hermitage Ex Voto copybook. The melding of rich highly varietal fruit and new oak is astonishing. You can tell there are dark florals defying description, cassis, bottled black doris plums and dark berry, with no hint of mint, but they are all so wrapped up in 'sweet' fragrant cedary oak, you would need superhuman powers of discrimination to identify each clearly. The flavour is the same, wonderfully rich and integrated already, nearly velvety, total Hermitage in its power, presence and weight. In the same way one can feel the 'grands crus' of Guigal are over-oaked, one might feel that here. But the whole package is simply spell-binding, amounting to one of the greatest New Zealand reds made so far. A remarkable New Zealand wine achievement to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, perfectly in the middle of the field, for depth. Bouquet is deep, dark and aromatic, superbly syrah-varietal, straight out of Guigal's Hermitage Ex Voto copybook. The melding of rich highly varietal fruit and new oak is astonishing. You can tell there are dark florals defying description, cassis, bottled black doris plums and dark berry, with no hint of mint, but they are all so wrapped up in 'sweet' fragrant cedary oak, you would need superhuman powers of discrimination to identify each clearly. The flavour is the same, wonderfully rich and integrated already, nearly velvety, total Hermitage in its power, presence and weight. In the same way one can feel the 'grands crus' of Guigal are over-oaked, one might feel that here. But the whole package is simply spell-binding, amounting to one of the greatest New Zealand reds made so far. A remarkable New Zealand wine achievement to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; CS 40%, Me 30, CF 29, PV 1, hand-picked from 17-year old vines planted at 3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison c.28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; RS 0.4 g/L; not sterile-filtered; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, almost indistinguishable from 2013 Homage, fractionally fresher. The sweetness and harmony of the cassis-laden cabernets fraction of this wine is a joy to smell, merging seamlessly with rich plummy merlot fruit and subtle oak. Palate is near-perfect complex young claret, all potential, cassis again, fine-grained tannins, potentially cedary oak. Like Homage, this wine is softer and more forward than the matching 2013 Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, and so will be enjoyable earlier. A lovely ripe wine, surely the greatest The Gimblett yet, to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, almost indistinguishable from 2013 Homage, fractionally fresher. The sweetness and harmony of the cassis-laden cabernets fraction of this wine is a joy to smell, merging seamlessly with rich plummy merlot fruit and subtle oak. Palate is near-perfect complex young claret, all potential, cassis again, fine-grained tannins, potentially cedary oak. Like Homage, this wine is softer and more forward than the matching 2013 Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, and so will be enjoyable earlier. A lovely ripe wine, surely the greatest The Gimblett yet, to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Cromwell 70%, Gibbston 30%, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ screwcap; clones 10/5 and others, up to 8 years, harvested @ 2.2 t/ac; 10% whole bunch, up to 8 days cold soak, up to 23 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 40% new; Robinson '05: Quite deep crimson. Very full, opulent initial impression. Very distinctive. One of relatively few wines with a real beginning, middle and end to it. The 2003 and 2004 vintages here were overseen by Michelle Richardson. Fine tannins, perceptible acidity. 18.5; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Big ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, fractionally darker than the Mt Difficulty Target Gully. This is another bouquet with dramatically Cote de Nuits floral lift, such as one might find in a great Clos de la Roche not too much influenced by new oak. There is lilac, boronia, dark roses and violets all through, totally pure, against black cherry fruit. Palate is aromatic and classical black cherry pinot, not quite as rich and succulent as the Bendigo maybe, but more elegant. This wine inspired French wine-writer Michael Bettane to comment (approximately): first-rate perfume, delicacy, length; great music, great story. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Big ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, fractionally darker than the Mt Difficulty Target Gully. This is another bouquet with dramatically Cote de Nuits floral lift, such as one might find in a great Clos de la Roche not too much influenced by new oak. There is lilac, boronia, dark roses and violets all through, totally pure, against black cherry fruit. Palate is aromatic and classical black cherry pinot, not quite as rich and succulent as the Bendigo maybe, but more elegant. This wine inspired French wine-writer Michael Bettane to comment (approximately): first-rate perfume, delicacy, length; great music, great story. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.9%; $65 [ supercritical cork; Insight Series; hand-harvested from 25-year old clone 10/5; fermented in cuves, 19 days cuvaison including cold-soak; 12 months in French oak 30% new; dry extract 30.2 g/L, RS <1 g/L; 200 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, but appropriate, the lightest of the Escarpments. Bouquet is simply sensational. Here is an antipodean expression of pinot noir immediately ready to take its place alongside some grand cru Cote de Nuits burgundies. It is not as floral as Te Rehua (also in McKenna's Insight Series) but it balances that by being rounder, mellower, showing deeper dusky red roses and violets on midnight-soft fragrant fruit. Florals carry right on through the black cherry fruit, suffusing the entire palate with the fragrant magic of fine burgundy. Oak is perfectly in balance to the fruit richness, and the percentage of new is sufficient to spice the wine and augment the bouquet, without dominating. This Voyager is arguably the greatest pinot noir so far made in New Zealand. Larry McKenna has been thinking deeply about pinot noir in New Zealand for a full 23 vintages now, and it shows. Many regard him as the champion New Zealand pinot maker. And other, greedier, producers might like to note the $65 pricing on this wine – no trophy-wine pretensions here. There are 200 cases. Buy as much as you can afford, and cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Big pinot noir ruby, but appropriate, the lightest of the Escarpments. Bouquet is simply sensational. Here is an antipodean expression of pinot noir immediately ready to take its place alongside some grand cru Cote de Nuits burgundies. It is not as floral as Te Rehua (also in McKenna's Insight Series) but it balances that by being rounder, mellower, showing deeper dusky red roses and violets on midnight-soft fragrant fruit. Florals carry right on through the black cherry fruit, suffusing the entire palate with the fragrant magic of fine burgundy. Oak is perfectly in balance to the fruit richness, and the percentage of new is sufficient to spice the wine and augment the bouquet, without dominating. This Voyager is arguably the greatest pinot noir so far made in New Zealand. Larry McKenna has been thinking deeply about pinot noir in New Zealand for a full 23 vintages now, and it shows. Many regard him as the champion New Zealand pinot maker. And other, greedier, producers might like to note the $65 pricing on this wine – no trophy-wine pretensions here. There are 200 cases. Buy as much as you can afford, and cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $76 [ cork; 33% BF in new French oak, 67% s/s, 100% MLF; dry; 2004 exceptional for whites in the northern Rhone; www.guigal.com ]
Lemonstraw. First sniff shows gorgeous yellow florals in a honeysuckle style, leading into clear-cut canned apricots though with the thought of cherimoya too, lightly aromatic, infinitely enticing. Palate immediately reveals a subtle oak component, and the MLF input, giving the wine a breadth of body not so apparent in most New Zealand examples. The flavour is pure canned apricots, slight phenolics giving grip and great length to the flavour, dry. It is good to see Guigal backing off a little on the oak the wines showed to excess over the last few years, which now lets the grape shine through more clearly. Not a big wine when compared with something like Yalumba’s Virgilius, but superbly focused, fresh and varietal. This is the best Guigal straight village viognier in years: it reflects exactly the style we should be aiming for in New Zealand. Cellar 2 - 4 years. GK 08/06
Lemonstraw. First sniff shows gorgeous yellow florals in a honeysuckle style, leading into clear-cut canned apricots though with the thought of cherimoya too, lightly aromatic, infinitely enticing. Palate immediately reveals a subtle oak component, and the MLF input, giving the wine a breadth of body not so apparent in most New Zealand examples. The flavour is pure canned apricots, slight phenolics giving grip and great length to the flavour, dry. It is good to see Guigal backing off a little on the oak the wines showed to excess over the last few years, which now lets the grape shine through more clearly. Not a big wine when compared with something like Yalumba’s Virgilius, but superbly focused, fresh and varietal. This is the best Guigal straight village viognier in years: it reflects exactly the style we should be aiming for in New Zealand. Cellar 2 - 4 years. GK 08/06
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $32 [ cork; Maison Vauron; Sy > Gr, Mv, Co; This is the domaine’s luxury cuvée, new oak. Parker 156: "Revealing loads of Syrah as well as the influence of barrique aging, the 2003 La Font d’Estevenas exhibits pure blackberry and cassis characteristics along with espresso, chocolate, and new oak. Deep, full-bodied, and more internationally styled than its peers, it is a different animal altogether. 4-5 years. 88-90" ]
Dense carmine, ruby and velvet, so carmine one is dubious, and the darkest wine of the set. One sniff and the relief, for here is a glorious wine epitomising the Rhone: sensational florals of violets and wallflowers, wonderful cassis berry grading through into blackest plum, and great freshness on bouquet. No hint of hot year distress here. Palate is just the bouquet liquefied, glorious, oak almost invisible. At this stage the wine is totally syrah dominated, and blind one would think it an exceptional Cote Rotie, totally remarkable. Palate richness is superb, the alcohol is beautifully hidden, acid balance is sufficient to maintain freshness, and the oak is the perfect condiment. Great wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Dense carmine, ruby and velvet, so carmine one is dubious, and the darkest wine of the set. One sniff and the relief, for here is a glorious wine epitomising the Rhone: sensational florals of violets and wallflowers, wonderful cassis berry grading through into blackest plum, and great freshness on bouquet. No hint of hot year distress here. Palate is just the bouquet liquefied, glorious, oak almost invisible. At this stage the wine is totally syrah dominated, and blind one would think it an exceptional Cote Rotie, totally remarkable. Palate richness is superb, the alcohol is beautifully hidden, acid balance is sufficient to maintain freshness, and the oak is the perfect condiment. Great wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (then), Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $850 [ cork 53mm; Me 50, CF 47, CS 3, average vine age 30, but significant old vines, planted 7 – 8,000 vines / ha, cropped at 4.15 t/ha = 1.7 t/ac; 3 – 5 weeks cuvaison, MLF and 18 – 24 months depending on vintage in (now) all-new oak; no fining or filtration; production 5800 cases (then); re-building of this estate began with the 1988 vintage; Robinson, 2005: Deep ruby with a hint of brick at the rim. Very flamboyant, seductive, exotic nose. Sweet palate entry with decadent raw meat and dried fruit flavours. Lovely velvety texture. Gorgeous to drink now – seems as though at its peak but has probably been so for ages. Lots of velvety pleasure, 18.5; Intriguing to note that each time Parker tastes this wine, he extends the peak maturity. Here is a recent evaluation: 2015: A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, this is clearly the greatest Angelus until the 2000, 2003 and then the perfect 2005. Beautiful, sweet plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit soar from the glass of this opaque, purple wine that still hasn’t lost much in color. Deep, opulent, voluptuously textured, full-bodied and multidimensional, this is a stunner and just now approaching its plateau of full maturity, where it should stay for at least another 20 years, 99; Leve, 2012: this sublime level of quality!, 98; www.angelus.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, a little browner than the Pichon, above midway in depth. Bouquet contrasts with the Pichon, being nearly as fragrant, but the vanillin of new oak much more prominent, and the whole wine one notch more warm-climate / less floral / less refreshing. But it certainly smells rich. On palate you would never know that cabernet franc is the second grape after merlot, rather than cabernet sauvignon, it being amazingly aromatic for a Saint-Emilion. The richness of berry nearly envelops the oak, but even here there is the thought the wine would have been more fragrant and complex if not quite so ripe (or oaky). One is reminded of California, therefore. Aftertaste lingers long, both on rich fruit but rather a lot of oak also. Yet ultimately, the fruit wins. At a peak, but will also hold for years. Top equal wine, 11 votes. GK 10/15
Ruby, garnet and velvet, a little browner than the Pichon, above midway in depth. Bouquet contrasts with the Pichon, being nearly as fragrant, but the vanillin of new oak much more prominent, and the whole wine one notch more warm-climate / less floral / less refreshing. But it certainly smells rich. On palate you would never know that cabernet franc is the second grape after merlot, rather than cabernet sauvignon, it being amazingly aromatic for a Saint-Emilion. The richness of berry nearly envelops the oak, but even here there is the thought the wine would have been more fragrant and complex if not quite so ripe (or oaky). One is reminded of California, therefore. Aftertaste lingers long, both on rich fruit but rather a lot of oak also. Yet ultimately, the fruit wins. At a peak, but will also hold for years. Top equal wine, 11 votes. GK 10/15
Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $876 [ Cork 54 mm, ullage 10 mm; landed cost $355; in the same family (de Bouard) since 1921; cepage Me 50%, CF 47, CS 3 (but the 2000 is Me 60%, CF 40), planted at average 7,500 vines per ha, average vine age 30 years; the 2000 cropped at 35 hl/ha = 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; manual de-stemming; fermentation in s/s then, cuvaison up to 35 days, malolactic fermentation tending to be in barrel, 22 months in oak varying from 85 – 100% new depending on the strength of the year; a wine very much in the modern style, with Michel Rolland consulting; not fined or filtered; Brook, 2007: It’s hard to resist the explosive 2000. There’s much new oak on the nose, of course, but also the touches of tobacco and damsons that add complexity; the immense richness and concentration are tempered by the lilting lift and persistence contributed by Cabernet Franc; Robinson’s appraisal of the wine is becoming less favourable over the years: in 2005: Very deep, very thick crimson ... Ripe and flattering. Very intense perfume which seems to fill the entire nose. Wonderfully rich and round with notes of flowers, orange peel, a lovely silky texture. Masses of ripe tannin. Very healthy. Exotic notes. Bursting with life, to 2025, 18.5+, but in 2011: Slightly burnt, tarry notes on the nose. Sweet start, much less freshness than the 2001. Tastes as though it were picked later. A very luscious wine with some strong green streaks, 17; RP @ WA, 2015: Approaching perfection … notes of incense, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, licorice, graphite and spring flowers. A touch of roasted espresso bean is also present. The wine has great concentration, a magnificent, full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity, and well-integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. This beauty seems to be in mid-adolescence with at least 25-30 years of life ahead, 99; production averages 5,830 x 9-litre cases grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 602 g; website tending pretentious rather than informative; www.chateau-angelus.com ]
Dark ruby and velvet, clearly the deepest and richest wine in colour. Bouquet is all-enveloping, a great wave of fragrant nearly floral (heliotrope) blueberry and bottled black doris plums, all lifted and made delightfully aromatic by a higher percentage of new oak than Las Cases. Texture in mouth is velvety, no other word for it, with big rich plummy berry and vanilla-y new oak, yet the oak soft and ‘sweet’ … and adding hints of cocoa. This is a wine to prove the lie to the quote heading up this article, this soft ample textural and faintly chocolate fruit sweetness being exactly what I understand to be the goal of finishing fermentation, and particularly the MLF fermentation, in barrel. The wine also tastes as if the cropping rate is lower than the other top wines, adding to its rich and velvety texture. Remarkable wine very much in the modern style, and catering to the American taste, offering a vital comparison with the classically styled Montrose and Palmer. Three people rated Angelus their top wine, and one second place. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 11/20
Dark ruby and velvet, clearly the deepest and richest wine in colour. Bouquet is all-enveloping, a great wave of fragrant nearly floral (heliotrope) blueberry and bottled black doris plums, all lifted and made delightfully aromatic by a higher percentage of new oak than Las Cases. Texture in mouth is velvety, no other word for it, with big rich plummy berry and vanilla-y new oak, yet the oak soft and ‘sweet’ … and adding hints of cocoa. This is a wine to prove the lie to the quote heading up this article, this soft ample textural and faintly chocolate fruit sweetness being exactly what I understand to be the goal of finishing fermentation, and particularly the MLF fermentation, in barrel. The wine also tastes as if the cropping rate is lower than the other top wines, adding to its rich and velvety texture. Remarkable wine very much in the modern style, and catering to the American taste, offering a vital comparison with the classically styled Montrose and Palmer. Three people rated Angelus their top wine, and one second place. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 11/20
McLaren Vale, South Australia: 14.5%; $35 [ Sy 93% co-fermented with 7% Vi; 12 months US & French oak; www.darenberg.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a gorgeous dense colour. Bouquet is deep and rich, big but not too heavy, showing marvellous cassis and dark berry with black pepper. It is sweet, fragrant, only faintly euc'y, not quite light enough to be floral. Palate is saturated black plum and cassis, very hard indeed to tell as shiraz because of the aromatic cassis-like complexity, easily confused with Australian cabernet of the same quality unless one has them right alongside. Though the wine is huge, the oaking is not too heavy-handed, and it finishes pure and skinsy-fresh in mouth. Can one see the viognier ? It is too big and dark to be sure, but maybe there is a floral sweetness in there. In this bracket of wines, the one that 'appears' to be fragrant from viognier is the beautiful but wildly contrasting McRae Wood. This d'Arenberg is glorious McLaren Vale shiraz which will cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 06/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a gorgeous dense colour. Bouquet is deep and rich, big but not too heavy, showing marvellous cassis and dark berry with black pepper. It is sweet, fragrant, only faintly euc'y, not quite light enough to be floral. Palate is saturated black plum and cassis, very hard indeed to tell as shiraz because of the aromatic cassis-like complexity, easily confused with Australian cabernet of the same quality unless one has them right alongside. Though the wine is huge, the oaking is not too heavy-handed, and it finishes pure and skinsy-fresh in mouth. Can one see the viognier ? It is too big and dark to be sure, but maybe there is a floral sweetness in there. In this bracket of wines, the one that 'appears' to be fragrant from viognier is the beautiful but wildly contrasting McRae Wood. This d'Arenberg is glorious McLaren Vale shiraz which will cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 06/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $115 [ Mv 30%, Gr 30; Sy 10, Counoise 10, Ci 5, 8 other permitted Chateauneuf varieties 15%; must pasteurisation; 12 months large older oak; website requires password entry; www.perrin-rhone.com ]
Good ruby, some carmine and velvet, but no great depth. A deeply fragrant and berry-rich bouquet in the modern style of Beaucastel, grapes first. Among them, mourvedre seems dominant on bouquet at this stage, with its raisiny black plum and black olive characters showing. Berry qualities are remarkably complex, with (unusually) a hint of Australian boysenberry, as well as darker cassis-like notes. Palate is clearly southern Rhone, with herbes de Provence complexity on considerable fruit richness, long flavours, and oak understated and so much cleaner than 20 years ago. Alongside Coudoulet, however, the role of oak is more apparent, the grand vin being much more aromatic. This is not an unduly rich or overpowering wine, or designed to impress as some contemporary Chateauneufs are. It just has quiet power, and great length. One can imagine in 20 years time it will be enchantingly burgundian, and Cote de Nuits at that. Exciting but understated wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/04
Good ruby, some carmine and velvet, but no great depth. A deeply fragrant and berry-rich bouquet in the modern style of Beaucastel, grapes first. Among them, mourvedre seems dominant on bouquet at this stage, with its raisiny black plum and black olive characters showing. Berry qualities are remarkably complex, with (unusually) a hint of Australian boysenberry, as well as darker cassis-like notes. Palate is clearly southern Rhone, with herbes de Provence complexity on considerable fruit richness, long flavours, and oak understated and so much cleaner than 20 years ago. Alongside Coudoulet, however, the role of oak is more apparent, the grand vin being much more aromatic. This is not an unduly rich or overpowering wine, or designed to impress as some contemporary Chateauneufs are. It just has quiet power, and great length. One can imagine in 20 years time it will be enchantingly burgundian, and Cote de Nuits at that. Exciting but understated wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $158 [ cork, 54mm; Gr 40% (this year), Mv 20, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, all 13 AOC minor varieties grown and used, Mv & Sy destemmed; organic viticulture; up to 18 months in mostly old oak (syrah receives some new-oak via barrel-fermention); flash pasteurisation of must pre-fermentation c.1 – 2 minutes @ 80°C; J. Dunnuck @ Parker, 2015: The atypically Grenache-dominated 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is fully mature and gives up tons of kirsch, garrigue, licorice and a touch of gaminess in its full-bodied, layered and ripe personality. More rounded ... than most vintages ... plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish, 93; R. Parker, 2001: The 1998 is the greatest effort produced since Beaucastel's 1989 and 1990 ... should keep for 25-30 years, 95; J.L-L, 2013: had the 1998 rated 6-stars (his maximum) for many years, but the latest bottle ***(*); bottle weight 865g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby more than garnet, a lovely colour, midway in depth. As for the Charbonniere, this wine too epitomises Chateauneuf-du-Pape. There is beautiful freshness and ripeness, in a complex bouquet in which red fruits dominate, but there is a depth to the bouquet bespeaking the mourvedre and other varieties Beaucastel includes. On palate there is suppleness and charm indicating the wine is approaching its peak, but yes there is a hint of raisin reflecting the warm year. This seems a totally pure wine, now with only a little tannin to lose. There is some crusting in the bottle. One first-place ranking, but seven second places. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/18
Ruby more than garnet, a lovely colour, midway in depth. As for the Charbonniere, this wine too epitomises Chateauneuf-du-Pape. There is beautiful freshness and ripeness, in a complex bouquet in which red fruits dominate, but there is a depth to the bouquet bespeaking the mourvedre and other varieties Beaucastel includes. On palate there is suppleness and charm indicating the wine is approaching its peak, but yes there is a hint of raisin reflecting the warm year. This seems a totally pure wine, now with only a little tannin to lose. There is some crusting in the bottle. One first-place ranking, but seven second places. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $130 [ cork, 50 mm; Daniel and Frederic Coulon own 32 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and another 25 in Rasteau, all farmed organically and biodynamically. Boisrenard is the top cuvée at Beaurenard, and is included to illustrate a (in one sense) ‘modern’ wine, though the Coulons emphasise tradition in discussing it. The youngest vines in this wine 60 years old, some Gr 115 years, all hand-harvested at c.2.4 t / ha = 1 t/ac ... a cropping rate rarely matched in New Zealand (Homage Syrah, occasionally). All (now) 18 permitted varieties are used in Boisrenard. The bunches are de-stemmed, but the berries scarcely crushed. Cuvaison is all wild-yeasts, can be up to 35 days, in oak vats. Elevation 18 – 21 months in barrels and foudres, some barriques, 20% new; not fined or filtered; J.L-L has not assessed the 2016, but comments in general: Very good domaine, highly reliable, with admirable quality over the decades ... There is sleek fruit, very consistent quality ... The special red Boisrenard is overtly oaked, so allow plenty of time; RH@JR, 2017: ... the 2016 is Gr 66%, Mv 12, Sy 12 ... Pure preserved cherry aroma. Tough tannic power on the palate. Very chewy. Some liquorice and leather character on the finish, but the flavour range can't soften the fearsome structure, 16 +; JC@RP, 2018: Strawberries and raspberries shine on the nose, followed by a full-bodied palate that's creamy-silky and lush but also bright, lively and long. It's a super effort, 2018 - 2035, 96; production averages 1,250 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 624 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.beaurenard.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top 10 of the 49 reds for depth of colour, but not quite so vivid due to a greater exposure to oak. This wine has an enormous volume of bouquet, all the Southern Rhone florals plus the vanillin of new oak, sweet and haunting. Below are wonderfully fresh red and darker berries / fruit, all gently spicy, cinnamon mainly. Palate is rich, succulent, more structured than some due to the new oak component, yet the oak still well in the background. Length of aromatic berry on the tongue is phenomenal, the wine a remarkable example of ‘modern’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape. At the blind ranking stage, tasters were accurate in assessing Boisrenard, nine of the 21 correctly recognising this was the one wine showing a clear new oak component. Four top places, six second, cellar 15 – 30 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top 10 of the 49 reds for depth of colour, but not quite so vivid due to a greater exposure to oak. This wine has an enormous volume of bouquet, all the Southern Rhone florals plus the vanillin of new oak, sweet and haunting. Below are wonderfully fresh red and darker berries / fruit, all gently spicy, cinnamon mainly. Palate is rich, succulent, more structured than some due to the new oak component, yet the oak still well in the background. Length of aromatic berry on the tongue is phenomenal, the wine a remarkable example of ‘modern’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape. At the blind ranking stage, tasters were accurate in assessing Boisrenard, nine of the 21 correctly recognising this was the one wine showing a clear new oak component. Four top places, six second, cellar 15 – 30 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $130 [ cork 49 mm, Gr 80-85%, Mv 10, other 11 vars 5%, 60 – 100 years, organic, cropped at c.2.3 t/ha = 0.9 t/ac; 18 months elevation includes new oak; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 616 g; www.beaurenard.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. This is another midnight-deep wine, but again there is wonderful purity and freshness, in its fragrant dark berry. Here too the wine escapes the clumsiness of blackberry, and makes you wonder about high mourvedre. In mouth the alcohol does show a little, but even though there is some fragrant new oak, it is harmoniously merged with dark omega plum and berry, some blueberry, great length and richness. More than some, it needs time to harmonise and display itself, when it will earn its high score. This is a wine to cellar for the long haul, when garrigue subtleties and beauty only now implicit will emerge. Glorious wine, with superlative tannin structure, to cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. This is another midnight-deep wine, but again there is wonderful purity and freshness, in its fragrant dark berry. Here too the wine escapes the clumsiness of blackberry, and makes you wonder about high mourvedre. In mouth the alcohol does show a little, but even though there is some fragrant new oak, it is harmoniously merged with dark omega plum and berry, some blueberry, great length and richness. More than some, it needs time to harmonise and display itself, when it will earn its high score. This is a wine to cellar for the long haul, when garrigue subtleties and beauty only now implicit will emerge. Glorious wine, with superlative tannin structure, to cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 05/19
Haro, Rioja, Spain: – %; $170 [ 44mm cork; tempranillo dominant, but maybe some graciano and grenache; much shorter time in oak maybe less than 2 years; the 1966 vintage well-rated in Rioja as for most of the red-wine districts of Europe; no reviews of this wine found; www.bodegasbilbainas.com ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, a glorious old-wine colour, just below midway in depth. The quality of bouquet on this wine is extraordinary, wonderful sweet saturated berry and lightly vanillin oak, like some heavenly amalgam of great burgundy and fine Margaux (such as Ch Palmer), but slightly more vanillin. Flavours are no less beautiful, berry dominant over oak in contrast to a number of these wines, the most perfect supple fruit: rich, reasonably concentrated yet subtle, not at all heavy or oaky in texture. This is sensational wine, and it has taken 50 years for it to to become so. Hugh Johnson, in his seminal work Wine, published in 1966 by Thomas Nelson, spoke of the value which the traditional wines of Rioja and Dao then offered. I am running two sections together here, but the nett impression was this: The growers of Rioja are longing for someone to appreciate what they have to offer … They are certainly to be counted among the world's best red wines … There is no question of better or less good vintages, as they only issue vintage wine when they are happy about it. Recent vintages are rarely seen, because the wine needs a long time in wood and bottle to mature it. It starts life black and hard, as French wines used to be before economics started to interfere with them … [ They ] have a quality which is found in the wines of Bordeaux – which is not to say that they are like claret – the quality of hardness when they are young, the result of thick dark grape skins full of tannin … Hardness and blackness do not sound particularly attractive qualities. Commercially they are reckoned to be a dead loss. In a way they are good signs: they mean that the wine should last for years, eventually becoming (probably, if not certainly) very much better than a softer and paler wine ever would … 20 or 25 years will probably see it at its best. Since these wines cost so very little they are the obvious ones to lay down in large quantities for anyone who has the space, to see eventual results quite out of proportion to the outlay.
For its first 30 years, this wine was simply 'sturdy'. How vividly I recollect it being patronised by wine aficionados of the 1980s in Wellington, when I proudly ran it in blind tastings. And now, at the 50-year point, this wine has reached its full flowering. Thank God I bought two cases of it, after first assessing it, influenced as I was by Johnson. I have to say, forlornly, that the Vina Pomal of today does not offer the same potential. This wine is yet another treasure imported by one of the most discriminating New Zealand wine merchants of the New Zealand 1960s and 1970s, the late Dick Maling of Christchurch. No hurry at all, the wine is absolutely stable over 24 hours. I hope some readers still hold this wine. Five people rated it their top or second-favourite wine, and slightly more thought it French than Spanish. GK 10/16
Glowing ruby and garnet, a glorious old-wine colour, just below midway in depth. The quality of bouquet on this wine is extraordinary, wonderful sweet saturated berry and lightly vanillin oak, like some heavenly amalgam of great burgundy and fine Margaux (such as Ch Palmer), but slightly more vanillin. Flavours are no less beautiful, berry dominant over oak in contrast to a number of these wines, the most perfect supple fruit: rich, reasonably concentrated yet subtle, not at all heavy or oaky in texture. This is sensational wine, and it has taken 50 years for it to to become so. Hugh Johnson, in his seminal work Wine, published in 1966 by Thomas Nelson, spoke of the value which the traditional wines of Rioja and Dao then offered. I am running two sections together here, but the nett impression was this: The growers of Rioja are longing for someone to appreciate what they have to offer … They are certainly to be counted among the world's best red wines … There is no question of better or less good vintages, as they only issue vintage wine when they are happy about it. Recent vintages are rarely seen, because the wine needs a long time in wood and bottle to mature it. It starts life black and hard, as French wines used to be before economics started to interfere with them … [ They ] have a quality which is found in the wines of Bordeaux – which is not to say that they are like claret – the quality of hardness when they are young, the result of thick dark grape skins full of tannin … Hardness and blackness do not sound particularly attractive qualities. Commercially they are reckoned to be a dead loss. In a way they are good signs: they mean that the wine should last for years, eventually becoming (probably, if not certainly) very much better than a softer and paler wine ever would … 20 or 25 years will probably see it at its best. Since these wines cost so very little they are the obvious ones to lay down in large quantities for anyone who has the space, to see eventual results quite out of proportion to the outlay.
For its first 30 years, this wine was simply 'sturdy'. How vividly I recollect it being patronised by wine aficionados of the 1980s in Wellington, when I proudly ran it in blind tastings. And now, at the 50-year point, this wine has reached its full flowering. Thank God I bought two cases of it, after first assessing it, influenced as I was by Johnson. I have to say, forlornly, that the Vina Pomal of today does not offer the same potential. This wine is yet another treasure imported by one of the most discriminating New Zealand wine merchants of the New Zealand 1960s and 1970s, the late Dick Maling of Christchurch. No hurry at all, the wine is absolutely stable over 24 hours. I hope some readers still hold this wine. Five people rated it their top or second-favourite wine, and slightly more thought it French than Spanish. GK 10/16
Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $310 [ traditional compound champagne cork; 93 % of the wine is PN 50%, Ch 50, a high percentage (perhaps all) grand cru rating, plus 7% PN added to achieve the desired colour; some old-oak barrel-fermented base wines; long tirage perhaps 9 years or so, details not made available; dosage see below; website superficial; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Perfect light salmon hue. The purity of the bouquet here is exemplary, beautiful baguette-crust and Vogel's Multigrain autolysis on a bouquet seemingly dominated by red fruits pinot noir, but in an ethereal way. There is little sign of meunier perfume here. The freshness and depth of flavour on palate is again sensational, clearly showing red grapes dominance, yet the autolysis complexity runs right through the palate. In one sense rosé champagnes are not such good candidates for cellaring, because they lose their subtle fresh red-fruits charm, but the characters replacing them are still a delight, in the older wine. So this will cellar for 20 years, all the same. Various sources give the dosage as between 5 and 8 g/L: it tastes about 6. GK 04/16
Perfect light salmon hue. The purity of the bouquet here is exemplary, beautiful baguette-crust and Vogel's Multigrain autolysis on a bouquet seemingly dominated by red fruits pinot noir, but in an ethereal way. There is little sign of meunier perfume here. The freshness and depth of flavour on palate is again sensational, clearly showing red grapes dominance, yet the autolysis complexity runs right through the palate. In one sense rosé champagnes are not such good candidates for cellaring, because they lose their subtle fresh red-fruits charm, but the characters replacing them are still a delight, in the older wine. So this will cellar for 20 years, all the same. Various sources give the dosage as between 5 and 8 g/L: it tastes about 6. GK 04/16
Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $221 [ cork; biodynamic vineyards, average vine age c.40 years; full MLF, c.12 months in barrel, 33% new, with batonnage; Domaine Bonneau du Martray is the single largest holding in Corton-Charlemagne at 9.5 hectares; the website is simply a statement the establishment exists, and cannot receive visitors – no info; www.bonneaudumartray.com ]
Pale lemon straw, curiously not in the lemon half of the set, nor the palest. This is a different wine in that the oak is (still ?) obtrusive on bouquet, and coupled with a light high-solids component it is not so explicitly beautiful in its fruit, at this stage. On palate, one is struck by the higher acid and noticeable oak in white stonefruits, and you can't help feeling as so often in New Zealand, that less oak sits more happily with the wine in high-acid years. These factors detract from immediately assessing the actual fruit weight, but on careful examination it is excellent. Palate flavours are stonefruit and oak-tinged mealy qualities, remarkably close to the 2011 Villa Maria Keltern Reserve, but slightly richer. I think this wine will follow exactly the same trajectory as the 2005, and probably rate higher in five years. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/13
Pale lemon straw, curiously not in the lemon half of the set, nor the palest. This is a different wine in that the oak is (still ?) obtrusive on bouquet, and coupled with a light high-solids component it is not so explicitly beautiful in its fruit, at this stage. On palate, one is struck by the higher acid and noticeable oak in white stonefruits, and you can't help feeling as so often in New Zealand, that less oak sits more happily with the wine in high-acid years. These factors detract from immediately assessing the actual fruit weight, but on careful examination it is excellent. Palate flavours are stonefruit and oak-tinged mealy qualities, remarkably close to the 2011 Villa Maria Keltern Reserve, but slightly richer. I think this wine will follow exactly the same trajectory as the 2005, and probably rate higher in five years. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $39 [ Gr 70%, Sy 25, Ci 5; 18 months in older, big oak ]
A good ruby with some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is the most complete and enchanting in the set, soft, full, and fragrant in a spectrum from floral via dark berries to savoury, very beautiful. These wonderful smells totally express the southern Rhone Valley in an aromatic vintage. Palate is silky, rich, spreading out all the qualities of the bouquet in a satisfying long palate, with superb acid and tannin balances, and merely the subtlest oak. Only a bigot could object to the savoury complexity a trace of brett brings to this magical wine. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/04
A good ruby with some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is the most complete and enchanting in the set, soft, full, and fragrant in a spectrum from floral via dark berries to savoury, very beautiful. These wonderful smells totally express the southern Rhone Valley in an aromatic vintage. Palate is silky, rich, spreading out all the qualities of the bouquet in a satisfying long palate, with superb acid and tannin balances, and merely the subtlest oak. Only a bigot could object to the savoury complexity a trace of brett brings to this magical wine. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork, 50mm; original release price $100 ( and $US65), 2016 vintage release price much less; Gr 50%, Mv 50, average age 80 years, hand-picked at 3.25 t/ha = 1.33 t/ac; Gr all destemmed, Mv as whole bunches on top of the Gr, 4 weeks plus cuvaison; elevation 80% in vat, 20% in three-year-old puncheons for 12 months on fine lees, fined, not filtered, production c.230 x 9-litre cases; thus far made only in 1999, 2000, 2012, 2016, so a rare wine; J. Livingstone-Learmonth, 2007: full, quite dark robe; earthy … nose – it is oily, quite hot wine off the garrigue, shows some alcohol. There is immediate grip on the palate, with a rather extracted feel. ... empties a little towards the finish, where there is a 2003 style baking, a dry shape. 13.5°. … the result of excited, over interventionist winemaking. 2012-13, **; Wine Spectator, 2001: A winner. Dark and deep, complex, full-bodied and supple-textured. Tobacco, spice, smoke and plum, with a mineral touch. With its ripe fruit, sweet tannins and black color, here is a wonderful Cairanne. The finish remains velvety – a sign of greatness. To 2009, 93; www.domainebrusset.fr ]
Ruby and velvet, a sensational colour from for a 20-year-old wine, clearly the reddest of the 12, and the second deepest. Bouquet has that amazing deep, dark, velvety and darkest fresh plum (but not prune) character of a high mourvedre blend, wonderfully fragrant and pure, lightly aromatic with hints of rosemary / garrigue, plus a tanniny smell. In flavour the texture is velvety, only word for it, bespeaking a wonderfully low cropping rate, plus the velvety fine-grained dark tannins of mourvedre. With 24 hours development and air, in glass, there is the faintest savoury / spicy brett suggestion, adding to bouquet complexity. Two only tasters rated the brett ‘significant’. In terms of the stability of the wine in cellar, it is simply complexity, of academic interest. There is soft older oak shaping the wine and the tannin balance, but no aromatic resins from new oak. It is hard to imagine how a darker-spectrum Southern Rhone blend could be more exciting, unless one is totally wedded to the lighter red fruits and more pinot noir-like style of grenache-dominant wines. This will cellar another 20 years, easily, it still needing to lose some tannin. This 1999 vintage was the first release of the blend, to honour André following his death that year. It was then priced $NZ99. The 2016 just offered in New Zealand is $52. Perhaps production is now a little greater. This was clearly the favourite wine on the night, eight first places including both Otago winemakers, five second places. Exciting wine. You cannot help feeling that J.L-L's bottle in Copenhagen was unrepresentative, heat-affected in transit / storage maybe. GK 03/19
Ruby and velvet, a sensational colour from for a 20-year-old wine, clearly the reddest of the 12, and the second deepest. Bouquet has that amazing deep, dark, velvety and darkest fresh plum (but not prune) character of a high mourvedre blend, wonderfully fragrant and pure, lightly aromatic with hints of rosemary / garrigue, plus a tanniny smell. In flavour the texture is velvety, only word for it, bespeaking a wonderfully low cropping rate, plus the velvety fine-grained dark tannins of mourvedre. With 24 hours development and air, in glass, there is the faintest savoury / spicy brett suggestion, adding to bouquet complexity. Two only tasters rated the brett ‘significant’. In terms of the stability of the wine in cellar, it is simply complexity, of academic interest. There is soft older oak shaping the wine and the tannin balance, but no aromatic resins from new oak. It is hard to imagine how a darker-spectrum Southern Rhone blend could be more exciting, unless one is totally wedded to the lighter red fruits and more pinot noir-like style of grenache-dominant wines. This will cellar another 20 years, easily, it still needing to lose some tannin. This 1999 vintage was the first release of the blend, to honour André following his death that year. It was then priced $NZ99. The 2016 just offered in New Zealand is $52. Perhaps production is now a little greater. This was clearly the favourite wine on the night, eight first places including both Otago winemakers, five second places. Exciting wine. You cannot help feeling that J.L-L's bottle in Copenhagen was unrepresentative, heat-affected in transit / storage maybe. GK 03/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $50 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 50%, Mv 50, all destemmed; elevage 80% in vat, 20% in barrels; J.L-L says some puncheons new, no rating; JC @ RP: dark fruit, delicate spice, 94; available from Peter Maude, Auckland; www.domainebrusset.fr ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, phenomenal depth, the deepest colour. Bouquet is quieter, deeper, and riper than the Tardieu-Laurent Rasteau, and beautifully pure. There are hints of dusky garrigue aromatics, but scarcely any sign of oak. The next day the garrigue has an almost floral lift to it, surprising in a wine so dark. First impressions on tongue are sheer velvet, and a richness of fresh dark berry rarely encountered, beautiful. This is mourvedre at its most enchanting, the wine making a nonsense of all the me-too winewriters who mistakenly say mourvedre smells of brett. Oak is there, but the weight of fruit is so great, it is hard to tease the oak out, beautifully subtle. Alcohol seems higher than the figure on the label. This remarkable wine surpasses most Chateauneuf-du-Papes in richness. One second-place. Cellar 30 – 50 years. GK 04/19
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, phenomenal depth, the deepest colour. Bouquet is quieter, deeper, and riper than the Tardieu-Laurent Rasteau, and beautifully pure. There are hints of dusky garrigue aromatics, but scarcely any sign of oak. The next day the garrigue has an almost floral lift to it, surprising in a wine so dark. First impressions on tongue are sheer velvet, and a richness of fresh dark berry rarely encountered, beautiful. This is mourvedre at its most enchanting, the wine making a nonsense of all the me-too winewriters who mistakenly say mourvedre smells of brett. Oak is there, but the weight of fruit is so great, it is hard to tease the oak out, beautifully subtle. Alcohol seems higher than the figure on the label. This remarkable wine surpasses most Chateauneuf-du-Papes in richness. One second-place. Cellar 30 – 50 years. GK 04/19
Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $173 [ cork 50mm; Me 55%, CF 40, CS 5, planted to 5,500 vines / ha; up to 26 days cuvaison; 15 – 20 months in French oak, 80 – 100% new; www.neipperg.com ]
Rich ruby and velvet, some age showing, the third deepest, but clearly older than the sensational 2005 Ch Palmer, recently reported on. Bouquet on this wine is wonderfully strong and multidimensional, nearly dusky red roses and violets-floral, but the florals hard to tease out from noticeable new oak. There is superb freshness of plummy berry, brown tobacco and cedar. Palate is velvety, no other word for it, one of the richest wines, beautifully ripe to perhaps the faintest hint of moist best prunes = over-ripe on the plums, but given the quality of bouquet, you can forgive that. The oak approach is absolutely first growth-aspirational; you need wonderful dry extract to get away with it, and this wine has that. This is also one of the higher-cabernets wines, which I concede has influenced my conclusions, it being easier for such blends to be fragrant. But with the opportunity to taste the highish-merlot 2005 Ch Palmer alongside, thanks to appropriate conservation, the Palmer is in another league altogether. Interesting. Cellar 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 11/15
Rich ruby and velvet, some age showing, the third deepest, but clearly older than the sensational 2005 Ch Palmer, recently reported on. Bouquet on this wine is wonderfully strong and multidimensional, nearly dusky red roses and violets-floral, but the florals hard to tease out from noticeable new oak. There is superb freshness of plummy berry, brown tobacco and cedar. Palate is velvety, no other word for it, one of the richest wines, beautifully ripe to perhaps the faintest hint of moist best prunes = over-ripe on the plums, but given the quality of bouquet, you can forgive that. The oak approach is absolutely first growth-aspirational; you need wonderful dry extract to get away with it, and this wine has that. This is also one of the higher-cabernets wines, which I concede has influenced my conclusions, it being easier for such blends to be fragrant. But with the opportunity to taste the highish-merlot 2005 Ch Palmer alongside, thanks to appropriate conservation, the Palmer is in another league altogether. Interesting. Cellar 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. GK 11/15
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $86 [ cork, 50 mm; Gr 82 – 85% averaging 50 years age, Sy 5 – 8, Mv 5, vaccarese 5; whole bunches included, cuvaison to 25 days, 18 – 21 months in concrete, no oak at all now; fined, not filtered; the key factor at Charvin is the production of only one wine, no luxury cuvée etc; J.L-L: classy, full, complex, ******; Robinson, 2011: Sweet, lifted, lightly jammy nose. Sweet elderberry flavours. Very focused with firm tannins. Dry finish, 17; Parker, 2012: ... black raspberry, black currant, garrigue, licorice and lavender characteristics. Full-bodied with undeniable elegance, minerality and precision, 95+; typical production 2,500 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 645 g; www.domaine-charvin.com ]
Ruby, some development showing, just above midway in depth. This is an absolutely wonderful Charvin. There is in an extraordinary vibrancy to the berry quality in Domaine Charvin, due to its virtual lack of oak handling. You feel in this wine the mourvedre is showing an influence far beyond its given percentage, there being vibrant black plum / black olive notes on the raspberry / loganberry backbone. Texture is silky, even though the alcohol is given as 15%. As always (virtually), Charvin is one of the definitive Chateauneuf-du-Papes for its year, if you want to understand the cepage of the district without the complications of oak. The tannin structure here is fresh and just wonderful. One could not own too much of this wine (ugly bottles aside). Cellar 10 – 25 years. Four tasters rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Ruby, some development showing, just above midway in depth. This is an absolutely wonderful Charvin. There is in an extraordinary vibrancy to the berry quality in Domaine Charvin, due to its virtual lack of oak handling. You feel in this wine the mourvedre is showing an influence far beyond its given percentage, there being vibrant black plum / black olive notes on the raspberry / loganberry backbone. Texture is silky, even though the alcohol is given as 15%. As always (virtually), Charvin is one of the definitive Chateauneuf-du-Papes for its year, if you want to understand the cepage of the district without the complications of oak. The tannin structure here is fresh and just wonderful. One could not own too much of this wine (ugly bottles aside). Cellar 10 – 25 years. Four tasters rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $125 [ cork 54mm; Sy 100%, hand-harvested at c. 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; destemmed, up to 25 days cuvaison, 12 months in new and 1-year 600 L barrels; c. 500 9-L cases; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 631 g; www.yannchave.com ]
Dense dark ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine in the set of 27. Bouquet is deeper, darker, duskier, than the J L Chave Saint-Joseph, but still darkly floral, port-wine magnolia maybe, on equally dusky cassis and blackest plums. Yet it still smells fresh, plus faintest black pepper, astonishing. In mouth all the flavours are a notch darker than the J L Chave, yet still on the right side of the line. There is no hint of clumsy Australian boysenberry, when syrah is vastly over-ripened to shiraz. Alongside the Langi, this Yann Chave is darker: you would not want it to be any more ripe. In a sense the Langi is fresher, aided by the faint aromatics, and the oaking is subtler too. This is the richest and ripest Hermitage I have seen from Yann Chave, a magnificent wine fulfilling Prof. Saintsbury's turn of the century (Notes on a Cellar-Book, 1920) dictum that Hermitage is the 'the manliest' of red wines. A wine to cellar 10 – 40 years, if my 1969 Hermitage La Chapelle (as seen recently) is any guide. GK 08/16
Dense dark ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine in the set of 27. Bouquet is deeper, darker, duskier, than the J L Chave Saint-Joseph, but still darkly floral, port-wine magnolia maybe, on equally dusky cassis and blackest plums. Yet it still smells fresh, plus faintest black pepper, astonishing. In mouth all the flavours are a notch darker than the J L Chave, yet still on the right side of the line. There is no hint of clumsy Australian boysenberry, when syrah is vastly over-ripened to shiraz. Alongside the Langi, this Yann Chave is darker: you would not want it to be any more ripe. In a sense the Langi is fresher, aided by the faint aromatics, and the oaking is subtler too. This is the richest and ripest Hermitage I have seen from Yann Chave, a magnificent wine fulfilling Prof. Saintsbury's turn of the century (Notes on a Cellar-Book, 1920) dictum that Hermitage is the 'the manliest' of red wines. A wine to cellar 10 – 40 years, if my 1969 Hermitage La Chapelle (as seen recently) is any guide. GK 08/16
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $380 [ Cork 50mm; Sy 100%; 9.3 ha of Sy at Hermitage, Bessards most, then L'Hermite and 5 other vineyards; all de-stemmed, most of fermentation in s/s; cuvaison can be to 4 weeks; traditionally up to 18 months in barrel, less than 20% new, the remainder to 5 years old, now sometimes to 26 months; minimal fining, no filtration; Robinson has tasted 2010 Chave twice, but only as components prior to assemblage. Both times she rated the potential blend highly. The following fragment is from her note for Bessards, because Chave himself considers the Bessards juice as: "the backbone of the final wine and the essence of Hermitage character." Robinson, 2011: It really does communicate the majesty and concentration of Hermitage. Extremely backward, chewy and sturdy. But overall these 2010s share a wonderful purity and are extremely promising, 19; Raynolds in Tanzer, 2013: Inky ruby. Intensely perfumed, heady bouquet displays an array of candied dark fruits, floral pastille and spicecake aromas. Powerful cherry and raspberry preserve flavors stain the palate and show remarkable depth, with bright acidity adding lift and cut. Finishes with bright, spice-accented cherry and candied licorice flavors and superb persistence, 96-97; Parker, 2012: Pure perfection, the 2010 Hermitage reminds Jean-Louis Chave of their 1990. It appears to be a richer, fresher example of what I remember the 1990 tasting like in 1992. The wine exhibits an opaque purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blackberry fruit intermixed with creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, acacia flowers, bouquet garni, meat and crushed rocks. Full-bodied and stunningly rich with laser-like precision, this is a powerful, massive yet exceptionally well-balanced wine that should be forgotten for a decade and drunk over the following 30-40 years, 100; no website found. ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the two deepest wines, less oak affected (in hue) than La Chapelle. Bouquet opens up skinsy, giving the impression of a very dry wine, showing darker riper fruits than La Chapelle, fragrant but not exactly floral. In mouth the fruit richness is benchmark, and the oak handling likewise. You can hardly see the oak, yet it firms and shapes the wine beautifully. Accordingly the wine is richer and softer on palate than La Chapelle, though acid balance is good. On my ripening curve the wine may therefore be a little beyond my point of perfection (i.e. where florality is retained), but it still shows good cassis qualities. So the nett impression is the reverse of the Chapelle, palate here being supreme. The two wines between them say just about all that is necessary to know about fine syrah – indeed 'definitive'. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the two deepest wines, less oak affected (in hue) than La Chapelle. Bouquet opens up skinsy, giving the impression of a very dry wine, showing darker riper fruits than La Chapelle, fragrant but not exactly floral. In mouth the fruit richness is benchmark, and the oak handling likewise. You can hardly see the oak, yet it firms and shapes the wine beautifully. Accordingly the wine is richer and softer on palate than La Chapelle, though acid balance is good. On my ripening curve the wine may therefore be a little beyond my point of perfection (i.e. where florality is retained), but it still shows good cassis qualities. So the nett impression is the reverse of the Chapelle, palate here being supreme. The two wines between them say just about all that is necessary to know about fine syrah – indeed 'definitive'. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $235 [ 13%; $235 cork, 50mm; New Zealand release price $99; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 94; J.L-L, 2016: Prune, sweet spice, date, North African breezes show on the bouquet, which is inky, gives airs of pulp of squid, raspberry, a hint of lamb stock, a red meat depth. The palate is closely bound together on its stylish but reserved gras richness, and a fine funnel of tannin to extend it – there is a real good role of tannin here. It finishes on quietly intense juice, from within. This is still closely packed, has strength and amplitude. It finishes on sun-influenced, fleshy content, ******; RP@R. Parker, 2008: ... fabulous aromas of acacia flowers, scorched earth, blackberries, dense cherries, and damp forest floor. Full-bodied with high tannin, but equally high extraction and richness, patience will be required for purchasers of this superb Cornas. Anticipated maturity: 2012 – 2020+, 92; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby and velvet, markedly lighter and less youthful than the 2009, above midway in depth. The 2005 shows the pinpoint ripeness of the 2010, but on a smaller scale. There are dianthus and wallflower florals on cassisy berry, just a suggestion of older berry notes creeping in, not as vibrant as the younger wines, but you can't yet say browning. Below the floral notes and cassis aromatics there is again bottled dark plums, the black pepper notes not quite so easily recognised here. Palate shows beautiful syrah at the first stage of maturity, remarkable tannin balance, again shaped by older oak but scarcely flavoured by it. The tannins are just starting to soften, hints of velvet in the texture, great palate length. Three people had the 2005 as their first or second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/18
Ruby and velvet, markedly lighter and less youthful than the 2009, above midway in depth. The 2005 shows the pinpoint ripeness of the 2010, but on a smaller scale. There are dianthus and wallflower florals on cassisy berry, just a suggestion of older berry notes creeping in, not as vibrant as the younger wines, but you can't yet say browning. Below the floral notes and cassis aromatics there is again bottled dark plums, the black pepper notes not quite so easily recognised here. Palate shows beautiful syrah at the first stage of maturity, remarkable tannin balance, again shaped by older oak but scarcely flavoured by it. The tannins are just starting to soften, hints of velvet in the texture, great palate length. Three people had the 2005 as their first or second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/18
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $410 [ cork, 46mm; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 91; J.L-L, 2016: Coffee beans, rose hip, striking plum fruit show on the bouquet, with wet stones, mineral, “glimpses” of raspberry. ... The palate reveals beautiful dentelle qualities, with a really consistent, continuous run of fine content. There are absolutely no pauses or false steps. It is a light tread, tiptoe wine of great purity. You could travel far to find a better bouquet. It shows delicate flowers such as primrose on the aftertaste. It is still an STGT wine, has great balance. “Yields were small, ripening was correct enough. Once it was in bottle, it was not liked by commentators – it was very tannic and tight, but it’s starting to talk now,” Pierre Clape. 2033-36, ******; RP@R. Parker, 1997: A candidate for the wine of the vintage, Clape's 1995 Cornas exhibits an opaque purple color, and a fabulously ripe, sweet nose of licorice, black plums, and cassis, followed by full-bodied, dense, concentrated, well-balanced flavors with nicely integrated acidity and tannin. This should be a 20-year wine, 92; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby, hints of garnet appearing, still some velvet, below midway in depth. Top notes on the bouquet in this 1995 are dramatically floral, epitomising the dianthus / wallflower / floral aromas that so characterise fine syrah, which Prof Sainstbury so enthused about in his wonderful Notes on a Cellar Book. He was referring to Hermitage, though Cote Rotie captures them more commonly than Hermitage and Cornas. Below, the berry qualities are now moving into the fragrant alchemy that is superb florals plus browning cassis at 20-plus years of age, with some red as well as dark bottled plums below. This seems a slightly cooler and smaller year than the 2010, explaining the heightened florals. Palate likewise is a little lighter, but still a beautiful depth of maturing berry, the tannins softening, the whole wine superbly syrah-varietal. This wine was well-liked, three first places, two second. In some ways, it is perfection now, with its extraordinary florals / almost perfumed bouquet. It will hold another 10 years or so. GK 09/18
Ruby, hints of garnet appearing, still some velvet, below midway in depth. Top notes on the bouquet in this 1995 are dramatically floral, epitomising the dianthus / wallflower / floral aromas that so characterise fine syrah, which Prof Sainstbury so enthused about in his wonderful Notes on a Cellar Book. He was referring to Hermitage, though Cote Rotie captures them more commonly than Hermitage and Cornas. Below, the berry qualities are now moving into the fragrant alchemy that is superb florals plus browning cassis at 20-plus years of age, with some red as well as dark bottled plums below. This seems a slightly cooler and smaller year than the 2010, explaining the heightened florals. Palate likewise is a little lighter, but still a beautiful depth of maturing berry, the tannins softening, the whole wine superbly syrah-varietal. This wine was well-liked, three first places, two second. In some ways, it is perfection now, with its extraordinary florals / almost perfumed bouquet. It will hold another 10 years or so. GK 09/18
Barsac Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $ – [ 44mm cork (because our 'bottle' 2 x 375 ml bottles); Se 100%; 6,300 vines / ha, average vine age 35 years, typical yield c.1.8 t/ha = 0.75 t/ac, BUT less than 1 t/ha = 0.4 t/ha in 2001; the wine is barrel-fermented, typically one third of the oak new, and aged in small oak for 18 – 22 months, depending on vintage; typically 2,500 cases but less in 2001; RS 118 g/l; The proprietor, Berenice Lurton, states her goal is to produce wines of ethereal elegance and finesse rather than sweet wines of power and weight; in a vertical tasting of Climens held at London merchants Berry Brothers & Rudd, Alun Griffiths MW commented of our wine: a monumental wine which will comfortably outlive all of those who attended the tasting; BBR: Ch Climens is the leading property in Barsac, and produces one of the greatest sweet wines in Bordeaux. If d`Yquem is the epitome of power and concentration, then Climens is the epitome of delicacy, finesse and complexity; in a 2011 comparative review of the 2001 Bordeaux vintage, Robinson rated Climens her top wine, 19, ahead of d'Yquem. Harding in Robinson, 2009: Intense almond botrytis on the nose. Finely mineral and fresh and very very long. Deep, firm and sculpted and not too voluptuous, relatively closed. Stunning in its concentration and elegance and intense spice and purity on the finish, 19.5; Parker, 2004: A prodigious offering, the 2001 Climens’ light medium bold color with a greenish hue is followed by ethereal aromas of tropical fruits (primarily pineapple), honeysuckle, and flowers. It is a medium-bodied wine of monumental richness, extraordinary precision/delineation, great purity, and moderate sweetness. The finish seemingly lasts forever. This monumental effort is the stuff of legends. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+, 100; www.chateau-climens.fr ]
Gold, the third deepest wine. I found this wine uncannily close in style to the Rieussec, even though Climens is 100% semillon and Barsac, against the Rieussec from Sauternes and with a little sauvignon. It is a lighter wine, but makes up for it with a floral note reminding of yellow honeysuckle and even black passionfruit, plus great purity. There is no hint of VA here. Flavours marry golden queen peach with botrytis, pale sultana cake, and palest caramel. There is less new oak apparent too. A really golden sauternes, beautiful acid balance, wonderful long flavours, but not among the richest. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/14
Gold, the third deepest wine. I found this wine uncannily close in style to the Rieussec, even though Climens is 100% semillon and Barsac, against the Rieussec from Sauternes and with a little sauvignon. It is a lighter wine, but makes up for it with a floral note reminding of yellow honeysuckle and even black passionfruit, plus great purity. There is no hint of VA here. Flavours marry golden queen peach with botrytis, pale sultana cake, and palest caramel. There is less new oak apparent too. A really golden sauternes, beautiful acid balance, wonderful long flavours, but not among the richest. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/14
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $209 [ cork; price en primeur landed; CS 60%, Me 38, CF 2 = cepage in 2000 (Parker); average vine age 32 years, 80% new French oak barriques for 22 months; JR: 17.5+; RP 91; WS: 96; www.cosestournel.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the second deepest wine, fresher than the 2000 Montrose, but not comparing with the 2005s. On bouquet the Cos immediately presents as taking a first growth approach, with great richness of fragrant fruit but also much new oak and some toast. Happily the days of Cos being dogged by reduction seem past – the purity is excellent. In mouth in one sense, the wine still seems almost primary, a great concentration of cassis and darkest plum, the higher merlot of the cepage more evident now in its rounder texture and softness. It is not as aromatic as the 2000 Montrose, but it is richer, with the oak more evident. I've been unlucky with Cos over the years, so this is the finest bottle I have seen. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 08/10
Ruby and velvet, the second deepest wine, fresher than the 2000 Montrose, but not comparing with the 2005s. On bouquet the Cos immediately presents as taking a first growth approach, with great richness of fragrant fruit but also much new oak and some toast. Happily the days of Cos being dogged by reduction seem past – the purity is excellent. In mouth in one sense, the wine still seems almost primary, a great concentration of cassis and darkest plum, the higher merlot of the cepage more evident now in its rounder texture and softness. It is not as aromatic as the 2000 Montrose, but it is richer, with the oak more evident. I've been unlucky with Cos over the years, so this is the finest bottle I have seen. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 08/10
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $199 [ cork; vineyard cepage CS 60%, Me 38; CF 2, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 8 – 10 000 vines / ha, and cropped @ c. 2.5 t/ac; www.estournel.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. Bouquet is exhilarating, amongst the December bracket of '04s being the only one to be both classical Bordeaux and approaching first growths in beauty, complexity and depth. It is almost too deep to be floral, instead being darkly cassisy, with huge bottled plum and berry. Berry is complexed by subtlest charry oak, a touch of dark chocolate, but nothing so crass as coffee. Palate is both rich yet light on the tongue, intense cassis, beautiful berryfruit, chocolatey oak, lovely. This has the richness to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. Bouquet is exhilarating, amongst the December bracket of '04s being the only one to be both classical Bordeaux and approaching first growths in beauty, complexity and depth. It is almost too deep to be floral, instead being darkly cassisy, with huge bottled plum and berry. Berry is complexed by subtlest charry oak, a touch of dark chocolate, but nothing so crass as coffee. Palate is both rich yet light on the tongue, intense cassis, beautiful berryfruit, chocolatey oak, lovely. This has the richness to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Barsac Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $70 [ cork; Se 75%, SB 23, Muscadelle 2, planted @ 5600 vines / ha, average age 35 years; BF and 16 – 18 months in oak with 50% new each year; Parker: [ no specific notes, but a score ] 92: Robinson: light, leafy nose - not one of the most impressive. Sweet start. Burnt edge. Quite neat and very long. Not bad at all but just overwhelmed by some more complex and more obviously sweet wines. 16.5; no website – the one given in Parker (mistakenly) leads to a red St Emilion of the same name ]
Bright lemonstraw, very attractive. Bouquet is sensational, combining citrus blossom and mock orange blossom florals with fresh cherimoya, lychee, grapefruit and fresh cut pineapple (in a positive sense), plus suggestions of mealyness from barrel-ferment, and beautiful botrytis. Palate is luscious on the superbly pure botrytis, long and elegant, subtle tropical fruit salad, just enough acid to be refreshing, lovely oak. This wine has a delicacy and balance quite unexpected for the year. Very beautiful. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 07/06
Bright lemonstraw, very attractive. Bouquet is sensational, combining citrus blossom and mock orange blossom florals with fresh cherimoya, lychee, grapefruit and fresh cut pineapple (in a positive sense), plus suggestions of mealyness from barrel-ferment, and beautiful botrytis. Palate is luscious on the superbly pure botrytis, long and elegant, subtle tropical fruit salad, just enough acid to be refreshing, lovely oak. This wine has a delicacy and balance quite unexpected for the year. Very beautiful. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 07/06
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $399 [ Cork 49 mm, ullage 15 mm; landed cost $200; along with the three Leovilles, Ducru has since the later-1990s been one of the top four wines of Saint-Julien. It is one of the undoubted top six (of 12) contenders for the rank Super-Second. Ducru-Beaucaillou has been owned by the Borie family since 1941. They also own Grande-Puy-Lacoste. Cepage CS 70, Me 25, CF 5 (but the 2000 wine CS 70%, Me 30), planted at 10,000 vines / ha, average vine age 38 years, cropped at 49 hl / ha = 6.4 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison up to 21 days in temperature-controlled vats to 28° max, MLF in vat, then 18 – 20 months in barrel 50 – 80% new. Some fining and filtration. Since the 2000 vintage, a move to more new oak, maybe a lower cropping rate; J. Robinson, 2015: If Bordeaux, Saint-Julien in particular, is about symmetry, proportion and a certain majesty, this Ducru is a very fine example. The great counterpoint of the 2000 vintage – freshness with ripeness, intensity with finesse – is to the fore here. This is complex and just beginning to unwind, 18.5; Neal Martin, 2011: a spellbinding bouquet: blackberries, smoke, a touch of dried herbs and pine needles with stunning delineation and vibrancy. The palate is full-bodied with outstanding mineralite and a sense of symmetry, 97; RP @ WA, 2010: A stunning wine … elegant but substantial … a floral note, with hints of boysenberries, black raspberries, black currants and a touch of background oak, the wine has superb concentration and density, but still has some substantial tannins that are not yet fully resolved. I originally predicted that it should be drinkable from 2010-2030, but I would modify that now to 2015-2035, 95; L.P-B @ WA, 2020: Stunning, 96; production averages 18,300 x 9-litre cases grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 604 g; not very helpful website; https://chateau-ducru-beaucaillou.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet on the Ducru is arguably the most complex on the table, showing much of the berry depth and cedar of the Las Cases but not quite so rich, all made ‘winey’ and more complex by a savoury note which three skilled tasters (one a winemaker) commented was a brett note. At this level it is surely complexity, in one sense adding to the classic style of the wine. Aromatic and maturing cassisy berry qualities are entwined with supple plummy fruit and cedary notes on palate, to produce a wine a little further along its plateau of maturity than the top three. The lightness of touch and long tapering finish are a delight, the whole wine showing perfect ripeness in the classical style. The complexity of bouquet in this wine appealed to tasters, seven first places, three second. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet on the Ducru is arguably the most complex on the table, showing much of the berry depth and cedar of the Las Cases but not quite so rich, all made ‘winey’ and more complex by a savoury note which three skilled tasters (one a winemaker) commented was a brett note. At this level it is surely complexity, in one sense adding to the classic style of the wine. Aromatic and maturing cassisy berry qualities are entwined with supple plummy fruit and cedary notes on palate, to produce a wine a little further along its plateau of maturity than the top three. The lightness of touch and long tapering finish are a delight, the whole wine showing perfect ripeness in the classical style. The complexity of bouquet in this wine appealed to tasters, seven first places, three second. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $259 [ cork 49mm, ullage 8mm; Jasper Morris (paraphrased), 2010: the Domaine formerly Michel Esmonin, Sylvie's father. The upper slopes calcareous, helping explain why ‘Clos Saint-Jacques can be such a complete wine’. Viticulture tending organic; predominantly whole-bunch fermentations for this wine, cuvaison c.14 days. Depending on vintage, 75 – 100% new oak, three-years air-dried, cooper Dominique Laurent; Neal Martin @ Parker, 2014: The 1999 Clos Saint Jacques from Sylvie Esmonin has a sublime bouquet with wonderful tension and focus, surprisingly youthful with dark cherries, balsamic and a touch of sous-bois. The palate is vibrant with good substance in the mouth. It displays palpable spiciness with an elevated, vivacious finish. There is a bullishness and sense of brio about this Clos Saint Jacques that should continue to give pleasure over the next ten years, 93; weight bottle, no closure 594 g; no website found ]
Ruby more than garnet, the second lightest wine. Bouquet here illustrates the inimitable magic of fine Cote de Nuits, floral, fragrant, piquant and nearly aromatic, exciting, on red cherry more than black cherry fruit, and subtlest cedary oak. And it smells richer than the Geantet-Pansiot. In flavour the fruit richness / dry extract confirms the bouquet impressions: where the Geantet-Pansiot is at full stretch, this is youthful, supple, mouth filling, enchanting. Yet it is not ‘big’’ wine, in the sense of Australian reds. I'd love to know the dry extract for this wine: it is nearly succulent, showing what grand cru quality is all about. This is the essence of pinot noir. Tasters thought so too, four first places, seven second, and no leasts. Fifteen thought this wine French, and three New Zealand. The wine is perfectly mature, sweet fruit lingering exquisitely on the tongue. It will hold for some years. GK 09/19
Ruby more than garnet, the second lightest wine. Bouquet here illustrates the inimitable magic of fine Cote de Nuits, floral, fragrant, piquant and nearly aromatic, exciting, on red cherry more than black cherry fruit, and subtlest cedary oak. And it smells richer than the Geantet-Pansiot. In flavour the fruit richness / dry extract confirms the bouquet impressions: where the Geantet-Pansiot is at full stretch, this is youthful, supple, mouth filling, enchanting. Yet it is not ‘big’’ wine, in the sense of Australian reds. I'd love to know the dry extract for this wine: it is nearly succulent, showing what grand cru quality is all about. This is the essence of pinot noir. Tasters thought so too, four first places, seven second, and no leasts. Fifteen thought this wine French, and three New Zealand. The wine is perfectly mature, sweet fruit lingering exquisitely on the tongue. It will hold for some years. GK 09/19
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $162 [ cork 50mm; actual cepage 2005 Me 85%, CS 10, CF 5, vines average 6,250 / ha; elevation 18 months in 50% new oak; 5400 cases of the 2005; www.gazin.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the wines, and one of the youngest in appearance, but still older than the 2005 Palmer. Bouquet is simply sensational: here is definitive merlot florality at pinpoint ripeness, with maximum dusky roses and violets, yet no hint of under-ripeness on bouquet. The oak is more appropriately matched to the fruit weight than the Canon-La-Gaffeliere, on bouquet clearly the superior East Bank wine. Palate is not quite so perfect. There is wonderful berry and fruit, beautiful subtle cedary oak, but it is not quite as rich as the Gaffeliere, and in the berry there is the faintest hint of leaf, infinitely subtle. This wine illustrates to perfection the near-impossibility of achieving perfect ripeness in cabernet / merlot winestyles. If the winemaker seeks to maximise florality, there is always the risk that grape-seed tannins may not be 100% ripe. Yet to have the grape tannins perfectly tannin-ripe, florality may be lost. Which is the preferred wine of the Gaffeliere and Gazin is a matter of personal opinion, therefore. Both are lovely clarets. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the wines, and one of the youngest in appearance, but still older than the 2005 Palmer. Bouquet is simply sensational: here is definitive merlot florality at pinpoint ripeness, with maximum dusky roses and violets, yet no hint of under-ripeness on bouquet. The oak is more appropriately matched to the fruit weight than the Canon-La-Gaffeliere, on bouquet clearly the superior East Bank wine. Palate is not quite so perfect. There is wonderful berry and fruit, beautiful subtle cedary oak, but it is not quite as rich as the Gaffeliere, and in the berry there is the faintest hint of leaf, infinitely subtle. This wine illustrates to perfection the near-impossibility of achieving perfect ripeness in cabernet / merlot winestyles. If the winemaker seeks to maximise florality, there is always the risk that grape-seed tannins may not be 100% ripe. Yet to have the grape tannins perfectly tannin-ripe, florality may be lost. Which is the preferred wine of the Gaffeliere and Gazin is a matter of personal opinion, therefore. Both are lovely clarets. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12%; $1,002 [ cork 52 mm, ullage 18 mm; original price c.$66; cepage then approx. CS 64, Me 24, CF 9, PV 3, planted at 8,500 – 10,000 vines / ha, average age of vines c.35 years, cropped at c.50 – 60 hl/ha (6.5-7.8 t/ha = 2.6-3.1 t/ac); typically 18 – 24 months in barrel, % new then probably less than the 33% now; Parker in 1991 felt the wine was Saint-Julien's most massive and backward wine ... the quality consistently high ... the wine demonstrably needing time in bottle; Broadbent, 2002: fruity, cedary nose; mouth-filling and tannic, good life ahead ... but in later years he wondered if a little too stolid, **(**); Parker, 1991: spectacular from cask and has continued to perform well from bottle ... awesome richness ... one of the darkest 1982s ... a huge, spicy, blackcurrant, grilled-meat aroma .. the finest Gruaud-Larose since the 1961, 97; Parker, 2000: An extraordinarily powerful, backward wine with unlimited up-side potential, the opaque plum/purple/black-colored 1982 Gruaud-Larose exhibits an explosive nose of new saddle leather, plums, prunes, black cherry jam, chocolate, steak tartare, and roasted espresso. Unbelievably powerful, thick, and intense, with full body, mouth-searing tannin levels, a grilled steak-like flavor, and a huge, intense finish, this is a monster, blockbuster 1982 that still needs 5-7 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2030. It should prove to be one of the most profound Gruaud-Laroses made in the twentieth century. In quality, it is a first-growth, 96; W. Kelley, 2022: One of the most powerful, massive wines of the vintage ... Rich, layered and expansive, its deep core of ripe, fleshy fruit is framed by sweet, powdery tannins. As ever with the wines of the Cordier era, the fly in the ointment is that the wine's wild, somewhat animal profile is strongly marked by the presence of Brettanomyces, yet the 1982's intensely characterful, singular style means that I am personally able to overlook that defect. Still youthful, and actually evolving more slowly than the brilliant 1986, this is likely to number among the longer-lived wines of the vintage, 96; weight bottle and closure 565 g; www.gruaud-larose.com ]
Lovely ruby and garnet, the third richest in weight of colour, and still quite a lot of red, fourth in rank. Bouquet is on a bigger scale than the Cos, more berry, more fruit, more oak and very cedary, so much so it has a stimulating effect on the nose. Palate is clearly high cabernet, very aromatic and that component accentuated by the oak, great richness of cassisy and dark plum flavours browning now, a bold wine, thoughts of Mouton-Rothschild, very long. Not quite the exquisite harmony and finesse of the Cos. Again, at perfect maturity now, but with age may one day seem a little too oaky. No faults at all, though tasters reported they had had brett-affected bottles previously. Maybe in those days the wine was not assembled, but bottled barrel to barrel. Two first places, two second places, harder to be sure which variety dominated in this wine – due to the oak I imagine. GK 11/23
Lovely ruby and garnet, the third richest in weight of colour, and still quite a lot of red, fourth in rank. Bouquet is on a bigger scale than the Cos, more berry, more fruit, more oak and very cedary, so much so it has a stimulating effect on the nose. Palate is clearly high cabernet, very aromatic and that component accentuated by the oak, great richness of cassisy and dark plum flavours browning now, a bold wine, thoughts of Mouton-Rothschild, very long. Not quite the exquisite harmony and finesse of the Cos. Again, at perfect maturity now, but with age may one day seem a little too oaky. No faults at all, though tasters reported they had had brett-affected bottles previously. Maybe in those days the wine was not assembled, but bottled barrel to barrel. Two first places, two second places, harder to be sure which variety dominated in this wine – due to the oak I imagine. GK 11/23
Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $745 [ cork; optimal en primeur landed in NZ price $745, retail up to $1650; CS 56%, Me 39, CF 5; average vine age 30 years; 100% new French oak barriques for 24-27 months; 15000 cases; Parker 4/08: Another profound effort from Haut-Brion, the 2005 (a 9,000-case blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc) has bulked up to the point that it is fair to compare it to the great successes of 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 2000. A dark ruby/purple color is followed by a nuanced, noble bouquet of blue and red fruits interwoven with wet stones, unsmoked cigar tobacco, scorched earth, and spring flowers. The wine is full-bodied, pure, and complex as well as exceptionally elegant with laser-like precision. The tannins are still serious and substantial, and in that sense, this is a completely different style of Haut-Brion than the opulent, silky-textured 1989 and 1990. As I have written before, it comes across as an improved, more concentrated and structured version of the 1995 or 1998. Patience will be required for this stunner. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040+ 98; WS 3/08: This is incredible on the nose, showing coffee cake, blackberry, floral, coffee bean and vanilla bean, with Chinese spices. A very complex, full-bodied red, with seamless, hyperpolished tannins that caress every millimeter of the palate. Lasts for minutes. So beautifully balanced, I'm left speechless. Is it even better than the 1989? Best after 2017. 9,080 cases made. 100; JR 4/06: 56% M 39% CS, 5% CF (45% [of the crop used] in grand vin). Very very dark crimson with maroon rim. Truly great, very savoury, appetising absolutely classic, true Haut-Brion scents of minerals as a grace note on extraordinary ripeness without fatness. Bravissimo! What delicacy with power! There is masses and masses dug in underneath here – weight and tannin and dryness on the finish but it’s all covered with a fine cashmere blanket. A tiny bit of heat on the end? Extraordinary fan of flavours. Great lift and precision and then length. Absolutely no sweetness – what a contrast to many of yesterday’s St-Emilions! You wouldn’t think they were at all in the same region… 19.5; www.haut-brion.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly older and much more oak-influenced than the other top wines, above midway in the set for depth. Bouquet likewise is in a more evolved style than the berry-rich top two, less vibrantly berried, the fruit more floral and integrated with darkly tobacco-y and cedary oak, all wonderfully fragrant. Palate shows exactly the same integration, softer and more mellow, velvety as if an older wine. The quality of cassisy fruit hidden within the wine is still excellent, though, once one looks. Along with several of the Bordeaux, one can only wonder at the evident new oak in young Bordeaux nowadays. It is fashionable to decry new world wines for their excessive oak, but these French wines are an eye-opener. In size and concentration, the Haut-Brion is between The Gimblett and Sophia, more like the Redd, but richer, softer and older. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Ruby and velvet, clearly older and much more oak-influenced than the other top wines, above midway in the set for depth. Bouquet likewise is in a more evolved style than the berry-rich top two, less vibrantly berried, the fruit more floral and integrated with darkly tobacco-y and cedary oak, all wonderfully fragrant. Palate shows exactly the same integration, softer and more mellow, velvety as if an older wine. The quality of cassisy fruit hidden within the wine is still excellent, though, once one looks. Along with several of the Bordeaux, one can only wonder at the evident new oak in young Bordeaux nowadays. It is fashionable to decry new world wines for their excessive oak, but these French wines are an eye-opener. In size and concentration, the Haut-Brion is between The Gimblett and Sophia, more like the Redd, but richer, softer and older. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/08
St Estephe Cru Grand Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France: – %; $24 [ cork; Me 50%, CS 40, CF 10; considered Third Growth level by RP; Parker: A chateau of increasing fame since 1952. Late harvesting, full maturity, long cuvaison, 100% new oak, flamboyant opulent rich spicy wines. The 1982 ravishing, luscious, more like rich Pomerol than tannic St Estephe, gorgeous perfume of chocolate, cedar, blackcurrants … the perfect marriage of spicy vanillin oak and opulently rich fruit. The '82 and '61 are the finest Haut-Marbuzets I have ever drunk … till 2000 93. In the 2003 edition, he feels the wine is now tiring … 89. Broadbent is less impressed: opaque, rich, fleshy *** (It will be fun to see if we have here a perfect illustration of the dichotomy between English wine appreciation and American, the latter favouring bigger, more obvious, styles). GK in 1985 thought it: Enormous fruit, oaky soft and forward. ] ]
Ruby and garnet, midway for depth. Hard to score a wine like this. It is not the richest, but it is arguably the most beautiful in this set. Bouquet is aromatic and sweetly cassisy, with a delightful spectrum of floral notes rather like the Latour a Pomerol, but lighter and much more fragrant with elegant cedary overtones. Palate is perfection, sweetly fruited, at an elegant point of silky soft maturity and finesse, more a lovely Margaux or St. Emilion in style than a St. Estephe, quite remarkable. For the group, this was one of the three top-pointed wines on the night, beauty rating ahead of size, for 22 keen Canterbury wine people. Balance is so perfect it will cellar another 5 – 10 years, becoming lighter all the while. GK 09/08
Ruby and garnet, midway for depth. Hard to score a wine like this. It is not the richest, but it is arguably the most beautiful in this set. Bouquet is aromatic and sweetly cassisy, with a delightful spectrum of floral notes rather like the Latour a Pomerol, but lighter and much more fragrant with elegant cedary overtones. Palate is perfection, sweetly fruited, at an elegant point of silky soft maturity and finesse, more a lovely Margaux or St. Emilion in style than a St. Estephe, quite remarkable. For the group, this was one of the three top-pointed wines on the night, beauty rating ahead of size, for 22 keen Canterbury wine people. Balance is so perfect it will cellar another 5 – 10 years, becoming lighter all the while. GK 09/08
Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $824 [ cork 50mm; lying between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, the 170 ha of Morey-Saint-Denis are perhaps the most overlooked high-quality terroir in Burgundy. And the grand cru Clos de la Roche is one of its very finest sites. Info about this domaine is sketchy at present, due to family tragedy, but I believe this bottle to be the work of Hubert Lignier himself – a winemaker rated highly by Remington Norman; Christopher Cannan, of Europvin: Hubert Lignier is the reluctant star of Morey-Saint-Denis. He is a quiet, conscientious vigneron who until recently continued to sell half his crop to the negociants, despite the clamour at his door following Robert Parker's description of him as "a brilliant winemaker"; the wine-searcher value would appear to confirm these views; the best info on the Net comes from Cannan and the American firm Rosenthal Wine Merchant, the latter simply describing this wine as: 'the fabled Clos de la Roche'; average vine age c.40 years; viticulture tending organic; all de-stemmed, 5 days cold-soak followed by longish cuvaisons to 20 days or so, all wild-yeasts, new oak may reach 50% in good years for the grands crus, with 20 – 24 months in barrel, no fining or filtration; Robinson, not tasted; Meadows, 2007: [ Meadows gives the impression this is our wine exactly, but at the time of tasting, it was not bottled ] As usual this is the best wine in the range with a simply gorgeous range of seductive if serious aromas that include both red and blue pinot fruit, spice notes, game and underbrush hints that continue onto the classy, pure and wonderfully deep and palate-staining flavors oozing with ripe extract that completely buffer the firm but ripe tannins. This is also built to age and should reward amply 12 to 15 years of patience. A stunner of a wine, from 2017, 92-95; what exactly serious pinotphiles are to make of the following assessment will add interest to our tasting, David Schildknecht in R. Parker, 2007: Lignier’s 2005 Clos de la Roche – from three diverse parcels – smells of black cherry, blackberry, ginger bread and fruit cake, with its pungency of citrus zest and brown spices following on the palate. For all of its baked and roasted fruit and meat suggestions, and its underlying, oily textural richness, this holds a fine edge of fresh fruit, displaying subtly chewy fruit skin character. The long finish brings stony mineral, resinous herbal, and gamey animal profundities, but delightful primary fresh fruit is never far from the surface in this wine, the latest in an illustrious line and demanding of 12-15 years in the cellar, 94 – 96; www.hubert-lignier.com ]
Good rich pinot noir ruby, fresher than the Pansiot, the fourth-deepest wine. Needs decanting and air. On the night, the bouquet was massive, deep, dark, and to the extent you could tell, pushing aside the thickets of oak, deeply fruity. It seemed more heavily oaky than the Pansiot. 24 hours later this wine too displayed a much better version of itself, to such an extent that it now overtakes the Pansiot, the dark cherry and plum fruit much more apparent, with even suggestions of dusky florality and Cote de Nuits aromatics – exciting. In terms of my concept of 'pinosity', which I suspect is a good deal more floral, enchanting and ethereal in interpretation than Allen Meadows' (who invented the term) useage, I simply wish the wine were fractionally less ripe / more floral. And I certainly wish it had less new oak. This must be a pinot in one of the old-school styles, from a year like like 1919, 1945, 1959, 1990. It is certainly built to develop for another 20 years, and should cellar for 50 years from vintage. To that end the quality of the 50mm corks appeared promising. My hope is this wine will develop a much more floral and enchanting bouquet and palate, once the tannins start to polymerise. It is clearly richer than Charmes-Chambertin, more on a par with the 100-year-old-vines Vougeot. Dry extract must be well into the 30s. As in many of these wines, the given 13% alcohol is notional, only. Top or second wine for three tasters. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 09/15
Good rich pinot noir ruby, fresher than the Pansiot, the fourth-deepest wine. Needs decanting and air. On the night, the bouquet was massive, deep, dark, and to the extent you could tell, pushing aside the thickets of oak, deeply fruity. It seemed more heavily oaky than the Pansiot. 24 hours later this wine too displayed a much better version of itself, to such an extent that it now overtakes the Pansiot, the dark cherry and plum fruit much more apparent, with even suggestions of dusky florality and Cote de Nuits aromatics – exciting. In terms of my concept of 'pinosity', which I suspect is a good deal more floral, enchanting and ethereal in interpretation than Allen Meadows' (who invented the term) useage, I simply wish the wine were fractionally less ripe / more floral. And I certainly wish it had less new oak. This must be a pinot in one of the old-school styles, from a year like like 1919, 1945, 1959, 1990. It is certainly built to develop for another 20 years, and should cellar for 50 years from vintage. To that end the quality of the 50mm corks appeared promising. My hope is this wine will develop a much more floral and enchanting bouquet and palate, once the tannins start to polymerise. It is clearly richer than Charmes-Chambertin, more on a par with the 100-year-old-vines Vougeot. Dry extract must be well into the 30s. As in many of these wines, the given 13% alcohol is notional, only. Top or second wine for three tasters. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 09/15
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $25 [ 10% BF, LA, RS 4 g/L; www.isabelestate.com ]
Palest lemongreen. Already a gorgeous and complex bouquet of sweetest and ripest sauvignon blanc, chockfull of elderflower and similar white florals on subtlest red capsicums and black passionfruit. Palate is more complex, great body, faintest hints of barrel ferment and oak as it should be used (if present) – (later inquiry confirms, yes), and the floral component persisting right through to the gentle but flavoursome 'dry' finish. Great Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar to 15 years, as preferred. GK 11/04
Palest lemongreen. Already a gorgeous and complex bouquet of sweetest and ripest sauvignon blanc, chockfull of elderflower and similar white florals on subtlest red capsicums and black passionfruit. Palate is more complex, great body, faintest hints of barrel ferment and oak as it should be used (if present) – (later inquiry confirms, yes), and the floral component persisting right through to the gentle but flavoursome 'dry' finish. Great Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar to 15 years, as preferred. GK 11/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $262 [ cork, 50 mm; Gr 65 – 90% more than 70 years old, Sy 3 – 20, Mv 2 – 15, other vars 2 – 4; 20% whole-bunch, 28 days cuvaison; elevation 75% in vat, 25% in small wood new to 3 years old for 12 months, then to vat; fined, not filtered; J.L-L: ... blackberry coulis flavour, has smoky tannin inset ... licorice effects late on, ****(*); Robinson, 2011: Open and a bit splayed really. Awkward astringency on the finish. Very chewy!, 16; Parker, 2012: A huge bouquet of pure blackberry and black currant fruit intermixed with charcoal, incense, truffles and spring flowers is followed by a prodigious, full-bodied wine ..., 100; typical production up to 1,250 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 655 g; www.lajanasse.com ]
Rich fresh ruby, the deepest wine. This wine is a little out to one side, the bouquet incredibly dark yet sensuous, an almost midnight-deep dusky red floral and aromatic quality on berry aromatics hinting at super-ripe blackcurrants and darkest plums, all lifted by garrigue aromatics and stunning purity – and alcohol. Flavour is extraordinary: I have never tasted a Chateauneuf-du-Pape like it. The depth of concentration is off the scale, I can't imagine what the dry extract for this wine would be, but it tastes in the mid-thirties, the wine showing an unbelievable texture and depth of cassis and blackberry fruit, exactly as Parker says. Oak is again subtle and simply extends the wine, but the power and weight has a hint of young (but dry) vintage port to it, so to me the wine is not quite so exhilarating as the top two. The alcohol is noticeable. A pity this was not one of the wines with a 54 – 55 mm cork, since it will cellar for 50 years. Phenomenal wine. Seven people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Rich fresh ruby, the deepest wine. This wine is a little out to one side, the bouquet incredibly dark yet sensuous, an almost midnight-deep dusky red floral and aromatic quality on berry aromatics hinting at super-ripe blackcurrants and darkest plums, all lifted by garrigue aromatics and stunning purity – and alcohol. Flavour is extraordinary: I have never tasted a Chateauneuf-du-Pape like it. The depth of concentration is off the scale, I can't imagine what the dry extract for this wine would be, but it tastes in the mid-thirties, the wine showing an unbelievable texture and depth of cassis and blackberry fruit, exactly as Parker says. Oak is again subtle and simply extends the wine, but the power and weight has a hint of young (but dry) vintage port to it, so to me the wine is not quite so exhilarating as the top two. The alcohol is noticeable. A pity this was not one of the wines with a 54 – 55 mm cork, since it will cellar for 50 years. Phenomenal wine. Seven people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $273 [ cork, 50mm; original price c.$115; cepage varies round Gr 80%, Sy 10, Mv 10 … and trace minor vars, the GR >70 years age, perhaps the others too; 20% whole-bunch, up to 28 days cuvaison; elevation 75% in foudre, 25% in small wood up to 30% new, balance to 3 years old, for 12 months, then to assembly in vat 6 months; fined, not filtered; c.1,125 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2007: ... broad, smooth black fruits aroma, with a little pepper at its heart, there is licorice here, too. There is a sense of refinement in the ripe, even very ripe fruit on the palate ... black fruits ... Its tannic structure is the best of the three Chateauneufs from here [ in 2007 ], 2029-32, *****; JD@RP, 2016: A bigger, richer wine than the Chaupin (which is normal) ... Full-bodied, rich, decadent and unctuous on the palate, this beauty gives up fabulous notes of dark fruits, dusty soil, licorice, roasted herbs and toasted spice. It needs a short decant ..., 2016 - 2026, 96; weight bottle and cork 674 g; www.lajanasse.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is amazingly vibrant, youthful and fresh, with a volume of red-fruit grapeyness, plus the aromatics of both garrigue complexity and darker berries as well. Below is a slightly more obvious oak component than the Marcoux, but it is still well in the background. Palate is much younger than the Marcoux, rich, but the darker fruits dominating the flavour at this stage. Both grape and oak tannins are more noticeable here than in the Marcoux, the wine seeming still youthful, with tannin to lose. The concentration of flavour in these ‘old vine’ wines is a delight. Tasters were enchanted with this wine, nine first places and three second, clearly the top wine. It still needs a little time in cellar, I think, to lose some tannin: it will cellar for 15 – 25 years at least. GK 07/19
Ruby and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is amazingly vibrant, youthful and fresh, with a volume of red-fruit grapeyness, plus the aromatics of both garrigue complexity and darker berries as well. Below is a slightly more obvious oak component than the Marcoux, but it is still well in the background. Palate is much younger than the Marcoux, rich, but the darker fruits dominating the flavour at this stage. Both grape and oak tannins are more noticeable here than in the Marcoux, the wine seeming still youthful, with tannin to lose. The concentration of flavour in these ‘old vine’ wines is a delight. Tasters were enchanted with this wine, nine first places and three second, clearly the top wine. It still needs a little time in cellar, I think, to lose some tannin: it will cellar for 15 – 25 years at least. GK 07/19
Sauternes / Bommes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 49mm cork; Se 90%, SB 8; Mu 2; average age of vines 40 years, planted at 6,600 vines / ha, average yield just over 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; barrel-fermented and 18 – 20 months small oak, one third new; average production around 6,500 cases per annum; no longer owned by Cordier, and hence its former reputation is now being restored; BBR: Lafaurie-Peyraguey is now unquestionably one of the top half-dozen estates in Sauternes; Robinson, 2014: From a great vintage for sweet white bordeaux, this was extremely sweet and rich. Seemed to have such density that a long life lies ahead, 18; Parker, 2004: This superb, light to medium gold/green-hued Sauternes is a full-bodied, opulent, enormously endowed, moderately sweet offering with plenty of pineapple, peach, caramel, and smoky new oak characteristics. With great viscosity as well as richness, and good underlying acidity providing vibrancy and definition, it should be at its peak between 2008-2030, 96; www.chateau-lafaurie-peyraguey.com ]
Medium gold, in the middle for depth. Bouquet on this wine is much lighter than the Rieussec, almost a lime marmalade freshness and lift, very citrus, yet with botrytis-y pale grading to light golden stonefruits too. It is one of the purest ones, like the d'Yquem. In mouth the fruit / oak harmony is luscious, with a clear glycerol slipperyness, and less new oak apparent. On the later palate, the citrus comes back, now almost like mixed peel. This is both rich, and has great elegance – a beautiful wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/14
Medium gold, in the middle for depth. Bouquet on this wine is much lighter than the Rieussec, almost a lime marmalade freshness and lift, very citrus, yet with botrytis-y pale grading to light golden stonefruits too. It is one of the purest ones, like the d'Yquem. In mouth the fruit / oak harmony is luscious, with a clear glycerol slipperyness, and less new oak apparent. On the later palate, the citrus comes back, now almost like mixed peel. This is both rich, and has great elegance – a beautiful wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/14
Pauillac 1st Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $574 [ CS 87%, Me 13; 18 – 20 months in up to 100% new French oak; www.lafite.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not a big or dense wine. Bouquet is contemporary in the sense of some charry oak notes, but there are also beautiful florals suggesting violets, and intense cassis, berry and darkest plum. The whole bouquet is fragrant, fine, and potentially cedary, a classic expression of high-cabernet claret. Palate is intensely fragrant too, the florals seeming to intensify in mouth to saturate the roof, the texture beautifully finegrain and velvety, yet the berry flavours intense, with the oak shaping yet almost invisible. It is this wonderful combination of power yet restraint, coupled with absolute quality of smell and flavour, which differentiates great wine from those designed rather more to impress. Though this '01 Lafite is not a big wine, it has the concentration and perfect balance to cellar for 10 and 20 years, and still be charming if frail at 30 years. And we in New Zealand could well note these flavours of perfect physiological ripeness, at 12.5% given alcohol. GK 07/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not a big or dense wine. Bouquet is contemporary in the sense of some charry oak notes, but there are also beautiful florals suggesting violets, and intense cassis, berry and darkest plum. The whole bouquet is fragrant, fine, and potentially cedary, a classic expression of high-cabernet claret. Palate is intensely fragrant too, the florals seeming to intensify in mouth to saturate the roof, the texture beautifully finegrain and velvety, yet the berry flavours intense, with the oak shaping yet almost invisible. It is this wonderful combination of power yet restraint, coupled with absolute quality of smell and flavour, which differentiates great wine from those designed rather more to impress. Though this '01 Lafite is not a big wine, it has the concentration and perfect balance to cellar for 10 and 20 years, and still be charming if frail at 30 years. And we in New Zealand could well note these flavours of perfect physiological ripeness, at 12.5% given alcohol. GK 07/04
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $500 [ cork; CS 86, Me 9, CF 3, PV 2, planted to 7500 vines / ha, cropped @ 33 hL/ha (1.7 t/ac) in 2003 (against an average of 48 (2.5 t/ac)), average vine age 45 years; 3 – 4 weeks cuvaison; MLF in tank; 18 – 20 months in new French oak; Parker: ... creme de cassis ... extraordinary richness, opulence, power, purity intensity and viscosity ... high tannins ... pH 3.9. 100; Robinson: ... all the dancing finesse of Lafite on song ... round and opulent but never heavy, sufficient acid ... 18.5 +; www.lafite.com ]
Older ruby and some velvet, one of the lighter. This too is great bordeaux, and the closest to the Montrose in style, irrespective of commune characters. There is intense cassis and berry, showing a slightly more modern approach to the oak than the Montrose, with a little coffee and char. Berry on palate is not quite as intense and concentrated as the Montrose, but the oak may be more beautiful, I have to admit, and in 10 years time it will be cedary and compelling. This will make a very exciting bottle – many tasters, including most winemakers, rated this their top wine. Cellar 15 – 35 years. Chairman Steve Smith of Craggy Range described it as: sensational wine, perfect ! GK 10/06
Older ruby and some velvet, one of the lighter. This too is great bordeaux, and the closest to the Montrose in style, irrespective of commune characters. There is intense cassis and berry, showing a slightly more modern approach to the oak than the Montrose, with a little coffee and char. Berry on palate is not quite as intense and concentrated as the Montrose, but the oak may be more beautiful, I have to admit, and in 10 years time it will be cedary and compelling. This will make a very exciting bottle – many tasters, including most winemakers, rated this their top wine. Cellar 15 – 35 years. Chairman Steve Smith of Craggy Range described it as: sensational wine, perfect ! GK 10/06
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ CS 80%, Me 10, CF 10; 60 ha, 16 000 cases. This is the wine for which Broadbent (2002) made the intriguing remark: 'It will still be teasing some of you in 50 years' time .... needs days of decanting time, and hours in the glass, *****. Parker (1991): The wine of the vintage, 99 points. ]
Ruby and garnet, the most ruby and the deepest. Cassis and 'new' slightly nutmeggy oak dominate the bouquet, 'youthful' but only relative to the field. This is still pretty mature wine, with tobacco and savoury and cedary complexities developing. Palate is one of the two richest, but again only relative to the field. It is no richer than the Lascases. Cassisy qualities dominate right through to the finish, just, but every year the oak will increase, for there is a lot of it. A little cabernet monochrome, not as deliciously complex as the Ducru, essence of mature cabernet. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Ruby and garnet, the most ruby and the deepest. Cassis and 'new' slightly nutmeggy oak dominate the bouquet, 'youthful' but only relative to the field. This is still pretty mature wine, with tobacco and savoury and cedary complexities developing. Palate is one of the two richest, but again only relative to the field. It is no richer than the Lascases. Cassisy qualities dominate right through to the finish, just, but every year the oak will increase, for there is a lot of it. A little cabernet monochrome, not as deliciously complex as the Ducru, essence of mature cabernet. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Barossa Valley, South Australian: 14.5%; $82 [ partial BF in 73% French oak, 27 US, then 20 months in new French; www.peterlehmannwines.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet. A very pure bouquet of classic Barossa Shiraz, showing a depth of berry combining cassis, blackberry, and boysenberry with faintest hints of Australian florals as in the McRae Wood, plus attractively fragrant and understated oak. Palate is noticeably concentrated relative to the mainstream Lehmann shirazes, with the fruit flavours settling into the more conventional boysenberry spectrum of Barossa fruit, uplifted by the suggestion of aromatics and florals. This will cellar for 10 – 20 years, to become a classic Barossa Shiraz. Lehmann's shirazes are going from strength to strength, the best more refined every year. GK 06/04
Ruby and velvet. A very pure bouquet of classic Barossa Shiraz, showing a depth of berry combining cassis, blackberry, and boysenberry with faintest hints of Australian florals as in the McRae Wood, plus attractively fragrant and understated oak. Palate is noticeably concentrated relative to the mainstream Lehmann shirazes, with the fruit flavours settling into the more conventional boysenberry spectrum of Barossa fruit, uplifted by the suggestion of aromatics and florals. This will cellar for 10 – 20 years, to become a classic Barossa Shiraz. Lehmann's shirazes are going from strength to strength, the best more refined every year. GK 06/04
Saint-Julien 2nd Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $276 [ Cork 54mm; CS 70%, Me 17, CF 13 in 2003, no PV that year; Leoville Las Cases, often mis-rendered Leoville Lascases, is one of the pre-eminent and most expensive second growths. The wines can be a bit massive in youth, and in earlier decades were sometimes tending-reduced as well. Oak use varies with the year, but the best vintages can see the wines spending 20 months in barrel, with 80% new – emulating first-growth approaches. Such years even in the modern era can be slow to unfold. Production is 18,000 cases a year. The chateau attracted some attention for being one of the first to use reverse osmosis to improve the concentration of the must, in lesser years. The technique is now regarded as part of the armoury of winemakers, provided it is used only when the season demands. Second wine now Le Petit Lion, formerly Clos du Marquis; Harding, 2013: Deep garnet. Ripe fruit-cake aromas and spice but with some cedary herbaceous notes too. More leafy on the palate and uncharacteristically juicy. Fine grained and dense tannins but there's good fruit depth. Flavourful not elegant, 16.5; Tanzer, 2006: Plum, tar, cedar and nutty oak on the nose; less exotic than most '03s. Then massive and full on the palate; almost too big for the mouth. As silky as this is, it also possesses very good acidity for the vintage. Finishes with huge but lush tannins and superb length. The IPT [ Total Polyphenol Index ] here is 74, compared to 70 in 2005, and the alcohol is a tad higher, at 13.2%. A perfect vintage of Las Cases for tasters who normally find this wine too rigorous, but this still promises to be long-lived, 93 +; Parker, Aug 2014: An incredibly fresh, lively 2003 (the pH is only 3.6 and the alcohol is 13.1%), this wine offers a dense ruby/purple color along with full body and a remarkable nose of black currants, kirsch, lead pencil shavings and vanilla. Opulent, full-bodied and close to full maturity, it is a seamless classic that will age for 15-20 more years. Kudos to the Delon family for such a brilliant achievement in a tricky vintage, 96; www.domaines-delon.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a trace of garnet, the lightest colour. This wine has a beautiful bouquet too, but it is quite different from the Montrose. The floral component is sweeter and I imagine more vanillin, and there is a suggestion of ripe red fruits as well as cassis, in cedary oak which is sensuous – wonderful quality. This is so different from the surly Las Cases wines of the 70s, an older taster would never recognise it. In mouth the fruit richness is simply velvety, no other word for it, a wine of great dry extract and therefore texture, and the longer you taste it, the finer it becomes. Like the Montrose, it is not big or impressive in any obvious way that the new world wine community might demand. It is simply infinitely harmonious and beautiful, and lasts and lasts in the mouth. Those who have mocked the 2003s need to taste these two lovely wines, now. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, a trace of garnet, the lightest colour. This wine has a beautiful bouquet too, but it is quite different from the Montrose. The floral component is sweeter and I imagine more vanillin, and there is a suggestion of ripe red fruits as well as cassis, in cedary oak which is sensuous – wonderful quality. This is so different from the surly Las Cases wines of the 70s, an older taster would never recognise it. In mouth the fruit richness is simply velvety, no other word for it, a wine of great dry extract and therefore texture, and the longer you taste it, the finer it becomes. Like the Montrose, it is not big or impressive in any obvious way that the new world wine community might demand. It is simply infinitely harmonious and beautiful, and lasts and lasts in the mouth. Those who have mocked the 2003s need to taste these two lovely wines, now. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux:, France: 12.25%; $332 [ cork; original price $32.95; website has the actual cepage for the year, noting that harvest was completed late, 18 October; CS 55%, Me 19, CF 23 (higher than usual), PV 3, average age of the vines c.30 years; 18 months in barrel, percentage new then not sure, later was 50 – 100% depending on the quality of the vintage; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 87, Structured, fleshy and complex; Coates, 2000: Very classy on the nose. This is very lovely. Pure, rich, concentrated Cabernet fruit. Full, composed and aristocratic. This is still very vigorous. Lots of depth. Very lovely fruit. Very long. Very fine indeed, 19; R. Parker, 1995: [ Parker re-rated this wine, initially 93, one of his top wines of the vintage. To judge from its showing in this tasting, his follow-up bottle may have been lesser ... ] The nose is more complex and penetrating than the flavors ... classic, mineral, lead pencil, smoky, earthy scents, with plenty of ripe fruit, and none of the vegetal herbaceousness that many 1978s have begun to exhibit. The attack offers good ripeness, medium to full body, higher acidity than many more recent vintages, and considerable tannin in the hard finish. Although this wine possesses outstanding complexity, the high tannin level may never fully melt away. While it will last another 15-20 years, the 1978 is at its apogee and will slowly dry out over the next two decades, 90; www.domaines-delon.com/en/leoville-chateau_leoville_las_cases_vins.html ]
Ruby and garnet, a glowing and totally appropriate colour for 40-year-old claret, the third deepest wine. This was the wine which, as it was passed round and poured, produced an absolutely sensational volume of infinitely beautiful cedar plus berry plus browning cassis aroma. The strength of this bouquet, including its near-floral notes (but fading now, naturally) is unusual, and not found so easily in the warmer years. Palate follows perfectly, neat, perfectly shaped, not weighty but showing pinpoint ripeness of all components. This fragrant, mouth-filling beauty of flavour is something one hopes for in all bordeaux, and so rarely finds. Even on the aftertaste, sweet fruit continues, still fragrant and nearly aromatic though cabernet sauvignon is a lower percentage than usual, this year. Four tasters rated this their top wine, two their second favourite, and in contrast to all the other ‘better’ wines, nobody thought it California or Tuscany, at all. It spoke of classic Bordeaux to everybody. A thrill. Fully mature, but no hurry. GK 10/18
Ruby and garnet, a glowing and totally appropriate colour for 40-year-old claret, the third deepest wine. This was the wine which, as it was passed round and poured, produced an absolutely sensational volume of infinitely beautiful cedar plus berry plus browning cassis aroma. The strength of this bouquet, including its near-floral notes (but fading now, naturally) is unusual, and not found so easily in the warmer years. Palate follows perfectly, neat, perfectly shaped, not weighty but showing pinpoint ripeness of all components. This fragrant, mouth-filling beauty of flavour is something one hopes for in all bordeaux, and so rarely finds. Even on the aftertaste, sweet fruit continues, still fragrant and nearly aromatic though cabernet sauvignon is a lower percentage than usual, this year. Four tasters rated this their top wine, two their second favourite, and in contrast to all the other ‘better’ wines, nobody thought it California or Tuscany, at all. It spoke of classic Bordeaux to everybody. A thrill. Fully mature, but no hurry. GK 10/18
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $465 [ cork 50mm; CS 68%, Me 24; CF 8; the second wine of Ch Mouton Rothschild, made from younger-vine sections of the vineyard; elevation less dramatic than the grand vin, detail not available; www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com ]
A more vibrant and youthful-looking wine than the senior Mouton, the colour ruby, carmine and velvet still, despite five years, the fifth deepest of the cabernet / merlots. Bouquet on this wine is simply sensational. It is more varietal, and less oaky, less artefact, less interfered-with than the Mouton proper. Here there is clear cassis, clear darkest bottled plums, and a dusky florality which goes right through the bouquet into the palate. If one has any interest at all in varietal characterisation, this bouquet is infinitely more accurate and varietal than the Mouton proper. I have never smelt a second wine of this calibre before. But it is a second wine, and on palate there is not the concentration and depth of the Mouton. But again, there is even greater berry character and precision. To repeat, this is sensational wine, perhaps finer than my favourite of the 2010 class growths, Ch Montrose. I love it, but the price is now on the high side, relative to the en-primeur price. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/15
A more vibrant and youthful-looking wine than the senior Mouton, the colour ruby, carmine and velvet still, despite five years, the fifth deepest of the cabernet / merlots. Bouquet on this wine is simply sensational. It is more varietal, and less oaky, less artefact, less interfered-with than the Mouton proper. Here there is clear cassis, clear darkest bottled plums, and a dusky florality which goes right through the bouquet into the palate. If one has any interest at all in varietal characterisation, this bouquet is infinitely more accurate and varietal than the Mouton proper. I have never smelt a second wine of this calibre before. But it is a second wine, and on palate there is not the concentration and depth of the Mouton. But again, there is even greater berry character and precision. To repeat, this is sensational wine, perhaps finer than my favourite of the 2010 class growths, Ch Montrose. I love it, but the price is now on the high side, relative to the en-primeur price. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/15
Ribeauville, Alsace, France: 12%; $142 [ cork; limestone and marl; www.marceldeiss.com ]
Deep golden straw, the deepest of the colours even having regard to its age. As soon as you smell and taste the wine, however, one forgets the colour. This is simply sensational Alsatian wine, despite it being one of these quirky field-blends of everything in the vineyard (tous les cepages traditionnels). Bouquet is like a wonderfully floral pinot gris, the florals including clearly yellow notes which make white wines so exciting – himalayan honeysuckle for example. As soon as you taste it, one's understanding expands, the matrix of the wine being pinot varieties with great body, but still on palate there is this floral lift now seen to be from riesling, botrytis and almost invisible gewurztraminer. Dry extract is magical. Sweetness must be at least 30 g/L, but it is in one sense invisible. The price seems outrageous for the concept, but then one thinks of the Medoc particularly. Grand cru does mean something in Alsace. Lovely now and will hold 10 – 15 years at least. GK 04/13
Deep golden straw, the deepest of the colours even having regard to its age. As soon as you smell and taste the wine, however, one forgets the colour. This is simply sensational Alsatian wine, despite it being one of these quirky field-blends of everything in the vineyard (tous les cepages traditionnels). Bouquet is like a wonderfully floral pinot gris, the florals including clearly yellow notes which make white wines so exciting – himalayan honeysuckle for example. As soon as you taste it, one's understanding expands, the matrix of the wine being pinot varieties with great body, but still on palate there is this floral lift now seen to be from riesling, botrytis and almost invisible gewurztraminer. Dry extract is magical. Sweetness must be at least 30 g/L, but it is in one sense invisible. The price seems outrageous for the concept, but then one thinks of the Medoc particularly. Grand cru does mean something in Alsace. Lovely now and will hold 10 – 15 years at least. GK 04/13
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork 52mm; then was c.CS 75%, Me 20, CF ± PV 5; average age of vines c.30 years; time in barrel 22 – 28 months, % new then not sure, later was 100%; the vineyard changed hands to the Mentzelopoulos family in 1977, Emile Peynaud became the winemaking consultant, and the 1978 vintage immediately showed vast improvement over the preceding two decades; Parker says: the style of the rejuvenated wine at Margaux is one of opulent richness … ripe blackcurrants, spicy vanillin oakyness, and violets … of the 1978 he says: a gorgeous seductive bouquet of ripe fruit and spicy oak, as well as tarry truffly aromas … a truly great wine [ in 1991 ] 94; Robinson in 2008: Fully developed bouquet – maybe the bottles are starting to get a little tired? Acidity sticks out a little. Dry tannins and absolutely ready, fresh. Super fragrant but a little tough in terms of texture. Much less concentrated than many other younger vintages but very respectable. 17; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
Glowing near-velvety ruby, not much garnet to the edge, the second deepest. After a mixed batch of Ch Margaux dating back to the 1953 late last year, it was pure joy to find in this wine a near-perfect example of fine Medoc: wondrously fragrant, almost floral though the age factor militates against that a little, instead now introducing a great synthesis of cedar, dark tobacco and browning cassis and berry. This really was the thrilling smell of fine claret at full maturity. And unlike all the other bordeaux, the bouquet was sustained on palate, still clearly good rich fruit and browning cassis, and enough fruit to cover both the cedary oak and any underlying acid, and be long in mouth. In this attribute it differed from all the other Bordeaux. At a peak of perfection, and clearly a much more generously-constituted bottle than the one Robinson reviewed in 2008. Two tasters rated it their top wine. Will hold some years, on the volume of remaining fruit, but gradually decline from now on. GK 04/14
Glowing near-velvety ruby, not much garnet to the edge, the second deepest. After a mixed batch of Ch Margaux dating back to the 1953 late last year, it was pure joy to find in this wine a near-perfect example of fine Medoc: wondrously fragrant, almost floral though the age factor militates against that a little, instead now introducing a great synthesis of cedar, dark tobacco and browning cassis and berry. This really was the thrilling smell of fine claret at full maturity. And unlike all the other bordeaux, the bouquet was sustained on palate, still clearly good rich fruit and browning cassis, and enough fruit to cover both the cedary oak and any underlying acid, and be long in mouth. In this attribute it differed from all the other Bordeaux. At a peak of perfection, and clearly a much more generously-constituted bottle than the one Robinson reviewed in 2008. Two tasters rated it their top wine. Will hold some years, on the volume of remaining fruit, but gradually decline from now on. GK 04/14
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $108 [ cork 50mm; Gr >100 years age 70 – 95%, balance Mv & Sy, de-stemmed; 10 months in concrete vat, then 7 – 8 months in big old wood; not fined or filtered; production now around 1,250 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 616 g; access to the website on far right, obscure; www.clos-montolivet.com ]
Ruby, a wash only of carmine and velvet – so many of these colours are so handsome – below midway in depth. This wine shows aromatic garrigue complexity to the nth degree, perhaps as much as is attractive (giving a thought to Australia), on quite deep red fruits made aromatic by new oak. There is both cinnamon and nutmeg from grenache, plus back black pepper from syrah, the spices unusually noticeable (for Chateauneuf). Palate takes all these components and simply hides them in its youthful richness. The concentration and saturation of flavour are amazing – the wine is so young that the nett impression at this point nearly overwhelms you. Alcohol is quite high, for those for whom this is a key quality factor, yet this wine too has the compelling freshness of the 2016 year. For a darker version of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (compared with the Vieux Telegraphe, say) cellar this magnificent wine for 15 – 30 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Ruby, a wash only of carmine and velvet – so many of these colours are so handsome – below midway in depth. This wine shows aromatic garrigue complexity to the nth degree, perhaps as much as is attractive (giving a thought to Australia), on quite deep red fruits made aromatic by new oak. There is both cinnamon and nutmeg from grenache, plus back black pepper from syrah, the spices unusually noticeable (for Chateauneuf). Palate takes all these components and simply hides them in its youthful richness. The concentration and saturation of flavour are amazing – the wine is so young that the nett impression at this point nearly overwhelms you. Alcohol is quite high, for those for whom this is a key quality factor, yet this wine too has the compelling freshness of the 2016 year. For a darker version of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (compared with the Vieux Telegraphe, say) cellar this magnificent wine for 15 – 30 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $197 [ cork; price en primeur landed; CS 65%, Me 31, CF 3, PV 1 = cepage in 2005 (Parker), planted to 9000 vines / ha, average vine age 45, cropped at appreciably less than the average of 42 hl / ha (2.2 t/ac); 3 – 4 week cuvaison, temperature-controlled; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak 50 – 70% new; JR: 15 & 18.5; RP 95; WS: 94; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the 12 wines, a great colour. If the 2000 Montrose is quiet, the 2005 is in one sense near-silent on bouquet, yet one is immediately impressed by the purity, the (even on bouquet) concentration, the classical emphasis on berry dominant over oak, and again the lack of trendy tricks. Palate seems even more concentrated than the 2000 (which fits in with the reduced crop in 2005), a magical depth of cassisy berry apparent on the tongue, potentially velvety skin tannins, beautiful classical oak shaping but not dominating, an aftertaste of great purity, length and beauty. This will I think eclipse the 2000 in its maturity, but for now it is reserved in comparison. Magnificent cabernet / merlot, to cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 08/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of the 12 wines, a great colour. If the 2000 Montrose is quiet, the 2005 is in one sense near-silent on bouquet, yet one is immediately impressed by the purity, the (even on bouquet) concentration, the classical emphasis on berry dominant over oak, and again the lack of trendy tricks. Palate seems even more concentrated than the 2000 (which fits in with the reduced crop in 2005), a magical depth of cassisy berry apparent on the tongue, potentially velvety skin tannins, beautiful classical oak shaping but not dominating, an aftertaste of great purity, length and beauty. This will I think eclipse the 2000 in its maturity, but for now it is reserved in comparison. Magnificent cabernet / merlot, to cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 08/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $25 [ cork; Gr 100% ]
Good rosé, flushed with red cherry, a little deeper than the Stonecroft. Bouquet is stunning, an alcohol-lifted woomph of rose petal and strawberry-like (+ve) berry and fruit, immaculately pure. Palate shows wonderful dry extract, so rich that, like the Stonecroft but moreso, one wonders if it is bone dry, or perhaps 3 g/L or so residual sugar. Tannins are great, making it serious rosé, and the flavour lasts well, even with the high alcohol. A benchmark wine, illuminating that most New Zealand rosé is too sweet, catering to the pinot gris mass market. The flavours in New Zealand rosé can be so good now, and our potential for making fine subtle world-class rosé is likewise so high, that it would be worthwhile winemakers marketing standard and reserves rosés, the latter dry or virtually so (3 – 4 g/L or less). I guess that is an ideal, so to match the chardonnay judging specification, let's say 5 g. Cellar the Mordoree several years, to taste. GK 02/06
Good rosé, flushed with red cherry, a little deeper than the Stonecroft. Bouquet is stunning, an alcohol-lifted woomph of rose petal and strawberry-like (+ve) berry and fruit, immaculately pure. Palate shows wonderful dry extract, so rich that, like the Stonecroft but moreso, one wonders if it is bone dry, or perhaps 3 g/L or so residual sugar. Tannins are great, making it serious rosé, and the flavour lasts well, even with the high alcohol. A benchmark wine, illuminating that most New Zealand rosé is too sweet, catering to the pinot gris mass market. The flavours in New Zealand rosé can be so good now, and our potential for making fine subtle world-class rosé is likewise so high, that it would be worthwhile winemakers marketing standard and reserves rosés, the latter dry or virtually so (3 – 4 g/L or less). I guess that is an ideal, so to match the chardonnay judging specification, let's say 5 g. Cellar the Mordoree several years, to taste. GK 02/06
Saar, Germany: 9%; $115
Palest lemon. Bouquet is exquisite, a perfect expression of Mosel / Saar / Ruwer riesling: white florals and freesia, hints of lime zest and vanillin, fresher than the Urziger Auslese, wonderful. Palate is pure floral nectar, rich for a spatlese, capturing all the dimensions of the bouquet. Not quite the acid of the Urziger, but will still cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 11/04
Palest lemon. Bouquet is exquisite, a perfect expression of Mosel / Saar / Ruwer riesling: white florals and freesia, hints of lime zest and vanillin, fresher than the Urziger Auslese, wonderful. Palate is pure floral nectar, rich for a spatlese, capturing all the dimensions of the bouquet. Not quite the acid of the Urziger, but will still cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 11/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; Gr 42%, Sy 39, Mv 15, balance Ci and oddments; cuvaison to 20 days, malolactic in vat, 12 months in various sizes oak, none new; www.chateaulanerthe.fr ]
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is ripe, sweet, rich and fragrant, red fruits more than black, subtlest oak, some cinnamon in the sense of spice melding with brown mushroom notes. Palate adds red plums to the raspberry, some darker notes maybe, but the wine beautifully avoiding the lowest-common-denominator (in these hotter days) of blackberry. Finish is long, velvety, and wonderfully elegant, more youthful than the colour. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is ripe, sweet, rich and fragrant, red fruits more than black, subtlest oak, some cinnamon in the sense of spice melding with brown mushroom notes. Palate adds red plums to the raspberry, some darker notes maybe, but the wine beautifully avoiding the lowest-common-denominator (in these hotter days) of blackberry. Finish is long, velvety, and wonderfully elegant, more youthful than the colour. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Tuscany, Italy: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; c. US$150; CS dominant, Me, CF; cuvaison 25 – 30 days, MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak 70% new, balance 1-year; a Frescobaldi / Mondavi joint venture initially; Parker / Thomases 164: "warm and spicy on the nose with superbly focused plum and black currant fruit, much complexity and elegance in its concentrated and supple body, velvety, enveloping …96"; Spectator: 95; Robinson: "Very sophisticated complex nose. Dense, savoury, lively. Intense. Much more Bordeaux-like build. Dry, sandy tannins but great complex, complete fruit too. 18.5 +"; www.ornellaia.it ]
Older ruby and velvet, a little more garnet than the Abreu, but the density closer to the Pask. And whereas the Pask, Pavie and Abreu all skirt around the concept of a great claret style, this Ornellaia zeroes in on the target. Despite the alcohol, this is great wine, reasonably fresh, nearly violets florals, aromatic, cassis and berryrich, subtle oak, intense on a potentially cigar-box bouquet like a great ripe-year Pauillac, with a suggestion of truffles complexity. Palate is equally marvellous, intense, long, aromatic, closer in style and freshness to the Pask, yet twice the concentration of berry and fruit. It is not however as weighty as the Abreu, and almost seems the best of all worlds. Magical. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 04/07
Older ruby and velvet, a little more garnet than the Abreu, but the density closer to the Pask. And whereas the Pask, Pavie and Abreu all skirt around the concept of a great claret style, this Ornellaia zeroes in on the target. Despite the alcohol, this is great wine, reasonably fresh, nearly violets florals, aromatic, cassis and berryrich, subtle oak, intense on a potentially cigar-box bouquet like a great ripe-year Pauillac, with a suggestion of truffles complexity. Palate is equally marvellous, intense, long, aromatic, closer in style and freshness to the Pask, yet twice the concentration of berry and fruit. It is not however as weighty as the Abreu, and almost seems the best of all worlds. Magical. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 04/07
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $600 [ Spare; original price $490; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 99, best since 1961 – Ripe … structure … definition of fruit … long-lived: Me 54%, CS 40, PV 6, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac (but surely less in 2010); time spent in barrel in better years c.20 months, 45% new, light toast; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; 8,500 cases in 2010; JH@JR, 2011: So inviting on the nose: rich dark fruit but so fragrant, it is almost a little floral and just a hint of oak's vanilla sweetness. Finely aromatic and alluring. Then much more serious on the palate. Dense and rich and savoury. Tannins are dense but polished to perfection and the finish is fresh and dry. Great stuff. Not in the least showy but very impressive, 18.5; NM@RP, 2015: the estate team regard the 2010 Château Palmer as their best since the 1983 ... It offers stunning precision on the nose: incredibly fresh and vibrant with the same spine-tingling level of mineralité as the 2005 ... there is a beguiling symmetry here, more focused and linear than the sumptuous 2009, yet with sensational length that makes you wonder what on Earth it will taste like in another 10-15 years, 96+; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a remarkably deep colour, by far the deepest in the set. The bouquet is spirity for Bordeaux, sadly in the modern idiom, but one can still detect floral hints of violets and dark roses, on darkest plum and cassisy berry, with new oak more noticeable than for the La Chapelle. In mouth the wine is still almost painfully youthful and not together, almost 'too powerful' for Ch Palmer, but (alcohol aside) you can also see considerable potential for elegance and harmony, in this velvety richness of berry and oak. It is just let down a little by the alcohol. I would love a dry extract for this remarkably rich wine: this is still the key dimension in red wine viticulture and elevation that New Zealand winemakers refuse to pay attention to – well, too many of them. 2010 Ch Palmer was the most obvious ‘favourite’ wine of the night, five first-places, and one second-place, but interestingly, seven tasters thought it Northern Rhone in origin, versus six Bordeaux. The 1966 Palmer just managed to be a 50-year-old wine: this 2010 will undoubtedly achieve that goal in cellar … and easily. Cellar 25 – 50 + years. Sadly however (in that context), in catering to the modern generation, the corks now are 50 mm, vs 54 for the 1966. And how much more subtle and fine the wine would be with a degree less alcohol. GK 03/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a remarkably deep colour, by far the deepest in the set. The bouquet is spirity for Bordeaux, sadly in the modern idiom, but one can still detect floral hints of violets and dark roses, on darkest plum and cassisy berry, with new oak more noticeable than for the La Chapelle. In mouth the wine is still almost painfully youthful and not together, almost 'too powerful' for Ch Palmer, but (alcohol aside) you can also see considerable potential for elegance and harmony, in this velvety richness of berry and oak. It is just let down a little by the alcohol. I would love a dry extract for this remarkably rich wine: this is still the key dimension in red wine viticulture and elevation that New Zealand winemakers refuse to pay attention to – well, too many of them. 2010 Ch Palmer was the most obvious ‘favourite’ wine of the night, five first-places, and one second-place, but interestingly, seven tasters thought it Northern Rhone in origin, versus six Bordeaux. The 1966 Palmer just managed to be a 50-year-old wine: this 2010 will undoubtedly achieve that goal in cellar … and easily. Cellar 25 – 50 + years. Sadly however (in that context), in catering to the modern generation, the corks now are 50 mm, vs 54 for the 1966. And how much more subtle and fine the wine would be with a degree less alcohol. GK 03/20
Epernay, Champagne, France: – %; $498 [ www.polroger.com; Broadbent rating for vintage: ***, A popular and stylish vintage … acidic, not that this is a grave disadvantage … with champagne; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 92, Drink, bold but balanced wines; now labelled Blanc de Blancs, Ch 100%, MLF, no oak, 8 – 9 years en tirage, dosage c.9 g/L; no reviews found.; www.polroger.com ]
Glowing straw, remarkable for its age, the faintest wash of fresh gold, just a bit deeper than midway, in depth. Bouquet is exquisite, still a hint of citrus, plus clear baguette character, buttered wholegrain toast, cashew, lovely. Palate is nearly as good, the citrus on bouquet now tasting like citrus zest or even candied peel (as in baking) in a positive way, plus a hint of old aromatic finest barrel-matured Spanish Reserva white (though whether in fact any oak use then at Pol Roger not known), on still almost-succulent fruit. The whole wine is complexed by baguette-quality mealy autolysis with scarcely any deeper / browner Vogel's-type suggestions at all, yet the wine is not in any way 'fruity'. It seems not as dry as some, maybe 9 – 10 g/L. A lovely mature Blanc de Blancs still with time to go. I liked this a little more than the group, the 1975 Comtes being the more popular of the two 1975s. GK 05/16
Glowing straw, remarkable for its age, the faintest wash of fresh gold, just a bit deeper than midway, in depth. Bouquet is exquisite, still a hint of citrus, plus clear baguette character, buttered wholegrain toast, cashew, lovely. Palate is nearly as good, the citrus on bouquet now tasting like citrus zest or even candied peel (as in baking) in a positive way, plus a hint of old aromatic finest barrel-matured Spanish Reserva white (though whether in fact any oak use then at Pol Roger not known), on still almost-succulent fruit. The whole wine is complexed by baguette-quality mealy autolysis with scarcely any deeper / browner Vogel's-type suggestions at all, yet the wine is not in any way 'fruity'. It seems not as dry as some, maybe 9 – 10 g/L. A lovely mature Blanc de Blancs still with time to go. I liked this a little more than the group, the 1975 Comtes being the more popular of the two 1975s. GK 05/16
Pauillac 5th Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $172 [ Cork 50mm; CS 60%, Me 33, PV5, CF 2; the reputation of Pontet Canet now progresses in leaps and bounds, compared with its standing a generation-plus ago. Though classed a Fifth Growth, its pricing now matches the better second growths. The vineyard is now organic status, though not much is being made of that, and is moving towards a biodynamic approach as well. The current proprietor Alfred Tesseron was out here recently with Glengarry wine merchants, and emphasised they were not so much winemakers, the key thing was the grape-growing; the vineyard averages 45 years age, and is planted at 9,500 vines / ha; the wine usually spends 16 – 20 months in 60% new oak; there are about 25,000 cases per annum. Second wine is Les Hauts de Pontet, but they aim to make less of that, so the grand vin does reflect the vintage. If it is not up to scratch, it will be sold off in bulk. They also make the wine for Ch Senejac; Robinson, Feb 2010: Quite full and ripe and rich on the nose .... Succulent and juicy with sufficient freshness. Just a very slightly burnt note on the nose. A bit chewy on the finish. Sweet and flattering, 16.5; Parker, Aug 2014: The spectacular 2003 Pontet Canet is still incredibly young and vigorous. This full-bodied classic boasts a dense purple color as well as a superb nose of graphite, creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice and a hint of truffles, low acidity, and extravagant richness. Most of the tannins have been resolved in this superstar of the vintage. It should continue to drink well for 10-15+ years, 95+; www.pontet-canet.com ]
Ruby and rich velvet, one of the youngest, the second deepest. One sniff, and to anybody brought up on Pontet-Canet in the Cruse days, this 2003 is a revelation. It is a fractionally bigger and richer wine than the Montrose, a wine showing great smoothness on bouquet, and fruit and oak of great quality. The cassis is a little riper / softer / less aromatic than the Montrose, but it is the dominant fruit note. Palate is younger than the top two, the oak still not completely assimilated but the berry fruit is so rich, clearly great pleasure lies ahead. This is a classic example of a wine showing power and beauty without undue weight, as alluded to earlier. It will end up just as rich as the Las Cases, even though it tastes much younger now. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and rich velvet, one of the youngest, the second deepest. One sniff, and to anybody brought up on Pontet-Canet in the Cruse days, this 2003 is a revelation. It is a fractionally bigger and richer wine than the Montrose, a wine showing great smoothness on bouquet, and fruit and oak of great quality. The cassis is a little riper / softer / less aromatic than the Montrose, but it is the dominant fruit note. Palate is younger than the top two, the oak still not completely assimilated but the berry fruit is so rich, clearly great pleasure lies ahead. This is a classic example of a wine showing power and beauty without undue weight, as alluded to earlier. It will end up just as rich as the Las Cases, even though it tastes much younger now. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $546 [ cork; up to 22 months in 100% new French oak; Rousseau owns 1.4 ha, 9.2% of the vineyard; making approx 500 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in the depth of colour sequence, scarcely distinguishable from the Craggy Range Calvert. If there is one wine in the set that displays exemplary pinot noir varietal quality, this is it. The depth of the boronia, violets and dark roses on bouquet is a total delight, the quality of oak is reminiscent of Peregrine's The Pinnacle but subtler, and the aromatic red and black cherry is breathtaking. In mouth, the wine fulfils all the promise of the bouquet, not as rich as a year like 2005 but making up for that in beauty, harmony, balance, and precise varietal flavour. A pinot noir winemaker only needs to taste a wine like this once a year, to be completely focussed for the other 364. Sadly, few bother in New Zealand. Only two winemakers in the entire Wairarapa Valley were sufficiently interested in the absolute qualities sought in pinot noir, to attend this benchmark Rousseau tasting. When you think about it, it is a rare occasion when a Rousseau tasting does not provide a benchmarking experience, so a critical opportunity has been lost here. 2007 was a perfectly serviceable year in Burgundy, Wine Spectator rating it 90 points and noting particular success in Gevrey-Chambertin – Rousseau's centre of operations. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/10
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in the depth of colour sequence, scarcely distinguishable from the Craggy Range Calvert. If there is one wine in the set that displays exemplary pinot noir varietal quality, this is it. The depth of the boronia, violets and dark roses on bouquet is a total delight, the quality of oak is reminiscent of Peregrine's The Pinnacle but subtler, and the aromatic red and black cherry is breathtaking. In mouth, the wine fulfils all the promise of the bouquet, not as rich as a year like 2005 but making up for that in beauty, harmony, balance, and precise varietal flavour. A pinot noir winemaker only needs to taste a wine like this once a year, to be completely focussed for the other 364. Sadly, few bother in New Zealand. Only two winemakers in the entire Wairarapa Valley were sufficiently interested in the absolute qualities sought in pinot noir, to attend this benchmark Rousseau tasting. When you think about it, it is a rare occasion when a Rousseau tasting does not provide a benchmarking experience, so a critical opportunity has been lost here. 2007 was a perfectly serviceable year in Burgundy, Wine Spectator rating it 90 points and noting particular success in Gevrey-Chambertin – Rousseau's centre of operations. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/10
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $221 [ cork; up to 22 months usually in one third new French oak; Rousseau owns 1.5 ha, 8.8% of the vineyard, making approx 490 cases; Clos de la Roche one of the least-recognised and hence best-value grands crus in all Cote de Nuits; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Rich pinot noir ruby, the second deepest in the tasting, but still lighter than many New Zealand pinot noirs. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, more black than red cherries, gorgeous boronia florals with a Lisbon lemon blossom aromatic note, really striking. Palate follows in the same style, darkly fruited yet still light on its feet, rich yet not heavy, not as new-oaky as the Chambertin proper or Clos St Jacques, wonderfully succulent. A winemaker wondered if there might be trace brett, but at this level, if so, it is magic. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Rich pinot noir ruby, the second deepest in the tasting, but still lighter than many New Zealand pinot noirs. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, more black than red cherries, gorgeous boronia florals with a Lisbon lemon blossom aromatic note, really striking. Palate follows in the same style, darkly fruited yet still light on its feet, rich yet not heavy, not as new-oaky as the Chambertin proper or Clos St Jacques, wonderfully succulent. A winemaker wondered if there might be trace brett, but at this level, if so, it is magic. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $83 [ cork 46mm, ullage 13mm; original price c.$35; Gr c.65%, Sy c.15, Mv c.15, some Ci; hand-harvested, average yield 3.75 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; cuvaison in s/s, some whole-bunches; elevation c. 12 months, more than 50% of the wine in concrete vat and large wood, less than half in 1 – 4 year barriques; usually no fining or filtering; tending organic wine; no Valbelle in 1999; J. L-L, 2011: There is a gentle curve of red fruit on the bouquet, which has a grainy depth; that brings in more black fruit beyond, which has good heart, carries licorice with it. Salty, fine fruit lead to the palate – this is fresh, runs straight and true, the freshness is sparkling. It ends on an accomplished length, thanks to a really tasty herbal-floral flourish. The tannins are a bit gritty still. To 2025. [ Earlier comment: Good richness within ], ****(*); R. Parker, 2000: ([1999 is] 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 5% Cinsault) ... sweet aromas of blackberry fruit, roasted meats, and cassis. Chewy, powerful, full-bodied, superbly concentrated, pure, and well-balanced ... to 2014, 90 – 92; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, the third lightest. This bouquet has astonishing freshness and near-florality, the syrah seeming more prominent than its percentage in the cepage would suggest, plus lovely garrigue aromatics. Palate is superb, beautiful berry definition and freshness, the wine not as rich as some of the Chateauneufs, but the flavour still long, any oak understated. This would be a near-perfect Southern Rhone red with food, its palatability enhanced by the low (nowadays) alcohol. Tasters agreed, seven first places, one second, clearly the most favoured wine. Fully mature now, but will be attractive for another 10 years. An infinitely desirable wine. GK 10/19
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, the third lightest. This bouquet has astonishing freshness and near-florality, the syrah seeming more prominent than its percentage in the cepage would suggest, plus lovely garrigue aromatics. Palate is superb, beautiful berry definition and freshness, the wine not as rich as some of the Chateauneufs, but the flavour still long, any oak understated. This would be a near-perfect Southern Rhone red with food, its palatability enhanced by the low (nowadays) alcohol. Tasters agreed, seven first places, one second, clearly the most favoured wine. Fully mature now, but will be attractive for another 10 years. An infinitely desirable wine. GK 10/19
Barossa Valley, South Australia: 15%; $22 [ www.beringerblass.com.au ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, denser even than the company's 02 Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon, and much denser than the 02 Pepperjack Shiraz. Bouquet is immensely deep, rich and densely plummy, massive, but not as heavy as Aussie wines so often are, in this size range. Palate is unctuously rich, velvety, yet totally dry, with a bottled blackest plums flavour which is subtler than the boysenberry of so much over-ripe Australian shiraz, and therefore more interesting – despite the hint of prunes. Oak handling on this wine is a little more noticeable than on the Pepperjack, but still very good. Total mouthfeel is pleasing, again unlike so many big Barossa shirazes where one feels manipulated by tannin additions, acid additions, and various excessive uses of oak. Whatever has been done here is subtle (relative to the size of the wine). Like the Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon, it will be of compelling interest to see how this massive wine cellars, for it is hard to taste whether it is totally conventional, or contrived in some way. Meanwhile, the number of grapes per bottle makes this the original wine bargain. It should cellar for 5 – 20 years, and is worth buying by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, denser even than the company's 02 Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon, and much denser than the 02 Pepperjack Shiraz. Bouquet is immensely deep, rich and densely plummy, massive, but not as heavy as Aussie wines so often are, in this size range. Palate is unctuously rich, velvety, yet totally dry, with a bottled blackest plums flavour which is subtler than the boysenberry of so much over-ripe Australian shiraz, and therefore more interesting – despite the hint of prunes. Oak handling on this wine is a little more noticeable than on the Pepperjack, but still very good. Total mouthfeel is pleasing, again unlike so many big Barossa shirazes where one feels manipulated by tannin additions, acid additions, and various excessive uses of oak. Whatever has been done here is subtle (relative to the size of the wine). Like the Pepperjack Cabernet Sauvignon, it will be of compelling interest to see how this massive wine cellars, for it is hard to taste whether it is totally conventional, or contrived in some way. Meanwhile, the number of grapes per bottle makes this the original wine bargain. It should cellar for 5 – 20 years, and is worth buying by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $70 [ cork 50mm; Gr 80%, Sy 20, organic, (Sy classed as Vieilles Vignes); cropped at 3.65 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; elevation 12 months in puncheons, age unsure; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 594 g; www.sangdescailloux.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, yet floral too in a midnight-deep way. Blind, you ask, is this high mourvedre ? The fruits are dark, but there is none of the clumsy blackberry of over-ripe syrah some of these wines show. It is all uplifted by trace fragrant garrigue aromatics, plus a little spirit. In mouth the depth of fruit is astonishing. This wine is richer than Telegramme. There is not quite the tannin structure of some of the other highly regarded wines in the set, and little sign of new oak, but the balance of berry to grape tannins, and the dry extract and length of flavour, are all sensational. This is a glorious (but darker) example of the 2016 vintage in the southern Rhone Valley, which will lighten up in cellar. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper wines. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, yet floral too in a midnight-deep way. Blind, you ask, is this high mourvedre ? The fruits are dark, but there is none of the clumsy blackberry of over-ripe syrah some of these wines show. It is all uplifted by trace fragrant garrigue aromatics, plus a little spirit. In mouth the depth of fruit is astonishing. This wine is richer than Telegramme. There is not quite the tannin structure of some of the other highly regarded wines in the set, and little sign of new oak, but the balance of berry to grape tannins, and the dry extract and length of flavour, are all sensational. This is a glorious (but darker) example of the 2016 vintage in the southern Rhone Valley, which will lighten up in cellar. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $70 [ cork, 50 mm; certified organic wine; proprietor Serge Ferigoulé farms 17 hectares on the Plateau des Garrigues, an area with the famous galets roulés, now biodynamic viticulture, low yields. The Lopy site is 4 hectares, all hand-harvested at 3.65 t/ha = 1.48 t/ha, the cepage Gr 80%, Sy 20. Lopy is the top wine of the domaine. Vinification includes all de-stemmed, up to 25 days cuvaison in concrete, elevation in third year and older 450s, not fined or filtered; John Livingstone-Learmonth: This is very much in the top three domaines of Vacqueyras, and the wines can be cellared for a couple of decades. For Lopy 2016: The length is good. It is nourishing, prolonged, sweet inside, ****(*); Decanter: A gorgeous Grenache expression on the nose, from a parcel of 70 year old vines, showing herbal, plum and strawberry aromas, enveloping and inviting. The Syrah adds structure and bite on the medium to full-bodied palate. It has a lovely quality of ripe tannins, good acidity and freshness, with a very long finish, 94; production averages 1,750 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 596 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; https://sangdescailloux.com ]
Big ruby, carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet is much lighter and more floral than the other deep wine, Cairanne Maximilien, exquisite carnations, dianthus and red roses on complex fruit notes ranging from dark cherry to darkest cassis, all lightly aromatic, really uplifting and very beautiful. Oak here is nearly invisible, totally enhancing the grape beauty and complexity, without being recognisable. Palate is in one sense quite different, the fresher red fruits of grenache jumping to the fore, lovely cinnamon complexity, great length on the fruit richness, and gradually the oak becomes more noticeable, lengthening the palate. Is this perfect oaking ? In this beautiful wine, the 20% syrah dominates the bouquet, with its floral complexity, whereas grenache dominates the palate. What a great achievement. One second-favourite vote. Cellar 5 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Big ruby, carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet is much lighter and more floral than the other deep wine, Cairanne Maximilien, exquisite carnations, dianthus and red roses on complex fruit notes ranging from dark cherry to darkest cassis, all lightly aromatic, really uplifting and very beautiful. Oak here is nearly invisible, totally enhancing the grape beauty and complexity, without being recognisable. Palate is in one sense quite different, the fresher red fruits of grenache jumping to the fore, lovely cinnamon complexity, great length on the fruit richness, and gradually the oak becomes more noticeable, lengthening the palate. Is this perfect oaking ? In this beautiful wine, the 20% syrah dominates the bouquet, with its floral complexity, whereas grenache dominates the palate. What a great achievement. One second-favourite vote. Cellar 5 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia: 13%; $ – [ cork; first released in 1979, this wonderfully historic wine comes from a half-hectare un-grafted, pre-phylloxera original Estate planting of shiraz vines, as the winery says: 'amongst the oldest Shiraz vines in the world'. Hand-picked, fermented in century-old oak vats, then 18 months in French oak, the wine is held for four years before release. In 1991 the label was a straight reproduction of an 1875 label, complete with Chateau Tahbilk. Latterly the wording is more modern, but the design remains evocative; the wine is now seriously expensive, around $AU150, but if the style today is true to the earlier wines, it is more worth that than some of the latterday lumbering monsters from other wineries; www.tahbilk.com.au ]
Ruby and garnet, medium weight. Bouquet is soft, fragrant, and really syrah-like in its beguiling wallflower / flowering mint on bouquet. This could easily be confused with 21-year-old Hermitage. Palate is enchanting, almost strong pinot noir, great fruit delicacy, subtlest oak, the kind of beautiful classical shiraz Tahbilk did so well before the desire for new oak, high alcohols, and technically-lead winemaking raised its ugly head. Fruit on palate is simply superb. At a peak of perfection now, no hurry at all, one of the most beautiful Australian shirazes I have ever tasted, fully qualifying as syrah, the kind of beauty in mouth one associates with grand cru Morey-St-Denis, as well as fine Hermitage. Tasted alongside 1994 Delas Hermitage Tourette, the similarity of florality, berry and subtle oaking is wonderful. The Tahbilk is richer and younger though, by far. No hurry here at all. GK 08/12
Ruby and garnet, medium weight. Bouquet is soft, fragrant, and really syrah-like in its beguiling wallflower / flowering mint on bouquet. This could easily be confused with 21-year-old Hermitage. Palate is enchanting, almost strong pinot noir, great fruit delicacy, subtlest oak, the kind of beautiful classical shiraz Tahbilk did so well before the desire for new oak, high alcohols, and technically-lead winemaking raised its ugly head. Fruit on palate is simply superb. At a peak of perfection now, no hurry at all, one of the most beautiful Australian shirazes I have ever tasted, fully qualifying as syrah, the kind of beauty in mouth one associates with grand cru Morey-St-Denis, as well as fine Hermitage. Tasted alongside 1994 Delas Hermitage Tourette, the similarity of florality, berry and subtle oaking is wonderful. The Tahbilk is richer and younger though, by far. No hurry here at all. GK 08/12
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $106 [ cork, 50mm; typically Gr 75%, Sy 10, Mv 10, balance minor varieties, 75% of the vines more than 80 years old; 50% destemming, 18 – 25 days cuvaison, in concrete vat, elevation 18 months in large old wood; not fined but now some filtering; just the one label; J. Robinson, 2016: Lightly medicinal on the nose ... big fruit impact and fine tannins. This should deliver ... Long and spicy. Quite intense. 2023 – 2035, 17.5; J.L-L, 2016: [ barrel sample ] The bouquet is full, elegant, has good promise ... refined black fruit within, and some smoke-tobacco hints. The palate ... in shape to be a well-balanced, top grade 2015 ... lovely poise, and purity of fruit, the tannins carrying fine detail, ****(*); J. Czerwinski @ R. Parker, 2017: ... a floral, violet-scented wine that's supple and ripe. Only medium to full-bodied, it showcases complex garrigue and licorice notes rather than oodles of red fruit and comes to a long, silky finish. 2017 – 2030, 93; no website found, but a good summary in the files of www.thewinecellarinsider.com; bottle weight 638g ]
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. This is yet another fabulous Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet, sitting between the red fruits of the Clos des Papes, and the dark mourvedre-dominated Beaucastel. Here the floral notes also clearly have a savoury garrigue complexity to them, on a more loganberry / darker raspberry kind of fruit. In mouth the wine is already velvet, the hint of bouquet garni from the garrigue notes enlivening the flavour. Oaking is again masterly and understated: the pleasure to be had here will be immeasurable. This too is remarkably pure wine, six people rated it their top wine, and one their second. In other words, this is classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape, not too big, beautifully poised. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/18
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. This is yet another fabulous Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet, sitting between the red fruits of the Clos des Papes, and the dark mourvedre-dominated Beaucastel. Here the floral notes also clearly have a savoury garrigue complexity to them, on a more loganberry / darker raspberry kind of fruit. In mouth the wine is already velvet, the hint of bouquet garni from the garrigue notes enlivening the flavour. Oaking is again masterly and understated: the pleasure to be had here will be immeasurable. This too is remarkably pure wine, six people rated it their top wine, and one their second. In other words, this is classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape, not too big, beautifully poised. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $205 [ cork, 46mm; original cost $58; just the one label; this year Gr 75%, Sy 10, Mv 10, balance minor varieties, 75% of the vines more than 80 years old; 18 – 25 days cuvaison, 50% destemming, elevation 18 – 24 months in large old wood; not filtered in 1998; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: Garrigue, truffle, leather and plenty of ripe fruit flow to a full-bodied, mouth filling and unctuously textured ... palate ... will certainly hold nicely for another 7-8 years, 96; Parker, 2001: ... majestic, old style offering ... a gorgeous nose of licorice, tobacco, dried herbs, smoke, blackberries, cassis, and aged beef ... a classic vin de garde ..., 96; J.L-L, 2008: masses of appeal on the nose ... This is exciting wine ... It is fresher and younger than many 1998s ... sweet charm ... In with the red fruits are cocoa, tobacco leaf, excellent flavouring, ******; 6-star ratings are conspicuously rare in J.L-L's lexicon; no website, but a good summary in the files of www.thewinecellarinsider.com; bottle weight 675g ]
Ruby and garnet, the lightest wine. This note must be indicative / provisional only, since in assembling, proofing, and sequencing the tasting beforehand, this wine had to be rejected for some TCA. It was replaced by the Charbonniere Vieilles Vignes. A 60 ml sample held in XL5 with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® allowed probable assessment of its rank in the field, on following evenings. After 48 hours the bouquet opened up, becoming ripe and rich, with blending varieties evident. Fruit richness and length of flavour in mouth is classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and tannin seems sweetly in balance, the wine starting to soften. There is little or no suggestion of new oak. Given J. Livingstone-Learmonth’s perfect score, something he is sparing with, I await the next bottle eagerly. It seems brett-free. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/18
Ruby and garnet, the lightest wine. This note must be indicative / provisional only, since in assembling, proofing, and sequencing the tasting beforehand, this wine had to be rejected for some TCA. It was replaced by the Charbonniere Vieilles Vignes. A 60 ml sample held in XL5 with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® allowed probable assessment of its rank in the field, on following evenings. After 48 hours the bouquet opened up, becoming ripe and rich, with blending varieties evident. Fruit richness and length of flavour in mouth is classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and tannin seems sweetly in balance, the wine starting to soften. There is little or no suggestion of new oak. Given J. Livingstone-Learmonth’s perfect score, something he is sparing with, I await the next bottle eagerly. It seems brett-free. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $150 [ cork 49 mm; Gr 65%, Mv 15-20, Sy 15, cinsaut and other permitted 5, average age 70 years: concrete vat then 20-22 months in 6,000 litre older oak; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 630 g; www.vieux-telegraphe.fr ]
Ruby, the lightest wine in the set. The first thing to say is, this is a much more understated wine than some Vieux Télégraphes of yesteryear. It is almost a Chateauneuf-du-Pape for pinot noir-lovers, though there is inevitably a little spirit. The bouquet is nearly floral, pink and red roses, a lovely garrigue lift, on all red fruits. Grenache dominates here totally, the minor varieties quite in the background this year (actual cepage for 2016 not known). Palate has succulent fruit richness, made even more fragrant by subtlest newish oak, and great length, deceptively so for a wine so light in total impression. Fruits include the raspberry of grenache, cherry and some red plum, plus cinnamon complexity. This is a beautiful fragrant wine, to cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, the lightest wine in the set. The first thing to say is, this is a much more understated wine than some Vieux Télégraphes of yesteryear. It is almost a Chateauneuf-du-Pape for pinot noir-lovers, though there is inevitably a little spirit. The bouquet is nearly floral, pink and red roses, a lovely garrigue lift, on all red fruits. Grenache dominates here totally, the minor varieties quite in the background this year (actual cepage for 2016 not known). Palate has succulent fruit richness, made even more fragrant by subtlest newish oak, and great length, deceptively so for a wine so light in total impression. Fruits include the raspberry of grenache, cherry and some red plum, plus cinnamon complexity. This is a beautiful fragrant wine, to cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 05/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $132 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$75; Gr 65%, Mv 15, Sy 15, balance authorised varieties hand-harvested from one of Chateauneuf's most famous vineyards, average age all vines >50 years (then); mostly destemmed, cuvaison formerly shorter, now to 30 even 40 days, elevation c.12 months in concrete, c.10 months in foudre; not fined or filtered; average annual production 16,5000 x 9-litre cases, yet such is its fame it is hard to buy in New Zealand; J.L-L, 2010: Solid, impenetrable nose – a wall of black fruit, soaked black cherries, cocoa, especially dates. The palate is similar – this is really closed now, has droves of black fruit with a lining of firmly founded tannins. The length is good – it is a wine that runs solidly to the line, delivers a full, intense finish. Very deep. “There is enormous difference between the 2005 and 2006 – in 15 years, around 2025, the 2005 will be right there, and the 2006 will be a little old man,” Daniel Brunier. From 2014. 2030-34, ******; JD@RP, 2015: One of the most age-worthy cuvees in the appellation ... classic iodine, seaweed and peppery herbs intermixed with layers of sweet currant, plum and blackberry fruits. Full-bodied, powerful and ripe, with a still youthful profile, this beauty won’t hit full maturity for another 3-4 years, 2015 - 2030, 95; weight bottle and cork 670 g; www.vieux-telegraphe.fr ]
Ruby and a suggestion of garnet, well below midway, the third to lightest wine. The bouquet on this chateauneuf is magical. Like the Marcoux it is one of the subtler understated wines, but it is nearly floral, nearly ‘sweet’, and wonderfully red-fruits fragrant, plus clear saliva-inducing garrigue complexity. Palate pretty well epitomises fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape, beautiful succulent red fruits complexed with the darker notes of syrah and mourvedre, all framed in superb oak much softer than the Janasse wines. You could sniff this all night. The aftertaste rests totally on fruit, a nonsense statement in fact since the oak frames the berry so exquisitely. Tasters were a bit misled by this wine. As a subtle wine, between what turned out to be two oaky wines, it was rather overlooked, no votes. The sequencing should have anticipated this … but the full character of the wine is not always apparent straight after decanting. The subtlety of the wine led many to believe this is a 100% (or nearly) grenache. It is so perfectly balanced it will cellar for years, and even when it is ‘too old’ it will still be beautiful. A wonderful wine, and one of the few said to be under 15%. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/19
Ruby and a suggestion of garnet, well below midway, the third to lightest wine. The bouquet on this chateauneuf is magical. Like the Marcoux it is one of the subtler understated wines, but it is nearly floral, nearly ‘sweet’, and wonderfully red-fruits fragrant, plus clear saliva-inducing garrigue complexity. Palate pretty well epitomises fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape, beautiful succulent red fruits complexed with the darker notes of syrah and mourvedre, all framed in superb oak much softer than the Janasse wines. You could sniff this all night. The aftertaste rests totally on fruit, a nonsense statement in fact since the oak frames the berry so exquisitely. Tasters were a bit misled by this wine. As a subtle wine, between what turned out to be two oaky wines, it was rather overlooked, no votes. The sequencing should have anticipated this … but the full character of the wine is not always apparent straight after decanting. The subtlety of the wine led many to believe this is a 100% (or nearly) grenache. It is so perfectly balanced it will cellar for years, and even when it is ‘too old’ it will still be beautiful. A wonderful wine, and one of the few said to be under 15%. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/19
Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $540 [ 48mm cork; a 3 – 4-star vintage for Broadbent, 10% more fruit than 1995, at best wines of great balance, charming and seductive; detail available is sparse, de Vogue is by far the largest owner in Bonnes Mares; new oak use is restrained, typically 35% for grands crus such as this; Jasper Morris notes: There is frequently a fascinating aromatic quality, very floral, perhaps suggesting peonies; Robinson has not had any de Vogue Bonnes Mares from the '90s, but rates younger ones less highly than his Musigny; Rovani in Parker, 1998: I loved this … medium-to-full-bodied, tightly wound, sensual, and seductive wine. Seemingly unending layers of black raspberries, cherries, wild blueberries, tangy red currants, and fresh herbs ... in this complex, rich, silky-textured, and profound wine. ... sublime finish ... gorgeous purity of fruit, has a firm yet supple backbone. An extraordinary Bonnes Mares! Projected maturity: 2003-2010+,92 – 95; de Vogue at least in the '90s appeared to use oversize corks, which give an astonishingly good seal, but are the devil to get out; no website found. ]
Ruby and garnet, the third deepest wine. This wine shows the most dramatic bouquet in the set, being both highly and attractively floral (buddleia, roses, clear boronia) but also faintly but distinctly flowering mint or subtle salvia. The closest plant analogy is the Australian flowering shrub Prostanthera. This exhilarating but unusual (for pinot noir) bouquet leads into a near-perfect pinot noir palate, neat, taut and perfectly fleshed, wonderfully subtle oak balance, and aromatic (as the bouquet would suggest), not in the slightest bit heavy yet rich, even powerful, and very long. In one sense this is classically Cote de Nuits, yet in another it is freaky. Hence 11 tasters confidently identified it as Australian, on the faintly minty note. The astonishment evident on revealing the wine as the lesser-year (by repute) de Vogue was one of those lovely moments in presenting wine tastings, not for any smart-arse reason, simply to illustrate the eternal challenge of understanding wine. This is a smaller wine than the Musigny, in terms of dry extract, but a far more beautiful one, at this point. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Top wine for two. GK 10/14
Ruby and garnet, the third deepest wine. This wine shows the most dramatic bouquet in the set, being both highly and attractively floral (buddleia, roses, clear boronia) but also faintly but distinctly flowering mint or subtle salvia. The closest plant analogy is the Australian flowering shrub Prostanthera. This exhilarating but unusual (for pinot noir) bouquet leads into a near-perfect pinot noir palate, neat, taut and perfectly fleshed, wonderfully subtle oak balance, and aromatic (as the bouquet would suggest), not in the slightest bit heavy yet rich, even powerful, and very long. In one sense this is classically Cote de Nuits, yet in another it is freaky. Hence 11 tasters confidently identified it as Australian, on the faintly minty note. The astonishment evident on revealing the wine as the lesser-year (by repute) de Vogue was one of those lovely moments in presenting wine tastings, not for any smart-arse reason, simply to illustrate the eternal challenge of understanding wine. This is a smaller wine than the Musigny, in terms of dry extract, but a far more beautiful one, at this point. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Top wine for two. GK 10/14
Gimblett Gravels & other districts, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 15 days cuvaison; c. 18 months in French and American oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely less dense than the Villa Reserve. Bouquet on this syrah is wonderfully aromatic, not quite as floral as the Reserve, but with a lovely herbes de Provence aromatic quality grading through to freshly cracked black peppercorn on rich cassis, which is nearly as delightful. Purity on bouquet is superb. Like the Reserve, but in contrast to the same firm's Shiraz / Viognier blend, in mouth this wine shows some of the firmness of great Hermitage, again with intense cassis and dark plums, seemingly as rich as the senior wine. It is just not quite so magically sustained and tapering on the finish. In only 10 years, essentially our syrahs have reached the point where one company can produce volumes of a wine at this quality level, not to mention the Reserve – surely a matter for rejoicing. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely less dense than the Villa Reserve. Bouquet on this syrah is wonderfully aromatic, not quite as floral as the Reserve, but with a lovely herbes de Provence aromatic quality grading through to freshly cracked black peppercorn on rich cassis, which is nearly as delightful. Purity on bouquet is superb. Like the Reserve, but in contrast to the same firm's Shiraz / Viognier blend, in mouth this wine shows some of the firmness of great Hermitage, again with intense cassis and dark plums, seemingly as rich as the senior wine. It is just not quite so magically sustained and tapering on the finish. In only 10 years, essentially our syrahs have reached the point where one company can produce volumes of a wine at this quality level, not to mention the Reserve – surely a matter for rejoicing. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/08
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia: 14.5%; $102 [ screwcap; price is simple conversion from AU$80; Sy 100%, hand-picked @ 0.8 t/ac from intensively managed vines to optimise fruit exposure; 100% de-stemmed, c.2 days cold-soak then inoculated yeast, 14 days cuvaison to dryness, no yeast-BF; initial tartaric adjustment at de-stemming, topped up to 2 g/L addition after MLF in barrel; c.15 months in French oak 100% new; medium-polish filter to bottle; 15 Trophies already in Australia, including Best Shiraz @ Royal Melbourne (usually meaningful); 250 cases of 12; Halliday on the 2006: Saturated colour; significantly greater volume of flavour than the Estate, all share the elements of spice and cracked pepper that make these wines so special. 96; www.paringaestate.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fresh and delightful colour, in the middle for depth. This is a wondrous wine, a syrah from Australia illustrating perfectly how virtually all the mainland is too hot for optimal varietal quality – if expression as syrah is the goal. It is a little spirity, but there are soft wallflower florals and suggestions of dianthus no more mint-affected than one or two New Zealand syrahs. Despite being wonderfully rich, the palate shows vibrant cassis, a touch of cracked peppercorn, a nearly natural acid balance [ I thought, before detail supplied ], and subtle oak. It seems to have more delicacy and poise than Le Sol, reminding rather more of New Zealand's 2007 Church Road Syrah Reserve, though the pH of 3.37 certainly argues against that impression. From the New Zealand perspective, the Paringa is a sensation, showing (sadly for us) that we do not have the syrah winestyle all to ourselves, in Australasia. Not imported into New Zealand, sadly. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fresh and delightful colour, in the middle for depth. This is a wondrous wine, a syrah from Australia illustrating perfectly how virtually all the mainland is too hot for optimal varietal quality – if expression as syrah is the goal. It is a little spirity, but there are soft wallflower florals and suggestions of dianthus no more mint-affected than one or two New Zealand syrahs. Despite being wonderfully rich, the palate shows vibrant cassis, a touch of cracked peppercorn, a nearly natural acid balance [ I thought, before detail supplied ], and subtle oak. It seems to have more delicacy and poise than Le Sol, reminding rather more of New Zealand's 2007 Church Road Syrah Reserve, though the pH of 3.37 certainly argues against that impression. From the New Zealand perspective, the Paringa is a sensation, showing (sadly for us) that we do not have the syrah winestyle all to ourselves, in Australasia. Not imported into New Zealand, sadly. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $120 [ cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2, hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed, shortish cuvaison; MLF completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, older than some. Bouquet is soft, ripe and plummy, more the blueberry than cassis side of syrah (understandable in the warmer year) plus an intriguing beeswax complexity seen in the Northern Rhone syrahs sometimes. Palate is clearly blueberry, even dramatically so, contrasting vividly with the Church Road. Oak is subtle initially and very fragrant, but builds up in mouth. It must be pretty expensive oak, for the flavour is beautiful. Tasted with some 2009 Bordeaux, the confusion between this and virtually straight merlot is enchanting. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/12
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, older than some. Bouquet is soft, ripe and plummy, more the blueberry than cassis side of syrah (understandable in the warmer year) plus an intriguing beeswax complexity seen in the Northern Rhone syrahs sometimes. Palate is clearly blueberry, even dramatically so, contrasting vividly with the Church Road. Oak is subtle initially and very fragrant, but builds up in mouth. It must be pretty expensive oak, for the flavour is beautiful. Tasted with some 2009 Bordeaux, the confusion between this and virtually straight merlot is enchanting. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; indicative price c. $100; CS 50%, Me 50; all hand-picked [presumably at c. 2.5 t/ac as in 2005] from on-average 10-year old vines; 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation and cuvaison 4 weeks for the CS component in an older oak cuve, 3 weeks for Me, no BF or lees work; 21 months in all-French oak c. 70% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; not fined or filtered; RS < 0.2 g/L; 500 cases; release date 2011, not on website for some time yet; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Midnight-deep velvety carmine, ruby and velvet, if anything deeper than the Church Road Reserve 2007, the deepest finished wine of the day, sensational. Freshly opened, there seems almost Napa-like sweetness and ampleness of plummy berry that hints at sur-maturité, especially alongside a relatively 'delicate' wine such as the Cheval Blanc. Yet with air the wine expands into an enormously rich and saturated powerhouse of cassis and darkest plum, both fresh and bottled, with a lot of cedary oak yet to marry up. The Church Road Reserve is much more fruit-dominant and accessible today, and because of the great flesh, at first sight it appears a bigger wine than Tom 2007. But, Tom is in fact huge, richer than Sophia '07, yet still alongside premium Australian wines it is totally fresh and fine-grained on natural acid. The oak at this stage seems greater in the balance than even the Brokenstone Merlot, but the richness though the wine is completely dry is sufficient to allow a 40-year life in bottle. This will become a very special New Zealand wine, if cellared long enough. Whether it will give as much pleasure as the more gently oaked 2007 Church Road Reserve, factoring in you can have three of them for the price of one Tom, will be debated for decades ! Cellar 10 – 40 years, speaking as someone with 40-year old Hawkes Bay cabernets still on hand. GK 01/10
Midnight-deep velvety carmine, ruby and velvet, if anything deeper than the Church Road Reserve 2007, the deepest finished wine of the day, sensational. Freshly opened, there seems almost Napa-like sweetness and ampleness of plummy berry that hints at sur-maturité, especially alongside a relatively 'delicate' wine such as the Cheval Blanc. Yet with air the wine expands into an enormously rich and saturated powerhouse of cassis and darkest plum, both fresh and bottled, with a lot of cedary oak yet to marry up. The Church Road Reserve is much more fruit-dominant and accessible today, and because of the great flesh, at first sight it appears a bigger wine than Tom 2007. But, Tom is in fact huge, richer than Sophia '07, yet still alongside premium Australian wines it is totally fresh and fine-grained on natural acid. The oak at this stage seems greater in the balance than even the Brokenstone Merlot, but the richness though the wine is completely dry is sufficient to allow a 40-year life in bottle. This will become a very special New Zealand wine, if cellared long enough. Whether it will give as much pleasure as the more gently oaked 2007 Church Road Reserve, factoring in you can have three of them for the price of one Tom, will be debated for decades ! Cellar 10 – 40 years, speaking as someone with 40-year old Hawkes Bay cabernets still on hand. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $50 [ cork; Me 81%, CF 10, CS 7, Ma 2, hand-harvested @ c.2.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in oak cuves; 18 months in 50% new French oak; fined and filtered; RS nil; production around 2000 cases, exported widely; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, middling in weight. Bouquet is the same wonderful fragrant and plummy berry style of the best of preceding Sophias, and the best of the new-wave high-merlot Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends from New Zealand. It is not quite as floral as the Church Road Reserve, and is slightly oakier, but it illustrates the beauty of merlot well. Palate matches bouquet exactly, fine berry, exciting oak, great length. What wonderful tastings these top 2007 Merlot / Cabernet blends and related wines will provide in 10 years time. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Ruby carmine and velvet, middling in weight. Bouquet is the same wonderful fragrant and plummy berry style of the best of preceding Sophias, and the best of the new-wave high-merlot Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends from New Zealand. It is not quite as floral as the Church Road Reserve, and is slightly oakier, but it illustrates the beauty of merlot well. Palate matches bouquet exactly, fine berry, exciting oak, great length. What wonderful tastings these top 2007 Merlot / Cabernet blends and related wines will provide in 10 years time. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; not on website yet; www.craggyrange.com ]
A big pinot ruby, but good and attractive. Bouquet is clear-cut New Zealand pinot noir, smelling of flowers and cherryfruits at a perfect point of pinot physiological maturity, but not as demonstrative as the Felton Road standard or the Craggy Calvert. Palate is crunchy black and red cherry right through, a little fresher than either of the Calvert wines, a little richer than the standard Felton, oak not as visible as some, and slightly firmer tannins at this stage than the Craggy Calvert. This is very attractive pinot noir indeed, needing three years or so to optimise its Cote de Nuits styling. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
A big pinot ruby, but good and attractive. Bouquet is clear-cut New Zealand pinot noir, smelling of flowers and cherryfruits at a perfect point of pinot physiological maturity, but not as demonstrative as the Felton Road standard or the Craggy Calvert. Palate is crunchy black and red cherry right through, a little fresher than either of the Calvert wines, a little richer than the standard Felton, oak not as visible as some, and slightly firmer tannins at this stage than the Craggy Calvert. This is very attractive pinot noir indeed, needing three years or so to optimise its Cote de Nuits styling. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $26 [ cork; Sy 96%, Vi 4, all hand-picked @ 2.7 t/ac from a hill-slope site with limestone; syrah de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, co-fermented via wild yeast initially then inoculated, 21 days cuvaison; MLF and 14 months in French oak c. 50% new; RS 2.5 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as good a colour as the Paringa Estate, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, clear cut syrah florals on ripe cassis grading to bottled black doris plum, clear cracked black peppercorn complexity, slightly more oak than some, and a weight of fruit reminiscent more of the Clape Cornas (adjusted for age) than some of the fleshy New World wines. Coopers Creek Chalk Ridge Syrah has leapt to the forefront, the last couple of vintages, and the Northern Rhone styling in this wine is sheer delight. The given RS is not readily detectable / apparent. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as good a colour as the Paringa Estate, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, clear cut syrah florals on ripe cassis grading to bottled black doris plum, clear cracked black peppercorn complexity, slightly more oak than some, and a weight of fruit reminiscent more of the Clape Cornas (adjusted for age) than some of the fleshy New World wines. Coopers Creek Chalk Ridge Syrah has leapt to the forefront, the last couple of vintages, and the Northern Rhone styling in this wine is sheer delight. The given RS is not readily detectable / apparent. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Cornerstone Vineyard, Gimblett Gravels, New Zealand: 14.5%; $65 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from vines planted in 1996, de-stemmed; total wild-yeast and wild-malo fermentation, no enzyme, no tannin, and cuvaison extending to 32 days; MLF and c.21 months in French oak 30% new, with 2-weekly lees stirring but no racking; total production < 300 cases, WA / Martin, 2009: (before bottling) ... fine blackberry, plum and cassis. Good earthy notes ... ripe black fruit, nice acidity, svelte, lots of black fruits towards the finish that has a degree of elegance and focus. Good potential. (90-92); www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful colour. Bouquet is intensely cassisy and nearly violets floral, with implicit cracked black peppercorn. In mouth the varietal definition is superb, the reduced use of new oak in 2007 allowing the variety to shine through in a style closer to Bullnose Syrah than to Le Sol. This is a lovely rich wine, the best yet under this label, fractionally less aromatic than the Coopers Creek, which will repay cellaring 5 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful colour. Bouquet is intensely cassisy and nearly violets floral, with implicit cracked black peppercorn. In mouth the varietal definition is superb, the reduced use of new oak in 2007 allowing the variety to shine through in a style closer to Bullnose Syrah than to Le Sol. This is a lovely rich wine, the best yet under this label, fractionally less aromatic than the Coopers Creek, which will repay cellaring 5 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels 71%, Te Awanga 29, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $120 [ cork 50mm, low bleach; Sy 98.3% Limmer and 470 clones, Vi 1.7 co-fermented, all hand-picked at an average 4.15 t/ha = 1.7 t/ac; 18% whole bunches retained in the ferment; 5 days soak then cuvaison to 15 days; no pressings in the final blend, 26 months in French barriques 40% new, plus 7 months on lees in s/s; no fining, sterile filtered to bottle; dry extract 30.7 g/L; production 270 x 9-litre cases; Airavata refers to the Hindu king-god of elephants; weight bottle and closure 711 g; ; https://elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, virtually as deep as the Earth Syrah, the second-deepest red. Bouquet is rich and very ripe, in comparison with Syrah Earth, some of the fruit ripened just beyond the floral and cassisy phase of syrah to dark plum and mulberry, with just a suggestion of fragrant moist prunes – like Pirathon Gold. In mouth the same ripeness profile continues, the berry rich and deep, a little more tanniny than Earth but not oaky, a hint of char. There is great richness and length of dusky berry flavour, again suggesting good dry extract … later confirmed in the specs. This wine is predominantly Gimblett Gravels, and illustrates the risk of over-ripening syrah on this warm site. The comparison with the Earth Syrah from the Triangle, the district clearly making the most complex syrah in Hawkes Bay, is worth making. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/20
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, virtually as deep as the Earth Syrah, the second-deepest red. Bouquet is rich and very ripe, in comparison with Syrah Earth, some of the fruit ripened just beyond the floral and cassisy phase of syrah to dark plum and mulberry, with just a suggestion of fragrant moist prunes – like Pirathon Gold. In mouth the same ripeness profile continues, the berry rich and deep, a little more tanniny than Earth but not oaky, a hint of char. There is great richness and length of dusky berry flavour, again suggesting good dry extract … later confirmed in the specs. This wine is predominantly Gimblett Gravels, and illustrates the risk of over-ripening syrah on this warm site. The comparison with the Earth Syrah from the Triangle, the district clearly making the most complex syrah in Hawkes Bay, is worth making. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 06/20
Gimblett Gravels 72% & Ngatarawa Triangle 28, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ cork; CS 54%, Me 41, CF 5; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is immediately sweet and rich bottled black doris fruit of beautiful ripeness, backed by fragrant new oak. Palate is plump and round, obvious cassis complexity and beautiful potentially velvety texture, all very young at this stage. This wine too is remarkably Bordeaux-like, with superb acid balance. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is immediately sweet and rich bottled black doris fruit of beautiful ripeness, backed by fragrant new oak. Palate is plump and round, obvious cassis complexity and beautiful potentially velvety texture, all very young at this stage. This wine too is remarkably Bordeaux-like, with superb acid balance. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; c.14 months in French oak, 34% new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
A fine pinot noir ruby, in the middle for weight, a model colour and depth for New Zealand (where depth of pigmentation in our sun is somewhat deeper than Burgundy). Bouquet shows superb red roses and boronia florality, beauty and sensuality entwined, those key features which elude so many pinot noir makers. In mouth it is sensuality that comes to the fore, near-perfect ripeness of red cherry fruit grading to black, near-perfect extraction without too many anthocyanins and tannins darkening the taste, good flesh, subtle oak, and most important, great freshness and balance. So many New Zealand pinots are either leafy / floral and therefore fractionally under-ripe (or worse), or alternatively, in seeking to avoid that, the wines end up over-ripe, with plummy and dark flavours of sur-maturité so much disliked by more sensitive French winemakers. Wines like this make a complete nonsense of the condescending overseas comments we hear about our pinots, along the lines: New Zealand makes great Pinot Noir, but of course it is nothing like burgundy. This wine is like fine burgundy, end of story. A Clos de la Roche look-alike, maybe. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
A fine pinot noir ruby, in the middle for weight, a model colour and depth for New Zealand (where depth of pigmentation in our sun is somewhat deeper than Burgundy). Bouquet shows superb red roses and boronia florality, beauty and sensuality entwined, those key features which elude so many pinot noir makers. In mouth it is sensuality that comes to the fore, near-perfect ripeness of red cherry fruit grading to black, near-perfect extraction without too many anthocyanins and tannins darkening the taste, good flesh, subtle oak, and most important, great freshness and balance. So many New Zealand pinots are either leafy / floral and therefore fractionally under-ripe (or worse), or alternatively, in seeking to avoid that, the wines end up over-ripe, with plummy and dark flavours of sur-maturité so much disliked by more sensitive French winemakers. Wines like this make a complete nonsense of the condescending overseas comments we hear about our pinots, along the lines: New Zealand makes great Pinot Noir, but of course it is nothing like burgundy. This wine is like fine burgundy, end of story. A Clos de la Roche look-alike, maybe. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 47%, CF 28, Me 25, hand-picked from 9 year old vines @ just under 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison approx 38 days; no BF; 18 months in French oak 75% new, RS < 0.2 g/L; 250 cases; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, in the top quarter for weight and depth. Bouquet is exciting, absolutely of classed Medoc standard (particularly since some of them are now over-oaked, pandering to new world 'taste' …), a combination of dark red rose florality and cassis aromatics, rich, youthful. Palate is firm, clearly cabernet sauvignon-dominant, lean in one sense and aromatic, but with potential tobacco and cedary notes to evolve. There is also the subtlest trace of sur-maturité flavours, chocolate etc so sought by the media (and judges), but not a part of classic Bordeaux. With global warming, this may have to be accepted, I guess. Though a little oaky, and not quite as rich as the Church Road Reserve, the structure of this wine is classic – it will cellar for 10 – 20 years. Price escalation a concern. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, in the top quarter for weight and depth. Bouquet is exciting, absolutely of classed Medoc standard (particularly since some of them are now over-oaked, pandering to new world 'taste' …), a combination of dark red rose florality and cassis aromatics, rich, youthful. Palate is firm, clearly cabernet sauvignon-dominant, lean in one sense and aromatic, but with potential tobacco and cedary notes to evolve. There is also the subtlest trace of sur-maturité flavours, chocolate etc so sought by the media (and judges), but not a part of classic Bordeaux. With global warming, this may have to be accepted, I guess. Though a little oaky, and not quite as rich as the Church Road Reserve, the structure of this wine is classic – it will cellar for 10 – 20 years. Price escalation a concern. GK 06/12
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $209 [ cork; neither fined nor filtered; no info on website yet; www.avco.org/girardin ]
Good pinot noir ruby, with some velvet. In some ways this has a finer pinot noir varietal bouquet than the Girardin Clos de Beze, in that it is more floral in a sweet boronia and dark lilac way, and less savoury / bretty. Palate is superb black cherries, so fresh and crisp and crunchy as to define pinot noir. It is a little lighter and fresher than the Beze, yet has much of the same velvety sensation. If one were fussed about brett levels, this would mark higher than the Beze. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Good pinot noir ruby, with some velvet. In some ways this has a finer pinot noir varietal bouquet than the Girardin Clos de Beze, in that it is more floral in a sweet boronia and dark lilac way, and less savoury / bretty. Palate is superb black cherries, so fresh and crisp and crunchy as to define pinot noir. It is a little lighter and fresher than the Beze, yet has much of the same velvety sensation. If one were fussed about brett levels, this would mark higher than the Beze. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $23 [ screwcap; the top Mud House sauvignon; www.mudhouse.co.nz ]
Lemongreen to lemon, the richest colour of the Mud House sauvignons. Bouquet is superbly classical Marlborough sauvignon, white nectarine, red capsicum and black passionfruit with complexing notes of sweet basil and other aromatic herbes, honeysuckle florals, plus faint musky armpit notes at an acceptable level, all very attractive indeed. On palate there is a richness and satisfaction of flavour which makes one wonder, in the blind tasting, is there trace barrel-ferment / new oak there too. When subtle, it is impossible to tell, given the phenolics of ripe sauvignon. Flavour is long in mouth, tasting all free-run, and low in phenolics. Residual sugar is the usual ‘dry’ level for the variety. This is model modern Marlborough sauvignon, to cellar up to 10 years, if mature wines appeal. GK 02/08
Lemongreen to lemon, the richest colour of the Mud House sauvignons. Bouquet is superbly classical Marlborough sauvignon, white nectarine, red capsicum and black passionfruit with complexing notes of sweet basil and other aromatic herbes, honeysuckle florals, plus faint musky armpit notes at an acceptable level, all very attractive indeed. On palate there is a richness and satisfaction of flavour which makes one wonder, in the blind tasting, is there trace barrel-ferment / new oak there too. When subtle, it is impossible to tell, given the phenolics of ripe sauvignon. Flavour is long in mouth, tasting all free-run, and low in phenolics. Residual sugar is the usual ‘dry’ level for the variety. This is model modern Marlborough sauvignon, to cellar up to 10 years, if mature wines appeal. GK 02/08
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-picked; this wine all s/s, made by previous consulting winemaker John McGinlay, a Californian; the Flowerdays took over spring 2003; RS 18 g/L; www.te-whare-ra.co.nz ]
Rich lemon, almost a flush of pale gold. Bouquet is wonderful, explicit gewurztraminer with citrus, citronella and hints of almost balsam-like spiciness on lychee fruit. Palate is saturated with lightly spicy lychee and stonefruit, real body in an Alsatian vendage tardive sense, a totally international-quality wine with a marvellous nearly-dry aftertaste. No hurry if you like older whites, but this variety is often at its best in its first seven years. This is New Zealand gewurztraminer at its best, the alcohol well hidden, and in any case the Alsatian model can be high-alcohol too. Will cellar several years yet. GK 04/09
Rich lemon, almost a flush of pale gold. Bouquet is wonderful, explicit gewurztraminer with citrus, citronella and hints of almost balsam-like spiciness on lychee fruit. Palate is saturated with lightly spicy lychee and stonefruit, real body in an Alsatian vendage tardive sense, a totally international-quality wine with a marvellous nearly-dry aftertaste. No hurry if you like older whites, but this variety is often at its best in its first seven years. This is New Zealand gewurztraminer at its best, the alcohol well hidden, and in any case the Alsatian model can be high-alcohol too. Will cellar several years yet. GK 04/09
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $543 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; purchase price c.$370; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some garnet creeping into the edges so a little age showing, above midway in depth. This for me was the best wine of the second, older, and lesser flight, because of the quality of the not-too-hot-year fruit, and the wine is showing less oak than many. There is nearly cassisy berry but it is browning now, plus more darkly plummy fruit, with oak that does not show excess toast. Palate is softening, harmonious, but like too many of these wines, also oaky / tanniny, the wine now embarking on its plateau of maturity. It is richer than the 2005. There was some some support for this wine, two first places, one second. Will cellar another 10 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 96. GK 10/18
Ruby and velvet, some garnet creeping into the edges so a little age showing, above midway in depth. This for me was the best wine of the second, older, and lesser flight, because of the quality of the not-too-hot-year fruit, and the wine is showing less oak than many. There is nearly cassisy berry but it is browning now, plus more darkly plummy fruit, with oak that does not show excess toast. Palate is softening, harmonious, but like too many of these wines, also oaky / tanniny, the wine now embarking on its plateau of maturity. It is richer than the 2005. There was some some support for this wine, two first places, one second. Will cellar another 10 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 96. GK 10/18
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.5%; $50 [ cork; not on (tarted-up, harder to use) website yet, but 2010 was: Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted, all de-stemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, c.6 days warm-ferment in open-top oak and concrete vessels, up to 35 days cuvaison, controlled aeration; c.18 - 21 months in French oak c.40% new; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, far from the deepest. Bouquet is sweetly wallflower floral and darkest roses, on cassis and bottled black doris plummy fruit, far less oaky than the 2010 Church Road Syrah Reserve (which was a bit of an aberration) and much more in a Rhone idiom. In mouth this is not as rich as some past Reserves, the fruit is both lighter and fresher, but it is a vivid and beautiful expression of floral ripe syrah varietal character. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, far from the deepest. Bouquet is sweetly wallflower floral and darkest roses, on cassis and bottled black doris plummy fruit, far less oaky than the 2010 Church Road Syrah Reserve (which was a bit of an aberration) and much more in a Rhone idiom. In mouth this is not as rich as some past Reserves, the fruit is both lighter and fresher, but it is a vivid and beautiful expression of floral ripe syrah varietal character. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 16 months in French oak 40% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as vibrant as the Vidal Reserve. Nor is the bouquet, the whole wine being more restrained, but wonderfully elegant and varietal. This wine has come together remarkably since the first tasting last spring, and is explicitly varietal with its wallflower florals emerging much more now, plus subtle black peppercorn spice in cassis and black cherry fruit. Winemaker Peter Cowley considers it their best syrah yet. Certainly the wonderful physiological maturity they are achieving in their Bullnose syrah at a relatively subtle alcohol is a model for the whole industry, and demonstrates the disadvantages of excess alcohol in this variety – as shown by some of the overtly plummy Gimblett Gravels examples. Against some of the bigger New Zealand syrahs, Bullnose can look remarkably Cote Rotie-like. I look forward to seeing the 2007 alongside the compelling 2005, when it has settled down a little more. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as vibrant as the Vidal Reserve. Nor is the bouquet, the whole wine being more restrained, but wonderfully elegant and varietal. This wine has come together remarkably since the first tasting last spring, and is explicitly varietal with its wallflower florals emerging much more now, plus subtle black peppercorn spice in cassis and black cherry fruit. Winemaker Peter Cowley considers it their best syrah yet. Certainly the wonderful physiological maturity they are achieving in their Bullnose syrah at a relatively subtle alcohol is a model for the whole industry, and demonstrates the disadvantages of excess alcohol in this variety – as shown by some of the overtly plummy Gimblett Gravels examples. Against some of the bigger New Zealand syrahs, Bullnose can look remarkably Cote Rotie-like. I look forward to seeing the 2007 alongside the compelling 2005, when it has settled down a little more. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. VALUE GK 03/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; some whole bunch; c. 11 months in French oak 40 – 45% new; website implies 2005 not for sale yet, no info; www.baldhills.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines in the tasting. Like the Peregrine Pinnacle, more oak shows on the bouquet here, but the depth of boronia and violets florals is exciting too. Palate is superb, black cherries, succulent length, darker in style than the Felton Block 3, yet still dramatically varietal. Perhaps there is a hint of darkest chocolate. Finish is long and aromatic. This is very good. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines in the tasting. Like the Peregrine Pinnacle, more oak shows on the bouquet here, but the depth of boronia and violets florals is exciting too. Palate is superb, black cherries, succulent length, darker in style than the Felton Block 3, yet still dramatically varietal. Perhaps there is a hint of darkest chocolate. Finish is long and aromatic. This is very good. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $37 [ screwcap; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 3.4 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation; 17 months in French oak 54% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little brighter and deeper than le Sol, reflecting less oak exposure. It is one of three deepest wines in the tasting. Initially opened, this time the Block 14 showed a faintly reductive note, easily interpreted as charry oak. Whatever, like all these big wines, it benefits greatly from a splashy decanting. Thus optimised, carnations and violets florals, and rich cassis, bottled black plums and blueberries soar from the glass. It is a little more juicy than le Sol, and less oak-affected. It wins through to such a high ranking because of its precise varietal character. There is no hint of coarse Australian boysenberry / shiraz over-ripeness, just a perfect expression of cassisy rich syrah, subtly oaked. The only reservation may be, if there is a reductive note, and that if needs underlining, that could be a worry under screwcap. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE GK 06/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little brighter and deeper than le Sol, reflecting less oak exposure. It is one of three deepest wines in the tasting. Initially opened, this time the Block 14 showed a faintly reductive note, easily interpreted as charry oak. Whatever, like all these big wines, it benefits greatly from a splashy decanting. Thus optimised, carnations and violets florals, and rich cassis, bottled black plums and blueberries soar from the glass. It is a little more juicy than le Sol, and less oak-affected. It wins through to such a high ranking because of its precise varietal character. There is no hint of coarse Australian boysenberry / shiraz over-ripeness, just a perfect expression of cassisy rich syrah, subtly oaked. The only reservation may be, if there is a reductive note, and that if needs underlining, that could be a worry under screwcap. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE GK 06/07
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $ – [ screwcap; Gm 239 vines planted 1994; non-botrytis bunches hand-picked at c. 3 t/ac; cold-settled, cool- and stop-fermented in s/s; pH 2.9, RS 3 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Lemongreen, paler than the 2007 Riverby. Bouquet is fragrant, showing floral and almost hop-like terpene aromas in a very subtle attractive way, with a nectary undertone. Palate is silky in its phenolics, undeveloped, in the style of the 2007 Neudorf Brightwater. It is more backward than the 2007 Riverby, with the same dry impression. Alongside the 2008 Felton Dry, this wine shines as being a technically perfect really dry riesling. It can be compared with a Jeffrey Grossett example on an equal footing, though it may be too ‘delicate’. Dry riesling is a hard winestyle to get right. It should cellar well, 5 – 12 years. GK 04/09
Lemongreen, paler than the 2007 Riverby. Bouquet is fragrant, showing floral and almost hop-like terpene aromas in a very subtle attractive way, with a nectary undertone. Palate is silky in its phenolics, undeveloped, in the style of the 2007 Neudorf Brightwater. It is more backward than the 2007 Riverby, with the same dry impression. Alongside the 2008 Felton Dry, this wine shines as being a technically perfect really dry riesling. It can be compared with a Jeffrey Grossett example on an equal footing, though it may be too ‘delicate’. Dry riesling is a hard winestyle to get right. It should cellar well, 5 – 12 years. GK 04/09
NW Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 15.2%; $90 [ screwcap; shiraz 100%, harvested at 4.3 t/ha = 1.75 t/ac from old-vine shiraz in vineyards 300 – 350m elevation; fruit all destemmed, cultured yeast ferments, up to 12 days cuvaison, wild malolactic fermentations; 18 months in all French oak, 75% new; not fined or filtered, production 200 x 9-litre cases on the website, 400 on the back label; 'Pirathon' as a label emerged from the grape and wine interests of the Kalleske family. Winemaker initially was Troy Kalleske, whose family have been grape-growers in the Barossa Valley since 1853. Kalleske has now however sold Pirathon as a concept, and it is now an independent winery with new owners, making only shiraz wines. The new winemaker is Adam Clay, a Roseworthy graduate in 2002, and most recently part of the Penfolds red wine-making team. Pirathon has been able to retain access to the old-vine resources from other long-established growers, which are so critical to quality wine in the Barossa Valley. The name Pirathon conveys the thought of peak or pinnacle, reflecting the view that shiraz is the defining or top grape of the Barossa Valley; weight bottle and closure 658 g; www.pirathon.com ]
Ruby and velvet, fractionally older in appearance than the Pirathon Silver and most of the other deeply-coloured wines. Bouquet is darkly berried, fragrant and aromatic, with the faintest touch of flowering mint (Prostanthera) in boysenberry, blackberry and cassisy berry, not blatantly Australian, very attractive. Like Elephant Hill’s Syrah Stone, a thought of sweet moist prunes and ripeness a bit above optimal syrah varietal character creeps in too. Palate points more clearly to an Australian winestyle, the mint a little clearer, carefully hidden acid, and more new oak. This wine is very rich with great dry extract, comparing with Elephant Hill’s top reds. Finish is drier than Pirathon Silver. This is the kind of shiraz quality Penfolds Bin 28 used to have (at best) back in the 1970s. Lovely wine, Australian shiraz approaching ‘concept syrah’, with the all-French oak giving it some restraint in comparison with the other two Pirathon Shirazes, to cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 06/20
Ruby and velvet, fractionally older in appearance than the Pirathon Silver and most of the other deeply-coloured wines. Bouquet is darkly berried, fragrant and aromatic, with the faintest touch of flowering mint (Prostanthera) in boysenberry, blackberry and cassisy berry, not blatantly Australian, very attractive. Like Elephant Hill’s Syrah Stone, a thought of sweet moist prunes and ripeness a bit above optimal syrah varietal character creeps in too. Palate points more clearly to an Australian winestyle, the mint a little clearer, carefully hidden acid, and more new oak. This wine is very rich with great dry extract, comparing with Elephant Hill’s top reds. Finish is drier than Pirathon Silver. This is the kind of shiraz quality Penfolds Bin 28 used to have (at best) back in the 1970s. Lovely wine, Australian shiraz approaching ‘concept syrah’, with the all-French oak giving it some restraint in comparison with the other two Pirathon Shirazes, to cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 06/20
Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 14%; $89 [ cork; hand-harvested; nil whole-bunch, wild yeast and a 20 – 27 days cuvaison; c.14 months in French oak 24% new; wine sample courtesy John Comerford; www.kusudawines.com ]
Medium pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet is deeply floral and wonderfully complex, including floral aromas I cannot find words for right now, but including both red roses and boronia qualities, and all a little more 'red' than the darker-fruited young Feltons. In mouth the saturation of cherry fruit is wonderful, a vibrant and youthful wine even more aromatic than the 2010 Felton, part of which results from being a little more oaky. Perhaps the oak is a little high, in fact, but this is exciting pinot noir, already at the forefront of New Zealand interpretations of the grape. The fact that it sits seamlessly in the Felton sequence should not be lost on those who claim it is easy to tell the difference between Martinborough and Otago pinots. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Medium pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet is deeply floral and wonderfully complex, including floral aromas I cannot find words for right now, but including both red roses and boronia qualities, and all a little more 'red' than the darker-fruited young Feltons. In mouth the saturation of cherry fruit is wonderful, a vibrant and youthful wine even more aromatic than the 2010 Felton, part of which results from being a little more oaky. Perhaps the oak is a little high, in fact, but this is exciting pinot noir, already at the forefront of New Zealand interpretations of the grape. The fact that it sits seamlessly in the Felton sequence should not be lost on those who claim it is easy to tell the difference between Martinborough and Otago pinots. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Nelson, New Zealand: 11%; $22 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed; all s/s low-solids ferment stopped @ 10 g/L, extended LA; 740 cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Pale lemon, more youthful than the '08 Riverby Sali's Block. Bouquet is clearly floral, restrained, much more understated than the Riverby, but unequivocally riesling with some florals and similar but subtler lime-zest / terpene notes. Palate is smaller too, drier, understated, reminding of the description of some dryish Saar wines as 'steely'. This is the kind of supremely elegant New Zealand riesling to put alongside Jeffrey Grossett top rieslings from the Clare Valley, except the residuals don’t match. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 04/09
Pale lemon, more youthful than the '08 Riverby Sali's Block. Bouquet is clearly floral, restrained, much more understated than the Riverby, but unequivocally riesling with some florals and similar but subtler lime-zest / terpene notes. Palate is smaller too, drier, understated, reminding of the description of some dryish Saar wines as 'steely'. This is the kind of supremely elegant New Zealand riesling to put alongside Jeffrey Grossett top rieslings from the Clare Valley, except the residuals don’t match. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 93%, Ma 7; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from Tom, maybe a little brighter. Bouquet is an extraordinary look-a-like to classed growth Bordeaux, showing all the violets, rose and cassis aromas of the 2007 Tom, plus a little magical extra. Palate has cigar-box and bottled black doris plum richness, plus some dark tobacco, the fruit and acid balance slightly fresher than the Church Road pair. Gradually it dawns on one that this Leoville-Barton-like note may be trace brett, almost totally hidden by the fruit richness and fragrant slightly prominent new oak. At this level, brett has never stopped Leoville-Barton being a gilt-edged wine investment, and the same applies here. This is remarkable wine, which deserves to be raved about in London. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from Tom, maybe a little brighter. Bouquet is an extraordinary look-a-like to classed growth Bordeaux, showing all the violets, rose and cassis aromas of the 2007 Tom, plus a little magical extra. Palate has cigar-box and bottled black doris plum richness, plus some dark tobacco, the fruit and acid balance slightly fresher than the Church Road pair. Gradually it dawns on one that this Leoville-Barton-like note may be trace brett, almost totally hidden by the fruit richness and fragrant slightly prominent new oak. At this level, brett has never stopped Leoville-Barton being a gilt-edged wine investment, and the same applies here. This is remarkable wine, which deserves to be raved about in London. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Coonawarra and Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $597 [ cork, 49mm; CS 68% from Coonawarra, Sh 32 from the Barossa Valley; vinification assumed to be similar to Grange, ferment completed in new American oak, elevation 20 months in 100% new American oak; modelled on the famous 1962 Bin 60A, yet not on Penfolds website, strange; Penfolds Rewards of Patience: Intense, blackcurrant/raspberry/cedar aromas with hints of tobacco and spice. Palate is immensely concentrated and multi layered with blackberry/prune flavours, underlying sweet oak, grainy tannins and long, smoky finish. All the elements are welded together in a balanced, harmonious whole. Classic; Halliday, 1999: Glorious cassis raspberry fragrance to the bouquet; the palate has fantastic complexity with layers of fruit, tannin and oak welded together into a balanced and harmonious whole. A truly great classic, to be left until 2010, *****; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2012: ... relatively youthful creme de cassis and blackberry preserve aromas with hints of pencil shavings, dried mint and coffee grounds. Medium-full bodied, it is generously fruited with a solid backbone of fine, finely grained tannins and crisp acid, finishing long with lingering black berry and earth layers, 96; Robinson, 2008: Sweet and round. Charming if notably less dense than the row of Granges it was served alongside, 17.5; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest wine, markedly older than the Bin 920. Bouquet is in the same cassis-led style as the Bin 920, clearly cassisy but a little less fresh, mulberry as well as cassis, a little more oak apparent. Palate shows similar wonderful cassisy and rich berry, good freshness and length, the ripeness of the cabernet component as good as the Bin 920, but the whole wine skewed to excess oak, not an harmonious balance by Bordeaux standards. The curious feature of this Bin and Bin 920 is the seeming subtlety of the tartaric addition, neither wine being coarsely Australian in this respect. Once again, tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, one first place, one second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest wine, markedly older than the Bin 920. Bouquet is in the same cassis-led style as the Bin 920, clearly cassisy but a little less fresh, mulberry as well as cassis, a little more oak apparent. Palate shows similar wonderful cassisy and rich berry, good freshness and length, the ripeness of the cabernet component as good as the Bin 920, but the whole wine skewed to excess oak, not an harmonious balance by Bordeaux standards. The curious feature of this Bin and Bin 920 is the seeming subtlety of the tartaric addition, neither wine being coarsely Australian in this respect. Once again, tasters were not as enthusiastic about this wine as I was, one first place, one second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; reasonably low-solids juice starts wild-yeast ferment in s/s, completes in French oak 20% new, balance up to 5 years; c. 60% MLF and 10 months LA and batonnage in barrel; pH 3.24, RS <1 g/L; www.huia.net.nz ]
Pale lemonstraw. Total bouquet on this chardonnay is floral, fruit-rich and mealy, with complexities immediately reminding of Burgundy. In mouth the mealyness is very attractive, making the stonefruit seem even more succulent in texture. Total acid seems higher than the Riflemans, as is the tendency in Marlborough chardonnay, but fruit richness is just as good. This is exemplary Marlborough chardonnay to cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemonstraw. Total bouquet on this chardonnay is floral, fruit-rich and mealy, with complexities immediately reminding of Burgundy. In mouth the mealyness is very attractive, making the stonefruit seem even more succulent in texture. Total acid seems higher than the Riflemans, as is the tendency in Marlborough chardonnay, but fruit richness is just as good. This is exemplary Marlborough chardonnay to cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $20 [ screwcap; post-crushing skin contact to increase flavour; cool controlled-temperature 100% BF in old French oak puncheons with some wild yeast; 9 months LA and stirring, no MLF; RS 9.3 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. This is a subtler and purer wine than the Waimea, the volume of English rose varietal bouquet being extraordinary. Below are wild ginger blossom and lychee aromas of good gewurztraminer, all crisper and cooler than the opulent Waimea. Palate is fresher and more fragrant too, just a slight suggestion of the closely-related muscat grape, all slightly sweeter, but the saturation of these flavours is just as good, due I suspect to well-aerated lees-autolysis, and possibly even subtlest MLF [ not likely, on later inquiry ]. It is scarcely a question of better or worse between these two, rather just two wonderfully contrasting styles of Alsatian-quality gewurztraminer to revel in. This wine illustrates an exciting way to make gewurz. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Lemonstraw. This is a subtler and purer wine than the Waimea, the volume of English rose varietal bouquet being extraordinary. Below are wild ginger blossom and lychee aromas of good gewurztraminer, all crisper and cooler than the opulent Waimea. Palate is fresher and more fragrant too, just a slight suggestion of the closely-related muscat grape, all slightly sweeter, but the saturation of these flavours is just as good, due I suspect to well-aerated lees-autolysis, and possibly even subtlest MLF [ not likely, on later inquiry ]. It is scarcely a question of better or worse between these two, rather just two wonderfully contrasting styles of Alsatian-quality gewurztraminer to revel in. This wine illustrates an exciting way to make gewurz. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Gimblett Gravels 72% & Bridge Pa Triangle 28, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ cork; CS 51%, Me 49, mostly hand-picked at c.2.5 t/ac from (on average) 12-year old vines; cuvaison extended to 35 days for some components; MLF and 20 months in 100% French oak c.50% new, balance 1-year, with no BF or lees stirring, just racking; not fined or filtered; RS < 1 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour in the Hawkes Bay blends. Bouquet is eloquent cassis and potentially cedary oak, in a fragrant classed growth Medoc styling. Like Helmsman it is on the oaky side now, but the total wine achievement in Bordeaux terms is exhilarating. On palate the cassis melds with bottled black doris plum fruit and oak to produce a long aromatic profile hinting at one of the Leovilles. It is a fatter wine than the Villa Reserve. This too is a glorious Hawkes Bay blend to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/12
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour in the Hawkes Bay blends. Bouquet is eloquent cassis and potentially cedary oak, in a fragrant classed growth Medoc styling. Like Helmsman it is on the oaky side now, but the total wine achievement in Bordeaux terms is exhilarating. On palate the cassis melds with bottled black doris plum fruit and oak to produce a long aromatic profile hinting at one of the Leovilles. It is a fatter wine than the Villa Reserve. This too is a glorious Hawkes Bay blend to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/12
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $20 [ screwcap; s/s & stop-fermented, time on lees; pH 3.2, RS 5.3 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. The Babichs have long had a feel for the riesling style, one I have followed since ordering their inaugural 1970 Riesling-Sylvaner direct from the winery. [ Which incidentally raises the issue, it is a great pity nobody is taking the understated but at best demurely beautiful muller-thurgau seriously in New Zealand any more. In its subtlety and delicate flavours, this Babich Riesling reminds us that we could make a world-beating example of muller-thurgau as well in New Zealand, particularly given modern knowledge and practice in the vineyard, with consequent increases in wine depth and flavour. ] Back to the riesling. This wine has all the floral delicacy of fine Mosel too, with a softness to the subtle limezest terpenes which, given the dry finish, is exemplary. If you have been disappointed by too many German riesling trockens and halbtrockens, try this New Zealand wine – a revelation. Being ‘dry’, it compares with the subtlest Eden and Clare Valley rieslings too, but is subtler again (though not as dry). Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Lemongreen. The Babichs have long had a feel for the riesling style, one I have followed since ordering their inaugural 1970 Riesling-Sylvaner direct from the winery. [ Which incidentally raises the issue, it is a great pity nobody is taking the understated but at best demurely beautiful muller-thurgau seriously in New Zealand any more. In its subtlety and delicate flavours, this Babich Riesling reminds us that we could make a world-beating example of muller-thurgau as well in New Zealand, particularly given modern knowledge and practice in the vineyard, with consequent increases in wine depth and flavour. ] Back to the riesling. This wine has all the floral delicacy of fine Mosel too, with a softness to the subtle limezest terpenes which, given the dry finish, is exemplary. If you have been disappointed by too many German riesling trockens and halbtrockens, try this New Zealand wine – a revelation. Being ‘dry’, it compares with the subtlest Eden and Clare Valley rieslings too, but is subtler again (though not as dry). Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $145 [ cork, 49mm; Sy 100% clone MS, planted at an average 6,200 vines per hectare and average age 12 years, all hand-picked at 5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac); three days cold soak, all wild-yeast ferments, 18 days cuvaison; MLF later in barrel; 14 months in French oak 40% new, plus 4 months post-assembly; RS nil: coarse filtration only; dry extract withheld; production c.500 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 993 g; R. Campbell, 2018: Elegant, high energy syrah with a wonderfully perfumed aroma. Subtle power. Should develop very well indeed, 98; JC@RP, 2019: The 2016 Le Sol is perhaps the most confident, self-assured expression of Syrah to yet emerge from this benchmark producer. I say that because it no longer relies on weight, power and extraction for its impressiveness, but rather on its wonderful fragrance and elegance. Perfumed notes of violets and cracked pepper lead the way, backed by anise and black cherries. It's medium to full-bodied, with a rich, velvety mouthfeel and tremendous length, echoing with hints of clove, cinnamon and sassafras, to 2028, 94; www.craggyrange.com ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a great colour, the third deepest wine. How different this Le Sol is from the wines of 7 – 14 years ago. The bouquet is unusually floral for a Gravels wine – nearly wallflower. I wonder if there were sequential picks. Incidentally, it is now the conventional wisdom on the Net to say that the Gimblett Gravels are most famous for their syrahs. This represents a blinkered and non-thinking approach to syrah. Great syrah is floral, a concept virtually unknown to Australian and American wine-writers … and rather many elsewhere too. And in the warmer years, the most floral syrahs in New Zealand come from the Triangle, and maybe other Hawkes Bay sites fractionally less warm than the Gravels. Early Le Sols were much too much influenced by the over-ripe and hence non-floral syrahs of the Napa Valley, and Washington. Le Sol then was made in an heroic wine style. Now it is much more fragrant, floral, supple, understated, and beautiful. There is nearly a suggestion of dianthus / pinks florals on a dusky red rose component, akin to the Robin but more floral. Behind that is dramatic cassis, the subtlest oak, and imperceptible alcohol. Flavour is remarkable too: after those first burly wines, Le Sol went through a lighter phase matching most New Zealand reds: that is, lacking dry extract by AOC standards. This 2016 Le Sol however is remarkable. Craggy Range are reluctant to advise a dry extract number, but the wine tastes as if it is approaching 28 – 29 g/L. The ratio of berry to oak is delightful: a function of good dry extract mopping up the 40% new oak. Three tasters rated Le Sol as their top or second-favourite wine. It can be cellared for at least 20 years, with total confidence. GK 11/19
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a great colour, the third deepest wine. How different this Le Sol is from the wines of 7 – 14 years ago. The bouquet is unusually floral for a Gravels wine – nearly wallflower. I wonder if there were sequential picks. Incidentally, it is now the conventional wisdom on the Net to say that the Gimblett Gravels are most famous for their syrahs. This represents a blinkered and non-thinking approach to syrah. Great syrah is floral, a concept virtually unknown to Australian and American wine-writers … and rather many elsewhere too. And in the warmer years, the most floral syrahs in New Zealand come from the Triangle, and maybe other Hawkes Bay sites fractionally less warm than the Gravels. Early Le Sols were much too much influenced by the over-ripe and hence non-floral syrahs of the Napa Valley, and Washington. Le Sol then was made in an heroic wine style. Now it is much more fragrant, floral, supple, understated, and beautiful. There is nearly a suggestion of dianthus / pinks florals on a dusky red rose component, akin to the Robin but more floral. Behind that is dramatic cassis, the subtlest oak, and imperceptible alcohol. Flavour is remarkable too: after those first burly wines, Le Sol went through a lighter phase matching most New Zealand reds: that is, lacking dry extract by AOC standards. This 2016 Le Sol however is remarkable. Craggy Range are reluctant to advise a dry extract number, but the wine tastes as if it is approaching 28 – 29 g/L. The ratio of berry to oak is delightful: a function of good dry extract mopping up the 40% new oak. Three tasters rated Le Sol as their top or second-favourite wine. It can be cellared for at least 20 years, with total confidence. GK 11/19
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 100% BF in French oak 12% new; 100% MLF, 11 months LA and some stirring; pH 3.41, RS nil; www.feltonroad.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, a little deeper than the top wines. One sniff of this and the mind immediately goes to Meursault, the wine is so beautifully mealy and fruit rich. In mouth there is an elegant floral sensation reminding of acacia flowers, and the MLF component is slightly more apparent than the other top wines, but all in a totally positive way, no butter. There is a hint of barrel char, just like some Puligny and Meursault producers. This is gorgeous sensuous wine, one of the best chardonnays out of Central Otago so far. Cellar 2 – 7 years. GK 04/09
Lemonstraw, a little deeper than the top wines. One sniff of this and the mind immediately goes to Meursault, the wine is so beautifully mealy and fruit rich. In mouth there is an elegant floral sensation reminding of acacia flowers, and the MLF component is slightly more apparent than the other top wines, but all in a totally positive way, no butter. There is a hint of barrel char, just like some Puligny and Meursault producers. This is gorgeous sensuous wine, one of the best chardonnays out of Central Otago so far. Cellar 2 – 7 years. GK 04/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ cork; 100% clone mendoza BF with wild yeasts in French oak 25% new, 10 months LA and batonnage, 18% MLF; RS 2.4 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Deep lemonstraw washed with light gold. This is the oldest-looking wine in the chardonnay line-up, which subconsciously tips one into negative mode. Yet as soon as one smells it, the softness and purity of its golden queen peach and button-mushrooms-on-toast fruit complexity is enchanting. In mouth, the velvety richness of its fresh-tasting fruit is superb – real golden queen peach tart flavours. The aftertaste is a great too. Nowhere does the oak or alcohol intrude – this is just gorgeous mendoza chardonnay at full maturity. It is so trendy these days to decry anything but the youngest and freshest, that I wonder if in releasing a wine this late there is a risk its quality might not be recognised. The first Irongate was released from the 1985 vintage – I remember Joe Babich showing it to me with great pride at the winery – so this label is building up a fine pedigree. In its early years it was a non-MLF wine which cellared well, but the role of MLF varies from season to season these days. In this case it has contributed to the softer ampler style. It is perfect now, but will hold several years. GK 05/09
Deep lemonstraw washed with light gold. This is the oldest-looking wine in the chardonnay line-up, which subconsciously tips one into negative mode. Yet as soon as one smells it, the softness and purity of its golden queen peach and button-mushrooms-on-toast fruit complexity is enchanting. In mouth, the velvety richness of its fresh-tasting fruit is superb – real golden queen peach tart flavours. The aftertaste is a great too. Nowhere does the oak or alcohol intrude – this is just gorgeous mendoza chardonnay at full maturity. It is so trendy these days to decry anything but the youngest and freshest, that I wonder if in releasing a wine this late there is a risk its quality might not be recognised. The first Irongate was released from the 1985 vintage – I remember Joe Babich showing it to me with great pride at the winery – so this label is building up a fine pedigree. In its early years it was a non-MLF wine which cellared well, but the role of MLF varies from season to season these days. In this case it has contributed to the softer ampler style. It is perfect now, but will hold several years. GK 05/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $34 [ cork; DFB; Ma 100%; 35 days cuvaison; MLF and 21 months in French oak 46% new; RS < 1 g/L; cuve refers to the oak fermenters (imported from France) in the winery, a premium Bordeaux approach; release date June ’09, not on website yet; Catalogue: a powerful, richly textured and inky dark wine with layers of plum and blackberry fruit and perfumed aromatics of spice and violet. With careful cellaring the wine will soften further and develop more complex, savoury aromas; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a sensational midnight-deep kind of royal purple, very dense indeed. This is exciting wine. Bouquet is darkly floral and fragrant, an aroma I can't find the floral analogy for exactly, but it is velvety deep yet slightly sweet and aromatic, reminiscent of the maroon-flowered native Pittosporum shrub plus a suggestion of canned guavas. Associated with that lovely smell are darkest dropping-from-the-tree ripe plums, and light fragrant oak. Palate is gorgeous, big yet not oppressive, not unduly alcoholic, finer and more silky than top Argentinean examples, and fully ripe. I have virtually never seen a Cahors malbec without brett, but if they can be this fine, re-evaluation of the variety in New Zealand is needed (as Gordon Russell has done for The Terraces). Stephen Bennett MW has consistently said the variety does not ripen properly in New Zealand, though his views are somewhat biassed by adopting an Argentinean yardstick. And in one sense, if 2007 is a one year in ten in Hawkes Bay, then this lovely wine would support his view. Meanwhile, revel in a truly ripe and rich local malbec which is not over-oaked, is technically pure, and shows a floral dimension in the variety rarely seen. The Church Road winemakers say of the Cuve series programme that it is designed to: extend the varietal and winemaking boundaries to deliver exciting wines with unique personality interest. This wine is a triumphant exposition of that goal. Along with Villa Maria’s 2002 Single Vineyard Omahu example, it is the best straight example of the variety made so far in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a sensational midnight-deep kind of royal purple, very dense indeed. This is exciting wine. Bouquet is darkly floral and fragrant, an aroma I can't find the floral analogy for exactly, but it is velvety deep yet slightly sweet and aromatic, reminiscent of the maroon-flowered native Pittosporum shrub plus a suggestion of canned guavas. Associated with that lovely smell are darkest dropping-from-the-tree ripe plums, and light fragrant oak. Palate is gorgeous, big yet not oppressive, not unduly alcoholic, finer and more silky than top Argentinean examples, and fully ripe. I have virtually never seen a Cahors malbec without brett, but if they can be this fine, re-evaluation of the variety in New Zealand is needed (as Gordon Russell has done for The Terraces). Stephen Bennett MW has consistently said the variety does not ripen properly in New Zealand, though his views are somewhat biassed by adopting an Argentinean yardstick. And in one sense, if 2007 is a one year in ten in Hawkes Bay, then this lovely wine would support his view. Meanwhile, revel in a truly ripe and rich local malbec which is not over-oaked, is technically pure, and shows a floral dimension in the variety rarely seen. The Church Road winemakers say of the Cuve series programme that it is designed to: extend the varietal and winemaking boundaries to deliver exciting wines with unique personality interest. This wine is a triumphant exposition of that goal. Along with Villa Maria’s 2002 Single Vineyard Omahu example, it is the best straight example of the variety made so far in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; BF, LA and batonnage in 60% new French oak, small % allowed to go through MLF; www.howardparkwines.com.au ]
Glowing deep lemon, quite unusual, attractive. Bouquet shows clear-cut chardonnay varietal fruit with winemaker complexities built onto that: hints of charry oak characters from barrel-ferment in quite toasty oak, and baguette-crust lees-autolysis, all coupled with musk-melon and grapefruity chardonnay fruit. Flavour is long, rich, and mealy, subtly buttery from an MLF component, not too alcoholic, completely dry. Aftertaste is particularly good, long. This is exciting Australian chardonnay, which should cellar well, 3 – 10 years. GK 07/06
Glowing deep lemon, quite unusual, attractive. Bouquet shows clear-cut chardonnay varietal fruit with winemaker complexities built onto that: hints of charry oak characters from barrel-ferment in quite toasty oak, and baguette-crust lees-autolysis, all coupled with musk-melon and grapefruity chardonnay fruit. Flavour is long, rich, and mealy, subtly buttery from an MLF component, not too alcoholic, completely dry. Aftertaste is particularly good, long. This is exciting Australian chardonnay, which should cellar well, 3 – 10 years. GK 07/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; website not up-to-date, lacks wine info; www.johanneshof.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is dramatically varietal, not quite the floral complexity of the Ihumatao, but considering the wines are growing more than 500 kilometers apart on wildly differing soil parent materials, the similarity of varietal character is astonishing, complete with subtle citronella lift on the lychee. Palate is a little more acid than the Mangere wine, again balanced by reasonably subtle residual sugar at the medium level, with near-perfect phenolic extraction to optimise flavour without coarseness. The finish is superb. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Pale lemon. Bouquet is dramatically varietal, not quite the floral complexity of the Ihumatao, but considering the wines are growing more than 500 kilometers apart on wildly differing soil parent materials, the similarity of varietal character is astonishing, complete with subtle citronella lift on the lychee. Palate is a little more acid than the Mangere wine, again balanced by reasonably subtle residual sugar at the medium level, with near-perfect phenolic extraction to optimise flavour without coarseness. The finish is superb. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $233 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine, the vineyard between le Chambertin and le Musigny, average vine age 25 – 30 years; hand-harvested, fermentation (some stalks) and cuvaison in open wooden vats presumably a similar time to the 18 – 20 days given for Echezeaux; c. 18 months in barrels understood to be about 1/3 new; Wine Direct the NZ agents; www.drouhin.com ]
Good ruby, a little deeper than the Echezeaux. Initially opened, this wine is a little reticent, but it is clean, not over-oaked, more clearly a hot year wine than the Echezeaux, with just a hint of roti. Palate however is so rich it seems almost sweet, with a wonderful length of fruit flavour. The roti thread is there though, and perhaps there is a subtlest hint of caramel in deep cherry and darkest plum fruit, plus mushroom and spice flavours, and dense furry tannins. This will cellar to 40 years, on the richness and tannin. Alcohol is markedly more than the nominal 13% on all but one of these French labels. GK 03/06
Good ruby, a little deeper than the Echezeaux. Initially opened, this wine is a little reticent, but it is clean, not over-oaked, more clearly a hot year wine than the Echezeaux, with just a hint of roti. Palate however is so rich it seems almost sweet, with a wonderful length of fruit flavour. The roti thread is there though, and perhaps there is a subtlest hint of caramel in deep cherry and darkest plum fruit, plus mushroom and spice flavours, and dense furry tannins. This will cellar to 40 years, on the richness and tannin. Alcohol is markedly more than the nominal 13% on all but one of these French labels. GK 03/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $28 [ supercritical cork; SB 85%, Se 11 and sauvignon gris 4, hand-harvested, de-stemmed, brief skin-contact; low-solids juice 100% BF, LA and c. 8 months in French oak c. 33% new; pH 3.11, RS < 1 g/L; www.temata.co.nz ]
Brilliant light lemon. This wine is the prototype for all the Graves-style sauvignons now being essayed in New Zealand. Te Mata have been quietly building their complex Cape Crest Sauvignon since the 1984 vintage, well over 20 years, yet it has a relatively low profile. Dog Point’s Section 94 can be seen as its exact Marlborough analogue, with no MLF, thus contrasting both wines with Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko. And in Hawkes Bay, Sacred Hills’ Sauvage is now in the same league. Now the new Alluviale Blanc is joining this intriguing group of wines. But back to the Cape Crest. Here is all the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and oak-associated complexity introduced into ripe sauvignon, but without the SO2 and sur-lie reduction attributes some of the other wines in the bracket show. Without the softening MLF, this wine is firmer and oakier than the Te Koko approach. The smells and flavours resulting are very distinctive, sometimes related to hypoid gear oil, as I have observed before. Coupled with the bone-dry palate on Cape Crests, this can make the wine hard to match with food. When achieved however, the results can be magical. At a recent presentation in Wellington, chief winemaker Peter Cowley demonstrated the wines cellar marvellously for at least 10 years, and this one will too. GK 04/09
Brilliant light lemon. This wine is the prototype for all the Graves-style sauvignons now being essayed in New Zealand. Te Mata have been quietly building their complex Cape Crest Sauvignon since the 1984 vintage, well over 20 years, yet it has a relatively low profile. Dog Point’s Section 94 can be seen as its exact Marlborough analogue, with no MLF, thus contrasting both wines with Cloudy Bay’s Te Koko. And in Hawkes Bay, Sacred Hills’ Sauvage is now in the same league. Now the new Alluviale Blanc is joining this intriguing group of wines. But back to the Cape Crest. Here is all the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and oak-associated complexity introduced into ripe sauvignon, but without the SO2 and sur-lie reduction attributes some of the other wines in the bracket show. Without the softening MLF, this wine is firmer and oakier than the Te Koko approach. The smells and flavours resulting are very distinctive, sometimes related to hypoid gear oil, as I have observed before. Coupled with the bone-dry palate on Cape Crests, this can make the wine hard to match with food. When achieved however, the results can be magical. At a recent presentation in Wellington, chief winemaker Peter Cowley demonstrated the wines cellar marvellously for at least 10 years, and this one will too. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $32 [ screwcap; Sy 97, Vi 3; hand-harvested, co-fermented; cuvaison >15 days; MLF in barrel; 15 months in oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour. This wine is from a small batch, for this season available only at the winery at Mangere. Total style and weight are similar to the straight Syrah Cellar Selection. Colour is minutely lighter, bouquet is more floral and berry-complexed and less oaky, with florals ranging from dianthus to violets. Palate shows wonderful berryfruit and is more mellow and softer than the standard wine. The whole style is so close to Cote Rotie as to be startling. This is not a bravura wine in the le Sol style, but it is a winning demonstration of the beauty of syrah varietal character in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour. This wine is from a small batch, for this season available only at the winery at Mangere. Total style and weight are similar to the straight Syrah Cellar Selection. Colour is minutely lighter, bouquet is more floral and berry-complexed and less oaky, with florals ranging from dianthus to violets. Palate shows wonderful berryfruit and is more mellow and softer than the standard wine. The whole style is so close to Cote Rotie as to be startling. This is not a bravura wine in the le Sol style, but it is a winning demonstration of the beauty of syrah varietal character in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $42 [ cork; Sy 100% from a single vineyard, oldest vines planted 1990; includes clone 470 for first time, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in French oak 40-ish % new; superb website; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, showing precise syrah varietal complexity as found in the northern Rhone – dianthus and rose florals, cassis and dark plum berry, freshly cracked black peppers, and subtle complementary oak. Palate continues perfectly, the fruit velvety yet spicy throughout, the flavours lingering wonderfully. It is a little more floral and fragrant than the Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah or le Sol, but slightly less rich. This is the third time this wine has been reported on in these notes since release, and it looks better and better – it is not a big wine, it could be described as understated, but it has complexity and depth and intrinsic quality. Earlier reports are 10/05 and 11/05. Bullnose is undoubtedly Te Mata’s greatest achievement for the 2004 vintage. It shows a finesse, ripeness and style comparable to that achieved in the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah (though I have not seen them alongside). These wines really challenge the Rhone, and Hermitage specifically. 2004 Bullnose will cellar for 5 – 15 years, and be a great food wine. Highly recommended. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, showing precise syrah varietal complexity as found in the northern Rhone – dianthus and rose florals, cassis and dark plum berry, freshly cracked black peppers, and subtle complementary oak. Palate continues perfectly, the fruit velvety yet spicy throughout, the flavours lingering wonderfully. It is a little more floral and fragrant than the Craggy Range Block 14 Syrah or le Sol, but slightly less rich. This is the third time this wine has been reported on in these notes since release, and it looks better and better – it is not a big wine, it could be described as understated, but it has complexity and depth and intrinsic quality. Earlier reports are 10/05 and 11/05. Bullnose is undoubtedly Te Mata’s greatest achievement for the 2004 vintage. It shows a finesse, ripeness and style comparable to that achieved in the 2002 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah (though I have not seen them alongside). These wines really challenge the Rhone, and Hermitage specifically. 2004 Bullnose will cellar for 5 – 15 years, and be a great food wine. Highly recommended. GK 05/06
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $72 [ cork; Me 45%, CS 37, CF 18; average vine age 20 years; 20 months in French oak probably around 75% new (if like '04); www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. This is a quiet wine, the bouquet not demonstrative, another wine remarkably like young Medoc. There are violets-like florals on cassis and darkest plums, all infused with potentially cedary oak in an understated way. On palate the likeness to good Medoc becomes all-convincing, and of classed growth Margaux standard. It is not rich enough to be top classed growth, but it more than matches the already-mentioned Cantemerle. Balance and style are classical for cellaring, though like the Larose faintly acid in the present company. Coleraine is classically made, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. This is a quiet wine, the bouquet not demonstrative, another wine remarkably like young Medoc. There are violets-like florals on cassis and darkest plums, all infused with potentially cedary oak in an understated way. On palate the likeness to good Medoc becomes all-convincing, and of classed growth Margaux standard. It is not rich enough to be top classed growth, but it more than matches the already-mentioned Cantemerle. Balance and style are classical for cellaring, though like the Larose faintly acid in the present company. Coleraine is classically made, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $32 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 30 days cuvaison; MLF and c. 17 months on light lees in French oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, vibrant, the second deepest of the syrahs. Bouquet is exceptionally deep, rich and concentrated, not quite so floral as the Jewelstone, but seemingly a little plusher, fragrant dark cassis, richest of bottled black doris plums, hints of hessian French oak. This is a remarkable wine. Palate is vibrant cassis, as rich as the Jewelstone but slightly fresher in its berry characters, total acid perhaps slightly higher, great purity, subtle oak. From memory, this seems a subtler wine than the 2009 Cellar Selection, where I recollect the oak being a little obtrusive in youth. Great New Zealand syrah, which at times should be available at a compelling price (if past experience is any guide). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, vibrant, the second deepest of the syrahs. Bouquet is exceptionally deep, rich and concentrated, not quite so floral as the Jewelstone, but seemingly a little plusher, fragrant dark cassis, richest of bottled black doris plums, hints of hessian French oak. This is a remarkable wine. Palate is vibrant cassis, as rich as the Jewelstone but slightly fresher in its berry characters, total acid perhaps slightly higher, great purity, subtle oak. From memory, this seems a subtler wine than the 2009 Cellar Selection, where I recollect the oak being a little obtrusive in youth. Great New Zealand syrah, which at times should be available at a compelling price (if past experience is any guide). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $49 [ screwcap; hand picked, 100% de-stemmed without crushing, extended cuvaison followed by 18 months in French oak, some new; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and deepest of the various wines in this set. Bouquet on this 2007 Deerstalkers Syrah is sensational, by far the finest under this label so far, with much more careful use of oak. The berry component is a notch riper than the Guigals, quite a measure of blueberry in the cassis softening the aromatics and hiding the florality somewhat. In mouth, the richness and balance is wonderful, though more new oak is evident now, but the length of berry and flavour is excellent. The total style is astonishingly reminiscent of great Hermitage, in a warmer year than 2006 or 2005. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and deepest of the various wines in this set. Bouquet on this 2007 Deerstalkers Syrah is sensational, by far the finest under this label so far, with much more careful use of oak. The berry component is a notch riper than the Guigals, quite a measure of blueberry in the cassis softening the aromatics and hiding the florality somewhat. In mouth, the richness and balance is wonderful, though more new oak is evident now, but the length of berry and flavour is excellent. The total style is astonishingly reminiscent of great Hermitage, in a warmer year than 2006 or 2005. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ 48 mm supercritical cork; CS 49%, Ma 29, CF 22, hand-harvested @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison from 15 days to 22 for the CS; 21 months in all-French small oak 40% new; egg-white fined and filtered; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
This was the second of the complete wines in the Lincoln tasting. It opened beautifully, with even more harmony, delicacy and finesse than in the Hot Reds review. It is a marvellous example of a Medoc / Ch Cantemerle weight of classed Bordeaux, with remarkable fragrance and near-violets florality, all beautifully fine-grained. It contrasts dramatically with the Church Road Reserve, yet both are great Hawkes Bay blends. It is exciting to see Hawkes Bay blends developing exactly the same variation in demonstrated style as Bordeaux, where provided the basic quality parameters are observed, the variation is celebrated. With a straight malbec in the introductory lineup, you could see the zingy character it added to the Patriarch, but blind, one would be hard-put to identify that component. This is an elegant Hawke's Bay blend to cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. It is the greatest red wine ever to emerge from the Babich stable. GK 10/10
This was the second of the complete wines in the Lincoln tasting. It opened beautifully, with even more harmony, delicacy and finesse than in the Hot Reds review. It is a marvellous example of a Medoc / Ch Cantemerle weight of classed Bordeaux, with remarkable fragrance and near-violets florality, all beautifully fine-grained. It contrasts dramatically with the Church Road Reserve, yet both are great Hawkes Bay blends. It is exciting to see Hawkes Bay blends developing exactly the same variation in demonstrated style as Bordeaux, where provided the basic quality parameters are observed, the variation is celebrated. With a straight malbec in the introductory lineup, you could see the zingy character it added to the Patriarch, but blind, one would be hard-put to identify that component. This is an elegant Hawke's Bay blend to cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. It is the greatest red wine ever to emerge from the Babich stable. GK 10/10
Nelson, New Zealand: 13%; $19 [ screwcap; s/s wine ]
Elegant lemongreen. The similarity of style between this wine and the Stafford is uncanny, but the whole wine is a little deeper and richer, with almost white nectarine fruit richness on top of vanillin florals, black passionfruit and ripest capsicum. These are sauvignons that make one think of honeysuckle blossom. Palate is richer too, yet the wine is dry analytically as well as by taste. Acid is fractionally the least of these three. This is glorious sauvignon showing all the beauty of the variety perfectly ripe, with no hint of winemaking negatives such as sweaty armpit – exactly as sauvignon should be. Cellar 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 01/06
Elegant lemongreen. The similarity of style between this wine and the Stafford is uncanny, but the whole wine is a little deeper and richer, with almost white nectarine fruit richness on top of vanillin florals, black passionfruit and ripest capsicum. These are sauvignons that make one think of honeysuckle blossom. Palate is richer too, yet the wine is dry analytically as well as by taste. Acid is fractionally the least of these three. This is glorious sauvignon showing all the beauty of the variety perfectly ripe, with no hint of winemaking negatives such as sweaty armpit – exactly as sauvignon should be. Cellar 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 01/06
Great Southern district, West Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $ – [ screwcap; was $31; included to compare and contrast an Australian riesling from a cooler district with the New Zealand wines, Great Southern 2004 rated 8/10 by Halliday, RS usually under 5; James Halliday, 2004: Pale straw-green; spotlessly clean apple and lime blossom; lovely palate, with sweet lime fruit and a dry finish, 95; GK, 2006: intriguing citrus zest complexity to it, almost suggesting mandarin and mock orange blossom, in a very subtle riesling setting 18.5 +; not the easiest website to find things, as the name of the website suggests; www.burchfamilywines.com.au ]
Lemongreen, the second palest, sensational for 10 years. And the bouquet is pretty much up there too, showing a sweet vernal or holy grass varietal delicacy, florality and complexity clearly suggesting a cooler climate than the Clare Valley wines of Jeffrey Grosset, and more like best New Zealand examples of the grape. Palate is better again, the handling of the phenolic subtlety magnificent, palest citrus, seemingly natural acid, attractive fruit, and great length of palate for a 'dry' riesling. Exceptional Australian riesling, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Lemongreen, the second palest, sensational for 10 years. And the bouquet is pretty much up there too, showing a sweet vernal or holy grass varietal delicacy, florality and complexity clearly suggesting a cooler climate than the Clare Valley wines of Jeffrey Grosset, and more like best New Zealand examples of the grape. Palate is better again, the handling of the phenolic subtlety magnificent, palest citrus, seemingly natural acid, attractive fruit, and great length of palate for a 'dry' riesling. Exceptional Australian riesling, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; 2005 a low-crop year; not much wine info on website; www.feltonroad.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a fine big pinot colour. Bouquet is soft, rich and deeply floral, excitingly varietal pinot noir, in a deep rich phase. Palate melds the dark roses and violets of the bouquet into black cherry, blackboy and fragrant dark plum fruits, with a magical texture which is 'crunchy', as in fine burgundy (by analogy with perfect cherries). And the florals continue in the palate. This is marvellous pinot noir in a slightly fleshy style, neither too oaky or too alcoholic, which will build bouquet and become more sophisticated on palate as it fines down and matures in bottle. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Ruby and velvet, a fine big pinot colour. Bouquet is soft, rich and deeply floral, excitingly varietal pinot noir, in a deep rich phase. Palate melds the dark roses and violets of the bouquet into black cherry, blackboy and fragrant dark plum fruits, with a magical texture which is 'crunchy', as in fine burgundy (by analogy with perfect cherries). And the florals continue in the palate. This is marvellous pinot noir in a slightly fleshy style, neither too oaky or too alcoholic, which will build bouquet and become more sophisticated on palate as it fines down and matures in bottle. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Great Southern, West Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $20 [ screwcap; free-run only; www.madfishwines.com.au ]
Lemongreen, that wash of almost beetle-green iridescence the Aussies sometimes capture in their best stainless steel whites. Bouquet on this wine is stunning, a slightly cooler appley style all through than the Fromm, but the same holygrass / sweet vernal / linalool and floral fragrances, on lovely fruit. Palate is a little narrower and purer than the Fromm, no hint of lees-autolysis complexity, just the pure variety, with terpene flavours and some lime-zest but no phenolics, leading to not quite as ‘dry’ a finish. This will cellar well, 5 – 10 years plus, and could be worth trying for longer. GK 08/06
Lemongreen, that wash of almost beetle-green iridescence the Aussies sometimes capture in their best stainless steel whites. Bouquet on this wine is stunning, a slightly cooler appley style all through than the Fromm, but the same holygrass / sweet vernal / linalool and floral fragrances, on lovely fruit. Palate is a little narrower and purer than the Fromm, no hint of lees-autolysis complexity, just the pure variety, with terpene flavours and some lime-zest but no phenolics, leading to not quite as ‘dry’ a finish. This will cellar well, 5 – 10 years plus, and could be worth trying for longer. GK 08/06
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $644 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Vibrant ruby and velvet, showing relative youth for its age, just below the richest three in depth of colour. Bouquet shows beautifully ripe, sweet, fragrant, darkly plummy berry, a little too ripe for cassis and clearly too ripe for florals, but fresh and fragrant and not too oaky. Palate immediately introduces more obvious oak into the equation, but the strength of ripe berry with nearly a hint of blackberry and blueberry as well, balances the oak pretty well. This is a lovely wine, but tanniny, showing yet again what a mistake so many English winewriters make, in assuming that hotter years can never produce fine wines. In the Northern Rhone Valley, warmth is critically needed. But yes, I concede that a cooler year would have allowed greater syrah varietal expression, as the 2010 and 1999 wines try to show. This 2003 was well-liked by the group, seven first places, two second. Not yet quite on its plateau of maturity, cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 94. GK 10/18
Vibrant ruby and velvet, showing relative youth for its age, just below the richest three in depth of colour. Bouquet shows beautifully ripe, sweet, fragrant, darkly plummy berry, a little too ripe for cassis and clearly too ripe for florals, but fresh and fragrant and not too oaky. Palate immediately introduces more obvious oak into the equation, but the strength of ripe berry with nearly a hint of blackberry and blueberry as well, balances the oak pretty well. This is a lovely wine, but tanniny, showing yet again what a mistake so many English winewriters make, in assuming that hotter years can never produce fine wines. In the Northern Rhone Valley, warmth is critically needed. But yes, I concede that a cooler year would have allowed greater syrah varietal expression, as the 2010 and 1999 wines try to show. This 2003 was well-liked by the group, seven first places, two second. Not yet quite on its plateau of maturity, cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 94. GK 10/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $59 [ screwcap; Me 53%, Ma 33, CS 14, all hand-harvested @ c.1.9 t/ac, and de-stemmed; some wild-yeast; MLF and 20 months in French oak 75% new; RS nil; minimal filtration; Catalogue: aromatics hinting at black fruits and chocolate. The flavours are typical of Gimblett Gravel merlot blends, with fruitcake, plum, black cherry, chocolate and oak spice all evident. Cellaring is recommended to soften the firm tannins; Awards: ‘Super Classic’, Michael Coopers Wine Buyers Guide 2009; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as some of these top wines, but a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is already deep and beautiful, showing some of the violets floral notes of the 2007 Church Road. Cassis and dark plums are mingled with these seductive floral aromas, plus beautiful oak much more subtly used than in some earlier Esk Valley Reserve wines (though the 75% new above would suggest otherwise). This too is a glorious Bordeaux-styled wine on bouquet. Palate at this stage is primarily cassisy even though merlot is listed first in the cepage, with superbly aromatic berry quality and flavour. It does not seem quite as sumptuously rich as the two Church Road Reserve wines, but like 2005 Tom, the freshness of berry is stunning. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as some of these top wines, but a gorgeous colour. Bouquet is already deep and beautiful, showing some of the violets floral notes of the 2007 Church Road. Cassis and dark plums are mingled with these seductive floral aromas, plus beautiful oak much more subtly used than in some earlier Esk Valley Reserve wines (though the 75% new above would suggest otherwise). This too is a glorious Bordeaux-styled wine on bouquet. Palate at this stage is primarily cassisy even though merlot is listed first in the cepage, with superbly aromatic berry quality and flavour. It does not seem quite as sumptuously rich as the two Church Road Reserve wines, but like 2005 Tom, the freshness of berry is stunning. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.4%; $30 [ cork; DFB; Me 87%, CF 13; 75% hand-harvested @ 3.3 t/ac; inoculated ferment in s/s; 18 months in French oak 31% new; RS <2 g/L nil; fined and filtered; Catalogue: Aromas of dark plum, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and cinnamon combine for a bouquet. Texturally, layers of soft, silky tannin combine with dollops of ripe fruit flavours and a hint of oak derived mocha character to form a luscious and long palate; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. One smell of the bouquet and this is merlot as it was meant to be, superlative black plums, some violets, deep yet still fresh, not at all dominated by oak yet still shaped by it. Palate follows on perfectly, plump, ripe, delightful. Though the alcohol as stated is a worry, in the blind tasting it is not noticeable and the wine does not show any sur-maturité, so as with some other wines here, Craggy has got away with it. There is a particularly attractive cassis aromatic twist to the finish, as if there were a little cabernet sauvignon added to spice the wine, but this is the added beauty of properly-ripe cabernet franc. This is wonderful wine, showing again the great potential for New Zealand Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. One smell of the bouquet and this is merlot as it was meant to be, superlative black plums, some violets, deep yet still fresh, not at all dominated by oak yet still shaped by it. Palate follows on perfectly, plump, ripe, delightful. Though the alcohol as stated is a worry, in the blind tasting it is not noticeable and the wine does not show any sur-maturité, so as with some other wines here, Craggy has got away with it. There is a particularly attractive cassis aromatic twist to the finish, as if there were a little cabernet sauvignon added to spice the wine, but this is the added beauty of properly-ripe cabernet franc. This is wonderful wine, showing again the great potential for New Zealand Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blends. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from 10 and 12-year vines; French oak for 21 months; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Berries and plums pour from the glass on this wine, with suggestions of violets too, and oak below. This is a much more vibrant bouquet than the Omahu. Fruit on palate is superb: this is another Villa Group wine really heading in a Bordeaux direction (alcohol aside), like the 2000 Villa Merlot / Cabernet Reserve, except our versions are oakier (as yet). In five years time, this will be softening, developing cigar box and dark tobacco complexities, and starting to be ready to drink with food. A case-buy wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Berries and plums pour from the glass on this wine, with suggestions of violets too, and oak below. This is a much more vibrant bouquet than the Omahu. Fruit on palate is superb: this is another Villa Group wine really heading in a Bordeaux direction (alcohol aside), like the 2000 Villa Merlot / Cabernet Reserve, except our versions are oakier (as yet). In five years time, this will be softening, developing cigar box and dark tobacco complexities, and starting to be ready to drink with food. A case-buy wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $43 [ screwcap ]
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, a rich pinot noir. Bouquet is magical, with deep boronia-like florals and other dusky flowers on red and black cherry fruit, clean, pure and fragrantly varietal, oak near-invisible, no artefact sideshows. Palate is crisp flavoursome cherry, at a perfect point of ripeness, avoiding plumminess, beautifully aromatic, the florals continuing through the flavour. Classical world-class pinot noir, one of New Zealand's finest examples of the grape yet. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, a rich pinot noir. Bouquet is magical, with deep boronia-like florals and other dusky flowers on red and black cherry fruit, clean, pure and fragrantly varietal, oak near-invisible, no artefact sideshows. Palate is crisp flavoursome cherry, at a perfect point of ripeness, avoiding plumminess, beautifully aromatic, the florals continuing through the flavour. Classical world-class pinot noir, one of New Zealand's finest examples of the grape yet. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $535 [ cork; Sy 93%, Vi 7; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and some velvet. Bouquet is enchanting, with an almost Cote de Nuits dark rose and violets florality on limpid cassis and dark plum berry. Oak is extraordinarily subtle, considering the 42 months spent in new. Palate is magic, a softness and succulence not apparent in the two Hermitage wines, though it is smaller than both. Oak creeps up on the palate, with hints of chestnutty complexity / subtlest brett. It is not as rich as great years of the Guigal grands crus, but it is very beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/10
Ruby and some velvet. Bouquet is enchanting, with an almost Cote de Nuits dark rose and violets florality on limpid cassis and dark plum berry. Oak is extraordinarily subtle, considering the 42 months spent in new. Palate is magic, a softness and succulence not apparent in the two Hermitage wines, though it is smaller than both. Oak creeps up on the palate, with hints of chestnutty complexity / subtlest brett. It is not as rich as great years of the Guigal grands crus, but it is very beautiful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $41 [ screwcap; CS 46%, Me 41, Ma 13; 18 months in new French and US oak 80% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a similar density but a fresher hue than Craggy’s The Quarry. In this blind tasting, the similarity of style to the Craggy is staggering. The fruit is a little weightier, VA is lower, and oak maybe fractionally greater, but in varietal definition and palate richness, this too is a great New Zealand red in the Bordeaux / Medoc style. For those still hanging on to the idea New Zealand reds don’t keep (a notion that was never true for honestly made reds of appropriate dry extract and true ripeness), it is noteworthy that this 2002 wine looks younger than the 2004 Craggy. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a similar density but a fresher hue than Craggy’s The Quarry. In this blind tasting, the similarity of style to the Craggy is staggering. The fruit is a little weightier, VA is lower, and oak maybe fractionally greater, but in varietal definition and palate richness, this too is a great New Zealand red in the Bordeaux / Medoc style. For those still hanging on to the idea New Zealand reds don’t keep (a notion that was never true for honestly made reds of appropriate dry extract and true ripeness), it is noteworthy that this 2002 wine looks younger than the 2004 Craggy. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $39 [ cork; hand-harvested @ c. 6.8 t/ha = 2.7 t/ac from 6-year vines; cuvaison in the order of 4 weeks, 18 months in French oak 40% new; RS 1 g/L; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third richest of the syrahs. Bouquet is a wonderful evocation of the Northern Rhone in one of its most distinguished appellations. The degree of florality is a great pleasure, indicating great sensitivity with the oaking. There are wallflowers and nearly violets, on dense cassisy berry and darkest plum, very hard to tell from fine cabernet-dominant Hawkes Bay blends at the blind stage. Palate shows great precision of fruit ripeness, all still at the cassis analogy, yet there is a pepper component ripened through to sweet black pepper only. Length of palate and neatness of finish are exemplary. This is a delicious wine, extraordinarily lightly oaked by New Zealand (but not Northern Rhone) standards, which will cellar 5 – 15 years, and be most rewarding. Mission Estate chief winemaker Paul Mooney has had a great feeling for syrah, right since his early-in-the-piece 1998 release. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third richest of the syrahs. Bouquet is a wonderful evocation of the Northern Rhone in one of its most distinguished appellations. The degree of florality is a great pleasure, indicating great sensitivity with the oaking. There are wallflowers and nearly violets, on dense cassisy berry and darkest plum, very hard to tell from fine cabernet-dominant Hawkes Bay blends at the blind stage. Palate shows great precision of fruit ripeness, all still at the cassis analogy, yet there is a pepper component ripened through to sweet black pepper only. Length of palate and neatness of finish are exemplary. This is a delicious wine, extraordinarily lightly oaked by New Zealand (but not Northern Rhone) standards, which will cellar 5 – 15 years, and be most rewarding. Mission Estate chief winemaker Paul Mooney has had a great feeling for syrah, right since his early-in-the-piece 1998 release. GK 06/12
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $72 [ cork; Me 45%, CS 37, CF 18, hand-harvested from vines of average age 20 years; 100% de-stemmed; 20 months in French oak probably around 75% new (if like '04); the winery believes this is the finest Coleraine yet; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. This is a quiet wine, the bouquet not demonstrative, another wine remarkably like young Medoc. There are violets-like florals on cassis and darkest plums, all infused with potentially cedary oak in an understated way. On palate the likeness to good Medoc becomes all-convincing, and of classed growth Margaux standard. It is not rich enough to be top classed growth, but it more than matches a wine such as Ch Cantemerle. Balance and style are classical for cellaring, though like the Larose faintly acid in the present company. Coleraine is classically made, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. This is a quiet wine, the bouquet not demonstrative, another wine remarkably like young Medoc. There are violets-like florals on cassis and darkest plums, all infused with potentially cedary oak in an understated way. On palate the likeness to good Medoc becomes all-convincing, and of classed growth Margaux standard. It is not rich enough to be top classed growth, but it more than matches a wine such as Ch Cantemerle. Balance and style are classical for cellaring, though like the Larose faintly acid in the present company. Coleraine is classically made, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $48 [ ProCork; DFB; CS 48%, Me 35, Ma 17; machine-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed, some components finished fermentation in barrel, followed by 18 months in 70% French and 30 American oak, 100% new; sterile filtered; c. 500 cases; www.cjpask.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. First sniff of this wine, and all one can think of is classic Medoc, a wine like Cantemerle, but so much more generous in its fruit ripeness and sunnyness. Both bouquet and palate are total cassis, with some darkly plummy merlot fleshing it out, but it is not quite as rich and concentrated as the top wines. The most wonderful thing about this Pask Declaration is the oak handling, which despite the 100% new, seems much subtler, lighter than the Cornerstone, contrasting vividly with the heavier approach of earlier years. Hence the emphasis is more on the berry fruit, and the wine will be so much more food-friendly. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. First sniff of this wine, and all one can think of is classic Medoc, a wine like Cantemerle, but so much more generous in its fruit ripeness and sunnyness. Both bouquet and palate are total cassis, with some darkly plummy merlot fleshing it out, but it is not quite as rich and concentrated as the top wines. The most wonderful thing about this Pask Declaration is the oak handling, which despite the 100% new, seems much subtler, lighter than the Cornerstone, contrasting vividly with the heavier approach of earlier years. Hence the emphasis is more on the berry fruit, and the wine will be so much more food-friendly. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $435 [ cork 54mm, ullage 19mm; original price c.$51; cepage then approx. CS 65%, Me 25, CF 8, PV 2, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new then unknown, less than now (60%); Montrose website: Vintage: harvest Sept. 14 – Sept. 29, no cepage; July, August, and September were hot, very sunny and dry continuously; heat and exceptional drought characterize the harvest season. Wine: The rich nose displays scents of blond tobacco, leather, cedar, redcurrant, and cherry. ... The tannins are neat and defined; Coates, 2004: Vintage: … wonder of the 1982s was the amount of ripe, concentrated fruit. The grapes had been picked with the highest level of natural sugar since 1947. … the tannins were round and sweet, not bitter and hard like, for instance, the young 1975s; Wine: Vigorous, fullish and slightly tough on the nose. But riper and rounder on the palate. Fullish body. Very good grip. Rich, ripe and classy. This is fine, to 2010 +, 17.5; Broadbent, 2002: Vintage *****, A milestone. Rich tannic wines; Wine: harmonious, excellent flavour but it's ripe sweetness hardly denting its tannic astringency. A long-haul wine, ***(**); Robinson, 2016: Subtle, dry but gorgeously smooth-textured with fully evolved tannins. Really fresh with great drive and energy – almost like a fully ripe Cabernet Franc. Savoury, leathery, firm yet round. Admirably long. No hurry to drink this, 19; R. Parker, 1993: This is the best wine Montrose made between 1970 and the legendary wines of 1989 and 1990. ... full maturity at a surprisingly young age. ... dusty, curranty aromas intermingled with the smells of wet stones, minerals, spices, and black fruit. Medium to full-bodied, with excellent concentration and supple, expansive, chewy fleshiness, this large-scaled, low acid Montrose should last for another 10-15 years, 88; weight bottle and closure 566 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, but (surprisingly) not so very much older in appearance than the 2000, below midway in depth. One sniff, and this wine, like the 2000, bespeaks complete harmony, balance and maturity in the claret / Médoc wine-style. Though cabernet was high in that era, being a warmer year this wine is not notably aromatic, but it is beautifully fragrant, nearly floral in a fading red roses and violets way, with lovely mature berry browning a little now, allowing the cedar to peep through. Palate is supple, harmonious and round, smaller in scale as befits its era, but simply a delight – so smooth. And you can still taste the cabernet. It is exactly the 2000, nearly 20 years later: phenomenal. This is much the best bottle of 1982 Montrose I have tasted, from my case. This wine showed such harmony, that I placed it as wine 12, the final three wines in the presentation being the softer and more fragrant 2003, 1990, and 1982, in that order. After the bigger wines which had come before, it was a challenge to see its absolute virtues, despite the lead-in wines. So while there were no first-place votes, it was a pleasure to record six second-place votes. Fully and beautifully mature, but I imagine past midway on its plateau of maturity. This wine will decline gracefully for 5 – 15 years yet. An attractive example of a 1982 Medoc. GK 07/21
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, but (surprisingly) not so very much older in appearance than the 2000, below midway in depth. One sniff, and this wine, like the 2000, bespeaks complete harmony, balance and maturity in the claret / Médoc wine-style. Though cabernet was high in that era, being a warmer year this wine is not notably aromatic, but it is beautifully fragrant, nearly floral in a fading red roses and violets way, with lovely mature berry browning a little now, allowing the cedar to peep through. Palate is supple, harmonious and round, smaller in scale as befits its era, but simply a delight – so smooth. And you can still taste the cabernet. It is exactly the 2000, nearly 20 years later: phenomenal. This is much the best bottle of 1982 Montrose I have tasted, from my case. This wine showed such harmony, that I placed it as wine 12, the final three wines in the presentation being the softer and more fragrant 2003, 1990, and 1982, in that order. After the bigger wines which had come before, it was a challenge to see its absolute virtues, despite the lead-in wines. So while there were no first-place votes, it was a pleasure to record six second-place votes. Fully and beautifully mature, but I imagine past midway on its plateau of maturity. This wine will decline gracefully for 5 – 15 years yet. An attractive example of a 1982 Medoc. GK 07/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; DFB; Me 92%, CF 7, CS 1, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; 20 months in 70% new French oak; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, deeper, denser and not quite as fresh as the 2005 Alluviale. Initially opened, the bouquet shows a little oak aggressiveness, but like the Alluviale, decanted it quickly clears. The style of bouquet is close to ’05 Alluviale, but darker, denser, not quite as floral, yet the same deep violets are there. Palate is considerably richer, and the wine is more oaky too, but the precision of the merlot fruit is breathtaking. If the Alluviale is more beautiful, this is more powerful, and will cellar longer, 5 – 20 + years. For absolute definition of merlot varietal character, however, 2004 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels is the wine. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, deeper, denser and not quite as fresh as the 2005 Alluviale. Initially opened, the bouquet shows a little oak aggressiveness, but like the Alluviale, decanted it quickly clears. The style of bouquet is close to ’05 Alluviale, but darker, denser, not quite as floral, yet the same deep violets are there. Palate is considerably richer, and the wine is more oaky too, but the precision of the merlot fruit is breathtaking. If the Alluviale is more beautiful, this is more powerful, and will cellar longer, 5 – 20 + years. For absolute definition of merlot varietal character, however, 2004 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels is the wine. GK 11/06
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $70 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 7 days cold-soak, no whole bunch, wild yeast; 18 months in French oak 30% new including MLF the following spring; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, colour at a maximum for rich pinot, one of the deepest. Bouquet is sweet and enticing, elusively floral in a very dark way, bottled dark plums more than black cherries, but nonetheless marvellously pinot noir. It is a little sur maturité alongside the Hope, and thus has lost some vibrancy and floral lift on bouquet. Palate however is marvellous, both intensely rich yet supremely light and burgundian, lingering wonderfully, redolent of the variety. The rich fruit does conceal a fair load of ripe tannins, boding well for cellaring. The whole wine is richer and more ample than the Hope, but not quite so vividly varietal. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, colour at a maximum for rich pinot, one of the deepest. Bouquet is sweet and enticing, elusively floral in a very dark way, bottled dark plums more than black cherries, but nonetheless marvellously pinot noir. It is a little sur maturité alongside the Hope, and thus has lost some vibrancy and floral lift on bouquet. Palate however is marvellous, both intensely rich yet supremely light and burgundian, lingering wonderfully, redolent of the variety. The rich fruit does conceal a fair load of ripe tannins, boding well for cellaring. The whole wine is richer and more ample than the Hope, but not quite so vividly varietal. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $40 [ cork; 18 months French oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and some velvet. A richly fragrant Bordeaux-styled bouquet, with plenty of cassis now complexing out into the oak, and cedary, pipe tobacco and savoury components, including a little brett. Palate is similarly showing some signs of development and softening, with real temperate-climate complexity of ripe berry flavours, good acid balance, more oak than most Bordeaux, but less than some New Zealand. Lovely complex relatively low-alcohol wine which can be enjoyed now, or cellared for another 10 years. GK 11/05
Ruby and some velvet. A richly fragrant Bordeaux-styled bouquet, with plenty of cassis now complexing out into the oak, and cedary, pipe tobacco and savoury components, including a little brett. Palate is similarly showing some signs of development and softening, with real temperate-climate complexity of ripe berry flavours, good acid balance, more oak than most Bordeaux, but less than some New Zealand. Lovely complex relatively low-alcohol wine which can be enjoyed now, or cellared for another 10 years. GK 11/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ supercritical cork; SB 85%, Se 13 and sauvignon gris 2, hand-harvested; 100% BF, LA and c. 8 months in French oak c. 33% new; < 2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is immediately complex and appealing, and whether one thinks of barrel-ferment or ripe sauvignon blanc first doesn't matter, for both are in balance, the one optimising the other, to give a premium Graves-style white wine without any of the clog or clutter of many French examples. Below these top notes there is fruit suggesting red capsicums and black passionfruit, and a suggestion of Vogel's Wholegrain bread, all very attractive. Palate is rich, the aromatics of ripe red capsicum, sweet basil and oak, yet a real tactile quality and texture like the Elston Chardonnay, as if the wine had a touch of purest MLF in the blend. This is a glorious example of complex ripe New Zealand sauvignon fully handled in oak, not as overdone as Te Koko, gentler and subtler than the Sacred Hills Sauvage. As suggested for the 2007 Elston, this is probably Te Mata's finest Cape Crest yet. Cellar 2 – 10 years, as preferred. GK 03/08
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is immediately complex and appealing, and whether one thinks of barrel-ferment or ripe sauvignon blanc first doesn't matter, for both are in balance, the one optimising the other, to give a premium Graves-style white wine without any of the clog or clutter of many French examples. Below these top notes there is fruit suggesting red capsicums and black passionfruit, and a suggestion of Vogel's Wholegrain bread, all very attractive. Palate is rich, the aromatics of ripe red capsicum, sweet basil and oak, yet a real tactile quality and texture like the Elston Chardonnay, as if the wine had a touch of purest MLF in the blend. This is a glorious example of complex ripe New Zealand sauvignon fully handled in oak, not as overdone as Te Koko, gentler and subtler than the Sacred Hills Sauvage. As suggested for the 2007 Elston, this is probably Te Mata's finest Cape Crest yet. Cellar 2 – 10 years, as preferred. GK 03/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 55%, Ma 25, CS 20; MLF in barrel; 19 months in French oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the hue scarcely affected by the two years extra time compared with most in the blind tasting. This is another red with excellent floral components, in this case not as purely merlot as the straight merlots. Instead, there is a complex interaction of merlot violets and plums with cabernet cassis and even blueberries plus some cooler red currants. This produces a bouquet like a rich St Emilion with significant cabernet sauvignon, such as Figeac, but more modern. Palate shows more oak again than the two Craggy Merlots, but the fruit is rich enough for it to marry in superbly. There is a little charry and dark chocolate / mocha on the late palate, a nod to the modern style. This very rich wine is totally international in quality, and will cellar 5 – 20 years. I see it has judged consistently in these notes, highlighting the merits of screwcap. This will be a great wine to assess screwcap performance over the 20-year or more lifetime of the wine. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the hue scarcely affected by the two years extra time compared with most in the blind tasting. This is another red with excellent floral components, in this case not as purely merlot as the straight merlots. Instead, there is a complex interaction of merlot violets and plums with cabernet cassis and even blueberries plus some cooler red currants. This produces a bouquet like a rich St Emilion with significant cabernet sauvignon, such as Figeac, but more modern. Palate shows more oak again than the two Craggy Merlots, but the fruit is rich enough for it to marry in superbly. There is a little charry and dark chocolate / mocha on the late palate, a nod to the modern style. This very rich wine is totally international in quality, and will cellar 5 – 20 years. I see it has judged consistently in these notes, highlighting the merits of screwcap. This will be a great wine to assess screwcap performance over the 20-year or more lifetime of the wine. GK 05/06
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ screwcap; cold-soak 5 – 7 days; 11 months in French oak 35% new including MLF in barrel; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is magical, essence of Cote de Nuits pinot, with a deep boronia florals and dark roses note, wonderfully enveloping. Below this is gorgeous black cherry fruit, full-flavoured yet not weighty, unduly plummy, or over-ripe. Palate shows great concentration of fruit, superb aromatics on the black cherry, perfect acid, subtle oak, and great length in mouth. This wine immediately steps into the top rank of Otago pinots. See 2005 Delta Pinot Noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is magical, essence of Cote de Nuits pinot, with a deep boronia florals and dark roses note, wonderfully enveloping. Below this is gorgeous black cherry fruit, full-flavoured yet not weighty, unduly plummy, or over-ripe. Palate shows great concentration of fruit, superb aromatics on the black cherry, perfect acid, subtle oak, and great length in mouth. This wine immediately steps into the top rank of Otago pinots. See 2005 Delta Pinot Noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; clone mendoza predominates, mostly hand-harvested @ 1.9 t/ac; most of the juice is wild-yeast fermented in French oak with a small percentage new, a smaller percentage starts fermentation inoculated in s/s, but all of it completes fermentation in barrel; c.80% MLF; 12 months LA and some batonnage in barrel, then a further month or two in barrel; pH 3.27, RS 2.6 g/L ; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
With one repeated reference chardonnay from Hawkes Bay in the tasting, it seemed only fair to also include a repeat Marlborough wine. The 2007 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay was released just after this tasting, unfortunately, but the 2006 is still sparingly available, and represents this firm well. See previous review. There is a degree of complexity and integration which is more European than Australasian, and will give much pleasure. The white mushroom notes on the long aftertaste are delightful. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
With one repeated reference chardonnay from Hawkes Bay in the tasting, it seemed only fair to also include a repeat Marlborough wine. The 2007 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay was released just after this tasting, unfortunately, but the 2006 is still sparingly available, and represents this firm well. See previous review. There is a degree of complexity and integration which is more European than Australasian, and will give much pleasure. The white mushroom notes on the long aftertaste are delightful. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $43 [ screwcap; CS 52%, Sh 48; 13 months in American oak 26 – 30% new, all hogsheads; some BF material from the Grange, Bin 707 and other top-end red wine programmes; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, almost some carmine, a classical and lovely red wine colour. Bouquet on this red is first-rate, exciting, berry-dominant, new oak but subdued, a wonderful complexing suggestion of barrel-fermented material clearly detectable, all fresh and fragrant. There is clear cassis from the cabernet component, melding insensibly into dark plum from the shiraz. This is a sophisticated wine, none of the obvious over-ripe boysenberry normally characterising Australian shiraz-influenced wines. Nor is there any eucalyptus, mercifully. Flavour in mouth is poised, fresh, complex, great fruit on palate, beautifully balanced in an opulent style. Though a big wine, it is subtler and lighter than many previous Bin 389s, and more obviously cabernet-dominant than some, too. It is an Australian cabernet blend ideally suited to running in future blind tastings of the promising 2005 Bordeaux classed growths, despite the label commonly being thought of as primarily shiraz. The wine is infantile now, but will cellar wonderfully for 10 – 30 years. Drinking it now is verging on the absurd, or ignorant. A classic, even great Penfolds Bin 389 to buy by the case – especially at the initial offer price of $30. GK 03/08
Dense ruby and velvet, almost some carmine, a classical and lovely red wine colour. Bouquet on this red is first-rate, exciting, berry-dominant, new oak but subdued, a wonderful complexing suggestion of barrel-fermented material clearly detectable, all fresh and fragrant. There is clear cassis from the cabernet component, melding insensibly into dark plum from the shiraz. This is a sophisticated wine, none of the obvious over-ripe boysenberry normally characterising Australian shiraz-influenced wines. Nor is there any eucalyptus, mercifully. Flavour in mouth is poised, fresh, complex, great fruit on palate, beautifully balanced in an opulent style. Though a big wine, it is subtler and lighter than many previous Bin 389s, and more obviously cabernet-dominant than some, too. It is an Australian cabernet blend ideally suited to running in future blind tastings of the promising 2005 Bordeaux classed growths, despite the label commonly being thought of as primarily shiraz. The wine is infantile now, but will cellar wonderfully for 10 – 30 years. Drinking it now is verging on the absurd, or ignorant. A classic, even great Penfolds Bin 389 to buy by the case – especially at the initial offer price of $30. GK 03/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; CS 75%, Me 25, hand-harvested @ around 2.4 t/ac; vinified @ Mangere, 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation, cuvaison up to 6 weeks for the CS, 4 weeks for the Me; 20 months in 100% French oak 3-years air-dried and 40% new; RS nil; Parker: 91; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the middle bracket for weight of colour. Oh boy, this is serious ... the first impression in the blind line-up of 60. Unlike so many of the younger wines, this shows an integration of cassisy berry and cedary oak which is comparable only with classed growth Medoc. The wine is wonderfully fragrant, but any specific floral analogies are lost in the cedar. Its flavours are just starting to show the smoothness and harmony of secondary development, and great elegance. Those who say wines cannot develop properly under screwcap need to taste this wine in a rigorously blind line-up, and at that stage point out the supposedly defective screwcap ones. Though it is rich, like fine claret there is a delicacy in the fruit / oak balance which is most impressive. Thoughts of Grand-Puy-Lacoste here. By strictest Bordeaux standards the wine is fractionally oaky. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the middle bracket for weight of colour. Oh boy, this is serious ... the first impression in the blind line-up of 60. Unlike so many of the younger wines, this shows an integration of cassisy berry and cedary oak which is comparable only with classed growth Medoc. The wine is wonderfully fragrant, but any specific floral analogies are lost in the cedar. Its flavours are just starting to show the smoothness and harmony of secondary development, and great elegance. Those who say wines cannot develop properly under screwcap need to taste this wine in a rigorously blind line-up, and at that stage point out the supposedly defective screwcap ones. Though it is rich, like fine claret there is a delicacy in the fruit / oak balance which is most impressive. Thoughts of Grand-Puy-Lacoste here. By strictest Bordeaux standards the wine is fractionally oaky. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $144 [ cork; hand-harvested, organic vineyard practice; BF in 30% new oak, 11 months LA; www.bourgogne-chartron.com ]
Pale lemon straw, right in the middle for weight of colour. This wine is fractionally purer than the Chevalier, with more emphasis on stonefruit and mealy lees-autolysis, and less on minerality. Palate is simply delicious, succulent ripe stonefruit, excellent mealy complexity, a better balance of fruit and new oak than some, good fresh acid, lovely balance, great purity, a model Puligny-Montrachet. This is the richest of the premiers crus, but there is markedly less concentration than the remarkable Chevalier. Cellar 4 – 12 years. Classic white burgundy. GK 04/13
Pale lemon straw, right in the middle for weight of colour. This wine is fractionally purer than the Chevalier, with more emphasis on stonefruit and mealy lees-autolysis, and less on minerality. Palate is simply delicious, succulent ripe stonefruit, excellent mealy complexity, a better balance of fruit and new oak than some, good fresh acid, lovely balance, great purity, a model Puligny-Montrachet. This is the richest of the premiers crus, but there is markedly less concentration than the remarkable Chevalier. Cellar 4 – 12 years. Classic white burgundy. GK 04/13
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $343 [ cork; PN 55%, Ch 45, no wine info on website; www.champagne-roederer.com ]
Colour is intriguing, not deep, yet the only one of the premium champagnes with a touch of salmon. Freshly-opened, bouquet shows a remarkable briar-rose and strawberry component to the bouquet, very floral and different. Yet there is clear cut autolysis too, and complexity below. Palate is crisp and fresh, light and aethereal, the florals lifting right through the mouth, ending on appley fruit and baguette crust, a little less brut than some. Fruit concentration is in fact good, yet the style is so light, it makes the Churchill or RD look heavy ! Probably not a wine that lends itself to long cellaring, if it is too keep that subtle beauty on bouquet. Nonetheless, it should keep, becoming in 10 years a more conventional mature good bubbly. GK 11/06
Colour is intriguing, not deep, yet the only one of the premium champagnes with a touch of salmon. Freshly-opened, bouquet shows a remarkable briar-rose and strawberry component to the bouquet, very floral and different. Yet there is clear cut autolysis too, and complexity below. Palate is crisp and fresh, light and aethereal, the florals lifting right through the mouth, ending on appley fruit and baguette crust, a little less brut than some. Fruit concentration is in fact good, yet the style is so light, it makes the Churchill or RD look heavy ! Probably not a wine that lends itself to long cellaring, if it is too keep that subtle beauty on bouquet. Nonetheless, it should keep, becoming in 10 years a more conventional mature good bubbly. GK 11/06
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ www.mountfordvineyard.co.nz ]
An elegant pinot ruby. An eloquent bouquet too, with beautiful rose-like florals leading to an understated richness of abstract berry and fruit which is totally European in style. Berry on palate is wonderful, with a dry extract and succulence to it which is like a great chardonnay, yet with all the flavours of perfectly ripe red and black cherries, and the freshness too. Fruit handling and extraction in this wine respects the delicacy, subtlety, and beauty of pinot noir. Oak handling is superb, essentially invisible yet guiding and shaping perfectly. Real pinot noir, no stalky notes here, and in this tasting New Zealand’s top-equal pinot. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/04
An elegant pinot ruby. An eloquent bouquet too, with beautiful rose-like florals leading to an understated richness of abstract berry and fruit which is totally European in style. Berry on palate is wonderful, with a dry extract and succulence to it which is like a great chardonnay, yet with all the flavours of perfectly ripe red and black cherries, and the freshness too. Fruit handling and extraction in this wine respects the delicacy, subtlety, and beauty of pinot noir. Oak handling is superb, essentially invisible yet guiding and shaping perfectly. Real pinot noir, no stalky notes here, and in this tasting New Zealand’s top-equal pinot. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/04
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $83 [ cork; PN 34%, Ch 33, PM 33; www.polroger.co.uk not running yet; www.polroger.com ]
Firm lemonstraw, an attractive deeper colour. Bouquet on nv Pol Roger this year seems almost as good as last year's magical wine. There is an almost-acacia floral lift on beautiful autolysis, with blended fruit of all three varieties below. Palate fills the mouth with white cherry fruit, baguette crust autolysis, and a long lingering crisp flavour which is marvellous, as non-vintage champagne (though a little higher dosage than the vintage). With the non-vintage wine of this quality, most prestige champagnes alongside it look rather silly. Cellar to 20 years. GK 12/06
Firm lemonstraw, an attractive deeper colour. Bouquet on nv Pol Roger this year seems almost as good as last year's magical wine. There is an almost-acacia floral lift on beautiful autolysis, with blended fruit of all three varieties below. Palate fills the mouth with white cherry fruit, baguette crust autolysis, and a long lingering crisp flavour which is marvellous, as non-vintage champagne (though a little higher dosage than the vintage). With the non-vintage wine of this quality, most prestige champagnes alongside it look rather silly. Cellar to 20 years. GK 12/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $105 [ cork; hand-harvested @ just under 8 t/ha (3.2 t/ac); c.40% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak 35% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is simply astonishing for New Zealand pinot noir, showing a degree of velvety dark florality, and darkest red roses and boronia on beautiful mixed cherry fruit, which is enchanting. In mouth the velvety impression continues, beautiful pinot noir red and black cherry fruit, gentle new oak, the florality continuing in mouth like a fine but infantile Cote de Nuits wine from a sturdy vineyard such as Clos de la Roche. The texture of this wine is sensational, and surprising since the cropping rate is not 'grand cru' level. It is much the best pinot noir Craggy Range have so far made, and is amongst the best ever made in Martinborough. What a challenge this wine provides to other New Zealand pinot noir producers. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/13
Perfect pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is simply astonishing for New Zealand pinot noir, showing a degree of velvety dark florality, and darkest red roses and boronia on beautiful mixed cherry fruit, which is enchanting. In mouth the velvety impression continues, beautiful pinot noir red and black cherry fruit, gentle new oak, the florality continuing in mouth like a fine but infantile Cote de Nuits wine from a sturdy vineyard such as Clos de la Roche. The texture of this wine is sensational, and surprising since the cropping rate is not 'grand cru' level. It is much the best pinot noir Craggy Range have so far made, and is amongst the best ever made in Martinborough. What a challenge this wine provides to other New Zealand pinot noir producers. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ cork; DFB; Me 86%, CF 14, hand-harvested @ 3.5 t/ac; 20 months in French oak 50% new; dry extract 28.4 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than the other Craggy wines. Bouquet is not quite as complex as the best blends with cabernet. It is still superbly midnight-dark florals including violets, plus blackest plum and almost blackberry (in the subtlest sense) as well as cassis, magically fragrant and pure, with subtle oak. It is a little fresher than Sophia, and total east-bank Bordeaux such as a good classed St Emilion in style. And the best thing about it is the alcohol seems lower than some of these wines, though still perfectly ripe. Palate is velvety rich, a little lighter than Sophia but still saturated dark berry flavours, a little rounder than the Church Road Reserve wine, and there is no hint of sur-maturité. The new oak is in beautiful balance, very subtle, making this in some ways the most elegantly precise and floral example of merlot in the country. This exquisitely varietal merlot is suited to cellaring 5 – 15 + years. At c. $31, it is the best-value premium-quality Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend available (though 2005 Church Road Cabernet / Merlot Reserve ranks too). For the 2005 vintage, this affordable Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels is the new gold standard. Anything better than this is unarguably gold-medal quality ! VALUE GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than the other Craggy wines. Bouquet is not quite as complex as the best blends with cabernet. It is still superbly midnight-dark florals including violets, plus blackest plum and almost blackberry (in the subtlest sense) as well as cassis, magically fragrant and pure, with subtle oak. It is a little fresher than Sophia, and total east-bank Bordeaux such as a good classed St Emilion in style. And the best thing about it is the alcohol seems lower than some of these wines, though still perfectly ripe. Palate is velvety rich, a little lighter than Sophia but still saturated dark berry flavours, a little rounder than the Church Road Reserve wine, and there is no hint of sur-maturité. The new oak is in beautiful balance, very subtle, making this in some ways the most elegantly precise and floral example of merlot in the country. This exquisitely varietal merlot is suited to cellaring 5 – 15 + years. At c. $31, it is the best-value premium-quality Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend available (though 2005 Church Road Cabernet / Merlot Reserve ranks too). For the 2005 vintage, this affordable Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels is the new gold standard. Anything better than this is unarguably gold-medal quality ! VALUE GK 09/07
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from 6 vineyards; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; the Brajkovichs see this vintage as epitomising their style; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon to lemon-straw. Bouquet is bigger and richer in this wine than the Coddington, with clear stonefruit framed by oak, the whole wine marrying up attractively into its first suggestion of maturity. Though the wine seems leaner than Riflemans, the intensity, ripeness and purity of varietal fruit is enchanting. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 10/10
Lemon to lemon-straw. Bouquet is bigger and richer in this wine than the Coddington, with clear stonefruit framed by oak, the whole wine marrying up attractively into its first suggestion of maturity. Though the wine seems leaner than Riflemans, the intensity, ripeness and purity of varietal fruit is enchanting. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 10/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $140 [ cork, 55mm, ullage 15mm; original price $160; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: Grenache and Mourvèdre excelled; reds are rich, ripe and full of powerful fruit. In the style of 2009 and 2007, with better definition, 97; 2015 regarded by Marc Perrin as a year in which all varieties excelled, the quality comparing with 2001; J.L-L, 2017: The length is good, very Mourvèdre-inspired, 2038 – 2041, *****; RH@JR, 2018: Superb juiciness and bramble fruits. Some blackcurrant notes on the palate, a very savoury cigar and cedar character and a gentle Provençal herby note. Loads of breadth and complexity, 17.5; JC@RP, 2017: Loaded with black cherry fruit and cola-like spice, this full-bodied, richly textured wine never seems heavy or warm, while exotic Indian spice notes linger on the finish. It should drink well for at least 20 years, 2018 – 2035, 96; weight bottle and closure: 864 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from the 2016, the third deepest, again not a big or heavy wine. In a subtle way, the bouquet is quite different from the 2016 and the 2010, there being a dark plums-in-the-sun highly berried and richly fruity quality to the wine which is softer than the mourvedre-dominated other two young wines. Palate quality is simply velvety, almost plush fruit yet with a backbone of mourvedre tannin adding interest, great length of flavour, alcohol just noticeable, the oak handling subtle and superb. To my surprise, no first places (perhaps because it was too early in the sequence), one second-favourite, then two least places, reasons not accounted for. Tasters agreed the wine was totally brett-free. Cellar 15 – 35 years. GK 05/21
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from the 2016, the third deepest, again not a big or heavy wine. In a subtle way, the bouquet is quite different from the 2016 and the 2010, there being a dark plums-in-the-sun highly berried and richly fruity quality to the wine which is softer than the mourvedre-dominated other two young wines. Palate quality is simply velvety, almost plush fruit yet with a backbone of mourvedre tannin adding interest, great length of flavour, alcohol just noticeable, the oak handling subtle and superb. To my surprise, no first places (perhaps because it was too early in the sequence), one second-favourite, then two least places, reasons not accounted for. Tasters agreed the wine was totally brett-free. Cellar 15 – 35 years. GK 05/21
Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $26 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Rich lemon, a super colour. Bouquet is out and out gewurztraminer, marvellously varietal with wild ginger blossom and citronella perfumes on rich lychee and peach fruit, plus the faintest hint of smoky bacon – perhaps a small part of the wine was barrel-fermented. The volume of varietal bouquet here is in the top flight of New Zealand gewurztraminers. Palate is rich, pure, full of character, which combined with the near-dry finish means it will be much too spicy, strong, and nearly bitey for some tasters. This is a great success for South Island gewurztraminer, which all too often has tended to be a little wishy-washy. It would be good to taste this alongside Gisborne’s Vinoptima wine. Cellar 2 – 10 years, maybe longer, though gewurztraminer loses its freshness after a time. GK 02/06
Rich lemon, a super colour. Bouquet is out and out gewurztraminer, marvellously varietal with wild ginger blossom and citronella perfumes on rich lychee and peach fruit, plus the faintest hint of smoky bacon – perhaps a small part of the wine was barrel-fermented. The volume of varietal bouquet here is in the top flight of New Zealand gewurztraminers. Palate is rich, pure, full of character, which combined with the near-dry finish means it will be much too spicy, strong, and nearly bitey for some tasters. This is a great success for South Island gewurztraminer, which all too often has tended to be a little wishy-washy. It would be good to taste this alongside Gisborne’s Vinoptima wine. Cellar 2 – 10 years, maybe longer, though gewurztraminer loses its freshness after a time. GK 02/06
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $578 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; purchase price c.$550; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and deepest wine in the set. Bouquet shows wonderful fruit richness and depth, and it is beautifully fragrant – though part of that fragrance is new oak. It is a little too ripe to show varietal florals or cassis aromatics clearly, but the depth of darkly plummy and nearly blackberry fruit is great. It is very much the soulmate of the 2003, but it seems both riper and less tanniny. Palate shows tactile rich fruit, but with a lot of toasty oak too, so like the 2010 there is the risk this wine will lose varietal focus as it ages. It is softer and riper than the 2010, less acid, a seductive wine and more accessible, in a more popular modern style. In the first flight of wines it was well-liked, four first places, two second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 96. GK 10/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and deepest wine in the set. Bouquet shows wonderful fruit richness and depth, and it is beautifully fragrant – though part of that fragrance is new oak. It is a little too ripe to show varietal florals or cassis aromatics clearly, but the depth of darkly plummy and nearly blackberry fruit is great. It is very much the soulmate of the 2003, but it seems both riper and less tanniny. Palate shows tactile rich fruit, but with a lot of toasty oak too, so like the 2010 there is the risk this wine will lose varietal focus as it ages. It is softer and riper than the 2010, less acid, a seductive wine and more accessible, in a more popular modern style. In the first flight of wines it was well-liked, four first places, two second. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 96. GK 10/18
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $165 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 30; PM 10; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com ]
Straw, one of the deeper. In the lineup, this looked like a little Bollinger, with lovely crusty autolysis just hinting at cashew, on red cherry fruit, very pinot (as the cepage confirms). Palate is dramatically pinot, perfect poise, fresher and less weighty than the Bollinger, firm acid, very brut, but with superb baguette crust autolysis right through and lingering into the aftertaste, with a suggestion of button mushrooms. One of the two cheapest (of the premium wines), but one of the best. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Straw, one of the deeper. In the lineup, this looked like a little Bollinger, with lovely crusty autolysis just hinting at cashew, on red cherry fruit, very pinot (as the cepage confirms). Palate is dramatically pinot, perfect poise, fresher and less weighty than the Bollinger, firm acid, very brut, but with superb baguette crust autolysis right through and lingering into the aftertaste, with a suggestion of button mushrooms. One of the two cheapest (of the premium wines), but one of the best. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; CS 74%, Me 26, 80% hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 6-year old vines; cuvaison approx 24 days; no BF; 22 months in French oak c. 53% new, no lees stirring; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, hard to differentiate from Tom, maybe fractionally brighter. And bouquet likewise is a little lighter, more obvious florals in the lilac spectrum, again magnificent dark cassis and rich plum, plus a hint of darkest chocolate in the oak component, but very subtle, nothing crass, no coffee. The key difference between this wine and Tom is the velvety saturation of fruit on palate, which is here fractionally lighter, the wine seeming a little phenolic in comparison with the velvety rich Tom, but still outstanding alongside most of the others. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, hard to differentiate from Tom, maybe fractionally brighter. And bouquet likewise is a little lighter, more obvious florals in the lilac spectrum, again magnificent dark cassis and rich plum, plus a hint of darkest chocolate in the oak component, but very subtle, nothing crass, no coffee. The key difference between this wine and Tom is the velvety saturation of fruit on palate, which is here fractionally lighter, the wine seeming a little phenolic in comparison with the velvety rich Tom, but still outstanding alongside most of the others. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $62 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested; inoculated yeast, 21 days cuvaison; MLF and 16 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
The perfect hue and density of the colour leads on to a firm Hermitage-like bouquet, and as this tasting was to show conclusively, fine Hermitage at that. This Villa Reserve Syrah illustrates to perfection the stern and more 'masculine' side of syrah. In the context of this workshop tasting, it was great to see a majority of participants acknowledging the excellence of this wine and the Church Road, in the ranking the wines received while still blind. This speaks volumes about the desire of Waiheke winemakers to excel with the variety. Great wine, as in previous reviews, but outclassed by the slightly softer, richer and more fragrant Church Road Reserve on this occasion. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
The perfect hue and density of the colour leads on to a firm Hermitage-like bouquet, and as this tasting was to show conclusively, fine Hermitage at that. This Villa Reserve Syrah illustrates to perfection the stern and more 'masculine' side of syrah. In the context of this workshop tasting, it was great to see a majority of participants acknowledging the excellence of this wine and the Church Road, in the ranking the wines received while still blind. This speaks volumes about the desire of Waiheke winemakers to excel with the variety. Great wine, as in previous reviews, but outclassed by the slightly softer, richer and more fragrant Church Road Reserve on this occasion. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; all figures estimates; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ c.3.7 t/ha (1.5 t/ac), all de-stemmed; total cuvaison up to c.30 days; c.16 months in French burgundy barrels c.30% new; production c.400 cases (12); www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. The bouquet is very attractive indeed. It is a darker kind of cassis than the 2013 Elspeth, showing beautiful berry with nearly violets florality, sweetest and ripest black pepper, and possibly the faintest hint of pennyroyal (though that may be an artefact entangled with the sweet pepper). Palate is not as rich as the 2013 The Terraces, but it is richer than the 2013 Elspeth Syrah. It has a length and quality of flavour which is marvellous. If the florality and beauty of this fruit is to be maintained, it does not need much more oak (or at least new oak) at all. As it stands it is almost of (better) La Chapelle quality. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. GK 06/14
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. The bouquet is very attractive indeed. It is a darker kind of cassis than the 2013 Elspeth, showing beautiful berry with nearly violets florality, sweetest and ripest black pepper, and possibly the faintest hint of pennyroyal (though that may be an artefact entangled with the sweet pepper). Palate is not as rich as the 2013 The Terraces, but it is richer than the 2013 Elspeth Syrah. It has a length and quality of flavour which is marvellous. If the florality and beauty of this fruit is to be maintained, it does not need much more oak (or at least new oak) at all. As it stands it is almost of (better) La Chapelle quality. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; CS 51, Me 49, hand-picked @ 7.6 t/ha (3 t/ac), all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies up to 30 days; 20 months in French oak c.60% new; RS <1 g/L; minimal fining and filtration; 345 cases; Parker: 89+; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, as with some other of these 2010 top wines, not a great depth of colour, in the lightest third for weight. The wine benefits from decanting, to reveal an elegant fine-grained bouquet like the 2010 Helmsman, nearly violets as well as roses, really beautiful, on cassisy and potentially cedary oak. In mouth the wine almost reminds of pinot noir, for the quality and suppleness of the fruit is a delight. There is elegant cassis, clear plum not as dark as some of the other merlots, and even blueberry. The oak is beautifully subtle. The evolving oak approach at Vidal under Hugh Crichton's leadership is great. There is a supple beauty here which reminds me of some of the older wines from Ducru-Beaucaillou. It is not a big wine (note this observation blind correlates with the cropping rate cf. the 2009, showing that dry extract can be assessed by taste), it's fractionally 'cooler' than the 2009 Legacy, but here you are paying for real finesse, and total fine claret style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, as with some other of these 2010 top wines, not a great depth of colour, in the lightest third for weight. The wine benefits from decanting, to reveal an elegant fine-grained bouquet like the 2010 Helmsman, nearly violets as well as roses, really beautiful, on cassisy and potentially cedary oak. In mouth the wine almost reminds of pinot noir, for the quality and suppleness of the fruit is a delight. There is elegant cassis, clear plum not as dark as some of the other merlots, and even blueberry. The oak is beautifully subtle. The evolving oak approach at Vidal under Hugh Crichton's leadership is great. There is a supple beauty here which reminds me of some of the older wines from Ducru-Beaucaillou. It is not a big wine (note this observation blind correlates with the cropping rate cf. the 2009, showing that dry extract can be assessed by taste), it's fractionally 'cooler' than the 2009 Legacy, but here you are paying for real finesse, and total fine claret style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $78 [ cork; Sy 100% 60 + years age, from footslopes on old terrace materials adjoining Hermitage hill; hand-harvested; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in open-top concrete vessels, cuvaison up to 5 weeks; 12 – 14 months in various ages French oak; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the darkest of the syrahs. This wine needs a little time to unfold, to reveal a slightly more new-world syrah of great intensity, more noticeable toasty oak, and marvellous cassisy and darkly plummy fruit. There is a floral dimension too, hinting at violets. Palate is of tactile richness, classical syrah, succulent like the Pavillon, perhaps not quite so noble in its fruit flavours, though that is getting pretty rarefied / precious. Length of flavour at this lower alcohol is wonderful. This is the greatest Crozes-Hermitage I have ever tasted. In the sense it does not come from the steep and rocky slopes of the hill of Hermitage proper, this wine with its perfect ripeness is a critical link to Hawkes Bay syrah. Since it is not as rare (or expensive) as the Hermitage grands crus, it is a tragedy for everybody interested in syrah in New Zealand that the importer chose not to import it – beyond a token few bottles. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the darkest of the syrahs. This wine needs a little time to unfold, to reveal a slightly more new-world syrah of great intensity, more noticeable toasty oak, and marvellous cassisy and darkly plummy fruit. There is a floral dimension too, hinting at violets. Palate is of tactile richness, classical syrah, succulent like the Pavillon, perhaps not quite so noble in its fruit flavours, though that is getting pretty rarefied / precious. Length of flavour at this lower alcohol is wonderful. This is the greatest Crozes-Hermitage I have ever tasted. In the sense it does not come from the steep and rocky slopes of the hill of Hermitage proper, this wine with its perfect ripeness is a critical link to Hawkes Bay syrah. Since it is not as rare (or expensive) as the Hermitage grands crus, it is a tragedy for everybody interested in syrah in New Zealand that the importer chose not to import it – beyond a token few bottles. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/08
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $275 [ cork; CS 74, Me 14, CF 7, Ma 5, hand-harvested; c. 12 – 14 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; en primeur offer date 1 June 2008 "significantly" below the above price, release date 1 April 2009; Magna Praemia alludes to great reward, and contains a greater proportion of press juice; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not quite the depth and freshness of the 2007. Bouquet is rich, deep and dark, totally Medoc cassisy cabernet dominant, with merlot floral suggestions and aromatic potentially cedary oak. Palate is sternly cabernet in classic Bordeaux style, not quite as rich as the 2007 and 2005 and hence a little too oaky maybe, but the whole wine long in flavour. For this report, I will record the wine quality as I see it, and leave the price till another day, in a more rigorously comparative blind tasting. Cellar 10 – 15 + years. GK 06/08
Ruby and velvet, not quite the depth and freshness of the 2007. Bouquet is rich, deep and dark, totally Medoc cassisy cabernet dominant, with merlot floral suggestions and aromatic potentially cedary oak. Palate is sternly cabernet in classic Bordeaux style, not quite as rich as the 2007 and 2005 and hence a little too oaky maybe, but the whole wine long in flavour. For this report, I will record the wine quality as I see it, and leave the price till another day, in a more rigorously comparative blind tasting. Cellar 10 – 15 + years. GK 06/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 100% machine-harvested at 6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac), following inspection and hand-deleting of any defective bunches through the vineyard, the cropping rate getting the wine off to a grand-cru-level start; 100% de-stemmed; cuvaison extending to 6 weeks for some parcels; 17 months in French oak air-dried 3 years, 50% new; minimal fining and filtration; RS < 1 g/L; Parker: 91, Robinson: 15.5; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top half dozen for concentration of colour. This is the finest and most elegant of the three Reserve Syrahs that Villa thoughtfully presented at the Expo. Comparison with the 2012 Villa Reserve Syrah is particularly instructive, when it comes to the varietal character of this grape. The 2011 wine is recognisably syrah in the blind line-up, but in every component is just a little more varietally exact, deeper, plumper, riper, and enticing. In mouth the aromatic cassis grading to bottled black doris plum is spot-on, the black pepper is sweeter than the 2012, there is no white pepper, and the whole wine is plumper. Compared with the 2010 Reserve, it shows a better expression of fruit dominant over oak, as it should be, and as the 2010 La Chapelle displays to perfection. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. This is looking very good indeed, yet alongside the 2010 La Chapelle, it shows how much further we must travel, to achieve absolute beauty in syrah. Essentially this means less obsession with new oak. That said, Robinson's score is again overly severe. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top half dozen for concentration of colour. This is the finest and most elegant of the three Reserve Syrahs that Villa thoughtfully presented at the Expo. Comparison with the 2012 Villa Reserve Syrah is particularly instructive, when it comes to the varietal character of this grape. The 2011 wine is recognisably syrah in the blind line-up, but in every component is just a little more varietally exact, deeper, plumper, riper, and enticing. In mouth the aromatic cassis grading to bottled black doris plum is spot-on, the black pepper is sweeter than the 2012, there is no white pepper, and the whole wine is plumper. Compared with the 2010 Reserve, it shows a better expression of fruit dominant over oak, as it should be, and as the 2010 La Chapelle displays to perfection. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. This is looking very good indeed, yet alongside the 2010 La Chapelle, it shows how much further we must travel, to achieve absolute beauty in syrah. Essentially this means less obsession with new oak. That said, Robinson's score is again overly severe. GK 06/14
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $306 [ Single bottle; original price c.$24; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: Notable older vintage; Broadbent: the best vintage since 1911; Gr 85%, Sy 15; 12 – 18 months in big old wood; Parker considers 1969 the last fine Les Cedres, but Jaboulet were still so serious about this wine from the fabulous 1978 vintage that they bottled it with 54mm corks; JR@JR, 2013: Sweet, spicy and fully mature but a bit muddy by now, 17; R. Parker, 1997 does not seem to have had bottles with the quality the New Zealand supply of 1978 Les Cedres showed in earlier years: medium body, some sweet fruit, and a lean, attenuated style, 83; I have not tasted it for some years, but I hope its more burgundian side can still be seen, in this tasting; website not always accessible; www.jaboulet.com ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, tip-toeing towards full rosé in weight, clearly below midway in depth of colour, but beautiful. Bouquet is soft, sweet, nearly floral, totally burgundian, wonderful fruit and subtlest oak, equally beautiful. Its immediate stylistic partner in the tasting was Le Chambertin, Les Cedres being of similar weight but not quite as old, fading savoury red cherry and raspberry fruit in better ratio now to the very light pure oak, the wine supple in style, and amazingly long and pure for its present richness. And unlike the Southern Rhones of today, the alcohol is invisible. Contrary to the views of New Zealand winemakers still bottling under cork in burgundy-shaped bottles, the result of using 54 mm corks was that after 42 years, the ullage in this bottle was 7 mm, the least of all the bottles, truly amazing. Like the Chambertin, this wine is fully mature to being on the brink of fading, but in a bottle in as good condition as this one, more sweetly-fruited and sustained than the Chambertin (even ex magnum). The wine was even better the next day. 1978 was certainly an elegant year in Burgundy and the Southern Rhone Valley. Eleven tasters correctly located this wine in the Southern Rhone Valley, seven thinking it Rioja. Absolute treasure, but sadly the last bottle in the case. One first place vote, but three second-places. GK 03/20
Glowing ruby and garnet, tip-toeing towards full rosé in weight, clearly below midway in depth of colour, but beautiful. Bouquet is soft, sweet, nearly floral, totally burgundian, wonderful fruit and subtlest oak, equally beautiful. Its immediate stylistic partner in the tasting was Le Chambertin, Les Cedres being of similar weight but not quite as old, fading savoury red cherry and raspberry fruit in better ratio now to the very light pure oak, the wine supple in style, and amazingly long and pure for its present richness. And unlike the Southern Rhones of today, the alcohol is invisible. Contrary to the views of New Zealand winemakers still bottling under cork in burgundy-shaped bottles, the result of using 54 mm corks was that after 42 years, the ullage in this bottle was 7 mm, the least of all the bottles, truly amazing. Like the Chambertin, this wine is fully mature to being on the brink of fading, but in a bottle in as good condition as this one, more sweetly-fruited and sustained than the Chambertin (even ex magnum). The wine was even better the next day. 1978 was certainly an elegant year in Burgundy and the Southern Rhone Valley. Eleven tasters correctly located this wine in the Southern Rhone Valley, seven thinking it Rioja. Absolute treasure, but sadly the last bottle in the case. One first place vote, but three second-places. GK 03/20
Kumeu River, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $66 [ screwcap; mendoza the dominant clone in Matés, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel usually 20% new but varies; 2010 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay, though 2013 in the wings may challenge; Mate's is the oldest vineyard, planted in 1990; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lovely lemonstraw, in the middle of this batch of chardonnays. Bouquet is classic Matés, wonderful yellow-accented floral and fruit notes of the mendoza clone, subtle oak, mealy autolysis, subliminal char and reduction, an altogether fine modern chardonnay. Palate is the richest of the Kumeu River wines, clear-cut golden queen peach fruit plus mealy yeast autolysis enhancement of the palate. Even so, palate weight is not as rich as great chardonnay can be, so there is still scope for this icon wine to be more impressive. It does not seem as rich as 2011 Keltern for example. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Lovely lemonstraw, in the middle of this batch of chardonnays. Bouquet is classic Matés, wonderful yellow-accented floral and fruit notes of the mendoza clone, subtle oak, mealy autolysis, subliminal char and reduction, an altogether fine modern chardonnay. Palate is the richest of the Kumeu River wines, clear-cut golden queen peach fruit plus mealy yeast autolysis enhancement of the palate. Even so, palate weight is not as rich as great chardonnay can be, so there is still scope for this icon wine to be more impressive. It does not seem as rich as 2011 Keltern for example. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.3%; $86 [ cork; 12-year old vines, Te Muna Road vineyard, Martinborough, close-planted at 6,700 vines / ha; 19 days cuvaison, 12 months in French oak 50% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 26.2 g/L, not filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Substantial pinot noir ruby, the deepest of the Escarpments. Best decanted, the bouquet is deeper and darker than the other Escarpment wines, but there is still a clear boronia-related florality on black more than red cherry fruit. Palate is glorious, a potentially velvety wine like fine burgundy, offering clear reminders of the bolder wines of the Gevrey-Chambertin district, and explicitly varietal to the long finish. There is also some overlap with Bendigo-style Otago pinot noirs here. This looks like the best Escarpment Pinot Noir Kupe so far. What pleasure this will give. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Substantial pinot noir ruby, the deepest of the Escarpments. Best decanted, the bouquet is deeper and darker than the other Escarpment wines, but there is still a clear boronia-related florality on black more than red cherry fruit. Palate is glorious, a potentially velvety wine like fine burgundy, offering clear reminders of the bolder wines of the Gevrey-Chambertin district, and explicitly varietal to the long finish. There is also some overlap with Bendigo-style Otago pinot noirs here. This looks like the best Escarpment Pinot Noir Kupe so far. What pleasure this will give. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Mount Pisa district, Cromwell Basin, Central Otago:, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork 45mm, ullage 16mm; original price c.$35; winemaker: Rudi Bauer; winemaking, see Table; J. Robinson, 2001: But 1999s such as Felton Road Block 5 and Quartz Reef show that extra savoury dimension that Pinotphiles seek once they have satisfied themselves that a region is capable of producing authentic Pinot Noir fruit flavours [no score]; Cooper, 2001: The youthful, intense 1999 is a cracker! Notably powerful and complex, it shows rich colour, very substantial body and sweet fruit characters, with deep flavours of cherries, raspberries and spice and power right through the palate, *****; weight bottle, no closure 657 g; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, one of the lighter wines, below midway in depth. And then you smell it, and there is a volume of bouquet here which is sensational, totally floral, pink roses with a touch of boronia, totally burgundian, just beautiful. Behind the florals there is attractive red cherry fruit, and subtlest oak. Palate is equally beautiful, an older wine than the Greenhough but capturing burgundian complexity, florality and finesse to an extraordinary degree, wonderful. And critically, this Quartz Reef wine is closer in richness to the Clos Saint-Jacques than the Geantet. Tasters did not respond to this wine as much as I did, partly because I had the advantage of seeing it again the following day, when it had expanded a great deal. No votes at all (for best or least), seven thought it from France, 11 New Zealand. This wine is at full stretch now, but no great hurry in a cool cellar. Decant well ahead. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, one of the lighter wines, below midway in depth. And then you smell it, and there is a volume of bouquet here which is sensational, totally floral, pink roses with a touch of boronia, totally burgundian, just beautiful. Behind the florals there is attractive red cherry fruit, and subtlest oak. Palate is equally beautiful, an older wine than the Greenhough but capturing burgundian complexity, florality and finesse to an extraordinary degree, wonderful. And critically, this Quartz Reef wine is closer in richness to the Clos Saint-Jacques than the Geantet. Tasters did not respond to this wine as much as I did, partly because I had the advantage of seeing it again the following day, when it had expanded a great deal. No votes at all (for best or least), seven thought it from France, 11 New Zealand. This wine is at full stretch now, but no great hurry in a cool cellar. Decant well ahead. GK 09/19
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $21 [ screwcap; s/s cool-fermented, probably including some wild-yeast ferments, some lees contact but no oak; a Pernod-Ricard group wine; pH 3.57, RS 9 g/L; cool season but marvellous dry April; www.brancottestate.com ]
Lemon. After so many years of so much New Zealand pinot gris being lolly water made to cater for people who don't really like wine, yet since the grape is a pinot variety, it is capable of such quality when cropped appropriately as in Alsace, what a joy it was in the 2013 Easter Show to find not one but two exemplary New Zealand pinot gris. This Brancott wine is slightly the pick of the two, the bouquet showing pale nectarine flesh, pear flesh and attractive floral notes, all made more interesting by a hint of cinnamon as in Easter buns. Palate shows the body essential for quality pinot gris, perfect handling of the phenolics the variety can sometimes display, great length of fruit in mouth, attractive acid, the excitement of the slight cinnamon note, and a near-dry finish. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. Communicates brilliantly with sweet corn. GK 04/13
Lemon. After so many years of so much New Zealand pinot gris being lolly water made to cater for people who don't really like wine, yet since the grape is a pinot variety, it is capable of such quality when cropped appropriately as in Alsace, what a joy it was in the 2013 Easter Show to find not one but two exemplary New Zealand pinot gris. This Brancott wine is slightly the pick of the two, the bouquet showing pale nectarine flesh, pear flesh and attractive floral notes, all made more interesting by a hint of cinnamon as in Easter buns. Palate shows the body essential for quality pinot gris, perfect handling of the phenolics the variety can sometimes display, great length of fruit in mouth, attractive acid, the excitement of the slight cinnamon note, and a near-dry finish. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. Communicates brilliantly with sweet corn. GK 04/13
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 10.5%; $23 [ screwcap; regrettably the 2005 notes are no longer on the website (why – we need to encourage New Zealanders to cellar and treasure wine, and to be able to refer to all back vintages, not regard it as an evanescent / disposable commodity), but perhaps the 2006 was made similarly – stop-fermented @ 29 g/L in a spatlese style, 25% of the wine briefly in old oak; www.waiparasprings.co.nz ]
Lemon. Notwithstanding being a 2005, this opens as a very youthful wine, still with some SO2 to assimilate. It benefits greatly from a good swirling, to reveal freesia, rosepetal and citrus-blossom florals on bouquet, on gently lime-infused white fruits. Palate is a little sweeter than hoped, at medium-dry, but showing beautiful fruit and varietal integrity, and a lingering floral and citrus aftertaste. Lovely wine, which should be popular. It will cellar beautifully 5 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Lemon. Notwithstanding being a 2005, this opens as a very youthful wine, still with some SO2 to assimilate. It benefits greatly from a good swirling, to reveal freesia, rosepetal and citrus-blossom florals on bouquet, on gently lime-infused white fruits. Palate is a little sweeter than hoped, at medium-dry, but showing beautiful fruit and varietal integrity, and a lingering floral and citrus aftertaste. Lovely wine, which should be popular. It will cellar beautifully 5 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $377 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; name from legend; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, MLF and up to 18 months in French oak up to 100% new; www.drouhin.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest wines. Freshly opened, this wine shows a superficial glacé red cherry character. With air, it deepens to rose red florals, and red and black cherries, with lovely intensity and varietal character. Palate has that crunchy cherry quality of rich fruit, not as oaky as the Chambertin family, the pure pinot fruit persisting well, and delightfully counterpointed by very high quality oak. This is beautiful pinot, accessible early. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest wines. Freshly opened, this wine shows a superficial glacé red cherry character. With air, it deepens to rose red florals, and red and black cherries, with lovely intensity and varietal character. Palate has that crunchy cherry quality of rich fruit, not as oaky as the Chambertin family, the pure pinot fruit persisting well, and delightfully counterpointed by very high quality oak. This is beautiful pinot, accessible early. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $161 [ cork, 54mm, ullage 17mm; original price c.$133; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: Third straight year of drought ... Wines show concentration, purity and structure. Great cellaring potential. Rivals '98 and '90, 97; J.L-L, 2011: Classical long-term Beaucastel, a delight for those who like proper tannins in their wines, 2034-37, ******; JH@JR, 2010: Fabulous aromas of sweet fruit, beginning of leather and then really meaty on the palate, seasoned with pepper and spice. Silky texture. Mouthwatering and elegant. Still so much more to come, 18; JD@RP, 2015: Reminiscent of the 1995, the 2005 ... is tight, structured and backward, with high acidity and tannin. Showing notes of blackcurrants, black raspberry, truffle, damp earth and cedar, with medium to full-bodied richness and depth, 2017 – 2035, 95; weight bottle and closure: 870 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a little garnet creeping in, the fourth-deepest wine. While in theory you can't smell tannin, as opposed to oak resins etc, in simple / plain English the bouquet here smells tanniny as well as winey, suggesting high mourvedre, plus some oak apparent. There is quite an aromatic component, but it seems more oak than garrigue. Palate matches exactly with bouquet, dark tanniny berries with mourvedre totally dominating now, yet the tannins attractively furry, not harsh / spiky as so often seen in New World reds. Length of flavour is lovely, with near-cassisy and darkly plummy flavours dominant. The lighter raspberry / red fruits of grenache are quite invisible. This is a distinctive rendering of de Beaucastel. Jeb Dunnuck's assessment as 'high acidity' I suggest is wrong, just tannin. Again, no first-place ratings, one second-place, and two least. Total agreement that there is no brett. This is very much a de Beaucastel to cellar, for as Harry Waugh so often said, there is ‘tannin to lose’. It will surprise doubters in 20 years. The 2015 and 2005 make an interesting and complementary study pair, in their contrasting tannin styles. Cellar 15 – 40 years, since thankfully de Beaucastel had reverted to 54/55 mm corks by 2005. GK 05/21
Ruby and velvet, a little garnet creeping in, the fourth-deepest wine. While in theory you can't smell tannin, as opposed to oak resins etc, in simple / plain English the bouquet here smells tanniny as well as winey, suggesting high mourvedre, plus some oak apparent. There is quite an aromatic component, but it seems more oak than garrigue. Palate matches exactly with bouquet, dark tanniny berries with mourvedre totally dominating now, yet the tannins attractively furry, not harsh / spiky as so often seen in New World reds. Length of flavour is lovely, with near-cassisy and darkly plummy flavours dominant. The lighter raspberry / red fruits of grenache are quite invisible. This is a distinctive rendering of de Beaucastel. Jeb Dunnuck's assessment as 'high acidity' I suggest is wrong, just tannin. Again, no first-place ratings, one second-place, and two least. Total agreement that there is no brett. This is very much a de Beaucastel to cellar, for as Harry Waugh so often said, there is ‘tannin to lose’. It will surprise doubters in 20 years. The 2015 and 2005 make an interesting and complementary study pair, in their contrasting tannin styles. Cellar 15 – 40 years, since thankfully de Beaucastel had reverted to 54/55 mm corks by 2005. GK 05/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $62 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation, and cuvaison extending to 32 days; 16 months in French oak 33% new, with lees stirring; total production 260 cases; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little fresher and denser than the Homage. Bouquet is more dramatic than the Homage, equally explicitly syrah, uplifted a little on both higher alcohol and subliminal VA. The ripeness level however is one notch below the Homage, so that in terms of the syrah ripening curve I presented recently, there is a little white pepper as well as black in great cassis, with well-developed floral components. On palate likewise, the flavours are clearly cassisy, but total acid is fractionally higher than the Homage or Le Sol. The nett impression is a great mouthful of very fresh flavours, rich fruit, and all subtly oaked. Both this wine and the Trinity Homage make a great contribution to New Zealand's emerging syrah portfolio. The Esk will cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little fresher and denser than the Homage. Bouquet is more dramatic than the Homage, equally explicitly syrah, uplifted a little on both higher alcohol and subliminal VA. The ripeness level however is one notch below the Homage, so that in terms of the syrah ripening curve I presented recently, there is a little white pepper as well as black in great cassis, with well-developed floral components. On palate likewise, the flavours are clearly cassisy, but total acid is fractionally higher than the Homage or Le Sol. The nett impression is a great mouthful of very fresh flavours, rich fruit, and all subtly oaked. Both this wine and the Trinity Homage make a great contribution to New Zealand's emerging syrah portfolio. The Esk will cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $26 [ cork; cropped at 2.6 t/ac; all s/s plus 6 months LA; owned by Domaine Henri Bourgeois, Sancerre (www.bourgeois-sancerre.com); www.closhenri.com ]
Beautiful lemongreen. Bouquet is a perfect fusion of subtlest most modern New Zealand sauvignon winemaking like the Amisfield Otago and the Highfield Elstree Marlborough, with a slightly more reserved but equally modern French approach. The key is the lees-autolysis, I think, complexing the bouquet and palate. Palate is firm, dry and mineral in a meaningful sense of that word, showing elderflower and nearly fine-hoppy fruit, not quite as flinty as the Cloudy Bay, yet drier. The Clos Henri is closest to the Amisfield in total style, just a little more French. This is very satisfying sauvignon blanc. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Beautiful lemongreen. Bouquet is a perfect fusion of subtlest most modern New Zealand sauvignon winemaking like the Amisfield Otago and the Highfield Elstree Marlborough, with a slightly more reserved but equally modern French approach. The key is the lees-autolysis, I think, complexing the bouquet and palate. Palate is firm, dry and mineral in a meaningful sense of that word, showing elderflower and nearly fine-hoppy fruit, not quite as flinty as the Cloudy Bay, yet drier. The Clos Henri is closest to the Amisfield in total style, just a little more French. This is very satisfying sauvignon blanc. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $23 [ cork; a famous label in the 60s, and now remarkably good again, at a relatively lower pricepoint; cuvaison c. 10 days, 16 months in French and US oak some new; RS c. 2 g/L; www.saltramwines.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the lightest ones (relatively). Bouquet is more complex than the Teusner, perhaps reflecting a barrel-ferment component adding soft oak to rich bottled plum, with undertones of cassis, dark florals and academic brett. Palate adds a little boysenberry to the dominant dark plum, with appropriate oak, and a rich yet 'dry' finish. This is sensational Australian shiraz, for the price, and it shows some syrah qualities too. Many examples three and four times more expensive are no better. Cellar 5 – 15 + years, though it is a pity the corks are not better quality. VALUE GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the lightest ones (relatively). Bouquet is more complex than the Teusner, perhaps reflecting a barrel-ferment component adding soft oak to rich bottled plum, with undertones of cassis, dark florals and academic brett. Palate adds a little boysenberry to the dominant dark plum, with appropriate oak, and a rich yet 'dry' finish. This is sensational Australian shiraz, for the price, and it shows some syrah qualities too. Many examples three and four times more expensive are no better. Cellar 5 – 15 + years, though it is a pity the corks are not better quality. VALUE GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $57 [ screwcap; hand-picked Me 87%, CS 13, 100% de-stemmed; MLF and 18 months in French barriques 60% new; no info on website yet; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not as deep as the 2006 Craggy The Quarry. Bouquet is in a similar opulent style to The Quarry, with fragrant oak, but the balance here is tipped in favour of the berries and variety: deeply violets-floral sweet rich bottled black doris plums of perfectly ripe merlot. Palate shows up the oak a little more, a chocolatey note creeping in and internationalising the wine somewhat, the berry saturation not quite as rich as The Quarry but the varietal specificity higher, acid slightly fresher. This is lovely merlot, illustrating the precise varietal beauty the variety can achieve in New Zealand. It will cellar for 5 – 15 years. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a fully-ripe phase of merlot. GK 09/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not as deep as the 2006 Craggy The Quarry. Bouquet is in a similar opulent style to The Quarry, with fragrant oak, but the balance here is tipped in favour of the berries and variety: deeply violets-floral sweet rich bottled black doris plums of perfectly ripe merlot. Palate shows up the oak a little more, a chocolatey note creeping in and internationalising the wine somewhat, the berry saturation not quite as rich as The Quarry but the varietal specificity higher, acid slightly fresher. This is lovely merlot, illustrating the precise varietal beauty the variety can achieve in New Zealand. It will cellar for 5 – 15 years. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a fully-ripe phase of merlot. GK 09/08
Napa Valley, California: 13.5%; $359 [ cork 50mm; original cost $US35; CS 100%; our bottle has immaculate provenance, direct from the vineyard; Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was widely regarded as the benchmark Californian red wine of its era, for two decades, Wiki notes. 1975 was a well-rated Napa vintage, though it was the 1974 of this wine that sent Robert Parker up to 98 and 99 points; Martha’s Vineyard was then a single 15-acre site on the west side of the Valley, near Oakville. It is not owned by Heitz, but farmed by shareholder partners. The wines of the ‘70s were famous for their intense berry, and mint on bouquet, in some becoming even trace eucalypt – hopefully not obtrusive now, 40 years later. Added yeast, usually a Montrachet strain then. Time on skins in the 70s fairly short relative to Bordeaux, 7 – 10 days. Natural malolactic. After fermentation, up to 18 months in large (up to 7,500 litres) older American oak vessels, racking as needed. Then two years or more in barriques, percentage new around half or slightly more, then, Nevers and Limousin, and some Yugoslavian.
Joe Heitz (1919 – 2000) was a graduate of the UC Davis wine school, and gained immeasurable wine knowledge from working alongside André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards from 1951 to 1959. He was regarded as a forceful character, one who initiated (or at least was at the forefront) single vineyard wines in California, and the use of small French oak for top reds. By the same token, he could be intolerant of other views, scoffing at the notion that ‘his’ Martha’s Vineyard could be tainted by eucalypts (widely grown in the district) or the wild yeast Brettanomyces (virtually known only to academics in the 70s and 80s). Perhaps therefore our wine will be found to be a wine of its times, by demanding latter-day palates.
Robinson, nil; Parker, nil; Wine Spectator tasted this wine in a Napa retrospective article, in 2005. At that point the 1975 was valued at $US392: Aging very gracefully, with appealing dried currant, mint, bay leaf and spicy, cedary cigar box and earth notes. Impressive depth and layers of complexity, too, finishing with a long, persistent aftertaste, 90; John Gilman, 2011 (ref. above), in an 'assembled' vertical of nearly all vintages: The more I drink California cabernets from the decade of the 1970s, the more I am convinced that I have a slight preference for the style of the 1975s over their more highly-touted brethren from the riper year of 1974. The brilliant 1975 Martha's Vineyard is certainly pretty persuasive evidence that 1975 is indeed a great, great year for cabernet in Napa, as the wine is beautifully deep, pure and still a tad on the young side at age thirty-six! The magical and deep-pitched nose offers up a great melange of black cherries, petroleum jelly, cigar smoke, leather, a touch of chipotles, coffee and a very complex base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and powerfully built, with impeccable balance and focus, a rock solid core of fruit, still a bit of tannin to resolve, superb, tangy acids and simply stunning length and grip on the perfectly poised and refined finish. A wine of First Growth depth and dimension by any stretch of the imagination. 2015 - 2075. 97+; From the other side of the Atlantic, Essi Avellan, 2009, well-regarded European (first Finnish MW, 2006) wine commentator, comments on the 1975: This Martha’s Vineyard was tasted in a once-in-a-life tasting of all vintages of it ever made, arranged by FINE Magazines. It showed well and made it to my top 5 of the 35 vintages tasted. Complex lively nose with soft spices, plums, coffee and tar. Attractively fresh impact in the mouth, less pronounced on the palate than on the nose. Elegant and restrained. The wine is at a wonderful drinking age now but there are still 5 to 10 more years ahead of it, 92; www.heitzcellar.com ]
Ruby and garnet, clearly the darkest and most youthful looking / least-old wine. The bouquet is a knockout: a tremendous volume of intense aromatic drying and browning cassis, just a hint of balsam-like aromatics, a lot of oak but good oak, and all clearly in a Bordeaux style. A hotter year in Bordeaux, though, like some '64s, '76s, and many '82s. In mouth the wine is immediately big, and bolder than bordeaux would be, even a first growth. The weight of the tannin is nearly matched by the concentrated currant fruit, but against the Las Cases and the Montrose, and interestingly with food, the balance in the wine is tannin-obvious, shall we say. Nonetheless it is immensely impressive wine, many tasters at the blind stage 'wanted' it to be the Lafite, and it has to be scored at gold medal level. Unlike even the best of the Bordeaux, it still has some cellar life ahead of it, 5 – 12 years or so. A great experience, and the most favoured wine by the group. GK 03/15
Joe Heitz (1919 – 2000) was a graduate of the UC Davis wine school, and gained immeasurable wine knowledge from working alongside André Tchelistcheff at Beaulieu Vineyards from 1951 to 1959. He was regarded as a forceful character, one who initiated (or at least was at the forefront) single vineyard wines in California, and the use of small French oak for top reds. By the same token, he could be intolerant of other views, scoffing at the notion that ‘his’ Martha’s Vineyard could be tainted by eucalypts (widely grown in the district) or the wild yeast Brettanomyces (virtually known only to academics in the 70s and 80s). Perhaps therefore our wine will be found to be a wine of its times, by demanding latter-day palates.
Robinson, nil; Parker, nil; Wine Spectator tasted this wine in a Napa retrospective article, in 2005. At that point the 1975 was valued at $US392: Aging very gracefully, with appealing dried currant, mint, bay leaf and spicy, cedary cigar box and earth notes. Impressive depth and layers of complexity, too, finishing with a long, persistent aftertaste, 90; John Gilman, 2011 (ref. above), in an 'assembled' vertical of nearly all vintages: The more I drink California cabernets from the decade of the 1970s, the more I am convinced that I have a slight preference for the style of the 1975s over their more highly-touted brethren from the riper year of 1974. The brilliant 1975 Martha's Vineyard is certainly pretty persuasive evidence that 1975 is indeed a great, great year for cabernet in Napa, as the wine is beautifully deep, pure and still a tad on the young side at age thirty-six! The magical and deep-pitched nose offers up a great melange of black cherries, petroleum jelly, cigar smoke, leather, a touch of chipotles, coffee and a very complex base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and powerfully built, with impeccable balance and focus, a rock solid core of fruit, still a bit of tannin to resolve, superb, tangy acids and simply stunning length and grip on the perfectly poised and refined finish. A wine of First Growth depth and dimension by any stretch of the imagination. 2015 - 2075. 97+; From the other side of the Atlantic, Essi Avellan, 2009, well-regarded European (first Finnish MW, 2006) wine commentator, comments on the 1975: This Martha’s Vineyard was tasted in a once-in-a-life tasting of all vintages of it ever made, arranged by FINE Magazines. It showed well and made it to my top 5 of the 35 vintages tasted. Complex lively nose with soft spices, plums, coffee and tar. Attractively fresh impact in the mouth, less pronounced on the palate than on the nose. Elegant and restrained. The wine is at a wonderful drinking age now but there are still 5 to 10 more years ahead of it, 92; www.heitzcellar.com ]
Ruby and garnet, clearly the darkest and most youthful looking / least-old wine. The bouquet is a knockout: a tremendous volume of intense aromatic drying and browning cassis, just a hint of balsam-like aromatics, a lot of oak but good oak, and all clearly in a Bordeaux style. A hotter year in Bordeaux, though, like some '64s, '76s, and many '82s. In mouth the wine is immediately big, and bolder than bordeaux would be, even a first growth. The weight of the tannin is nearly matched by the concentrated currant fruit, but against the Las Cases and the Montrose, and interestingly with food, the balance in the wine is tannin-obvious, shall we say. Nonetheless it is immensely impressive wine, many tasters at the blind stage 'wanted' it to be the Lafite, and it has to be scored at gold medal level. Unlike even the best of the Bordeaux, it still has some cellar life ahead of it, 5 – 12 years or so. A great experience, and the most favoured wine by the group. GK 03/15
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ clones 10/5 and others, 3 years, harvested at 1.9 t/ac; up to 10 days cold soak, 15% whole bunch, 29 days cuvaison; 12 months French oak 42% new; coarse filtration; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, some carmine and velvet, big for pinot noir. Bouquet is very dark pinot noir at the maximum point of still retaining florals, and despite the given alcohol, not seeming fumey. Floral notes include darkest roses, violets and boronia, on pure black cherry and darkest bottled plums fruit, much more cherry than plum. Palate is remarkable, concentrated black cherry, not too oaky, and unlike many Otago 2002s, still fresh despite the power and weight of the wine. Fruit to tannin ratio is good, dark and lightly spicy, long flavoured. Great New Zealand pinot, to cellar 5 – 12 + years. GK 01/07
Dense ruby, some carmine and velvet, big for pinot noir. Bouquet is very dark pinot noir at the maximum point of still retaining florals, and despite the given alcohol, not seeming fumey. Floral notes include darkest roses, violets and boronia, on pure black cherry and darkest bottled plums fruit, much more cherry than plum. Palate is remarkable, concentrated black cherry, not too oaky, and unlike many Otago 2002s, still fresh despite the power and weight of the wine. Fruit to tannin ratio is good, dark and lightly spicy, long flavoured. Great New Zealand pinot, to cellar 5 – 12 + years. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; vines up to 19 years; c.10% whole bunch; up to 4 weeks cuvaison; MLF and 11 months in French oak c.25% new and on lees, filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Quite big pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Right from first opening, this is a clear exposition of dark cherry pinot noir, with clear floral aromas ranging from dark red rose to boronia. In mouth it is simply lovely young pinot noir, quite aromatic, excellent texture and crunchy black cherry fruit, subtle oaking, a new world kind of Cote de Nuits. It ticks all the boxes for florality, depth of flavour without heavyness, perfect tannins, and subtlety. This is the most finely-crafted, explicitly varietal, and beautiful pinot noir in both sets. Lovely wine to cellar for 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Quite big pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Right from first opening, this is a clear exposition of dark cherry pinot noir, with clear floral aromas ranging from dark red rose to boronia. In mouth it is simply lovely young pinot noir, quite aromatic, excellent texture and crunchy black cherry fruit, subtle oaking, a new world kind of Cote de Nuits. It ticks all the boxes for florality, depth of flavour without heavyness, perfect tannins, and subtlety. This is the most finely-crafted, explicitly varietal, and beautiful pinot noir in both sets. Lovely wine to cellar for 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; CS 85%, Me 10, Ma 5, hand-picked; c.28 days cuvaison in 2010; c.15 months in barrel, all French oak in 2010, 35% new; sterile-filtered; 300 cases; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely young colour. The first impression on bouquet is the wonderful fresh vibrant cassis, totally of bordeaux quality and dominating good berry and subtle oak. There is a florality in this bouquet too which is delightful and equally fresh classical bordeaux – before overt oak use became fashionable. Palate shows great cabernet sauvignon flavours, and a delicacy of both fruit and oak not apparent in Passage Rock wines five or so years ago. The perfect pitch of ripeness is wonderfully judged, no hint of sur-maturité, no hint of stalks. This is not a big wine, but it is very beautiful. It will pose an exciting challenge to wines like Te Mata Coleraine 2010, as well as being great in 2010 Bordeaux tastings proper. Cellar 5 –20 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely young colour. The first impression on bouquet is the wonderful fresh vibrant cassis, totally of bordeaux quality and dominating good berry and subtle oak. There is a florality in this bouquet too which is delightful and equally fresh classical bordeaux – before overt oak use became fashionable. Palate shows great cabernet sauvignon flavours, and a delicacy of both fruit and oak not apparent in Passage Rock wines five or so years ago. The perfect pitch of ripeness is wonderfully judged, no hint of sur-maturité, no hint of stalks. This is not a big wine, but it is very beautiful. It will pose an exciting challenge to wines like Te Mata Coleraine 2010, as well as being great in 2010 Bordeaux tastings proper. Cellar 5 –20 years. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; CS 74%, Me 26, 80% hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 6-year old vines; cuvaison approx 24 days; no BF; 22 months in French oak c. 53% new, no lees stirring; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; VALUE; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the depth of 2006 The Quarry or the 2006 Villa Merlot SV. Bouquet however is more integrated and complete than those two wines, the extra year having served to harmonise the components well. Fine cassis aromatics are to the forefront, with plummy fruit and cedary oak behind. Palate is full of flavour, a classic Hawkes Bay blend with perhaps a little more oak than is ideal, lingering long. Cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a younger phase of riper, cabernet-dominant Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blend. GK 09/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the depth of 2006 The Quarry or the 2006 Villa Merlot SV. Bouquet however is more integrated and complete than those two wines, the extra year having served to harmonise the components well. Fine cassis aromatics are to the forefront, with plummy fruit and cedary oak behind. Palate is full of flavour, a classic Hawkes Bay blend with perhaps a little more oak than is ideal, lingering long. Cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a younger phase of riper, cabernet-dominant Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blend. GK 09/08
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ cork; Sy-dominant perhaps c.80%, CS, Me, Ma, PV; hand-picked; c.21 days cuvaison (because syrah thinner-skinned than cabernet); c.12 months in French oak perhaps 80% and 30% of it new, balance older American; 130 cases; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fabulous colour, close to the Cable Bay Reserve in weight. Bouquet is very fragrant, showing a lightness, charm and florality surpassing the other Passage Rock syrah wines. It seems to be a product of perfectly ripe and floral fruit, and near-cedary fine oak which might be all-French. Palate is potentially soft, not greatly rich but complex, beautiful berry, slightly oaky at this early stage but lovely oak, great length in mouth. This is a special wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. There is not much of it.
A word of protest does need to be entered about the bottle for this prestige / top of the range wine. Yes it looks super with its heavy wax sealing, you have to look twice to confirm it is not a magnum, but at 1230 grams it must be the heaviest 750 ml bottle in New Zealand. Jancis Robinson has been campaigning against overweight bottles for some years now, in a world of shrinking resources. It does make sense for the quality of a wine to be determined on taste, rather than packaging. This bottle is even heavier than the ostentatious bottles used for the top-of-the-range Craggy Range wines, which weigh just over a kilo in the case of the bordeaux-blend bottles and just under in the case of Le Sol. The Homage bottle from Trinity Hill is also just over a kilo. In contrast a standard good quality bottle from Bordeaux weighs c.550 grams and one from Burgundy 20 or so grams more. Very few classed-growth Bordeaux proprietors have followed the pushy lead of Mouton Rothschild in using overweight bottles, preferring the quality of the wine to be measured by achievement in the glass – though sadly in this day and age in swanky inflated-size glasses. Swanky bottles are very much a new world indulgence, I fear. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fabulous colour, close to the Cable Bay Reserve in weight. Bouquet is very fragrant, showing a lightness, charm and florality surpassing the other Passage Rock syrah wines. It seems to be a product of perfectly ripe and floral fruit, and near-cedary fine oak which might be all-French. Palate is potentially soft, not greatly rich but complex, beautiful berry, slightly oaky at this early stage but lovely oak, great length in mouth. This is a special wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. There is not much of it.
A word of protest does need to be entered about the bottle for this prestige / top of the range wine. Yes it looks super with its heavy wax sealing, you have to look twice to confirm it is not a magnum, but at 1230 grams it must be the heaviest 750 ml bottle in New Zealand. Jancis Robinson has been campaigning against overweight bottles for some years now, in a world of shrinking resources. It does make sense for the quality of a wine to be determined on taste, rather than packaging. This bottle is even heavier than the ostentatious bottles used for the top-of-the-range Craggy Range wines, which weigh just over a kilo in the case of the bordeaux-blend bottles and just under in the case of Le Sol. The Homage bottle from Trinity Hill is also just over a kilo. In contrast a standard good quality bottle from Bordeaux weighs c.550 grams and one from Burgundy 20 or so grams more. Very few classed-growth Bordeaux proprietors have followed the pushy lead of Mouton Rothschild in using overweight bottles, preferring the quality of the wine to be measured by achievement in the glass – though sadly in this day and age in swanky inflated-size glasses. Swanky bottles are very much a new world indulgence, I fear. GK 10/12
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $192 [ cork; adjoins le Chambertin, downslope; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, up to 20 days cuvaison; MLF and up to 18 months in French oak up to 100% new; www.drouhin.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, about in the middle. Bouquet is intriguing and distinctive on this wine, combining florals with red and black cherries, plus a highly fragrant essential oil reminiscent of New Zealand lemonwood blossom (Pittosporum). Palate is gorgeous, clear red fruits, some black, a succulence bespeaking good dry extract, all full of flavour and satisfaction – clearly richer than the Griotte yet supremely subtle. This is what pinot is about. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Pinot noir ruby, about in the middle. Bouquet is intriguing and distinctive on this wine, combining florals with red and black cherries, plus a highly fragrant essential oil reminiscent of New Zealand lemonwood blossom (Pittosporum). Palate is gorgeous, clear red fruits, some black, a succulence bespeaking good dry extract, all full of flavour and satisfaction – clearly richer than the Griotte yet supremely subtle. This is what pinot is about. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 12/07
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $52 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; c.12 months in predominantly French oak a little new, some older American; www.vieweast.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest syrahs. Bouquet is a little different from the top wines, the syrah ripened a little more, the cassis qualities and florality giving way to more blueberry and suggestions of plum notes, the fruit rich. In mouth the wine is impressively rich too, warmer in style than the Cable Bay Reserve Syrah. There is more new oak than the bouquet suggested, but it is fragrant and attractive, and the length of blueberry flavour is appealing. This wine too is immaculately clean. In terms of my syrah ripening curve, this is the absolute maximum, if florality and complexity are to be retained. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest syrahs. Bouquet is a little different from the top wines, the syrah ripened a little more, the cassis qualities and florality giving way to more blueberry and suggestions of plum notes, the fruit rich. In mouth the wine is impressively rich too, warmer in style than the Cable Bay Reserve Syrah. There is more new oak than the bouquet suggested, but it is fragrant and attractive, and the length of blueberry flavour is appealing. This wine too is immaculately clean. In terms of my syrah ripening curve, this is the absolute maximum, if florality and complexity are to be retained. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Pemberton, West Australia, Australia: – %; $40 [ 2003 not on website, 2002 17 year-old vines hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, BF in new and old oak 12 months; www.wisewine.com.au ]
Lemon, a flush of green. Bouquet is beautifully varietal, but relatively light and understated: white stone fruits plus mealy barrel-ferment and lees autolysis, in which the mealyness is almost stronger than the oak. Presumably most of the oak is older. Palate is much richer than the bouquet suggests, mealy like a young Meursault, tactile palate richness, lovely pale fruit flavours in a wine which will cellar 5 – 10 years. It is understated alongside the Gunn wine, and is for those seeking top-notch chardonnay without obvious oak. Like the Eileen Hardy wine, it is a pointer to the chardonnay styles of the future. The Pemberton is softer than the Hardy wine, though. GK 10/05
Lemon, a flush of green. Bouquet is beautifully varietal, but relatively light and understated: white stone fruits plus mealy barrel-ferment and lees autolysis, in which the mealyness is almost stronger than the oak. Presumably most of the oak is older. Palate is much richer than the bouquet suggests, mealy like a young Meursault, tactile palate richness, lovely pale fruit flavours in a wine which will cellar 5 – 10 years. It is understated alongside the Gunn wine, and is for those seeking top-notch chardonnay without obvious oak. Like the Eileen Hardy wine, it is a pointer to the chardonnay styles of the future. The Pemberton is softer than the Hardy wine, though. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 75%, Me 25, hand-harvested @ around 2.4 t/ac; vinified @ Mangere, 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation, 6 weeks cuvaison for the CS, up to 4 weeks for the Me; MLF and 20 months in 100% French oak 3-years air-dried and 40% new; RS nil; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated cassis, pure and clean, less oaky and slightly leaner than the top Church Road wines, and harder to assess. In mouth the purity and focus of the wine is impressive, there is great ripeness of cassis, and much less oak and a subtler approach than the Villa Maria Reserves of yesteryear, or the top 2009 Church Road or Sacred Hill reds. An easy wine to overlook, but this will I suspect be very rewarding in cellar, over 10 – 20 years. A great (and exciting) Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend, the specs above highly encouraging and showing refinement over earlier vintages, a wine fully of classed growth standard. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated cassis, pure and clean, less oaky and slightly leaner than the top Church Road wines, and harder to assess. In mouth the purity and focus of the wine is impressive, there is great ripeness of cassis, and much less oak and a subtler approach than the Villa Maria Reserves of yesteryear, or the top 2009 Church Road or Sacred Hill reds. An easy wine to overlook, but this will I suspect be very rewarding in cellar, over 10 – 20 years. A great (and exciting) Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend, the specs above highly encouraging and showing refinement over earlier vintages, a wine fully of classed growth standard. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels mainly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; CS 74%, Me 26, 80% hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac from 6-year old vines; cuvaison approx 24 days; no BF; 22 months in French oak c. 53% new, no lees stirring; not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; VALUE; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
This wonderful wine has already been reviewed on this site (18 Dec 2007). It has classical Bordeaux ripeness, richness and style, and is of classed-growth standard. Acid balance is particularly pleasing – so many New Zealand wines are too acid. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/08
This wonderful wine has already been reviewed on this site (18 Dec 2007). It has classical Bordeaux ripeness, richness and style, and is of classed-growth standard. Acid balance is particularly pleasing – so many New Zealand wines are too acid. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/08
Cotes du Rhone, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $27 [ 50 mm cork; cepage along the lines of Sy 40%, Gr 30, Mv 10, Ca 10, clairette (white) 10%, the Sy and clairette co-fermented, the other three fermented separately; wild-yeast fermentations include whole-bunch components and the cuvaisons extend to six weeks, wonderfully traditional; note that from the 2007 vintage this wine (which is frequently Louis Barruol's best-value wine) has been from a single vineyard, now owned by Saint Cosme, and is therefore both an Estate or domaine wine and in fact a Cotes du Rhone-Villages wine; the greater part of the 2010 was raised in concrete vats, the balance in 1 – 4 years-old larger barrels. The subtle oak accounts for much of the wine's charm; c.1,590 cases; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour, wonderful. Bouquet is deeper and quieter by far than the Gigondas wines, yet in one sense it is the purest too. There is a wonderful dusky florality of darkest roses and violets on bottled black doris plums and cinnamon, and a touch of new oak. Palate is nearly fleshy, yet more fine-grained (less oak) than the Gigondas wines, the darker plummyness lingering long, the wine staying fresh on lovely acid (and a touch of cinnamon). Total acid is not quite as high as the 2010 Gigondas, but nonetheless this wine will cellar very well. Being as rich as the Gigondas wines, and of somewhat similar cepage, I expect it to be in fine form for 10 – 25 + years, notwithstanding a carignan component (which can be a weak link in southern Rhone blends). For the powerful 2009 vintage of this wine Robert Parker states: requires consumption in its first 2-3 years of life. This comment is so far removed from the wine's factual reality in the glass that I opened the 2000 vintage while the 2009 and 2010 were open. The 2000 is now superlative, at an early full maturity, as velvety as fine burgundy and nearly as fragrant, but darker. Buy as much of the 2010 Albion as you can afford. I am buying it for a two-year-old's twenty-first. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour, wonderful. Bouquet is deeper and quieter by far than the Gigondas wines, yet in one sense it is the purest too. There is a wonderful dusky florality of darkest roses and violets on bottled black doris plums and cinnamon, and a touch of new oak. Palate is nearly fleshy, yet more fine-grained (less oak) than the Gigondas wines, the darker plummyness lingering long, the wine staying fresh on lovely acid (and a touch of cinnamon). Total acid is not quite as high as the 2010 Gigondas, but nonetheless this wine will cellar very well. Being as rich as the Gigondas wines, and of somewhat similar cepage, I expect it to be in fine form for 10 – 25 + years, notwithstanding a carignan component (which can be a weak link in southern Rhone blends). For the powerful 2009 vintage of this wine Robert Parker states: requires consumption in its first 2-3 years of life. This comment is so far removed from the wine's factual reality in the glass that I opened the 2000 vintage while the 2009 and 2010 were open. The 2000 is now superlative, at an early full maturity, as velvety as fine burgundy and nearly as fragrant, but darker. Buy as much of the 2010 Albion as you can afford. I am buying it for a two-year-old's twenty-first. GK 10/12
Thought to be Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ supercritical 'cork'; detail beyond the outline on the website refused; hand-harvested from 'low-cropped fruit'; whole bunch pressed, cold-settled, 100% BF, MLF, and some months in French oak traditionally c. 50% new; best barrels selected and blended and returned to oak giving total c.11 months in barrel; pH 3.28, <2 g/L residual; not entered in Shows; www.temata.co.nz ]
Deeper lemonstraw, above midway in colour. Two wines in the tasting stood out for the absolute beauty of their bouquets, and this was one of them. The volume of limpid chardonnay fruit and cashew mealy complexity on bouquet is enchanting. It outclasses the Neudorf wine at this stage in its magical parallel to the great wines of Meursault and nearby districts. In mouth, it is however narrower than the Neudorf, like most Te Mata wines lacking absolute generosity of fruit, as discussed earlier this year. What is there is lovely, however, the balance of fruit to oak and the flavours a delight, the style wonderfully suited to food. Colour is more forward than some Elstons, but typically the wine cellars well. I can taste no reason why this wine should not follow suit. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/12
Deeper lemonstraw, above midway in colour. Two wines in the tasting stood out for the absolute beauty of their bouquets, and this was one of them. The volume of limpid chardonnay fruit and cashew mealy complexity on bouquet is enchanting. It outclasses the Neudorf wine at this stage in its magical parallel to the great wines of Meursault and nearby districts. In mouth, it is however narrower than the Neudorf, like most Te Mata wines lacking absolute generosity of fruit, as discussed earlier this year. What is there is lovely, however, the balance of fruit to oak and the flavours a delight, the style wonderfully suited to food. Colour is more forward than some Elstons, but typically the wine cellars well. I can taste no reason why this wine should not follow suit. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/12
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $72 [ cork; hand-harvested CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 20 + years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; pH 3.54, RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, still some carmine, much younger than the 2006 Coleraine. Bouquet shows a degree of fruit ripeness which is remarkably soft and plummy (and floral too), leading to a palate richness unmatched by the 2006, 2008 or 2010. The whole wine is still on the primary side of the line, relative to the 2006. Palate length and weight are very pleasing, illustrating a fine Coleraine. The alternate years have been good for Te Mata lately – what will 2011 bring, I wonder. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/12
Ruby and velvet, still some carmine, much younger than the 2006 Coleraine. Bouquet shows a degree of fruit ripeness which is remarkably soft and plummy (and floral too), leading to a palate richness unmatched by the 2006, 2008 or 2010. The whole wine is still on the primary side of the line, relative to the 2006. Palate length and weight are very pleasing, illustrating a fine Coleraine. The alternate years have been good for Te Mata lately – what will 2011 bring, I wonder. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/12
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.9%; $28 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 43%, CF 19, Ma 18, PV 8, Me 8, Sh 4; 18 months in French 85% and American oak; www.thornclarkewines.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a densely-saturated and lovely red wine colour. And once it has breathed a little in glass, bouquet is pretty saturated too, with a violets aroma most unusual in even premium Australian cabernet / merlot. There is a faint mint aromatic lift, but thankfully it is not euc'y. There is also wonderfully rich deep cassisy berry, and darkest plums fruit. In mouth, the wine is rich and velvety, the oak reasonably subtle and fragrant, potentially cedary. This is exceptional Australian cabernet / merlot, of a quality which could be run with classed growths from Bordeaux. It reminds me of the top Craggy Range bordeaux blends from the 2005 vintage. Cellar 5 – 20 years, perhaps longer. It is worth noting that some wine people consider cabernet sauvignon can develop a faint mint aromatic component within its own chemistry, citing Mouton-Rothschild as an example. GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a densely-saturated and lovely red wine colour. And once it has breathed a little in glass, bouquet is pretty saturated too, with a violets aroma most unusual in even premium Australian cabernet / merlot. There is a faint mint aromatic lift, but thankfully it is not euc'y. There is also wonderfully rich deep cassisy berry, and darkest plums fruit. In mouth, the wine is rich and velvety, the oak reasonably subtle and fragrant, potentially cedary. This is exceptional Australian cabernet / merlot, of a quality which could be run with classed growths from Bordeaux. It reminds me of the top Craggy Range bordeaux blends from the 2005 vintage. Cellar 5 – 20 years, perhaps longer. It is worth noting that some wine people consider cabernet sauvignon can develop a faint mint aromatic component within its own chemistry, citing Mouton-Rothschild as an example. GK 05/08
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ supercritical 'cork'; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c.11 months in French oak c. 50% new; pH 3.3, <2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon, almost iridescent, spectacular. Bouquet is a delight, the purest of varietal chardonnay augmented by skilled barrel-fermentation, lees-autolysis, and restraint. Palate introduces a vanillin suggestion, chalky, mealy and citrus notes, and good length. Fruit lingers delightfully in mouth, rich in pale stonefruits, the oak-handling being exemplary. This is chardonnay in a classical white Burgundy style fit to persuade even the most bigotted anti-chardonnay person that the grape has great merit, especially with food. It is not the richest or weightiest chardonnay around (for a finely-wrought specimen, check the Easter Show Trophy Chardonnay 2009 Brightwater Rutherford), but the Elston is still lovely alongside. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/12
Lemon, almost iridescent, spectacular. Bouquet is a delight, the purest of varietal chardonnay augmented by skilled barrel-fermentation, lees-autolysis, and restraint. Palate introduces a vanillin suggestion, chalky, mealy and citrus notes, and good length. Fruit lingers delightfully in mouth, rich in pale stonefruits, the oak-handling being exemplary. This is chardonnay in a classical white Burgundy style fit to persuade even the most bigotted anti-chardonnay person that the grape has great merit, especially with food. It is not the richest or weightiest chardonnay around (for a finely-wrought specimen, check the Easter Show Trophy Chardonnay 2009 Brightwater Rutherford), but the Elston is still lovely alongside. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/12
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak 35 – 40% new; pH 3.55; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, slightly more depth than the 2010. Bouquet is rich, clear-cut wallflower florality and darkest roses, deep cassis and black doris plums, a suggestion of vanilla wafers, wonderful varietal purity. Palate is concentrated, youthful, darkest plum, cassis and hints of black pepper, long and satisfying. This is lovely syrah in a finessed style, not as oaky as some Villa Maria (for example) Reserve examples, and the better for it. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, slightly more depth than the 2010. Bouquet is rich, clear-cut wallflower florality and darkest roses, deep cassis and black doris plums, a suggestion of vanilla wafers, wonderful varietal purity. Palate is concentrated, youthful, darkest plum, cassis and hints of black pepper, long and satisfying. This is lovely syrah in a finessed style, not as oaky as some Villa Maria (for example) Reserve examples, and the better for it. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/12
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $42 [ screwcap; not [then] on website; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is intensely plummy and nearly blueberry, with a cassis and black peppercorn edge making it clearly syrah, plus spicy oak adding appeal. Palate is mouthfilling and rich, wonderful berry, almost lush, with great length of flavour in which the berry dominates the oak – unlike earlier Vidal’s syrahs. This is very ripe Hawkes Bay syrah, so ripe it is almost in danger of losing some varietal complexity (though the oak adds to the aromatics, in lieu). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is intensely plummy and nearly blueberry, with a cassis and black peppercorn edge making it clearly syrah, plus spicy oak adding appeal. Palate is mouthfilling and rich, wonderful berry, almost lush, with great length of flavour in which the berry dominates the oak – unlike earlier Vidal’s syrahs. This is very ripe Hawkes Bay syrah, so ripe it is almost in danger of losing some varietal complexity (though the oak adds to the aromatics, in lieu). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $56 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-picked @ 5 t/ha (2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; 4 days cold soak, wild yeast, 8 days ferment, 28 days cuvaison in total; followed by 18 months in French oak, c.30% new, no American oak; RS < 2 g/L; 200 cases made; no rankings; www.sacredhill.com ]
[ This wine was not in the 2013 EIT review. Since it was not in the 2012 review either, but with respect to its high standing I felt should have been in one of them at least, on return to Wellington and the more detailed examination of the wines, I added it. It was not therefore first seen blind.] Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. The volume of bouquet on Deerstalker is as great as Le Sol, but it is less floral and more oak-influenced. Even so, the aromatic cassis and lift of sweet black pepper is exciting. Oak impedes assessment of florality on bouquet, simply because vanillin in the oak is (or can be) floral in itself, so one needs fairly sensitive olfactory apparatus to work out the components. In mouth, however, one quickly concludes the wine has the potential to be floral, that picking was not too late. The concentration in this wine is on a par with the top two, but the actual berry quality is not quite so clear due to the firming effect of the oak. I do not have them alongside, but suspect 2010 Deerstalkers is close to the 2010 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve reported on recently in an Auckland tasting, the fruit balance being slightly in favour of Deerstalkers at this stage. Future comparative tastings of these top 2010 syrahs will provide really stimulating opportunities to follow the evolution of these fine wines. These top 2010 syrahs are arguably the best group of wines of one kind so far made in modern New Zealand. They are closer to the absolute world standard for syrah than our pinot noirs, simply because assessing that variety is so elusive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
[ This wine was not in the 2013 EIT review. Since it was not in the 2012 review either, but with respect to its high standing I felt should have been in one of them at least, on return to Wellington and the more detailed examination of the wines, I added it. It was not therefore first seen blind.] Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. The volume of bouquet on Deerstalker is as great as Le Sol, but it is less floral and more oak-influenced. Even so, the aromatic cassis and lift of sweet black pepper is exciting. Oak impedes assessment of florality on bouquet, simply because vanillin in the oak is (or can be) floral in itself, so one needs fairly sensitive olfactory apparatus to work out the components. In mouth, however, one quickly concludes the wine has the potential to be floral, that picking was not too late. The concentration in this wine is on a par with the top two, but the actual berry quality is not quite so clear due to the firming effect of the oak. I do not have them alongside, but suspect 2010 Deerstalkers is close to the 2010 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve reported on recently in an Auckland tasting, the fruit balance being slightly in favour of Deerstalkers at this stage. Future comparative tastings of these top 2010 syrahs will provide really stimulating opportunities to follow the evolution of these fine wines. These top 2010 syrahs are arguably the best group of wines of one kind so far made in modern New Zealand. They are closer to the absolute world standard for syrah than our pinot noirs, simply because assessing that variety is so elusive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ release July 04, scarce; Me 50, Ma 40, CS 5, CF 5; intense canopy management to optimise fruit quality; DFB; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not a big wine – markedly denser than '02 Coleraine, not as deep as 02 Brokenstone. Bouquet on this wine is sensational. With very good wine, it is scarcely necessary to taste it, so fine and enveloping is the bouquet. Here there are overwhelming violets and deepest roses, plus cassis, blackberries in the sun, and ripest dark plums. Oaking is sublime, lightly spicy, and as subtle as any in New Zealand. Palate is fresh and intensely berry-flavoured, a little exotic from the high percentage malbec (when compared with Bordeaux sensu stricto), not as rich as some of the Hawkes Bay wines, but still suggesting a grand cru cropping rate. Complexity of berry flavours against the potentially cedary oak is great, there are absolutely no green or stalky notes, and the acid balance is no fresher than some well-rated 2001 Hawkes Bay wines, or the '01 Lafite. Total wine achievement is as close, or closer, to east-bank Bordeaux than any of the Hawkes Bay wines – an astonishing achievement in Canterbury, more than 1.5 degrees of latitude further south than Hawkes Bay. But then, Pegasus Bay achieved a similar miracle with their 1998 Maestro, and that had significantly more cabernet. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not a big wine – markedly denser than '02 Coleraine, not as deep as 02 Brokenstone. Bouquet on this wine is sensational. With very good wine, it is scarcely necessary to taste it, so fine and enveloping is the bouquet. Here there are overwhelming violets and deepest roses, plus cassis, blackberries in the sun, and ripest dark plums. Oaking is sublime, lightly spicy, and as subtle as any in New Zealand. Palate is fresh and intensely berry-flavoured, a little exotic from the high percentage malbec (when compared with Bordeaux sensu stricto), not as rich as some of the Hawkes Bay wines, but still suggesting a grand cru cropping rate. Complexity of berry flavours against the potentially cedary oak is great, there are absolutely no green or stalky notes, and the acid balance is no fresher than some well-rated 2001 Hawkes Bay wines, or the '01 Lafite. Total wine achievement is as close, or closer, to east-bank Bordeaux than any of the Hawkes Bay wines – an astonishing achievement in Canterbury, more than 1.5 degrees of latitude further south than Hawkes Bay. But then, Pegasus Bay achieved a similar miracle with their 1998 Maestro, and that had significantly more cabernet. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ supercritical cork; French & US oak, 80% new; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, another nearly as deep as the Passage Rock. This is one of the most distinctive syrahs in the current New Zealand field. Bouquet has great fruit richness, with a dark plum character like bottled omegas, set off by a dark barrel-char and darkest chocolate complexity. Yet on palate, this chocolate almost disappears, and there is no incongruous coffee artefact. Instead there is just deepest velvety cassis and plum. Quite remarkable. Nobody will regret cellaring this. And importantly, it is one of the 'sweet' Unisons, with no retained fermentation odours. There perhaps is a little brett, just at the trace equals complexity level. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, another nearly as deep as the Passage Rock. This is one of the most distinctive syrahs in the current New Zealand field. Bouquet has great fruit richness, with a dark plum character like bottled omegas, set off by a dark barrel-char and darkest chocolate complexity. Yet on palate, this chocolate almost disappears, and there is no incongruous coffee artefact. Instead there is just deepest velvety cassis and plum. Quite remarkable. Nobody will regret cellaring this. And importantly, it is one of the 'sweet' Unisons, with no retained fermentation odours. There perhaps is a little brett, just at the trace equals complexity level. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ screwcap; The estate was established in 1995 on the west side of Lake Dunstan and below the Pisa Range, by Warwick & Jenny Hawker. The initial vision was to be a pinot-only vineyard, but that has changed a little. Viticultural practices are conservative, all fruit is hand-harvested, and they are moving towards organic production. The single-vineyard Black Poplar Block wine was introduced in the 2000 vintage, and quickly became a wine to take note of. It is made by Rudi Bauer, but Larry McKenna also now has an input. It includes the fruit from the oldest vines, planted in 1995. There is an unspecified whole-bunch component. It spends c.10 months in French oak, 33% new. RS well under <1 g/L; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, below midway in weight. This wine demands a splashy decanting, a couple of times is best, to then reveal a deeply floral bouquet in which violets, darkest roses and boronia can be seen – and more easily the next day. Even on bouquet, this wine smells rich, and as soon as you taste it, ohmigod, this is what grand cru burgundy is all about – in texture. Fruit is pure black cherry, and it maybe hovers on over-ripeness, just a hint of plum. It gets away with it, and retains 'pinosity', but there is a delicate balance between complexity and ripeness / over-ripeness. More is not necessarily better, in ripeness, as several of these wines show. Length of cherry palate, and the role of oak, are perfectly judged. The fruit stays more black cherry in mouth, but it is the fruit weight that is staggering. This is one expression of what great pinot noir, and grand cru pinot noir, should be like. All too often, even grand cru pinot is not of this quality, however. This is a wine to cellar with absolute confidence. It is not as immediately appealing as the Greystone, or perhaps even the Peregrine, but it will overtake those wines around year five, and triumph in the long run. One has to concede it is ripe-year burgundian, but it is burgundian. Pisa Range is becoming one of the great pinot noir wineries in Otago. With more emphasis on florality in the wine, perhaps from picking a little earlier, perhaps from an increased whole-bunch component, or maybe both, this will become a famous site. This is the most serious pinot noir in the set, and one could hardly cellar too much. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/14
Good pinot noir ruby, below midway in weight. This wine demands a splashy decanting, a couple of times is best, to then reveal a deeply floral bouquet in which violets, darkest roses and boronia can be seen – and more easily the next day. Even on bouquet, this wine smells rich, and as soon as you taste it, ohmigod, this is what grand cru burgundy is all about – in texture. Fruit is pure black cherry, and it maybe hovers on over-ripeness, just a hint of plum. It gets away with it, and retains 'pinosity', but there is a delicate balance between complexity and ripeness / over-ripeness. More is not necessarily better, in ripeness, as several of these wines show. Length of cherry palate, and the role of oak, are perfectly judged. The fruit stays more black cherry in mouth, but it is the fruit weight that is staggering. This is one expression of what great pinot noir, and grand cru pinot noir, should be like. All too often, even grand cru pinot is not of this quality, however. This is a wine to cellar with absolute confidence. It is not as immediately appealing as the Greystone, or perhaps even the Peregrine, but it will overtake those wines around year five, and triumph in the long run. One has to concede it is ripe-year burgundian, but it is burgundian. Pisa Range is becoming one of the great pinot noir wineries in Otago. With more emphasis on florality in the wine, perhaps from picking a little earlier, perhaps from an increased whole-bunch component, or maybe both, this will become a famous site. This is the most serious pinot noir in the set, and one could hardly cellar too much. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ cork; no information at all on the website; discussion and inquiry reveals fruit cropped at c.5 t/ha = 2 t/ac, all hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed; a desire for phenolic ripeness in the fruit (which is a welcome contrast to the so-many leafy New Zealand pinotages over the last 40 years, in a variety hard to ripen here), and the adoption of some pinot noir techniques; 7 days cold-soak yet short cuvaison totalling c.13 days, MLF preferably with the alcoholic fermentation but in any case before barrel; typically 10 months in French 300s and 220s, 25% new; www.kidnappercliffs.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. More than any other wine in the portfolio, this wine gives a glimpse into what could be the future of Kidnapper Cliffs, if more attention is paid in the vineyard to achieving maximum complexity on bouquet by avoiding over-ripeness, so retaining florality, and then not dulling the wine in the winery. Pinotage is the absolute cinderella variety of all red wines, and deservedly, most examples being either weedy (New Zealand) or dully over-ripe (South Africa). It is not an easy variety to achieve optimal ripeness with in temperate climates, a bit like malbec in taste terms though it is much earlier-ripening, but here in what is probably the best vintage in Hawke's Bay in 40 years, we see pinotage picked at a point of perfection. Bouquet is darkly floral like some of the over-ripe Otago pinot noirs, with rewarding bottled plum notes. Being pinotage, there are also still some tell-tale lesser notes reminiscent of bottled tamarillos and mixed-colour olives, but they are minor. Palate follows perfectly, beautiful ripeness, subtle oaking, attractive length, the whole wine fresh and enticing, much more so than most in the range. This is the best pinotage made in New Zealand since Nick Nobilo's 1970 and 1976, though they were not as pure as this, and had at least some American oak, if I recollect right. The high score is for pinotage as pinotage – the case can be argued that pinotage will never be a noble variety, and should therefore always be marked out of some number less than 20. I believe the approach taken here is the more intellectually rigorous. Cellar 5 – 12 years, more if you like old wine. GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet. More than any other wine in the portfolio, this wine gives a glimpse into what could be the future of Kidnapper Cliffs, if more attention is paid in the vineyard to achieving maximum complexity on bouquet by avoiding over-ripeness, so retaining florality, and then not dulling the wine in the winery. Pinotage is the absolute cinderella variety of all red wines, and deservedly, most examples being either weedy (New Zealand) or dully over-ripe (South Africa). It is not an easy variety to achieve optimal ripeness with in temperate climates, a bit like malbec in taste terms though it is much earlier-ripening, but here in what is probably the best vintage in Hawke's Bay in 40 years, we see pinotage picked at a point of perfection. Bouquet is darkly floral like some of the over-ripe Otago pinot noirs, with rewarding bottled plum notes. Being pinotage, there are also still some tell-tale lesser notes reminiscent of bottled tamarillos and mixed-colour olives, but they are minor. Palate follows perfectly, beautiful ripeness, subtle oaking, attractive length, the whole wine fresh and enticing, much more so than most in the range. This is the best pinotage made in New Zealand since Nick Nobilo's 1970 and 1976, though they were not as pure as this, and had at least some American oak, if I recollect right. The high score is for pinotage as pinotage – the case can be argued that pinotage will never be a noble variety, and should therefore always be marked out of some number less than 20. I believe the approach taken here is the more intellectually rigorous. Cellar 5 – 12 years, more if you like old wine. GK 08/11
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $104 [ screwcap; CS nominally 100%, made from the best 1% of the crop in the better years only; 22 months in French oak 53% new; RS < 1 g/L; first made in 1982; www.wynns.com.au ]
Densest ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter than the 2006. Bouquet here is again very rich and saturated, but whereas the 2008 Black Label is euc'y, this is not. That raises lots of interesting speculations. Berry notes grade from cassis to bottled black doris on bouquet, plus potentially cedary oak. In mouth the wine is plusher than the 2006, the reduction in new oak really benefitting the wine. The aftertaste is cassis and dark plum more than oak, thus setting the 2008 John Riddoch way above the 2006. Is this wine a sign of the reputed new-age more subtle approach to Australian red wines ? There is some blackberry in the plum, but all in all this is pretty genuine cabernet sauvignon, squeaky clean. This 2008 Cabernet Riddoch offers something to look forward to. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 08/11
Densest ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter than the 2006. Bouquet here is again very rich and saturated, but whereas the 2008 Black Label is euc'y, this is not. That raises lots of interesting speculations. Berry notes grade from cassis to bottled black doris on bouquet, plus potentially cedary oak. In mouth the wine is plusher than the 2006, the reduction in new oak really benefitting the wine. The aftertaste is cassis and dark plum more than oak, thus setting the 2008 John Riddoch way above the 2006. Is this wine a sign of the reputed new-age more subtle approach to Australian red wines ? There is some blackberry in the plum, but all in all this is pretty genuine cabernet sauvignon, squeaky clean. This 2008 Cabernet Riddoch offers something to look forward to. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$35; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ c. 3.2 t/ha = 1.3 t/ac, from 5-year-old vines; cuvaison c20 days, MLF in tank; 9 months in French oak 55% new; then 5 months in one-year-old barrels; production c.510 x 9-litre cases; light egg-white fining, not filtered; thanks to Paul Mooney, these figures update previous; Cooper, 2002: The opulent 1999 vintage is … dark, weighty and complex, concentrated wine with fresh, warm plum/spice flavours, a hint of chocolate, moderately firm tannin, and outstanding length, ****½; Kelly, 2004: It now shows all the attributes one would expect from fine Northern Rhone syrah: carnations and violets florals, beautiful cassisy berry going savoury and gamey as it develops, some herbes de Provence, a delightful touch of brett complexity adding a hint of venison, and perfect ripeness, not over-ripe. This wine has been exciting since release, 18.5; weight bottle and closure: 614 g; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second-deepest wine, and above midway in redness. Bouquet is less floral than the top three, but still fragrant and pure, on clear cassis-led berry browning now, plus the subtlest oak. Two winemakers noted trace brett, but at this level it is positive complexity. Palate is magnificent, a bigger, plumper, rounder wine than the Langi or the Jamet, yet retaining subtlety and freshness, in exemplary oaking. The nett impression the wine creates is Hermitage-like. It seems certain that in the 1999 vintage, this is the greatest syrah in New Zealand. But it is also one of New Zealand's great syrahs, needing only a touch more florals to match great Northern Rhone Valley syrah. Much credit is due to winemaker Paul Mooney. Again, tasters responded warmly to this wine as well, two first-places, three second. It is at peak maturity now, and will fade gracefully over the next 10 years or so. GK 11/19
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second-deepest wine, and above midway in redness. Bouquet is less floral than the top three, but still fragrant and pure, on clear cassis-led berry browning now, plus the subtlest oak. Two winemakers noted trace brett, but at this level it is positive complexity. Palate is magnificent, a bigger, plumper, rounder wine than the Langi or the Jamet, yet retaining subtlety and freshness, in exemplary oaking. The nett impression the wine creates is Hermitage-like. It seems certain that in the 1999 vintage, this is the greatest syrah in New Zealand. But it is also one of New Zealand's great syrahs, needing only a touch more florals to match great Northern Rhone Valley syrah. Much credit is due to winemaker Paul Mooney. Again, tasters responded warmly to this wine as well, two first-places, three second. It is at peak maturity now, and will fade gracefully over the next 10 years or so. GK 11/19
Mangatahi south of Maraekakaho in Southern Hawkes Bay 52%, and Bridge Pa 48%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $85 [ screwcap; clone mendoza, hand-picked and sorted, whole-bunch pressed; 85% of the juice cold-settled, 15 high-solids; fermentation in puncheons 50% and barriques 50, 20% wild-yeast fermentations, balance cultured yeast; 100% MLF completed in barrel, plus regular lees stirring, 9 months in oak 50% new; minimal fining, sterile-filtered to bottle; weight bottle and closure 688 g; https://radburndcellars.co.nz ]
A perfect shining lemon, nearly a hint of green, a great young chardonnay colour. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, nearly floral, classic young mendoza-clone chardonnay with its hint of yen-ben citrus aromatics, on golden queen peachy fruit. Below is lees-contact complexity and fragrant yet subtle oak which immediately deepens the bouquet, and draws you in, so you are itching to taste the wine. Palate is vibrant with fresh acid against good fruit, the acid making the oak a little more noticeable now, but it will marry away. On taste alone, you almost wonder if it is a non-MLF wine, on the varietal purity of the yellow-fleshed fruit, plus the long natural acid. Not so. And the subtlety of the high-solids fraction is superb. This is a cellaring chardonnay par excellence, like Tony Bish’s Rifleman showing the advantages of the cooler inland districts of Hawkes Bay, for quality chardonnay. I wish it were a little richer, to guarantee the 20-year mark, but it will be a treat at the 8 – 15 year point. I expect this wine to evolve in bottle in exactly the same way as the 1996 Lawson's Dry Hills Chardonnay, in its day a definitive wine, which I opened soon afterwards, to compare and illuminate. Note the Lawson’s was a little richer, in youth, as fine chardonnay needs to be. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/20
A perfect shining lemon, nearly a hint of green, a great young chardonnay colour. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, nearly floral, classic young mendoza-clone chardonnay with its hint of yen-ben citrus aromatics, on golden queen peachy fruit. Below is lees-contact complexity and fragrant yet subtle oak which immediately deepens the bouquet, and draws you in, so you are itching to taste the wine. Palate is vibrant with fresh acid against good fruit, the acid making the oak a little more noticeable now, but it will marry away. On taste alone, you almost wonder if it is a non-MLF wine, on the varietal purity of the yellow-fleshed fruit, plus the long natural acid. Not so. And the subtlety of the high-solids fraction is superb. This is a cellaring chardonnay par excellence, like Tony Bish’s Rifleman showing the advantages of the cooler inland districts of Hawkes Bay, for quality chardonnay. I wish it were a little richer, to guarantee the 20-year mark, but it will be a treat at the 8 – 15 year point. I expect this wine to evolve in bottle in exactly the same way as the 1996 Lawson's Dry Hills Chardonnay, in its day a definitive wine, which I opened soon afterwards, to compare and illuminate. Note the Lawson’s was a little richer, in youth, as fine chardonnay needs to be. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/20
Brancott Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 9%; $50 [ screwcap; fruit grown on the 50m terrace, hand-picked at 3.75 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; long slow cool s/s fermentation; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Pure light gold, not much lighter than the youngest in a batch of 1983 – 1990 sauternes recently tasted. Bouquet is quite different however, the marmalade character of botrytised riesling darkening to a more saturated dried Otago apricots aroma and flavour, with a clear suggestion of oak though none is used. This impression is frequent in noble rieslings. There are thoughts of crème brulée too. Palate is much drier than one imagines from the 220 g/L residual given, the terpenes now quite firm and new-oak-like, the delicious flavours almost overlapping with the lightest of the sauternes, but more luscious. Will cellar for some years yet, even though the colour will deepen. GK 08/11
Pure light gold, not much lighter than the youngest in a batch of 1983 – 1990 sauternes recently tasted. Bouquet is quite different however, the marmalade character of botrytised riesling darkening to a more saturated dried Otago apricots aroma and flavour, with a clear suggestion of oak though none is used. This impression is frequent in noble rieslings. There are thoughts of crème brulée too. Palate is much drier than one imagines from the 220 g/L residual given, the terpenes now quite firm and new-oak-like, the delicious flavours almost overlapping with the lightest of the sauternes, but more luscious. Will cellar for some years yet, even though the colour will deepen. GK 08/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ screwcap; release date Feb. 2009; 7 clones of PN some up to 15 years age, 100% de-stemmed; c. 6 days cold soak; cuvaison c. 2 weeks; MLF in spring in barrel, and c. 14 months in French oak some new; RS < 1 g/L; not fined or filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is simply beautiful limpid pinot noir, showing all the dark florality of classic Cote de Nuits pinot. Emphasis is on boronia and dark red roses, but there is lilac too, in red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply the liquefaction of the bouquet, the floral qualities persisting right through the flavour, in fruit which might be a little soft for long cellaring, but is neither under-ripe, nor low acid. This is the richest of the three Mt Difficulty pinot noirs. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is simply beautiful limpid pinot noir, showing all the dark florality of classic Cote de Nuits pinot. Emphasis is on boronia and dark red roses, but there is lilac too, in red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply the liquefaction of the bouquet, the floral qualities persisting right through the flavour, in fruit which might be a little soft for long cellaring, but is neither under-ripe, nor low acid. This is the richest of the three Mt Difficulty pinot noirs. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; Me 100%; up to 4 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 20 months in French oak mostly new; RS < 1 g/L; cuve refers to the oak fermenters in the winery, a premium approach from Bordeaux; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a lovely colour. Given a glass of this, one can only wonder at and admire what Church Road is achieving currently, under chief winemaker Chris Scott's leadership. This wine is sublimely varietal, showing clear violets and bottled black doris plums, and potential dark tobacco and cedary oak. Palate is equally good, beautiful ripeness coupled with admirable alcohol at 13.5%, no hard edges, subtle oak, the whole wine epitomising St Emilion / east bank claret styling. Perhaps it is already very accessible for long cellaring, but it is wonderfully food-friendly and at a great price. A case of this wine is essential for any even half-committed wine-lover. Cellar 3 – 12 years or so. VALUE GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, a lovely colour. Given a glass of this, one can only wonder at and admire what Church Road is achieving currently, under chief winemaker Chris Scott's leadership. This wine is sublimely varietal, showing clear violets and bottled black doris plums, and potential dark tobacco and cedary oak. Palate is equally good, beautiful ripeness coupled with admirable alcohol at 13.5%, no hard edges, subtle oak, the whole wine epitomising St Emilion / east bank claret styling. Perhaps it is already very accessible for long cellaring, but it is wonderfully food-friendly and at a great price. A case of this wine is essential for any even half-committed wine-lover. Cellar 3 – 12 years or so. VALUE GK 11/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; several clones up to 17 years age at harvest; cropping c.4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; up to 9 days cold-soak with c. 6% whole-bunches, up to 8 days fermentation, up to 9 days maceration, a similar cuvaison to Target Gulley, but the least whole-bunch component; 16 months in French oak, some new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Colour is fractionally deeper in the Long Gully wine than Target Gully, bouquet is a little less but with decanting opens to red roses, and palate is a little more tannic than Target. It may be a little richer than Target – the tannins make it hard to tell. Apart from these differences, which are subtle, the wines are near-identical. Maybe in three or five years time the preference will be the other way around. Comment brief since in the previous article also. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Colour is fractionally deeper in the Long Gully wine than Target Gully, bouquet is a little less but with decanting opens to red roses, and palate is a little more tannic than Target. It may be a little richer than Target – the tannins make it hard to tell. Apart from these differences, which are subtle, the wines are near-identical. Maybe in three or five years time the preference will be the other way around. Comment brief since in the previous article also. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Cromwell Basin & Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $175 [ screwcap; 11 months in French oak 48% new, then 6 months in French oak some new; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Elegant pinot noir ruby, a little age showing. Bouquet is attractively floral and fragrant, both roses and nearly boronia with a vanillin oak suggestion too, sitting happily amongst the best of some 2006 Clos de Beze wines. Palate has beautiful varietal fruit, far richer than any of the Clos de Beze wines, yet is not heavy at all. The wine is totally burgundian, though like some modern burgundies the oak is at a maximum. This is totally grand cru level Cote de Nuits pinot noir / Burgundy. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/12
Elegant pinot noir ruby, a little age showing. Bouquet is attractively floral and fragrant, both roses and nearly boronia with a vanillin oak suggestion too, sitting happily amongst the best of some 2006 Clos de Beze wines. Palate has beautiful varietal fruit, far richer than any of the Clos de Beze wines, yet is not heavy at all. The wine is totally burgundian, though like some modern burgundies the oak is at a maximum. This is totally grand cru level Cote de Nuits pinot noir / Burgundy. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/12
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $114 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone 5 and Dijon clones; 15% whole bunch, total cuvaison 21 days; 11 months French oak 50% new barriques, 50% one year old; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
This wine was seen again with other pinots a few days later, while all the Conference wines were still available. Colour is good pinot noir ruby, on a par with the '03 Rousseau Clos de Beze, deeper than the Felton Block 3. Bouquet however is more akin to the '03 Ruchottes-Chambertin, sensationally floral. This is the wine to show all those people out there who pooh-pooh the idea that great pinot noir is about the floral component. The florals here are a little unusual, extending from buddleia right through to violets, at incredible volume. Perhaps the volume is a little high ? The palate is totally pinot noir in mouthfeel and texture, subtly oaked by New Zealand (or French) standards to really optimise the pinpoint varietal character, wonderfully rich, much more substantial than the standard wine. But hiding in there is just a tiny caveat, that earlier question mark, is this just very faintly stalky too ? Time will tell, but in any case this is exciting New Zealand pinot noir, Cote de Nuits-like, yet another slant on exactly what Central Otago will achieve with the grape. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
This wine was seen again with other pinots a few days later, while all the Conference wines were still available. Colour is good pinot noir ruby, on a par with the '03 Rousseau Clos de Beze, deeper than the Felton Block 3. Bouquet however is more akin to the '03 Ruchottes-Chambertin, sensationally floral. This is the wine to show all those people out there who pooh-pooh the idea that great pinot noir is about the floral component. The florals here are a little unusual, extending from buddleia right through to violets, at incredible volume. Perhaps the volume is a little high ? The palate is totally pinot noir in mouthfeel and texture, subtly oaked by New Zealand (or French) standards to really optimise the pinpoint varietal character, wonderfully rich, much more substantial than the standard wine. But hiding in there is just a tiny caveat, that earlier question mark, is this just very faintly stalky too ? Time will tell, but in any case this is exciting New Zealand pinot noir, Cote de Nuits-like, yet another slant on exactly what Central Otago will achieve with the grape. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ supercritical 'cork'; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c. 9 months in French oak c. 50% new; <2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Rich lemon-straw. Bouquet is forward on this year's wine, already showing a fine integration of pale stonefruits, mealyness, barrel fermentation and subdued oak. Palate is less together, the MLF milkyness still to marry in, the oak more noticeable. There are suggestions of both yellow florals and oystershell minerality, on a properly dry finish. This should evolve into an exemplary Elston, which will cellar for 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Rich lemon-straw. Bouquet is forward on this year's wine, already showing a fine integration of pale stonefruits, mealyness, barrel fermentation and subdued oak. Palate is less together, the MLF milkyness still to marry in, the oak more noticeable. There are suggestions of both yellow florals and oystershell minerality, on a properly dry finish. This should evolve into an exemplary Elston, which will cellar for 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Meursault Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 14%; $80
Pale lemon. This one smells like a caricature of Meursault, with beautiful oatmealy and baguette crust richness on white stonefruits. Palate is soft, delicious already, nearly as rich as the Genevrieres but not quite as firmly constructed, but still marvellous cellar wine. A lovely accessible Meursault, the oak invisible. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/04
Pale lemon. This one smells like a caricature of Meursault, with beautiful oatmealy and baguette crust richness on white stonefruits. Palate is soft, delicious already, nearly as rich as the Genevrieres but not quite as firmly constructed, but still marvellous cellar wine. A lovely accessible Meursault, the oak invisible. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/04
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia: 14.5%; $ – [ screwcap; c. AU$50 in Australia; co-fermented with c. 5% viognier; 18 months in 100% French oak; Parker rated the 2003 @ 90; release later in 2007, available in New Zealand though The Fine Wine Delivery Company, Auckland; www.yering.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely lighter than the Passage Rock. Here is a beautifully aromatic and floral syrah-styled shiraz from Australia, showing delightful varietal specificity. Bouquet and palate have deep varietal florals with only a subliminal hint of flowering mint, and nothing as coarse as eucalyptus. Under these aromatic florals, rich berry characters include cassis, blueberry and dark plum, without lapsing into boysenberry over-ripeness. This wine too, sadly, is 14.5%, but it is a glorious example of modern Australian shiraz presented more as syrah. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely lighter than the Passage Rock. Here is a beautifully aromatic and floral syrah-styled shiraz from Australia, showing delightful varietal specificity. Bouquet and palate have deep varietal florals with only a subliminal hint of flowering mint, and nothing as coarse as eucalyptus. Under these aromatic florals, rich berry characters include cassis, blueberry and dark plum, without lapsing into boysenberry over-ripeness. This wine too, sadly, is 14.5%, but it is a glorious example of modern Australian shiraz presented more as syrah. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; 2005 not on website, if like 2004 is hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed; MLF and 12 months in French oak 30% new; www.corbans.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Freshly poured, this wine has a slightly closed-in character to it. It benefits from decanting, to reveal a robust northern Rhone-styled syrah remarkably like some wines from Cornas: deep cassis, blackest plum, and cracked black pepper all through bouquet. Palate is even more Cornas or Hermitage proper, good concentration, intense dry cassis flavours, oak needing to mellow a little. This is lovely rich wine, needing five years in cellar to blossom. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Freshly poured, this wine has a slightly closed-in character to it. It benefits from decanting, to reveal a robust northern Rhone-styled syrah remarkably like some wines from Cornas: deep cassis, blackest plum, and cracked black pepper all through bouquet. Palate is even more Cornas or Hermitage proper, good concentration, intense dry cassis flavours, oak needing to mellow a little. This is lovely rich wine, needing five years in cellar to blossom. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels & Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.4%; $34 [ screwcap; Sy 99%, Vi 1, hand-picked; co-fermented with 8 – 10% whole-bunch; 11 months in French oak 30% new; a bottled wine, but not on website yet; RS < 1 g/L; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, near the top of the most concentrated third, in colour. Bouquet is raw and youthful, really needing time. There is fresh blackcurrant and hessian oak, quite aromatic, but it is too early to say much. In flavour the wine jumps into focus, there is attractive richness, and exciting cassis and darkest black plum and blueberry fruit, with clear black pepper. The oak apparent on bouquet has all but disappeared into the textured rich fruit. You can't help thinking that if this wine were still in clean old neutral oak, it would become more sophisticated. If this is already bottled, don't touch it for three years, and cellar 5 – 15 years. Score includes an element of speculation, but it's rich, ripe and pure. Tasted alongside 2010 La Chapelle, the varietal precision is marvellous. It needs a little more tannin structure (but not as new oak) and dry extract, but it is not shamed by the comparison. Since this turns out to be the standard wine, the Reserve is awaited with interest. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, near the top of the most concentrated third, in colour. Bouquet is raw and youthful, really needing time. There is fresh blackcurrant and hessian oak, quite aromatic, but it is too early to say much. In flavour the wine jumps into focus, there is attractive richness, and exciting cassis and darkest black plum and blueberry fruit, with clear black pepper. The oak apparent on bouquet has all but disappeared into the textured rich fruit. You can't help thinking that if this wine were still in clean old neutral oak, it would become more sophisticated. If this is already bottled, don't touch it for three years, and cellar 5 – 15 years. Score includes an element of speculation, but it's rich, ripe and pure. Tasted alongside 2010 La Chapelle, the varietal precision is marvellous. It needs a little more tannin structure (but not as new oak) and dry extract, but it is not shamed by the comparison. Since this turns out to be the standard wine, the Reserve is awaited with interest. GK 06/14
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $168 [ cork; 14 months in French hogsheads 69% new, 31% 1-year; RWT = Red Winemaking Trial; Robinson: intensely sweet fruit, firm chewy tannins, fresh and peppery. Touch of herbs, even lavender. Pretty oaky on the palate. Very dense. With time in the glass: chocolate orange on nose, very fragrant on the mid palate, slightly abrupt finish. 17 +; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher than Grange or Bin 128, deeper than Craggy le Sol, in fact the deepest wine in the set, a great syrah colour. Bouquet is to first sniff disappointing, with a lot of oak, French oak maybe, but as oaked-up as Bin 707 has been till recently. Below that is superb berry richness, with a degree of finesse in the berry ripeness which again is almost cassis and syrah, rather than boysenberry and shiraz. If it weren't so oaky, there might be a floral component here. Palate is Grange-like in weight, but more juicy, more obvious berry including blueberry, plus a charry incipiently chocolatey note on the aromatic oak. I expect a lot from RWT, hoping for finesse, but at this stage this is more the older Penfolds heavy-handed approach to new oak. Nonetheless I suspect it has the concentration to marry the oak away, and develop florals and complexity in 10 – 15 years' time. My mark therefore includes a considerable anticipation factor, in the hope that my first impressions will seem harsh and short-sighted later. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher than Grange or Bin 128, deeper than Craggy le Sol, in fact the deepest wine in the set, a great syrah colour. Bouquet is to first sniff disappointing, with a lot of oak, French oak maybe, but as oaked-up as Bin 707 has been till recently. Below that is superb berry richness, with a degree of finesse in the berry ripeness which again is almost cassis and syrah, rather than boysenberry and shiraz. If it weren't so oaky, there might be a floral component here. Palate is Grange-like in weight, but more juicy, more obvious berry including blueberry, plus a charry incipiently chocolatey note on the aromatic oak. I expect a lot from RWT, hoping for finesse, but at this stage this is more the older Penfolds heavy-handed approach to new oak. Nonetheless I suspect it has the concentration to marry the oak away, and develop florals and complexity in 10 – 15 years' time. My mark therefore includes a considerable anticipation factor, in the hope that my first impressions will seem harsh and short-sighted later. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/07
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ screwcap; website info disappointingly generalised; RS nil; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Colour is a gorgeous lemon, getting the wine off to a great start. And bouquet does nothing to dispel that impression, being quintessentially varietal, lovely white to yellow vanillin florals, clean fruit and yeast autolysis from time on lees, and scarcely any oak showing – a real white burgundy approach. Palate follows on seamlessly, peachy fruit, exemplary barrel-fermentation and use of oak, lees-autolysis and MLF components building the varietal flavour but not dominating it, beautiful acid and gentle oak balance, all long in the mouth. It is not as big and oaky as many 'Reserve' wines (see below), and is the better for it. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 8/11
The fly in the ointment is the labelling. Vidal are now proposing a three-tier series of wines, to match Villa Maria's Private Bin, Cellar Selection, and Reserve. The latter set works reasonably well, though with some caveats as below. Vidal however proposes to play with words, labelling their mid-point wines Reserve Series, and are threatening to use a concept such as Legacy Series or somesuch for their hitherto 'real' Reserve wines. So this is the Reserve that isn't a Reserve.
This latter approach reflects the American-inspired latter-day move to grandiosity in wine labelling, initiated in New Zealand by Craggy Range with their Prestige Series. The French in contrast let the simple wine name itself set the standing, but more objectionable is the fact that for years to come, consumers will think they are getting Vidal Reserve wines, mysteriously now at an affordable price. Surely it would be better to keep the term Reserve meaning something, as has been the fine tradition in the Villa, Vidal and Esk group till now – unlike some other wineries.
When you look at the Vidal website, the pricing structure is chaotic, the proposed Reserve Series being scarcely differentiated from the Estate wines. In the Villa Maria schedule, pricing is even more confusing, with some Private Bin wines costing more than other Cellar Selection wines. Would it be so hard to have a tiered nomenclature, where prices as well as names means something simple and intelligible? For example Estate wines under $20, the middle series under $30, the Reserves over $30. Or as suits. If the firm can't make an acceptable pinot noir under $20, augment both the standing of the grape and the reputation of the winery by not having one in the cheaper bracket at all. The present jumble of contradictory prices ends up trying to be all things to all people, but ends up serving none well. GK 08/11
Colour is a gorgeous lemon, getting the wine off to a great start. And bouquet does nothing to dispel that impression, being quintessentially varietal, lovely white to yellow vanillin florals, clean fruit and yeast autolysis from time on lees, and scarcely any oak showing – a real white burgundy approach. Palate follows on seamlessly, peachy fruit, exemplary barrel-fermentation and use of oak, lees-autolysis and MLF components building the varietal flavour but not dominating it, beautiful acid and gentle oak balance, all long in the mouth. It is not as big and oaky as many 'Reserve' wines (see below), and is the better for it. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 8/11
The fly in the ointment is the labelling. Vidal are now proposing a three-tier series of wines, to match Villa Maria's Private Bin, Cellar Selection, and Reserve. The latter set works reasonably well, though with some caveats as below. Vidal however proposes to play with words, labelling their mid-point wines Reserve Series, and are threatening to use a concept such as Legacy Series or somesuch for their hitherto 'real' Reserve wines. So this is the Reserve that isn't a Reserve.
This latter approach reflects the American-inspired latter-day move to grandiosity in wine labelling, initiated in New Zealand by Craggy Range with their Prestige Series. The French in contrast let the simple wine name itself set the standing, but more objectionable is the fact that for years to come, consumers will think they are getting Vidal Reserve wines, mysteriously now at an affordable price. Surely it would be better to keep the term Reserve meaning something, as has been the fine tradition in the Villa, Vidal and Esk group till now – unlike some other wineries.
When you look at the Vidal website, the pricing structure is chaotic, the proposed Reserve Series being scarcely differentiated from the Estate wines. In the Villa Maria schedule, pricing is even more confusing, with some Private Bin wines costing more than other Cellar Selection wines. Would it be so hard to have a tiered nomenclature, where prices as well as names means something simple and intelligible? For example Estate wines under $20, the middle series under $30, the Reserves over $30. Or as suits. If the firm can't make an acceptable pinot noir under $20, augment both the standing of the grape and the reputation of the winery by not having one in the cheaper bracket at all. The present jumble of contradictory prices ends up trying to be all things to all people, but ends up serving none well. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ cork; Sy 96 %, Vi 4%, cropped c. 1 t/ac; hand-picked and sorted, high % whole berries; MLF in tank; 26 months in mostly 6-month old French oak; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, not the deepest in the set. This wine was presented in the blind International Tasting, at position seven. Compared with the six preceding it, it looked dramatically fresh, big sweet cassisy berry with some floral overtones, and mulberry and plummy fruit flavours, rich and aromatic on new oak, needing time in bottle. Total style is wonderfully northern Rhone-like, and one overseas speaker also praised its pinot noir-like silkyness. In my tasting it seemed as oaky as le Sol, but less spirity. Tastings of these top wines in 10 years time are going to be fantastic. [ A peep at a barrel sample of the 2006 Homage (once aerated) looked exceedingly aromatic and Hermitage-like, not over-ripened or overweight, potential florals, classic – and well worth waiting for. Winemaker John Hancock rates it without any question whatsoever, the best ... Homage yet. ] Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, not the deepest in the set. This wine was presented in the blind International Tasting, at position seven. Compared with the six preceding it, it looked dramatically fresh, big sweet cassisy berry with some floral overtones, and mulberry and plummy fruit flavours, rich and aromatic on new oak, needing time in bottle. Total style is wonderfully northern Rhone-like, and one overseas speaker also praised its pinot noir-like silkyness. In my tasting it seemed as oaky as le Sol, but less spirity. Tastings of these top wines in 10 years time are going to be fantastic. [ A peep at a barrel sample of the 2006 Homage (once aerated) looked exceedingly aromatic and Hermitage-like, not over-ripened or overweight, potential florals, classic – and well worth waiting for. Winemaker John Hancock rates it without any question whatsoever, the best ... Homage yet. ] Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $91 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 25 – 30% whole-bunch, wild-yeast fermentation; 13 months in French oak c.35% new, not fined or filtered; Blocks 3 & 5 are allocated to all markets, principally fine wine resellers and a mailing list. The latter now has a waiting list to be on it, and members need to order a dozen bottles to secure (commonly) a maximum of 4 bottles of each Block; www.feltonroad.com ]
Deep pinot noir ruby alongside the Target Gulley, about the maximum desirable in the variety. Bouquet is much deeper, darker and richer than that wine too, much more in the big Felton Road style, but redeemed by clear-cut florals more in the boronia spectrum, delightfully apparent. Palate being a year younger is much juicier and fuller than the Target Gulley, the cherry component darker / more black cherries, but the oaking is equally subtle. These two wines paint a glowing picture of current achievements in Central Otago pinot, and pretty well span the range of styles as well. Block 3 is virtually limited to direct ex-vineyard purchase, preferably by being on the 'Block list' for advance notice of release. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Deep pinot noir ruby alongside the Target Gulley, about the maximum desirable in the variety. Bouquet is much deeper, darker and richer than that wine too, much more in the big Felton Road style, but redeemed by clear-cut florals more in the boronia spectrum, delightfully apparent. Palate being a year younger is much juicier and fuller than the Target Gulley, the cherry component darker / more black cherries, but the oaking is equally subtle. These two wines paint a glowing picture of current achievements in Central Otago pinot, and pretty well span the range of styles as well. Block 3 is virtually limited to direct ex-vineyard purchase, preferably by being on the 'Block list' for advance notice of release. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap; mostly s/s, 7% barrel-fermented, LA and batonnage with even an MLF component (well hidden), RS not given; www.framingham.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is simply beautiful sweet perfectly ripe subtle Marlborough sauvignon blanc: white nectarine, red capsicum, black passionfruit flesh, a touch of herbes including basil, great purity. Palate is rich and long, great length, dryer than some Marlborough sauvignons, a delight. This looks at least as good as Astrolabe Voyage, the de facto gold standard in Marlborough sauvignon, but I don't have it alongside. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemongreen. Bouquet is simply beautiful sweet perfectly ripe subtle Marlborough sauvignon blanc: white nectarine, red capsicum, black passionfruit flesh, a touch of herbes including basil, great purity. Palate is rich and long, great length, dryer than some Marlborough sauvignons, a delight. This looks at least as good as Astrolabe Voyage, the de facto gold standard in Marlborough sauvignon, but I don't have it alongside. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 11%; $28 [ screwcap; not on website, and info for previous vintage hopeless, not even g/L; www.charleswiffenwines.co.nz ]
Rich lemon washed with light gold. Bouquet is wonderful, clear-cut yellow honeysuckle, yellow peaches, grapefruit and lime zest riesling fruit with honeyed and waxy botrytis complexity, all fragrant and harmonious with low VA. Palate is luscious, lime and citrus and stonefruits, good acid, a little darker than the 2009 Riverby Noble Riesling, not quite as sweet, slightly more grippy on more prominent terpenes, very long. This too is a lovely example of dessert riesling, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Rich lemon washed with light gold. Bouquet is wonderful, clear-cut yellow honeysuckle, yellow peaches, grapefruit and lime zest riesling fruit with honeyed and waxy botrytis complexity, all fragrant and harmonious with low VA. Palate is luscious, lime and citrus and stonefruits, good acid, a little darker than the 2009 Riverby Noble Riesling, not quite as sweet, slightly more grippy on more prominent terpenes, very long. This too is a lovely example of dessert riesling, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $56 [ screwcap; winery only; probably not filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Attractive full pinot noir ruby, nearly as dark as the straight Felton Pinot. Bouquet combines marvellous pinot florals ranging from boronia to violets and deepest red roses, with obvious black cherry fruit, and very fragrant oak with just a hint of nutmeg. On palate the oak is a little assertive at this early stage, but the black cherry fruit is long and succulent, yet crisp as well. I get the impression the acids are little higher on these 2004 pinots from Felton, relative to the 2003 vintage, but I do not have them alongside. Block 5 seems to be fractionally the least acid of the three, or perhaps it is just the richest. I like it the most, despite the lamentably high alcohol, but have to say there is not much in it. It should be a good cellar wine, and as the oak softens, with the volume of bouquet it already shows, it should become as exciting as the 1999 is now, or more so. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
Attractive full pinot noir ruby, nearly as dark as the straight Felton Pinot. Bouquet combines marvellous pinot florals ranging from boronia to violets and deepest red roses, with obvious black cherry fruit, and very fragrant oak with just a hint of nutmeg. On palate the oak is a little assertive at this early stage, but the black cherry fruit is long and succulent, yet crisp as well. I get the impression the acids are little higher on these 2004 pinots from Felton, relative to the 2003 vintage, but I do not have them alongside. Block 5 seems to be fractionally the least acid of the three, or perhaps it is just the richest. I like it the most, despite the lamentably high alcohol, but have to say there is not much in it. It should be a good cellar wine, and as the oak softens, with the volume of bouquet it already shows, it should become as exciting as the 1999 is now, or more so. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
Napa Valley, California, U.S.A.: 14.8%; $ – [ cork; c. US$400, but only sold by mailing list, for which there is a waiting list; CS 88%, Me 5, CF 5, PV 2; 500 cases; Wikipedia introduces its article thus: "Abreu Vineyards is a cult winery in Napa Valley, California founded by well-known viticulturist David Abreu"; Parker 157 on this wine: "a sumptuous perfume of flowers, wood smoke, licorice, tobacco, blackberries, and cassis. Full-bodied, with perfect harmony, extraordinary concentration … 97"; bottled unfined and unfiltered; the website does not appear to provide any information on the wines; www.abreuvineyards.com ]
Ruby and velvet, markedly older, a touch of garnet, twice the density of the Pask. Bouquet is closer to the Pavie than the Pask, (to a temperate-climate taster) an all-enveloping warmth of very ripe plummy merlot, complete with dark tobacco-y notes and many reminders of merlot-dominant wines rather than cabernet, as is often the case with warmer climate cabernet sauvignons. In other words, the florals and cassis of cabernet have quite simply been boiled off. Palate is richer than the Pavie by far, and as oaky as the Pask, so it is a very big wine indeed. But, it is not a monster, there still being a succulence in the berry, and a length of fruit to the finish which finally does remind that this is after all cabernet, and maybe there is dark cassis in those massive plums. Nett balance of the finish is in fact more berry-oriented and fresher than the Pavie, though with equally great tannin (or more). This should cellar for 30 + years. GK 04/07
Ruby and velvet, markedly older, a touch of garnet, twice the density of the Pask. Bouquet is closer to the Pavie than the Pask, (to a temperate-climate taster) an all-enveloping warmth of very ripe plummy merlot, complete with dark tobacco-y notes and many reminders of merlot-dominant wines rather than cabernet, as is often the case with warmer climate cabernet sauvignons. In other words, the florals and cassis of cabernet have quite simply been boiled off. Palate is richer than the Pavie by far, and as oaky as the Pask, so it is a very big wine indeed. But, it is not a monster, there still being a succulence in the berry, and a length of fruit to the finish which finally does remind that this is after all cabernet, and maybe there is dark cassis in those massive plums. Nett balance of the finish is in fact more berry-oriented and fresher than the Pavie, though with equally great tannin (or more). This should cellar for 30 + years. GK 04/07
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $353 [ Sy 89%, Vi 11; average vine age 75 years; cropped 35 - 37 hL / ha; fermented in s/s, 4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest in colour. This is the purest of the three top Cote Roties, showing a very ripe berry and fruit bouquet almost beyond the floral complexity which should be the hallmark of great syrah. Instead, the ripeness has regrettably been taken through to almost Australian levels of blueberry and plum rather than cassis. Palate is very concentrated around plummy fruit, crisper and more fine-grained than most Australians, with hints of spice, attractive new oak, and without the savoury complexity of the Landonne. Acid balance is a little softer and rounder than the Landonne, too. Stylistically, the best of Gimblett Gravels syrah is speaking much the same language as this wine, inasmuch as some of them shows signs of sur-maturité too. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest in colour. This is the purest of the three top Cote Roties, showing a very ripe berry and fruit bouquet almost beyond the floral complexity which should be the hallmark of great syrah. Instead, the ripeness has regrettably been taken through to almost Australian levels of blueberry and plum rather than cassis. Palate is very concentrated around plummy fruit, crisper and more fine-grained than most Australians, with hints of spice, attractive new oak, and without the savoury complexity of the Landonne. Acid balance is a little softer and rounder than the Landonne, too. Stylistically, the best of Gimblett Gravels syrah is speaking much the same language as this wine, inasmuch as some of them shows signs of sur-maturité too. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.3%; $48 [ screwcap; if like the 2008, hand-picked, cuvaison extending to 4 weeks for some parcels; c. 8 months in French oak c.30% new; not fined or filtered; www.bannockbrae.co.nz ]
Rich pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sweetly floral and ripe, at the black cherry and darkest roses grading to boronia end of the floral spectrum for pinot noir. Palate is both plummy rich yet refreshingly black cherry too, with elegant oak shaping the rich round fruit attractively. A lovely example of the darkest style of Central Otago pinot noir, yet unequivocally varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Rich pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sweetly floral and ripe, at the black cherry and darkest roses grading to boronia end of the floral spectrum for pinot noir. Palate is both plummy rich yet refreshingly black cherry too, with elegant oak shaping the rich round fruit attractively. A lovely example of the darkest style of Central Otago pinot noir, yet unequivocally varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $111 [ cork; Domaine du Duc de Magenta monopole; hand-harvested; (guideline) BF, LA, MLF in 30% new French oak; no specific info [then] on website; info @ www.louisjadot.com ]
Lemon straw. Bouquet here is very fresh, another one with the suggestion of acacia florals on white nectarine fruit, the winemaker inputs subdued compared with the other top wines. Palate is pale stone fruits, good acid, mealy and hazelnut components just under the surface, soon to develop. This is subtle and satisfying wine, though not as rich as the Criots. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Lemon straw. Bouquet here is very fresh, another one with the suggestion of acacia florals on white nectarine fruit, the winemaker inputs subdued compared with the other top wines. Palate is pale stone fruits, good acid, mealy and hazelnut components just under the surface, soon to develop. This is subtle and satisfying wine, though not as rich as the Criots. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $99 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 14mm; release price c.$70; Spectator rating for year 96; typically Sy 96%, Vi 4, average vine age 35 years, said to be cropped at the same rate as d’Ampuis, namely 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac, but often seems as if the rate a little higher; c. 25 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 35 – 50% new, plus some in larger barrels; J.L-L, no date: raisin, smoky licorice, even tarry – an interesting do. It is not floral, and the oak raising plays a part in its nature. With air, it becomes earthy, with some violet, so the flowers need coaxing out. The palate starts with black fruit that has some scent present; the fruit is under the parapet, and the wine runs on a tannin/oak ageing theme now., ****; Robinson, 2005: Relatively muted but interesting nose … Muscular, sinewy, masterfully smooth texture without being sweet or obviously oaked. … Smooth texture, not by any means as pure an expression of Côte Rôtie as some earlier bottlings in this tasting but full marks for effort! Some ripe tannins underneath, 17; RP@WA, 2002: … fully mature and gives up mineral-laced aromas of blackberry, underbrush, green olive and spice. Medium-bodied, balanced, seamless and with an overall elegant, yet classical feel, it’s an outstanding bottle of wine to drink over the coming handful of years, 90; Wine Spectator, 2008: Shows a juicy core of macerated red and black cherry fruit woven with mesquite, aged tobacco and bittersweet cocoa. Has a tarry edge on the finish that steadily softens as this airs … To 2012. 25,000 cases made. 90; weight bottle and closure: 589 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and a wash of garnet, exactly in the middle for depth of colour. This is one of several very floral wines, showing all the beauty that syrah can display, when not over-ripened, in a temperate viticultural climate. Notes of dianthus / carnations, wallflower and lilac predominate, with dusky roses underpinning. Berry is browning cassis predominantly, clearly spicy / piquant and saliva-inducing, lovely. Berryfruit is clearly dominant over oak in the Brune & Blonde wine. Palate confirms that thought, the wine though not as rich as the grands crus, nonetheless still having a lovely velvety quality not so obviously shaped by oak. It is hard to imagine how a Cote Rotie could be at more perfect maturity, than in this 1999. It will hold this form for some years. One taster had it as their top wine, and two as their second-favourite. Cellar another 8 – 15 years. This 1999 Brune & Blonde does seem a similar cropping rate to Ch d'Ampuis. GK 10/20
Ruby and a wash of garnet, exactly in the middle for depth of colour. This is one of several very floral wines, showing all the beauty that syrah can display, when not over-ripened, in a temperate viticultural climate. Notes of dianthus / carnations, wallflower and lilac predominate, with dusky roses underpinning. Berry is browning cassis predominantly, clearly spicy / piquant and saliva-inducing, lovely. Berryfruit is clearly dominant over oak in the Brune & Blonde wine. Palate confirms that thought, the wine though not as rich as the grands crus, nonetheless still having a lovely velvety quality not so obviously shaped by oak. It is hard to imagine how a Cote Rotie could be at more perfect maturity, than in this 1999. It will hold this form for some years. One taster had it as their top wine, and two as their second-favourite. Cellar another 8 – 15 years. This 1999 Brune & Blonde does seem a similar cropping rate to Ch d'Ampuis. GK 10/20
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $40 [ screwcap; BF in new French oak; 11 months LA and weekly batonnage; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Lemon, youthful. A change of gear here. Alongside the other top wines, this Pask Declaration is a little more mainstream good New Zealand chardonnay, without quite the homage to Burgundy. Bouquet is explicit golden queen peach suggesting a lot of clone mendoza, with quite marked barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis building up big mealy complexities. In mouth the texture is nearly oily rich on the peachy fruit and lees-autolysis, yet I wonder if there is complete MLF [ winemaker, later: < 5% ] – there is a little more acid through the palate than some wines here, making the wine very fresh against the richness. This is an ideal cellaring wine for lovers of traditional big New Zealand chardonnay, for it has years in front of it. The aftertaste is particularly long and persistent. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 11/08
Lemon, youthful. A change of gear here. Alongside the other top wines, this Pask Declaration is a little more mainstream good New Zealand chardonnay, without quite the homage to Burgundy. Bouquet is explicit golden queen peach suggesting a lot of clone mendoza, with quite marked barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis building up big mealy complexities. In mouth the texture is nearly oily rich on the peachy fruit and lees-autolysis, yet I wonder if there is complete MLF [ winemaker, later: < 5% ] – there is a little more acid through the palate than some wines here, making the wine very fresh against the richness. This is an ideal cellaring wine for lovers of traditional big New Zealand chardonnay, for it has years in front of it. The aftertaste is particularly long and persistent. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 11/08
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments temperature-controlled to max. c. 17 degrees in the barrel; partial MLF and 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak new and 1-year; RS c. 2 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemon, plus a little flush of straw, not quite as bright as the 2004 though it is lighter. If there weren't several exceptional wines in this batch of chardonnays, this would be marvellous. Today it just has to be relegated to gold medal level. The integration of pale stonefruit with lees-autolysis is very harmonious, in this wine smelling and tasting a little different, more wine biscuit than baguette crust. Fruit flavour and balance is classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay, and the gentle acid balance of all three Riflemans is enchanting. They are not soft wines, but there is no acid edge as so many New Zealand whites show. On balance, Sacred Hills Riflemans is New Zealand's top chardonnay currently. Others have been excellent in some years, but there is a story and consistency building up in the Riflemans wine which is great to read about, and sheer hedonistic delight to taste. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 11/08
Lemon, plus a little flush of straw, not quite as bright as the 2004 though it is lighter. If there weren't several exceptional wines in this batch of chardonnays, this would be marvellous. Today it just has to be relegated to gold medal level. The integration of pale stonefruit with lees-autolysis is very harmonious, in this wine smelling and tasting a little different, more wine biscuit than baguette crust. Fruit flavour and balance is classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay, and the gentle acid balance of all three Riflemans is enchanting. They are not soft wines, but there is no acid edge as so many New Zealand whites show. On balance, Sacred Hills Riflemans is New Zealand's top chardonnay currently. Others have been excellent in some years, but there is a story and consistency building up in the Riflemans wine which is great to read about, and sheer hedonistic delight to taste. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 11/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 12.5%; $25 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; s/s cool ferment; some stirring on gross lees to build palate, 5 g/L RS by back-blending; 160 cases; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Needs a little time yet to marry up, but bouquet is already extraordinary, showing exquisite lightly aromatic linden or pale acacia blossom florals with a hint of lime and potential nectar, as complex as fine Mosel Kabinett. And on palate, the beauty continues in exactly the same style, but drier than the German model and hence the acid shows more. It would be hard to find a Mosel riesling trocken as beautifully varietal as this. It must be one of the best 'dry' rieslings ever made in New Zealand. Those interested will probably have to ask your wineshop to get this in, for dry New Zealand rieslings do not sell themselves, unfortunately, even though we have had the example of numerous excellent Australian examples over the years. This Mt Difficulty makes a fascinating comparison with them, though it is not as dry as for example Grosset's famous Polish Hill dry riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/08
Pale lemongreen. Needs a little time yet to marry up, but bouquet is already extraordinary, showing exquisite lightly aromatic linden or pale acacia blossom florals with a hint of lime and potential nectar, as complex as fine Mosel Kabinett. And on palate, the beauty continues in exactly the same style, but drier than the German model and hence the acid shows more. It would be hard to find a Mosel riesling trocken as beautifully varietal as this. It must be one of the best 'dry' rieslings ever made in New Zealand. Those interested will probably have to ask your wineshop to get this in, for dry New Zealand rieslings do not sell themselves, unfortunately, even though we have had the example of numerous excellent Australian examples over the years. This Mt Difficulty makes a fascinating comparison with them, though it is not as dry as for example Grosset's famous Polish Hill dry riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, from the Cornerstone Vineyard, 100% de-stemmed; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 20 months in French oak (ex Burgundy) 50% new, enriched by batonnage in barrel; Trophy Syrah and Champion Wine of the recent Easter Show; 1200 bottles; earlier reviews on this website; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine in velvet, a little below midway in depth. Freshly opened, and later, bouquet reveals exact syrah fruit characters, with clear cassis in dark bottled plums, a hint of cracked black peppercorns, but at this stage a relative lack of clear florals, due to the more prominent vanillin oak. Florals will come. Palate avoids many of the hazards illustrated by other wines in the group: it is neither spirity or tannic, certainly not heavy, just supple and long, with fresh berry and trace cracked pepper lingering delightfully. The key issue about this wine, harking back to Jancis Robinson again, is that it is refreshing, with obvious berry qualities on palate and finish, and demonstrably varietal too. More detail in previous reviews. GK 04/07
Ruby, some carmine in velvet, a little below midway in depth. Freshly opened, and later, bouquet reveals exact syrah fruit characters, with clear cassis in dark bottled plums, a hint of cracked black peppercorns, but at this stage a relative lack of clear florals, due to the more prominent vanillin oak. Florals will come. Palate avoids many of the hazards illustrated by other wines in the group: it is neither spirity or tannic, certainly not heavy, just supple and long, with fresh berry and trace cracked pepper lingering delightfully. The key issue about this wine, harking back to Jancis Robinson again, is that it is refreshing, with obvious berry qualities on palate and finish, and demonstrably varietal too. More detail in previous reviews. GK 04/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.2%; $35 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked; 100% BF and MLF in French oak 30% new; dry extract 24 g/L; RS 4 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. If the Skeetfield is a Puligny-Montrachet, loosely speaking, the Escarpment is total Meursault in style, wonderfully mealy on extended lees-autolysis plus MLF following barrel fermentation, beyond cashew to almost hazelnutty. Palate picks up the hazel, and is even more Meursault, the MLF fractionally more tasteable than the Skeetfield, the whole intensely oatmealy, and all a little richer and broader than the Skeetfield or the Desert Heart. Aftertaste is long and nutty, so rich the residual is well concealed. Cellar 2 – 5 years. One could easily pay $120 per bottle for French chardonnay of the quality of this wine, or the Skeetfield. GK 10/07
Lemonstraw. If the Skeetfield is a Puligny-Montrachet, loosely speaking, the Escarpment is total Meursault in style, wonderfully mealy on extended lees-autolysis plus MLF following barrel fermentation, beyond cashew to almost hazelnutty. Palate picks up the hazel, and is even more Meursault, the MLF fractionally more tasteable than the Skeetfield, the whole intensely oatmealy, and all a little richer and broader than the Skeetfield or the Desert Heart. Aftertaste is long and nutty, so rich the residual is well concealed. Cellar 2 – 5 years. One could easily pay $120 per bottle for French chardonnay of the quality of this wine, or the Skeetfield. GK 10/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $74 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, wild-yeast fermentation; 13 months in French oak, not fined or filtered; Blocks 3 & 5 are allocated to all markets, principally fine wine resellers and a mailing list. The latter now has a waiting list to be on it, and members need to order a dozen bottles to secure a maximum of 4 bottles of each Block; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, bouquet is quietly understated, suggestive only of darker fragrant cherries. Decanted / with air, it expands considerably to a darkly floral black cherry pinot noir with hints of black forest gateau, in one sense a bit debatable. Palate redeems the wine, being densely black cherry fruit, showing great concentration yet not unduly plummy, so my passing thoughts of merlot on bouquet can be put aside. The length of fruit is astonishing. In the sense it is very dark, burgundy classicists may feel this is too far outside the square. At that point one can invoke the logic, it epitomises one style of Central Otago pinot noir, and further, a style which is receiving critical endorsement. It is richer and darker than the Bannockburn label, and will cellar longer, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, bouquet is quietly understated, suggestive only of darker fragrant cherries. Decanted / with air, it expands considerably to a darkly floral black cherry pinot noir with hints of black forest gateau, in one sense a bit debatable. Palate redeems the wine, being densely black cherry fruit, showing great concentration yet not unduly plummy, so my passing thoughts of merlot on bouquet can be put aside. The length of fruit is astonishing. In the sense it is very dark, burgundy classicists may feel this is too far outside the square. At that point one can invoke the logic, it epitomises one style of Central Otago pinot noir, and further, a style which is receiving critical endorsement. It is richer and darker than the Bannockburn label, and will cellar longer, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ screwcap; a good spring and flowering produced a large crop; February however cool and adverse, requiring care with crop reduction should this weather continue; March and April unusually favourable, leading to an ideal crop c.5.5 t/ha of near-perfect fruit; at the time the young wines showed beautiful aromatics and a purity of fruit expression making them seem possibly the best yet; www.feltonroad.com ]
Surprisingly youthful and quite full pinot noir ruby, clearly younger than the 2009 Bannockburn, one of the deepest wines in the set. Bouquet here has a heightened boronia floral component, with a clear citrus oil aromatic complexity, on dark black cherry fruit. This smells inviting, though dark for pinot noir. Thus one approaches the palate slightly dubiously, is it too dark, and plummy therefore, or does it retain the fresh black cherry of quality pinot noir? Yes, it does. It is full, rich and soft, warm tannins, it couldn't be any riper, darker, or more tannic, but it is marvellous. This wine kept moving up in my rankings. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Surprisingly youthful and quite full pinot noir ruby, clearly younger than the 2009 Bannockburn, one of the deepest wines in the set. Bouquet here has a heightened boronia floral component, with a clear citrus oil aromatic complexity, on dark black cherry fruit. This smells inviting, though dark for pinot noir. Thus one approaches the palate slightly dubiously, is it too dark, and plummy therefore, or does it retain the fresh black cherry of quality pinot noir? Yes, it does. It is full, rich and soft, warm tannins, it couldn't be any riper, darker, or more tannic, but it is marvellous. This wine kept moving up in my rankings. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/14
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ not for sale; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very bright, a little deeper (in youth) than 2005 Bullnose. This wine was presented in the formal tasting sessions, alongside one of the new clones (174), to illustrate the original Te Kauwhata clone of syrah selected and propagated by Alan Limmer, and now widely grown. Comment was offered during the Proceedings, as to how fortunate we had been that the original Government Viticultural Research stock seemed to be of such high-quality. Certainly in my experience of Rhone wines, in this tasting it looked more classically syrah than some offerings, or the more 'modern' (in the sense of consumer wine) clone 174 it was shown with. Total wine achievement is close to the 2005 Bullnose, but with more cracked peppercorn showing, and perhaps just a fraction less fragrant and harmonious. This is a research wine in Te Mata's ongoing viticultural improvement programme, and will not be made available for sale. It was a treat to have samples offered in the Conference proceedings. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very bright, a little deeper (in youth) than 2005 Bullnose. This wine was presented in the formal tasting sessions, alongside one of the new clones (174), to illustrate the original Te Kauwhata clone of syrah selected and propagated by Alan Limmer, and now widely grown. Comment was offered during the Proceedings, as to how fortunate we had been that the original Government Viticultural Research stock seemed to be of such high-quality. Certainly in my experience of Rhone wines, in this tasting it looked more classically syrah than some offerings, or the more 'modern' (in the sense of consumer wine) clone 174 it was shown with. Total wine achievement is close to the 2005 Bullnose, but with more cracked peppercorn showing, and perhaps just a fraction less fragrant and harmonious. This is a research wine in Te Mata's ongoing viticultural improvement programme, and will not be made available for sale. It was a treat to have samples offered in the Conference proceedings. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ screwcap; $56 ex vineyard when available; www.feltonroad.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, much the lightest of the three 2005 Felton wines, or the wines in this gold-medal bracket. Bouquet likewise is the most lifted and floral of the three Feltons, with attractive aromas spanning the lilac part of the spectrum through to violets. There seems to be more new oak than the standard wine, but it has augmented the floral component, not dominated it – in contrast to some of the Otago 2005s. Palate is beautiful, sheer velvet, gorgeous texture, yet a lightness on tongue which is totally burgundian in a rich way. This is a marvellous Felton, much more together than when I last tasted it, not too long after bottling. Cellar 5 –12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby and some velvet, much the lightest of the three 2005 Felton wines, or the wines in this gold-medal bracket. Bouquet likewise is the most lifted and floral of the three Feltons, with attractive aromas spanning the lilac part of the spectrum through to violets. There seems to be more new oak than the standard wine, but it has augmented the floral component, not dominated it – in contrast to some of the Otago 2005s. Palate is beautiful, sheer velvet, gorgeous texture, yet a lightness on tongue which is totally burgundian in a rich way. This is a marvellous Felton, much more together than when I last tasted it, not too long after bottling. Cellar 5 –12 years. GK 01/07
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $95 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 8mm; release price c.$125; Spectator rating for year 98: low yields, terrific quality; typically Sy 96%, Vi 4, average vine age 35 years, from Guigal vineyards plus 40 growers, said to be cropped at the same rate as d’Ampuis, namely 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac, but often seems as if the rate a little higher; c. 21 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, mostly small-wood from the 2004 vintage on, 40 – 50% new; RH@JR, 2014: Violets and peppered meat; the authenticity can’t be faulted. Classic, savoury, lovely manicured tannins. Impressive aromatic range and lovely depth of flavour, 17; J.L-L, 2015: The bouquet is a meaty, crunchy red fruited affair, still very close-knit, has a light peppering as well. The palate has an interior vigour; on the outside it coasts along via clear red cherry fruit. Its depth lies below, like an iceberg. The longer you leave this, the more varied and compelling it will become: that is a formal announcement. The content has a savoury angle, lamb stock. The aftertaste is lip smacking, shows rosemary and dried herbs. The exit is lightly salted. Decant this, and wait until 2018. 13.5°. To 2036, ****(*); JD@RP, 2014: … a stunning Cote-Rotie. Made from 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier and aged in equal parts new and once used barrels, it’s medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with rocking notes of raspberries, peppered bacon, coffee bean and violets. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more, 93; weight bottle and closure: 572 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, a great young Cote Rotie colour, fractionally above midway in depth. This wine is so young ! Right from opening it is fragrant and lovely, yet it expands in the glass for days after the tasting (when kept under ice, the wine covered). Sweet floral notes dominate the bouquet, less zingy than some, that is less dianthus, more wallflower and heliotrope, some dusky rose, on cassis-led and bottled black doris plummy berry. Florals and berry totally dominate the elevation, oak being well in the background. Palate continues the total purity, a squeaky-clean wine, potentially velvety berryfruit, even the thought of red cherry in the young wine, perfect acid balance, and beautiful oak near-invisible – clearly much less oak than Ch d’Ampuis. In the formal tasting this 2010 was set as the sighter-wine for the field. It is one of the loveliest young Brune & Blondes ever – perhaps in this year too Brune & Blonde is as rich as d'Ampuis. No comments at the tasting however, partly due to the wine #1 effect, partly that it seemed understated then, and opened up so much more later. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 10/20
Ruby and some velvet, a great young Cote Rotie colour, fractionally above midway in depth. This wine is so young ! Right from opening it is fragrant and lovely, yet it expands in the glass for days after the tasting (when kept under ice, the wine covered). Sweet floral notes dominate the bouquet, less zingy than some, that is less dianthus, more wallflower and heliotrope, some dusky rose, on cassis-led and bottled black doris plummy berry. Florals and berry totally dominate the elevation, oak being well in the background. Palate continues the total purity, a squeaky-clean wine, potentially velvety berryfruit, even the thought of red cherry in the young wine, perfect acid balance, and beautiful oak near-invisible – clearly much less oak than Ch d’Ampuis. In the formal tasting this 2010 was set as the sighter-wine for the field. It is one of the loveliest young Brune & Blondes ever – perhaps in this year too Brune & Blonde is as rich as d'Ampuis. No comments at the tasting however, partly due to the wine #1 effect, partly that it seemed understated then, and opened up so much more later. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 10/20
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $46 [ screwcap; Sy 86%, CS 7, Ma 7; mostly 12 months in French oak, 33% new; 130 cases; www.kingsley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour but not quite the magical velvety depths of the le Sol or Homage. Bouquet is classical syrah, and bears some relation to Jaboulet’s la Chapelle of 20 years ago. There are dark florals deeper then dark roses, saturated cassis, blackest plums, suggestions of black peppercorns, and lovely oak plus a trace of VA. It is closest to the Homage in style. Palate is marvellous, slightly crisper and fresher than several, firmer and more aromatic than the Homage or le Sol (probably picking up the cabernet sauvignon percentage), with a saturation of cassis flavours, plus ripe tannins and soft oak. This too is an exciting wine which is still available at retail. The 2001 was the winner of the Tri-Nation (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand) Challenge 2 years ago. The 2002 will cellar 10 - 15 years, at least. GK 06/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour but not quite the magical velvety depths of the le Sol or Homage. Bouquet is classical syrah, and bears some relation to Jaboulet’s la Chapelle of 20 years ago. There are dark florals deeper then dark roses, saturated cassis, blackest plums, suggestions of black peppercorns, and lovely oak plus a trace of VA. It is closest to the Homage in style. Palate is marvellous, slightly crisper and fresher than several, firmer and more aromatic than the Homage or le Sol (probably picking up the cabernet sauvignon percentage), with a saturation of cassis flavours, plus ripe tannins and soft oak. This too is an exciting wine which is still available at retail. The 2001 was the winner of the Tri-Nation (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand) Challenge 2 years ago. The 2002 will cellar 10 - 15 years, at least. GK 06/05
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; simpler variations on 2004 practice, qv; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
This is the palest of all the wines, more lemon than straw, gorgeous. Bouquet on this wine is just like the 2000, but purer, without the hint of France, just glorious golden queen peachy fruit of exquisite purity. Some tasters rated it higher than the 2000, therefore. Like the 2000 and perhaps more so, the palate is superb, again succulent golden peach of textbook definition, with the harmony and integration one hopes the 2004 is aiming for, and little sign of the high alcohol and new oak. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/05
This is the palest of all the wines, more lemon than straw, gorgeous. Bouquet on this wine is just like the 2000, but purer, without the hint of France, just glorious golden queen peachy fruit of exquisite purity. Some tasters rated it higher than the 2000, therefore. Like the 2000 and perhaps more so, the palate is superb, again succulent golden peach of textbook definition, with the harmony and integration one hopes the 2004 is aiming for, and little sign of the high alcohol and new oak. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork 49mm; DFB; Me 82%, CS 8, Sy 7, Ma 3, hand-picked from mostly 10-year old vines; cuvaison approx 30 days; 16 months in French oak c.40% new; RS dry; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful young claret colour, minutely deeper than the Petit Mouton. Bouquet is wonderfully clean, rich, sweet, deep and fragrant, in one sense bridging the two Moutons wonderfully. There is a great plummy fruit with darkest almost violets florality, very deep, and potentially cedary oak. Though in a New Zealand context Sacred Hill's top wines often seem oaky, here with Domaines Rothschild wines in the totally blind field of 45 wines, this Brokenstone looks perfectly reasonable. Hence the bridging comment. In mouth the wine is still amazingly youthful, and tannic / furry, but there is a velvety berryfruit quality to the palate weight which bespeaks very serious viticulture and winemaking. This wine is a great celebration of merlot in New Zealand, and a triumph for the 2011 year in Hawkes Bay. It will cellar for 10 – 30 years. GK 03/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful young claret colour, minutely deeper than the Petit Mouton. Bouquet is wonderfully clean, rich, sweet, deep and fragrant, in one sense bridging the two Moutons wonderfully. There is a great plummy fruit with darkest almost violets florality, very deep, and potentially cedary oak. Though in a New Zealand context Sacred Hill's top wines often seem oaky, here with Domaines Rothschild wines in the totally blind field of 45 wines, this Brokenstone looks perfectly reasonable. Hence the bridging comment. In mouth the wine is still amazingly youthful, and tannic / furry, but there is a velvety berryfruit quality to the palate weight which bespeaks very serious viticulture and winemaking. This wine is a great celebration of merlot in New Zealand, and a triumph for the 2011 year in Hawkes Bay. It will cellar for 10 – 30 years. GK 03/15
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed to 100% BF in French oak new and one-year; wild-yeast fermentation, no MLF, LA in barrel; RS c. 1 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemonstraw, quite deep, but still clearly lemon-infused. Bouquet is related to the Dog Point, but lacks the musky complexity, instead showing complex riper fruits all through. This is sauvignon taken beyond red capsicums and even much piquant black passionfruit into pale stonefruit territory, yet somehow still with a refreshing aromatic edge. On palate the whole wine jumps into focus, more clearly oak-handled sauvignon now, but with a palate enrichment and texture which is chardonnay-like, gentler than the Dog Point even though it is appreciably drier. For many it will therefore demonstrably be the superior wine, for both Dog Point and Te Koko are extreme sauvignon statements. To judge from all three, year three would seem to be the perfect point to first sample these complex full-bodied oak-fermented sauvignons. Where available, the 2006 is distinctly angular. Like the Dog Point, Sauvage displays sauvignon complexed by extended lees-autolysis, but not contradicted shall we say, by MLF. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw, quite deep, but still clearly lemon-infused. Bouquet is related to the Dog Point, but lacks the musky complexity, instead showing complex riper fruits all through. This is sauvignon taken beyond red capsicums and even much piquant black passionfruit into pale stonefruit territory, yet somehow still with a refreshing aromatic edge. On palate the whole wine jumps into focus, more clearly oak-handled sauvignon now, but with a palate enrichment and texture which is chardonnay-like, gentler than the Dog Point even though it is appreciably drier. For many it will therefore demonstrably be the superior wine, for both Dog Point and Te Koko are extreme sauvignon statements. To judge from all three, year three would seem to be the perfect point to first sample these complex full-bodied oak-fermented sauvignons. Where available, the 2006 is distinctly angular. Like the Dog Point, Sauvage displays sauvignon complexed by extended lees-autolysis, but not contradicted shall we say, by MLF. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, from the Cornerstone Vineyard, 100% de-stemmed; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 20 months in French oak (ex Burgundy) 50% new, enriched by batonnage in barrel; Trophy Syrah and Champion Wine of the recent Easter Show; 1200 bottles; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth, a little more oak-affected in hue. In the tasting, the bouquet on this wine was special, strongly of cassis, blueberry, and vanilla wafer – the latter quite incredibly so. The floral components are there too, but not quite so pinpoint as some other top wines, and the whole wine smells softer. Palate is succulent, and there the florals spread out over the tongue, into the berry. Dark plum builds too, on oak which already seems much more married-in than at the Syrah Symposium at the end of January. This is marvellous wine, as rich as le Sol and no more oaky, fleetingly available only at the Esk Winery shop north of Napier, and the Villa Maria Winery shop, Mangere. Six tasters rated this their top wine. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth, a little more oak-affected in hue. In the tasting, the bouquet on this wine was special, strongly of cassis, blueberry, and vanilla wafer – the latter quite incredibly so. The floral components are there too, but not quite so pinpoint as some other top wines, and the whole wine smells softer. Palate is succulent, and there the florals spread out over the tongue, into the berry. Dark plum builds too, on oak which already seems much more married-in than at the Syrah Symposium at the end of January. This is marvellous wine, as rich as le Sol and no more oaky, fleetingly available only at the Esk Winery shop north of Napier, and the Villa Maria Winery shop, Mangere. Six tasters rated this their top wine. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 04/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; mostly machine-harvested @ c. 1.5 t/ac; some whole-bunch, some wild yeast, fermented in both s/s 86% and the balance French oak 10% new; 4 months LA; pH 3.3, RS 3 g/L; small crop due to frost, available only at cellar door, Terroir restaurant; www.craggyrange.com ]
Palest lemon. Bouquet is sweetly ripe and aromatic sauvignon blanc at a perfect point of ripeness, dominated by black passionfruit, but spiced by red capsicum and sweet basil. Palate follows perfectly, not phenolic or acid as good sauvignon so often is, instead just limpid dry fruit in a relatively unsophisticated all stainless steel presentation of the grape. This is lovely wine, and though not particularly rich, it will cellar for 2 – 10 years, if mature sauvignon appeals. This wine too, like the Glasnevin Riesling (qv), is very scarce, available only from the Craggy cellar door, due to the severely reduced 2007 crop in the Martinborough district. GK 10/07
Palest lemon. Bouquet is sweetly ripe and aromatic sauvignon blanc at a perfect point of ripeness, dominated by black passionfruit, but spiced by red capsicum and sweet basil. Palate follows perfectly, not phenolic or acid as good sauvignon so often is, instead just limpid dry fruit in a relatively unsophisticated all stainless steel presentation of the grape. This is lovely wine, and though not particularly rich, it will cellar for 2 – 10 years, if mature sauvignon appeals. This wine too, like the Glasnevin Riesling (qv), is very scarce, available only from the Craggy cellar door, due to the severely reduced 2007 crop in the Martinborough district. GK 10/07
Great Southern district, West Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $23 [ screwcap; free-run fraction only; commercial label of Howard Park; www.madfishwines.com.au ]
Beautiful palest lemongreen. Bouquet is subtle, varietal to the n-th degree, floral verging on nectary, delicate. Palate introduces more varietal terpenes, benchmark varietal flavours, just in the riesling ‘dry’ class. This is outstanding Australian riesling, really delicate alongside the very good but flavoursome (and drier) Yalumba Hand-Picked. It will cellar magnificently 5 – 15 years. GK 08/05
Beautiful palest lemongreen. Bouquet is subtle, varietal to the n-th degree, floral verging on nectary, delicate. Palate introduces more varietal terpenes, benchmark varietal flavours, just in the riesling ‘dry’ class. This is outstanding Australian riesling, really delicate alongside the very good but flavoursome (and drier) Yalumba Hand-Picked. It will cellar magnificently 5 – 15 years. GK 08/05
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $220 [ cork; CS 37%, Ma 29, Me 16, PV 16, CF 2, hand-picked; up to 25-day cuvaison; MLF in barrel; oak usually 90% French, 10 US, 70% new; not filtered; c.500 cases on average, but varying considerably with vintage; oppressive noise on website obscurely switchable, thankfully; www.stonyridge.com ]
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper, richer and fresher than the other top wines. Bouquet shows a clear violets and cassis component, on a rich bottled black doris plummy background, at a concentration which is thrilling. It is as rich and full as the Velvet wine, but more aromatic, suggesting more cabernet. Palate likewise is intensely aromatic, an exciting interplay of cabernet cassis and potentially cedary oak, with great latent strength. This wine is clearly of upper classed-growth quality, and dramatically Medoc alongside the contrasting Velvet, so they make a really exciting pair of world-class wines for Waiheke wine-people to rejoice in. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/10
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper, richer and fresher than the other top wines. Bouquet shows a clear violets and cassis component, on a rich bottled black doris plummy background, at a concentration which is thrilling. It is as rich and full as the Velvet wine, but more aromatic, suggesting more cabernet. Palate likewise is intensely aromatic, an exciting interplay of cabernet cassis and potentially cedary oak, with great latent strength. This wine is clearly of upper classed-growth quality, and dramatically Medoc alongside the contrasting Velvet, so they make a really exciting pair of world-class wines for Waiheke wine-people to rejoice in. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $80 [ screwcap; some whole bunch, 6 days cold soak, 16 days cuvaison; MLF and 14 months in French oak; not fined or filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little lighter than the Peregrine. Bouquet on this Otago wine shows the same wonderful black cherry fruit as several of the others, but the floral component at this stage is a little more entangled in new oak, like the Peregrine Pinnacle. On palate the wine shows great fruit, good balance, more oaked than some top wines, but still pretty well balanced, fresh, with a great aftertaste. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little lighter than the Peregrine. Bouquet on this Otago wine shows the same wonderful black cherry fruit as several of the others, but the floral component at this stage is a little more entangled in new oak, like the Peregrine Pinnacle. On palate the wine shows great fruit, good balance, more oaked than some top wines, but still pretty well balanced, fresh, with a great aftertaste. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap; 100% BF in 30% new French oak, 12 months LA, 30% MLF ]
Lemon. It is marvellous to see the evolution of fully floral chardonnays in New Zealand, reminiscent of finest chablis. This wine smells of acacia blossom, below which is classic mendoza golden peachy fruit, and attractive mealy lees-autolysis. Oak is initially noticeable on bouquet, but marries in quickly on palate. Palate weight is grand cru chablis, alongside the Corton-Charlemagne of the Anna's Vineyard, but the quality of chardonnay fruit is superb, with refreshing acid. This is an exquisite wine which will cellar for 10 years. It might be the best chardonnay from Canterbury, so far. GK 02/06
Lemon. It is marvellous to see the evolution of fully floral chardonnays in New Zealand, reminiscent of finest chablis. This wine smells of acacia blossom, below which is classic mendoza golden peachy fruit, and attractive mealy lees-autolysis. Oak is initially noticeable on bouquet, but marries in quickly on palate. Palate weight is grand cru chablis, alongside the Corton-Charlemagne of the Anna's Vineyard, but the quality of chardonnay fruit is superb, with refreshing acid. This is an exquisite wine which will cellar for 10 years. It might be the best chardonnay from Canterbury, so far. GK 02/06
Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $43 [ screwcap ]
Big pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than Kupe. Given a couple of swirls in the glass, one sniff and this is fragrant pinot noir in the top league. Fruit complexity is based on black cherries, but with greater aromatic and more clearcut floral components than Kupe. The enhanced florals suggest the wine is that magical degree less ripe, yet it is still perfectly ripe, with no hint of leafiness. Palate shows tactile richness and stunning pinot noir flavours, slightly more aromatic on oak, just marvellous. Perhaps oak is a little intrusive at this stage, but this too is a pinot of absolute world ranking, in the top handful of New Zealand wines thus far. 2003 has been a wonderful vintage for pinot noir in New Zealand, cooler than 2002 in Otago, so the florals essential to great pinot noir have in the best wines been conserved, against perfect fruit ripeness. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Big pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than Kupe. Given a couple of swirls in the glass, one sniff and this is fragrant pinot noir in the top league. Fruit complexity is based on black cherries, but with greater aromatic and more clearcut floral components than Kupe. The enhanced florals suggest the wine is that magical degree less ripe, yet it is still perfectly ripe, with no hint of leafiness. Palate shows tactile richness and stunning pinot noir flavours, slightly more aromatic on oak, just marvellous. Perhaps oak is a little intrusive at this stage, but this too is a pinot of absolute world ranking, in the top handful of New Zealand wines thus far. 2003 has been a wonderful vintage for pinot noir in New Zealand, cooler than 2002 in Otago, so the florals essential to great pinot noir have in the best wines been conserved, against perfect fruit ripeness. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $190 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Classic young pinot ruby. Rose and boronia florals are even more apparent on this wine than the top-ranked Clos de Beze, producing a bouquet of silky and sensuous beauty underpinned by black cherry fruit. Some aromatics and spice come from almost subliminal new oak. Palate is one kind of pinot perfection, the fruit both lush yet crisp, the florals seeming to exude from the liquid, even in mouth. Not quite the tannin and authority of the Clos de Beze, but exquisite soft silky varietal pinot of great delicacy, finesse, and character. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 04/05
Classic young pinot ruby. Rose and boronia florals are even more apparent on this wine than the top-ranked Clos de Beze, producing a bouquet of silky and sensuous beauty underpinned by black cherry fruit. Some aromatics and spice come from almost subliminal new oak. Palate is one kind of pinot perfection, the fruit both lush yet crisp, the florals seeming to exude from the liquid, even in mouth. Not quite the tannin and authority of the Clos de Beze, but exquisite soft silky varietal pinot of great delicacy, finesse, and character. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 04/05
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $184 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Good pinot ruby, on the deeper side of the bracket of Jadots. Bouquet is yet another variation on great pinot noir, though a little more piquant and aromatic, like the Beze rather than the Bonnes Mares. On palate once again the boronia and violets florals merge with clear black cherry fruit, with a little more new oak apparent in this wine. The flavours are again wonderfully fresh, aromatic and crisp, yet not at all acid. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Good pinot ruby, on the deeper side of the bracket of Jadots. Bouquet is yet another variation on great pinot noir, though a little more piquant and aromatic, like the Beze rather than the Bonnes Mares. On palate once again the boronia and violets florals merge with clear black cherry fruit, with a little more new oak apparent in this wine. The flavours are again wonderfully fresh, aromatic and crisp, yet not at all acid. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; CS 74%, Me 26, 80% hand-picked at c. 2.5 t/ac; 22 months in French oak c. 53% new, not fined, coarse filter only; RS < 0.2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, also a classic slightly older claret colour. Bouquet is even more Bordeaux-like than The Quarry, not quite so scintillatingly pure, a little more oaky, but at the same time more complex. Every time I see this wine, I am staggered that such an exact classed Bordeaux growth look-like is so readily available in New Zealand nowadays, and for $35. Why it has not sold out within moments of release, I cannot imagine. It is simply one of the best claret styles thus far made in New Zealand, as previously described. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, also a classic slightly older claret colour. Bouquet is even more Bordeaux-like than The Quarry, not quite so scintillatingly pure, a little more oaky, but at the same time more complex. Every time I see this wine, I am staggered that such an exact classed Bordeaux growth look-like is so readily available in New Zealand nowadays, and for $35. Why it has not sold out within moments of release, I cannot imagine. It is simply one of the best claret styles thus far made in New Zealand, as previously described. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $62 [ cork; CS 95%, Me 4, CF 1, hand-harvested @ 2 t/ac; 21 months in French oak 84% new; fined and filtered; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic claret colour. Bouquet is intensely floral and cassisy aromatic cabernet sauvignon, very fragrant and pure. New oak counterpoints the berry, without dominating. The whole style is totally modern Bordeaux. Palate confirms all the bouquet impressions, with an absolutely silken texture, all slightly fresher and not quite as rich as the 2005 Church Road Reserve, but with stunning purity and delicacy. The lingering cassis flavour is beautiful. This wine should garner high praise in Britain, for it has the freshness several United Kingdom writers seek. By the same token, it will be less popular in the United States. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic claret colour. Bouquet is intensely floral and cassisy aromatic cabernet sauvignon, very fragrant and pure. New oak counterpoints the berry, without dominating. The whole style is totally modern Bordeaux. Palate confirms all the bouquet impressions, with an absolutely silken texture, all slightly fresher and not quite as rich as the 2005 Church Road Reserve, but with stunning purity and delicacy. The lingering cassis flavour is beautiful. This wine should garner high praise in Britain, for it has the freshness several United Kingdom writers seek. By the same token, it will be less popular in the United States. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Te Muna Road, Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ cork; hand-harvested @ c. 3.1 t/ha (1.25 t/ac); fermentation in oak cuves with wild yeasts and 5% whole-bunch; 14 months in French oak 37% new; RS < 2 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Good bright pinot noir ruby, an ideal colour for the variety, midway in depth. Bouquet amply meets the first requirement for good pinot noir, being delightfully and sweetly floral and fragrant, thoughts of roses, violets, and even boronia. Beneath the florals is fresh cherry fruit, red grading to black cherries. Oak is almost invisible on bouquet, yet shapes the wine pleasingly and adds a touch of cedary complexity. Palate illustrates a slightly aromatic pinot noir of almost Cote de Nuits elegance and depth, with classic cherry palate, the oak slightly more apparent now. The fruit expands in mouth without being weighty, the length of varietal flavour being totally of grand cru quality. Cellar another 2 – 6 years. GK 09/13
Good bright pinot noir ruby, an ideal colour for the variety, midway in depth. Bouquet amply meets the first requirement for good pinot noir, being delightfully and sweetly floral and fragrant, thoughts of roses, violets, and even boronia. Beneath the florals is fresh cherry fruit, red grading to black cherries. Oak is almost invisible on bouquet, yet shapes the wine pleasingly and adds a touch of cedary complexity. Palate illustrates a slightly aromatic pinot noir of almost Cote de Nuits elegance and depth, with classic cherry palate, the oak slightly more apparent now. The fruit expands in mouth without being weighty, the length of varietal flavour being totally of grand cru quality. Cellar another 2 – 6 years. GK 09/13
Gimblett Gravels 75%, Bridge Pa Triangle 25%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted, all de-stemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and concrete vessels, up to 35 days cuvaison, controlled aeration; c.14 months in French oak c.45% new; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway. Bouquet is very beautiful, showing the carnations and wallflower side of syrah, and dark roses too, on pure cassis and bottled black doris plums. There is an engaging softness to the bouquet, reminiscent of fine Northern Rhone syrah, Hermitage perhaps. Palate is totally cassisy berry dominant, definitive varietal character with the gentlest oak. Arguably this is the greatest commercial syrah thus far made in New Zealand. Considering the price, anybody who hasn't invested in a case of this needs their head read. Simply delicious. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway. Bouquet is very beautiful, showing the carnations and wallflower side of syrah, and dark roses too, on pure cassis and bottled black doris plums. There is an engaging softness to the bouquet, reminiscent of fine Northern Rhone syrah, Hermitage perhaps. Palate is totally cassisy berry dominant, definitive varietal character with the gentlest oak. Arguably this is the greatest commercial syrah thus far made in New Zealand. Considering the price, anybody who hasn't invested in a case of this needs their head read. Simply delicious. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $48 [ ProCork; DFB; CS 48%, Me 35, Ma 17; machine-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed, some components finished fermentation in barrel, followed by 18 months in 70% French and 30% American oak, 100% new; sterile filtered; c. 500 cases; www.cjpask.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, around midway in depth. The first sniff of this wine is fragrant and floral, another wine to make one think of classic Medoc classed growths. The Pask is however more generous in its fruit ripeness and sunnyness than some. Both bouquet and palate are total cassis, with some darkly plummy merlot fleshing it out, but it is not quite as rich and concentrated as the top wines. It is appreciably richer than sister wine Merlot Declaration, though, and the 2005 Villa Maria Merlot Reserve. The most wonderful thing about this Pask Declaration is the oak handling, which despite the 100% new, seems subtler and lighter than the Cornerstone wine or the Helmsman, and contrasts vividly with the more oaky approach of earlier Pask years. Great ! Here the emphasis is more on the berry fruit, and the wine will be much more food-friendly. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, around midway in depth. The first sniff of this wine is fragrant and floral, another wine to make one think of classic Medoc classed growths. The Pask is however more generous in its fruit ripeness and sunnyness than some. Both bouquet and palate are total cassis, with some darkly plummy merlot fleshing it out, but it is not quite as rich and concentrated as the top wines. It is appreciably richer than sister wine Merlot Declaration, though, and the 2005 Villa Maria Merlot Reserve. The most wonderful thing about this Pask Declaration is the oak handling, which despite the 100% new, seems subtler and lighter than the Cornerstone wine or the Helmsman, and contrasts vividly with the more oaky approach of earlier Pask years. Great ! Here the emphasis is more on the berry fruit, and the wine will be much more food-friendly. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; release date 2008; CS 77%, Me 22, CF 1, hand-picked from 4 year old vines @ just under 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison approx 43 days; no BF; 14 months in French oak 100% new, no lees stirring; RS < 0.2 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, a little more developed than the other top wines. This Helmsman is wonderfully different from the 2002 and 2004 versions, all the initial charry oak-related weight having almost disappeared, and instead the florality of the grapes is clearly showing through. Bouquet shows deep almost sweet florals in the violets, dark roses and lilac spectrum, remarkably Bordeaux-like. Berry is again very dark cassis, darkest plums, plus oak now much more attractively in the background, just adding potentially cedary aromatics on bouquet, and the suggestion of darkest chocolate to palate. Flavour is slightly sterner cassis than The Quarry, a little more oaky, but attractively flavoured, rich, lingering beautifully. Only a slight doubt that VA might be approaching threshold kept me below 19 points. This is another wine to buy with confidence, and run in blind tastings alongside 2005 Bordeaux classed growths for many years to come. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, a little more developed than the other top wines. This Helmsman is wonderfully different from the 2002 and 2004 versions, all the initial charry oak-related weight having almost disappeared, and instead the florality of the grapes is clearly showing through. Bouquet shows deep almost sweet florals in the violets, dark roses and lilac spectrum, remarkably Bordeaux-like. Berry is again very dark cassis, darkest plums, plus oak now much more attractively in the background, just adding potentially cedary aromatics on bouquet, and the suggestion of darkest chocolate to palate. Flavour is slightly sterner cassis than The Quarry, a little more oaky, but attractively flavoured, rich, lingering beautifully. Only a slight doubt that VA might be approaching threshold kept me below 19 points. This is another wine to buy with confidence, and run in blind tastings alongside 2005 Bordeaux classed growths for many years to come. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/07
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ cork; Sy 100% from a single vineyard, oldest vines planted 1990; includes clone 470, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in French oak 40-ish % new; Bullnose has not been offered to Robert Parker, but Wine Spectator has seen 5 vintages. The 2004 is rated 91: Bright and zingy, with delightful black pepper and blackberry aromas and flavors that just don't quit as the finish sails on and on. Tannins are beautifully integrated and the wine has real presence. Drink now through 2015.; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little below midway in depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is enchanting, wonderfully explicit wallflower florals melding into cassis and plums and white and black pepper, really fragrant and suggesting Cote Rotie. Palate is not powerful compared with some of the other top wines, the wine instead showing wonderful flesh and mouthfeel, really pinot-like, as if hardly any pressings had been used. This is absolutely beautiful wine, and like so many Te Mata reds, will be great with food, largely due to the admirably lowish alcohol. It is easy to think this is a light wine, but it is not: the fruit is there for good cellar development. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little below midway in depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is enchanting, wonderfully explicit wallflower florals melding into cassis and plums and white and black pepper, really fragrant and suggesting Cote Rotie. Palate is not powerful compared with some of the other top wines, the wine instead showing wonderful flesh and mouthfeel, really pinot-like, as if hardly any pressings had been used. This is absolutely beautiful wine, and like so many Te Mata reds, will be great with food, largely due to the admirably lowish alcohol. It is easy to think this is a light wine, but it is not: the fruit is there for good cellar development. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $106 [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100% based on 2011 fruit, hand-picked from four vineyards (located in Le Mesnil, Avise, Cramant, Oger); all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.3.5 years en tirage; dosage c.2 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Lemon, slightly fresher than last year's wine. Bouquet is refined and restrained alongside the top two wines, a little closer to the standard expectation for a good bland de blancs: white flowers, suggestions of palest nectarine, beautifully subtle autolysis at this stage as much crumb of baguette as crust, and a hard-to-characterise chalky minerality. In flavour this seems (maybe) fractionally a lighter wine than last year's Extra Brut, but even so the weight and purity of flavour and autolysis again obscures the fact there is only 2 g/L dosage. Oh that the winemakers for Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs, New Zealand's 'standard' good-quality example of the genre, would taste and think about this wine. Then they might ponder what a travesty it is cropping the fruit at a higher rate, and then using 11 – 12 g/L residual sugar to give the impression of body. This year's Peters Extra Brut is again definitive blanc de blancs chardonnay. Only the very best years of Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs match this. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/15
Lemon, slightly fresher than last year's wine. Bouquet is refined and restrained alongside the top two wines, a little closer to the standard expectation for a good bland de blancs: white flowers, suggestions of palest nectarine, beautifully subtle autolysis at this stage as much crumb of baguette as crust, and a hard-to-characterise chalky minerality. In flavour this seems (maybe) fractionally a lighter wine than last year's Extra Brut, but even so the weight and purity of flavour and autolysis again obscures the fact there is only 2 g/L dosage. Oh that the winemakers for Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs, New Zealand's 'standard' good-quality example of the genre, would taste and think about this wine. Then they might ponder what a travesty it is cropping the fruit at a higher rate, and then using 11 – 12 g/L residual sugar to give the impression of body. This year's Peters Extra Brut is again definitive blanc de blancs chardonnay. Only the very best years of Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs match this. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/15
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $191 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$85; one of the few domaines making just the one grand vin (red), plus a generic red; described by J.L-L as the ‘Gold standard estate’; becoming a rare wine in New Zealand; cepage at the time was more Gr 65%, Mv 20, Sy 10, others 5; all cropped conservatively c.2.75 t/ha = 1.1 t/ac in 2005; all destemmed, 21 days cuvaison; elevation c.12 months in large foudres, no new oak; not fined or filtered; annual production c.7,000 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2017: … a hunky, bosky nose, animal with the Mourvèdre in the driving seat, roast meat, dates, black pepper. The palate is chunky – this is a real 2005 – with tenacious tannins. ****(*); JD@RP, 2015: ... decidedly more elegant and finesse-styled now than it was on release ... a perfumed bouquet of kirsch and blackberry-like fruits, licorice, incense, Asian spice and forest floor ... a core of sweet fruit, fine tannin and a balanced, harmonious feel. It’s not a powerhouse, and is drinking nicely today, with another decade of longevity, 2015 – 2025, 94; weight bottle and cork 685 g; www.clos-des-papes.fr ]
Ruby and some garnet, the second to lightest wine. This wine displays yet another beautiful, mouth-watering bouquet of great purity, with wonderful red fruits fractionally ‘cooler’ than the Vieux Telegraphe, but like it with clear bouquet garni / garrigue qualities. Palate has an almost Cote de Nuits / pinot noir quality to it in the first instance, but it is also more ‘furry’ in its tannins, with greater alcohol. But as a wine, in a tasting context, you scarcely think about the alcohol. This too, like the Vieux Telegraphe, simply epitomises the classical Chateauneuf-du-Pape winestyle. Two tasters had this as their first or second wine. It will be beautiful for another 10 – 20 years. Alcohol said to be under 15%, suggesting lower alcohols can be achieved with care. GK 07/19
Ruby and some garnet, the second to lightest wine. This wine displays yet another beautiful, mouth-watering bouquet of great purity, with wonderful red fruits fractionally ‘cooler’ than the Vieux Telegraphe, but like it with clear bouquet garni / garrigue qualities. Palate has an almost Cote de Nuits / pinot noir quality to it in the first instance, but it is also more ‘furry’ in its tannins, with greater alcohol. But as a wine, in a tasting context, you scarcely think about the alcohol. This too, like the Vieux Telegraphe, simply epitomises the classical Chateauneuf-du-Pape winestyle. Two tasters had this as their first or second wine. It will be beautiful for another 10 – 20 years. Alcohol said to be under 15%, suggesting lower alcohols can be achieved with care. GK 07/19
Waitaki Valley, North Otago, New Zealand: 9%; $50 [ screwcap; Ri 100% grown on limestone-influenced gravels, cropped at 2.3 t/ha = 0.9 t/ac from an 8-year old vineyard; s/s fermented, no mention of oak; RS 85 g/L against TA 9.7, pH 3.0; not fined, is sterile-filtered; production the equivalent of 135 x 9-litre cases; www.valliwine.com ]
Brilliant lemon, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little unusual in a sweet white, combining Lisbon lemon zest with white button-mushroom botrytis, plus a white-flower floral note. It is exquisitely pure. Palate is immediately aromatic on the citrus zest, yet subtly so, with a waxy depth of quality to it while at the same time being light in flavour and texture. Sweetness is apparent, yet refreshing on the low pH and fine-grained high acid. This is a remarkable and wonderful Otago sweet wine which will cellar for 50 years, changing over the years. It would be fantastic to follow it, from its supreme freshness now through to the mellow golden wine decades hence. GK 06/19
Brilliant lemon, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little unusual in a sweet white, combining Lisbon lemon zest with white button-mushroom botrytis, plus a white-flower floral note. It is exquisitely pure. Palate is immediately aromatic on the citrus zest, yet subtly so, with a waxy depth of quality to it while at the same time being light in flavour and texture. Sweetness is apparent, yet refreshing on the low pH and fine-grained high acid. This is a remarkable and wonderful Otago sweet wine which will cellar for 50 years, changing over the years. It would be fantastic to follow it, from its supreme freshness now through to the mellow golden wine decades hence. GK 06/19
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 3.9 t/ha (1.6 t/ac) from 17-year old vines (Dijon clones only); ferments include a 25% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 27 days; 11 months in French oak 27% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; growing season c.1,100 GDD; production 645 x 9-litre cases; exemplary website; www.valliwine.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter wines. Bouquet is wonderfully sweet and evocative of pinot noir, violets, dark roses, just beautiful florals on red and black cherry fruits, plus vanillin from oak, exciting. Palate follows perfectly, another wine to illustrate the concept of ‘crunchy’ cherry fruit, the ratio of faintly cedary oak at first sight perfect to add spice, but not dominate the fruit in any way. The wine shows fairly good concentration by New Zealand pinot noir standards, and is long in flavour. Later the ratio of new oak seems a little too high. But overall, this wine is an exciting introduction to good New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Good pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter wines. Bouquet is wonderfully sweet and evocative of pinot noir, violets, dark roses, just beautiful florals on red and black cherry fruits, plus vanillin from oak, exciting. Palate follows perfectly, another wine to illustrate the concept of ‘crunchy’ cherry fruit, the ratio of faintly cedary oak at first sight perfect to add spice, but not dominate the fruit in any way. The wine shows fairly good concentration by New Zealand pinot noir standards, and is long in flavour. Later the ratio of new oak seems a little too high. But overall, this wine is an exciting introduction to good New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $23 [ screwcap; SB 100%, a wine created from seven contributing vineyards, the goal being a more complex winestyle; all free-run juice, no pressings; some hand-picked, 22% wild-yeast, 7% barrel-fermented, none of the oak new; 2.5 g/L RS; www.mahiwine.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen, one of the lighter wines in these mixed whites. Bouquet is immediately sweet, pure, beautifully ripe and subtle sauvignon blanc, nearly floral in a slightly aromatic way, white peach and black passionfruit fruit qualities, a hint of sweet basil, scarcely detectable red capsicum complexity … just enough to confirm sauvignon, lovely. As soon as you taste it, the greater complexity of older oak barrel-ferment and wonderfully pure lees autolysis comes to the fore, with delectable fruit flavours and apparent concentration / dry extract, so rare in New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Finish is nearly dry, marvellous. This is complex, understated, textural and modern Marlborough sauvignon blanc which will cellar for many years, up to 20. GK 06/19
Pale lemongreen, one of the lighter wines in these mixed whites. Bouquet is immediately sweet, pure, beautifully ripe and subtle sauvignon blanc, nearly floral in a slightly aromatic way, white peach and black passionfruit fruit qualities, a hint of sweet basil, scarcely detectable red capsicum complexity … just enough to confirm sauvignon, lovely. As soon as you taste it, the greater complexity of older oak barrel-ferment and wonderfully pure lees autolysis comes to the fore, with delectable fruit flavours and apparent concentration / dry extract, so rare in New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Finish is nearly dry, marvellous. This is complex, understated, textural and modern Marlborough sauvignon blanc which will cellar for many years, up to 20. GK 06/19
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap 28-year old vines, Cleland vineyard in Martinborough proper; wild-yeast fermented in wooden cuves, 21 days cuvaison, 18 months in French oak 40% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 27.7 g/L, not filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little older / more oak-affected than the village wine. Bouquet is intriguing, a hint of a thyme-like aromatic as if it were from Otago, understated red rose florals melding with red and black cherry fruit, and sophisticated oak. It is not giving much away on bouquet at this stage, you have to work at it. Palate is neat and nearly as taut as the Verismo, attractive rich cherry flavours more in anticipation than revealed, the oak to a max but the fruit should wrap it up in time. A cellar wine par excellence, relative to the more accessible village wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/17
Good pinot noir ruby, a little older / more oak-affected than the village wine. Bouquet is intriguing, a hint of a thyme-like aromatic as if it were from Otago, understated red rose florals melding with red and black cherry fruit, and sophisticated oak. It is not giving much away on bouquet at this stage, you have to work at it. Palate is neat and nearly as taut as the Verismo, attractive rich cherry flavours more in anticipation than revealed, the oak to a max but the fruit should wrap it up in time. A cellar wine par excellence, relative to the more accessible village wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 2.7 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top fermenters; 17 months in French oak 42% new; RS <2 g/L; Catalogue: An array of characters such as lavender, black pepper, black cherry and spices combine for an intense and complex bouquet. The palate possesses fine layers of tannin with a ripe mid-palate texture which envelops the rich dark fruits, providing a long generous finish; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is softer and more sweetly floral than some of these top-level wines, more soft wallflower notes akin to Te Mata’s Bullnose Syrah. In mouth the magical thing about this Block 14 Syrah is the florality which suffuses the palate, like a good Cote de Nuits pinot noir. This is by far the subtlest and ‘sweetest’ Block 14 yet, and at 13.5% shows the greater beauty that can be achieved with full physiological maturity achieved at lower alcohols. The whole palate follows this pinot noir-like thought, yet with beautiful ripe black pepper adding spice. This is an understated Cote Rotie-styled wine perfectly shaped for the English / European market, where it might win more friends than the burlier Le Sol. By the same token, it may be overlooked in Australia and America. A wine to rejoice in, the moreso since Craggy have for the 2007 re-priced Block 14 back to $30. In the first draft of the Hot Reds I had it as Value at $38 ! Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is softer and more sweetly floral than some of these top-level wines, more soft wallflower notes akin to Te Mata’s Bullnose Syrah. In mouth the magical thing about this Block 14 Syrah is the florality which suffuses the palate, like a good Cote de Nuits pinot noir. This is by far the subtlest and ‘sweetest’ Block 14 yet, and at 13.5% shows the greater beauty that can be achieved with full physiological maturity achieved at lower alcohols. The whole palate follows this pinot noir-like thought, yet with beautiful ripe black pepper adding spice. This is an understated Cote Rotie-styled wine perfectly shaped for the English / European market, where it might win more friends than the burlier Le Sol. By the same token, it may be overlooked in Australia and America. A wine to rejoice in, the moreso since Craggy have for the 2007 re-priced Block 14 back to $30. In the first draft of the Hot Reds I had it as Value at $38 ! Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Bendigo Terraces, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 4.2 t/ha (1.7 t/ac) from 6-year old vines (Dijon clones, plus Abel clone); ferments include a 35% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 27 days; 11.5 months in French oak 31% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; growing season c.1,150 GDD; production 724 x 9-litre cases; exemplary website; www.valliwine.com ]
Bright full pinot ruby, nearly a wash of carmine and velvet, one of the darker pinots. Bouquet has a wonderfully dusky, sensuous, floral component, quite weighty alongside the Gibbston, less violets and lilac, more dark roses again, but all fragrant and genuinely pinot-y. Palate is lighter than the bouquet in fruit style, yet rich and supple with red fruits and black cherry, plus that key pinot noir concept: ‘crunchy’ cherry freshness. There is refreshing acid too, plus reasonably subtle oak. This will be an exciting wine to cellar, as it develops some of the magic of darker Cote de Nuits wine, as in Morey-Saint-Denis for example. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Bright full pinot ruby, nearly a wash of carmine and velvet, one of the darker pinots. Bouquet has a wonderfully dusky, sensuous, floral component, quite weighty alongside the Gibbston, less violets and lilac, more dark roses again, but all fragrant and genuinely pinot-y. Palate is lighter than the bouquet in fruit style, yet rich and supple with red fruits and black cherry, plus that key pinot noir concept: ‘crunchy’ cherry freshness. There is refreshing acid too, plus reasonably subtle oak. This will be an exciting wine to cellar, as it develops some of the magic of darker Cote de Nuits wine, as in Morey-Saint-Denis for example. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $69 [ screwcap; main clones Dijon 114, 115, 667, 777, Abel, 10/5, UCD 5 and 6, planted at c.4,040 vines/ha, all hand-picked from 14-year-old vines @ an average of 5.5 t/ha (2.2 t/ac), c.25% whole-bunch, cold soak 9 days, all wild-yeast ferments, then c.13 days cuvaison; c.13 months in French oak c.30% new, medium toast; not filtered; RS nil; dry extract 26.4 g/L; production 1,100 cases; www.feltonroad.com ]
Fresh quite deep pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated yet charming, a deep sensuous Cote de Nuits kind of florality hinting at violets and darkest roses, a little boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely pinot noir, totally varietal, a burst of flavour like biting on a mouthful of black cherries, then the fruit beautifully framed by oak, yet the oak understated. This is very fragrant Otago pinot noir showing particularly appealing and complex flavours. It is undoubtedly of grand cru quality, succulent and long and seemingly richer in mouth than the dry extract would suggest, yet dry to the finish. Glorious wine, and highly varietal New Zealand pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. Group View (Flight 2): 5 first places, 4 second, none least. GK 11/15
Fresh quite deep pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated yet charming, a deep sensuous Cote de Nuits kind of florality hinting at violets and darkest roses, a little boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely pinot noir, totally varietal, a burst of flavour like biting on a mouthful of black cherries, then the fruit beautifully framed by oak, yet the oak understated. This is very fragrant Otago pinot noir showing particularly appealing and complex flavours. It is undoubtedly of grand cru quality, succulent and long and seemingly richer in mouth than the dry extract would suggest, yet dry to the finish. Glorious wine, and highly varietal New Zealand pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. Group View (Flight 2): 5 first places, 4 second, none least. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; CS 76, Me 24, hand-picked, all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies up to 30 days; 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS <1 g/L; minimal fining and filtration; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, more clearly carmine alongside 2009 Tom, and nearly as deep. Bouquet here is a much more vibrant expression of the Bordeaux (meaning Medoc, since the wine lists cabernet first) wine style than 2009 Tom, as the colour alone would suggest. Bouquet shows clear cassis as well as rich ripe plum, and there is a freshness to the wine on bouquet 2009 Tom lacks. On palate the wine is rich, yet it lacks the remarkable palate weight and presence of Tom. The flavours of cabernet sauvignon (cassis), as well as merlot (dark plums) are both beautifully expressed, however, the oak handling is as good as Tom (though still overt alongside some 2009 classed-growth Bordeaux), and the alcohol at 13.5% is wonderfully lower, refreshing the wine. This is a great achievement in a year like 2009. In choosing between the wines, it is very much an issue of Napa vs Bordeaux analogies. Both will give much pleasure in cellar for many years to come, the Vidal for 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, more clearly carmine alongside 2009 Tom, and nearly as deep. Bouquet here is a much more vibrant expression of the Bordeaux (meaning Medoc, since the wine lists cabernet first) wine style than 2009 Tom, as the colour alone would suggest. Bouquet shows clear cassis as well as rich ripe plum, and there is a freshness to the wine on bouquet 2009 Tom lacks. On palate the wine is rich, yet it lacks the remarkable palate weight and presence of Tom. The flavours of cabernet sauvignon (cassis), as well as merlot (dark plums) are both beautifully expressed, however, the oak handling is as good as Tom (though still overt alongside some 2009 classed-growth Bordeaux), and the alcohol at 13.5% is wonderfully lower, refreshing the wine. This is a great achievement in a year like 2009. In choosing between the wines, it is very much an issue of Napa vs Bordeaux analogies. Both will give much pleasure in cellar for many years to come, the Vidal for 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ cork; CS 100%, typically hand-picked @ c. 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; all de-stemmed, 7 days cold-soak, 13 days total cuvaison, MLF preferably with the alcoholic fermentation but in any case before barrel; typically 18 – 20 months in French 300s and 220s, 25% new; www.kidnappercliffs.com ]
Wow, what a colour, midnight-deep ruby, carmine and velvet, much the darkest of the Kidnapper Cliffs reds. If the wine is okay in sensory respects, that first visual impression says: this could be something. So one smells with heightened anticipation. Intriguing, the first thing that must be said is that in this complete presentation of the Kidnapper Cliffs wines, the reds had been properly decanted, and put back into the bottles. Right from the first moment therefore, this bottle was totally different from the one previously reported on, which was heavy and dull. Being closed with cork, inexplicable variation is perfectly possible, though puzzling. But the double-decanting is more the clue, I suggest, given the ponderous tendency of some the winery's reds. I therefore hope this bottle and write-up represents the batch more faithfully than the previous one.
The bouquet for the ventilated wine is fresh enough to reveal clear-cut, very dark, but still fragrant cassis, right at the limit for quality cabernet in a temperate climate. There is potentially cedary oak in the dark berry. Palate is a little harder, just a little lack of oxygen, but the weight of cassis and darkly plummy fruit plus the finesse of the oak is persuasive. It is a sweeter and richer wine than the pinotage, due to the vastly greater beauty and nobility of the variety. Accordingly 18.5 + here means more than 18.5 + for the pinotage, as noted. The late palate is superb. If this bottle is representative, 2009 Kidnapper Cliffs Cabernet Sauvignon will blossom in bottle, if given sufficient time, and decanted on opening. Mark is strictly anticipatory, therefore, and I will be cellaring this one. Cellar 10 – 40 years, if you like old reds, noting that 1965 McWilliams [Hawkes Bay] Cabernet Sauvignon was still lovely at last tasting in 2008. GK 08/11
Wow, what a colour, midnight-deep ruby, carmine and velvet, much the darkest of the Kidnapper Cliffs reds. If the wine is okay in sensory respects, that first visual impression says: this could be something. So one smells with heightened anticipation. Intriguing, the first thing that must be said is that in this complete presentation of the Kidnapper Cliffs wines, the reds had been properly decanted, and put back into the bottles. Right from the first moment therefore, this bottle was totally different from the one previously reported on, which was heavy and dull. Being closed with cork, inexplicable variation is perfectly possible, though puzzling. But the double-decanting is more the clue, I suggest, given the ponderous tendency of some the winery's reds. I therefore hope this bottle and write-up represents the batch more faithfully than the previous one.
The bouquet for the ventilated wine is fresh enough to reveal clear-cut, very dark, but still fragrant cassis, right at the limit for quality cabernet in a temperate climate. There is potentially cedary oak in the dark berry. Palate is a little harder, just a little lack of oxygen, but the weight of cassis and darkly plummy fruit plus the finesse of the oak is persuasive. It is a sweeter and richer wine than the pinotage, due to the vastly greater beauty and nobility of the variety. Accordingly 18.5 + here means more than 18.5 + for the pinotage, as noted. The late palate is superb. If this bottle is representative, 2009 Kidnapper Cliffs Cabernet Sauvignon will blossom in bottle, if given sufficient time, and decanted on opening. Mark is strictly anticipatory, therefore, and I will be cellaring this one. Cellar 10 – 40 years, if you like old reds, noting that 1965 McWilliams [Hawkes Bay] Cabernet Sauvignon was still lovely at last tasting in 2008. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $20 [ screwcap; hand-harvested Me 89%, CS 9, Ma 2; extended 4 weeks cuvaison; 16 months in French and American oak 30% new; a Villa Maria group label; www.thornbury.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little denser than 2007 Coleraine. Bouquet is remarkably close in style and achievement to Coleraine, but a little softer, less aromatic and cassisy, more floral and smooth. These characters fit in with the Thornbury being merlot almost entirely, unlike the cabernet-imbued Coleraine. Palate has the same velvety quality of perfectly ripe fruit harvested at a grand cru cropping rate, and raised in good oak. The American component does not stand out, the oak may not be quite so exquisitely (potentially) cedary as the Coleraine, but this is wonderful wine at a sensational price. My understanding is the Thornbury label is (loosely speaking) a winemaker's play-label within the Villa Maria group, to try and achieve something remarkable. They have succeeded superbly here. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. EXTRAORDINARY VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little denser than 2007 Coleraine. Bouquet is remarkably close in style and achievement to Coleraine, but a little softer, less aromatic and cassisy, more floral and smooth. These characters fit in with the Thornbury being merlot almost entirely, unlike the cabernet-imbued Coleraine. Palate has the same velvety quality of perfectly ripe fruit harvested at a grand cru cropping rate, and raised in good oak. The American component does not stand out, the oak may not be quite so exquisitely (potentially) cedary as the Coleraine, but this is wonderful wine at a sensational price. My understanding is the Thornbury label is (loosely speaking) a winemaker's play-label within the Villa Maria group, to try and achieve something remarkable. They have succeeded superbly here. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. EXTRAORDINARY VALUE GK 03/09
Bay View dissected coastal terrace, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $125 [ cork; Ma 45%, Me 40, CF 15, hand-harvested; all vars co-fermented as one batch; 100% new French oak c. 15 months; RS nil; 269 cases; the 1-hectare NNW-facing The Terraces vineyard was until recently pretty well unique in New Zealand, being planted on man-made terraces in a natural semi-amphitheatre reminiscent more of some famous Northern Rhone vineyard sites than broad-acre New Zealand plantings. Underlying soil parent materials are young sedimentaries including limestone and volcanic ash. Vineyard practice is special too, the cropping rate being of the order of 1 tonne per acre, all the constituent varieties are harvested on the one day, and co-fermented. Maximum production is 300 cases (of 12). The site was created in the 1940s, but lapsed into pine plantation. It was re-planted to vines in 1989; Catalogue: Produced since 1991 and only released when quality matches our aspirations, this is an age-worthy and unique wine; Awards: ‘Super Classic’, Michael Cooper’s Wine Buyers Guide 2009; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Good ruby. In a big blind tasting this understated fragrant wine can be confused with syrah handled in a Cote Rotie style, mainly because of the floral red roses quality to the berry which is quite unlike malbec (but a perfectly good expression of cabernet franc and merlot). On palate it swings back to Bordeaux, St Emilion more precisely, with aromatic still firm and slightly peppery berry and red fruit qualities, and shaping oak. It is not an overly big wine, and could be overlooked at first, but the flavour is long and potentially gentle, bespeaking a lower cropping rate than the colour first suggests. The Terraces is in fact a good guide to what a New Zealand wine made to French First or Second Growth (or Grand Cru in Burgundy) standards tastes like, for (varying with season) these vines are cropped at around one kilo per vine, on average. And since there are c. 3450 vines, the 3450 kilos makes roughly the same number of bottles of The Terraces – hence the 300 cases above. Winemaker Gordon Russell takes immense pride in ‘his’ Terraces wine, and lesser years are ruthlessly culled. There is no 2005, ’07, or ‘08 of The Terraces, but there will be a 2009. He has lately referred to it as his aspirational pinot noir made from Bordeaux varieties, which is pushing things a bit – the tannins are very Bordeaux. But by the same token, it is light years away from big black premium Argentinean malbecs. This is arguably New Zealand's most distinctive and sought-after wine, made by one of our most committed / passionate winemakers. A wine to treasure. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 07/09
Good ruby. In a big blind tasting this understated fragrant wine can be confused with syrah handled in a Cote Rotie style, mainly because of the floral red roses quality to the berry which is quite unlike malbec (but a perfectly good expression of cabernet franc and merlot). On palate it swings back to Bordeaux, St Emilion more precisely, with aromatic still firm and slightly peppery berry and red fruit qualities, and shaping oak. It is not an overly big wine, and could be overlooked at first, but the flavour is long and potentially gentle, bespeaking a lower cropping rate than the colour first suggests. The Terraces is in fact a good guide to what a New Zealand wine made to French First or Second Growth (or Grand Cru in Burgundy) standards tastes like, for (varying with season) these vines are cropped at around one kilo per vine, on average. And since there are c. 3450 vines, the 3450 kilos makes roughly the same number of bottles of The Terraces – hence the 300 cases above. Winemaker Gordon Russell takes immense pride in ‘his’ Terraces wine, and lesser years are ruthlessly culled. There is no 2005, ’07, or ‘08 of The Terraces, but there will be a 2009. He has lately referred to it as his aspirational pinot noir made from Bordeaux varieties, which is pushing things a bit – the tannins are very Bordeaux. But by the same token, it is light years away from big black premium Argentinean malbecs. This is arguably New Zealand's most distinctive and sought-after wine, made by one of our most committed / passionate winemakers. A wine to treasure. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 07/09
Geelong, Victoria, Australia: 14%; $ – [ cork, 50mm; earlier vintages were along the lines of barrel fermentation in French oak 30% new; lees-stirring, c.11 months on lees in barrel; some MLF; J. Halliday, 1998: the bouquet is extremely complex, with pronounced high-toast barrel-ferment oak aromas, but on the palate intense melon and fig fruit comes up to balance that oak. Lots and lots happening here, 95; R. Parker, 1999: ... medium-bodied, tart, high acid example of this varietal. Pear, mineral, and citrus notes give it a fresh, crisp personality, 87; www.bannockburnvineyards.com ]
Colour is good straw and light gold, lively and fresh, just above midway in depth. This was one of the wines which opened up during and after the tasting. It was not initially big or showy, but right from the outset there was still almost fresh golden queen peach fruit, enriched with lovely lees-autolysis complexity showing both uncooked oatmeal, and a more dry-cereal 'weetbix' quality (+ve). The more you smelt and tasted the wine, the more you found, hints of grapefruit and grapefruit zest, then suggestions of Vogels Multigrain bread, oatmeal and cashew clearly but hints of hazelnut too. It was not the richest wine, but it had great purity and length of flavour. There is a dry nutty quality to the finish, some tannin, but no bitterness. The wine is both reasonably rich, yet beautifully dry – simply classic gentle fully mature chardonnay. Eight first-place votes, three second, and two thought it French. GK 08/18
Colour is good straw and light gold, lively and fresh, just above midway in depth. This was one of the wines which opened up during and after the tasting. It was not initially big or showy, but right from the outset there was still almost fresh golden queen peach fruit, enriched with lovely lees-autolysis complexity showing both uncooked oatmeal, and a more dry-cereal 'weetbix' quality (+ve). The more you smelt and tasted the wine, the more you found, hints of grapefruit and grapefruit zest, then suggestions of Vogels Multigrain bread, oatmeal and cashew clearly but hints of hazelnut too. It was not the richest wine, but it had great purity and length of flavour. There is a dry nutty quality to the finish, some tannin, but no bitterness. The wine is both reasonably rich, yet beautifully dry – simply classic gentle fully mature chardonnay. Eight first-place votes, three second, and two thought it French. GK 08/18
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $ – [ cork, too fragmented in removing to measure; Halliday vintage rating for district 9/10. Despite Leeuwin Estate's standing, the website has no information on older vintages. Later vintages were along the lines some hand-picked, clone mendoza (known locally as gin gin), vines of some age; not whole-bunch pressed, not cold settled; 20% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 20°, MLF sometimes, not known if this year; 11 months in French oak a high percentage new, batonnage fortnightly; RS <2g/l; not sterile-filtered; not entered in Shows; Halliday, 2011: ...a fine, supremely elegant wine with melon and nectarine fruit aromas surrounded by subtle, spicy oak on the bouquet. The palate is brilliantly balanced, youthful and elegant yet intense, with more of those melon/citrus/grapefruit flavours. An iron fist in a silk (not velvet) glove, which barely shows its 13.5 degrees alcohol, 94; www.leeuwinestate.com.au ]
Colour is very close to the Bannockburn, again straw and gold, fractionally lighter. The richness and purity of bouquet here is sensational, showing more fruit and fresher golden queen peachy fruit than the Bannockburn, but less mealy / nutty autolysis complexity. Again there is a lift of grapefruit zest complexity, on bouquet. In mouth the absolute purity and depth of mendoza-styled yellow stonefruit flavour is a revelation, tasting both fresher and younger than the Bannockburn, but as for bouquet, with less elevation complexity. The depth of fruit lingers amazingly on the aftertaste, so much so there is still a little more cellar life here. Some would say that it is perfect now, still with some fruit sweetness to the finish. Two first-place votes, five second, and one thought it French. GK 08/18
Colour is very close to the Bannockburn, again straw and gold, fractionally lighter. The richness and purity of bouquet here is sensational, showing more fruit and fresher golden queen peachy fruit than the Bannockburn, but less mealy / nutty autolysis complexity. Again there is a lift of grapefruit zest complexity, on bouquet. In mouth the absolute purity and depth of mendoza-styled yellow stonefruit flavour is a revelation, tasting both fresher and younger than the Bannockburn, but as for bouquet, with less elevation complexity. The depth of fruit lingers amazingly on the aftertaste, so much so there is still a little more cellar life here. Some would say that it is perfect now, still with some fruit sweetness to the finish. Two first-place votes, five second, and one thought it French. GK 08/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork, 50mm; release price $85; Sy 100% cropped @ c.6.8 t/ha = 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has not had the 2004, but Neal Martin reviewed the 2005 for them in these terms: 2005 Le Sol is simply an incredible wine, a massive nose of black plum, game and a touch of tar, the palate full-bodied with robust tannins and just like the great Northern Rhone producers, delivers a svelte, elegant finish that belies the powerful fruit that charges this wine along. If you doubt New Zealand can make world-class wines, then try this, 95; for the 2004 strictly, Wine Spectator: Streamlined and fragrant, with a medley of peppercorn, dark chocolate and black plum flavors. Fresh herb accents, toasty oak and racy tannins highlight the firm finish, which should soften with a year in bottle. To 2011, 91; bottle weight dry 971 grams; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, still youthful, nearly carmine, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is reference-quality young syrah (second only to the 2013 Yann Chave Hermitage used as a study wine while writing up this tasting), combining the three essential varietal elements for the variety, when grown in an optimal climate: sweet wallflower florals, aromatic cassisy berry, and suggestions of black pepper, in a lightly aromatic bouquet of sensational purity. This smells vibrant and exciting. Flavour highlights the pure cassisy berry plus hints of black pepper, suggestions only of blueberry, oak a little noticeable, and a natural acid texture in the long finish. The only slight negative is the high alcohol. These flavours at 13.5 – 14% would add greatly to the wine’s suppleness and charm. Far too young to be good with food, yet. Clearly the top wine of the tasting for the group, nine first places, two second. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/18
Ruby and velvet, still youthful, nearly carmine, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is reference-quality young syrah (second only to the 2013 Yann Chave Hermitage used as a study wine while writing up this tasting), combining the three essential varietal elements for the variety, when grown in an optimal climate: sweet wallflower florals, aromatic cassisy berry, and suggestions of black pepper, in a lightly aromatic bouquet of sensational purity. This smells vibrant and exciting. Flavour highlights the pure cassisy berry plus hints of black pepper, suggestions only of blueberry, oak a little noticeable, and a natural acid texture in the long finish. The only slight negative is the high alcohol. These flavours at 13.5 – 14% would add greatly to the wine’s suppleness and charm. Far too young to be good with food, yet. Clearly the top wine of the tasting for the group, nine first places, two second. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/18
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $69 [ screwcap; mendoza the dominant clone in Maté's, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel usually 20% new but varies; 2014 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay; Maté's is the oldest vineyard, re-planted in 1990, but the mendoza now showing some virus; RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon with almost a green wash, remarkable. Bouquet is more clearly mendoza in contrast to the other Kumeu River wines, with clear yellow stonefruit / golden queen peach qualities. It smells taut and youthful, firmer than 2014 Te Mata Elston, but the mendoza character links them and invites comparison. Palate is firm, the richest fruit of the five Kumeu chardonnays (but they are all understated), neat and unobtrusive oak, yellow stonefruits again, slight hessian / mealy oak and clear barrel-ferment characters yet to fully assimilate, with finegrain acid lengthening the flavour remarkably. Against Elston it seems the wine of a cooler climate, a tauter wine which will take longer to unfold and blossom. Though somewhat different in flavour and style, the two wines are closely matched in quality. They thus illustrate the diversity in New Zealand mendoza-led chardonnays admirably, and together make fine ambassadors for this variety and this clone in New Zealand. Noteworthy that mendoza also makes West Australia's finest chardonnay, under the local name gin gin. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Lemon with almost a green wash, remarkable. Bouquet is more clearly mendoza in contrast to the other Kumeu River wines, with clear yellow stonefruit / golden queen peach qualities. It smells taut and youthful, firmer than 2014 Te Mata Elston, but the mendoza character links them and invites comparison. Palate is firm, the richest fruit of the five Kumeu chardonnays (but they are all understated), neat and unobtrusive oak, yellow stonefruits again, slight hessian / mealy oak and clear barrel-ferment characters yet to fully assimilate, with finegrain acid lengthening the flavour remarkably. Against Elston it seems the wine of a cooler climate, a tauter wine which will take longer to unfold and blossom. Though somewhat different in flavour and style, the two wines are closely matched in quality. They thus illustrate the diversity in New Zealand mendoza-led chardonnays admirably, and together make fine ambassadors for this variety and this clone in New Zealand. Noteworthy that mendoza also makes West Australia's finest chardonnay, under the local name gin gin. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.1%; $100 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Sy 100%, all hand-picked from @ c.7.1 t/ha = 2.8 t/ac; some ferments in oak cuves, in previous years cuvaison of c.20 days, wild and cultured-yeast ferments; 18 months in French oak c.32% new; production understood to be between 500 and 1,000 cases; www.craggyrange.com ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, one of the deeper wines. As one of my favourites in the batch, what a thrill when the identification came forward, to find Le Sol in the top half dozen. After my last (modest) review, chief winemaker Matt Stafford dropped me a line saying: I don't think you have a representative bottle. Since a totally unpaid winewriter cannot (readily) go out and lay down $100 of private money, to (maybe) primarily benefit a commercial company, there the matter rested. Thus my pleasure in seeing this result. Bouquet is soft, fragrant, much more feminine than some earlier editions of Le Sol, aromatic cassis, black doris plum and blueberry all apparent, oak restrained. Flavour builds the bouquet in mouth, in the most agreeable way, noting the curious fact that the blueberry increases. This suggests later-picking ... but then, the alcohol doesn't. It is a polar opposite in style to the Tom Syrah, not as obviously Cote Rotie as Bullnose, but equally as marvellous a winestyle. It is not one of the richest wines here, but nonetheless has a reasonably long future ahead of it. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 18 years. GK 07/16
Carmine, ruby and velvet, one of the deeper wines. As one of my favourites in the batch, what a thrill when the identification came forward, to find Le Sol in the top half dozen. After my last (modest) review, chief winemaker Matt Stafford dropped me a line saying: I don't think you have a representative bottle. Since a totally unpaid winewriter cannot (readily) go out and lay down $100 of private money, to (maybe) primarily benefit a commercial company, there the matter rested. Thus my pleasure in seeing this result. Bouquet is soft, fragrant, much more feminine than some earlier editions of Le Sol, aromatic cassis, black doris plum and blueberry all apparent, oak restrained. Flavour builds the bouquet in mouth, in the most agreeable way, noting the curious fact that the blueberry increases. This suggests later-picking ... but then, the alcohol doesn't. It is a polar opposite in style to the Tom Syrah, not as obviously Cote Rotie as Bullnose, but equally as marvellous a winestyle. It is not one of the richest wines here, but nonetheless has a reasonably long future ahead of it. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 18 years. GK 07/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; clone mendoza predominates, mostly hand-harvested @ 1.9 t/ac; most of the juice is wild-yeast fermented in French oak with a small percentage new, a smaller percentage starts fermentation inoculated in s/s, but all of it completes fermentation in barrel; complete MLF; 12 months LA and some batonnage in barrel, then a further month or two in barrel; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet is immediately beautifully ripe mealy complex and nearly floral (acacia blossom) chardonnay which smells rich in the way good Puligny-Montrachet does. There is a little more toasty oak than is usual in Burgundy, introducing a new world thought too. Palate follows on beautifully, tactile pale stonefruit richness, beautiful incorporation of the malolactic fermentation into barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexities, with an acid balance that is harmonious and slightly more refreshing than the 2006 Church Road Reserve, yet the whole wine is gentle, mild and dry. So many New Zealand whites fall down on their high acid. The lingering richness of aftertaste is gorgeous – this wine is made at a grand cru cropping rate [ later confirmed ]. Fine New Zealand chardonnay, providing a wonderful illustration of best Marlborough chardonnay, to compare and contrast with top Hawkes Bay examples as illustrated by the 2006 Church Road Chardonnay Reserve . Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/08
Lemon to lemonstraw. Bouquet is immediately beautifully ripe mealy complex and nearly floral (acacia blossom) chardonnay which smells rich in the way good Puligny-Montrachet does. There is a little more toasty oak than is usual in Burgundy, introducing a new world thought too. Palate follows on beautifully, tactile pale stonefruit richness, beautiful incorporation of the malolactic fermentation into barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexities, with an acid balance that is harmonious and slightly more refreshing than the 2006 Church Road Reserve, yet the whole wine is gentle, mild and dry. So many New Zealand whites fall down on their high acid. The lingering richness of aftertaste is gorgeous – this wine is made at a grand cru cropping rate [ later confirmed ]. Fine New Zealand chardonnay, providing a wonderful illustration of best Marlborough chardonnay, to compare and contrast with top Hawkes Bay examples as illustrated by the 2006 Church Road Chardonnay Reserve . Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/08
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; hand-harvested mendoza 47% and clone 95, whole-bunch pressed; BF in French oak 40% new, balance second year, 56% wild yeast, 75% MLF; 10 months LA and weekly batonnage, RS 1.8 g/L; no price increase in 10 years; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, twice as deep as Keltern, yet still more lemon than straw. This is a much more regular chardonnay, with the emphasis on the fruit, not the artefact – thus showing the skills and versatility of the Villa Maria winemakers. Bouquet shows rich white nectarine and pale peach stonefruits, careful oak, some mealy complexities, and a hint of white mushrooms. Palate is equally rich, the oak still a bit prominent in youth, great peachy and mealy flavours, and good length. Perhaps the alcohol is slightly high, but it too will marry away. In another couple of years there will be a palest buttery richness to the palate which will satisfy adherents to the 'big Californian-style chardonnay' school. This is a very good Gisborne chardonnay indeed, to cellar 3 – 15 years, longer if you like old wines. GK 11/15
Lemonstraw, twice as deep as Keltern, yet still more lemon than straw. This is a much more regular chardonnay, with the emphasis on the fruit, not the artefact – thus showing the skills and versatility of the Villa Maria winemakers. Bouquet shows rich white nectarine and pale peach stonefruits, careful oak, some mealy complexities, and a hint of white mushrooms. Palate is equally rich, the oak still a bit prominent in youth, great peachy and mealy flavours, and good length. Perhaps the alcohol is slightly high, but it too will marry away. In another couple of years there will be a palest buttery richness to the palate which will satisfy adherents to the 'big Californian-style chardonnay' school. This is a very good Gisborne chardonnay indeed, to cellar 3 – 15 years, longer if you like old wines. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; original price $55; 18 months in French & American oak, 60% new; no overseas reviews: M Cooper, 2005: The super-charged 2002 is … a robust wine, densely coloured, with perfumed, toasty oak aromas, firm tannins and an array of blackcurrant, plum, spice chocolate and nut flavours, ripe, well-balanced and rich: ****½; weight bottle and closure: 598 g; ww.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, astonishingly fresh, the deepest colour. Bouquet is extraordinary, a total outpouring of perfectly ripe plummy berryfruit, no baked hints as in the Argentinian malbec and some of the Australian wines, instead black more than red fruits showing perfect physiological maturity and great freshness, shaped by subtle oak. There is a tiny aromatic minty lift. Palate follows beautifully, with exemplary fruit richness, ripeness and balance, sufficient almost to make one think malbec can be a noble grape after all, the wine showing great length on firm but ripe tannins. There is absolutely no hint of leafy undertones here, that observation being sharpened in the tasting by one of the cabernets showing exactly that character. Is this New Zealand's greatest-ever straight malbec wine ? Like the Brokenstone, it is at an early peak of perfection, which it will hold for some years. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Top or second wine for six tasters, the favourite wine of the evening, but not easily recognised as malbec. A great achievement, in which Villa Maria can be justifiably proud. GK 09/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, astonishingly fresh, the deepest colour. Bouquet is extraordinary, a total outpouring of perfectly ripe plummy berryfruit, no baked hints as in the Argentinian malbec and some of the Australian wines, instead black more than red fruits showing perfect physiological maturity and great freshness, shaped by subtle oak. There is a tiny aromatic minty lift. Palate follows beautifully, with exemplary fruit richness, ripeness and balance, sufficient almost to make one think malbec can be a noble grape after all, the wine showing great length on firm but ripe tannins. There is absolutely no hint of leafy undertones here, that observation being sharpened in the tasting by one of the cabernets showing exactly that character. Is this New Zealand's greatest-ever straight malbec wine ? Like the Brokenstone, it is at an early peak of perfection, which it will hold for some years. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Top or second wine for six tasters, the favourite wine of the evening, but not easily recognised as malbec. A great achievement, in which Villa Maria can be justifiably proud. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 100% New Zealand mass-selection = Limmer clone syrah cropped at 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac), all destemmed, 3 – 5 days cold-soak, mixed fermentations, 15 days cuvaison; 20 months in hogsheads (300-litre) and 15% in puncheons (500-litre), to reduce oak uptake, 35% new. Included to illustrate 'perfect' syrah varietal ripeness, the bouquet showing classic dark red carnations and dark red rose florals, clear cassisy berry plus rich dark plum fruit, a black pepper aromatic lift, and subtle sweet fragrant oak. Flavours in mouth continue the bouquet perfectly, an explicitly varietal wine, and not too heavy.; www.teawacollection.com ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, clearly much deeper than the two French wines, the second-deepest. Bouquet is astonishing for its total berry dominance, showing dark red rose florals more than dianthus or red carnations, on exquisite cassis berryfruit. This is a stunning bouquet epitomising pure ripe syrah varietal character, without too much oak obscuring the varietal quality. It closely matches best modern Saint-Joseph, but is perhaps a little softer. Students were asked to specifically go back and compare the bouquet of this wine with that of the cassis sample, and check how vivid the cassis analogy is. Palate is just as good, capturing perfect syrah berry ripeness. The pepper is now clearly black, not white, and there is no hint of stalk. The wine displays lovely body, and subtle oak revealing syrah varietal character in all its beauty. The wine is surprisingly soft, but not weak. A remarkable example of the grape, absolutely textbook, the oaking exquisite. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/16
Ruby carmine and velvet, clearly much deeper than the two French wines, the second-deepest. Bouquet is astonishing for its total berry dominance, showing dark red rose florals more than dianthus or red carnations, on exquisite cassis berryfruit. This is a stunning bouquet epitomising pure ripe syrah varietal character, without too much oak obscuring the varietal quality. It closely matches best modern Saint-Joseph, but is perhaps a little softer. Students were asked to specifically go back and compare the bouquet of this wine with that of the cassis sample, and check how vivid the cassis analogy is. Palate is just as good, capturing perfect syrah berry ripeness. The pepper is now clearly black, not white, and there is no hint of stalk. The wine displays lovely body, and subtle oak revealing syrah varietal character in all its beauty. The wine is surprisingly soft, but not weak. A remarkable example of the grape, absolutely textbook, the oaking exquisite. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.2%; $33 [ screwcap; hand-picked; winemaking is artisan Alsatian, BF in old oak, and 6 months or so LA; RS 8 g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Marvellous lemon, a superb colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, combining magical varietal character with great depth yet not heaviness, plus what seems like barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexities (later confirmed). The fruit qualities are lychee, apricots, root ginger, citronella and pale stone fruits such as nectarine: almost a definition of great gewurztraminer. Palate is intense, rich, just above ‘dry’ to cover the varietal phenolics, with a clear Te Koko-like barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complex undertone, but all much subtler than that wine. However, the winemaker / artefact component could detract, for some. Finish is intense and superb, some gewurz ‘bite’, beautiful acid balance, a wine overcoming the traditional weak point of gewurztraminer with deft ease. This is a very individual, characterful and distinctive take on New Zealand gewurztraminer, and like Te Koko, is possibly a love-or-hate style. It is drier than the Ihumatao or Johanneshof. Cellar 5 - 10 years, maybe longer, for a wine to compete with Alsatian ones. GK 08/06
Marvellous lemon, a superb colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, combining magical varietal character with great depth yet not heaviness, plus what seems like barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexities (later confirmed). The fruit qualities are lychee, apricots, root ginger, citronella and pale stone fruits such as nectarine: almost a definition of great gewurztraminer. Palate is intense, rich, just above ‘dry’ to cover the varietal phenolics, with a clear Te Koko-like barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complex undertone, but all much subtler than that wine. However, the winemaker / artefact component could detract, for some. Finish is intense and superb, some gewurz ‘bite’, beautiful acid balance, a wine overcoming the traditional weak point of gewurztraminer with deft ease. This is a very individual, characterful and distinctive take on New Zealand gewurztraminer, and like Te Koko, is possibly a love-or-hate style. It is drier than the Ihumatao or Johanneshof. Cellar 5 - 10 years, maybe longer, for a wine to compete with Alsatian ones. GK 08/06
Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 60% from Le Mesnil grand cru, PM 40% from Damery and Cumieres, rank not clear; based on 2012 fruit, hand-picked; all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.2.5 years en tirage; dosage c.7.5 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Colour is palest salmon, to first impression just a little paler than is delightful or reassuring. Bouquet however shows exquisite purity, subtle florality, palest pink roses, illustrating the lovely and charming side of pinot meunier: subtlest red currants and the best side of fresh strawberries. Behind that hint of red fruits is beautiful autolysis, just as good as the Extra Brut (this year's). Palate is just as elegant, great freshness and subtle baguette flavours mingling with the hint-only of red currants, an extraordinarily finessed rosé wine. The more you taste it, the finer and subtler it becomes, not something you can say for most rosé offerings, so maybe the colour is just right in terms of phenolics. Meunier has the reputation of maturing quickly, so do not expect this wine to retain freshness as well as some rosés or the blanc de blancs. But even once it goes coppery, I'm sure it will still be lovely. The slightly higher residual sweetness / dosage of this wine is just apparent, once you think about it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/15
Colour is palest salmon, to first impression just a little paler than is delightful or reassuring. Bouquet however shows exquisite purity, subtle florality, palest pink roses, illustrating the lovely and charming side of pinot meunier: subtlest red currants and the best side of fresh strawberries. Behind that hint of red fruits is beautiful autolysis, just as good as the Extra Brut (this year's). Palate is just as elegant, great freshness and subtle baguette flavours mingling with the hint-only of red currants, an extraordinarily finessed rosé wine. The more you taste it, the finer and subtler it becomes, not something you can say for most rosé offerings, so maybe the colour is just right in terms of phenolics. Meunier has the reputation of maturing quickly, so do not expect this wine to retain freshness as well as some rosés or the blanc de blancs. But even once it goes coppery, I'm sure it will still be lovely. The slightly higher residual sweetness / dosage of this wine is just apparent, once you think about it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/15
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ cork; Sy 100%; includes clone 470 for first time, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in new and older French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly a notch deeper than the Woodthorpe Syrah / Viognier 2004. Freshly poured, Bullnose is quieter and less showy than the Woodthorpe wine. It expands in glass, however, and several hours later is wonderfully floral in a darkest roses, and even boronia and violets way, quite magical. This is the finest Bullnose so far, on bouquet. Winemaker Peter Cowley advises that the new clone 470 of syrah has far more floral and spice characters than the old Te Kauwhata clone, and this would certainly fit in with the general observation that thus far, New Zealand syrah lacks the floral complexity that makes good Rhone syrah exciting. Palate picks up on the bouquet, with great berry at a level of complexity which is almost Cote de Nuits (as well as Hermitage) in its finesse and potential savour, yet it develops the cracked pepper of syrah as it lingers in mouth. At the tasting, I preferred the Woodthorpe, for it had more to say, but six hours later, Bullnose has overtaken it. It is a deeper and more serious rendering of syrah. This is a great New Zealand wine in the making, all understatement and finesse, subtler than the Gimblett Gravels style, better suited to food. Cellaring a case would never be regretted. The oaking is magical. Cellar 5 – 15 plus years. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly a notch deeper than the Woodthorpe Syrah / Viognier 2004. Freshly poured, Bullnose is quieter and less showy than the Woodthorpe wine. It expands in glass, however, and several hours later is wonderfully floral in a darkest roses, and even boronia and violets way, quite magical. This is the finest Bullnose so far, on bouquet. Winemaker Peter Cowley advises that the new clone 470 of syrah has far more floral and spice characters than the old Te Kauwhata clone, and this would certainly fit in with the general observation that thus far, New Zealand syrah lacks the floral complexity that makes good Rhone syrah exciting. Palate picks up on the bouquet, with great berry at a level of complexity which is almost Cote de Nuits (as well as Hermitage) in its finesse and potential savour, yet it develops the cracked pepper of syrah as it lingers in mouth. At the tasting, I preferred the Woodthorpe, for it had more to say, but six hours later, Bullnose has overtaken it. It is a deeper and more serious rendering of syrah. This is a great New Zealand wine in the making, all understatement and finesse, subtler than the Gimblett Gravels style, better suited to food. Cellaring a case would never be regretted. The oaking is magical. Cellar 5 – 15 plus years. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $60 [ cork; DFB; Me 92%, CF 7, CS 1, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; 20 months in 70% new French oak; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational depth of hue, the deepest in this set of cabernet / merlots. Bouquet is as deep rich and complex as any of the merlot blends, but is not as exquisitely pure and varietal / floral as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot. It is more aromatic on the oak. Palate likewise shows some of the redcurrant berry of the cabernet franc, which with the oak makes the wine firmer and a little more Medoc-like. In this tasting it seemed closest in style to the Esk 2002 Reserve. It is an example of a fully international ‘Hawkes Bay blend’ illustrating the Bordeaux blend analogy superbly. It will cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational depth of hue, the deepest in this set of cabernet / merlots. Bouquet is as deep rich and complex as any of the merlot blends, but is not as exquisitely pure and varietal / floral as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot. It is more aromatic on the oak. Palate likewise shows some of the redcurrant berry of the cabernet franc, which with the oak makes the wine firmer and a little more Medoc-like. In this tasting it seemed closest in style to the Esk 2002 Reserve. It is an example of a fully international ‘Hawkes Bay blend’ illustrating the Bordeaux blend analogy superbly. It will cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $38 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 1.5 – 2 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed, 3 hours cold-soak, 100% wild yeast, 100% barrel-fermented in seasoned French oak, 9 months lees autolysis and occasional batonnage, 40% MLF; pH 3.75, RS 3 g/L; the Villa Maria winemakers rate this the best yet; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Bright lemon. Bouquet is a little out of line with the other wines, showing a quite astonishing volume of citrus and mock-orange blossom florals on highly varietal cherimoya, lychee and fresh apricot fruit. This is a remarkable bouquet, paler than the French approach, all the purity of the new world, yet matching the best French in intensity. Palate is delightfully rich, oak detectable but not obtrusive, the wine taut and youthful, the apricots less ripe than the French wines, but the intensity of fruit and the MLF balance are compelling. This may cellar a little longer than most, up to five years maybe. It'll be great to see it in a year, when it has mellowed. One taster described this Omahu as 'a dancing wine, divine'. It is New Zealand's finest viognier yet. GK 07/07
Bright lemon. Bouquet is a little out of line with the other wines, showing a quite astonishing volume of citrus and mock-orange blossom florals on highly varietal cherimoya, lychee and fresh apricot fruit. This is a remarkable bouquet, paler than the French approach, all the purity of the new world, yet matching the best French in intensity. Palate is delightfully rich, oak detectable but not obtrusive, the wine taut and youthful, the apricots less ripe than the French wines, but the intensity of fruit and the MLF balance are compelling. This may cellar a little longer than most, up to five years maybe. It'll be great to see it in a year, when it has mellowed. One taster described this Omahu as 'a dancing wine, divine'. It is New Zealand's finest viognier yet. GK 07/07
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ 45 mm supercritical cork (Diam); Ch 100%, 85% clone mendoza, hand-harvested; all BF with significant new oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel, with lees work; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon straw. Initially opened the wine is a bit confused and oaky, but it quickly opens up to a quite strikingly floral and fragrant mendoza-based example of this noble grape. There are almost orange-blossom notes on yellow stone fruits, more golden queen peaches than apricots. It has some similarities to the Zara Viognier, but can be told from it by the greater apparent barrel fermentation / new oak component on bouquet. The oak follows through a little noticeably at this stage onto palate, and interacts with the acid to give a little youthful edginess. This will mellow out in cellar. Otherwise the wine has beautiful varietal definition, good but not great weight, and a clarity to the MLF component which some earlier Elstons lacked, being faintly milky. In three years this will be benchmark Hawkes Bay chardonnay, scoring a little higher still. And congratulations to the winemakers for not succumbing to / indulging in the ugly reductive fad which bedevils so many current chardonnays. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Lemon straw. Initially opened the wine is a bit confused and oaky, but it quickly opens up to a quite strikingly floral and fragrant mendoza-based example of this noble grape. There are almost orange-blossom notes on yellow stone fruits, more golden queen peaches than apricots. It has some similarities to the Zara Viognier, but can be told from it by the greater apparent barrel fermentation / new oak component on bouquet. The oak follows through a little noticeably at this stage onto palate, and interacts with the acid to give a little youthful edginess. This will mellow out in cellar. Otherwise the wine has beautiful varietal definition, good but not great weight, and a clarity to the MLF component which some earlier Elstons lacked, being faintly milky. In three years this will be benchmark Hawkes Bay chardonnay, scoring a little higher still. And congratulations to the winemakers for not succumbing to / indulging in the ugly reductive fad which bedevils so many current chardonnays. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $41 [ screwcap; grapes night-harvested @ 3.4 t/ac; de-stemmed and whole-bunch fruit, reasonably low-solids juice BF with wild yeasts in French oak with a low percentage new, a slow ferment continued to Nov.‘06., some MLF; continued LA in barrel till Nov. '07 – a total of 19 months; pH 3.32, RS – g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, a little more youthful than the 2005’s pale lemon. Bouquet is essentially in the same style as the refined 2005, the MLF not as obtrusive as earlier vintages, and naturally enough it is not yet quite as silkily smooth and floral. Generous ripe fruit is complexed by barrel-ferment, and lees-autolysis, good oak and some MLF complexities are all evident. Palate is as rich and pure as the 2005, total acid fractionally higher, and again there seems to have been restraint with the MLF – continuing the great improvement of 2005. Varietal character is thus illuminated, not compromised. This edition looks to be as good a cellaring proposition as the previous vintage, 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 04/09
Lemongreen, a little more youthful than the 2005’s pale lemon. Bouquet is essentially in the same style as the refined 2005, the MLF not as obtrusive as earlier vintages, and naturally enough it is not yet quite as silkily smooth and floral. Generous ripe fruit is complexed by barrel-ferment, and lees-autolysis, good oak and some MLF complexities are all evident. Palate is as rich and pure as the 2005, total acid fractionally higher, and again there seems to have been restraint with the MLF – continuing the great improvement of 2005. Varietal character is thus illuminated, not compromised. This edition looks to be as good a cellaring proposition as the previous vintage, 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 04/09
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $125 [ cork; Sy 96%, Vi 4; average vine age 37 years; cropped at nearer half the normal 38 hL / ha (2 t/ac), maybe 1 t/ac; 5 weeks cuvaison; 36 months in French oak, 60% new; Parker 170: Stunningly rich, it offers a beautiful, sweet nose of cassis, mocha, espresso, bacon fat, black olives, and underbrush. Some smoked meat notes also make an appearance in this rich, lush, opulent wine. 93; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, nearly some velvet, more a deepest pinot noir burgundy colour, the lightest wine on the bracket. Bouquet is slow to open, but in its own good time reveals simply sensational syrah varietal character, in an archetypal Cote Rotie style. The floral component so essential to top-notch syrah develops wonderfully to show dianthus, carnations, violets and dark rose florals dominating beautiful cassis and dark cherry fruit. It is as pure an expression of syrah as the Craggy Range Block 14, but here showing in the classical lighter Cote Rotie style, against the Block 14's Hermitage-like presentation. Palate is wonderfully ripe, perfectly balanced to oak, in fact the most perfect balance of berry to ripeness to oak I can recollect for Brune & Blonde since the lovely wines of the mid-1980s. There has always been the worry the Brune & Blonde Cote Rotie label has become lighter and less concentrated, as the fortunes of the grands crus have waxed. Even now, it is not rich in the sense la Turque or Ex Voto is rich, but it is just exquisite northern Rhone syrah one could drink all night, unfazed by excess alcohol or oak. New Zealand winemakers who want to know about syrah varietal character must buy a case of this wine, while it is available. It really is a critical wine, essential to learning, and staying in tune. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Ruby, nearly some velvet, more a deepest pinot noir burgundy colour, the lightest wine on the bracket. Bouquet is slow to open, but in its own good time reveals simply sensational syrah varietal character, in an archetypal Cote Rotie style. The floral component so essential to top-notch syrah develops wonderfully to show dianthus, carnations, violets and dark rose florals dominating beautiful cassis and dark cherry fruit. It is as pure an expression of syrah as the Craggy Range Block 14, but here showing in the classical lighter Cote Rotie style, against the Block 14's Hermitage-like presentation. Palate is wonderfully ripe, perfectly balanced to oak, in fact the most perfect balance of berry to ripeness to oak I can recollect for Brune & Blonde since the lovely wines of the mid-1980s. There has always been the worry the Brune & Blonde Cote Rotie label has become lighter and less concentrated, as the fortunes of the grands crus have waxed. Even now, it is not rich in the sense la Turque or Ex Voto is rich, but it is just exquisite northern Rhone syrah one could drink all night, unfazed by excess alcohol or oak. New Zealand winemakers who want to know about syrah varietal character must buy a case of this wine, while it is available. It really is a critical wine, essential to learning, and staying in tune. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $182 [ Vinolok glass stopper; biodynamic; CS 84%, CF 13, Me 3; all matured in French hogsheads, 45% new; Halliday vintage rating Eden Valley 8 /10 for 2010; www.henschke.com.au ]
Colour is much older than the field, ruby, velvet and suggestions of garnet, in the lightest quarter of the other reds. Bouquet is a vivid contrast with the predominant shiraz / syrah in the non-pinot reds. Here there is extraordinarily complex cedary barrel elevation and a bordeaux-like berry quality, based on browning cassis, but with some browning plum and brown pipe tobacco, plus faintest mint. Palate shows good fruit weight and dry extract, but because the cassis is browning, it lacks critical freshness and impact against the rather high oak, relative to Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay of the same vintage, fine though the oak is. It is supple, it is not obviously acid-adjusted, but it is warm climate cabernet, sadly. I say sadly because my goal here is to run the wine against 2010 Bordeaux and Hawkes Bay blends. On both climatic and trace mint flavour components, it will therefore defeat even the most rigorous blind tasting format. But because it also has an almost Mouton-Rothschild-like richness and structure, I'm still sorely tempted to try, all the same. Also on the positive side, how good it is to now see more sophisticated (but still lavish) use of oak in a Henschke red, their wines for many long years reflecting the tiresome macho side of Australian wine culture. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Colour is much older than the field, ruby, velvet and suggestions of garnet, in the lightest quarter of the other reds. Bouquet is a vivid contrast with the predominant shiraz / syrah in the non-pinot reds. Here there is extraordinarily complex cedary barrel elevation and a bordeaux-like berry quality, based on browning cassis, but with some browning plum and brown pipe tobacco, plus faintest mint. Palate shows good fruit weight and dry extract, but because the cassis is browning, it lacks critical freshness and impact against the rather high oak, relative to Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay of the same vintage, fine though the oak is. It is supple, it is not obviously acid-adjusted, but it is warm climate cabernet, sadly. I say sadly because my goal here is to run the wine against 2010 Bordeaux and Hawkes Bay blends. On both climatic and trace mint flavour components, it will therefore defeat even the most rigorous blind tasting format. But because it also has an almost Mouton-Rothschild-like richness and structure, I'm still sorely tempted to try, all the same. Also on the positive side, how good it is to now see more sophisticated (but still lavish) use of oak in a Henschke red, their wines for many long years reflecting the tiresome macho side of Australian wine culture. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Maraekakaho, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ screwcap; hand-picked from a vineyard immediately west of the Bridge Pa Triangle, fractionally cooler than the Gimblett Gravels, clone 95 at 79% and the balance clone 15, average vine age 13 years; whole-bunch pressed, some juice settling and some juice oxidation; 100% barrique-ferment maintained 18 – 24°, c.53% wild-yeast ferments; 63% through MLF; 9 months in French oak 37% new, plus older oak to 2 years, batonnage weekly the first 8 – 10 weeks till wine stabilised, occasional thereafter; pH 3.28, RS <1; sterile-filtered; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemon to lemonstraw, much the palest of the 10 chardonnays. Bouquet shows beautiful white nectarine fruit of the non-mendoza-dominant New Zealand chardonnay style, still a clear barrel char and faint reduction complexity, but infinitely more subtle than the offensive-but-everybody's-me-too-darling 2010, subtle mealy and white mushroom autolysis, and great purity. I did decant this wine splashily, and ventilated it in an open jug for half an hour, to further attenuate 'the Keltern character'. I scarcely needed to bother, the Villa Maria winemakers have done a great job in fine-tuning this wine (and ignoring the Show results last year – praiseworthy). Palate is where this wine triumphs, the quality and richness of fruit, and the subtlety of oak handling being right up there with the Folatieres, and texturally the wine is just as fine. It is richer than the Cailleret, but not quite so complex. A great New Zealand chardonnay to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Pale lemon to lemonstraw, much the palest of the 10 chardonnays. Bouquet shows beautiful white nectarine fruit of the non-mendoza-dominant New Zealand chardonnay style, still a clear barrel char and faint reduction complexity, but infinitely more subtle than the offensive-but-everybody's-me-too-darling 2010, subtle mealy and white mushroom autolysis, and great purity. I did decant this wine splashily, and ventilated it in an open jug for half an hour, to further attenuate 'the Keltern character'. I scarcely needed to bother, the Villa Maria winemakers have done a great job in fine-tuning this wine (and ignoring the Show results last year – praiseworthy). Palate is where this wine triumphs, the quality and richness of fruit, and the subtlety of oak handling being right up there with the Folatieres, and texturally the wine is just as fine. It is richer than the Cailleret, but not quite so complex. A great New Zealand chardonnay to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, one of the deeper wines, but still within the colour-span of pinot noir. Bouquet sets the scene for the whole set, being the most varietally fragrant, dark aromatic cherry, nearly floral but certainly savoury with a lift in a rosemary / thyme sense, neither alcohol or oak obtrusive. Palate shows rich darkish fruit, cherry flavours darker than raspberry, suggestions of nebbiolo tar, and good dominance of berry over abundant fine-grained tannins. Aftertaste is long and highly varietal. This is marvellous Barbaresco, and more accessible than some. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Ruby, one of the deeper wines, but still within the colour-span of pinot noir. Bouquet sets the scene for the whole set, being the most varietally fragrant, dark aromatic cherry, nearly floral but certainly savoury with a lift in a rosemary / thyme sense, neither alcohol or oak obtrusive. Palate shows rich darkish fruit, cherry flavours darker than raspberry, suggestions of nebbiolo tar, and good dominance of berry over abundant fine-grained tannins. Aftertaste is long and highly varietal. This is marvellous Barbaresco, and more accessible than some. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 12.5%; $60 [ cork 50mm; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Lemon, a gorgeous colour, the second deepest. Bouquet epitomises exquisitely pure North Island New Zealand chardonnay, still a little unco in youth, but with a beautiful expression of pale stone fruits, a quite citrussy / grapefruity note, mealy autolysis nearly reaching baguette quality, no oak showing on bouquet – but without it the wine would be quite different. Palate expands the white nectarine and stonefruits greatly, suggestions even of golden queen peach now indicating clone mendoza, a tactile and textural quality, and obvious barrel-ferment flavours which meld oatmeal and subtle oak with freshening acid. In three years time this will be very beautiful chardonnay indeed, perhaps even with a suggestion of white flowers. Finish is fruit-rich, yet dry, most impressive. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. I don't recall a Dry River chardonnay as good as this, in Neil's day. GK 06/16
Lemon, a gorgeous colour, the second deepest. Bouquet epitomises exquisitely pure North Island New Zealand chardonnay, still a little unco in youth, but with a beautiful expression of pale stone fruits, a quite citrussy / grapefruity note, mealy autolysis nearly reaching baguette quality, no oak showing on bouquet – but without it the wine would be quite different. Palate expands the white nectarine and stonefruits greatly, suggestions even of golden queen peach now indicating clone mendoza, a tactile and textural quality, and obvious barrel-ferment flavours which meld oatmeal and subtle oak with freshening acid. In three years time this will be very beautiful chardonnay indeed, perhaps even with a suggestion of white flowers. Finish is fruit-rich, yet dry, most impressive. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. I don't recall a Dry River chardonnay as good as this, in Neil's day. GK 06/16
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $50 [ cork 45mm; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak, around 35% new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in the set, but not as dark as some. That's OK for syrah: Cote Rotie does not have to be deep to be good (as for red burgundy / pinot noir). One sniff, and the interplay of carnations-like and deepest red-rose florals and black pepper is enchanting, on beautifully aromatic cassis. Because of the black pepper spice, it is a totally different kind of cassis to a cabernet-led wine, but cassis it is, supported by bottled omega plums. Alongside the Forrest Collection Syrah, Bullnose is Cote Rotie to the Forrest Hermitage, a little softer and more sensuous and more charming. As with Coleraine, this probably reflects the Te Mata preoccupation with classical qualities such as florality in the wine, and hence fractionally earlier picking, than many practise. Last year I thought 2013 Bullnose clearly outpointed 2013 Coleraine. Now they are much more a matched pair, reflecting the fact that temperate-climate Bordeaux blends take a while to come together. Cellar this Bullnose 5 – 20 years. GK 03/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in the set, but not as dark as some. That's OK for syrah: Cote Rotie does not have to be deep to be good (as for red burgundy / pinot noir). One sniff, and the interplay of carnations-like and deepest red-rose florals and black pepper is enchanting, on beautifully aromatic cassis. Because of the black pepper spice, it is a totally different kind of cassis to a cabernet-led wine, but cassis it is, supported by bottled omega plums. Alongside the Forrest Collection Syrah, Bullnose is Cote Rotie to the Forrest Hermitage, a little softer and more sensuous and more charming. As with Coleraine, this probably reflects the Te Mata preoccupation with classical qualities such as florality in the wine, and hence fractionally earlier picking, than many practise. Last year I thought 2013 Bullnose clearly outpointed 2013 Coleraine. Now they are much more a matched pair, reflecting the fact that temperate-climate Bordeaux blends take a while to come together. Cellar this Bullnose 5 – 20 years. GK 03/16
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; machine-harvested cool at night / early morning, short skin contact, all s/s fermentation again cool; RS 3.1 g/L; 2015 seen as a quality year for Marlborough sauvignon blanc; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Beautiful lemongreen. This is the cleanest, sweetest (on bouquet), most complex, and most rewarding of the six Villa Maria Marlborough Reserve and Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blancs in the 2015 season. The bouquet includes elderflower and dominant notes of white nectarine, black passionfruit pulp, pure white clover honey, and sautéed red capsicum, plus a critical and defining undertone of sweet basil. These are some of the key descriptors for great New Zealand sauvignon blanc, looking ahead. [ The fact that the British market wants something less ripe and less magical is irrelevant. We can easily cater to their taste eccentricities with less ripe / greener-tasting fruit.] In this wine, it is the sweet fruit plus savoury herbes complexity (sweet basil) which makes it (literally) mouth-wateringly appealing. One sniff and the wine cries out for appropriate foods. Follow-through from bouquet to palate is rewarding too, the wine having just enough body and substance to both be pleasing in mouth, and good with food. This body and substance issue, or dry extract as I have been commenting about for red wines in New Zealand since the 1980s, is the key failing of so many New Zealand sauvignon blancs. The reason is simple. In New Zealand they are (in general) cropped at twice (or more) the tonnage per hectare when compared with the leading sauvignon blanc appellations in France, where harvest is constrained by the Appellation Controlée regulations. Even so the persistence of flavour is good, with pure fruit in which very ripe English gooseberries can be recognised too. This wine shows great judgement in timing of picking, and provides a model reference wine for the industry. By classic French standards, it could be richer. Cellar 3 – 8 years, but it will hold longer for those not obsessed with the bizarre single-factor New Zealand fad for dismissing sauvignon blanc as too old after 18 months. GK 04/16
Beautiful lemongreen. This is the cleanest, sweetest (on bouquet), most complex, and most rewarding of the six Villa Maria Marlborough Reserve and Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blancs in the 2015 season. The bouquet includes elderflower and dominant notes of white nectarine, black passionfruit pulp, pure white clover honey, and sautéed red capsicum, plus a critical and defining undertone of sweet basil. These are some of the key descriptors for great New Zealand sauvignon blanc, looking ahead. [ The fact that the British market wants something less ripe and less magical is irrelevant. We can easily cater to their taste eccentricities with less ripe / greener-tasting fruit.] In this wine, it is the sweet fruit plus savoury herbes complexity (sweet basil) which makes it (literally) mouth-wateringly appealing. One sniff and the wine cries out for appropriate foods. Follow-through from bouquet to palate is rewarding too, the wine having just enough body and substance to both be pleasing in mouth, and good with food. This body and substance issue, or dry extract as I have been commenting about for red wines in New Zealand since the 1980s, is the key failing of so many New Zealand sauvignon blancs. The reason is simple. In New Zealand they are (in general) cropped at twice (or more) the tonnage per hectare when compared with the leading sauvignon blanc appellations in France, where harvest is constrained by the Appellation Controlée regulations. Even so the persistence of flavour is good, with pure fruit in which very ripe English gooseberries can be recognised too. This wine shows great judgement in timing of picking, and provides a model reference wine for the industry. By classic French standards, it could be richer. Cellar 3 – 8 years, but it will hold longer for those not obsessed with the bizarre single-factor New Zealand fad for dismissing sauvignon blanc as too old after 18 months. GK 04/16
Colchagua Valley, Chile: 13%; $13.50 [ provisional score – barrel sample; cork; Se 100%, 85 – 90% botrytised, must 44° Brix, 40% BF, balance s/s, then all into old French oak; RS 185 g/L; www.viumanent.cl/ingles ]
Cloudy lemon to light gold. A very youthful wine still to be bottled and start marrying up. Even so, there is gorgeous fruit and beautiful pure botrytis, showing exact semillon varietal character as in fine Sauternes, without the hint of herbaceousness so often seen in New Zealand examples of the variety. The wine is much more citrus-floral / fragrant and varietally aromatic than the broader softer semillons often seen from Australia. At this stage the bouquet is also showing some oak, spirit, and VA, but these will marry up. Palate is luscious, the oak a little high at this stage, but the wine has the richness to carry it, if it is bottled reasonably soon. Cellar 10 – 20 years.
At present the Late-Harvest Semillon is slotted into the Varietal Range. If it is half as good as it looks, it is potentially outstanding wine, and should be released as an occasional Secreto wine, when season and vintage allows. Like the Viognier, it serves notice that Chile will provide us with vivid competition, in styles we in New Zealand aspire to do well in. GK 12/04
Cloudy lemon to light gold. A very youthful wine still to be bottled and start marrying up. Even so, there is gorgeous fruit and beautiful pure botrytis, showing exact semillon varietal character as in fine Sauternes, without the hint of herbaceousness so often seen in New Zealand examples of the variety. The wine is much more citrus-floral / fragrant and varietally aromatic than the broader softer semillons often seen from Australia. At this stage the bouquet is also showing some oak, spirit, and VA, but these will marry up. Palate is luscious, the oak a little high at this stage, but the wine has the richness to carry it, if it is bottled reasonably soon. Cellar 10 – 20 years.
At present the Late-Harvest Semillon is slotted into the Varietal Range. If it is half as good as it looks, it is potentially outstanding wine, and should be released as an occasional Secreto wine, when season and vintage allows. Like the Viognier, it serves notice that Chile will provide us with vivid competition, in styles we in New Zealand aspire to do well in. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.7%; $32 [ screwcap; Sy, a little Vi, hand-harvested, co-fermented, and 25% whole-bunches in the ferments; various lengths of cuvaison, seeking complexity; c.14 months in French oak of varying ages, some lees-ageing and even lees-stirring, in a more pinot noir-based approach to elevation; RS 1 g/L; dry extract 30 g/L; sterile-filtered; released; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is verging on the dramatic, in this wine, total Rhone syrah florals spanning the full suite: dianthus, wallflower, darkest roses, wonderful, on cassisy and darkest plum berry. There is a nominal trace of an aromatic I can't quite pin down, whether 'usual' syrah black pepper or maybe a trace of balsam, not sure, but it is very Rhone, and more than likely correlates with the whole-bunch component. In mouth the wine is rich and dry, the berry much less oaked than most, with enchanting fruit richness [ later found to be 30 g/L ]. As a 'standard commercial wine', this Gimblett Gravels syrah epitomises the quality of the 2013 vintage in Hawkes Bay. To have this degree of flavour development at 12.7% alcohol bespeaks vines of increasing age, and superb viticulture, as well as the ideal season. It is totally Rhone-like in that respect. It is phenomenal the degree to which this wine mimics a modern soft low-oak Cornas. It needs to be exported to the United Kingdom, quite desperately. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is verging on the dramatic, in this wine, total Rhone syrah florals spanning the full suite: dianthus, wallflower, darkest roses, wonderful, on cassisy and darkest plum berry. There is a nominal trace of an aromatic I can't quite pin down, whether 'usual' syrah black pepper or maybe a trace of balsam, not sure, but it is very Rhone, and more than likely correlates with the whole-bunch component. In mouth the wine is rich and dry, the berry much less oaked than most, with enchanting fruit richness [ later found to be 30 g/L ]. As a 'standard commercial wine', this Gimblett Gravels syrah epitomises the quality of the 2013 vintage in Hawkes Bay. To have this degree of flavour development at 12.7% alcohol bespeaks vines of increasing age, and superb viticulture, as well as the ideal season. It is totally Rhone-like in that respect. It is phenomenal the degree to which this wine mimics a modern soft low-oak Cornas. It needs to be exported to the United Kingdom, quite desperately. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $25 [ supercritical cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2; over half 13-year-old vines, bunch-thinned; cuvaison extending to 35 days; MLF in tank; 6 – 8 months in French and American oak c.23% new, the American oak subtle 3-years air-dried made by a French-owned cooper; this wine a barrel-selection; Catalogue: a black pepper nose and also shows small fruit aromas such as dark berries with spicy undertones with a definite floral lift from the Viognier. The palate is rich and full-bodied with fine soft tannins. The wine has great finesse and structure with a powerful mid palate and a very long finish; Awards: Pure Elite Gold @ Air New Zealand 2008, Blue-Gold @ Sydney International Wine Awards 2009; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet shows the soft ripe florality of syrah handled in a northern Rhone style, almost violets as well as wallflower, deep aromatic cassis and berry, not as much oak as some wines here. Palate deepens the cassis to slightly chocolatey bottled black doris plum, the fruit not quite as magically complex as the Church Road due to sur-maturité, but still showing classic syrah varietal characters without too much over-ripeness, and highly aromatic. This is another wonderful syrah, at the ripest end of the optimal ripening spectrum compared with others here, another wine to highlight the great future for this variety in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet shows the soft ripe florality of syrah handled in a northern Rhone style, almost violets as well as wallflower, deep aromatic cassis and berry, not as much oak as some wines here. Palate deepens the cassis to slightly chocolatey bottled black doris plum, the fruit not quite as magically complex as the Church Road due to sur-maturité, but still showing classic syrah varietal characters without too much over-ripeness, and highly aromatic. This is another wonderful syrah, at the ripest end of the optimal ripening spectrum compared with others here, another wine to highlight the great future for this variety in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Grampians, Western Victoria, Australia: 13%; $68 [ Cork, 44 mm; rated Excellent in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the third-level group of 65 wines; Halliday rates the 1997 vintage 10, for the Grampians district; grown on granite-derived soils at 350 m altitude, with summer temperatures reminiscent of Launceston; hand-picked from vines planted in 1963, estimated to be the last shiraz vines picked in Australia, in many vintages; a percentage of whole bunches in the ferment, c.21 days cuvaison; usually matured in American more than French oak, c. 45% new, for around 14 months; Halliday, 1999: Medium to full red-purple; the bouquet has abundant ripe black cherry and licorice fruit, supported by very subtle oak. The palate has abundant ripe fruit flavours in the same spectrum as the bouquet, again with subtle oak. Just misses out on that 'sauvage' spark of the very best Langis, 92; Parker, 2000: Hedonistic and powerful is the black/purple-colored 1997 Shiraz. Exotic, with ripe notes of blackberries, cassis, and spice, this full-bodied, nicely layered wine has considerable tannin, but it is sweet, and hardly noticeable given the wine's low acidity and wealth of rich fruit and copious glycerin. This full-bodied classic should drink well young, yet evolve nicely for 12-15 years, 91; bottle weight 523 g; www.langi.com.au ]
Colour is ruby more than garnet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is totally syrah-like, nearly cassis, great berry still quite dark, not over-oaked, no alcohol fume, and clearly floral in the archetypal carnations / dianthus style (for syrah). Its purity is stunning. Palate follows perfectly, only the faintest flowering mint aromatics, which are no more than the garrigue note in some Northern (and moreso, Southern) Rhone wines, the berry and fruit shy at first. At the tasting, the Edelstone seemed fruitier, but the next day this less showy wine had overtaken it, with berry of almost cassis-like intensity. This is total syrah, more Cote Rotie than Hermitage, wonderful length and balance, nearly some black pepper, more subtle even than the Maurice O'Shea, a little less mint, good with food. Still youthful, cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine epitomises the new face of Australian 'shiraz'. Regrettably I could not match the 1996 vintage theme of the tasting, but for the Grampians Halliday rates the 1997 vintage ahead of even 1996. Two tasters rated this their top wine, no second places, no leasts, and nobody thought it French. GK 03/17
Colour is ruby more than garnet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is totally syrah-like, nearly cassis, great berry still quite dark, not over-oaked, no alcohol fume, and clearly floral in the archetypal carnations / dianthus style (for syrah). Its purity is stunning. Palate follows perfectly, only the faintest flowering mint aromatics, which are no more than the garrigue note in some Northern (and moreso, Southern) Rhone wines, the berry and fruit shy at first. At the tasting, the Edelstone seemed fruitier, but the next day this less showy wine had overtaken it, with berry of almost cassis-like intensity. This is total syrah, more Cote Rotie than Hermitage, wonderful length and balance, nearly some black pepper, more subtle even than the Maurice O'Shea, a little less mint, good with food. Still youthful, cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine epitomises the new face of Australian 'shiraz'. Regrettably I could not match the 1996 vintage theme of the tasting, but for the Grampians Halliday rates the 1997 vintage ahead of even 1996. Two tasters rated this their top wine, no second places, no leasts, and nobody thought it French. GK 03/17
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 92.5% clone 470 adding interest, hand-harvested and sorted, all destemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, 21 – 25 days cuvaison, attention to aeration; first 6 months in French and Hungarian oak on light lees, followed by 11 months in barrel, new oak reduced to 25%; light fining, not filtered; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, very young and intense. One sniff of the bouquet, and this is benchmark syrah. When you find the identity, you can't help thinking, what a phenomenal year Church Road had in 2013. This is wine selling in the mid-20s bracket, yet to a casual sniff at the blind evaluation stage, it is (loosely speaking) of classed growth claret standard. Alongside the similarly-priced Craggy Gimblett Gravels wine, it shows a sophistication and harmony of elevage that leaves the Craggy gasping, notwithstanding the stunning fruit quality in the latter. I think I heard Chris Scott say the Church Road winery houses some 5000 barrels, and not one of them American. When wines at this price point display this quality of oak handling, you can see why. This is one of the great Hawkes Bay wine values from the 2013 vintage, and it can still occasionally be found in wine shops. Worth hunting out. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/16
Carmine, ruby and velvet, very young and intense. One sniff of the bouquet, and this is benchmark syrah. When you find the identity, you can't help thinking, what a phenomenal year Church Road had in 2013. This is wine selling in the mid-20s bracket, yet to a casual sniff at the blind evaluation stage, it is (loosely speaking) of classed growth claret standard. Alongside the similarly-priced Craggy Gimblett Gravels wine, it shows a sophistication and harmony of elevage that leaves the Craggy gasping, notwithstanding the stunning fruit quality in the latter. I think I heard Chris Scott say the Church Road winery houses some 5000 barrels, and not one of them American. When wines at this price point display this quality of oak handling, you can see why. This is one of the great Hawkes Bay wine values from the 2013 vintage, and it can still occasionally be found in wine shops. Worth hunting out. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/16
Tukituki & Tutaekuri Valleys, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-picked from vineyards at Tukituki Valley and Omarunui Road (neither Gimblett Gravels), clones 15 and 95; grapes whole-bunch pressed, not cold settled; wild-yeast and barrel-ferment followed rightaway by 100% wild-MLF ferment; 11 months in French oak 38% new with some batonnage; selection and blending of final wine followed by assembly for some months in tank on light lees; RS <2g/l; only light fining and filtering; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Straw with a flush of lemon still, the deepest colour but still fresh. Bouquet is fractionally the richest and most clearly chardonnay in the set, with even more depth of golden queen peach / mendoza-like fruit than the Greystone. Alongside that wine, the bouquet is richer, a similar depth of autolysis showing, but noticeably more oak influence, and less or no floral component. Palate is sensational, total acid lower than the Greystone, the fruit quality showing tactile richness, with great body and length. Dry extract here must be exemplary, for white wine, but the winery does not monitor this reference point. Since this wine was so clearly of export quality, one wonders why not. This is a wine to satisfy those seeking rich buttery (finest pale butter) chardonnays as they used to be, but here with a finesse and poise undreamt of in the 1980s. It is astonishing how much new oak has simply been absorbed. This is great New Zealand chardonnay at a peak of perfection now. It will hold for another 10 years, though gradually deepening in colour. GK 06/16
Straw with a flush of lemon still, the deepest colour but still fresh. Bouquet is fractionally the richest and most clearly chardonnay in the set, with even more depth of golden queen peach / mendoza-like fruit than the Greystone. Alongside that wine, the bouquet is richer, a similar depth of autolysis showing, but noticeably more oak influence, and less or no floral component. Palate is sensational, total acid lower than the Greystone, the fruit quality showing tactile richness, with great body and length. Dry extract here must be exemplary, for white wine, but the winery does not monitor this reference point. Since this wine was so clearly of export quality, one wonders why not. This is a wine to satisfy those seeking rich buttery (finest pale butter) chardonnays as they used to be, but here with a finesse and poise undreamt of in the 1980s. It is astonishing how much new oak has simply been absorbed. This is great New Zealand chardonnay at a peak of perfection now. It will hold for another 10 years, though gradually deepening in colour. GK 06/16
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested mostly clone 95, BF in French oak 40% new, balance second year, some wild yeast, 100% MLF; 10 months LA and half the wine undergoing batonnage, RS <1 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Perfect lemon, just above midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises pure varietal temperate-climate New Zealand chardonnay, nearly citrus and white stonefruit aromas complexed by ultra-pure lees autolysis and subtle barrel work. Palate has lovely texture and body, the MLF component a little more apparent now, oak shaping the wine but wonderfully subtle, superb acid balance perhaps reflecting the cool season, and thus not needing a tartaric addition, compared with most Gisborne seasons. Fruit on palate is so good that you wonder if there could be trace residual, but I suspect it is under 2 g/L (confirmed): this is just fruit richness speaking. This sample was from a magnum, and therefore more 'perfect' than a 750 ml bottle would be, the cool season really letting Gisborne shine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, and it will hold longer. GK 06/16
Perfect lemon, just above midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises pure varietal temperate-climate New Zealand chardonnay, nearly citrus and white stonefruit aromas complexed by ultra-pure lees autolysis and subtle barrel work. Palate has lovely texture and body, the MLF component a little more apparent now, oak shaping the wine but wonderfully subtle, superb acid balance perhaps reflecting the cool season, and thus not needing a tartaric addition, compared with most Gisborne seasons. Fruit on palate is so good that you wonder if there could be trace residual, but I suspect it is under 2 g/L (confirmed): this is just fruit richness speaking. This sample was from a magnum, and therefore more 'perfect' than a 750 ml bottle would be, the cool season really letting Gisborne shine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, and it will hold longer. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $120 [ 50mm cork; Sy 100% mass selection clone, all hand-harvested at 6.6 t/ha = 2.65 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, inoculated ferments in both oak cuves and s/s; MLF and 18 months in French oak 35% new; filtered to bottle; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth, less intense than Craggy's 2014 Gimblett Gravels Syrah, but scarcely older. Comparing and contrasting the bouquets on these two wines is an absolute education in red wine elevation. The boisterous vigour of the Gimblett Gravels wine is here tamed and smoothed by oak of great purity and even beauty, not as markedly so as the Sileni Syrah EV, but in that direction. The volume of bouquet is much less than the Tom Syrah, but it is a year younger. A year is a long time at this stage of a young syrah's life, as the Braided Gravels Merlot illustrated (by analogy) in the Cabernet / Merlot flight, and Te Mata's Bullnose Syrah displays every vintage. Bouquet and palate present a superb fine-grain handling of syrah, suggestions of cassis, more dark plums and some blueberry, some black pepper, good length and reasonable richness, though the latter not in the Tom class. It seems a more exciting wine than 2013 Le Sol, from memory, but that is provisional: I need to re-taste that wine. This syrah is not so easily classed with either Cote Rotie or Hermitage, it can fairly be described as in-between in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth, less intense than Craggy's 2014 Gimblett Gravels Syrah, but scarcely older. Comparing and contrasting the bouquets on these two wines is an absolute education in red wine elevation. The boisterous vigour of the Gimblett Gravels wine is here tamed and smoothed by oak of great purity and even beauty, not as markedly so as the Sileni Syrah EV, but in that direction. The volume of bouquet is much less than the Tom Syrah, but it is a year younger. A year is a long time at this stage of a young syrah's life, as the Braided Gravels Merlot illustrated (by analogy) in the Cabernet / Merlot flight, and Te Mata's Bullnose Syrah displays every vintage. Bouquet and palate present a superb fine-grain handling of syrah, suggestions of cassis, more dark plums and some blueberry, some black pepper, good length and reasonable richness, though the latter not in the Tom class. It seems a more exciting wine than 2013 Le Sol, from memory, but that is provisional: I need to re-taste that wine. This syrah is not so easily classed with either Cote Rotie or Hermitage, it can fairly be described as in-between in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $48 [ screwcap; www.greywacke.com ]
Good medium pinot noir ruby, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is deep, subtle, mysterious, very much a kind of pinot noir and burgundy, enchanting. Florals include suggestions of subtle buddleia, violets and a thought of boronia. Fruit style is red grading to black cherry, very pure, so much so you wonder how it will taste. And the answer is, wonderful. There is a mid-palate burst of flavour which expands in the mouth, like fine burgundy, with oak shaping, not yet fully integrated. Greywacke pinot noir really is going from strength to strength. I'd love a dry extract on this wine, too. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Good medium pinot noir ruby, well above midway in depth. Bouquet is deep, subtle, mysterious, very much a kind of pinot noir and burgundy, enchanting. Florals include suggestions of subtle buddleia, violets and a thought of boronia. Fruit style is red grading to black cherry, very pure, so much so you wonder how it will taste. And the answer is, wonderful. There is a mid-palate burst of flavour which expands in the mouth, like fine burgundy, with oak shaping, not yet fully integrated. Greywacke pinot noir really is going from strength to strength. I'd love a dry extract on this wine, too. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $49 [ screwcap; www.auntsfield.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. There is a quiet depth and authority to this wine which, at the blind stage, I asked myself if this might be from the Bendigo Terraces. Bouquet is darkly red-rose floral, a suggestion of boronia, on black more than red cherry, with an intriguing subtle aromatic lift. Palate shows good concentration, black cherry flavours with a hint of plum in a positive sense, quite a lot of oak well hidden by the concentration, the latter giving good length and a great aftertaste. Another wine showing the 'new face' of Marlborough pinot noir, darker than the Greywacke. This wine (though flirting with over-ripeness, and despite the alcohol), the Greywacke, and the Two Paddocks Fusilier, convincingly demonstrate why New Zealand pinot noir is challenging Oregon, to be the second greatest pinot noir zone in the world, after Burgundy. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. There is a quiet depth and authority to this wine which, at the blind stage, I asked myself if this might be from the Bendigo Terraces. Bouquet is darkly red-rose floral, a suggestion of boronia, on black more than red cherry, with an intriguing subtle aromatic lift. Palate shows good concentration, black cherry flavours with a hint of plum in a positive sense, quite a lot of oak well hidden by the concentration, the latter giving good length and a great aftertaste. Another wine showing the 'new face' of Marlborough pinot noir, darker than the Greywacke. This wine (though flirting with over-ripeness, and despite the alcohol), the Greywacke, and the Two Paddocks Fusilier, convincingly demonstrate why New Zealand pinot noir is challenging Oregon, to be the second greatest pinot noir zone in the world, after Burgundy. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $ – [ cork; DFB; in general, this is an export label only, priced around US$35 – however small quantities sometimes appear on the NZ market; Me 80%, CS & Ma 20, hand-harvested @ 3.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in s/s; 19 months in French oak 55% new; fined and filtered; CEO Steve Smith sees this as akin to a second wine to Sophia; dry extract 28 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. This wine too shows the magical cassis and darkest plums of the other Craggys, but with an additional almost blueberry note, which grades into violets florals. Palate shows the gorgeous dusky berry richness of the range, beautifully balanced to potentially cedary oak. It may be a little oakier than the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, but many would prefer it for that. And aromatics are naturally higher in Te Kahu, with the cabernet component. Given that this is the volume spearhead of Craggy's export thrust in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends, and is priced at much the same level as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, all New Zealanders can be immensely proud of this affordable but champion red actively out there in the export arena. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. This wine too shows the magical cassis and darkest plums of the other Craggys, but with an additional almost blueberry note, which grades into violets florals. Palate shows the gorgeous dusky berry richness of the range, beautifully balanced to potentially cedary oak. It may be a little oakier than the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, but many would prefer it for that. And aromatics are naturally higher in Te Kahu, with the cabernet component. Given that this is the volume spearhead of Craggy's export thrust in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends, and is priced at much the same level as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, all New Zealanders can be immensely proud of this affordable but champion red actively out there in the export arena. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone 95 chardonnay, BF on full solids in French oak 25% new; MLF and 12 months LA in barrel, 80% of the wine through MLF; pH 3.36, RS < 1; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Elegant bright pale lemon. Bouquet is neat and tight on this wine, showing pale chardonnay from some of the modern clones, I would imagine, subtly evolved with barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF into a very understated and surprisingly under-developed wine. It looks clearly younger than the 2006 Cloudy Bay, for example. In mouth there are hints of acacia florals, and citric notes in a good concentration of white nectarine fruit, carefully oaked, complexly flavoured in a subtle pale way. Acid is firm. All told, this is an easy wine to overlook. It should however have a most interesting evolution, and is recommended for cellaring 2 – 10 years, at least. GK 04/09
Elegant bright pale lemon. Bouquet is neat and tight on this wine, showing pale chardonnay from some of the modern clones, I would imagine, subtly evolved with barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF into a very understated and surprisingly under-developed wine. It looks clearly younger than the 2006 Cloudy Bay, for example. In mouth there are hints of acacia florals, and citric notes in a good concentration of white nectarine fruit, carefully oaked, complexly flavoured in a subtle pale way. Acid is firm. All told, this is an easy wine to overlook. It should however have a most interesting evolution, and is recommended for cellaring 2 – 10 years, at least. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, mostly machine-picked @ c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; 17 months in French oak 35% new, with MLF in barrel; production 650 x 9-L cases; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, strikingly deep and fresh wine, arguably the deepest colour of the set. And the bouquet is immediately youthful too. This wine has been backward from day one (that is not a euphemism for reduction), just tightly-wound, self-contained and hidden, almost. This aspect of the wine is reinforced by its being screwcap-closed. Digging deep, there are deep sweet florals, wallflowers, carnations, darkest roses, on cassis-dominated berry. It has much more to say than a year ago, but there is much, much further to go. Oak firms the wine, the kind of oak not quite as soft as Te Mata's. This time round, I see the faintest hint of pennyroyal, but that is very easy to ignore / say it adds to the aromatics. This is squeaky-clean rich wine which will be remarkably long-lived, in this field. In a sense it is the most 'regular' syrah in the set, no whole-bunch for example. It can be cellared with the utmost confidence 5 – 25 years. GK 07/16
Carmine, ruby and velvet, strikingly deep and fresh wine, arguably the deepest colour of the set. And the bouquet is immediately youthful too. This wine has been backward from day one (that is not a euphemism for reduction), just tightly-wound, self-contained and hidden, almost. This aspect of the wine is reinforced by its being screwcap-closed. Digging deep, there are deep sweet florals, wallflowers, carnations, darkest roses, on cassis-dominated berry. It has much more to say than a year ago, but there is much, much further to go. Oak firms the wine, the kind of oak not quite as soft as Te Mata's. This time round, I see the faintest hint of pennyroyal, but that is very easy to ignore / say it adds to the aromatics. This is squeaky-clean rich wine which will be remarkably long-lived, in this field. In a sense it is the most 'regular' syrah in the set, no whole-bunch for example. It can be cellared with the utmost confidence 5 – 25 years. GK 07/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $105 [ cork; Sy 100% Limmer clone, hand-harvested a little earlier than previous years @ just under 8 t/ha (3.2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; MLF and 18 months in French oak 35% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much lighter than Homage, Huchet and particularly the Villa Reserve. This wine is so floral that in the blind evaluation I thought it merlot, for the lovely violets and darkest roses quality of the bouquet. The next day the bouquet expanded to embrace wallflowers and dianthus too in its floral notes. On the berry side there are almost pinot noir-like qualities, the florality on the cassis softening it, that quality accentuated by the low alcohol and very low apparent oak (on bouquet). Palate is deceptive, and the pinot noir analogy still holds. This has to be the subtlest, most feminine, and most Cote Rotie-like Le Sol so far. Yet it is not a small wine, the saturation of fruit on palate is comparable exactly with the Aroha, and like that wine it is simply beautiful. What an evolution in style, almost a revolution, this Le Sol represents in the decade of Le Sols so far. A bit silly to say revolution, because the quality of the season also contributed to the character of this wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. These four syrahs, 2010 Trinity Hill Homage, 2010 Mission Estate Huchet, 2010 Villa Maria Reserve, and 2011 Craggy Range Le Sol, say almost everything that can be said about great New Zealand syrah. These are wines of international stature, even if United Kingdom winewriters find it hard to stretch beyond 17 points for them. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much lighter than Homage, Huchet and particularly the Villa Reserve. This wine is so floral that in the blind evaluation I thought it merlot, for the lovely violets and darkest roses quality of the bouquet. The next day the bouquet expanded to embrace wallflowers and dianthus too in its floral notes. On the berry side there are almost pinot noir-like qualities, the florality on the cassis softening it, that quality accentuated by the low alcohol and very low apparent oak (on bouquet). Palate is deceptive, and the pinot noir analogy still holds. This has to be the subtlest, most feminine, and most Cote Rotie-like Le Sol so far. Yet it is not a small wine, the saturation of fruit on palate is comparable exactly with the Aroha, and like that wine it is simply beautiful. What an evolution in style, almost a revolution, this Le Sol represents in the decade of Le Sols so far. A bit silly to say revolution, because the quality of the season also contributed to the character of this wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. These four syrahs, 2010 Trinity Hill Homage, 2010 Mission Estate Huchet, 2010 Villa Maria Reserve, and 2011 Craggy Range Le Sol, say almost everything that can be said about great New Zealand syrah. These are wines of international stature, even if United Kingdom winewriters find it hard to stretch beyond 17 points for them. GK 05/13
Te Muna Valley, Martinborough district, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.8%; $125 [ 50mm cork; hand-harvested @ c. 6.75 t/ha = 2.75 t/ac; fermentation in oak cuves and s/s with wild yeasts; 50% whole-bunch; 11 months in French oak 30% new; no fining, light filtering; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, very close to the standard 2013 Te Muna Road wine. Bouquet is (naturally) younger, simpler, and less integrated than the 2013 Aroha, but nonetheless shows an exciting berry-rich expression of highly varietal pinot noir. It simply awaits the development of more apparent rather than implicit florality, and for the intertwining with oak vanillins to be as complex as the 2013. Oak is not quite so apparent as the 2013 Aroha wine. Palate is beautiful red cherry fruit grading to black cherry. In terms of texture, immediately there is a contradiction apparent in this set of wines, for the cropping rate of this 2014 Aroha is given as higher than the 2013 standard wine, yet fruit weight and texture seem better. Presumably this reflects cellar work, in barrel. I envisage this ending up very close to the 2013 Aroha in style and achievement, but just fractionally lighter. A promising young wine to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Pinot noir ruby, very close to the standard 2013 Te Muna Road wine. Bouquet is (naturally) younger, simpler, and less integrated than the 2013 Aroha, but nonetheless shows an exciting berry-rich expression of highly varietal pinot noir. It simply awaits the development of more apparent rather than implicit florality, and for the intertwining with oak vanillins to be as complex as the 2013. Oak is not quite so apparent as the 2013 Aroha wine. Palate is beautiful red cherry fruit grading to black cherry. In terms of texture, immediately there is a contradiction apparent in this set of wines, for the cropping rate of this 2014 Aroha is given as higher than the 2013 standard wine, yet fruit weight and texture seem better. Presumably this reflects cellar work, in barrel. I envisage this ending up very close to the 2013 Aroha in style and achievement, but just fractionally lighter. A promising young wine to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Gevrey Chambertin Grand Cru, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $308 [ cork; 30 – 35 hl/ha (1.5 – 1.8 t/ac); 10% whole-bunch, c. 15 day cuvaison in s/s; MLF and up 22 months in French oak 100% new; Coates: This is even more impressive than the Clos de Beze. Brilliant on the nose. Totally complete. Full-bodied, rich, backward and quite splendid on the palate. Excellent grip as well, and, if possible, even more depth and superior fruit. A really brilliant wine. From 2015; Parker / Rovani: 94 – 96; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Ruby, lightened by more evident oak exposure, below midway. Bouquet shows intensely floral berry skewed by the vanillin of much new oak, so the floral component comes across almost as freesia or similar. Actual berry specific character is hidden by the oak, at this stage. Palate has a richness and power to it which is impressive, but the beauty of the variety is not yet so apparent in this wine as in the Clos de Beze. In its richness and length of fruit on palate, and a delectable suggestion of Portobello mushrooms, I suspect 10 years down the track, this will be the most explicit and impressive of the three. The texture on palate promises great future pleasure. Cellar 10 – 25 + years. GK 07/06
Ruby, lightened by more evident oak exposure, below midway. Bouquet shows intensely floral berry skewed by the vanillin of much new oak, so the floral component comes across almost as freesia or similar. Actual berry specific character is hidden by the oak, at this stage. Palate has a richness and power to it which is impressive, but the beauty of the variety is not yet so apparent in this wine as in the Clos de Beze. In its richness and length of fruit on palate, and a delectable suggestion of Portobello mushrooms, I suspect 10 years down the track, this will be the most explicit and impressive of the three. The texture on palate promises great future pleasure. Cellar 10 – 25 + years. GK 07/06
Morey-St Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $170 [ cork; 30 – 35 hl/ha (1.5 – 1.8 t/ac); 10% whole-bunch, c. 15 day cuvaison in s/s; MLF and up 22 months in French oak 25% new; Coates: Good colour. Lovely opulent, rich, gently oaky nose. This has splendid depth, class, harmony and vigour. Long and very promising. Very fine. From 2010; Parker / Rovani: 90 – 92; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Ruby, not quite as deep as the Beze, but the hue brighter, less oak affected. This wine takes a little longer to open than the Beze, a trace of retained fermentation odours, but finally reveals pinot noir beauty nearly as explicit as that wine, and in the sense there is less new oak (later confirmed from website), arguably even more varietal – darkest rose and boronia florals, pinpoint varietal. Palate is as rich as the Beze, seemingly more succulent with less oak, long and lingering exquisite dark cherry fruit, very beautiful. Neither of these two are big wines, in the contemporary sense of that term. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 07/06
Ruby, not quite as deep as the Beze, but the hue brighter, less oak affected. This wine takes a little longer to open than the Beze, a trace of retained fermentation odours, but finally reveals pinot noir beauty nearly as explicit as that wine, and in the sense there is less new oak (later confirmed from website), arguably even more varietal – darkest rose and boronia florals, pinpoint varietal. Palate is as rich as the Beze, seemingly more succulent with less oak, long and lingering exquisite dark cherry fruit, very beautiful. Neither of these two are big wines, in the contemporary sense of that term. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 07/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ Screwcap; clones 5, 6, 10/5 and 777, the oldest (on own roots) 15 years at harvest, hand-picked at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; 9 days cold-soak, 7 days fermentation, 9 days maceration, giving a cuvaison of 25 days, 25% whole-bunches; 16 months in French oak, 30% new, MLF in barrel the following spring; light fining only; dry extract 28.7 g/L; production 280 x 9-L cases; Cooper, 2013: a distinctly masculine style, dark and rich, with layers of cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, firm and very 'complete', *****; weight bottle and closure: 728 g; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the third to lightest. Bouquet achieves the most marvellous expression of, and integration of, sweet florality without any green undertones, with equally sweet highly sophisticated oak handling. The bouquet bypasses buddleia notes (characteristic of marginally under-ripe pinot noir), going straight to pink and red rose florality, with suggestions of boronia. Beautiful cedary oak complexes the bouquet, but does not dominate. Red cherry fruit welds both into a superbly burgundian aroma, totally Cote de Nuits in its excitement and subliminal aromatics. Palate follows totally in synch, red fruits dominant, tannins shaping but not dominating the fruit, the wine fragrant in mouth, no hint of green. This is premier or even grand cru quality from the Gevrey-Chambertin district, as with most of these wines just needing a little more dry extract to fully foot it with grands crus, and thus be breathtaking. But even so, there is a dusky magic in the bouquet of this wine which all the others lack. Cellar 3 – 8 years more. Seven people rated this their top or second wine, three thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the third to lightest. Bouquet achieves the most marvellous expression of, and integration of, sweet florality without any green undertones, with equally sweet highly sophisticated oak handling. The bouquet bypasses buddleia notes (characteristic of marginally under-ripe pinot noir), going straight to pink and red rose florality, with suggestions of boronia. Beautiful cedary oak complexes the bouquet, but does not dominate. Red cherry fruit welds both into a superbly burgundian aroma, totally Cote de Nuits in its excitement and subliminal aromatics. Palate follows totally in synch, red fruits dominant, tannins shaping but not dominating the fruit, the wine fragrant in mouth, no hint of green. This is premier or even grand cru quality from the Gevrey-Chambertin district, as with most of these wines just needing a little more dry extract to fully foot it with grands crus, and thus be breathtaking. But even so, there is a dusky magic in the bouquet of this wine which all the others lack. Cellar 3 – 8 years more. Seven people rated this their top or second wine, three thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Nagambie Lakes, Central Victoria, Australia: 12.5%; $21 [ screwcap; s/s elevation; pH 3.15, but no RS or other wine detail on winery website, and ’08 not posted yet @ distributor www.redandwhite.com.au; www.tahbilk.com.au ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is marvellous on this wine, riesling with a measure more sun on the grape skins, introducing subtlest nutmeg and cinnamon-like notes into freesia and holygrass florals. Palate differs from the New Zealand wines in being drier, more spicy, with careful extraction lengthening the limezest palate astonishingly, though the wine is not phenolic. Classic good Australian dry riesling, though bolder than some might prefer. Comparison with the Babich Dry is fascinating, the Tahbilk being a little bolder but just as good. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Lemongreen. Bouquet is marvellous on this wine, riesling with a measure more sun on the grape skins, introducing subtlest nutmeg and cinnamon-like notes into freesia and holygrass florals. Palate differs from the New Zealand wines in being drier, more spicy, with careful extraction lengthening the limezest palate astonishingly, though the wine is not phenolic. Classic good Australian dry riesling, though bolder than some might prefer. Comparison with the Babich Dry is fascinating, the Tahbilk being a little bolder but just as good. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ screwcap; NB this wine squeaked into the under-$30 tasting due to the price at Regional Wines, but is more commonly in the mid-$30s. The Greystone vineyard was established by the Thomas family on the slopes of the Teviotdale hills, Waipara Valley, in 2004. Their winemaker is Dominic Maxwell. The vineyard has become highly-regarded early in the piece. This wine is their mainstream pinot, there is also a quite expensive Reserve. It is hand-harvested from four clones on sloping sites, wild-yeast fermented with a long cuvaison for pinot, then spends 12 months in 30% new French oak. This is the wine that was awarded the Trophy for best pinot noir in last year's Air NZ judging – a correctly awarded Trophy if ever there was one. It has been awarded scores ranging up to 96 points by NZ winewriters, so we have an interesting assessment before us. The wine analysis is of critical importance to the future of New Zealand fine wine, and those who think our pinot noir cannot compete with Burgundy proper, for this wine has a dry extract of 30.6 g/L against an RS of 0.4 g/L. These are grand cru numbers, outstanding for cool-climate viticulture; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises what the grape variety pinot noir is all about, sweet haunting even caressing florals touching on violets, roses and boronia, then clear cherry fruit and gentle near-invisible oak. Palate emphasises the caressing thought, soft, velvety, seductive even, so one wonders if it has quite the tannin structure for longevity. The fruit ripeness is pinpoint, red grading to black cherry with attractive acid balance. Total style is unarguably Cote de Nuits, and this wine is a real charmer. It is so rich that the fruit sweetness continues right through to the tail, and the wine thus seems sweet to the finish, but the analysis denies that. At this traditional level of fine-wine-making, sensory evaluation reaches its limits. In its total harmony and stylistic veracity, it pretty well matches all the over-$30 pinot noirs. It does not seem as rich and grand cru-like as the Pisa, but in both practical terms and classical European analysis terms this Greystone is for the moment the definitive New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 12 on that dry extract. GK 06/14
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises what the grape variety pinot noir is all about, sweet haunting even caressing florals touching on violets, roses and boronia, then clear cherry fruit and gentle near-invisible oak. Palate emphasises the caressing thought, soft, velvety, seductive even, so one wonders if it has quite the tannin structure for longevity. The fruit ripeness is pinpoint, red grading to black cherry with attractive acid balance. Total style is unarguably Cote de Nuits, and this wine is a real charmer. It is so rich that the fruit sweetness continues right through to the tail, and the wine thus seems sweet to the finish, but the analysis denies that. At this traditional level of fine-wine-making, sensory evaluation reaches its limits. In its total harmony and stylistic veracity, it pretty well matches all the over-$30 pinot noirs. It does not seem as rich and grand cru-like as the Pisa, but in both practical terms and classical European analysis terms this Greystone is for the moment the definitive New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 12 on that dry extract. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ 49mm cork; Sy 100% mass-selection clone, all hand-harvested at 6.6 t/ha = 2.65 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, inoculated ferments in both oak cuves and s/s; MLF and 18 months in French oak 35% new; filtered to bottle; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine of the eight syrahs and merlots. Bouquet is so youthful and not together, the first thought is: this should not be released yet. But it is. There is intense dark red and black berry, both blueberry and cassis, and just a touch of black pepper, in a wine of great purity. On palate the berry richness flows evenly over the tongue, blueberry dominant now, oak more apparent at this stage, the wine seeming richer than some previous years of Le Sol. This is exciting young wine, adding conviction to some winemakers' claims that 2014 in Hawkes Bay is as good (for syrah and merlot) as 2013. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine of the eight syrahs and merlots. Bouquet is so youthful and not together, the first thought is: this should not be released yet. But it is. There is intense dark red and black berry, both blueberry and cassis, and just a touch of black pepper, in a wine of great purity. On palate the berry richness flows evenly over the tongue, blueberry dominant now, oak more apparent at this stage, the wine seeming richer than some previous years of Le Sol. This is exciting young wine, adding conviction to some winemakers' claims that 2014 in Hawkes Bay is as good (for syrah and merlot) as 2013. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/16
The Triangle, Hawkes Bay,, New Zealand: 13%; $50 [ cork 45mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from c.23-year old vines; all de-stemmed, 15 months in French oak usually 35 – 40% new; RS dry; no other info, the winery not responding to correspondence; released; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour though one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is one of the stand-out wines for dianthus-led precise syrah varietal quality, as seen typically in Cote Rotie. This is a syrah that on bouquet almost takes over where richer pinot noirs run out, being simply very beautiful. Oak augments the bouquet, but is hard to tease out. The delicacy and purity of cassisy berry and subtlest pepper spices are again exquisitely varietal. In mouth the neatness and tautness of the wine is most impressive. There is no hint of either under-ripeness or over-ripeness, just a perfect fragrant expression of ripe syrah, in a Cote Rotie styling. Its ripeness surpasses 2013 Coleraine, cross-referencing variety with variety. Fruit weight in terms of dry extract also seems fractionally ahead of Coleraine, but is lighter than the syrahs marked more highly in this review. It is is more good New Zealand red for that criterion, however, rather than exemplary. It makes up for that with its beauty. In the subsequent blind tasting, Bullnose crept up the rankings on the definitive quality of its varietal character, and its absolute vinosity. In the field, this year's Bullnose looked a little more oaky than some years, but this is an aspect of their red wines Te Mata are traditionally careful about, and the wines harmonise in cellar and are good with food. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour though one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is one of the stand-out wines for dianthus-led precise syrah varietal quality, as seen typically in Cote Rotie. This is a syrah that on bouquet almost takes over where richer pinot noirs run out, being simply very beautiful. Oak augments the bouquet, but is hard to tease out. The delicacy and purity of cassisy berry and subtlest pepper spices are again exquisitely varietal. In mouth the neatness and tautness of the wine is most impressive. There is no hint of either under-ripeness or over-ripeness, just a perfect fragrant expression of ripe syrah, in a Cote Rotie styling. Its ripeness surpasses 2013 Coleraine, cross-referencing variety with variety. Fruit weight in terms of dry extract also seems fractionally ahead of Coleraine, but is lighter than the syrahs marked more highly in this review. It is is more good New Zealand red for that criterion, however, rather than exemplary. It makes up for that with its beauty. In the subsequent blind tasting, Bullnose crept up the rankings on the definitive quality of its varietal character, and its absolute vinosity. In the field, this year's Bullnose looked a little more oaky than some years, but this is an aspect of their red wines Te Mata are traditionally careful about, and the wines harmonise in cellar and are good with food. In the Regional Wines tasting, two people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $536 [ cork; PN 55%, Ch 45; en tirage 5 – 6 years; no wine info on website; Cristal tends to be a non-MLF wine; current vintage price in NZ c.$415; www.champagne-roederer.com ]
Lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Right from the outset this smelt like fine champagne, and followed through on palate. Depth of autolysis is less than those marked more highly, and there is a clear citrus note. Palate is even more citrussy, and mealy too, not a weighty wine, but great freshness for its age. Finish is a little sweeter, fitting in with the 9 – 10 g/L recorded. This will cellar for years. On balance, this was the most-favoured wine among the group. GK 11/14
Lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Right from the outset this smelt like fine champagne, and followed through on palate. Depth of autolysis is less than those marked more highly, and there is a clear citrus note. Palate is even more citrussy, and mealy too, not a weighty wine, but great freshness for its age. Finish is a little sweeter, fitting in with the 9 – 10 g/L recorded. This will cellar for years. On balance, this was the most-favoured wine among the group. GK 11/14
Te Muna Valley, Martinborough district, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $125 [ 50mm cork; hand-harvested @ c. 3.8 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; fermentation in oak cuves and s/s, with wild yeasts, and 40% whole-bunches; 11 months in French oak 32% new; RS nil; not fined, coarse filter only; the Craggy Range website now really is a model of how to do it – if only other leading New Zealand wineries (and those wishing to be seen as 'leading') would provide both this level of documentation for each wine, and the same details for all back vintages; www.craggyrange.com ]
A lovely ruby pinot noir colour, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is sweetly and beautifully floral, hints of buddleia, clear roses and port-wine magnolia, a shadow of boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. Flavours in mouth show near-perfect varietal ripeness, sweet fruit as if there were trace residual (not so), and appropriate oak, still needing to meld. This is lovely wine, with a burgundian Cru quality of texture to the palate accurately reflecting the Grand Cru cropping rate (in 2013). New Zealand pinot noirs of this bouquet and palate quality are truly burgundian, complete with a touch of burgundian mystery. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
A lovely ruby pinot noir colour, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is sweetly and beautifully floral, hints of buddleia, clear roses and port-wine magnolia, a shadow of boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruit. Flavours in mouth show near-perfect varietal ripeness, sweet fruit as if there were trace residual (not so), and appropriate oak, still needing to meld. This is lovely wine, with a burgundian Cru quality of texture to the palate accurately reflecting the Grand Cru cropping rate (in 2013). New Zealand pinot noirs of this bouquet and palate quality are truly burgundian, complete with a touch of burgundian mystery. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
The Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $56 [ screwcap; DFB; Sy, trace viognier co-fermented; hand-picked from c.15-year old vines planted at c.3,000 vines / ha and cropped @ c.4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 3 – 4 days cold-soak, cuvaison in oak cuves averaged 14 days with 10% whole-bunch, 10 months in 90% French oak c.45% new, 10% American white; www.matua.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top half-dozen for depth of colour. This astonishing New Zealand syrah is deeper in colour than the Langi, and shows a similar slight aromatic lift. It is deeply and darkly floral, close to but not quite as varietal as the Yann Chave Hermitage. In mouth the dark fleshy berry blends both cassis and bottled black doris plum in a manner closely matching the Langi, neither being quite as pinpoint varietal syrah as either the Yann Chave Hermitage or the J L Chave Saint-Joseph. It is extraordinarily hard to put into words what the difference is, and in a sense it doesn't really matter. These top five wines are all glorious syrahs, showing great dry extract, length of flavour, subtlety of oak elevation, and nett varietal quality. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top half-dozen for depth of colour. This astonishing New Zealand syrah is deeper in colour than the Langi, and shows a similar slight aromatic lift. It is deeply and darkly floral, close to but not quite as varietal as the Yann Chave Hermitage. In mouth the dark fleshy berry blends both cassis and bottled black doris plum in a manner closely matching the Langi, neither being quite as pinpoint varietal syrah as either the Yann Chave Hermitage or the J L Chave Saint-Joseph. It is extraordinarily hard to put into words what the difference is, and in a sense it doesn't really matter. These top five wines are all glorious syrahs, showing great dry extract, length of flavour, subtlety of oak elevation, and nett varietal quality. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 2/10 and others, 18 years, harvested @ 1.2 t/ac; 15% whole bunch, 6 days cold soak, 24 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 60% new; no fining, coarse filtration; Robinson '05: Dark healthy crimson. Sweet, quite simple, beetroot and spice. Lots of gas. Distinctive rather than necessarily better than the regular bottling. 16; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Dark ruby, clear carmine and velvet, nearly as dense as the 2002 Bendigo. Bouquet is darkly floral, closer to the Bendigo than the other top wines at this stage, but wonderfully pure. Palate is oakier than some, darkest cherries and bottled plums, a hint of bacon, some spice on the oak, marvellously varietal. In taste terms (bacon apart), one would be hard put to explain how this Waipara wine differs in its regional character (or terroir) from the Central Otago Bendigo. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Dark ruby, clear carmine and velvet, nearly as dense as the 2002 Bendigo. Bouquet is darkly floral, closer to the Bendigo than the other top wines at this stage, but wonderfully pure. Palate is oakier than some, darkest cherries and bottled plums, a hint of bacon, some spice on the oak, marvellously varietal. In taste terms (bacon apart), one would be hard put to explain how this Waipara wine differs in its regional character (or terroir) from the Central Otago Bendigo. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 100%, hand-picked; around 15 months in French hogsheads (300 L), 45% new; intriguingly, the Chinese allocation will be under cork; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and darkest colour of the 60. Bouquet is glorious ripe cassis of great purity and depth, still very youthful with dark aromatic edges as if there might be a splash of malbec too. Palate is vibrant with aromatic cassisy berry, showing a ripeness and intensity of varietal berry flavour rarely encountered in New Zealand. The length of fruit on palate is a delight, yet it is not as rich as some. Cabernet alone is always at peril of lacking middle palate. At the moment the young wine promises to be phenomenal, and will score higher if it fills out in bottle. Let us hope it does not end up carrying too much oak. Cellar 8 – 25 years. GK 06/14
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, the richest and darkest colour of the 60. Bouquet is glorious ripe cassis of great purity and depth, still very youthful with dark aromatic edges as if there might be a splash of malbec too. Palate is vibrant with aromatic cassisy berry, showing a ripeness and intensity of varietal berry flavour rarely encountered in New Zealand. The length of fruit on palate is a delight, yet it is not as rich as some. Cabernet alone is always at peril of lacking middle palate. At the moment the young wine promises to be phenomenal, and will score higher if it fills out in bottle. Let us hope it does not end up carrying too much oak. Cellar 8 – 25 years. GK 06/14
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ supercritical cork; 100% BF, LA and batonnage in French oak 35% new for 11 months, 100% MLF; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon, scarcely different from the Woodthorpe. Bouquet however is very different, in one sense restrained, showing the purer limestone minerality of good Puligny-Montrachet, on pure white stonefruits chardonnay. Palate develops this theme, with a flinty quality on great fruit, beautiful mealy and baguette autolysis, invisible MLF, and subtle oak. It is still youthful now, and alongside the Kumeu River pair it is a little harder and more restrained, but with equally fine promise. The suggestion of limestone minerality is a point of difference about Elston, and the alcohol of 13.5% is as much to be applauded as the Kumeus (reported on 4 Mar 06). This is grand cru-quality wine too, like the Kumeus. Cellar 6 – 10 years. GK 03/06
Lemon, scarcely different from the Woodthorpe. Bouquet however is very different, in one sense restrained, showing the purer limestone minerality of good Puligny-Montrachet, on pure white stonefruits chardonnay. Palate develops this theme, with a flinty quality on great fruit, beautiful mealy and baguette autolysis, invisible MLF, and subtle oak. It is still youthful now, and alongside the Kumeu River pair it is a little harder and more restrained, but with equally fine promise. The suggestion of limestone minerality is a point of difference about Elston, and the alcohol of 13.5% is as much to be applauded as the Kumeus (reported on 4 Mar 06). This is grand cru-quality wine too, like the Kumeus. Cellar 6 – 10 years. GK 03/06
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; CS 50%, PV 21, Ma 17, Me 8, CF 3, carmenere 1, hand-picked, organic vineyard; yields may be as low as 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; up to 30-day cuvaison (in 2010); MLF in barrel; oak usually 90% French, 10 US, 65% new; not filtered; 1000 cases in 2010 (sold out), but varying considerably with vintage; price not given as considerable variance now between full retail price at vineyard, occasional offers around the country, and auction realisations, range $100 – 200; vineyard offers en primeur purchase; website has no wine detail later than 2008 vintage, and detail is meagre; www.stonyridge.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper than 2010 Passage Rock Reserve Cabernet. Bouquet has that becoming-distinctive Stonyridge lifted and aromatic pennyroyal note on overtly floral berry of great freshness and richness. It is not quite as classically bordeaux in aroma as the Passage Rock, but will fit in well all the same. Fruit and berry richness are good, on potentially cedary and well-judged oak. The wine astonishes for the ripeness achieved in the 21% petit verdot, which shows what a sensational year 2010 was on Waiheke island. I worry a little about the growing percentage of malbec in Larose, which ultimately will I think coarsen one of New Zealand's longest-established and finest 'new world bordeaux' labels. If you taste the wine alongside the Passage Rock Reserve Cabernet, the cabernet sauvignon focus is muddied in comparison. In its ripeness and total style, though, this is exciting Larose to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper than 2010 Passage Rock Reserve Cabernet. Bouquet has that becoming-distinctive Stonyridge lifted and aromatic pennyroyal note on overtly floral berry of great freshness and richness. It is not quite as classically bordeaux in aroma as the Passage Rock, but will fit in well all the same. Fruit and berry richness are good, on potentially cedary and well-judged oak. The wine astonishes for the ripeness achieved in the 21% petit verdot, which shows what a sensational year 2010 was on Waiheke island. I worry a little about the growing percentage of malbec in Larose, which ultimately will I think coarsen one of New Zealand's longest-established and finest 'new world bordeaux' labels. If you taste the wine alongside the Passage Rock Reserve Cabernet, the cabernet sauvignon focus is muddied in comparison. In its ripeness and total style, though, this is exciting Larose to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Sy 100% all hand-picked at c.4.4 t / ha = 1.8 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, fermentation in open s/s vats, extended cuvaison to 42 days some parcels; MLF and 17 months in 3-years air-dried French oak c.60% new, minimal fining and filtration; RS nil; 420 cases only; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fabulous colour, the deepest wine in the syrah subset. Bouquet is yet another stunning variation on the New Zealand syrah theme. The density and intensity of fragrant cassis is remarkable, though the floral component on this wine gives way a little to the vanillin of a significant new oak percentage, alongside the Jewelstone and Cellar Selection Syrahs. Palate shows a wonderful concentration of berry and fruit, the oak is not too intrusive (though the greatest of the top three), and the length of flavour is excellent. Alongside the Mission wine, the latter is more varietal due to less new oak. It would be thrilling to have a case of each of these top three syrahs, and see how these influences balance out over the 15 year time span these wines are suited to. One could be miserable and just select the Cellar Selection, which reconciles the other two. In truth though, one needs good supplies of all three, as well as one or two other top syrahs not in this great Hot Red offering. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a fabulous colour, the deepest wine in the syrah subset. Bouquet is yet another stunning variation on the New Zealand syrah theme. The density and intensity of fragrant cassis is remarkable, though the floral component on this wine gives way a little to the vanillin of a significant new oak percentage, alongside the Jewelstone and Cellar Selection Syrahs. Palate shows a wonderful concentration of berry and fruit, the oak is not too intrusive (though the greatest of the top three), and the length of flavour is excellent. Alongside the Mission wine, the latter is more varietal due to less new oak. It would be thrilling to have a case of each of these top three syrahs, and see how these influences balance out over the 15 year time span these wines are suited to. One could be miserable and just select the Cellar Selection, which reconciles the other two. In truth though, one needs good supplies of all three, as well as one or two other top syrahs not in this great Hot Red offering. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $899 [ cork 50mm; Sh 98%, CS 2; some barrel-ferment; 19 months in American hogsheads 100% new; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrantly fresh and sensational colour, the deepest. When it comes to big Australian reds, and my experience with odd Granges back to the 1965 vintage, it is the lack of immediate negatives which make this wine so initially pleasing. It smells fresh rather than over-ripe, it smells of berries rather than artefact, it is not obviously too euc'y or volatile, and the oak is to a degree restrained. In a powerful way, it actually smells winey, unlike so much of what passes as red wine in Australia, including from Penfolds. In mouth, there is in fact still a pretty unsubtle whack of oak, highly vanillin American oak. But there is some suggestion of cassis, and the freshness of blueberry and bottled dark plum is good. There is some grading to boysenberry though. Oak and VA are within bounds. There is some euc taint, but what can you say: simply that the wine would be so much better without it – but then you reflect the Aussies can't even see it. It is understandable why it is rated 100 points (Robert Parker recently) in a country like America, with a view of wine quality so slanted to hotter-climate and bigger wines. But one only needs to think of syrah when tasting this, however, to wish for even more restraint. And when one thinks, you can buy two bottles of the in-truth-beautiful J L Chave Hermitage 2009 for the asking price of one of these, the plain fact is that trophy-hunting and wine snobbery are distorting objective analysis of wine quality these days. Even so, this is among the best Granges I have tasted. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 07/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrantly fresh and sensational colour, the deepest. When it comes to big Australian reds, and my experience with odd Granges back to the 1965 vintage, it is the lack of immediate negatives which make this wine so initially pleasing. It smells fresh rather than over-ripe, it smells of berries rather than artefact, it is not obviously too euc'y or volatile, and the oak is to a degree restrained. In a powerful way, it actually smells winey, unlike so much of what passes as red wine in Australia, including from Penfolds. In mouth, there is in fact still a pretty unsubtle whack of oak, highly vanillin American oak. But there is some suggestion of cassis, and the freshness of blueberry and bottled dark plum is good. There is some grading to boysenberry though. Oak and VA are within bounds. There is some euc taint, but what can you say: simply that the wine would be so much better without it – but then you reflect the Aussies can't even see it. It is understandable why it is rated 100 points (Robert Parker recently) in a country like America, with a view of wine quality so slanted to hotter-climate and bigger wines. But one only needs to think of syrah when tasting this, however, to wish for even more restraint. And when one thinks, you can buy two bottles of the in-truth-beautiful J L Chave Hermitage 2009 for the asking price of one of these, the plain fact is that trophy-hunting and wine snobbery are distorting objective analysis of wine quality these days. Even so, this is among the best Granges I have tasted. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 07/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.6%; $70 [ Stelvin Lux screwcap; mostly Dijon clone 115, some Dijon 667, 10/5, planted at c.2,500 vines/ha, 15 years age; all hand-picked with careful selection at c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; 45% whole-bunch component, balance no-crushing, pre-ferment cold soak 7 – 10 days, then 15 – 20 days cuvaison with all wild-yeast ferments; all the wine 11 months in all-French oak 33% new, medium toast, MLF in barrel in spring; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS 0.2 g/L; dry extract 27.7 g/L; production 300 cases; www.twopaddocks.com ]
A good quite deep pinot noir ruby colour, fractionally the deepest colour, but within bounds. Bouquet shows the most complex and deepest floral qualities of all the wines, darkest roses and boronia, lovely, totally Cote de Nuits. Palate richness is good without being exemplary, at least of Premier Cru quality, with a suppleness and purity of red cherry flavour which is highly varietal, and totally lacking stalkyness. It will be fun one day (if opportunity offers) to establish if the Mt Difficulty Individual Vineyard wines or some of the Valli labels (for example) match or better this wine, in 2014. This is one of the most exciting pinot noirs so far made in New Zealand, to cellar 5 – 15 years. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for the wine, only one rating it first or second. Seven thought it from Otago. GK 08/16
A good quite deep pinot noir ruby colour, fractionally the deepest colour, but within bounds. Bouquet shows the most complex and deepest floral qualities of all the wines, darkest roses and boronia, lovely, totally Cote de Nuits. Palate richness is good without being exemplary, at least of Premier Cru quality, with a suppleness and purity of red cherry flavour which is highly varietal, and totally lacking stalkyness. It will be fun one day (if opportunity offers) to establish if the Mt Difficulty Individual Vineyard wines or some of the Valli labels (for example) match or better this wine, in 2014. This is one of the most exciting pinot noirs so far made in New Zealand, to cellar 5 – 15 years. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for the wine, only one rating it first or second. Seven thought it from Otago. GK 08/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; a single vineyard wine from the Cornerstone vineyard; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ c.3.7 t/ha (1.5 t/ac), all de-stemmed; wild yeast fermentation in concrete fermenter, total cuvaison 32 days; c.16 months in French burgundy barrels c.35% new; bottled without finings; production c.390 x 9-L cases; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the second deepest. Bouquet is intensely berried, so much so that in the blind tasting you think it is a highly cassisy cabernet carrying a maximum of cedary oak. But as you taste the wine, almost raspberry / loganberry berry notes creep in too, with a wonderful fragrance so complex you can't determine if it is floral or berry notes you are trying to characterise. Palate is glorious, textured, long, aromatic rich fruit sustained by cedary oak at a maximum or slightly to excess, but the richness of the fruit is probably enough to carry it. Personally I would prefer less, acknowledging the Hermitage model. Exciting wine to cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a sensational colour, the second deepest. Bouquet is intensely berried, so much so that in the blind tasting you think it is a highly cassisy cabernet carrying a maximum of cedary oak. But as you taste the wine, almost raspberry / loganberry berry notes creep in too, with a wonderful fragrance so complex you can't determine if it is floral or berry notes you are trying to characterise. Palate is glorious, textured, long, aromatic rich fruit sustained by cedary oak at a maximum or slightly to excess, but the richness of the fruit is probably enough to carry it. Personally I would prefer less, acknowledging the Hermitage model. Exciting wine to cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork 54mm; Gr 85%, Sy 15; 12 – 18 months in big old wood; Parker considers 1969 the last fine Les Cedres. He notes for the 1978: good richness, full-bodied texture, and good complexity, yet rates it 85, to be finished by 1995. Robinson thought it: Sweet, spicy and fully mature but a bit muddy by now. Past its best. No refreshment left 17; I am hoping it will have more to say, as a few years ago this wine met with an ecstatic reception from noted Australasian wine people, in a dinner setting.]; www.jaboulet.com ]
Glowing but lightish ruby and garnet, the third to lightest. Bouquet is in a word beautiful, floral, fragrant, fading red fruits, aethereal. It could easily be confused with grand cru burgundy / Cote de Nuits, in a rigorously blind tasting. Indeed on other occasions, it has been so confused, and by highly-qualified wine tasters. In mouth, the wine is suppleness and charm personified, totally burgundian, only now the fruit starting to fade a little. Ten years ago this wine was exquisite, multidimensional, wonderful, and it is only slightly less now. It makes the same-year Vieux Telegraphe seem over-ripe and almost burly, at this stage of its evolution. This wine and the Ch Margaux illustrate not only what beauty and subtlety in red wine is all about, but also the contrast between the essential claret style, versus burgundy. Few bottles are so beautiful. Les Cedres was easily the favourite on the night, four first places plus five second places, even though it is fading gracefully now. GK 04/14
Glowing but lightish ruby and garnet, the third to lightest. Bouquet is in a word beautiful, floral, fragrant, fading red fruits, aethereal. It could easily be confused with grand cru burgundy / Cote de Nuits, in a rigorously blind tasting. Indeed on other occasions, it has been so confused, and by highly-qualified wine tasters. In mouth, the wine is suppleness and charm personified, totally burgundian, only now the fruit starting to fade a little. Ten years ago this wine was exquisite, multidimensional, wonderful, and it is only slightly less now. It makes the same-year Vieux Telegraphe seem over-ripe and almost burly, at this stage of its evolution. This wine and the Ch Margaux illustrate not only what beauty and subtlety in red wine is all about, but also the contrast between the essential claret style, versus burgundy. Few bottles are so beautiful. Les Cedres was easily the favourite on the night, four first places plus five second places, even though it is fading gracefully now. GK 04/14
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $125 [ standard compound cork; Ch 100%, all grand cru vineyards, all s/s fermentation; MLF employed; en tirage 7 years; dosage 8 g/L; www.polroger.com ]
Clearly the lightest wine, and the palest hue, the colour is lemon with a wash of green, but it does not look weak. Bouquet is remarkable for its purity, delicacy and subtlety. The fruit has chardonnay-like characters reminiscent of young Meursault, and the autolysis component is supremely pure and subtle. If the Veuve Clicquot is crust-of-baguette with a touch of multigrain, this is more brioche than baguette. The wonderful purity continues in the flavour, suggestions of citrus freshness, and an apple like sturmer (for example), just lovely. Total acid might be slightly low. This is as subtle as the top two are characterful, but it is not at all weak. The third of the outstanding wines. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 05/17
Clearly the lightest wine, and the palest hue, the colour is lemon with a wash of green, but it does not look weak. Bouquet is remarkable for its purity, delicacy and subtlety. The fruit has chardonnay-like characters reminiscent of young Meursault, and the autolysis component is supremely pure and subtle. If the Veuve Clicquot is crust-of-baguette with a touch of multigrain, this is more brioche than baguette. The wonderful purity continues in the flavour, suggestions of citrus freshness, and an apple like sturmer (for example), just lovely. Total acid might be slightly low. This is as subtle as the top two are characterful, but it is not at all weak. The third of the outstanding wines. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 05/17
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $76 [ Screwcap; rated Excellent in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the third-level group of 65 wines; the same label as in Pt I; Halliday rates the 2013 vintage 9, for McLaren Vale; first produced in 1989, harvested from vines planted in 1919; elevation 18 – 20 months in all-French oak, 20 – 30% new; Halliday, 2016: What a treasure trove the McLaren Vale has with vines/grapes/wines coming from ancient vines that signal all is well. The strength of the message is so powerful and clear you wonder why the Scarce Earth programme occupies such effort and time, unfairly taking attention away from the glory of wines such as this, 97; hopefully another review will tell us what the message referred to is, but … no overseas reviews found; Gary Walsh, 2016: I’d have this in the cellar over Grange in a heartbeat, though maybe that’s just me. Dense, brooding and compact wine: it feels almost rude to disturb it now. Blackberry essence, liquorice/aniseed, freshly lathed cedar wood, amaro herbs, spice, rich dark earth. Full bodied, wall to wall shag-pile carpet of tannin, crunch of fresh blackberry acidity, salted beef and liquorice, thundering finish of super length. It’s a black hole of a wine! Drink: 2020 - 2043, 95; bottle weight 774 g; www.coriole.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just under midway in depth. Bouquet is immediately darkly plummy and rich; it almost smells dense. There are dusky florals akin to the Mentelle, but deeper and darker, gorgeous. This bouquet appeals for its almost total lack of mint, and no euc at all. You do wonder if it is just a bit too dark, too much sun, but there is no hint of vulgar boysenberry. Flavour and texture are a notch richer than the Mentelle, and though it is mostly ripened past cassis and blueberry, it is seriously concentrated at the bottled dark plum flavour point (on my syrah ripening curve sequence). Flavour is rich, textured, and velvety, a hint of black-pepper spice, a beautiful balance of oak matching the berry concentration but subordinate, lovely. Though Australian, it is almost big-year syrah in a New Zealand / French sense, too. This was one of the top two wines in the tasting, seven rating it their top wine, one second, no leasts, three thought it could be Penfolds, and nobody thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 04/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just under midway in depth. Bouquet is immediately darkly plummy and rich; it almost smells dense. There are dusky florals akin to the Mentelle, but deeper and darker, gorgeous. This bouquet appeals for its almost total lack of mint, and no euc at all. You do wonder if it is just a bit too dark, too much sun, but there is no hint of vulgar boysenberry. Flavour and texture are a notch richer than the Mentelle, and though it is mostly ripened past cassis and blueberry, it is seriously concentrated at the bottled dark plum flavour point (on my syrah ripening curve sequence). Flavour is rich, textured, and velvety, a hint of black-pepper spice, a beautiful balance of oak matching the berry concentration but subordinate, lovely. Though Australian, it is almost big-year syrah in a New Zealand / French sense, too. This was one of the top two wines in the tasting, seven rating it their top wine, one second, no leasts, three thought it could be Penfolds, and nobody thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 25 + years. GK 04/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $104 [ cork 49mm; release price $120; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 91%, mostly Limmer clone, some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard in the hill of Hermitage, 9% Vi, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, 15 – 18 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; J Robinson, 2010: 9% Viognier. Very deep crimson. Very scented and luscious. Lovely refreshment. Wonderful balance. Great integrity: 18; Neal Martin @ R Parker, 2009: The 2007 Homage … has a very intense nose of macerated dark cherries, plum, tar and liquorices. Good definition. The palate is full-bodied, slightly “cooler” than the 2006, good acidity, very well balanced, the new oak very well integrated into the fabric of the wine. Nice grip, very toasty with layers of pure fruit underneath and the minerality showing through more on the aftertaste. It requires 4-5 years in bottle, but the focus is wonderful: 93; M Cooper, 2010: … a densely coloured, majestic red, still very youthful. It has a commanding mouthfeel, with highly concentrated flavours of plums, spices and liquorice, and a foundation of ripe, fine-grained tannins. Its still years away from revealing its full personality; open 2012+: *****; weight bottle and closure: 1048 g; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and fragrant, a slightly more restrained wallflower / more roses floral component, on cassisy berry browning a little, lifted with trace black pepper. Flavours in mouth follow on perfectly, all a little older and more melded than the 2009, soft, rich, like the 2009 shaped by oak but in no way dominated by it, a highly varietal and winey expression of New Zealand syrah. It is richer, softer and more complex than the 2007 Le Sol, with true Hermitage affinities. Two people rated this their second-favourite wine. Approaching first maturity, this will cellar 3 – 10 years more, at least. GK 09/16
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and fragrant, a slightly more restrained wallflower / more roses floral component, on cassisy berry browning a little, lifted with trace black pepper. Flavours in mouth follow on perfectly, all a little older and more melded than the 2009, soft, rich, like the 2009 shaped by oak but in no way dominated by it, a highly varietal and winey expression of New Zealand syrah. It is richer, softer and more complex than the 2007 Le Sol, with true Hermitage affinities. Two people rated this their second-favourite wine. Approaching first maturity, this will cellar 3 – 10 years more, at least. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $49 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 100%, hand-picked from c.20-year old vines planted at 5,000 vines / ha and cropped @ 10 t/ha = 4 t/ac; cuvaison 28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF mainly in tank; 18 months in French oak c.35% new; RS <2 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not available; production 500 x 9-L cases; released; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, totally benchmark Bordeaux, the deepest colour. Freshly opened, this wine is taut and reserved, and very aromatic. With air it opens up to be gloriously fragrant, cassisy and more aromatic still, with the deep 'port-wine magnolia' (michelia) and roses florals of fine Medoc. It smells rich yet not plump, most intriguing. Flavour in mouth is simply benchmark cabernet sauvignon, exquisitely handled in oak. This wine has all the subtlety and beauty of fine high-cabernet bordeaux, with none of the brashness so many new-world high-cabernet wines show. It is an easy wine to underestimate, at this early unknit stage, but it will repay time in cellar superbly, 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. It seems to be of good richness, but details are awaited with interest. What a transformation this wine represents, from the more obvious and oaky Mills Reef wines of 10 years ago. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, totally benchmark Bordeaux, the deepest colour. Freshly opened, this wine is taut and reserved, and very aromatic. With air it opens up to be gloriously fragrant, cassisy and more aromatic still, with the deep 'port-wine magnolia' (michelia) and roses florals of fine Medoc. It smells rich yet not plump, most intriguing. Flavour in mouth is simply benchmark cabernet sauvignon, exquisitely handled in oak. This wine has all the subtlety and beauty of fine high-cabernet bordeaux, with none of the brashness so many new-world high-cabernet wines show. It is an easy wine to underestimate, at this early unknit stage, but it will repay time in cellar superbly, 10 – 25 years, perhaps longer. It seems to be of good richness, but details are awaited with interest. What a transformation this wine represents, from the more obvious and oaky Mills Reef wines of 10 years ago. GK 05/15
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-picked, a low-cropping year; c. 21 – 24 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak c. 30% new (but since Prima Donna is a barrel selection within the Pegasus Bay wine, the ratio of new oak may be higher); www.pegasusbay.com ]
Ruby, a little velvet, a fine deep pinot noir colour, much fresher than the standard 2003 Pegasus Pinot Noir. This is a big and youthful wine on bouquet, and freshly poured the volume of aroma and berry reminds of a fragrant Chateauneuf du Pape such as Charvin – not at all a bad thing to be compared with, but scary in pinot. But decant the wine and let it breathe, and dusky florals suggesting boronia, violets and darkest roses emerge, on black cherry and bottled dark plums fruit, plus a hint of bacon. It is a pity about these high alcohols in some top New Zealand pinots, but this is exciting wine, big – yes, but on the right side of the line for florals, finesse, aromatics and complexity. Palate is very attractive, truly velvety, no other words for it, all the descriptors you read about in grand cru burgundy, plus – the florals can be tasted, giving a lovely lift. And the oaking is beautifully subtle, more matching (for example) the Felton standard wine, rather than the Block versions. This is potentially one of New Zealand's finest pinots thus far. It is a great step forward in the evolution of both Prima Donna and Pegasus Bay pinot more generally, earlier vintages having been at times ponderous, putting richness before varietal beauty. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 07/06
Ruby, a little velvet, a fine deep pinot noir colour, much fresher than the standard 2003 Pegasus Pinot Noir. This is a big and youthful wine on bouquet, and freshly poured the volume of aroma and berry reminds of a fragrant Chateauneuf du Pape such as Charvin – not at all a bad thing to be compared with, but scary in pinot. But decant the wine and let it breathe, and dusky florals suggesting boronia, violets and darkest roses emerge, on black cherry and bottled dark plums fruit, plus a hint of bacon. It is a pity about these high alcohols in some top New Zealand pinots, but this is exciting wine, big – yes, but on the right side of the line for florals, finesse, aromatics and complexity. Palate is very attractive, truly velvety, no other words for it, all the descriptors you read about in grand cru burgundy, plus – the florals can be tasted, giving a lovely lift. And the oaking is beautifully subtle, more matching (for example) the Felton standard wine, rather than the Block versions. This is potentially one of New Zealand's finest pinots thus far. It is a great step forward in the evolution of both Prima Donna and Pegasus Bay pinot more generally, earlier vintages having been at times ponderous, putting richness before varietal beauty. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 07/06
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $12.10 [ cork, 46mm; a second Reserve bottle (the first Reserve, 1971 Dom Scharzhofberg was also TCA-affected) for the TCA-affected 1971 Lauerburg Wehlener Sonnenuhr; no information located on this (presumably former) winery; a Sichel Sohne selection – Sichel was at the time noted for his discrimination; bottle courtesy of the late Ken Kirkpatrick. ]
Lightish gold, below midway in depth. There is a freshness and piquancy to the bouquet of this wine which immediately spoke of mature Mosel, in the blind line-up. There are still nearly florals for example honeysuckle, clear sweet-vernal hay notes, elegant pale stonefruits, all slightly honeyed. Palate continues the harmony perfectly, a lovely gentle balance of honeyed flavours to sweetness and acid, plus a subtle underlying nutty quality perhaps hinting at old oak. All at a peak, very beautiful, time to enjoy. As to ranking, it seems fair to surmise the lighter wines were a little overlooked in the tasting, when ranged alongside such weighty beerenauslesen and trockenbeerenauslesen. This wine was light even by auslesen standards, but it epitomised the great subtlety and charm of fine Mosel in full maturity. One second place, no least places. GK 11/17
Lightish gold, below midway in depth. There is a freshness and piquancy to the bouquet of this wine which immediately spoke of mature Mosel, in the blind line-up. There are still nearly florals for example honeysuckle, clear sweet-vernal hay notes, elegant pale stonefruits, all slightly honeyed. Palate continues the harmony perfectly, a lovely gentle balance of honeyed flavours to sweetness and acid, plus a subtle underlying nutty quality perhaps hinting at old oak. All at a peak, very beautiful, time to enjoy. As to ranking, it seems fair to surmise the lighter wines were a little overlooked in the tasting, when ranged alongside such weighty beerenauslesen and trockenbeerenauslesen. This wine was light even by auslesen standards, but it epitomised the great subtlety and charm of fine Mosel in full maturity. One second place, no least places. GK 11/17
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $50 [ cork 45mm; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak some new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest syrah, good but not dense weight. Bouquet epitomises the floral qualities which set good syrah apart from other darker red grapes (though merlot from optimal climates comes close). The precision of the wallflower and dusky rose florals here is stunning, matched only by top-notch Cote Rotie (which is not over-oaked, thus ruling out the Guigal grands crus), such as the best Jamet and Cuilleron bottlings. Behind the florals is rich berry embracing both cassis and omega plum, plus subtle beautiful oak. Flavour follows magically, the florality continuing long into the palate, again totally good Cote Rotie in style. There is a subtlety and finesse to this wine unthinkable in Australian interpretations of the grape, so more than likely it will be disparaged by some of their more boisterous commentators. But to anyone attuned to Cote Rotie, this is the real thing. I took the 2005 Bullnose with me, when visiting Yves Cuilleron a few years ago: the consistency of style and achievement by Te Mata with their Bullnose syrahs is a pleasure to record. This 2013 is as good as any vintage to date. The proprietors, being winemakers, say to cellar it 6 – 8 years, but those who like gentle mature wines and the way they are so magical with food, can double that. This is every bit as great an achievement, in world terms, as 2013 Coleraine, and as I have argued in some previous vintages, perhaps a greater one, simply because it shows pinpoint ripeness to optimise the floral / burgundian side of syrah. GK 03/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest syrah, good but not dense weight. Bouquet epitomises the floral qualities which set good syrah apart from other darker red grapes (though merlot from optimal climates comes close). The precision of the wallflower and dusky rose florals here is stunning, matched only by top-notch Cote Rotie (which is not over-oaked, thus ruling out the Guigal grands crus), such as the best Jamet and Cuilleron bottlings. Behind the florals is rich berry embracing both cassis and omega plum, plus subtle beautiful oak. Flavour follows magically, the florality continuing long into the palate, again totally good Cote Rotie in style. There is a subtlety and finesse to this wine unthinkable in Australian interpretations of the grape, so more than likely it will be disparaged by some of their more boisterous commentators. But to anyone attuned to Cote Rotie, this is the real thing. I took the 2005 Bullnose with me, when visiting Yves Cuilleron a few years ago: the consistency of style and achievement by Te Mata with their Bullnose syrahs is a pleasure to record. This 2013 is as good as any vintage to date. The proprietors, being winemakers, say to cellar it 6 – 8 years, but those who like gentle mature wines and the way they are so magical with food, can double that. This is every bit as great an achievement, in world terms, as 2013 Coleraine, and as I have argued in some previous vintages, perhaps a greater one, simply because it shows pinpoint ripeness to optimise the floral / burgundian side of syrah. GK 03/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $93 [ 49mm cork; DFB; Me 61%, CS 20, CF 19, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison not given, cultured-yeast; 19 months in French oak c.42% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth in the eight merlots and syrahs, the deepest of the merlots. Bouquet achieves a magical quality very rarely encountered in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends: here is a merlot that truly smells of violets as a glorious top note on dark bottled black doris plums, plus some cassis. Palate shows the best berry concentration of the four merlots, and a much better ratio of berry to oak, all much closer to Bordeaux in style than the other three merlot wines. The floral qualities go right through the palate to the aftertaste: this is lovely fragrant and elegant wine, not big but beautiful. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth in the eight merlots and syrahs, the deepest of the merlots. Bouquet achieves a magical quality very rarely encountered in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends: here is a merlot that truly smells of violets as a glorious top note on dark bottled black doris plums, plus some cassis. Palate shows the best berry concentration of the four merlots, and a much better ratio of berry to oak, all much closer to Bordeaux in style than the other three merlot wines. The floral qualities go right through the palate to the aftertaste: this is lovely fragrant and elegant wine, not big but beautiful. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments; no MLF, 8 months LA but no batonnage in French oak 30 – 40% new and balance 2-year; RS <1g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Gorgeous lemon. Bouquet is rich, just marrying-up into the first phase of full development, the fruit, oak and autolysis combining to produce a tangy sautéed red capsicum aroma with hints of Castrol GTX (+ve). Palate brings out the baguette-quality barrel-ferment and autolysis in the fruit, which seems finer, richer and cooler than the 2008, with black passionfruit lingering delightfully. This is a benchmark example of the style, to cellar 2 – 8 years at least. The 2007 illustrates why Sacred Hill's Sauvage is becoming one of New Zealand's most famous serious sauvignons. Along with Te Mata's Cape Crest, Cloudy Bays' rather different Te Koko, and a few other more recent examples of the barrel-fermented style, they provide a satisfying and contrasting alternative to the ubiquitous stainless-steel Marlborough sauvignons. GK 10/10
Gorgeous lemon. Bouquet is rich, just marrying-up into the first phase of full development, the fruit, oak and autolysis combining to produce a tangy sautéed red capsicum aroma with hints of Castrol GTX (+ve). Palate brings out the baguette-quality barrel-ferment and autolysis in the fruit, which seems finer, richer and cooler than the 2008, with black passionfruit lingering delightfully. This is a benchmark example of the style, to cellar 2 – 8 years at least. The 2007 illustrates why Sacred Hill's Sauvage is becoming one of New Zealand's most famous serious sauvignons. Along with Te Mata's Cape Crest, Cloudy Bays' rather different Te Koko, and a few other more recent examples of the barrel-fermented style, they provide a satisfying and contrasting alternative to the ubiquitous stainless-steel Marlborough sauvignons. GK 10/10
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $603 [ cork 53mm; cepage then approx. CS 75%, Me 20, CF 5, planted at 10,000 vines / ha; 18 – 24 months in barrel, 100% new oak, depending on the vintage; Broadbent, 2002: a dozen notes from the autumn of 1981, fragrance frequently reiterated. Also flavoury, but the raw '79 tannin hard to get away from: ***; Coates, 2002: Quite oaky, certainly concentrated, and almost a little dense on the nose. But very good ripe, rich fruit underneath. Full-bodied, rich, classy, vigorous and opulent. This is certainly a very lovely example. Excellent fruit. Still with bags of life ahead of it. Fine grip. Lovely finish. Complex and classy. Very fine indeed: 19; R. Parker, 1993: This is a classic Margaux in the sense of its elegance and fragrance. A perfumed bouquet of blackcurrants, minerals, flowers, and smoky oak is persistent. This medium-bodied, rich, elegant wine is one of the less powerful examples of the Mentzelopoulos/Pontallier regime, but it is still concentrated and deep. Fully mature, it is delicious to drink and should continue to evolve gracefully for another 15-20 years: 92; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
One of the fresher ruby and garnet hues, just above midway in depth. It is the bouquet that particularly enchants on this wine. Here is all the beauty of a cabernet-led wine, (still) nearly violets florals on cassisy berry and remarkably youthful (considering), contrasting vividly with the more conventionally powerful Ch Latour. As you taste the wines, you realise that the Latour reminds of many Penfolds Australian wines, bowling you over with powerful oak … but can you in fact taste the fruit as easily. Whereas this Margaux is essence of perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon, and the oak is discreetly supporting, enhancing and lengthening the fruit, but never dominating. Simply a beautiful wine, not a big wine, but with some years in hand yet. Group results were interesting, none rating it the top wine, a couple their second, but interestingly, more thought this wine a First Growth than any other. GK 08/16
One of the fresher ruby and garnet hues, just above midway in depth. It is the bouquet that particularly enchants on this wine. Here is all the beauty of a cabernet-led wine, (still) nearly violets florals on cassisy berry and remarkably youthful (considering), contrasting vividly with the more conventionally powerful Ch Latour. As you taste the wines, you realise that the Latour reminds of many Penfolds Australian wines, bowling you over with powerful oak … but can you in fact taste the fruit as easily. Whereas this Margaux is essence of perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon, and the oak is discreetly supporting, enhancing and lengthening the fruit, but never dominating. Simply a beautiful wine, not a big wine, but with some years in hand yet. Group results were interesting, none rating it the top wine, a couple their second, but interestingly, more thought this wine a First Growth than any other. GK 08/16
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14%; $40 [ Screwcap; not on Langton's list, the same label as in Pt I; Halliday rating for Margaret River is 9 for 2013; oldest vines 40 years; flowering cold and fruit set poor, summer better and March coolish, allowing extended ripening; fruit destemmed and berry-sorted, some whole berries retained in ferment; cuvaison up to 15 days; MLF and 14 months in both barriques and oak vats, 20% of the barriques new; the winemakers note they follow a Northern Rhone Valley approach, to retain the refined floral and spice characters of the variety; Mattinson at Halliday, 2015: A core of black cherried fruit champs through an array of clove and assorted dry spice notes. This is a savoury rocket. Peppery, leafy, fruity and firm. Its ripeness/alcohol is at the upper level of where you'd like it to be, but power and impact comes as a result, 94; no recent overseas reviews found; bottle weight 507 g; www.capementelle.com.au ]
Ruby and some velvet, a little older than most, the second lightest wine in the younger set. Bouquet is not light however, improving with air to show almost classic syrah near-florality and cassisy berry grading to blueberry, fruit dominant, subtle oak, not too spirity, a hint of black-pepper spice possibly with faintest mint totally at a positive level. Palate is in the same vein, supple, berry-forward, beautiful oaking, a wine which epitomises the notion that good syrah shows all the charm of pinot noir, but is stronger and more spicy. The nett flavour is long, lingering, and satisfying, a lovely varietal wine. Cape Mentelle really should capitalise on its advantages, and re-brand their top shiraz as syrah. Just to make a point of difference, and indicate its qualities. It depends on how many years in every 10 the moderation in this wine can be achieved, I guess. Nobody rated this their top wine, one second place, two least, nobody thought it Penfolds, and three thought it New Zealand (which made sense). Cellar 3 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Ruby and some velvet, a little older than most, the second lightest wine in the younger set. Bouquet is not light however, improving with air to show almost classic syrah near-florality and cassisy berry grading to blueberry, fruit dominant, subtle oak, not too spirity, a hint of black-pepper spice possibly with faintest mint totally at a positive level. Palate is in the same vein, supple, berry-forward, beautiful oaking, a wine which epitomises the notion that good syrah shows all the charm of pinot noir, but is stronger and more spicy. The nett flavour is long, lingering, and satisfying, a lovely varietal wine. Cape Mentelle really should capitalise on its advantages, and re-brand their top shiraz as syrah. Just to make a point of difference, and indicate its qualities. It depends on how many years in every 10 the moderation in this wine can be achieved, I guess. Nobody rated this their top wine, one second place, two least, nobody thought it Penfolds, and three thought it New Zealand (which made sense). Cellar 3 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; all hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed; mostly s/s cool ferment, 20% fermented in older oak with wild-yeast; RS 8 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen … with a shadow in it, not quite the perfect hue of the sauvignons, reflecting the red-pigmented skin of pinot gris berries. After the rocky road through the sauvignons, here is a bouquet of great florality, precision, accuracy and charm. So many winemakers in New Zealand over-ripen pinot gris, forgetting the grape is in the pinot family, blindly following warmer-climate uncritical assumptions that bigger is better. The result is lost florality, exactly as in pinot noir. Here there is enough appropriately ripe fruit to secure the exact pinot gris varietal aroma: old-fashioned English primroses. Below the florality is beautiful white stonefruit, and the subtlest mealyness component from barrel fermentation in old oak. The wishy-washy pear flesh characters marked up by so many unthinking commentators are completely absent – glory be. Palate is even better: this is one of those rare wines where the florality on bouquet permeates the palate totally. Body is good in a pinot sense, the barrel ferment components a model of how this technique should be employed with subtle varieties, and the whole wine is simply gorgeous. Ideally the residual sugar would be less than the 8 g/L present, but you can't have everything. This wine gives many an Alsatian or German pinot gris / rulander a run for its money. It cries out for scallops. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/15
Pale lemongreen … with a shadow in it, not quite the perfect hue of the sauvignons, reflecting the red-pigmented skin of pinot gris berries. After the rocky road through the sauvignons, here is a bouquet of great florality, precision, accuracy and charm. So many winemakers in New Zealand over-ripen pinot gris, forgetting the grape is in the pinot family, blindly following warmer-climate uncritical assumptions that bigger is better. The result is lost florality, exactly as in pinot noir. Here there is enough appropriately ripe fruit to secure the exact pinot gris varietal aroma: old-fashioned English primroses. Below the florality is beautiful white stonefruit, and the subtlest mealyness component from barrel fermentation in old oak. The wishy-washy pear flesh characters marked up by so many unthinking commentators are completely absent – glory be. Palate is even better: this is one of those rare wines where the florality on bouquet permeates the palate totally. Body is good in a pinot sense, the barrel ferment components a model of how this technique should be employed with subtle varieties, and the whole wine is simply gorgeous. Ideally the residual sugar would be less than the 8 g/L present, but you can't have everything. This wine gives many an Alsatian or German pinot gris / rulander a run for its money. It cries out for scallops. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/15
Bendigo Terraces, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $63 [ Screwcap; hand-harvested; no whole-bunch; wild yeast ferments, c. 24 days total cuvaison; c.12 months in hogsheads 48% new; not filtered; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Quite deep pinot noir, with less age showing than (for example) the 2012 Moutere, in the top half-dozen for depth. Bouquet is understated and complex, opening up with air to reveal an attractive integration of red and black cherry fruit with cedary cooperage, all made fragrant with dusky dark red rose florals. As it breathes it develops a Gevrey-Chambertin quality and complexity reminiscent of the Valli Gibbston. Palate is neat, rich and taut, demonstrating a perfect point of picking, the whole wine surprisingly youthful, not yet mature, with further promise lying ahead. The more you taste it, the better it gets. This is exemplary firm Central Otago pinot noir, offering no evidence whatsoever to those who wish to detract from the district’s pinot achievements by referring to them as fruit bombs. Rather, there is a fine Gevrey-Chambertin quality to this wine. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Quite deep pinot noir, with less age showing than (for example) the 2012 Moutere, in the top half-dozen for depth. Bouquet is understated and complex, opening up with air to reveal an attractive integration of red and black cherry fruit with cedary cooperage, all made fragrant with dusky dark red rose florals. As it breathes it develops a Gevrey-Chambertin quality and complexity reminiscent of the Valli Gibbston. Palate is neat, rich and taut, demonstrating a perfect point of picking, the whole wine surprisingly youthful, not yet mature, with further promise lying ahead. The more you taste it, the better it gets. This is exemplary firm Central Otago pinot noir, offering no evidence whatsoever to those who wish to detract from the district’s pinot achievements by referring to them as fruit bombs. Rather, there is a fine Gevrey-Chambertin quality to this wine. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ cork; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c. 9 months in French oak c. 50% new; pH 3.27, RS <2 g/L; www.temata.co.nz ]
Good lemon. Bouquet is immediately appealing, reasonably soft, pure, clearly varietal, nearly floral, attractive white stone fruits, and like Riflemans the oak and alcohol not assertive. Flavours follow on naturally, white stone fruit, firmer and slightly oakier than the Riflemans as might be expected from the more austere winemaking and lower pH, but beautifully balanced with good potential mealyness, all well-integrated and reminding of Puligny-Montrachet in style. Note Elston too comes from vineyards cooler than the Gimblett Gravels, offering the same promise of greater floral finesse. It may look even better in another year. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Good lemon. Bouquet is immediately appealing, reasonably soft, pure, clearly varietal, nearly floral, attractive white stone fruits, and like Riflemans the oak and alcohol not assertive. Flavours follow on naturally, white stone fruit, firmer and slightly oakier than the Riflemans as might be expected from the more austere winemaking and lower pH, but beautifully balanced with good potential mealyness, all well-integrated and reminding of Puligny-Montrachet in style. Note Elston too comes from vineyards cooler than the Gimblett Gravels, offering the same promise of greater floral finesse. It may look even better in another year. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; c. US$90; 35-year vines cropped @ 2.25 t/ac; BF and MLF in new French oak, plus 9 months LA and batonnage; Parker 163: "intense mineral notes intermixed with honeysuckle, peach, and floral components … tight … 93"; Spectator: 92; Robinson: "Deeply nutty-flavoured … 15" [ sounds a lesser / bit oxidised bottle, comparable with one encountered a few days previously, at Regional Wines & Spirits, unlike the one below – how fraught reporting on wines is ! ]; www.guigal.com ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is a couple of sizes larger than the Vidal, but with remarkable complementarity of the components. Everything in the French wine is just delightfully more obvious – particularly the orange blossom florals, the apricotty fruit, and the MLF component (which is much more apparent, perhaps beyond absolute elegance). On palate the strength of flavour continues bold alongside the Vidal, dramatically varietal, and both the oak and alcohol show more, while the acid is somewhat less. This is unequivocal viognier, well-balanced for a clearly-oaked one, probably at a peak now. Cellar a year or so – I suspect such strength of character will coarsen with age. GK 04/07
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is a couple of sizes larger than the Vidal, but with remarkable complementarity of the components. Everything in the French wine is just delightfully more obvious – particularly the orange blossom florals, the apricotty fruit, and the MLF component (which is much more apparent, perhaps beyond absolute elegance). On palate the strength of flavour continues bold alongside the Vidal, dramatically varietal, and both the oak and alcohol show more, while the acid is somewhat less. This is unequivocal viognier, well-balanced for a clearly-oaked one, probably at a peak now. Cellar a year or so – I suspect such strength of character will coarsen with age. GK 04/07
Bridge Pa Triangle 67%, Gimblett Gravels 23%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $188 [ cork, 49 mm; DFB; original price $200; DFB; CS 67%, Me 33; all hand-picked and sorted with great attention to fruit quality for the Tom parcels, at an approximate cropping rate of 6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation mostly in oak cuves, a fraction in s/s, cuvaison up to 30 days for the CS components, 26 for the Me, with particular care re aeration; 22 months in all-French oak c.92% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; light fining, not filtered; RS is given as 2 g/L, but that is the non-fermentable sugars: in the usual sense (of glucose and fructose) nil would be more realistic; winemaker Chris Scott considers 2013 is the driest year in the viticultural zone for 70 years, and not unduly hot; like the Babich wine, 2013 Tom has not been sent for overseas review; Chan, 2016: a beautifully fresh, vibrant and aromatic nose ... sweetly ripe blackcurrants and black-berried fruits interwoven with black plums … cedary oak. Medium-full bodied … ripe black berried fruits with black plum notes, spices, ... near seamless … significant extraction … classically proportioned, vibrant and ageworthy, 19.5; Cooper, 2017: … a sense of subtle power. Dark and weighty, it is graceful, with lovely depth of youthful blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, and a silky-textured, lasting finish. Already delicious, *****; dry extract not measured; c.500 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 716 g; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. This wine has a voluminous bouquet, lots of berry, lots of oak, lots of alcohol, very big and very ripe, a real crowd-pleaser. Digging deeper, there are still cassis aromatics, but it is touch and go for the level of ripeness, there not being the freshness some of the more highly-marked wines show. Palate follows exactly from the bouquet, big, rich, soft and velvety (if you ignore the alcohol) … but the flavours are all tending just a little brown and over-ripe, by classical Bordeaux standards. It is a wine moving towards a hotter-climate wine style, reminiscent of a year in Bordeaux like 2003, where sur-maturité was a widely-acknowledged problem. So Church Road has a dilemma, particularly so since we sit next door to a hot-climate wine country: do you strive to make the most ‘popular’ fine wine, in a market where most consumers adore / are seduced by oak (and alcohol) ? Or do you strive to make the greatest wine by classical Bordeaux wine standards that our very special viticultural climate can uniquely produce. Noting that the French abhor sur-maturité. Tasters liked this wine, five rating it their top wine, three their second. Interestingly, five thought it from California: that is certainly the style the wine achieves. Cellar 10 – 35 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. This wine has a voluminous bouquet, lots of berry, lots of oak, lots of alcohol, very big and very ripe, a real crowd-pleaser. Digging deeper, there are still cassis aromatics, but it is touch and go for the level of ripeness, there not being the freshness some of the more highly-marked wines show. Palate follows exactly from the bouquet, big, rich, soft and velvety (if you ignore the alcohol) … but the flavours are all tending just a little brown and over-ripe, by classical Bordeaux standards. It is a wine moving towards a hotter-climate wine style, reminiscent of a year in Bordeaux like 2003, where sur-maturité was a widely-acknowledged problem. So Church Road has a dilemma, particularly so since we sit next door to a hot-climate wine country: do you strive to make the most ‘popular’ fine wine, in a market where most consumers adore / are seduced by oak (and alcohol) ? Or do you strive to make the greatest wine by classical Bordeaux wine standards that our very special viticultural climate can uniquely produce. Noting that the French abhor sur-maturité. Tasters liked this wine, five rating it their top wine, three their second. Interestingly, five thought it from California: that is certainly the style the wine achieves. Cellar 10 – 35 years, maybe longer. GK 06/17
Woodthorpe, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $31 [ 45 mm supercritical cork (Diam); all BF in mostly older oak; nearly complete MLF; <6 months in barrel, with lees work; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon, faintly greener than Elston Chardonnay. Bouquet is strikingly sweet, floral and ripe, redolent of wild-ginger blossom (one of the most beautifully fragrant flowers in the garden, even if you're not supposed to grow it now), yet with lovely yellow fruit behind the florals. Palate follows on delightfully, and is immediately a great step up on any Te Mata Viognier preceding it. Not only is it varietally accurate in flavour, fresh Otago apricots and that ginger blossom again, but it has texture, mouthfeel and presence. In 2007 I used the then current Te Mata Viognier among others to publish a review (10 Aug. 2007, link given above, below the index to the wine reviews) about viognier in New Zealand, and said Hawkes Bay is ideally suited to this grape. I went on to say if New Zealand viognier is to match international models for the grape, it needs more ripeness (for accurate varietal character) and the use of the malolactic fermentation to achieve body and mouthfeel. At that stage the Te Mata wine had very little or no MLF, and rated poorly. The great news for this 2014 wine is that there is almost total MLF, and the wine is transformed. Coupled with its varietal accuracy and palate weight, the oak handling is sublime, with full barrel-fermentation but very little new oak. In sum, this is among the best viogniers so far made in New Zealand. It is not dramatically varietal, as the best Condrieu may be, but neither is it overtly oaky, as some of the top Guigal Condrieu wines (for example) are. And it is infinitely more subtle, fragrant and tender than any Australian example of the grape. Why the public do not love this fragrant and satisfying grape, which matches so many complex fish meals so perfectly, is a mystery to me. I guess they are in the once-bitten, twice shy category, having been put off by the many variously-insipid examples on the New Zealand market made by producers in inappropriate parts of the country, who mostly seem to have no grasp whatsoever of what the grape should taste like. Stick to Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Island examples is my advice (and even the latter is inconsistent), but for a real treat, buy this Te Mata 2014 wine. Cellar 1 – 3 years, only. GK 03/16
Elegant lemon, faintly greener than Elston Chardonnay. Bouquet is strikingly sweet, floral and ripe, redolent of wild-ginger blossom (one of the most beautifully fragrant flowers in the garden, even if you're not supposed to grow it now), yet with lovely yellow fruit behind the florals. Palate follows on delightfully, and is immediately a great step up on any Te Mata Viognier preceding it. Not only is it varietally accurate in flavour, fresh Otago apricots and that ginger blossom again, but it has texture, mouthfeel and presence. In 2007 I used the then current Te Mata Viognier among others to publish a review (10 Aug. 2007, link given above, below the index to the wine reviews) about viognier in New Zealand, and said Hawkes Bay is ideally suited to this grape. I went on to say if New Zealand viognier is to match international models for the grape, it needs more ripeness (for accurate varietal character) and the use of the malolactic fermentation to achieve body and mouthfeel. At that stage the Te Mata wine had very little or no MLF, and rated poorly. The great news for this 2014 wine is that there is almost total MLF, and the wine is transformed. Coupled with its varietal accuracy and palate weight, the oak handling is sublime, with full barrel-fermentation but very little new oak. In sum, this is among the best viogniers so far made in New Zealand. It is not dramatically varietal, as the best Condrieu may be, but neither is it overtly oaky, as some of the top Guigal Condrieu wines (for example) are. And it is infinitely more subtle, fragrant and tender than any Australian example of the grape. Why the public do not love this fragrant and satisfying grape, which matches so many complex fish meals so perfectly, is a mystery to me. I guess they are in the once-bitten, twice shy category, having been put off by the many variously-insipid examples on the New Zealand market made by producers in inappropriate parts of the country, who mostly seem to have no grasp whatsoever of what the grape should taste like. Stick to Hawkes Bay and Waiheke Island examples is my advice (and even the latter is inconsistent), but for a real treat, buy this Te Mata 2014 wine. Cellar 1 – 3 years, only. GK 03/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ supercritical Diam 'cork'; Me 38, CS 37, CF 15, PV 8, Ma 2; hand-picked; the grapes de-stemmed, average vine age 13 years; c.28 days cuvaison; 18 months in 'predominantly' French oak 35% new; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a little development showing. The intensity of brambly cassis on bouquet here is a delight, the bouquet being totally of classed growth Medoc calibre. Fruit on palate is phenomenal, but the wine is more tannic than the 2013. It may be even richer than the 2013, so has the substance to cellar and harmonise beautifully for many years to come. The complexity and even florality on bouquet of this wine gives no hint that 2009 was a hot year in Hawkes Bay. It will form an admirable running-mate in 2009 / 2010 Bordeaux tastings. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, a little development showing. The intensity of brambly cassis on bouquet here is a delight, the bouquet being totally of classed growth Medoc calibre. Fruit on palate is phenomenal, but the wine is more tannic than the 2013. It may be even richer than the 2013, so has the substance to cellar and harmonise beautifully for many years to come. The complexity and even florality on bouquet of this wine gives no hint that 2009 was a hot year in Hawkes Bay. It will form an admirable running-mate in 2009 / 2010 Bordeaux tastings. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $56 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 25% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at c.3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ c.5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; variously 1 – 4 days cold-soak, cuvaison 21 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 17 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.34 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 29.3; production 650 x 9-L cases; released; www.crossroadswines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely young syrah colour, right in the middle for depth. This wine stands out for its lovely bouquet, illustrating darkest rose and wallflower florals of haunting beauty, on darker cassisy berry and bottled black doris plum fruit. There is subtlest black pepper spice too. In mouth it is not the richest wine, but nor is it oaky, so the varietal quality comes through beautifully. I prefer it to the 'Reserve' Talisman version, which shows more oak influence. Under its new management, Crossroads is becoming a winery to watch. This wine will mature gracefully in bottle, but it is already of young Hermitage quality. It's dry extract is a creditable 29.3 g/L. This is another wine which appealed to me more than the group, though there were four second-place rankings at the Regional Wines tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely young syrah colour, right in the middle for depth. This wine stands out for its lovely bouquet, illustrating darkest rose and wallflower florals of haunting beauty, on darker cassisy berry and bottled black doris plum fruit. There is subtlest black pepper spice too. In mouth it is not the richest wine, but nor is it oaky, so the varietal quality comes through beautifully. I prefer it to the 'Reserve' Talisman version, which shows more oak influence. Under its new management, Crossroads is becoming a winery to watch. This wine will mature gracefully in bottle, but it is already of young Hermitage quality. It's dry extract is a creditable 29.3 g/L. This is another wine which appealed to me more than the group, though there were four second-place rankings at the Regional Wines tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $74 [ cork, 49mm; CS 52%, Me 43, CF 5; superb April, warm, cabernet year, GDD 1494, harvest mid-March to early April; release price $85; Cowley, 2017: tight, ripe and intense; Perrotti-Brown @ R. Parker, 2011: ... moderately intense notes of cedar over black currant, blackberry and cloves plus hints of dusty earth, dried leaves … Medium-full bodied with firm fine-grained tannins ... tightly-knit flesh with a lively acid backbone and a long, layered finish. 2013 to 2021+, 93+; Chan, 2011: ... quite ethereal and aromatic [bouquet] with ripe dark red berry fruit and plums and violetty florals showing. The palate features sweet, rich, near exotic red and black fruits on a very powerful, concentrated, highly extracted framework. The tannins are very fine ... The finish is long ... 9-15 years easily, 18.5; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, the third deepest wine, clearly a little older than the 2013. This 2009 wine intrigues me. This I think is the spiritual successor to 1998 Coleraine. Even though the growing degree days don't clearly support my interpretation, nonetheless in Hawkes Bay 2009 was generally thought to be a warm year. This 2009 Coleraine certainly seems to me to be the riper wine of a warmer year, clearly fragrant but not explicitly floral, instead this wonderful aromatic cassisy quality only achievable in temperate climates, great berry on bouquet, fragrant cedary oak augmenting. In mouth the wine is darkly plummy and beautifully ripe, softer than the 2013, less aromatic than the 1998, both perhaps reflecting the slightly higher merlot in 2009, richer than the 2013 too, with perfectly judged cedary oak framing the wine. Length of ripe slightly tanniny flavours is most impressive, not quite as fresh as the 2013, but gorgeous all the same. The wine is starting to show hints of approaching maturity. It will cellar for 10 – 30 years. The 2009 was rated highly by four tasters on night one, yet by none on night two. Again I thought the bottles identical. GK 08/17
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, the third deepest wine, clearly a little older than the 2013. This 2009 wine intrigues me. This I think is the spiritual successor to 1998 Coleraine. Even though the growing degree days don't clearly support my interpretation, nonetheless in Hawkes Bay 2009 was generally thought to be a warm year. This 2009 Coleraine certainly seems to me to be the riper wine of a warmer year, clearly fragrant but not explicitly floral, instead this wonderful aromatic cassisy quality only achievable in temperate climates, great berry on bouquet, fragrant cedary oak augmenting. In mouth the wine is darkly plummy and beautifully ripe, softer than the 2013, less aromatic than the 1998, both perhaps reflecting the slightly higher merlot in 2009, richer than the 2013 too, with perfectly judged cedary oak framing the wine. Length of ripe slightly tanniny flavours is most impressive, not quite as fresh as the 2013, but gorgeous all the same. The wine is starting to show hints of approaching maturity. It will cellar for 10 – 30 years. The 2009 was rated highly by four tasters on night one, yet by none on night two. Again I thought the bottles identical. GK 08/17
Douro, Portugal: 20.7%; $255 [ cork, 38mm and 40mm (two half bottles); original price $26 (750 ml); cepage tending to 40% touriga nacional, 30% touriga franca, the balance traditional varieties; Berry Bros & Rudd: Graham is renowned for producing one of the most dense and sweet styles of vintage port ... 1977 offers an impressive bouquet of fragrances reminiscent of liquorice, plums, dried fig, followed on the palate by spice and mocha chocolate notes underlying the powerful, concentrated fruit cake flavours; Robinson, 2004: Thick, sweet and concentrated. Round and full and unctuous. Lots of macerated prunes and confidence. Lively and dense with real richness but a correct structure. Some floral notes and some dry tannins on the finish. Not quite married but a definite tea flavour. Dry finish, 17.5, noting that she recently scored the Graham's 1948 and 1945 both at 20; Parker: Along with Taylor and Fonseca, Graham has probably been the most consistent producer of great port in the post-World War II era; James Suckling @ Wine Spectator, 2008: Aromas of milk chocolate, plum, mint and violet. Full-bodied, with medium sweetness and lots of berry and cherry fruit. Very fruity and fresh. Long and lively. Delicious now, but will improve. Drink now through 2018, 91; www.grahams-port.com ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, with the Taylor’s the oldest of the 1977s, the third to lightest wine. There is something slightly different about the bouquet of the Grahams. It is still wonderfully fragrant and true to style, but all just a little more autumnal, with more obvious sultana / almost the tang of raisins / glacé fig qualities, rather than the hints of red fruits in some of the others. Palate is astonishingly concentrated, richer and sweeter than the other Portuguese wines, yet showing attractive integration with the oak. There is not quite the piquant / enticing quality (and delicacy) some of the wines show, instead a little cooked prune and a hint of caramel maybe, but the Graham’s concentration and length of finish almost makes up for that. Tasters liked this flavoursome wine, five rating it their top, five their second, a thought of barolo mentioned. It will cellar for years. GK 05/18
Glowing garnet and ruby, with the Taylor’s the oldest of the 1977s, the third to lightest wine. There is something slightly different about the bouquet of the Grahams. It is still wonderfully fragrant and true to style, but all just a little more autumnal, with more obvious sultana / almost the tang of raisins / glacé fig qualities, rather than the hints of red fruits in some of the others. Palate is astonishingly concentrated, richer and sweeter than the other Portuguese wines, yet showing attractive integration with the oak. There is not quite the piquant / enticing quality (and delicacy) some of the wines show, instead a little cooked prune and a hint of caramel maybe, but the Graham’s concentration and length of finish almost makes up for that. Tasters liked this flavoursome wine, five rating it their top, five their second, a thought of barolo mentioned. It will cellar for years. GK 05/18
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ cork; clone Abel, 6 years, harvested @ 1.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, 4 days cold soak, 14 days cuvaison: 12 months French oak 50% new; Robinson '05: Dark crimson. Very sweet with a little oak obvious. Lots of jewelly fruit but quite a bit oak too. Just slightly too much which is a shame – not as delicate as the best Martinboroughs. 16; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big ruby, a little more flush of carmine and velvet than the straight Peregrine or Mt Difficulty. This is a little more like the Bendigo wine, not giving its all so readily, and greatly benefitting from decanting. It opens to darkest florals like the Bendigo, darkest cherry and bottled black doris plums, clearly varietal in a deep rich way. Both bouquet and palate are differentiated from the other top wines by a subliminal hint of flowering mint. Palate is closer to the Peregrine and Mt Difficulty, superb black cherry length, not the tannin of the Bendigo. The texture on palate may be superior to the top two wines, and there is no doubt that in five years this Kupe is going to be a contender for the topmost 2003 New Zealand pinot noir. At this stage the bouquet is almost nascent. The aftertaste however is divine, real kirsch. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Big ruby, a little more flush of carmine and velvet than the straight Peregrine or Mt Difficulty. This is a little more like the Bendigo wine, not giving its all so readily, and greatly benefitting from decanting. It opens to darkest florals like the Bendigo, darkest cherry and bottled black doris plums, clearly varietal in a deep rich way. Both bouquet and palate are differentiated from the other top wines by a subliminal hint of flowering mint. Palate is closer to the Peregrine and Mt Difficulty, superb black cherry length, not the tannin of the Bendigo. The texture on palate may be superior to the top two wines, and there is no doubt that in five years this Kupe is going to be a contender for the topmost 2003 New Zealand pinot noir. At this stage the bouquet is almost nascent. The aftertaste however is divine, real kirsch. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; Me 62%, CS 13, Sy 13, CF 12, hand-picked from mostly 10-year old vines; cuvaison approx 30 days; 16 months in French oak c.40% new; RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; lightly fined and filtered; Parker: 92+, Robinson: 16.5; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, but (reasonably) not as fresh as the 2013s, just in the top third for depth. The bouquet here is very beautiful indeed, showing a concentration of ripe berry and florality which is rare in Hawkes Bay blends whether from Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay. There are nearly violets on the floral side, slightly masked by vanillin from rather much oak. Fruit quality is darkest plums dominant, but with quite a cassisy note too, the oak aromatics intertwining with the supposed cassis to perhaps confuse the nose. Concentration is good too, though not as rich as the 2011 Church Road Cabernet Grand Reserve, or 2009 Tom. This wine is totally of classed-growth standard, but Saint-Emilion in style (except for the oak). It is notably fresher than 2009 Tom, and highly attractive. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, but (reasonably) not as fresh as the 2013s, just in the top third for depth. The bouquet here is very beautiful indeed, showing a concentration of ripe berry and florality which is rare in Hawkes Bay blends whether from Bordeaux or Hawkes Bay. There are nearly violets on the floral side, slightly masked by vanillin from rather much oak. Fruit quality is darkest plums dominant, but with quite a cassisy note too, the oak aromatics intertwining with the supposed cassis to perhaps confuse the nose. Concentration is good too, though not as rich as the 2011 Church Road Cabernet Grand Reserve, or 2009 Tom. This wine is totally of classed-growth standard, but Saint-Emilion in style (except for the oak). It is notably fresher than 2009 Tom, and highly attractive. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/14
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $41 [ Cork, 50 mm; now Gr 65%, Mv 25, Sy 10, cropped at 3.9 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; Parker rating for year 98; elevation two years in large oak, up to 50% new; note J.L-L has quite a different rendering of these ‘facts’, and he is such an assiduous researcher of the Northern Rhone I am inclined to believe him: 60% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, 7% various others – Syrah, Cinsault, large wood but little new, wine bought from up to 40 suppliers; J.L-L, pre-2013: ... full red. Wide, promising nose that is well-filled, with dark red fruit, mulberry, tobacco, mocha – a bouquet of substance. The palate holds tightly packed dark red fruits with plenty of tannin close beside them. It is more complete and complex than the 2009 Gigondas, has a sense of fire in its veins, a real six-pack style torso. It has a fresh declension, with its southern strength well sustained. Good length, too. From 2015. 2032-2034, ****(*); J Dunnuck @ Parker, 2013: A blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah that spent 24 months in older foudres, the 2010 Gigondas is a classic effort that offers up quality spice, underbrush, loamy soil and mulled dark fruits to go with a medium-bodied, rich, supple profile on the palate. Beautifully done, with chewy tannin lending some focus and grip on the finish, it should have 12-15 years of longevity, 91; Wine Spectator, 2014: Ripe, with notes of mulling spices weaving around the core of steeped plum and macerated currant fruit. Hints of licorice snap, wood spice and black tea fill in on the fleshy finish. Drink now through 2017. 2,200 cases imported, 90; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The three Gigondas were placed as wines six to eight in the sequence, and sequenced simply in vintage order, so tasters could concentrate on the difference in style of a grenache-led wine vs the syrahs, and then see how they varied with the vintage, and age. The bouquet on number six, this wine, was therefore a dramatic contrast to the five syrahs Brune & Blonde which preceded it. It was more red fruits, more cinnamon spicy, suggestions of thyme and rosemary garrigue character adding a quite different aromatic quality, compared with the cassis of the best syrahs, just lovely. Palate is in one sense rich and flavoursome, furry-tannins of youth, yet in another sense it is light and refreshing. This is the great thing about good Gigondas: it has not ‘put on weight’ with the clumsy alcohol too many modern Chateauneuf-du-Papes now display. Yes, the alcohol may be a little more than the given 14%, but nowhere near the 15 + % increasingly the norm in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This wine is uncannily fresh, the raspberry fruit still somewhat separate from the oak, but you feel it will marry up wonderfully, with its gorgeous freshness pointing to a lovely fragrant wine many years down the track. Two people had this as their second favourite wine of the evening, even up against the grands crus. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The three Gigondas were placed as wines six to eight in the sequence, and sequenced simply in vintage order, so tasters could concentrate on the difference in style of a grenache-led wine vs the syrahs, and then see how they varied with the vintage, and age. The bouquet on number six, this wine, was therefore a dramatic contrast to the five syrahs Brune & Blonde which preceded it. It was more red fruits, more cinnamon spicy, suggestions of thyme and rosemary garrigue character adding a quite different aromatic quality, compared with the cassis of the best syrahs, just lovely. Palate is in one sense rich and flavoursome, furry-tannins of youth, yet in another sense it is light and refreshing. This is the great thing about good Gigondas: it has not ‘put on weight’ with the clumsy alcohol too many modern Chateauneuf-du-Papes now display. Yes, the alcohol may be a little more than the given 14%, but nowhere near the 15 + % increasingly the norm in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This wine is uncannily fresh, the raspberry fruit still somewhat separate from the oak, but you feel it will marry up wonderfully, with its gorgeous freshness pointing to a lovely fragrant wine many years down the track. Two people had this as their second favourite wine of the evening, even up against the grands crus. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/17
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France: 12%; $640 [ cork; Ch 100%; en tirage c. 10 years; Salon compares the 1996 with 1928, on an informative website; current vintage price in NZ c.$525; www.salondelamotte.com ]
Lemonstraw, younger and almost shining, one of the lightest in hue yet not at all weak-looking. Initially poured, the bouquet was not quite enchanting, but the flavour was superb. After 20 minutes or so, bouquet had subtly changed to crumb of best baguette rather than crust, with clear white mushroom notes. In mouth it immediately looked like a high-chardonnay wine, with a purity of flavour and autolysis which is compelling. It simply became better and better. This is one of the youngest-tasting wines in the batch, it is not one of the notably rich wines, but the balance is perfect. Dosage might be around the 8 g/L mark. You feel this would cellar for many years. GK 11/14
Lemonstraw, younger and almost shining, one of the lightest in hue yet not at all weak-looking. Initially poured, the bouquet was not quite enchanting, but the flavour was superb. After 20 minutes or so, bouquet had subtly changed to crumb of best baguette rather than crust, with clear white mushroom notes. In mouth it immediately looked like a high-chardonnay wine, with a purity of flavour and autolysis which is compelling. It simply became better and better. This is one of the youngest-tasting wines in the batch, it is not one of the notably rich wines, but the balance is perfect. Dosage might be around the 8 g/L mark. You feel this would cellar for many years. GK 11/14
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $22 [ screwcap; machine-harvested in evening, minimal skin contact, all cool s/s fermentation; RS 1 g/L; website: 'a record dry, early and warm season in Marlborough, with growing degree days 10% above the long-term average, and 40% of the normal rainfall'; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Lemon, not quite the perfect green wash of the Taylors Pass wine. Bouquet is very close to it, however, reflecting a welcome return to form for this label after a (relatively – for Astrolabe) disappointing 2014. There is a gorgeous yellow honeysuckle complexity note here, on similar nectarine and black passionfruit pulp fruit, and sautéed red capsicum. This wine too has the magical sweet basil complexity note seen in the Taylors Pass wine, but in addition it hints, merely hints note, at trace musky sweat / armpit aroma. This is a musky thiol character I'm generally down on, but at this level it melds almost insensibly into black passionfruit, as much the purple skin as the yellow pulp. Palate is aromatic and lovely, drier than the Taylors Pass [ confirmed ], and arguably therefore the superior wine. This wine too is a model New Zealand sauvignon blanc, as year in, year out, one or other of the two Astrolabe Sauvignon Blancs from the Wairau or Awatere Valley invariably is. Note however this wine illustrates a near-maximum desirable level of the armpit complexity character. It is worth repeating that the offensively sour sweaty wines which won gold medals in the first few years of this century were an absolute judging aberration, which threatened to derail New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/16
Lemon, not quite the perfect green wash of the Taylors Pass wine. Bouquet is very close to it, however, reflecting a welcome return to form for this label after a (relatively – for Astrolabe) disappointing 2014. There is a gorgeous yellow honeysuckle complexity note here, on similar nectarine and black passionfruit pulp fruit, and sautéed red capsicum. This wine too has the magical sweet basil complexity note seen in the Taylors Pass wine, but in addition it hints, merely hints note, at trace musky sweat / armpit aroma. This is a musky thiol character I'm generally down on, but at this level it melds almost insensibly into black passionfruit, as much the purple skin as the yellow pulp. Palate is aromatic and lovely, drier than the Taylors Pass [ confirmed ], and arguably therefore the superior wine. This wine too is a model New Zealand sauvignon blanc, as year in, year out, one or other of the two Astrolabe Sauvignon Blancs from the Wairau or Awatere Valley invariably is. Note however this wine illustrates a near-maximum desirable level of the armpit complexity character. It is worth repeating that the offensively sour sweaty wines which won gold medals in the first few years of this century were an absolute judging aberration, which threatened to derail New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/16
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $88 [ cork, 55 mm; original price $125; Sy 100%, hand-harvested at c. 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; destemmed, up to 25 days cuvaison, 12 months in new and 1-year 600 L barrels; not fined, filtered; good to have a tasting note from John Livingstone-Learmonth, the authority on the Northern Rhone: J.L-L, 2015: The nose is attractive ... black berry fruit, with buffed leather, dark cherry ... ripe, the depth stylish. The palate is generous, tasty, long, fresh as it ends. Good balance here. The dark fruit is seasoned with pepper, spice, and oak just on show as it ends. All parts fit well; it is harmonious, [ to ] 2032, ****(*); Robinson, 2014: Cask sample. In demi-muids [ 600-litre ] for 12 months. Deep blackish purple. Very broad nose with such a weight of fruit that it is initially quite difficult to see the tannins but it is all there and rather exciting. Very long-term wine but one in which the quality can be discerned already. Excellent balance and tension, 18; Dunnuck @ Parker, 2015: ... has fabulous purity in its classic black currants, smoked herbs, pepper and crushed rock-like minerality ... medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful mid-palate depth ... 20 or more years of overall longevity, 92; production c. 500 x 9-litre cases; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 632 g; www.yannchave.com ]
Rich ruby and velvet, not the freshness of some of the New Zealand wines, but the second deepest. Initially opened, the wine is a bit brooding. It opens up to textbook dianthus varietal florals on cassisy and darkly plummy berry, some black pepper, with quite a lot of oak showing, both new and old. Palate is a notch oakier again, a powerful wine, but the first thing you notice is the carnation florals permeate right through the palate, intense, lovely, and unusual. This is an attribute of the finest French wines we still have difficulty matching in New Zealand, both in syrah and pinot noir. The fruit dries more quickly on the tongue than in the top wines, largely due to the interaction with the older cooperage. The richness is not in doubt though, so I suspect this is just a phase. Once this wine crusts in bottle, I think it will be sublime. Like the Villa Reserve, this wine could only be Hermitage, with its power of dark cassisy fruit. Two tasters rated it their top wine, and three thought it the French. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Rich ruby and velvet, not the freshness of some of the New Zealand wines, but the second deepest. Initially opened, the wine is a bit brooding. It opens up to textbook dianthus varietal florals on cassisy and darkly plummy berry, some black pepper, with quite a lot of oak showing, both new and old. Palate is a notch oakier again, a powerful wine, but the first thing you notice is the carnation florals permeate right through the palate, intense, lovely, and unusual. This is an attribute of the finest French wines we still have difficulty matching in New Zealand, both in syrah and pinot noir. The fruit dries more quickly on the tongue than in the top wines, largely due to the interaction with the older cooperage. The richness is not in doubt though, so I suspect this is just a phase. Once this wine crusts in bottle, I think it will be sublime. Like the Villa Reserve, this wine could only be Hermitage, with its power of dark cassisy fruit. Two tasters rated it their top wine, and three thought it the French. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Me 94%, Ma 6; fermented in oak cuves = vats, a premium approach from Bordeaux; up to 5 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 20 months in French oak 42% new; not fined or filtered; RS < 1 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top quarter for weight of colour amongst the Hawkes Bay blends. Initially opened, the wine is warm and inviting, a little oaky. It breathes up to lovely cassisy bottled black doris berry and fruit, with potentially cedary oak. It is fully ripe but not over-ripe, showing the floral highlights of the variety. Palate is soft and very accessible, with excellent concentration and ripeness. This is what merlot should be like. It is a great pity some of the producers of the too many miserable New Zealand offerings labelled merlot do not taste more widely, and register how inadequate their wines are alongside a wine like this, which from time to time is available at $20 (though the RRP is higher). Perhaps this wine is a little fleshy and obvious in style, perhaps it is not intended for long keeping, but it is delicious in a slightly oaky way. These McDonald Series wines are the old Cuve Series, moved upmarket with a new simpler name and a higher price. In the reprehensible way big companies like Pernod-Ricard can so easily do, this series of wines is sometimes being offered to supermarkets and big chains at a discounted price which means they can be retailed for LESS than individual-proprietor wine merchants can buy them wholesale. This is an offensive practice. So at times these wines can be had for $20 – $22, against the RRP of $33, and at such times are compelling VALUE. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top quarter for weight of colour amongst the Hawkes Bay blends. Initially opened, the wine is warm and inviting, a little oaky. It breathes up to lovely cassisy bottled black doris berry and fruit, with potentially cedary oak. It is fully ripe but not over-ripe, showing the floral highlights of the variety. Palate is soft and very accessible, with excellent concentration and ripeness. This is what merlot should be like. It is a great pity some of the producers of the too many miserable New Zealand offerings labelled merlot do not taste more widely, and register how inadequate their wines are alongside a wine like this, which from time to time is available at $20 (though the RRP is higher). Perhaps this wine is a little fleshy and obvious in style, perhaps it is not intended for long keeping, but it is delicious in a slightly oaky way. These McDonald Series wines are the old Cuve Series, moved upmarket with a new simpler name and a higher price. In the reprehensible way big companies like Pernod-Ricard can so easily do, this series of wines is sometimes being offered to supermarkets and big chains at a discounted price which means they can be retailed for LESS than individual-proprietor wine merchants can buy them wholesale. This is an offensive practice. So at times these wines can be had for $20 – $22, against the RRP of $33, and at such times are compelling VALUE. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; a single-vineyard wine from the upper slopes of the famous Hill of Hermitage; 15 – 18 months in 50% new French oak; this wine from magnum; www.chapoutier.com ]
Elegant mid-ruby, not much sign of age showing, the lightest of the syrahs. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, a meld of black cherry, cassis and blueberry, subtle oak, the wine lightly aromatic, smelling refreshing and food-friendly. Palate follows perfectly, more big pinot noir than syrah in size, the flavours complex cassis and blueberry, but more subtle than the Craggy or Torbreck wines, and therefore better at table. A spicing of black pepper adds interest. New oak is exquisitely soft and complex, subordinate. This wine is probably approaching maturity in 750s, but this sample being from magnum, is relatively youthful. The smallest of the syrahs, but the most beautiful. Cellar maybe 5 – 15 years. GK 12/17
Elegant mid-ruby, not much sign of age showing, the lightest of the syrahs. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, a meld of black cherry, cassis and blueberry, subtle oak, the wine lightly aromatic, smelling refreshing and food-friendly. Palate follows perfectly, more big pinot noir than syrah in size, the flavours complex cassis and blueberry, but more subtle than the Craggy or Torbreck wines, and therefore better at table. A spicing of black pepper adds interest. New oak is exquisitely soft and complex, subordinate. This wine is probably approaching maturity in 750s, but this sample being from magnum, is relatively youthful. The smallest of the syrahs, but the most beautiful. Cellar maybe 5 – 15 years. GK 12/17
Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia: 12.5%; $ – [ cork, 49mm; original price $21.95; together with Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series, this is Australia’s most famous chardonnay; Tyrrell pioneered barrel-fermentation and French oak for chardonnay in Australia, from the 1973 vintage; www.tyrrells.com.au ]
Deep lemon, scarcely detectable straw, the lightest wine. Bouquet is benchmark clean straight chardonnay, with a faint fragrance reminiscent of fine Hunter Semillon of similar age, but as soon as you think of that, you have to cross it out, because this wine smells rich. Flavours are still youthful, yellow nectarine not as deep as mendoza, superb lees-autolysis of benchmark quality, with subtlest oak scarcely tasteable yet you would know instantly if it weren't there. This wine is altogether a benchmark experience, showing how far ahead of us the Australians were with chardonnay, in the 1980s. It stood absolutely equal with a 2007 Billaud-Simon Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru seen shortly after. Will hold some years. Top or second wine wine for five tasters. GK 09/15
Deep lemon, scarcely detectable straw, the lightest wine. Bouquet is benchmark clean straight chardonnay, with a faint fragrance reminiscent of fine Hunter Semillon of similar age, but as soon as you think of that, you have to cross it out, because this wine smells rich. Flavours are still youthful, yellow nectarine not as deep as mendoza, superb lees-autolysis of benchmark quality, with subtlest oak scarcely tasteable yet you would know instantly if it weren't there. This wine is altogether a benchmark experience, showing how far ahead of us the Australians were with chardonnay, in the 1980s. It stood absolutely equal with a 2007 Billaud-Simon Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru seen shortly after. Will hold some years. Top or second wine wine for five tasters. GK 09/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $37 [ screwcap; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 3.4 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation; 17 months in French oak 54% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. Quite apart from the 'oh, wow ! look at the alcohol' factor, this wine is the dark horse in the race. It does not at this stage have quite the explicitly beautiful floral bouquet of the other top wines, and yet all the floral components are there, understated, on cassis and berry and plum. The palate is marvellous, nearly as velvety as Bullnose, less oaky than le Sol or the Esk, just a lovely mouthful of cassisy, plummy and slightly spicy syrah. The Villa pair look a little acid alongside (which may explain their heightened florals). This is by far the most beautiful Block 14 yet, in its fragrance and poise. Conversely, those who put brawn above finesse will think it lesser than last year's. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. Quite apart from the 'oh, wow ! look at the alcohol' factor, this wine is the dark horse in the race. It does not at this stage have quite the explicitly beautiful floral bouquet of the other top wines, and yet all the floral components are there, understated, on cassis and berry and plum. The palate is marvellous, nearly as velvety as Bullnose, less oaky than le Sol or the Esk, just a lovely mouthful of cassisy, plummy and slightly spicy syrah. The Villa pair look a little acid alongside (which may explain their heightened florals). This is by far the most beautiful Block 14 yet, in its fragrance and poise. Conversely, those who put brawn above finesse will think it lesser than last year's. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $53 [ cork, 45 mm; Gr 65 – 70%, Mv 15 – 20, Sy 10 – 12, Ci & vaccarese 3 – 5; 20% whole bunches, cuvaison 28 days, Gr, Ci & Va raised in vat, Mv & Sy in new and 1-year small oak, 16 – 18 months; not fined but is filtered; J.L-L: ... dark red berry, with classic herbs ... a lovely Grenache heart to it, very true ... is not overdone and heady like so many Chateauneufs, *****; Parker, 2012: gamy, meaty notes intermixed with bouquet garni, licorice, black currants and kirsch ... Spicy, fat, fleshy and evolved and forward for a 2010 ..., 93; typical production up to 5000 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 653 g; www.domaine-les-cailloux.fr ]
Ruby, some development, clearly below midway in depth. This wine demonstrates an almost perfect ‘typical’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet, at best I hasten to add. The near-floral garrigue aromatics are sensational, again almost mouthwatering, on red fruits and lovely cedary oak, illustrating that the Chateauneuf-du-Pape cepage can handle / benefit from appropriate oak. Palate is lighter than the top wines, but wonderfully supple and long all the same, the enchanting garrigue notes persisting right through, like rose florals in fine pinot noir. It is good to see a pure Brunel too: in earlier years there was brett chez Brunel. The lighter alcohol here coupled with perfect ripeness highlights a fact more Chateauneuf-du-Pape producers need to be thinking about: these wines don't need 15% plus ripeness / alcohol. The whole recent trend to winemakers pursuing over-ripeness in the Rhone Valley has been a consequence of producers seeking high rankings from American-only wine reviewers. It is time to say, the world at large does not want this trend. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Two people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Ruby, some development, clearly below midway in depth. This wine demonstrates an almost perfect ‘typical’ Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet, at best I hasten to add. The near-floral garrigue aromatics are sensational, again almost mouthwatering, on red fruits and lovely cedary oak, illustrating that the Chateauneuf-du-Pape cepage can handle / benefit from appropriate oak. Palate is lighter than the top wines, but wonderfully supple and long all the same, the enchanting garrigue notes persisting right through, like rose florals in fine pinot noir. It is good to see a pure Brunel too: in earlier years there was brett chez Brunel. The lighter alcohol here coupled with perfect ripeness highlights a fact more Chateauneuf-du-Pape producers need to be thinking about: these wines don't need 15% plus ripeness / alcohol. The whole recent trend to winemakers pursuing over-ripeness in the Rhone Valley has been a consequence of producers seeking high rankings from American-only wine reviewers. It is time to say, the world at large does not want this trend. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Two people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; fruit from both Southern Valleys and Wairau Plains, mix of hand-pick and machine, at roughly 9 – 10 t/ha = 3.6 – 4 t/ac; no SO2 at press, no skin contact, only the lightest pressings used, all juice cold-settled then into barrels, 93% older oak (up to 9 years), 7% new (light toast); long wild-yeast fermentations quite warm initially, usually extending to 11 – 12 months, occasionally longer, MLF typically 66% but ranging from 50 – 75% of barrels; the wine then assembled in s/s with full lees and held 6 or so months; RS 5.5 g/L, sterile-filtered to bottle; Wild has now grown to 25% of all Greywacke sauvignon; www.greywacke.com ]
Lemonstraw, the deepest wine, still fresh and vigorous for its age. This is the first of the line, marking the debut of Greywacke Wild Sauvignon. Bouquet is more like the 2011, a clean ripe sweet sauvignon component with clear freesia florals melding with sweet basil and red capsicum, just wonderful. It smells rich. Flavour is softer, richer and bigger than the 2013 and 2011 wines, but otherwise very similar, with a rich tactile later palate. The richness almost suggests glycerol, which completely obscures the fact that this is the sweetest of the wines, nearer six than three grams per litre. This wine is on its plateau of maturity, but there is no hurry at all. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Lemonstraw, the deepest wine, still fresh and vigorous for its age. This is the first of the line, marking the debut of Greywacke Wild Sauvignon. Bouquet is more like the 2011, a clean ripe sweet sauvignon component with clear freesia florals melding with sweet basil and red capsicum, just wonderful. It smells rich. Flavour is softer, richer and bigger than the 2013 and 2011 wines, but otherwise very similar, with a rich tactile later palate. The richness almost suggests glycerol, which completely obscures the fact that this is the sweetest of the wines, nearer six than three grams per litre. This wine is on its plateau of maturity, but there is no hurry at all. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe longer. GK 05/17
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; SB 90%, Se 10; screwcap; 5 separate picks to achieve flavour complexity, @ < 4 t/ac; RS 3 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Lemongreen, a little deeper than the Matua, not as rich as Te Koko. Bouquet is wonderfully ripe sweet and gently complex sauvignon, a little more complex than the Matua Reserve, simpler but as satisfying as Te Koko, absolutely mainstream alongside the Dog Point. In mouth, the body and dry extract of the wine immediately strikes you, the beauty of the sweet basil aromatics and black passionfruit fruit, plus a touch of ripest red capsicum, all complexed by considerable lees-autolysis and maybe some near-invisible barrel fermentation. [ On checking, there is no barrel-ferment or oak component at all. Good sauvignon blanc so often has this fine oak-like aromatic to it – it is damnably easy to be fooled.] Finish is Marlborough 'dry'. If Te Koko, like Section 94, is a bit too much / too intense for your taste, try this exquisite Marlborough sauvignon. It should cellar well 2 – 10 years, or longer. GK 05/08
Lemongreen, a little deeper than the Matua, not as rich as Te Koko. Bouquet is wonderfully ripe sweet and gently complex sauvignon, a little more complex than the Matua Reserve, simpler but as satisfying as Te Koko, absolutely mainstream alongside the Dog Point. In mouth, the body and dry extract of the wine immediately strikes you, the beauty of the sweet basil aromatics and black passionfruit fruit, plus a touch of ripest red capsicum, all complexed by considerable lees-autolysis and maybe some near-invisible barrel fermentation. [ On checking, there is no barrel-ferment or oak component at all. Good sauvignon blanc so often has this fine oak-like aromatic to it – it is damnably easy to be fooled.] Finish is Marlborough 'dry'. If Te Koko, like Section 94, is a bit too much / too intense for your taste, try this exquisite Marlborough sauvignon. It should cellar well 2 – 10 years, or longer. GK 05/08
Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia: 13.5%; $192 [ screwcap; Brokenwood's top shiraz; all French oak and little or none new – wonderful; Halliday vintage rating Hunter Valley 8 /10 for 2013; www.brokenwoodwines.com ]
Ruby, a wash of carmine and velvet, in the lightest quarter of the non-pinot reds. Bouquet is intriguing, immediately nearly floral, but you can't decide whether that is on vanillin from the oak, or subliminal mint as in flowering mint. Below is a softer spectrum of shiraz fruit qualities than most Australian examples of the variety, mulberry and plummy, ripened beyond cassis, almost conceivable as syrah. Even at the blind stage, you wonder if this is could be a 'Hunter burgundy' winestyle. Palate continues that impression, a little more aromatic now, a little more like The McRae Wood, more serious oak than the Barry Veto, but still acceptable, acid adjustment a little noticeable and detracting slightly. Even so, this is sophisticated wine. What a joy that there are sophisticated Australian shirazes, in this fanciful-price class. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, a wash of carmine and velvet, in the lightest quarter of the non-pinot reds. Bouquet is intriguing, immediately nearly floral, but you can't decide whether that is on vanillin from the oak, or subliminal mint as in flowering mint. Below is a softer spectrum of shiraz fruit qualities than most Australian examples of the variety, mulberry and plummy, ripened beyond cassis, almost conceivable as syrah. Even at the blind stage, you wonder if this is could be a 'Hunter burgundy' winestyle. Palate continues that impression, a little more aromatic now, a little more like The McRae Wood, more serious oak than the Barry Veto, but still acceptable, acid adjustment a little noticeable and detracting slightly. Even so, this is sophisticated wine. What a joy that there are sophisticated Australian shirazes, in this fanciful-price class. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.2%; $29 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 49%, Me 32, Ma 10, CF 9, hand-picked; up to 20 days cuvaison, cultured yeast; time in French and American oak 80 / 20, none new; ‘Bright bramble and blackcurrant fruit with merlot adding hints of spice and chocolate.’; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, virtually identical in weight and hue to the 2007 Coleraine. Bouquet shows clear lifted florals reminiscent of violets, on beautifully fresh cassis, blackberry and darkest plum. The oak is fragrant too, and potentially cedary. Palate is vivid cabernet / merlot, fresh and fragrant dark berry flavours as for bouquet, very aromatic, all fractionally softer than the Coleraine (which is the best in years). Comparison with the Isola is fascinating, each time one looks at them there are different facets appealing. As a pair to cellar, they are going to provide great interest for years to come – both are made by Martin Pickering. This wine is completely pure, the aftertaste is glorious, and it can be cellared with confidence 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, virtually identical in weight and hue to the 2007 Coleraine. Bouquet shows clear lifted florals reminiscent of violets, on beautifully fresh cassis, blackberry and darkest plum. The oak is fragrant too, and potentially cedary. Palate is vivid cabernet / merlot, fresh and fragrant dark berry flavours as for bouquet, very aromatic, all fractionally softer than the Coleraine (which is the best in years). Comparison with the Isola is fascinating, each time one looks at them there are different facets appealing. As a pair to cellar, they are going to provide great interest for years to come – both are made by Martin Pickering. This wine is completely pure, the aftertaste is glorious, and it can be cellared with confidence 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12%; $30 [ screwcap; sequentially hand-harvested; BF in French oak, plus a further 6 or so months LA in barrel; RS 199 g/L; www.trinityhill.com ]
Rich lemon, the faintest wash of gold. Bouquet is immediately fragrant, clean, enticing, not aggressive on VA, showing wonderful botrytis and gentle citrus blossom on slightly aromatic white stonefruit aromas. It almost reminds of some Rheingau very late-harvest rieslings. In mouth, the true varietal quality opens up, lovely gentle canned apricots with a thought of lychees too, the waxy botrytis continuing totally noble, with refreshing acid to balance the sweetness delightfully. Viognier is usually a quickly-maturing wine, and presumably even a highly-botrytised pure example like this wine won't cellar for too long – say a maximum of five years. This is much the most elegant and satisfying botrytised viognier from Trinity Hill (or New Zealand) so far. GK 04/08
Rich lemon, the faintest wash of gold. Bouquet is immediately fragrant, clean, enticing, not aggressive on VA, showing wonderful botrytis and gentle citrus blossom on slightly aromatic white stonefruit aromas. It almost reminds of some Rheingau very late-harvest rieslings. In mouth, the true varietal quality opens up, lovely gentle canned apricots with a thought of lychees too, the waxy botrytis continuing totally noble, with refreshing acid to balance the sweetness delightfully. Viognier is usually a quickly-maturing wine, and presumably even a highly-botrytised pure example like this wine won't cellar for too long – say a maximum of five years. This is much the most elegant and satisfying botrytised viognier from Trinity Hill (or New Zealand) so far. GK 04/08
Mangatahi, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $27 [ cork; grapes not given, but assumption is sauvignon blanc and semillon; Mangatahi is in the Ngaruroro River valley some 25 km west of Hastings; all hand-picked and sorted, some fruit de-stemmed, some whole-bunch; some barrel-ferment and lees autolysis; www.alluviale.com ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet here is in one sense more complex than the Astrolabe Awatere, in that oak is involved, but in another way it is not so perfectly varietal. Ripe fruit, barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis, and some SO2 are still to marry up, but the direction is clearly towards a complex Graves style. Palate is black passionfruit more than red capsicums, showing good body, great length with the barrel-ferment / new oak component noticeable, again a little SO2 to resolve. This will be exciting wine in a year’s time, and make a fine comparison with wines such as Te Mata’s Cape Crest and Sacred Hill’s Sauvage in Hawkes Bay, as well as the intensely varietal sauvignons such as Section 94 and Te Koko from Marlborough. Alluviale Blanc seems softer than some of these wines, which could help it with food. It is a more substantial wine than the stainless steel Astrolabes, but does not achieve their exquisite varietal definition. Personal preference here, but either way, Alluviale Blanc is a great addition to the ranks of modern sophisticated New Zealand sauvignons. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Lemongreen. Bouquet here is in one sense more complex than the Astrolabe Awatere, in that oak is involved, but in another way it is not so perfectly varietal. Ripe fruit, barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis, and some SO2 are still to marry up, but the direction is clearly towards a complex Graves style. Palate is black passionfruit more than red capsicums, showing good body, great length with the barrel-ferment / new oak component noticeable, again a little SO2 to resolve. This will be exciting wine in a year’s time, and make a fine comparison with wines such as Te Mata’s Cape Crest and Sacred Hill’s Sauvage in Hawkes Bay, as well as the intensely varietal sauvignons such as Section 94 and Te Koko from Marlborough. Alluviale Blanc seems softer than some of these wines, which could help it with food. It is a more substantial wine than the stainless steel Astrolabes, but does not achieve their exquisite varietal definition. Personal preference here, but either way, Alluviale Blanc is a great addition to the ranks of modern sophisticated New Zealand sauvignons. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ cork; DFB; Me 86%, CF 14, hand-harvested @ 3.5 t/ac; 20 months in French oak 50% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. Bouquet is superbly midnight-dark cassis and violets, plus blackest plum and almost blackberry (in the subtlest sense), magically fragrant and pure, subtle oak, a little fresher than Sophia, total east-bank Bordeaux such as classed St Emilion in style. And the best thing about it is the alcohol seems lower than some of these wines, though perfectly ripe. Palate is velvety rich, a little lighter than Sophia but still saturated dark berry flavours, no hint of sur-maturité though riper than the 2004, new oak in balance, all suited to cellaring 5 – 20 years. At c. $31, this is the best-value premium quality Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend in New Zealand. [ My earlier review of this wine I now think must have been a cork-affected / scalped bottle.] VALUE GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest. Bouquet is superbly midnight-dark cassis and violets, plus blackest plum and almost blackberry (in the subtlest sense), magically fragrant and pure, subtle oak, a little fresher than Sophia, total east-bank Bordeaux such as classed St Emilion in style. And the best thing about it is the alcohol seems lower than some of these wines, though perfectly ripe. Palate is velvety rich, a little lighter than Sophia but still saturated dark berry flavours, no hint of sur-maturité though riper than the 2004, new oak in balance, all suited to cellaring 5 – 20 years. At c. $31, this is the best-value premium quality Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend in New Zealand. [ My earlier review of this wine I now think must have been a cork-affected / scalped bottle.] VALUE GK 05/07
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ cork; hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; cultured yeast, MLF and c.12 months in barrel 20% new French, 40% second-year French, balance older mixed; light fining; 125 cases; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the deepest wine in the Auckland release tasting, slightly fresher than Homage. Bouquet on this wine is pinpoint Syrah taken to the optimal stage of ripeness where soft wallflower florals are clearly retained, and classical cassis berry is just grading into dark bottled black doris plums. This level of physiological maturity with subtle cracked black peppercorns in simple terms matches a wine from a great year on the Hill of Hermitage. Palate is textbook syrah, showing a similar quality of French oak to Homage but not quite so much of it, so the berry definition of cassis and a hint of blueberry is clear, and the firmness on palate slightly less. It is therefore slightly more fleshy than the Trinity Hill wine. This is great Syrah too, and for Waiheke Island the absolute benchmark wine so far, because it is completely free of brett – a joy. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 07/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the deepest wine in the Auckland release tasting, slightly fresher than Homage. Bouquet on this wine is pinpoint Syrah taken to the optimal stage of ripeness where soft wallflower florals are clearly retained, and classical cassis berry is just grading into dark bottled black doris plums. This level of physiological maturity with subtle cracked black peppercorns in simple terms matches a wine from a great year on the Hill of Hermitage. Palate is textbook syrah, showing a similar quality of French oak to Homage but not quite so much of it, so the berry definition of cassis and a hint of blueberry is clear, and the firmness on palate slightly less. It is therefore slightly more fleshy than the Trinity Hill wine. This is great Syrah too, and for Waiheke Island the absolute benchmark wine so far, because it is completely free of brett – a joy. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 07/10
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $234 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100%; c. 20 months in older 600 – 1800-litre foudres, not filtered; J.L-L: black fruit aroma … very classic Cornas: *****; no website found, good information at the Europvin website, and; www.kermitlynch.com/our-wines/auguste-clape ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest and youngest of the syrahs. Quality of bouquet here is tremendous, showing classic black-pepper / spicy and cassisy syrah of great complexity, with clearcut suggestions of new oak. Popular mythology has it that there is no new oak in the Clape cellar in that era, but the style of the wine is incontrovertible, in the glass. Palate is sweet, ripe, rich, an even more perfect expression of syrah the aromatic black grape than the 2001 Chave. On palate it certainly shows less new oak influence than the Chave. A glorious pair of wines, the Clape to cellar to 20 years. GK 02/16
Ruby and velvet, the deepest and youngest of the syrahs. Quality of bouquet here is tremendous, showing classic black-pepper / spicy and cassisy syrah of great complexity, with clearcut suggestions of new oak. Popular mythology has it that there is no new oak in the Clape cellar in that era, but the style of the wine is incontrovertible, in the glass. Palate is sweet, ripe, rich, an even more perfect expression of syrah the aromatic black grape than the 2001 Chave. On palate it certainly shows less new oak influence than the Chave. A glorious pair of wines, the Clape to cellar to 20 years. GK 02/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ screwcap; Me 62%, CS 38, 12 – 14 years age, cropped at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; 25% hand-picked, balance new-generation Pellenc Selectiv harvester; cuvaison up to 28 days for Me, up to 42 days for CS; MLF in tank and barrel; 18 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; not sterile-filtered; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, still almost some carmine, remarkable, near-identical to the great 2010 Ch Palmer, seen the same day. The quality of bouquet here is wonderful, showing vibrant cassis-led berry of great excitement and freshness, on darkly plummy fruit and potentially cedary oak. It is very fragrant but not markedly floral, more darkest roses melding with brown pipe tobacco, totally bordeaux-like. In mouth the freshness of cassisy berry is dramatic, fruit weight is good but not quite the magic amplitude of the Braided Gravels Merlot, and oak might be fractionally higher. 2010 in Hawkes Bay was not as ripe and beautiful as 2009, and this wine therefore reflects a certain tautness. But it is ripe and remarkably under-developed, being under screwcap, so its beauty and full flowering lies in the future. This wine immediately sets the challenge: is this the best cabernet / merlot blend in Hawkes Bay in 2010 ? The fruit sweetness is phenomenal. An essential wine for future 2010 New Zealand / Australia / Bordeaux / California comparative tastings, provided the wines are decanted to standard bottles so a certain class of taster cannot dismiss the wine, having noticed (even in brown-bags) that it is closed with screwcap. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, still almost some carmine, remarkable, near-identical to the great 2010 Ch Palmer, seen the same day. The quality of bouquet here is wonderful, showing vibrant cassis-led berry of great excitement and freshness, on darkly plummy fruit and potentially cedary oak. It is very fragrant but not markedly floral, more darkest roses melding with brown pipe tobacco, totally bordeaux-like. In mouth the freshness of cassisy berry is dramatic, fruit weight is good but not quite the magic amplitude of the Braided Gravels Merlot, and oak might be fractionally higher. 2010 in Hawkes Bay was not as ripe and beautiful as 2009, and this wine therefore reflects a certain tautness. But it is ripe and remarkably under-developed, being under screwcap, so its beauty and full flowering lies in the future. This wine immediately sets the challenge: is this the best cabernet / merlot blend in Hawkes Bay in 2010 ? The fruit sweetness is phenomenal. An essential wine for future 2010 New Zealand / Australia / Bordeaux / California comparative tastings, provided the wines are decanted to standard bottles so a certain class of taster cannot dismiss the wine, having noticed (even in brown-bags) that it is closed with screwcap. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. GK 11/15
Tukituki Valley 67%, Gimblett Gravels 31% & Bridge Pa Triangle 2%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $34 [ screwcap; Me 100%; all de-stemmed, up to 5 weeks cuvaison; 18 – 20 months in French oak 33% new; RS < 2 g/L, all unfermentable; coarse-filtered only; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, clearly darker than the matching 2011 McDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, as if a little malbec had assisted colour, towards the top of the middle third in depth. Bouquet is every bit as fragrant and beautiful as the sister Cabernet Sauvignon, just softer and more plummy. In mouth it is clearly softer, plumper, richer and less aromatic than the sister wine. These two wines therefore illustrate beautifully the essential style differences between West Bank cabernet-dominant bordeaux and East Bank merlot-dominant wines, in general. The oak balance here is more perfect than the Cabernet, its greater richness better carrying the oak. This is where New Zealand merlot needs to be, style-wise, compared to the too-many weedy merlot wines still lingering in the marketplace. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, clearly darker than the matching 2011 McDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, as if a little malbec had assisted colour, towards the top of the middle third in depth. Bouquet is every bit as fragrant and beautiful as the sister Cabernet Sauvignon, just softer and more plummy. In mouth it is clearly softer, plumper, richer and less aromatic than the sister wine. These two wines therefore illustrate beautifully the essential style differences between West Bank cabernet-dominant bordeaux and East Bank merlot-dominant wines, in general. The oak balance here is more perfect than the Cabernet, its greater richness better carrying the oak. This is where New Zealand merlot needs to be, style-wise, compared to the too-many weedy merlot wines still lingering in the marketplace. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $31 [ screwcap; www.howardparkwines.com.au ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is quieter than the MadFish, with an intriguing citrus zest complexity to it, almost suggesting mandarin and mock orange blossom, in a very subtle riesling setting. Flavours on palate are much more apparent, and now one can see the bouquet components expanding to vanillin and lime-zest flavours, on good fruit and acid balance. Compared with the MadFish, the wine is clearly drier, more lime-zest and seemingly less fine-grained, due to the intensity of dry citrus flavours, all very long. They make a marvellous pair of Australian rieslings, less aggressive than so many New Zealand examples, which will be intriguing to watch over the years, and see whether the slightly sweeter MadFish remains fractionally the more delightful. The scores could easily be reversed. This dry wine should cellar superbly, 5 – 15 years at least. GK 07/06
Pale lemon. Bouquet is quieter than the MadFish, with an intriguing citrus zest complexity to it, almost suggesting mandarin and mock orange blossom, in a very subtle riesling setting. Flavours on palate are much more apparent, and now one can see the bouquet components expanding to vanillin and lime-zest flavours, on good fruit and acid balance. Compared with the MadFish, the wine is clearly drier, more lime-zest and seemingly less fine-grained, due to the intensity of dry citrus flavours, all very long. They make a marvellous pair of Australian rieslings, less aggressive than so many New Zealand examples, which will be intriguing to watch over the years, and see whether the slightly sweeter MadFish remains fractionally the more delightful. The scores could easily be reversed. This dry wine should cellar superbly, 5 – 15 years at least. GK 07/06
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $80 [ laminated champagne cork; cepage c. one third each PN, PM, Ch; extended cool fermentation of the base wine to optimise aroma; all base wines through MLF, 20% reserve wine, no oak; tirage between 36 and 48 months in cooler-than-many cellars, being 33 metres underground; dosage c.9.5 g/L; c. 112,000 cases; great website, vastly improved; www.polroger.com ]
Lemonstraw, one of the richer colours. The quality of autolysis on bouquet for this wine is sensational, simply text book, combining crust of best baguette with the faintest hint of mealy cashew flour and even a thought of desiccated coconut, though there is no oak. The flavour is even better, the baguette-crust sweetening to brioche flavours of great length and charm. There is also a more complex autolysis component on palate too, hinting at Vogel's Multigrain. It is not one of the driest champagnes, but the fine-grained elegance of the palate is exemplary. A real charmer, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Lemonstraw, one of the richer colours. The quality of autolysis on bouquet for this wine is sensational, simply text book, combining crust of best baguette with the faintest hint of mealy cashew flour and even a thought of desiccated coconut, though there is no oak. The flavour is even better, the baguette-crust sweetening to brioche flavours of great length and charm. There is also a more complex autolysis component on palate too, hinting at Vogel's Multigrain. It is not one of the driest champagnes, but the fine-grained elegance of the palate is exemplary. A real charmer, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $209 [ cork; neither fined nor filtered; no info on website yet; www.avco.org/girardin ]
Great pinot noir ruby and velvet, marginally the deepest of all the wines. Bouquet on this wine is dramatic in its dark lilac florals intertwined with the savoury face of brett, so the whole wine cries out for roast beef. Palate has all the weight and potential velvetiness of the Clos de Beze, but at this stage is more youthful, perhaps due to a higher percentage of new oak. This may one day surpass the other top Girardins, except the brett is higher. Aftertaste is pure black cherry. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer, for though the fruit is very rich, the ratio of brett may shorten its cellar life. GK 12/05
Great pinot noir ruby and velvet, marginally the deepest of all the wines. Bouquet on this wine is dramatic in its dark lilac florals intertwined with the savoury face of brett, so the whole wine cries out for roast beef. Palate has all the weight and potential velvetiness of the Clos de Beze, but at this stage is more youthful, perhaps due to a higher percentage of new oak. This may one day surpass the other top Girardins, except the brett is higher. Aftertaste is pure black cherry. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer, for though the fruit is very rich, the ratio of brett may shorten its cellar life. GK 12/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $56 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at c.2,775 vines / ha and cropped @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison 25 – 35 days with 3% whole bunches retained, mostly wild-yeast; MLF in barrel; 16 months in French oak c.38% new; RS <2 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production not disclosed; release date August 2015; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Tony Bish; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a model syrah colour, above midway in depth. This is a quiet one in the field, and thus easy to underestimate. It is riper than the Te Mata, and hence not as floral, but it is also more concentrated, with a gorgeous texture of cassisy berry fruit which lasts and lasts in mouth. At a certain point you realise there is quite a bit of potentially cedary oak, but the wine should harmonise. Like the Elephant Hill, you feel a floral component will emerge, but it is not as concentrated as that wine or the Villa Reserve. Intriguing, a wine not giving too much away at this stage. In the Regional Wines tasting, three people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a model syrah colour, above midway in depth. This is a quiet one in the field, and thus easy to underestimate. It is riper than the Te Mata, and hence not as floral, but it is also more concentrated, with a gorgeous texture of cassisy berry fruit which lasts and lasts in mouth. At a certain point you realise there is quite a bit of potentially cedary oak, but the wine should harmonise. Like the Elephant Hill, you feel a floral component will emerge, but it is not as concentrated as that wine or the Villa Reserve. Intriguing, a wine not giving too much away at this stage. In the Regional Wines tasting, three people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Various districts, New Zealand, New Zealand: 13.8%; $45 [ screwcap; SB, Ri, Ch, CB, Vi, Gw, each from the district John Forrest considers it does best in, cropped varyingly at 5 – 7.5 t/ha (2 – 3 t/ac; no winemaking detail on website, perhaps varieties suited to it see some oak (but it is subtle); RS 6.5 g/L; 225 cases; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Attractive lemon. Initial impressions on bouquet are of a slightly smoky very ripe sauvignon blanc subjected to subtle barrel-ferment and good lees-autolysis. It immediately forms a good impression alongside the sauvignon. It is hard to pick up the other varieties: riesling always slides imperceptibly into ripe sauvignon, and further along the ripeness pathway viognier does too. Pinot gris just disappears, chenin blanc likewise, chardonnay up to a certain point contributes texture more than flavour, leaving gewurztraminer as the joker in the pack. It is invisible at this stage, a good thing given the style – no point in raising confusion between this elegant wine and an el cheapo variety such as verdelho. Body is lovely, a beautiful rendering of a sauvignon-dominant wine, much subtler than Mugwi, richer than the Woodthorpe, the finish 'sauvignon-dry' (at a stretch – the only detail misjudged). I have been a bit of a knocker of The White concept, and I still figure it is overpriced, but this one is a glorious food wine. And it has to be said, some Bordeaux blancs are more expensive than their sibling Bordeaux rouges. But they are bone dry, so the challenge is still there. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Attractive lemon. Initial impressions on bouquet are of a slightly smoky very ripe sauvignon blanc subjected to subtle barrel-ferment and good lees-autolysis. It immediately forms a good impression alongside the sauvignon. It is hard to pick up the other varieties: riesling always slides imperceptibly into ripe sauvignon, and further along the ripeness pathway viognier does too. Pinot gris just disappears, chenin blanc likewise, chardonnay up to a certain point contributes texture more than flavour, leaving gewurztraminer as the joker in the pack. It is invisible at this stage, a good thing given the style – no point in raising confusion between this elegant wine and an el cheapo variety such as verdelho. Body is lovely, a beautiful rendering of a sauvignon-dominant wine, much subtler than Mugwi, richer than the Woodthorpe, the finish 'sauvignon-dry' (at a stretch – the only detail misjudged). I have been a bit of a knocker of The White concept, and I still figure it is overpriced, but this one is a glorious food wine. And it has to be said, some Bordeaux blancs are more expensive than their sibling Bordeaux rouges. But they are bone dry, so the challenge is still there. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; hand-picked from organically-grown clone mendoza; whole-bunch pressed, minimal settling; 100% wild-yeast, barrel-ferment and MLF; around 12 months in French oak but only 11% new, batonnage as needed; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Lemon, in the middle for depth. After the 2010 Tom and 2013 Greystone chardonnays, this wine smells almost demure. The first impression is a subtle florality reminiscent of traditional English primrose, on supremely pure slightly citrussy chardonnay fruit. Lees autolysis and barrel-ferment components are apparent, but much more subtly so than in the Greystone or Tom 2010. Palate is more in a paler Greystone style, not quite the body, total acid fresher than the 2010 Tom, citrus fruit as much as white peach or yellow, the tactile flavours of lees autolysis and barrel-ferment growing in mouth. There is a near-invisible shadow of flintyness / reduction just detectable at this stage, which I expect to marry away over the next three years. The oaking is perfection, no obtrusive new oak (how wonderful this evolution in the oak handling of our chardonnays is), yet the oatmealy flavours and length of palate reflecting the oak beautifully. This is Puligny-Montrachet Premier (even some Grand) Cru quality straight out of Nelson. Cellar 5 – 18 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Lemon, in the middle for depth. After the 2010 Tom and 2013 Greystone chardonnays, this wine smells almost demure. The first impression is a subtle florality reminiscent of traditional English primrose, on supremely pure slightly citrussy chardonnay fruit. Lees autolysis and barrel-ferment components are apparent, but much more subtly so than in the Greystone or Tom 2010. Palate is more in a paler Greystone style, not quite the body, total acid fresher than the 2010 Tom, citrus fruit as much as white peach or yellow, the tactile flavours of lees autolysis and barrel-ferment growing in mouth. There is a near-invisible shadow of flintyness / reduction just detectable at this stage, which I expect to marry away over the next three years. The oaking is perfection, no obtrusive new oak (how wonderful this evolution in the oak handling of our chardonnays is), yet the oatmealy flavours and length of palate reflecting the oak beautifully. This is Puligny-Montrachet Premier (even some Grand) Cru quality straight out of Nelson. Cellar 5 – 18 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ screwcap; mostly s/s, some wild yeast, RS 5 g/L; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, beautiful. A voluminous ripe sauvignon bouquet of ripest red capsicum, black passionfruit and some honeysuckle florals, though the subtlety of the latter is a bit hidden by soft fragrant oak aromas. In addition there are attractive baguette / breadcrust lees autolysis complexities on bouquet, surprisingly so considering the lack of time in which to develop them. Palate is a little more austere than the bouquet promises, the apparent ripeness retreating slightly to remind of other colours of capsicum, plus fresh acid. Body, balance, and length in mouth in mouth are excellent – serious sauvignon at a serious cropping rate. This is a terrific subtly-oak-influenced New Zealand sauvignon in the subtle Mt Nelson style, commercially dry, which should cellar well for 5 – 10 years, perhaps longer. GK 10/04
Lemongreen, beautiful. A voluminous ripe sauvignon bouquet of ripest red capsicum, black passionfruit and some honeysuckle florals, though the subtlety of the latter is a bit hidden by soft fragrant oak aromas. In addition there are attractive baguette / breadcrust lees autolysis complexities on bouquet, surprisingly so considering the lack of time in which to develop them. Palate is a little more austere than the bouquet promises, the apparent ripeness retreating slightly to remind of other colours of capsicum, plus fresh acid. Body, balance, and length in mouth in mouth are excellent – serious sauvignon at a serious cropping rate. This is a terrific subtly-oak-influenced New Zealand sauvignon in the subtle Mt Nelson style, commercially dry, which should cellar well for 5 – 10 years, perhaps longer. GK 10/04
Cromwell Basin & Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $175 [ screwcap; second release, after 2005 inaugural; 8 clones hand-harvested; up to 7 days cold soak, up to 24 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 48% new, then 6 months in French oak some new; not fined or filtered; 83 cases only; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, the same weight as the Bendigo Block wine, but a little fresher. What a joy it is to see these appropriate colours for pinot noir (in a world sense) becoming more the norm in New Zealand. It has been a long haul. Bouquet is special on this wine, reminiscent of Rousseau or Drouhin grands crus, where you can detect there is fragrant vanillin new oak, melded with the boronia florals, but it is so subtle. Palate like the Bendigo Estate is red fruits prominent, though just like the Cote de Nuits, the florality of fine black cherries is apparent too. Palate however is a little oakier than the Bendigo, but what a superb quality of oak this is. Sometimes when you read of burgundy in 100% new oak, or the Guigal grands crus in 100% new oak for 42 months, one wonders in despair if the French have access to oak of a quality we never see in New Zealand. This wine suggests otherwise. Oak is at a maximum, but the fruit is up to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years, perhaps a little longer. GK 11/10
Good pinot noir ruby, the same weight as the Bendigo Block wine, but a little fresher. What a joy it is to see these appropriate colours for pinot noir (in a world sense) becoming more the norm in New Zealand. It has been a long haul. Bouquet is special on this wine, reminiscent of Rousseau or Drouhin grands crus, where you can detect there is fragrant vanillin new oak, melded with the boronia florals, but it is so subtle. Palate like the Bendigo Estate is red fruits prominent, though just like the Cote de Nuits, the florality of fine black cherries is apparent too. Palate however is a little oakier than the Bendigo, but what a superb quality of oak this is. Sometimes when you read of burgundy in 100% new oak, or the Guigal grands crus in 100% new oak for 42 months, one wonders in despair if the French have access to oak of a quality we never see in New Zealand. This wine suggests otherwise. Oak is at a maximum, but the fruit is up to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years, perhaps a little longer. GK 11/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.2%; $37 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 46%, Me 43, CF 7, Ma 4, hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; cold-soak 1 day, cultured yeast, 9 days cuvaison, MLF in tank; 11 months in all-French oak 20% new; sterile filtered; 280 cases, second release this label; ‘2008 was the arguably one of the best vintages that Waiheke has seen in over 20 years. Excellent concentration due to a great summer. Ripe black currant and plum aromas backed up with a similar palate. Ripe tight tannins that give excellent mouth feel. The silky tannins as with the 2007 make it so drinkable already. This is exciting stuff for us here at the vineyard.’; www.isolaestate.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a marvellous claret colour, deeper than 2007 Coleraine. Initially opened, the wine seems disorganised. Decant it splashily and leave for a few hours. Once breathed (and it is after all a very young wine, just bottled) it displays a cassis-rich aromatic bouquet which in the blind tasting reminds of syrah initially, on dense bottled black doris fruit with wafts of violets. Oak is now much less apparent. In mouth it tastes merlot-dominant, plummy rich and fat, with a rounder acid balance than the Mudbrick or Weeping Sands. Cellar 5 – 15 years plus. This is a fragrant modern Bordeaux look-alike, a little more accessible than Coleraine ’07 but still firm in youth, reminiscent of some classed Margaux wines, and totally pure. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a marvellous claret colour, deeper than 2007 Coleraine. Initially opened, the wine seems disorganised. Decant it splashily and leave for a few hours. Once breathed (and it is after all a very young wine, just bottled) it displays a cassis-rich aromatic bouquet which in the blind tasting reminds of syrah initially, on dense bottled black doris fruit with wafts of violets. Oak is now much less apparent. In mouth it tastes merlot-dominant, plummy rich and fat, with a rounder acid balance than the Mudbrick or Weeping Sands. Cellar 5 – 15 years plus. This is a fragrant modern Bordeaux look-alike, a little more accessible than Coleraine ’07 but still firm in youth, reminiscent of some classed Margaux wines, and totally pure. GK 06/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 3.5 t/ac, hand-harvested, 95% destemmed; 17 months in French oak 40% new; ’04 not on website yet; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in depth of colour. Bouquet benefits from decanting or a good swirl in the glass. It is richer and riper than Bullnose, and consequently offers less floral complexity and more plummy depth – blackest plums picked sun-warmed. This is a much more refined and elegant approach to syrah than the 2003 Block 14. Bouquet is glorious darkest cassis and plum with elusive suggestions of darkest florals (violets), thus converging to a degree with good merlot. Peppercorn spice is not explicit on bouquet at this stage, but once one knows the label, it is easily found. Palate likewise is richer than Bullnose, just as complex and black peppercorny, seemingly more youthful and oaky and therefore less finesse at this stage. It is potentially velvety, showing superb dark berry richness. Comparison with the more floral Bullnose is inevitable, for both excel in 2004. That the Craggy wine can be put in the same line-up with that Rhone-styled wine, and create confusion in the blind tasting, shows how much more finessed the 2004 is. The ratio of fruit to oak is exemplary, and the whole wine is beautifully balanced for cellaring. Like le Sol, it is directly in an Hermitage style. This and Bullnose make a marvellous pair, which should be represented in all serious wine enthusiasts’ cellars. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in depth of colour. Bouquet benefits from decanting or a good swirl in the glass. It is richer and riper than Bullnose, and consequently offers less floral complexity and more plummy depth – blackest plums picked sun-warmed. This is a much more refined and elegant approach to syrah than the 2003 Block 14. Bouquet is glorious darkest cassis and plum with elusive suggestions of darkest florals (violets), thus converging to a degree with good merlot. Peppercorn spice is not explicit on bouquet at this stage, but once one knows the label, it is easily found. Palate likewise is richer than Bullnose, just as complex and black peppercorny, seemingly more youthful and oaky and therefore less finesse at this stage. It is potentially velvety, showing superb dark berry richness. Comparison with the more floral Bullnose is inevitable, for both excel in 2004. That the Craggy wine can be put in the same line-up with that Rhone-styled wine, and create confusion in the blind tasting, shows how much more finessed the 2004 is. The ratio of fruit to oak is exemplary, and the whole wine is beautifully balanced for cellaring. Like le Sol, it is directly in an Hermitage style. This and Bullnose make a marvellous pair, which should be represented in all serious wine enthusiasts’ cellars. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 05/06
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; machine-harvested cool at night, short skin contact, all s/s fermentation again cool; RS 3.1 g/L; 2015 seen as a quality year for Marlborough sauvignon; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Good pale lemongreen, twice the apparent weight of Templar. Given the same caveat as for Templar, the bouquet is immediately 'sweeter', more complex, and yet more 'regular' and desirable good Marlborough sauvignon than Templar. It is characterised by beautifully aromatic black passionfruit aromas, complexed with sweet sautéed red capsicums, plus a hint of elderflower blossom. Palate is a great improvement on the Templar, being both richer and drier. The richness and length of pure ripe sauvignon varietal character here is exemplary: it must reflect a conservative cropping rate. This wine is up there with the 'definitive' workaday Marlborough sauvignon, Astrolabe Province, but even for the quality of the wine, $30 is expensive. It's not really relevant that Cloudy Bay Sauvignon is more expensive again: only name snobs buy it. It's been years since that wine has been a leader in the Marlborough sauvignon game. This is beautiful sauvignon, to cellar 3 – 8 or even 10 years, if you like the changing flavours of sauvignon as it matures. GK 11/15
Good pale lemongreen, twice the apparent weight of Templar. Given the same caveat as for Templar, the bouquet is immediately 'sweeter', more complex, and yet more 'regular' and desirable good Marlborough sauvignon than Templar. It is characterised by beautifully aromatic black passionfruit aromas, complexed with sweet sautéed red capsicums, plus a hint of elderflower blossom. Palate is a great improvement on the Templar, being both richer and drier. The richness and length of pure ripe sauvignon varietal character here is exemplary: it must reflect a conservative cropping rate. This wine is up there with the 'definitive' workaday Marlborough sauvignon, Astrolabe Province, but even for the quality of the wine, $30 is expensive. It's not really relevant that Cloudy Bay Sauvignon is more expensive again: only name snobs buy it. It's been years since that wine has been a leader in the Marlborough sauvignon game. This is beautiful sauvignon, to cellar 3 – 8 or even 10 years, if you like the changing flavours of sauvignon as it matures. GK 11/15
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.7%; $55 [ screwcap; clones 5 and 6 predominate in a mix of 7 clones cropped @ c. 5.5 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; no whole bunch, some wild yeast; a barrel selection comprising 4% of the harvest; 11 months in French oak, 35% new; www.akarua.com ]
Attractive pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is more in the red grading to black cherry fruit camp, with again a supple floral lift adding charm and varietal precision. Here the oak is slightly more noticeable, and it is entwined with a light savoury aromatic note which makes one wonder about the thyme characters sometimes mentioned in Otago wines. It is vanishingly subtle though. Palate is very attractive, beautiful cherry fruit just a little more shaped by oak than the Target Gulley. Alcohol is higher than one might wish for pinot noir, but at this stage the wine carries it well. I am confident it will perform well in cellar, noting that some of the 2002 ripe-year Otago pinots have matured attractively. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Attractive pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is more in the red grading to black cherry fruit camp, with again a supple floral lift adding charm and varietal precision. Here the oak is slightly more noticeable, and it is entwined with a light savoury aromatic note which makes one wonder about the thyme characters sometimes mentioned in Otago wines. It is vanishingly subtle though. Palate is very attractive, beautiful cherry fruit just a little more shaped by oak than the Target Gulley. Alcohol is higher than one might wish for pinot noir, but at this stage the wine carries it well. I am confident it will perform well in cellar, noting that some of the 2002 ripe-year Otago pinots have matured attractively. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia: 13.5%; $137 [ Cork, 45 mm; rated Excellent in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the third-level group of 65 wines; Halliday rates the 1996 vintage 6, for the Lower Hunter Valley; this wine made from the original O'Shea plantings from the 1920s, plus the 1880s plantings already on the site; hand-picked, raised in French oak, no detail; Halliday, 1998: Medium red-purple; a wonderfully scented and aromatic bouquet with cedar/smoky characters introducing a fine, long cherry-flavoured palate, finishing with supple tannins. Gold medal 1998 National Wine Show, 94; no overseas reviews, so another Australian one: A Graham, 2011 (Sydney): Fully mature and evolved with hung game meatiness but no stink. Indeed it’s pretty polished all things considered. Long and tasty, medium bodied Shiraz with that classic, rich-but-not sweet, red earth and leather Hunter Shiraz style. Fine tannins to finish. Steakworthy and deliciously drinkable. Great stuff, 18; bottle weight 521 g; www.mountpleasantwines.com.au ]
Colour ruby and garnet, nicely mature, the third-lightest wine. One of the most enchanting books ever written about Australian wine is Max Lake's Classic Wines of Australia, 1966. He simply raved about wines made by the late Maurice O'Shea, from the late '20s to the early '50s, at Mount Pleasant in the Lower Hunter Valley. I have long been envious of those Australians who have tasted these wines, and wondered a good deal if this was just an early flowering of the excessive pride Australians show in their red wines. I have however been inclined to think in fact it was true, for two reasons. Firstly, 45 years ago I was lucky enough to coincide with a batch of 'distressed' early '60s McWilliams wines from the Hunter Valley, which included 1959 McWilliams P and OP Hermitage, a wine of pinot noir-like beauty. Secondly, Max Lake then, like James Halliday nowadays, reflected a much wider palate schooling than most Australian wine writers display. So … for this wine, made from grapes either tended by, or planted by Maurice O'Shea in the 1920s, one sniff, one taste, and I felt: here is a real shadow of that early enthusiasm. The wine is wonderfully floral and fragrant, like an aromatic Cote de Nuits pinot noir, and this leads into a soft, aromatic, only faintly minty palate of great subtlety and charm, not over-ripe, not over-oaked, not overly alcoholic, in fact highly suggestive of some kind of Antipodean Cote Rotie. It is just a little tannic, compared with the Langi, but also fractionally richer. It will be wonderful with food. In this company however it is almost a modest wine, so I was quite alone in rating it highly. For the group, no first or second places, no least place, and nobody thought it French. Fully mature now, but no hurry at all. GK 03/17
Colour ruby and garnet, nicely mature, the third-lightest wine. One of the most enchanting books ever written about Australian wine is Max Lake's Classic Wines of Australia, 1966. He simply raved about wines made by the late Maurice O'Shea, from the late '20s to the early '50s, at Mount Pleasant in the Lower Hunter Valley. I have long been envious of those Australians who have tasted these wines, and wondered a good deal if this was just an early flowering of the excessive pride Australians show in their red wines. I have however been inclined to think in fact it was true, for two reasons. Firstly, 45 years ago I was lucky enough to coincide with a batch of 'distressed' early '60s McWilliams wines from the Hunter Valley, which included 1959 McWilliams P and OP Hermitage, a wine of pinot noir-like beauty. Secondly, Max Lake then, like James Halliday nowadays, reflected a much wider palate schooling than most Australian wine writers display. So … for this wine, made from grapes either tended by, or planted by Maurice O'Shea in the 1920s, one sniff, one taste, and I felt: here is a real shadow of that early enthusiasm. The wine is wonderfully floral and fragrant, like an aromatic Cote de Nuits pinot noir, and this leads into a soft, aromatic, only faintly minty palate of great subtlety and charm, not over-ripe, not over-oaked, not overly alcoholic, in fact highly suggestive of some kind of Antipodean Cote Rotie. It is just a little tannic, compared with the Langi, but also fractionally richer. It will be wonderful with food. In this company however it is almost a modest wine, so I was quite alone in rating it highly. For the group, no first or second places, no least place, and nobody thought it French. Fully mature now, but no hurry at all. GK 03/17
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.1%; $85 [ supercritical cork; clone Abel hand-harvested @ < 2 t/ac from Te Muna road young vines planted @ 6600 vines / ha, fermented in cuves, 15 days cuvaison including cold-soak; 12 months in French oak 50% new; dry extract 27.1 g/L, RS <1 g/L; 500 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, some carmine and velvet, the freshest colour of the Escarpment wines, fractionally deeper than Te Rehua in weight. Initially opened, bouquet is reticent on this wine, the new oak component showing more than for some. There are again suggestions of Martinborough pennyroyal, and implicit florals on clear cherry fruit. Palate seems cooler and fresher than Moana, very pure, beautifully ripe, and in fact there is no worry about the oak level here. The elegance, balance and poise are delightful, but the beauty is yet to come, I suspect. One cannot ignore the magical harmony of the finish – perhaps it will eclipse the others, in three or so years' time. It will be great to see the complete set in five years time, when the real achievements of this marvellous group of pinots will be on display. It will also be great to see the dry extract increase with vine age, in this new vineyard. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Big pinot noir ruby, some carmine and velvet, the freshest colour of the Escarpment wines, fractionally deeper than Te Rehua in weight. Initially opened, bouquet is reticent on this wine, the new oak component showing more than for some. There are again suggestions of Martinborough pennyroyal, and implicit florals on clear cherry fruit. Palate seems cooler and fresher than Moana, very pure, beautifully ripe, and in fact there is no worry about the oak level here. The elegance, balance and poise are delightful, but the beauty is yet to come, I suspect. One cannot ignore the magical harmony of the finish – perhaps it will eclipse the others, in three or so years' time. It will be great to see the complete set in five years time, when the real achievements of this marvellous group of pinots will be on display. It will also be great to see the dry extract increase with vine age, in this new vineyard. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ screwcap; c. 1.6 t/ac; 25% stalks; 12 months in c. 40% new French oak; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Classic big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet on this wine is glorious, total florals in the boronia and darkest roses camp, underlain by aromatic cherry fruit more black than red, and grading through to hints of bottled black doris plum - pinot perfection. As with the depth of colour, this bouquet reflects about the maximum ripeness to still retain the cool-climate florals and fragrant charm which transform good pinot into great pinot. The sweetly-fruited palate is wonderfully concentrated, and has the extraordinary quality of the florals on bouquet suffusing through into the sweet ripe tannins of the palate, so all the way through the mouth, the wine is intensely fragrant. When this happens in the finest of burgundies, European wine writers speak of the magical aftertaste, spreading to reveal all the nuances of the earlier bouquet and palate - like a "peacock's tail". This wine has some of those attributes. Oak and acid balances are excellent. This will be great Otago pinot noir, one of New Zealand’s best so far, comparable with many classed burgundies (considering how enormous the range of styles is within Burgundy), without necessarily assuming it is the same as burgundy. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 03/05
Classic big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet on this wine is glorious, total florals in the boronia and darkest roses camp, underlain by aromatic cherry fruit more black than red, and grading through to hints of bottled black doris plum - pinot perfection. As with the depth of colour, this bouquet reflects about the maximum ripeness to still retain the cool-climate florals and fragrant charm which transform good pinot into great pinot. The sweetly-fruited palate is wonderfully concentrated, and has the extraordinary quality of the florals on bouquet suffusing through into the sweet ripe tannins of the palate, so all the way through the mouth, the wine is intensely fragrant. When this happens in the finest of burgundies, European wine writers speak of the magical aftertaste, spreading to reveal all the nuances of the earlier bouquet and palate - like a "peacock's tail". This wine has some of those attributes. Oak and acid balances are excellent. This will be great Otago pinot noir, one of New Zealand’s best so far, comparable with many classed burgundies (considering how enormous the range of styles is within Burgundy), without necessarily assuming it is the same as burgundy. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 03/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; DFB; hand-picked @ c. 1.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, 6 – 8 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation, 3 – 4 weeks cuvaison, MLF and 10 months in French oak 38% new, some lees but no stirring; RS < 1 g/L; introduction to the Calvert concept 25 Nov 2008; www.craggyrange.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby, much the deepest of the three Calvert wines, deep for pinot noir, but attractive. Bouquet is one of the sweetest and most florally complex in the bracket, not overtly floral like some of the slightly leafy / stalky wines, just a smooth enticing aroma of dark red roses, boronia florals, black more than red cherry flesh, and virtually no dark plum – ideal pinot noir. Palate follows perfectly, the florals persisting right through the palate, the fruit crunchy cherry exactly, the oaking totally simpatico with soft tannins adding structure to the long flavour. Though a little riper and richer than the standard 2007 Felton Pinot Noir, and weightier than the Felton Calvert too, only a very cool-climate pinot aficionado would say this wine shows traces of sur-maturité. Much more important is the complete absence of leafy or stalky notes, compared even with some of the other 2007 Craggy Range pinots. A model New Zealand pinot to cellar 5 – 12 years. As with last year's three Calverts, cellaring the set will provide a great learning opportunity. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby, much the deepest of the three Calvert wines, deep for pinot noir, but attractive. Bouquet is one of the sweetest and most florally complex in the bracket, not overtly floral like some of the slightly leafy / stalky wines, just a smooth enticing aroma of dark red roses, boronia florals, black more than red cherry flesh, and virtually no dark plum – ideal pinot noir. Palate follows perfectly, the florals persisting right through the palate, the fruit crunchy cherry exactly, the oaking totally simpatico with soft tannins adding structure to the long flavour. Though a little riper and richer than the standard 2007 Felton Pinot Noir, and weightier than the Felton Calvert too, only a very cool-climate pinot aficionado would say this wine shows traces of sur-maturité. Much more important is the complete absence of leafy or stalky notes, compared even with some of the other 2007 Craggy Range pinots. A model New Zealand pinot to cellar 5 – 12 years. As with last year's three Calverts, cellaring the set will provide a great learning opportunity. GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ cork; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 98%, mostly Limmer clone, some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard in the hill of Hermitage, 2% Vi, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, not as deep as the 2010. Oh boy, the contrast between the 2010 and 2009 wines is sensational. Both Homages are great examples of the grape, but the climatic differences between the two seasons separates them. Whereas the 2010 is cassis-laden reflecting the slightly cooler year, the 2009 is darkly plummy and almost (glacé) figgy, much riper, almost showing a reminder of the very best (i.e. coolest) years of Balmoral Syrah from McLaren Vale. In mouth the figgy thought really takes hold, the wine just as rich and concentrated as the 2010, and just as beautifully made, but so much riper all through. There is a soft velvety quality in this wine which suggests it may not cellar as long, yet the concentration is so good that in fact it should be long-lived. Which one prefers is a matter of personal style and taste. Australians and Californians might prefer the 2009, Europeans the 2010. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine, not as deep as the 2010. Oh boy, the contrast between the 2010 and 2009 wines is sensational. Both Homages are great examples of the grape, but the climatic differences between the two seasons separates them. Whereas the 2010 is cassis-laden reflecting the slightly cooler year, the 2009 is darkly plummy and almost (glacé) figgy, much riper, almost showing a reminder of the very best (i.e. coolest) years of Balmoral Syrah from McLaren Vale. In mouth the figgy thought really takes hold, the wine just as rich and concentrated as the 2010, and just as beautifully made, but so much riper all through. There is a soft velvety quality in this wine which suggests it may not cellar as long, yet the concentration is so good that in fact it should be long-lived. Which one prefers is a matter of personal style and taste. Australians and Californians might prefer the 2009, Europeans the 2010. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 12 months and MLF in 40% new oak mostly French; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than the Vidal Reserve. What a remarkable wine this is, demonstrating great syrah varietal character, richness and depth amongst wines up to three times its price. Bouquet shows some dark florals, and suggestions of cassis, in darkest plums and bottled plums. Palate is round, rich and velvety, clear blueberries here, riper than the la Collina or the Homage, perhaps verging on a hint of sur-maturité but still good spice, and probably more pleasing to many. The quality of this wine relative to price offers one of the greatest values on the premium wine market in New Zealand today, but all too often for its top wines, Villa Maria is the victim of its own success. This wine languishes on the shelves, while others more trendy, more expensive, and sometimes not as good, sell out. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than the Vidal Reserve. What a remarkable wine this is, demonstrating great syrah varietal character, richness and depth amongst wines up to three times its price. Bouquet shows some dark florals, and suggestions of cassis, in darkest plums and bottled plums. Palate is round, rich and velvety, clear blueberries here, riper than the la Collina or the Homage, perhaps verging on a hint of sur-maturité but still good spice, and probably more pleasing to many. The quality of this wine relative to price offers one of the greatest values on the premium wine market in New Zealand today, but all too often for its top wines, Villa Maria is the victim of its own success. This wine languishes on the shelves, while others more trendy, more expensive, and sometimes not as good, sell out. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 11/06
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100% based on 2010 fruit, all hand-picked from c.50 grand cru sites through the Cote de Blancs, including Le Mesnil; 40% of the wine from the assembled multi-vintage Reserve 'solera'; full MLF; c.2.5 years en tirage; dosage c.6.5 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Elegant lemon, fractionally deeper than the two later 'years'. This first 2013-release batch in New Zealand can be recognised by not having any supplementary back label. Bouquet is the richest, most mellow, and most exquisitely baguette-laden of the three Cuvée de Reserves. It is so complex as to be nearly floral. Palate has softened somewhat to show near-brioche 'sweetness' of baguette character, on exquisite chardonnay fruit – yet it is not 'fruity'. The grand cru quality fruit is so satisfying and sustained, you would never pick this as c.6.5 grams per litre dosage. An outstanding 'standard' champagne, and blanc de blancs champagne, of rare quality – if only you can put it aside for 2 years from purchase. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Elegant lemon, fractionally deeper than the two later 'years'. This first 2013-release batch in New Zealand can be recognised by not having any supplementary back label. Bouquet is the richest, most mellow, and most exquisitely baguette-laden of the three Cuvée de Reserves. It is so complex as to be nearly floral. Palate has softened somewhat to show near-brioche 'sweetness' of baguette character, on exquisite chardonnay fruit – yet it is not 'fruity'. The grand cru quality fruit is so satisfying and sustained, you would never pick this as c.6.5 grams per litre dosage. An outstanding 'standard' champagne, and blanc de blancs champagne, of rare quality – if only you can put it aside for 2 years from purchase. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ cork; BF and 18 months LA in older French oak, RS 5.9 g/L; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Lemon. First sniff of the bouquet here, and one is reminded of fresh hypoid gear oil (if one services one's own vehicles). It is more aromatic and tangy than Te Koko, musky even, but inclined in the same winemaker-elaborated direction. It too has had complex barrel-ferment and extended lees-autolysis, but differs in no MLF fermentation. This keeps the wine fresher, more acid, and more aromatic. In mouth therefore it does not have quite the total integration and magic of the Te Koko, the grape is more recognisable, the acid and oak firmer. The winestyle is therefore closer to Sacred Hill's Sauvage interpretation of sauvignon blanc, but starts with the more piquant Marlborough fruit, and is less dry. Cellar 2 – 10 years, though the older wine will appeal more to tasters with experience of comparable European wines (such as the Graves district and white Bordeaux generally) in maturity. GK 11/08
Lemon. First sniff of the bouquet here, and one is reminded of fresh hypoid gear oil (if one services one's own vehicles). It is more aromatic and tangy than Te Koko, musky even, but inclined in the same winemaker-elaborated direction. It too has had complex barrel-ferment and extended lees-autolysis, but differs in no MLF fermentation. This keeps the wine fresher, more acid, and more aromatic. In mouth therefore it does not have quite the total integration and magic of the Te Koko, the grape is more recognisable, the acid and oak firmer. The winestyle is therefore closer to Sacred Hill's Sauvage interpretation of sauvignon blanc, but starts with the more piquant Marlborough fruit, and is less dry. Cellar 2 – 10 years, though the older wine will appeal more to tasters with experience of comparable European wines (such as the Graves district and white Bordeaux generally) in maturity. GK 11/08
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $19 [ screwcap; three picks for complexity, by machine; cool-fermented in s/s, half held on lees for 3 months; RS 3 g/L; www.borehamwoodwines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet illustrates all the beauty of the best New Zealand sauvignon blanc, beautifully made. It combines some elderflower charm with nettles, English gooseberry, red capsicum ripeness, and sweet basil, plus some black passionfruit extending the ripe fruit notes. Palate has the richness so many sauvignon blancs lack, bespeaking a quality cropping rate rather than a commercial one, and the flavour lasts and lasts in mouth. This is exemplary wine, up there with Astrolabe for quality. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Lemongreen. Bouquet illustrates all the beauty of the best New Zealand sauvignon blanc, beautifully made. It combines some elderflower charm with nettles, English gooseberry, red capsicum ripeness, and sweet basil, plus some black passionfruit extending the ripe fruit notes. Palate has the richness so many sauvignon blancs lack, bespeaking a quality cropping rate rather than a commercial one, and the flavour lasts and lasts in mouth. This is exemplary wine, up there with Astrolabe for quality. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ cork; DFB; Me 43%, CS 43, CF 14; French oak; second wine of Blake Family Vineyard; www.alluviale.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about halfway in depth, a great colour. Initially opened, the oak shows a little, but decanted, the bouquet emphasises merlot, superb violets, dark roses florals and dark cassis, magnificent. Below is dark plums-in-the-sun fruit. Palate is gorgeous, perfect physiological maturity of the fruit, great depth of cassis and bottled dark plums berry, subtle oak. This is a beautifully pure, precisely varietal, remarkable merlot / cabernet, of similar quality to the 2004 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels I was praising extravagantly only six months ago. Little did I think a challenger to that wine (in that price bracket) would be along so soon. If this is an harbinger of what The Blake Family Vineyard management plans to achieve in New Zealand, there will be a need to get on the mailing list early. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about halfway in depth, a great colour. Initially opened, the oak shows a little, but decanted, the bouquet emphasises merlot, superb violets, dark roses florals and dark cassis, magnificent. Below is dark plums-in-the-sun fruit. Palate is gorgeous, perfect physiological maturity of the fruit, great depth of cassis and bottled dark plums berry, subtle oak. This is a beautifully pure, precisely varietal, remarkable merlot / cabernet, of similar quality to the 2004 Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels I was praising extravagantly only six months ago. Little did I think a challenger to that wine (in that price bracket) would be along so soon. If this is an harbinger of what The Blake Family Vineyard management plans to achieve in New Zealand, there will be a need to get on the mailing list early. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
St Emilion, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $400 [ cork; Me 50%, CF 45, CS 5; price a wine-searcher.com indication; Advocate 96, Spectator 94; www.chateau-angelus.com ]
Ruby and garnet, maturing. Bouquet is glorious, an opulent amalgam of browning cassis and dark roses florals, rich pipe tobacco, dark bottled plums and cedar, all complexed by gorgeous savoury roast beef suggestions – indicating a little brett. Palate is a velvety melding of all these elements into the magic that is mature Bordeaux. A magnificent food wine, but not one to open for modern winemakers. Fully mature, drying a little to the finish (on the brett, no doubt), but will hold happily over the next 5 – 10 years. GK 11/06
Ruby and garnet, maturing. Bouquet is glorious, an opulent amalgam of browning cassis and dark roses florals, rich pipe tobacco, dark bottled plums and cedar, all complexed by gorgeous savoury roast beef suggestions – indicating a little brett. Palate is a velvety melding of all these elements into the magic that is mature Bordeaux. A magnificent food wine, but not one to open for modern winemakers. Fully mature, drying a little to the finish (on the brett, no doubt), but will hold happily over the next 5 – 10 years. GK 11/06
St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $275 [ cork; Me 58, CF 42, planted to 7500 vines / ha, average vine age 30 years; 3 – 5 week cuvaison, 18 – 24 months and MLF in new French oak; Parker: ... a beautiful perfumed nose, broad sweet and tannic mid-section, likely to put on considerable weight in bottle. 93; Robinson: ... super-concentrated, almost syrupy, very pronounced tannin, difficult to relate to St Emilion, not my style ... 16; www.chateau-angelus.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much the densest wine in the set. This is a very big wine indeed, making one think of some Australian examples – RWT for example. But only one sniff is needed to confirm it does indeed show the complexity and magic of Bordeaux, tasters commenting on a floral component despite the lashings of new (but not unduly charry) oak. Winemaker Tony Bish (Sacred Hill) was ecstatic about the quality of the cabernet franc in this wine. Palate is densely berry, cherry-like from the cabernet franc, and darkly plummy from the merlot, but the total tannin load is colossal. The latter component lead some to down-point the wine, noting a bitter streak. I heard brett mentioned too, but the level was academic. The remedy for the tannin is simply to cellar the wine till it crusts, when magically something much softer and more beautiful will emerge – as some of the 1960s big years in the Hunter Valley and South Australia so clearly showed about 10 years ago. Cellar 20 – 40 + years. GK 10/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much the densest wine in the set. This is a very big wine indeed, making one think of some Australian examples – RWT for example. But only one sniff is needed to confirm it does indeed show the complexity and magic of Bordeaux, tasters commenting on a floral component despite the lashings of new (but not unduly charry) oak. Winemaker Tony Bish (Sacred Hill) was ecstatic about the quality of the cabernet franc in this wine. Palate is densely berry, cherry-like from the cabernet franc, and darkly plummy from the merlot, but the total tannin load is colossal. The latter component lead some to down-point the wine, noting a bitter streak. I heard brett mentioned too, but the level was academic. The remedy for the tannin is simply to cellar the wine till it crusts, when magically something much softer and more beautiful will emerge – as some of the 1960s big years in the Hunter Valley and South Australia so clearly showed about 10 years ago. Cellar 20 – 40 + years. GK 10/06
Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $119 [ cork; calcareous SPMs in the Kimmeridgian suite; c.18 months s/s elevation, certain of the grands crus may have ‘a short time in oak barrels’; rated 94 – 96 by Allen Meadows; bottle courtesy Blair Walter; www.billaud-simon.com ]
Lemonstraw, faintly older than the Corton. Bouquet is very different from that wine, being sublimely pure, revealing the grape and nothing but the grape, no artefact beyond some lees-autolysis enhancement. It is both floral, acacia blossom comes to mind, and pure pale white nectarine-like stonefruit, plus a chalky minerality not based on threshold reduction. Palate shows pinpoint ripeness, great fruit, fresh yet not in any way assertive acid, the flavour lingering superbly on stonefruit including the stones (in the sense of sucking on the stones). A smaller wine than the Corton, but more beautiful. At a peak now, but will hold some years. Not part of the set tasting. GK 09/15
Lemonstraw, faintly older than the Corton. Bouquet is very different from that wine, being sublimely pure, revealing the grape and nothing but the grape, no artefact beyond some lees-autolysis enhancement. It is both floral, acacia blossom comes to mind, and pure pale white nectarine-like stonefruit, plus a chalky minerality not based on threshold reduction. Palate shows pinpoint ripeness, great fruit, fresh yet not in any way assertive acid, the flavour lingering superbly on stonefruit including the stones (in the sense of sucking on the stones). A smaller wine than the Corton, but more beautiful. At a peak now, but will hold some years. Not part of the set tasting. GK 09/15
Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $114 [ supercritical Diam cork; PM 40%, PN 30, Ch 30, an unknown percentage grand cru vineyards, the base wine 2011 vintage but a high percentage of reserve wines; all the base wine barrel-fermented in old oak, plus 6 months on lees in barrel with batonnage (hence the 'Sous Bois'); tirage c.4 years or so, dosage 7 g/L; website superficial; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Colour is hard to characterise, not as concentrated as the 1999, yet fractionally more straw. Yet again, the bouquet is wonderful. Before seeing the label, you would think it showed exceptional autolysis, with baguette crust plus an outstanding depth of Vogel's Multigrain crust aroma to it which is beguiling. But when you learn it is the wine with a high percentage of the base wine fermented and held an old white burgundy barrels, it all makes sense. You can scarcely taste oak as such, but the nutty depth of flavour and aromatic complexity in mouth is stellar. The base wine is a year older than the non-vintage Brut Reserve, so it has had nearly 12 months longer en tirage. A lovely wine, but I can imagine delicacy faddists mocking it. Perhaps not the cellar potential of the vintage wines, even though it has so much flavour, due to the high percentage of meunier. Cellaring 3 – 8 years might be best. GK 04/16
Colour is hard to characterise, not as concentrated as the 1999, yet fractionally more straw. Yet again, the bouquet is wonderful. Before seeing the label, you would think it showed exceptional autolysis, with baguette crust plus an outstanding depth of Vogel's Multigrain crust aroma to it which is beguiling. But when you learn it is the wine with a high percentage of the base wine fermented and held an old white burgundy barrels, it all makes sense. You can scarcely taste oak as such, but the nutty depth of flavour and aromatic complexity in mouth is stellar. The base wine is a year older than the non-vintage Brut Reserve, so it has had nearly 12 months longer en tirage. A lovely wine, but I can imagine delicacy faddists mocking it. Perhaps not the cellar potential of the vintage wines, even though it has so much flavour, due to the high percentage of meunier. Cellaring 3 – 8 years might be best. GK 04/16
Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; biodynamic vineyards, average vine age c.40 years; full MLF, c.12 months in barrel, 33% new, with batonnage; Domaine Bonneau du Martray is the single largest holding in Corton-Charlemagne at 9.5 hectares; the website is simply a statement the establishment exists, and cannot receive visitors – no info; www.bonneaudumartray.com ]
Lemon, the second to palest. This is a curious wine in the set, there being the high acid of 2010 but not the fruit weight, and the fruit purity of the 2009, but again and even more so not the weight. I used the 2011 Villa Maria Keltern Reserve as a marker wine in this tasting, and alongside that rich wine (by New Zealand standards) the 2007 Bonneau is still clearly richer. There is a lesson in that for New Zealand winemakers keen on making world-class chardonnays. The lingering white stonefruits aftertaste is particularly attractive, like the 2009. Cellar another 6 – 8 years. GK 05/13
Lemon, the second to palest. This is a curious wine in the set, there being the high acid of 2010 but not the fruit weight, and the fruit purity of the 2009, but again and even more so not the weight. I used the 2011 Villa Maria Keltern Reserve as a marker wine in this tasting, and alongside that rich wine (by New Zealand standards) the 2007 Bonneau is still clearly richer. There is a lesson in that for New Zealand winemakers keen on making world-class chardonnays. The lingering white stonefruits aftertaste is particularly attractive, like the 2009. Cellar another 6 – 8 years. GK 05/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $80 [ cork, 55mm; mostly Mv, a little Gr, Sy, Ci, Co, clairette all fermented together in blend, and whole-bunch; extremely low cropping rate of 1.95 t/ha = 0.8 t/ac; elevation 18 months in old 600s; RH @ JR: 17; JC @ RP: supple and rich, 95; 185 x 9-litre cases only; available from Wine Direct, Auckland; www.domainedesbosquets.wordpress.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another sensational colour, well above midway. Bouquet on this wine has an unusual dusky sensuous florality, very deep, darkest roses and beyond, plus a near-lavender garrigue aromatic lift, just enchanting. Below is again unusually dark but beautifully fresh berry, near cassis, darkest plum, hints of blackberries in the sun, plus a zingy further lift from newish oak. Palate is not quite as rich as the top wines, but still ample, velvety tannins and plush texture, wonderfully long on berry tannins more than oak. This wine too challenges many Chateauneuf-du-Papes in richness: sad that the market is realising this, and the price for the best wines from these other ranked villages now matches many Chateauneufs. Like Hommage, this wine dramatically illustrates the beauty of mourvedre when perfectly ripe. What a dramatic contrast it is to the baked and plain mataro wines that generations of Australians so thoughtlessly made from this (by them, disrespected for so long) grape. No first- or second-places. A great study wine, to cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another sensational colour, well above midway. Bouquet on this wine has an unusual dusky sensuous florality, very deep, darkest roses and beyond, plus a near-lavender garrigue aromatic lift, just enchanting. Below is again unusually dark but beautifully fresh berry, near cassis, darkest plum, hints of blackberries in the sun, plus a zingy further lift from newish oak. Palate is not quite as rich as the top wines, but still ample, velvety tannins and plush texture, wonderfully long on berry tannins more than oak. This wine too challenges many Chateauneuf-du-Papes in richness: sad that the market is realising this, and the price for the best wines from these other ranked villages now matches many Chateauneufs. Like Hommage, this wine dramatically illustrates the beauty of mourvedre when perfectly ripe. What a dramatic contrast it is to the baked and plain mataro wines that generations of Australians so thoughtlessly made from this (by them, disrespected for so long) grape. No first- or second-places. A great study wine, to cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/19
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $45 [ cork 44mm, ullage 26mm; original price c.$35; Gr c.70% , Sy c.25, Mv c.5, average vine age in 40s; Gr tending whole-bunch but Sy destemmed, extended cuvaison to 40 days; elevation usually more than 50% in 600-litre barrels some new, and up to 6 years age, balance concrete vat; not fined or filtered; 1,500 – 2,500 x 9-litre cases; J. L-L, 2002: Quite tight, cherry fruited nose with signs of oak in with its local garrigue, herbal notes. Good chewy texture on the palate, a clean-cut wine which is tasty, has cut and freshness. The North-West exposure and the vintage combine to give it that freshness, very vintage typical. Licorice features on the finish. To 2015, ***; R. Parker, 2001: a sweet, pure nose of blueberries and cassis, surprisingly tart acidity, a strong underpinning of minerals, ripe tannin, and a medium-bodied, straightforward finish. Although excellent, it is not as impressive as I had hoped it would be. Anticipated maturity: now-2011, 88 [ earlier, to 2015, and 90 - 92 ]; www.labouissiere.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the freshest colours, above midway in depth. This is yet another exquisite bouquet, clearly showing garrigue florals and aromatics on fragrant slightly spicy red fruits, fresher than the standard Santa Duc, closer to the Saint Cosme. In mouth the wine is utterly charming, again lighter and fresher than the Santa Duc, the syrah adding freshness and a hint of pepper, remarkable in a southern Rhone wine. At the point of sequencing the freshly opened wines, I thought this wine summed up everything needed to characterise good Southern Rhone Valley red wine, so I placed it as #1 in the sequence, as the sighter. But, as is almost always the case, it is hard for wine #1 to win through to a high placing, so my ranking does not reflect the group view, no votes for any attribute. Again, this would be wonderful with food. Cellar for 5 – 10 years. GK 10/19
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the freshest colours, above midway in depth. This is yet another exquisite bouquet, clearly showing garrigue florals and aromatics on fragrant slightly spicy red fruits, fresher than the standard Santa Duc, closer to the Saint Cosme. In mouth the wine is utterly charming, again lighter and fresher than the Santa Duc, the syrah adding freshness and a hint of pepper, remarkable in a southern Rhone wine. At the point of sequencing the freshly opened wines, I thought this wine summed up everything needed to characterise good Southern Rhone Valley red wine, so I placed it as #1 in the sequence, as the sighter. But, as is almost always the case, it is hard for wine #1 to win through to a high placing, so my ranking does not reflect the group view, no votes for any attribute. Again, this would be wonderful with food. Cellar for 5 – 10 years. GK 10/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $100 [ cork 45mm; originally around $60; usually Gr 65%, Mv 20, Sy 10, minor others, average age 60 years; main ferment in enamelled concrete vats, cuvaison to 28 days; the syrah and mourvedre go to barrels one third new, grenache being oxidation-prone stays in concrete, both 18 months; sometimes some stems if needed, likewise fining and filtering; R Parker, 2003: A southern Rhone nose of garrigue (the Provencal earthy/herb aroma), pepper, wood spice, and gorgeously sweet black cherry and plum-like flavors are intense as well as alluring. Once past the bouquet, this dark ruby/garnet-colored wine offers a full-bodied, powerful, layered impression, with impressive levels of glycerin, ripe fruit, and extract. Tannin is present, but it is sweet. This 1998 will easily drink well for 10-12 years: 91; weight bottle and closure: 677 g; www.domaine-les-cailloux.fr ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, well below midway in depth, a little older than the Beaucastel. Bouquet is immediately more aromatic than the Beaucastel, suggesting a higher percentage of syrah or mourvedre, which the specs more or less confirm. The aromatics are lifted by a little brett. Palate has a great central body of red-fruited grenache browning now, with considerable weight and body, plus the aromatic blending varieties darkening the flavour considerably relative to Beaucastel. Yet the mourvedre is not at all heavy. This too is lovely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It was reasonably well received by the group, three first or second places, is perfect now, yet will cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 08/16
Ruby, garnet and velvet, well below midway in depth, a little older than the Beaucastel. Bouquet is immediately more aromatic than the Beaucastel, suggesting a higher percentage of syrah or mourvedre, which the specs more or less confirm. The aromatics are lifted by a little brett. Palate has a great central body of red-fruited grenache browning now, with considerable weight and body, plus the aromatic blending varieties darkening the flavour considerably relative to Beaucastel. Yet the mourvedre is not at all heavy. This too is lovely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It was reasonably well received by the group, three first or second places, is perfect now, yet will cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $109 [ cork, 50 mm; certified organic wine; see Le Caillou for introduction; this wine all estate-grown, a single vineyard organic site with galets, cepage Gr 85%, Sy 15, all hand-picked, partial de-stemming, wild-yeast fermentations in oak, cuvaison extending to 32 days; elevation 94% in 600s third to tenth year, some of the Sy in new and 1-year 600s, 6% in amphorae, for 14 months; filtered; annual production varies considerably, from 300 – 1,000 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2017: (barrel sample) The bouquet rests on soaked fruits, blackberry and cassis, a lower note of raspberry, a little menthol, lead pencil, in tune with its quartz soils. The palate bears a good essence of black berries such as loganberry, runs with purpose into a lip-smacking close, where there is tasty raspberry fruit. This works well on its fresh finish, to 2043, ****(*); JC@RP, 2018: Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and velvety, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz is a complete thoroughbred ... stunning aromas of crushed stones, tea roses, black cherries and licorice. A powerhouse, loaded with extract, it finishes long and intense, picking up hints of chocolate and star anise. It appears capable of evolving for a couple of stunning decades, 97; weight bottle and cork 612 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.closducaillou.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, another good colour, limpid, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is subtle, understated, very pure, gentlest garrigue, soft florals, fresh red fruits gently spiced, exquisitely pure. It is the palate that convinces, so early in the piece, wonderful saturated velvety richness, all the excitement of Chateauneuf-du-Pape but here all latent, the wine still gently in bud. The quality and subtlety of the oaking in this wine is superb. Wines like this make the Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape look totally handicapped. Because Les Quartz came after three sensational wines in the Worth Cellaring group tasting, this wine at number 12 was somewhat overlooked, two second-place votes only. Cellar 15 – 30 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, another good colour, limpid, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is subtle, understated, very pure, gentlest garrigue, soft florals, fresh red fruits gently spiced, exquisitely pure. It is the palate that convinces, so early in the piece, wonderful saturated velvety richness, all the excitement of Chateauneuf-du-Pape but here all latent, the wine still gently in bud. The quality and subtlety of the oaking in this wine is superb. Wines like this make the Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape look totally handicapped. Because Les Quartz came after three sensational wines in the Worth Cellaring group tasting, this wine at number 12 was somewhat overlooked, two second-place votes only. Cellar 15 – 30 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $75 [ cork 50mm; Gr 69%, Mv 15, Sy 15, Ci 1, hand-picked and sorted; cuvaison to 28 days; elevation Gr and Sy 12 – 18 months in large wood or vat; Mv receives different treatment, fermented in oak, detail unclear; Livingstone-Learmonth says 5% new oak overall; Mourre des Perdrix regarded by the owners as the most feminine of the cuvées; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 671 g; www.domainedelacharbonniere.com ]
Ruby and velvet, older and lighter than the Boislauzon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is more grenache dominant, fragrant red fruits, some silver-pine cedary notes, seemingly all red fruits in contrast to the Boislauzon, even though the cepage is not too different. There are hints of new oak, but most of the oak seems older, no brett, and the spirit is not overt. Palate is less complex than the Boislauzon, and in mouth the alcohol seems a little higher, all on red grenache berry flavours plus some darker fruits, the raspberry browning slightly now. There is good succulence and richness on the later palate, and more old-oak tannin than you would expect from the bouquet. A good representative rich Chateauneuf-du-Pape from this fine year, needing to lose a little tannin. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Ruby and velvet, older and lighter than the Boislauzon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is more grenache dominant, fragrant red fruits, some silver-pine cedary notes, seemingly all red fruits in contrast to the Boislauzon, even though the cepage is not too different. There are hints of new oak, but most of the oak seems older, no brett, and the spirit is not overt. Palate is less complex than the Boislauzon, and in mouth the alcohol seems a little higher, all on red grenache berry flavours plus some darker fruits, the raspberry browning slightly now. There is good succulence and richness on the later palate, and more old-oak tannin than you would expect from the bouquet. A good representative rich Chateauneuf-du-Pape from this fine year, needing to lose a little tannin. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $66 [ cork, 50mm; purchase price c.$60; Gr 100% then, some Mv now, 80-plus years old; hand-picked and sorted, no de-stemming then; cuvaison in s/s; elevation up to 18 months in oak, 50 / 50 large wood and barrels, the latter 15% new, assemblage in concrete; production c.700 x 9-litre cases; not fined or filtered; in checking reviews for this wine, it is clear there is considerable bottle variation, implying brett. I have quoted good bottles – as ours turned out to be: R. Parker, 2010: ... violets, truffle, forest floor, kirsch and raspberries in a medium to full-bodied, heady, dense style. The tannins are resolved and the wine savory, fleshy, and oh, so pure and hedonistic. This is a very satisfying Chateauneuf du Pape that has reached full maturity, where it should stay for at least 5-8 more years, 93; J.L-L, 2009: ... a broad, open bouquet with a smoky, black fruit heart, and rays of sun off the stones in its ample nature – it is really full and young. ... floral garrigue enters after 90 minutes ... black fruit with a prolonged, persistent richness ... truly reflects the warm south ... still some tannic attitude ... not mature by any means. 2022-24, *****; bottle weight 667g; www.domainedelacharbonniere.com ]
Ruby and garnet, just above midway in depth. In one sense, this is the most ‘perfect’ / typical Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet in the set, recalling that the Mordorée has new oak, and the Les Cailloux is unusually complex and burgundian. Here there is perfect varietal grenache, red fruits and raspberry browning now, the associated cinnamon spice, and wonderfully fragrant subtle oak, just a trace. Palate like the Brunel shows a suppleness that hints at great burgundy, but it is not as floral and complex as that wine. Somewhere under the sunshine in this fruit, you feel you can taste a whole bunch component, which freshens the palate delightfully. This wine too still has a little tannin to lose, virtually no crusting at all in bottle, so far, so cellar 5 – 15 years. Like the Les Cailloux, but a little less so, there is subtle brett complexity here. One first place, two second. GK 07/18
Ruby and garnet, just above midway in depth. In one sense, this is the most ‘perfect’ / typical Chateauneuf-du-Pape bouquet in the set, recalling that the Mordorée has new oak, and the Les Cailloux is unusually complex and burgundian. Here there is perfect varietal grenache, red fruits and raspberry browning now, the associated cinnamon spice, and wonderfully fragrant subtle oak, just a trace. Palate like the Brunel shows a suppleness that hints at great burgundy, but it is not as floral and complex as that wine. Somewhere under the sunshine in this fruit, you feel you can taste a whole bunch component, which freshens the palate delightfully. This wine too still has a little tannin to lose, virtually no crusting at all in bottle, so far, so cellar 5 – 15 years. Like the Les Cailloux, but a little less so, there is subtle brett complexity here. One first place, two second. GK 07/18
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $95 [ cork; Maison Vauron; Sy 100%; 14% of alcohol is historically very high for Hermitage. Gauntley's of Nottingham is a UK firm specialising in Rhone wines. "Yann doesn't possess the 'power-houses' of Hermitage Hill – Bessards, l'Hermite and Meal, but small holdings on the lighter-soiled vineyards of Diognieres and Beaumes. Whilst neither wine can ever achieve the immense power of, say, Sorrel's Greal or Jaboulet's La Chapelle (of old), their wines possess a poise, balance and an overwhelming purity in the top years. Yann also tends to use more wood than Colombier, which makes for a lovely distinction between their wines. His Hermitage is simply fantastic and is acknowledged by everyone except the journalists ... great success in 2003, although there is very little to go around. 2003 Hermitage £24.92: Immense. Inky black in colour with a bouquet of wild herbs, spices, coffee and super-concentrated cassis. Explosive fruit on the palate, beautiful concentration of spices and blackcurrant fruits. Very ripe tannins, exotic and rich with tremendous length. Superb." K&L Wine Merchants, San Francisco, consider that at $60US: "This wine is truly black in color, with a nose of garrigue, spices and black currant liqueur. Make that black currant liqueur that's been condensed into the thickest, most concentrated creme de cassis you could imagine. Tannins are present, but due to the extreme heat of the vintage, they are ripe. And richness? You don't know richness until you've tasted this. Naturally, the wine needs time. But it will repay your patience." ]
Classical ruby, carmine and velvet of a big rich wine, one of the deepest, beautiful. Bouquet is youthful and tight, initially, not flaunting its charms. With air it expands to benchmark syrah ripened to the point of perfection: huge cassis, carnations and violets florals dominate, and other dark red berries and black peppercorn add complexity. Likewise, the palate initially seems a little austere, but it opens to classical black berryrich fruit, with all the aromatics and florals hinted at on bouquet playing out beautifully on the palate, which is exquisitely oaked. The New Zealand syrahs look very over-oaked and clumsy alongside this wine: one would love all New Zealand's syrah producers to buy a case of this. Cellar 10 – 25 years, as definitive syrah. GK 10/05
Classical ruby, carmine and velvet of a big rich wine, one of the deepest, beautiful. Bouquet is youthful and tight, initially, not flaunting its charms. With air it expands to benchmark syrah ripened to the point of perfection: huge cassis, carnations and violets florals dominate, and other dark red berries and black peppercorn add complexity. Likewise, the palate initially seems a little austere, but it opens to classical black berryrich fruit, with all the aromatics and florals hinted at on bouquet playing out beautifully on the palate, which is exquisitely oaked. The New Zealand syrahs look very over-oaked and clumsy alongside this wine: one would love all New Zealand's syrah producers to buy a case of this. Cellar 10 – 25 years, as definitive syrah. GK 10/05
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.8%; $583 [ cork 44mm; Sy 100, vine age averaging 55 years, cropped at c. 5.8 t/ha = 2.3 t/ac; elevation 18 – 24 months in all-old oak (then), one fining, no filtration; for many years Clape was the reference point for the district, Robinson referring to him as 'the old master'; Robinson, 2009: Bacon fat - smoky nose. Quite light but beautifully balanced. Ethereal. Wonderfully clean. Proves that Cornas can be worth waiting for, 18; Parker, 1996: Clape's 1990 Cornas is outstanding. The color is an opaque black/purple, and the nose offers up rich, ripe aromas of black fruits, licorice, and spices. Superconcentrated, with a full-bodied, highly extracted, mouth-filling taste, this example of Cornas possesses moderate tannin, adequate acidity, and a smashingly long finish. It is also relatively refined for a Cornas, displaying no signs of the rustic tannin or funky, earthy smells many Cornas can possess. Although it can be drunk now, I would recommend waiting at least 3-4 years. Enjoy it over the next 12-15 years, 91; no website found ]
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth but more vitally red / youthful than any of the Bordeaux. Bouquet is simply sensational. Here is all the florality so conspicuously lacking in the Petrus, the wallflowers and pinks and sweet william, just wonderful, on cassisy berry browning only slightly. Palate is a little lighter than I hoped for in such a year, but the precision of berry, the exact syrah varietal character at pinpoint optimal ripeness, and not assassinated by new oak, is wonderful. A very beautiful wine. Only an absolute pedant would ask if there is trace brett. Cellar another 10 years or so, but at a peak now, since it is not a big wine. One top, one second-place, votes. GK 10/15
Ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth but more vitally red / youthful than any of the Bordeaux. Bouquet is simply sensational. Here is all the florality so conspicuously lacking in the Petrus, the wallflowers and pinks and sweet william, just wonderful, on cassisy berry browning only slightly. Palate is a little lighter than I hoped for in such a year, but the precision of berry, the exact syrah varietal character at pinpoint optimal ripeness, and not assassinated by new oak, is wonderful. A very beautiful wine. Only an absolute pedant would ask if there is trace brett. Cellar another 10 years or so, but at a peak now, since it is not a big wine. One top, one second-place, votes. GK 10/15
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.8%; $931 [ cork, 44mm; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 97; J.L-L, 2016: The nose ... ripe and stylish fruit. It has a wonderful harmony, not a detail out of place ... there is just a little grilling. The palate is silken, continuous, most engaging. Its gras has supreme style. It hasn’t evolved much, and reaches out with sweet toned appeal, is very long. The finish brings a little nutty tannin, toffee, gives Cornas crunch there, dusted moments, close to garrigue herbs. The balance is great, the evolution slow on its content. ... I didn’t consider this a real, true Cornas when it was younger, but it is certainly getting there now. “It is a bit more Hermitage than Cornas, with more elegant tannins than usual.” Pierre Clape. 2034-37, ******; RP@R. Parker, 1997: Clape's 1990 Cornas is outstanding. ... the nose offers up rich, ripe aromas of black fruits, licorice, and spices. Superconcentrated, with a full-bodied, highly extracted, mouth-filling taste, this example of Cornas possesses moderate tannin, adequate acidity, and a smashingly long finish. It is also relatively refined for a Cornas, displaying no signs of the rustic tannin or funky, earthy smells many Cornas can possess. ... 12-15 years, 91; in a now-telling (to climate-change-deniers) aside back then, Auguste Clape noted 1990 was the first year in his entire career when all vats reached 13% alcohol – yet now some seasons achieve 14%; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above; bottle courtesy the late Dr Ken Kirkpatrick. ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. This is a beautifully fragrant wine, which on John Livingstone-Learmonth’s suggestion was paired with the 2010, as years illustrating perfect climatic conditions and ripeness. The wine to me illustrates delightful dianthus florals lifting and making racy browning cassis berry, so in that respect it illustrates optimal ripening for syrah. A couple of the more technical tasters commented that the bouquet was also amplified by a little Brettanomyces chemistry, a Martinborough winemaker agreeing. Once my attention was drawn to it, I could see and taste the more appealing 4-EG fraction of brett, which is fragrant in its own way. And on palate the wine might show trace drying of the tannins, which would fit in with a light brett component. At this level, a brett component should be seen as wine-complexity, not a fault. The nett flavour is still beautifully accurate maturing plummy syrah, and still surprisingly rich with appreciable fruit. At the dinner table the wine would be perfect. And at nearly 30 years of age, no two bottles will be the same, now. No first or second places, but two least. Well along its plateau of maturity, but ‘clean’ bottles still have life ahead. GK 09/18
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. This is a beautifully fragrant wine, which on John Livingstone-Learmonth’s suggestion was paired with the 2010, as years illustrating perfect climatic conditions and ripeness. The wine to me illustrates delightful dianthus florals lifting and making racy browning cassis berry, so in that respect it illustrates optimal ripening for syrah. A couple of the more technical tasters commented that the bouquet was also amplified by a little Brettanomyces chemistry, a Martinborough winemaker agreeing. Once my attention was drawn to it, I could see and taste the more appealing 4-EG fraction of brett, which is fragrant in its own way. And on palate the wine might show trace drying of the tannins, which would fit in with a light brett component. At this level, a brett component should be seen as wine-complexity, not a fault. The nett flavour is still beautifully accurate maturing plummy syrah, and still surprisingly rich with appreciable fruit. At the dinner table the wine would be perfect. And at nearly 30 years of age, no two bottles will be the same, now. No first or second places, but two least. Well along its plateau of maturity, but ‘clean’ bottles still have life ahead. GK 09/18
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $366 [ cork, 49mm; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 96; J.L-L, 2016: The bouquet is sunny, has a blackberry-prune lead aroma … mixed in with sweet spice. It’s not fully on the go – there is variety to come. For now, there are touches of iodine and road tar. The palate proceeds very serenely from the nose, with a rich centre, and a sparkling run of mineral towards the finish. Its abundance is well directed, and it closes on mineral-floral grip. … This is stylish, well formed, most handsome. 2038 – 40, *****; RP@R. Parker, 2002: The 1999 Cornas is a brilliant effort in a Cornas vintage that produced an atypically high percentage of mediocrity. The wine displays soft tannin, but good underlying acidity, terrific blackberry and cassis-like fruit, and aromas of roasted meats, jammy black fruits, hickory smoke, and licorice. Fine purity, sweet tannin, and well-integrated acidity and alcohol result in a seamless impact. This full-bodied, large-scaled offering will be at its finest between 2005-2016, 91; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby and velvet, fresher than the 2003, just above midway in depth. 1999 was a fragrant and aromatic year in both the Northern Rhone and Burgundy, and this wine lives up to the vintage's reputation. There is a freshness to the dusky rose florals (a deeper floral note than dianthus) which is a delight, on dramatically clear cassisy berry notes scarcely browning. Palate is vibrant, not as rich as some, almost a Cote de Nuits quality to it, but more substantial and clearly more tannin, with a thought of sweet black pepper. There is a wonderful purity to this 1999 wine, a crystal-clear focus on syrah varietal qualities, yet in some ways it is understated relative to the 1995. It will be good to see it in a later tasting some five years hence. Will the bouquet build ? Tasters appreciated the style of this wine too, one first place, but four second places. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/18
Ruby and velvet, fresher than the 2003, just above midway in depth. 1999 was a fragrant and aromatic year in both the Northern Rhone and Burgundy, and this wine lives up to the vintage's reputation. There is a freshness to the dusky rose florals (a deeper floral note than dianthus) which is a delight, on dramatically clear cassisy berry notes scarcely browning. Palate is vibrant, not as rich as some, almost a Cote de Nuits quality to it, but more substantial and clearly more tannin, with a thought of sweet black pepper. There is a wonderful purity to this 1999 wine, a crystal-clear focus on syrah varietal qualities, yet in some ways it is understated relative to the 1995. It will be good to see it in a later tasting some five years hence. Will the bouquet build ? Tasters appreciated the style of this wine too, one first place, but four second places. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $185 [ cork, 50mm; for reds, one of the few domaines making just the one (red) grand vin, plus a wonderfully concentrated generic table red, Le Petit Vin d'Avril; proprietor Vincent Avril much influenced by the wines of Burgundy; described by J.L-L as a ‘Gold standard estate’, with extraordinarily low cropping rates by New Zealand standards, sometimes as low as 20 hl/ha = 2.6 t/ha = 1.05 t/ac, and in 2021 16 hl/ha = 2.1 t/ha = 0.85 t/ac – nearly 40% of the crop lost to frost; the vintage style much respected in each year; cepage averages Gr 45 – 65%, Mv 20 – 40, Sy 10 – 15, and the other 15 mostly in token quantities, 5; all destemmed, 21 days cuvaison; elevation c.12 months in large foudres, no new oak; not fined or filtered; annual production varies greatly with the year, at most 7,500 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2023: from bottle: full red robe; the nose offers airs of mixed red berries, plums with neat definition, a hint of raspberry, along with smoke, cloves, licorice. The palate is bright, peppered, has discreet spine to guide it, collects dusty tannins and herbal tones towards the finish, can expand out, which will help the second half. Its length is restricted for now, as is its late expression. ... is a little under wraps for now, but is very clear, so has a good future. There is lower Syrah because of frost … . Bottled April 2023. From 2026 or so. 2045-47, ****; Vincent Avril, 2022: It’s very drinkable, excites your appetite, is very Mourvèdre; JC@RP, 2023: Cherries, raspberries and truffles appear on the nose of the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape, which weighs in at 15.1% alcohol. Showing ample concentration and length, this medium to full-bodied effort isn't quite as well endowed as the 2022, but it's still a gorgeous wine, framed by silky tannins and finishing with bright, pomegranate-like fruit, 95; weight bottle and closure 657 g; www.clos-des-papes.fr ]
Pure ruby, a glorious wine colour even though it is the lightest of the 12. Bouquet contrasts dramatically with the equally pure Boisrenard, here all red fruits to the fore, grenache dominating, the mourvedre invisible on bouquet. Instead, red roses and the most complex aspects of raspberries, hints of cinnamon, a piquant hint of aromatics almost subtler than garrigue, beautiful. Palate is simply astonishing, the richness on-tongue a sensation to taste, yet in another sense the flavours all remarkably light. This is the mouth-feel you achieve with a cropping rate of 16 hl / ha = 2.1 tonnes / ha = 0.85 tonnes / acre, numbers our Marlborough factory winemakers refuse to think about, or even acknowledge. There must be very little press-wine in this edition of Clos des Papes for the wine to be so supple at this early age. The given alcohol is 15%, yet as so often, the high percentage of grenache hides it well. This is Chateauneuf-du-Pape at its most fragrant and elegant, yet it will cellar 15 – 20 years at least, becoming ever more burgundian. Notwithstanding being the lightest colour of all 12 wines, the tasting experience of the group showed through with this wine, 12 tasters rating Clos des Papes the top wine, plus one in second place. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 04/24
Pure ruby, a glorious wine colour even though it is the lightest of the 12. Bouquet contrasts dramatically with the equally pure Boisrenard, here all red fruits to the fore, grenache dominating, the mourvedre invisible on bouquet. Instead, red roses and the most complex aspects of raspberries, hints of cinnamon, a piquant hint of aromatics almost subtler than garrigue, beautiful. Palate is simply astonishing, the richness on-tongue a sensation to taste, yet in another sense the flavours all remarkably light. This is the mouth-feel you achieve with a cropping rate of 16 hl / ha = 2.1 tonnes / ha = 0.85 tonnes / acre, numbers our Marlborough factory winemakers refuse to think about, or even acknowledge. There must be very little press-wine in this edition of Clos des Papes for the wine to be so supple at this early age. The given alcohol is 15%, yet as so often, the high percentage of grenache hides it well. This is Chateauneuf-du-Pape at its most fragrant and elegant, yet it will cellar 15 – 20 years at least, becoming ever more burgundian. Notwithstanding being the lightest colour of all 12 wines, the tasting experience of the group showed through with this wine, 12 tasters rating Clos des Papes the top wine, plus one in second place. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 04/24
St Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $270 [ cork, CS 70%, Me 27, PV 2, CF 1, planted to 8 – 10 000 vines / ha, cropped @ 30 hL / ha (1.6 t/ac) in 2003 (against an average of 50 (2.6 t/ac)), average vine age 35 years; 3 weeks cuvaison in tank, 18 months in French oak 80% new; pH 3.7; Parker: Prodigious … a compelling perfume of black fruits, incense and flowers … extraordinary richness, full body, remarkable freshness … one of the finest ever ... 98; Robinson: ... opulent, rich, fresh and fragrant on the nose .. well balanced, fine tannins … really fine quality. 18.5; www.estournel.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, not quite the depth and freshness of the Montrose. Though all agreed the Cos was superb, this was another wine producing a diversity of opinion on style. Bouquet is magnificent, showing no signs of excess heat, merely ripest and richest cassis and darkest plums all rounded out by fine oak, which is chocolatey but more cedary. It is pretty well as concentrated as the Montrose, reflecting the excellence of St Estephe in this drought year. It is however made more in the modern American style, much softer and rounder with chocolatey and coffee notes in the oak, compared with the more classically austere Montrose. Palate is rich, drying tannins of superb ripeness, and great richness and intensity. Fruit is more dark plummy than cassis, as if merlot were dominant, the berry lingering attractively in mouth. The style of oak is again a bit chocolatey at the finish, but this is great wine, of first growth quality. Once it loses some tannin, it will be even better.
But, those who favour this style do not seem to acknowledge that it is moving towards an international one, losing the precise varietal typicity of bordeaux. This is supposed to be the nub of the matter terroir apologists are on about. Perhaps winemakers tend to like this style, because it is more easily achieved than the classical beauty of traditional bordeaux. Like the Montrose, the technical excellence of the wine was praised. It is certainly great to see the reductive phase that Cos lingered in for too many (unacknowledged) years is now in the past. Top wine for some tasters. [Cos also figured in one of the Glengarry tastings, where without competition, it looked superb.] Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 10/06
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, not quite the depth and freshness of the Montrose. Though all agreed the Cos was superb, this was another wine producing a diversity of opinion on style. Bouquet is magnificent, showing no signs of excess heat, merely ripest and richest cassis and darkest plums all rounded out by fine oak, which is chocolatey but more cedary. It is pretty well as concentrated as the Montrose, reflecting the excellence of St Estephe in this drought year. It is however made more in the modern American style, much softer and rounder with chocolatey and coffee notes in the oak, compared with the more classically austere Montrose. Palate is rich, drying tannins of superb ripeness, and great richness and intensity. Fruit is more dark plummy than cassis, as if merlot were dominant, the berry lingering attractively in mouth. The style of oak is again a bit chocolatey at the finish, but this is great wine, of first growth quality. Once it loses some tannin, it will be even better.
But, those who favour this style do not seem to acknowledge that it is moving towards an international one, losing the precise varietal typicity of bordeaux. This is supposed to be the nub of the matter terroir apologists are on about. Perhaps winemakers tend to like this style, because it is more easily achieved than the classical beauty of traditional bordeaux. Like the Montrose, the technical excellence of the wine was praised. It is certainly great to see the reductive phase that Cos lingered in for too many (unacknowledged) years is now in the past. Top wine for some tasters. [Cos also figured in one of the Glengarry tastings, where without competition, it looked superb.] Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 10/06
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $130 [ cork; the Sabarotte lieu-dit formerly owned by Noel Verset, the upper granite part recently sold to Courbis, the lower section to Clape. Some of the vines planted 1914, c. 9000 / ha, but after age 50 c. 2% replacements needed per annum; Sy 100%, all de-stemmed, ferments in s/s; attention to aeration; 5000 bottles only of la Sabarotte, aged 16 months in French oak 65% new, balance 1-year, so wine-making is 'modern'; Sabarotte is regarded as the top Courbis site. Parker 4/07: The richest and inkiest of all is the 2005 Cornas La Sabarotte. Dense purple in color with a nose of liquid rocks intermixed with flowers, blackberry, blueberry, and cassis, the wine is intense, formidably endowed, massive, and unyielding. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15 years. Needless to say, all of these wines are for patient connoisseurs. 91 – 93; Wine Spectator, 3/08: US$85 Dark, brawny and very tight, with a large core of bramble, blueberry, blackberry, olive and sage notes wound up by an iron-fisted finish. Totally backward now, but shows terrific length and density. Should blossom with cellaring. Best from 2009 through 2018. 430 cases made. 94; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland ]
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Villa Maria Syrah Cellar Selection. Bouquet is special on this wine, showing the heightened florality of perfect Northern Rhone syrah, so rarely achieved. All too often the florals of Cote Rotie are accompanied by leafiness, but here are perfect wallflowers and dark carnations, on the same kind of fragrant cassis and bottled black doris plums as the finest New Zealand syrahs, plus a beguiling hint of bush honey. Palate matches perfectly, not as rich as the top New Zealand examples, more the weight of grand cru Cote de Nuits, but uplifted by sweet ripe black peppercorn. This is exceptional Cornas, to cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/08
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Villa Maria Syrah Cellar Selection. Bouquet is special on this wine, showing the heightened florality of perfect Northern Rhone syrah, so rarely achieved. All too often the florals of Cote Rotie are accompanied by leafiness, but here are perfect wallflowers and dark carnations, on the same kind of fragrant cassis and bottled black doris plums as the finest New Zealand syrahs, plus a beguiling hint of bush honey. Palate matches perfectly, not as rich as the top New Zealand examples, more the weight of grand cru Cote de Nuits, but uplifted by sweet ripe black peppercorn. This is exceptional Cornas, to cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/08
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $92 [ cork; hand-picked from sites above Chavanay, all BF on low-solids in older oak 2 – 5 years, 100% MLF plus LA, batonnage and 9 months in barrel, c.1800 cases; July offer $69 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw, in the middle for hue but the straw increasing. Of the nine wines, this 2009 Petite Cote has the most clear-cut varietal bouquet, simply because La Petite Cote does not have so much new oak. Bouquet is orange-ripe apricots and mandarins with clear-cut yellow honeysuckle and orange blossom, beautiful. Palate is at a peak of development, the rich ripe apricots fully expressed, still relative freshness, but in a year's time it will be just a little faded. Tasting this wine, but in truth all nine of the Cuilleron viogniers, is a vivid reminder that even the best New Zealand viogniers exhibit only a fraction of this magical intensity of honeysuckle, apricots and citrus, yet this is nominally the least in his Condrieu range. Oak is totally subservient, body is chardonnay weight, the finish is bone dry. Lovely wine, time to be finishing while at its peak, but will hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Lemonstraw, in the middle for hue but the straw increasing. Of the nine wines, this 2009 Petite Cote has the most clear-cut varietal bouquet, simply because La Petite Cote does not have so much new oak. Bouquet is orange-ripe apricots and mandarins with clear-cut yellow honeysuckle and orange blossom, beautiful. Palate is at a peak of development, the rich ripe apricots fully expressed, still relative freshness, but in a year's time it will be just a little faded. Tasting this wine, but in truth all nine of the Cuilleron viogniers, is a vivid reminder that even the best New Zealand viogniers exhibit only a fraction of this magical intensity of honeysuckle, apricots and citrus, yet this is nominally the least in his Condrieu range. Oak is totally subservient, body is chardonnay weight, the finish is bone dry. Lovely wine, time to be finishing while at its peak, but will hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $115 [ cork; made from older vines hand-picked with a little sur-maturité from steeper slopes above Chavanay; low-solids juice wild-yeast-fermented and 100% MLF in barrel, with up to 30% new oak; 10 months lees autolysis and batonnage in barrel; c.1,500 cases; www.cuilleron.com ]
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is both complex and intensely varietal, showing wild-ginger blossom and canned South African apricots (that is, less ripe than Australian canned apricots) with a lovely complex spicy / piquant depth to it, all complexed by barrel-ferment, lees autolysis, and MLF components. The oak is to a max on bouquet, but still less than Guigal Condrieu. In mouth the oak is a little more apparent, but the fruit is succulent, long and rich with the MLF contributing, tapering perfectly to the finish which is extended by barrel-ferment characters and newish oak. How the Condrieu district magically produces the smells and flavours of full physiological maturity in viognier at 13% alcohol remains one of the great wine mysteries. Cellar 2 – 5 years for optimal freshness, but the wine will hold longer, changing and losing the fresh fruit charm, but still rewarding. Yves Cuilleron is a stellar producer, in Condrieu. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is both complex and intensely varietal, showing wild-ginger blossom and canned South African apricots (that is, less ripe than Australian canned apricots) with a lovely complex spicy / piquant depth to it, all complexed by barrel-ferment, lees autolysis, and MLF components. The oak is to a max on bouquet, but still less than Guigal Condrieu. In mouth the oak is a little more apparent, but the fruit is succulent, long and rich with the MLF contributing, tapering perfectly to the finish which is extended by barrel-ferment characters and newish oak. How the Condrieu district magically produces the smells and flavours of full physiological maturity in viognier at 13% alcohol remains one of the great wine mysteries. Cellar 2 – 5 years for optimal freshness, but the wine will hold longer, changing and losing the fresh fruit charm, but still rewarding. Yves Cuilleron is a stellar producer, in Condrieu. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $75 [ cork; Cuilleron makes four Condrieus: the standard cuvee including younger vine material La Petite Cote, the Chaillets label made from older vines and sometimes labelled Vieilles Vignes, the extremely rare Vertige (only 1500 bottles, from even older vines on a steep slope), and in some years a botrytised late-harvest les Ayguets. The standard wine is predominantly s/s, but for the hand-harvested les Chaillets a significant part (at least 80%) and perhaps all of the wine finishes fermentation in oak including some new, with lees autolysis and batonnage. There is 100% MLF, like Guigal. For this wine, Josh Raynolds in Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar had this to say in early 2006: Smoky, ripe aromas of pear, apple and orange pith. Firm and juicy on the palate, with an intense bitter quinine note along with sweeter flavors of ripe tangerine and passion fruit. This has serious weight and velvety texture but also a strong backbone of acid to add focus and length. 92; www.isasite.net/Cuilleron ]
Lemonstraw to straw. Initially opened, the wine is a bit disorganised, with the oak slightly edgy / estery. Once breathed a little, it becomes magical, displaying the interplay of florals, fruit ripeness and seductiveness which lifts great viognier above the increasing number of correct but uninspiring ones. Bouquet shows wild-ginger blossom, canned properly-ripe apricots and cream, and thoughts of baguette crust so delicious as to nearly suggest apricot shortcake. Palate is equally flavourful, oak beautifully balanced, showing lingering fruit with apricot right to the end, yet bone dry. There is wonderful mouthfeel from MLF and lees autolysis, yet neither component is too apparent, clumsy or unduly weighty, as is now all too frequently the case in examples of viognier from Condrieu. Model wine, at a peak of maturity, right now. GK 07/07
Lemonstraw to straw. Initially opened, the wine is a bit disorganised, with the oak slightly edgy / estery. Once breathed a little, it becomes magical, displaying the interplay of florals, fruit ripeness and seductiveness which lifts great viognier above the increasing number of correct but uninspiring ones. Bouquet shows wild-ginger blossom, canned properly-ripe apricots and cream, and thoughts of baguette crust so delicious as to nearly suggest apricot shortcake. Palate is equally flavourful, oak beautifully balanced, showing lingering fruit with apricot right to the end, yet bone dry. There is wonderful mouthfeel from MLF and lees autolysis, yet neither component is too apparent, clumsy or unduly weighty, as is now all too frequently the case in examples of viognier from Condrieu. Model wine, at a peak of maturity, right now. GK 07/07
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $124 [ cork; made from older vines (sometimes labelled Vieilles Vignes) all hand-picked with a little sur-maturité from steeper slopes above Chavanay, low-solids juice wild-yeast-fermented and 100% MLF in barrel, with up to 30% new oak, plus 10 months lees autolysis and batonnage in barrel; 1500 cases; July offer $99 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw, clearly towards the lemon end in hue, these 2009 wines are phenomenal. Bouquet is really strong on this wine, almost too strong due to the new oak amplifying the viognier, so there is just a whisper of cape-ivy edge to the yellow honeysuckle, quickly passing to fresh apricots and new oak. Palate shows fabulous varietal fruit, again fully orange-ripe apricots and some canned too, closely related to the 2009 Petite Cote but richer and more oaky, so in one sense less explicitly varietal. The new oak does extend the later palate. Pretty special wine, and one can understand anyone who rates it higher than the 2009 Petite Cote, since it is richer and in one sense more complex. My view is this level of oak detracts somewhat. Again, at a peak of development right now, bone dry finish, but will hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Lemonstraw, clearly towards the lemon end in hue, these 2009 wines are phenomenal. Bouquet is really strong on this wine, almost too strong due to the new oak amplifying the viognier, so there is just a whisper of cape-ivy edge to the yellow honeysuckle, quickly passing to fresh apricots and new oak. Palate shows fabulous varietal fruit, again fully orange-ripe apricots and some canned too, closely related to the 2009 Petite Cote but richer and more oaky, so in one sense less explicitly varietal. The new oak does extend the later palate. Pretty special wine, and one can understand anyone who rates it higher than the 2009 Petite Cote, since it is richer and in one sense more complex. My view is this level of oak detracts somewhat. Again, at a peak of development right now, bone dry finish, but will hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $75 [ cork; Sy 100%, all more than 50 years age; some whole-bunches; cuvaison to 21 days; MLF in barrel; 18 – 20 months in small oak, 40% new (J.L-L comments, every year less, noteworthy for NZ); fined, filtered; production averages 1,000 x 9-litre cases; www.cuilleron.com ]
Bright ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the deepest 10 of the 49 red wines. Bouquet shows a near-perfect floral expression of temperate climate syrah at full physiological maturity and varietal expression: wallflowers, darkest roses, and violets, spiced by a hint of black pepper, and underlain by near-cassisy fruit, plus subtle suggestions of newish oak. Palate has a refreshing coolness to it amidst the Southern Rhone wines, vibrant varietal flavours, good but not exceptional richness and depth, great length of flavour on the skin tannins first, all extended by subtle oak. The florals and sweet black pepper come back on the long finish. Very beautiful but subtle syrah, not a showstopper, too subtle for some people, I imagine. Cellar 8 – 20 years. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Bright ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the deepest 10 of the 49 red wines. Bouquet shows a near-perfect floral expression of temperate climate syrah at full physiological maturity and varietal expression: wallflowers, darkest roses, and violets, spiced by a hint of black pepper, and underlain by near-cassisy fruit, plus subtle suggestions of newish oak. Palate has a refreshing coolness to it amidst the Southern Rhone wines, vibrant varietal flavours, good but not exceptional richness and depth, great length of flavour on the skin tannins first, all extended by subtle oak. The florals and sweet black pepper come back on the long finish. Very beautiful but subtle syrah, not a showstopper, too subtle for some people, I imagine. Cellar 8 – 20 years. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Chigny-Les-Roses, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ Diam cork 45mm; original price c.$65; PM 50%, PN 25, Ch 25; full MLF, very high % of reserve wines sometimes over 50%; all riddling manual – totally a small-scale family winery; minimum of three years en tirage; not sure if any oak elevation for this label; dosage 2 g/L, this bottle disgorged 23/7/2014; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; https://champagne-dumangin.fr ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and very particular, immediately reflecting the high pinot meunier, a very strong apple-blossom / hedge roses floral quality, plus the perfume of Pacific Rose apples perfectly tree-ripened, very distinctive. The florals are complexed with apple and red cherry fruit, and textbook baguette-quality lees autolysis. Palate is elegant, very fine-grained, the first sip noticeably dry but the premier cru fruit quality is so good it easily carries the 2 g/L dosage. Beautiful autolysis extends the flavours in mouth admirably, coupled with perfect acid balance. This is a wonderful example of what lees-autolysis means, in the methode champenoise winestyle. With the high meunier, might be less suited to extended cellaring … so probably nearing full maturity now. GK 06/20
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and very particular, immediately reflecting the high pinot meunier, a very strong apple-blossom / hedge roses floral quality, plus the perfume of Pacific Rose apples perfectly tree-ripened, very distinctive. The florals are complexed with apple and red cherry fruit, and textbook baguette-quality lees autolysis. Palate is elegant, very fine-grained, the first sip noticeably dry but the premier cru fruit quality is so good it easily carries the 2 g/L dosage. Beautiful autolysis extends the flavours in mouth admirably, coupled with perfect acid balance. This is a wonderful example of what lees-autolysis means, in the methode champenoise winestyle. With the high meunier, might be less suited to extended cellaring … so probably nearing full maturity now. GK 06/20
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $610 [ cork; optimal en primeur landed in NZ price $610, retail up to $1350; Me 85%, CF 15; average vine age 40 years; 80% new French oak for 18 months; 1500 cases; Parker 4/08: A sensational effort from proprietor Denis Durantou, this 2005 is a compelling wine, but purchasers should wait at least a decade to begin the magical liquid tour. One of the monumental wines of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a glorious perfume of caramelized blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, a hint of toast in the backward, fully integrated oak, full body, and exceptional density and richness. Prodigiously concentrated, this layered, broad Pomerol reveals a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood. It is a massive, yet remarkably elegant wine that is as singular as it is exhilarating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040. 100; WS 3/08: Dark ruby in color. Fabulous aromas of blackberry, tobacco, black olive and brown sugar follow through to a full body, with incredibly velvety tannins that go on and on and caress the palate for minutes. Shows class and complexity. Stunning. The greatest young wine ever from this producer. Best after 2016. 1,375 cases made. 98; JR 4/06: 1st sample: Dark, bright purple. Rich, round, rather cool and long term – fine and refined. Much less opulent than I would have expected. 2nd sample: Rich, velvety, cool and slightly gassy. More than 14 per cent alcohol. Quite different from 2003!! 18 ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, pretty well midway in depth. Bouquet is classically fully ripe to over-ripe merlot as one understands it, florals in the deep red roses spectrum, and unequivocal bottled dark plums fruit. In mouth it is velvety rich, much more developed than Sophia, but pointed in the same direction, softer and more mellow. It is not quite evident why this should be 100-point wine in the Parker hierarchy, being neither the richest in the set, or the most vibrant or otherwise remarkable. There is a suggestion of sur-maturité on the palate, but it is benchmark merlot, contrasting vividly with the cassisy cabernet-led Haut-Brion it sat alongside. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, pretty well midway in depth. Bouquet is classically fully ripe to over-ripe merlot as one understands it, florals in the deep red roses spectrum, and unequivocal bottled dark plums fruit. In mouth it is velvety rich, much more developed than Sophia, but pointed in the same direction, softer and more mellow. It is not quite evident why this should be 100-point wine in the Parker hierarchy, being neither the richest in the set, or the most vibrant or otherwise remarkable. There is a suggestion of sur-maturité on the palate, but it is benchmark merlot, contrasting vividly with the cassisy cabernet-led Haut-Brion it sat alongside. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $48 [ cork, 50 mm; proprietor Philippe Cartoux farms 9.5 ha organically, in three appellations, 3 ha in Gigondas. There are three Gigondas, the Tradition wine, then two individual vineyard wines at a higher price. Les Grames is the second of these, a new addition to the range, cepage Gr 75%, 25 Sy, planted at 5,400 vines per ha. If the cropping rate is similar to Les Blaches, the other individual wine, it is cropped at less than 3.25 t/ha = 1.3 t/ac. Compared with most New Zealand reds, such a cropping rate gives noticeable textural pleasure on the palate. Vinification includes fruit perhaps 80% de-stemmed, three days cold soak, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, elevation 70% in concrete, 30% in barriques some newish for 12 months, then fined but not filtered; JC@RP, 2018: ... scents of garrigue strewn over ripe cherries and stone fruit. Full-bodied, supple, creamy and concentrated, it's another winning Gigondas, an appellation that seems to have excelled in the 2016 vintage, 92; production averages c.1,000 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 635 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; http://p.cartoux.free.fr ]
Ruby, some velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet reveals one of the exemplary wines, beautiful singing garrigue florals and aromatics, some spice, red and black fruits, just archetypal quality for good Southern Rhone wine. On palate Les Grames is succulent yet not heavy, saturated with aromatic grape flavours, so supple you suspect there must be some big old oak as well as a little newish, the integration of gentle oak and aromatic berry being particularly pleasing. This is the kind of red wine that makes you hungry. Cellar 10 – 25 years. No comments from the group tasting, perhaps a little subtle. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, some velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet reveals one of the exemplary wines, beautiful singing garrigue florals and aromatics, some spice, red and black fruits, just archetypal quality for good Southern Rhone wine. On palate Les Grames is succulent yet not heavy, saturated with aromatic grape flavours, so supple you suspect there must be some big old oak as well as a little newish, the integration of gentle oak and aromatic berry being particularly pleasing. This is the kind of red wine that makes you hungry. Cellar 10 – 25 years. No comments from the group tasting, perhaps a little subtle. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $356 [ cork 50mm; Me 80%, CF 20, vines average 6,250 / ha; elevation 20 months in 33% new oak; 4150 cases; skimpy website; www.moueix.com ]
Older ruby, even some garnet, the third to lightest. Here is another bouquet of power and charm, much more powerful than the light wine colour suggests. This is a very integrated and complete aroma, immediately reminding of the way Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste used to smell a generation or more ago, implying seamless cedary oak in floral and fragrant berry. Freshly opened there was a hint of leather on bouquet, but that dissipated. Palate is medium weight, superbly and subtly oaked, not big but so long, and so easy to drink. Wonderful. This has already arrived at the start of its plateau of maturity, and beautifully illustrates the notion that 'less is more'. Cellar 5 – 20 years, at least. GK 11/15
Older ruby, even some garnet, the third to lightest. Here is another bouquet of power and charm, much more powerful than the light wine colour suggests. This is a very integrated and complete aroma, immediately reminding of the way Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste used to smell a generation or more ago, implying seamless cedary oak in floral and fragrant berry. Freshly opened there was a hint of leather on bouquet, but that dissipated. Palate is medium weight, superbly and subtly oaked, not big but so long, and so easy to drink. Wonderful. This has already arrived at the start of its plateau of maturity, and beautifully illustrates the notion that 'less is more'. Cellar 5 – 20 years, at least. GK 11/15
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $298 [ cork 48mm; vines 49 years old; new oak never more than 20%; not fined or filtered; www.burgundy-report.com/autumn-2003/profile-domaine-fourrier-gevrey-chambertin ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises the concept of florality in pinot noir, violets, darkest roses and boronia all pouring from the glass, in red and black cherry fruit. There is also a wonderful spicy complexity to which cedary oak contributes, yet it is scarcely identifiable. Flavours in mouth are potentially velvety, lovely texture, good length, with complex fruit in which the florals persist in mouth, the oak still to meld in. Lovely modern wine to cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 04/15
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet epitomises the concept of florality in pinot noir, violets, darkest roses and boronia all pouring from the glass, in red and black cherry fruit. There is also a wonderful spicy complexity to which cedary oak contributes, yet it is scarcely identifiable. Flavours in mouth are potentially velvety, lovely texture, good length, with complex fruit in which the florals persist in mouth, the oak still to meld in. Lovely modern wine to cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 04/15
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $55 [ cork; PN 90%, Ch 10; www.champagne-gatinois.com ]
Faintly flushed straw, in the same direction as nv Lindauer Reserve but much subtler. Bouquet however bears no relation. Here is champagne beauty and florality of a quality rarely encountered. In the same way pinot noir can smell of English tea roses, so does this wine. This bouquet is simply exquisite. Behind the floral notes there is pure baguette-quality autolysis, cherry fruit, and the faintest hint of Vogel's Wholegrain. In mouth the pinot noir flavours cannot be ignored, yet the wine is fresh and long. Like the Peters wines, the quality of fruit bespeaks a very conservative cropping rate, and the absence of phenolics likewise suggests very gentle pressing, and a conservative juice off-take. Finish is quality brut, around 8 g/L. This is reference quality blanc de noirs, forming an ideal complement to the Peters wines. And as above, in a country where too many winewriters routinely endorse every tinpot champagne with the equivalent of five stars via fulsome prose, there is an urgent need for wines like this and the Peters two to be much more widely tasted, discussed and understood. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 07/14
Faintly flushed straw, in the same direction as nv Lindauer Reserve but much subtler. Bouquet however bears no relation. Here is champagne beauty and florality of a quality rarely encountered. In the same way pinot noir can smell of English tea roses, so does this wine. This bouquet is simply exquisite. Behind the floral notes there is pure baguette-quality autolysis, cherry fruit, and the faintest hint of Vogel's Wholegrain. In mouth the pinot noir flavours cannot be ignored, yet the wine is fresh and long. Like the Peters wines, the quality of fruit bespeaks a very conservative cropping rate, and the absence of phenolics likewise suggests very gentle pressing, and a conservative juice off-take. Finish is quality brut, around 8 g/L. This is reference quality blanc de noirs, forming an ideal complement to the Peters wines. And as above, in a country where too many winewriters routinely endorse every tinpot champagne with the equivalent of five stars via fulsome prose, there is an urgent need for wines like this and the Peters two to be much more widely tasted, discussed and understood. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 07/14
Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $268 [ cork 50mm; tending organic in viticulture; all destemmed; 20% lower yields in 2005, no chaptalising; 15 months in 30% new oak, without racking; Robinson, 2007: Very scented and relatively powerful nose. Super charming, but as though with a limp wrist. Certainly not the most concentrated-ever Charmes you will come across but super smooth and correct, 18+; Meadows, 2007: The Geantet wines tend to emphasize fruit rather than structure but in ’05 there is a more interesting balance between the two elements. 2005 Charmes-Chambertin: (from 50 year old vines). As ripe as the En Champs is, this is riper still yet it remains aromatically fresh and bright with intense cherry and raspberry notes on the spicy, pure and earthy nose where the spice and earth notes continue onto the delicious, rich and full-bodied flavors built on a base of concentrated fruit. This is classy if not overly complex at the moment but if the depth comes in time, my range could be conservative, from 2015, 90-93; www.geantetpansiot.com ]
Good rich pinot noir ruby, some development showing, the second-deepest wine in the combined sets. This wine needs splashy decanting, from jug to jug say four times. Once aired, it is quietly new-oaky, with some varietal fruit too. Given 24 hours, however, it has opened considerably, to show the kind of vital aromatic dark pinot fruit that characterises good Gevrey-Chambertin. The degree of dusky dark rose florals melding with the vanillin of new oak is now a delight, the wine having gained 'pinosity' immensely overnight. There are even hints of red fruits in the black cherry backbone. Flavour brings one back in confrontation with the level of new oak, which is basically too high for a variety as subtle and beautiful as pinot noir ... yet the old-vine de la Tour above has 100% new oak … The cherry fruit is mouth-filling and long in flavour, even if elongated further by the new oak. Winemakers liked this wine, though noting the level of new oak. With five first places and two seconds, it was the most favoured wine on the night. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/15
Good rich pinot noir ruby, some development showing, the second-deepest wine in the combined sets. This wine needs splashy decanting, from jug to jug say four times. Once aired, it is quietly new-oaky, with some varietal fruit too. Given 24 hours, however, it has opened considerably, to show the kind of vital aromatic dark pinot fruit that characterises good Gevrey-Chambertin. The degree of dusky dark rose florals melding with the vanillin of new oak is now a delight, the wine having gained 'pinosity' immensely overnight. There are even hints of red fruits in the black cherry backbone. Flavour brings one back in confrontation with the level of new oak, which is basically too high for a variety as subtle and beautiful as pinot noir ... yet the old-vine de la Tour above has 100% new oak … The cherry fruit is mouth-filling and long in flavour, even if elongated further by the new oak. Winemakers liked this wine, though noting the level of new oak. With five first places and two seconds, it was the most favoured wine on the night. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 09/15
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $44 [ cork 49mm, ullage 8mm; release price c.$75; Jasper Morris (paraphrased), 2010: viticulture ‘lutte raisonée’ ie tending organic but not so circumscribed; critical attention to berry sorting; 10 days cold soak, cuvaison not given; all wines have much the same élevage, 15 months with 30% new oak. Wine Spectator, 2003: Has character, with plenty of fruit and wet earth, good acidity and plenty of cassis and wild raspberries. Medium-bodied, firm but ripe tannins, tempting now thanks to the balanced finish. Pretty Gevrey-Chambertin of good quality for a village. Drink now through 2006. 600 cases made, 88; Pierre Rovani @ Parker, 2001: The medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes displays candied red and black cherries in its aromatics. This lush blackberry and cassis-flavored wine has enormous sex appeal to its medium-bodied personality. It is oily-textured and exhibits a long finish that reveals virtually perfectly ripened tannin. Drink 2001 - 2008, 89; weight bottle, no closure 593 g; no website found. ]
Ruby and garnet, light, but glowing, the lightest wine. Bouquet is simply heavenly, intensely floral, nearly boronia, that lovely piquancy of fine Cote de Nuits wine, nearly aromatic, nearly spicy, just so zingy and uplifted alongside the Cote de Beaune wines, shouting out pinot noir – yet somehow demure and understated as well. Palate is not the richest in the set, but is fragrant right through, the florals noticeable right through to the aftertaste (a rare, desirable, and quality attribute in pinot noir), red fruits, exciting. It is not quite as rich as the Quartz Reef, and is near the end of its plateau of maturity – in imminent danger of drying. One person had this as their top wine, one second, but three least, while 14 thought it French, and three New Zealand. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, light, but glowing, the lightest wine. Bouquet is simply heavenly, intensely floral, nearly boronia, that lovely piquancy of fine Cote de Nuits wine, nearly aromatic, nearly spicy, just so zingy and uplifted alongside the Cote de Beaune wines, shouting out pinot noir – yet somehow demure and understated as well. Palate is not the richest in the set, but is fragrant right through, the florals noticeable right through to the aftertaste (a rare, desirable, and quality attribute in pinot noir), red fruits, exciting. It is not quite as rich as the Quartz Reef, and is near the end of its plateau of maturity – in imminent danger of drying. One person had this as their top wine, one second, but three least, while 14 thought it French, and three New Zealand. GK 09/19
Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France: 13%; $37 [ cork; gamay grown mostly on granite, hand-picked; traditional destemming and mostly fermentation in s/s, elevation some in 5000-litre old wood, some in barrique including some new; www.vincentgirardin.com/fr/#/Bief ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of these wines. Alongside the 2010 Moulin a Vent, this 2009 both provides a brilliant comparison of the vintages, and illustrates another kind of perfection in beaujolais. Here the whole wine is a notch riper, but it is still dramatically gamay, just slightly less floral, instead more darkly plummy. The volume of bouquet is great, so much a key component of good beaujolais. It follows that the palate is much softer, riper, and more ample as befits a very warm year, yet it still has the fresh charm of gamay. This is classic big Moulin a Vent, and serious beaujolais, the oak more apparent than the Chermette yet still subtle by New Zealand pinot standards. Another glorious wine, which will cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of these wines. Alongside the 2010 Moulin a Vent, this 2009 both provides a brilliant comparison of the vintages, and illustrates another kind of perfection in beaujolais. Here the whole wine is a notch riper, but it is still dramatically gamay, just slightly less floral, instead more darkly plummy. The volume of bouquet is great, so much a key component of good beaujolais. It follows that the palate is much softer, riper, and more ample as befits a very warm year, yet it still has the fresh charm of gamay. This is classic big Moulin a Vent, and serious beaujolais, the oak more apparent than the Chermette yet still subtle by New Zealand pinot standards. Another glorious wine, which will cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/12
Margaux Third Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $194 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 11mm; $121 landed; in 2010 CS 60%, Me 32, CF 5, PV 3, planted at 8 – 10,000 vines / ha; all hand-picked at c.5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; temperature-controlled fermentation in s/s and concrete, cuvaison up to 28 days, elevation 15 – 18 months in 50% new barrels; average production 27,000 x 9-litre cases; consulting oenologist (then) the late Denis Dubourdieu; tasting notes for 2010 Giscours now show a lot of bottle variation – we shall have to hope our batch is on the better side. The best bottle JR@JR has seen, early on 2011: Quite complex and complete. Just beautifully balanced. This is ripe claret. The sort that Edmund Penning-Rowsell never encountered. Nothing forced nor self conscious. Just great balance and confidence. Fresh finish. Real Margaux. Appetising and subtle. But no blockbuster. Even a little sinewy on the finish, 17.5; then over the years, references to chocolate and tannin, low scores. But a recent bottle for L.P-B@WA, 2020: the 2010 Giscours slips seductively out of the glass with notions of baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves plus hints of cassis, pencil lead and dried Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is toting a fair amount of oak with a sturdy frame of chewy tannins, coming through with a long, fruity finish, 92+; model website; weight bottle and closure: 561 g; http://chateau-giscours.com/en/home ]
Fairly fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth. With several reports of 2010 Giscours opening variably around the world, it was a relief to decant this, and find a fresh young wine in great condition. Bouquet is model Médoc, nearly floral, good cassis and darkly plummy undertones, light cedary oak, attractive. Palate is less integrated than the Grand-Puy-Lacoste, a youthful wine not quite on the scale of those marked more highly, but attractively aromatic and cassisy, still with good mouth feel. It is not as floral and beautiful as the d’Issan, with its Margaux magic, the Giscours being a richer and more sturdy wine. It still captures the appeal of the aromatic 2010s very well. No votes for top or second-favourite. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 09/20
Fairly fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth. With several reports of 2010 Giscours opening variably around the world, it was a relief to decant this, and find a fresh young wine in great condition. Bouquet is model Médoc, nearly floral, good cassis and darkly plummy undertones, light cedary oak, attractive. Palate is less integrated than the Grand-Puy-Lacoste, a youthful wine not quite on the scale of those marked more highly, but attractively aromatic and cassisy, still with good mouth feel. It is not as floral and beautiful as the d’Issan, with its Margaux magic, the Giscours being a richer and more sturdy wine. It still captures the appeal of the aromatic 2010s very well. No votes for top or second-favourite. Cellar 20 – 40 years. GK 09/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $70 [ cork; Wine Direct; Gr 50%, Mv 30, Sy25; 35 h/hl (c.1.75 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; cuvaison 21 days, 18 months in new oak (% unstated); Parker 156 considers: “their top cuvée les Origines may be the finest value of all the old-vine super cuvées … it veers toward the more modern international style of winemaking … large-scaled, full-bodied, chewy, concentrated but low acid and open-knit. … it unquestionably possesses all the typicity of Chateauneuf. 91 – 93”; www.domaine-grand-veneur.com ]
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet. This is a sensational bouquet, showing classical grenache of great purity (apart from trace brett). It illustrates the basic concepts of grenache varietal characters beautifully – subtle raspberry-scented fruit and sweet cinnamon-stick spice, in this case with gorgeous cedary notes. The latter includes the signature smell of the fragrant compound manool, as found in the related conifer pink pine – a wonderful smell. Fruit is noticeably rich alongside the same firm’s Cotes du Rhone, totally dry, seemingly scarcely oaked, very beautiful Chateauneuf which will cellar 10 – 20 years, becoming ever more fragrant. GK 11/05
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet. This is a sensational bouquet, showing classical grenache of great purity (apart from trace brett). It illustrates the basic concepts of grenache varietal characters beautifully – subtle raspberry-scented fruit and sweet cinnamon-stick spice, in this case with gorgeous cedary notes. The latter includes the signature smell of the fragrant compound manool, as found in the related conifer pink pine – a wonderful smell. Fruit is noticeably rich alongside the same firm’s Cotes du Rhone, totally dry, seemingly scarcely oaked, very beautiful Chateauneuf which will cellar 10 – 20 years, becoming ever more fragrant. GK 11/05
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12%; $66 [ cork; CS 64%, Me 24, CF 9, PV 3; considered First Growth level by RP; Parker: Gruaud produces St Julien’s most massive and backward wine. The 1982: spectacular from the cask, and has continued to perform well, awesome richness and mammoth constitution … a huge spicy, blackcurrant and grilled meat aroma … the finest Gruaud since the 1961. To 2020. 97. Broadbent shares Parker’s enthusiasm: from cask, sweet and packed with fruit and tannin. Later, still intense, plummy, immature, gloriously rich fruit, tarry, full-flavoured, chewy, with pronounced but silky tannins. Needs time. To 2015. ****. Peppercorn on the 1982, in 2002: has the sweet fruit of 1982 at its best. GK in 1985 rated it: Excellent, a big 20-year classic claret. ]
Ruby and garnet, fresher ruby than many, and the deepest of these 14. Freshly opened, new oak is rather apparent, with quite autumnal fruit. With air, the cassis component grows and grows, to become a fragrant and cabernet-dominant Medoc, rich but cool and elegant, classic old-style claret. Palate however returns the oak to notice, so that though the wine is still rich and youthful in one sense, it hasn’t yet achieved quite the perfect near-burgundian harmony of the Haut Marbuzet, or the richness of the Latour a Pomerol. It should be less tannic in another five years, and will cellar 5 – 10 years, perhaps to blossom further. One of the three top-pointed wines on the night. GK 09/08
Ruby and garnet, fresher ruby than many, and the deepest of these 14. Freshly opened, new oak is rather apparent, with quite autumnal fruit. With air, the cassis component grows and grows, to become a fragrant and cabernet-dominant Medoc, rich but cool and elegant, classic old-style claret. Palate however returns the oak to notice, so that though the wine is still rich and youthful in one sense, it hasn’t yet achieved quite the perfect near-burgundian harmony of the Haut Marbuzet, or the richness of the Latour a Pomerol. It should be less tannic in another five years, and will cellar 5 – 10 years, perhaps to blossom further. One of the three top-pointed wines on the night. GK 09/08
Saint Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $263 [ Cork, 54 mm; CS 64%, Me 24, CF 9, PV 3; 21 – 35 day cuvaison, 18 – 24 months in barrel; 32,000 cases; Peppercorn: great concentration and richness, and decidedly tannic in the last few years, but with maturity they acquire a soft velvety texture with great breed and charm; Robinson, 2016: Salty zesty nose with great liveliness. Sweeter than the 1986 Las Cases served blind alongside it but less dense. A very pretty wine. This has always been one of the most charming 1986s and it's still, just about, in fine fettle. Though I wouldn't keep it any longer: 17; Parker, 1997: There seems to be no doubt about the quality of the 1986 Gruaud-Larose, which in 20 years should rival the extraordinary 1990, 1982, 1961, 1949, and 1928 made at this vast estate. From the first time I tasted this wine in cask, I have thought it to be among the blockbusters of the vintage. It has mammoth structure, a fabulous wealth of fruit, and a finish that seems to last several minutes. This is indeed first-growth quality ... enormous structure, impressive concentration, and massive tannins … a wine to lay down for ones children … 2000-2030: 94; bottle weight 547 g; www.gruaud-larose.com ]
Ruby and garnet, identical in hue to the Margaux but fractionally lighter, the third deepest colour. Bouquet is strong, not quite perfect, initially a faintly varnishy edge on the cooperage deflecting attention from the quality of beautifully cassisy berry. Once it has taken a breath of air, there is great purity and lift, a clean aromatic bouquet with good freshness, contrasting with some of the wines placed earlier in the presented line-up of 12. This wine too commanded more attention on palate, showing astonishing concentration of berry shaped by oak, fractionally richer than the Ch Margaux, a little more oaky too, but the tannins though evident softening beautifully. It is closer to the Mouton in style than the Ch Margaux – Parker's estimation of the wine seems spot-on. It is the finest Gruaud-Larose I have seen. Four people rated this their top or second wine, and seven thought it a First Growth. Cellar another 5 – 20 + years. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, identical in hue to the Margaux but fractionally lighter, the third deepest colour. Bouquet is strong, not quite perfect, initially a faintly varnishy edge on the cooperage deflecting attention from the quality of beautifully cassisy berry. Once it has taken a breath of air, there is great purity and lift, a clean aromatic bouquet with good freshness, contrasting with some of the wines placed earlier in the presented line-up of 12. This wine too commanded more attention on palate, showing astonishing concentration of berry shaped by oak, fractionally richer than the Ch Margaux, a little more oaky too, but the tannins though evident softening beautifully. It is closer to the Mouton in style than the Ch Margaux – Parker's estimation of the wine seems spot-on. It is the finest Gruaud-Larose I have seen. Four people rated this their top or second wine, and seven thought it a First Growth. Cellar another 5 – 20 + years. GK 08/16
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.5%; $491 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$70; typically Sy 100% from up to 20 lieux-dits, 60 – 95% whole-bunch depending on season, up to 21 days cuvaison; 20 – 22 months in French oak 20% new, both barrique and puncheon size; not fined or filtered, production around 2,500 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L comments in general, that Jamet's sites span all that is great in Cote Rotie, and that: "If you want to taste a wine that sums up the heartlands of Cote Rotie, the classic cuvée [ of Jamet ] should be it." J.L-L, no date: ripe, sunny varied berry aromas, potential; rich, stewed fruits attack, sappy, confit; delicious raspberry, tasty wine. Still very young. More complexity around 2010. To 2036, *****; JD@RP, 2015: One of the all-time greats from this estate is the still inky colored 1999 Cote Rotie. From a hot year that had many vignerons struggling with vinification issues, Jean-Paul compared 1999 to 2009 more than once. Sensationally rich, concentrated and full-bodied, it reveals a classic bouquet of pepper, smoked herbs, black currants and licorice. One sexy Cote Rotie that's just hard to resist, it's drinking perfectly today but will evolve nicely for another decade or more, 97; weight bottle and closure: 555 g; www.cote-rotie-jamet.com ]
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, above midway in depth and just above midway in ruby versus garnet. This wine is even more syrah-specific-floral than the Ch d’Ampuis, showing a magnificent depth of wallflower and dianthus floral aromas without the stalky whole-bunch notes that so often bedevil the Jamet approach. Off-hand this is the most perfect Jamet syrah bouquet I have seen. On palate, the berry qualities behind the florals are not so clearly defined as in the top two wines, but there is good medium-weight fruit, with now just a hint of stalk, and subtle oak. There is also an intriguing near-mint suggestion in the berry aromatics, pointing the taster in quite the wrong direction. Palate is lighter than the top two wines. Tasters liked this wine too: two first-places, and four second. At a peak of maturity now, but should fade gracefully for another 10 years. GK 11/19
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, above midway in depth and just above midway in ruby versus garnet. This wine is even more syrah-specific-floral than the Ch d’Ampuis, showing a magnificent depth of wallflower and dianthus floral aromas without the stalky whole-bunch notes that so often bedevil the Jamet approach. Off-hand this is the most perfect Jamet syrah bouquet I have seen. On palate, the berry qualities behind the florals are not so clearly defined as in the top two wines, but there is good medium-weight fruit, with now just a hint of stalk, and subtle oak. There is also an intriguing near-mint suggestion in the berry aromatics, pointing the taster in quite the wrong direction. Palate is lighter than the top two wines. Tasters liked this wine too: two first-places, and four second. At a peak of maturity now, but should fade gracefully for another 10 years. GK 11/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $96 [ cork, 50mm; original price c.$80; Gr 100% , >70 years age, hand-harvested; 80% de-stemmed; cuvaison up to 28 days in concrete, then 12 months in approx 2/3 foudre, 1/3 in 600s, the latter 20 – 35% new, the balance newish; fined, not filtered; Chaupin first made 1989; production 1,650 x 9-litre cases in 2005; J.L-L, 2007: ... sealed-up, tight bouquet ... holds black berries and an undertone of leaves and soil after rain, has more spine to it than the Tradition Janasse. Opulent, fat start to palate, with a creamy black fruits taste. Plenty of grip within, its density is prolonged, its tannins need leaving until 2010+, 2026-29, ****; JD@RP, 2017: ... a monumental beauty that offers loads of ripe blackberries, black raspberries, crushed flowers and garrigue aromas and flavors. Concentrated, layered and unctuous, with a to-die-for texture, no hard edges and a huge finish, this beauty is still youthful and is just now starting to show hints of maturity, 2012 - 2027, 99; weight bottle and cork 667 g; www.lajanasse.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly lighter than the Janasse Vieilles Vignes, below midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is again grenache emulating pinot noir in a slightly spirity way, the wine wonderfully fragrant, a little deeper in fruit colour than the pink nectarines of the Marcoux, here more red cherry / stewed red plum, not quite so clearly floral, but wonderfully fragrant. In mouth new oak has a larger role to play, this wine being quite aromatic (in one sense) and vibrant alongside the sensuous Marcoux. Length of flavour is not quite as saturated as the Janasse Vieilles Vignes, but by Chateauneuf-du-Pape standards in general, this too is a rich wine. It still has a little tannin to lose, and will cellar for another 10 – 20 years. Three tasters had this as their top or second wine, and nine (accurately) identified it as one of the near-100% grenache wines. GK 07/19
Ruby and velvet, clearly lighter than the Janasse Vieilles Vignes, below midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is again grenache emulating pinot noir in a slightly spirity way, the wine wonderfully fragrant, a little deeper in fruit colour than the pink nectarines of the Marcoux, here more red cherry / stewed red plum, not quite so clearly floral, but wonderfully fragrant. In mouth new oak has a larger role to play, this wine being quite aromatic (in one sense) and vibrant alongside the sensuous Marcoux. Length of flavour is not quite as saturated as the Janasse Vieilles Vignes, but by Chateauneuf-du-Pape standards in general, this too is a rich wine. It still has a little tannin to lose, and will cellar for another 10 – 20 years. Three tasters had this as their top or second wine, and nine (accurately) identified it as one of the near-100% grenache wines. GK 07/19
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $1,171 [ cork 50mm; cepage this year CS 90.5%, Me 9, PV 0.5 according to J. Robinson; 16 – 20 months in oak, usually 100% new; R. Parker, 2007: fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, 95; www.lafite.com ]
Ruby and velvet, in the middle for depth, one of the redder wines. Bouquet has that extraordinary nearly aethereal quality which better bottles of Lafite show. There is a nearly-floral quality to the bouquet, but the roses and violets are so entwined with glorious cedar and hints of brown pipe-tobacco complexities, you get lost trying to sort out what you are smelling. Great wine ! Palate follows on perfectly, much greater concentration than you would expect, perfect velvety texture, browning cassis adding to the complexities seen on bouquet, and exquisite new oak subtly shaping the whole thing. Wonderfully understated wine, the polar opposite of the ostentatious Mouton. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 02/16
Ruby and velvet, in the middle for depth, one of the redder wines. Bouquet has that extraordinary nearly aethereal quality which better bottles of Lafite show. There is a nearly-floral quality to the bouquet, but the roses and violets are so entwined with glorious cedar and hints of brown pipe-tobacco complexities, you get lost trying to sort out what you are smelling. Great wine ! Palate follows on perfectly, much greater concentration than you would expect, perfect velvety texture, browning cassis adding to the complexities seen on bouquet, and exquisite new oak subtly shaping the whole thing. Wonderfully understated wine, the polar opposite of the ostentatious Mouton. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 02/16
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 12.5%; $ – [ 49mm cork; a variable vintage, says Broadbent, 3-star at best; the domaine is so transformed now from the presumably traditional (then including some whole-bunch) standards prevailing in 1980, little can be said, except this is the domaine's finest red; Neal Martin had a batch of these wines last year, but sadly the 1980 was TCA-affected. He reports very favourably on adjacent vintages; www.comtes-lafon.fr ]
Rosy light garnet, below midway in depth. On both bouquet and palate, this wine was not amongst the biggest, but it captured the concept of beauty so critical to fine pinot noir / burgundy. The wine is sweetly even wonderfully floral, roses mainly and a hint of violets, on red fruits more than black but browning now, naturally, 1980 not being a powerful vintage. Palate is medium weight only, perfect fruit / acid / tannin balance, simply delicious browning cherry flavours, a wine of great varietal precision and finesse, beautiful. It would be wonderful with lighter foods. Right at the end of its plateau of maturity, it will soon be frail and drying a little, but no tearing hurry. Top wine for two. GK 10/14
Rosy light garnet, below midway in depth. On both bouquet and palate, this wine was not amongst the biggest, but it captured the concept of beauty so critical to fine pinot noir / burgundy. The wine is sweetly even wonderfully floral, roses mainly and a hint of violets, on red fruits more than black but browning now, naturally, 1980 not being a powerful vintage. Palate is medium weight only, perfect fruit / acid / tannin balance, simply delicious browning cherry flavours, a wine of great varietal precision and finesse, beautiful. It would be wonderful with lighter foods. Right at the end of its plateau of maturity, it will soon be frail and drying a little, but no tearing hurry. Top wine for two. GK 10/14
Saint-Julien Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $157 [ cork 50mm; cepage varies with the year but c. CS 67%, Me 28, PV 5, planted at an average of 8,750 vines / ha, on deep gravels; all hand-picked, 2016 cropped at 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac, optical sorting of berries; cuvaison to 21 days, 21 months in barrel 60% new; consultant Eric Boissenot; noted for being the largest of the Medoc classed growths, with 110 ha of red grapes; quality transformed since the take-over by Suntory, Japan, in 1983; Neal Martin considers this 2016 ‘certainly is one of the most expressive Lagrange that I have tasted’; production averages 23,000 x 9-litre cases; www.chateau-lagrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a ‘perfect’ young claret / cabernet / merlot colour, the second deepest wine. And the bouquet is near-perfect too, vibrant yet soft, exciting with nearly-violets dusky floral qualities, on sensational fresh cassisy berry totally dominant over beautiful oak handling, with soft and gentle cedary hints far below. Palate immediately has texture and mouth-feel, like the Bordeaux Blanc so different from so many New Zealand Cabernet / Merlots, again reflecting a cropping rate leading to quality and dry extract in the wine. Cassis from the perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon dominates, fleshed out by merlot. This is a beautiful, velvety cabernet / merlot wine, not big but of a quality all New Zealand cabernet makers should be tasting (and cellaring) regularly. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/20
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a ‘perfect’ young claret / cabernet / merlot colour, the second deepest wine. And the bouquet is near-perfect too, vibrant yet soft, exciting with nearly-violets dusky floral qualities, on sensational fresh cassisy berry totally dominant over beautiful oak handling, with soft and gentle cedary hints far below. Palate immediately has texture and mouth-feel, like the Bordeaux Blanc so different from so many New Zealand Cabernet / Merlots, again reflecting a cropping rate leading to quality and dry extract in the wine. Cassis from the perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon dominates, fleshed out by merlot. This is a beautiful, velvety cabernet / merlot wine, not big but of a quality all New Zealand cabernet makers should be tasting (and cellaring) regularly. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/20
Haut Medoc / Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $342 [ cork 54 mm, ullage 16 mm; original price c.$40; cepage then approx. CS 55, Me 20, CF 20, PV 5, planted at 6,666 vines / ha, average age of vines c.31 years, cropped at c.50 hl/ha (6.5 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac); typically 18 – 22 months in barrel, % new even then in a good year like 1982 likely to be 100%; Parker in 1991 thought La Lagune one of Bordeaux's shining success stories since its sale first in 1958, and then in 1962, to the Champagne firm Ayala; Broadbent, 2002: sweet, soft, fleshy most attractive, ****; Parker, 1991: As close to a perfect La Lagune as one can hope to find ... a sensational aroma of roasted nuts, ripe black cherries and vanillin oak ... quite full bodied on the palate with significant tannin ... incredibly rich cassis fruit. A powerful, rich, concentrated finish lasts and lasts, 93; Parker, 2000: Beautiful notes of dried herbs, new saddle leather, roasted nuts, black currants, and jammy cherries jump from the glass of this spicy, fragrant 1982. Medium to full-bodied and fleshy, it is the finest La Lagune produced in the last thirty years. Just reaching its plateau of maturity, it appears to have the balance and depth to age effortlessly for 10 more years, 90; not in W. Kelley's 2022 set, so Jancis Robinson, 2022: Rich, sweet, flattering nose. Fresh and at a nice stage of evolution at the moment. Pretty and nicely in balance with a clean, fresh finish. Long. Just right for now. Very well done!, 17.5; weight bottle and closure 569 g; www.chateau-lalagune.com ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in weight of colour, above midway in retaining redness. Bouquet is sophisticated, showing all the complexity of a West Bank blend, the cabernet sauvignon aromatics apparent but a good weight of browning softer plummy berry also very noticeable. There is also a hint of dark chocolate. Flavour is lighter than the bouquet promises, lovely aromatic berry and cedary oak totally integrated, the flavour lasting long, classic claret again at perfect maturity. One of the most satisfying La Lagunes I have tasted: others expressed similar views, almost astonishment. Top wine for four, and second-favourite for six, but maybe a whisper of brett for a couple of tasters. Lovely wine, perfectly assessed by Robert Parker right from the outset. Again, attractive maturity now, but has the balance to decline gracefully. GK 11/23
Ruby and garnet, below midway in weight of colour, above midway in retaining redness. Bouquet is sophisticated, showing all the complexity of a West Bank blend, the cabernet sauvignon aromatics apparent but a good weight of browning softer plummy berry also very noticeable. There is also a hint of dark chocolate. Flavour is lighter than the bouquet promises, lovely aromatic berry and cedary oak totally integrated, the flavour lasting long, classic claret again at perfect maturity. One of the most satisfying La Lagunes I have tasted: others expressed similar views, almost astonishment. Top wine for four, and second-favourite for six, but maybe a whisper of brett for a couple of tasters. Lovely wine, perfectly assessed by Robert Parker right from the outset. Again, attractive maturity now, but has the balance to decline gracefully. GK 11/23
Grampians district, West Victoria, Australia: 14.3%; $136 [ screwcap; Sh 100%, hand-picked and sorted from a single vineyard 'Old Block', vines 50 years old, on granite; previous vintages have had a significant whole-bunch component and c.13 months in French oak 45% new, the website now less informative; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 773 g; www.langi.com.au ]
Ruby, older carmine than the J L Chave, and velvet, above midway in depth. Having been assessing Australian shiraz carefully since 1966, my feelings of joy when the ID for this wine was revealed are hard to describe. Here after all these years is a syrah (not shiraz) from Australia, and not tainted with eucalyptus, indeed no more aromatic than some Hawkes Bay syrahs, only faintly more aromatic than the Yann Chave Hermitage. The bouquet is floral, a concept nearly unknown in the Australian climate, but not as deeply so as the Chave, not wallflower therefore, more dianthus, due to the faint aromatic component. Below is cassis and dark plum entirely comparable with Hermitage or the Bridge Pa Triangle, and the wine shows restraint in oaking. Palate is firmer and more oaky than the French examples, but still well well within bounds. This is beautiful wine, not quite the velvety depths of the Chave, but still one to cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, older carmine than the J L Chave, and velvet, above midway in depth. Having been assessing Australian shiraz carefully since 1966, my feelings of joy when the ID for this wine was revealed are hard to describe. Here after all these years is a syrah (not shiraz) from Australia, and not tainted with eucalyptus, indeed no more aromatic than some Hawkes Bay syrahs, only faintly more aromatic than the Yann Chave Hermitage. The bouquet is floral, a concept nearly unknown in the Australian climate, but not as deeply so as the Chave, not wallflower therefore, more dianthus, due to the faint aromatic component. Below is cassis and dark plum entirely comparable with Hermitage or the Bridge Pa Triangle, and the wine shows restraint in oaking. Palate is firmer and more oaky than the French examples, but still well well within bounds. This is beautiful wine, not quite the velvety depths of the Chave, but still one to cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Chigny-Les-Roses, Champagne, France: 12%; $89 [ standard champagne cork; cepage varies round PN 60%, Ch 40, all premier cru grapes, average vine age 50 years; full MLF; c.7 years en tirage; may still all be hand-riddled; dosage 8 g/L; 500 dozen only; waffly website, Kermit Lynch much better, more information in Stelzer; www.champagne-jlassalle.com ]
Lovely lemon straw, above midway for lemon hues. Bouquet displays textbook autolysis of total crust of baguette quality, top-quality baguettes, mark you. It is wonderfully fresh and enticing. Flavour immediately shows a presence and weight of dry extract comparable with grand cru champagne, an ideal blend of aromatic pinot noir and smoother chardonnay, against a near-perfect dosage. This is lovely champagne, crisp dosage, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/15
Lovely lemon straw, above midway for lemon hues. Bouquet displays textbook autolysis of total crust of baguette quality, top-quality baguettes, mark you. It is wonderfully fresh and enticing. Flavour immediately shows a presence and weight of dry extract comparable with grand cru champagne, an ideal blend of aromatic pinot noir and smoother chardonnay, against a near-perfect dosage. This is lovely champagne, crisp dosage, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/15
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; CS 80%, Me 10, CF 10; 60 ha, 16,000 cases. Broadbent 1980: Fabulous colour, rich cabernet sauvignon aroma, packed with fruit, flavour, alcohol, tannin, acidity. All the component parts, still austere. ***** Till 2020. In 2002: Immensely impressive … It needs days of decanting time, and hours in the glass. Mouth-filling, concentrated, still very tannic. ***** [ Till 2050, in effect. ] Parker 1996: One of the top two or three wines of the vintage (Petrus and Trotanoy are noteworthy rivals), this young, magnificent Latour is still 5-10 years away from full maturity. The opaque garnet color is followed by a huge, emerging nose of black fruits, truffles, walnuts, and subtle tobacco/Graves-like scents. Full-bodied, fabulously concentrated and intense, with a sweet inner-core of fruit (a rarity in most 1970 Medocs), and high but well-integrated tannin, this enormously endowed, massive Latour should hit its prime by the end of the century and last for 2-3 decades thereafter. This is will be the longest-lived and potentially most classic wine of the vintage. 98 Note however that subsequent to this, he has had lesser bottles, and notes: remember the expression, "there are no great wines, just great bottles, particularly after a wine reaches 30 years of age.". Jancis Robinson 2003: Latour 1970 is certainly the best 1970 I have tasted. And in a vertical of Latour direct from the chateau in the same year: Still quite dark. Brick rim. Minty nose. Very mineral. Supple. Subtle. Relatively lightweight, but very well balanced and long. Very distinguished. Very Latour. 19; www.chateau-latour.com ]
Ruby and garnet, clearly the freshest and deepest wine in the tasting. Bouquet is the freshest too, vibrant cassis, cedary oak, good volume, definitely high-cabernet Medoc. In mouth, there is the same concentration of cassis the bouquet implies, yet there is not the magic of the Ducru. For a wine so highly praised over the years, there is a certain two-dimensional purity and incipient austerity evident, against the multi-hued beauty of the more delicate Ducru. Certainly, the wine has the freshness of flavour and body to cellar for some years yet, but like the Las-Cases, the austerity may increase, leading to a lean and sinewy wine, without the magical softness and fragrance to lift it to the highest level. GK 03/10
Ruby and garnet, clearly the freshest and deepest wine in the tasting. Bouquet is the freshest too, vibrant cassis, cedary oak, good volume, definitely high-cabernet Medoc. In mouth, there is the same concentration of cassis the bouquet implies, yet there is not the magic of the Ducru. For a wine so highly praised over the years, there is a certain two-dimensional purity and incipient austerity evident, against the multi-hued beauty of the more delicate Ducru. Certainly, the wine has the freshness of flavour and body to cellar for some years yet, but like the Las-Cases, the austerity may increase, leading to a lean and sinewy wine, without the magical softness and fragrance to lift it to the highest level. GK 03/10
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $927 [ cork; cepage then approx. CS 80%, Me 10, CF 10, planted at 10,000 vines / ha; 17 months in barrel, 85 – 100% new oak depending on the vintage; harvest not completed till 20 October; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 87, Structured, fleshy and complex; Broadbent, 2002: Rated equal with Lafite at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting, but soon to dry out, lacking conviction in the early 1990s **; Coates, 2000: Splendidly Latour on the nose. Surprisingly soft on the palate. Fullish, velvety-rich fruit. Very good grip. Above all real breed and complexity. Aristocratic and harmonious. Slightly less voluptuous than Lafite. The structure is more obvious. But this is classier. Very lovely finish. Excellent, 19.5; Parker, 2000: Medium garnet-colored with moderate amber at the edge, the 1978 Latour offers a spicy, saddle leather, tobacco, dried herb, earthy nose with sweet fruit trying to poke through. Interestingly, new oak also makes an appearance in the flavors. Medium-bodied, elegant, and fragrant, but possibly beginning to dry out, this fully mature wine requires consumption over the next decade, 90; www.chateau-latour.com ]
Ruby and garnet, the second deepest wine, close to the Las Cases but fractionally older. This was the other great bouquet in the set, again perfect ripeness of the claret varieties, nothing pinched. It is not quite so berry-dominant as the Las Cases, the cedary oak a little more noticeable. In flavour one was hard put to know whether the Latour or the Las Cases was the richer wine, the Latour having a much higher ratio of cabernet sauvignon but also more new oak, both factors making it hard to be sure. The main thing is, like the Las Cases, this is a lovely balanced example of ripe Bordeaux, from a year in which that was hard to achieve. Again, this wine is fully mature, but will hold its form probably longer than the Las Cases. Three people rated Ch Latour their top wine at the blind stage, and seven their second-favourite. Intriguingly, four thought it could be the Sassicaia. GK 10/18
Ruby and garnet, the second deepest wine, close to the Las Cases but fractionally older. This was the other great bouquet in the set, again perfect ripeness of the claret varieties, nothing pinched. It is not quite so berry-dominant as the Las Cases, the cedary oak a little more noticeable. In flavour one was hard put to know whether the Latour or the Las Cases was the richer wine, the Latour having a much higher ratio of cabernet sauvignon but also more new oak, both factors making it hard to be sure. The main thing is, like the Las Cases, this is a lovely balanced example of ripe Bordeaux, from a year in which that was hard to achieve. Again, this wine is fully mature, but will hold its form probably longer than the Las Cases. Three people rated Ch Latour their top wine at the blind stage, and seven their second-favourite. Intriguingly, four thought it could be the Sassicaia. GK 10/18
Sauternes / Bommes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 50mm cork; Se 70%, SB 20, Mu 10; average age of vines 26 years, planted at 6,200 vines / ha; average yield c.2.25 t/ha = just under 1 t/ac; most of the Se barrel-fermented, the SB fermented in s/s; the assembled wine aged in new oak 18 – 24 months; production average around 3,300 cases per annum; in 1855 rated second to d'Yquem, then declined; now home to the Ecole de Viticulture et Oenologie, owned by the Ministry of Agriculture; reputation now rising again; BBR: La Tour Blanche's wines are now amongst the richest, most powerful and most exotic being produced in Sauternes today. They have marvellous ageing potential; Robinson, 2002: Slightly green flavours; one can taste the Sauvignon Blanc component at this stage. Nutty. Interesting, but not the richest, 18 … and another Robinson note less, 17; Parker, 2004: La Tour Blanche’s spectacular 2001 boasts a light to medium gold color as well as a big, exotic nose of tropical fruits, honeysuckle, orange marmalade, and creme brulee. In the mouth, notions of peaches, lychees, and caramelized citrus give way to a weighty, full-bodied, concentrated yet incredibly precise and well-delineated sweet white. It is a tour de force in Sauternes! Anticipated maturity: 2009-2035. 97; since these views bear little relation to each other, here's a third: Tanzer, 2004: Pale yellow-gold. Reticent nose hints at caramel and vanilla. Fat and high-toned, with superripe, unctuous flavors of candied yellow fruits and honey. At once chewy and lively, and hiding more than it's showing today. Very strong finish features subtle spicy persistence. Offers terrific potential, but is it as well balanced as the young 2002, 92 +; www.tour-blanche.com ]
Medium gold, right in the middle for depth of colour. From first sniff you could see the sauvignon blanc aromatic complexity in this wine, with real yellow honeysuckle floral notes and great freshness. Many thought it a Barsac, therefore. In mouth the flavours and balance are a delight, just the right amount of new oak without noticing it, almost a black passionfruit flavour creeping in, honeyed, botrytis-y, fresh and beautiful. This is less rich than some, but beautiful and delicious. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Not a common wine in New Zealand, only one of the 23 present had tasted it before. Exciting. GK 07/14
Medium gold, right in the middle for depth of colour. From first sniff you could see the sauvignon blanc aromatic complexity in this wine, with real yellow honeysuckle floral notes and great freshness. Many thought it a Barsac, therefore. In mouth the flavours and balance are a delight, just the right amount of new oak without noticing it, almost a black passionfruit flavour creeping in, honeyed, botrytis-y, fresh and beautiful. This is less rich than some, but beautiful and delicious. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Not a common wine in New Zealand, only one of the 23 present had tasted it before. Exciting. GK 07/14
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $147 [ cork; price en primeur landed; CS 72%, Me 20, CF 8, planted to 9000 vines / ha, average vine age 27 years; 2 – 3 weeks cuvaison in wood; 20 months in French oak 50% new; JR: 18; RP 95+; WS: 96; website is derisory; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest colour. Bouquet on the Barton is much more forward than the Montrose 2005. It shows a mouth-watering combination of cassis, dark plum, rich brown mushrooms and faintly toasty oak. The depth and complexity of the wine is enchanting, yet it seems free of the light brett which has characterised the chateau for decades. Palate is firm, deep, rich, a magical spread of flavours, not quite the crystalline classical purity of the 2005 Montrose, just a hint of dark chocolate. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest colour. Bouquet on the Barton is much more forward than the Montrose 2005. It shows a mouth-watering combination of cassis, dark plum, rich brown mushrooms and faintly toasty oak. The depth and complexity of the wine is enchanting, yet it seems free of the light brett which has characterised the chateau for decades. Palate is firm, deep, rich, a magical spread of flavours, not quite the crystalline classical purity of the 2005 Montrose, just a hint of dark chocolate. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $32.95 [ CS 65%, Me 18, CF 14, PV 3. Broadbent ’80: very impressive, pronounced aroma. A real bouquet in the bunch of flowers sense, but still peppery; flavour to match. Excellent aftertaste. More intense than Ducru ****. Broadbent ’02: was at best c. 1990, ‘extra dimensions’. Recently spicy nose but losing body, not exciting. At best ****. ]
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, one of the three deepest. In the first few hours, bouquet on this wine represented all that is glorious about mature claret: cassis-suffused dark tobacco leaf and cedar, almost faded florals, and darkest plum. Palate is velvety, the bouquet liquefied, the tannins furry and richer / denser than les Cedres, the finish a touch more drying. This is a great wine also starting to slide off its plateau of maturity, yet the flavour is superb and it lasts and lasts in mouth. A lovely Lascases, from an era when it could be reductive. GK 03/06
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, one of the three deepest. In the first few hours, bouquet on this wine represented all that is glorious about mature claret: cassis-suffused dark tobacco leaf and cedar, almost faded florals, and darkest plum. Palate is velvety, the bouquet liquefied, the tannins furry and richer / denser than les Cedres, the finish a touch more drying. This is a great wine also starting to slide off its plateau of maturity, yet the flavour is superb and it lasts and lasts in mouth. A lovely Lascases, from an era when it could be reductive. GK 03/06
Second-Growth, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux:, France: – %; $396 [ cork 54mm, ullage 19mm; original price c.$26; cepage around CS 67%, Me 17, CF 13, PV 3; Parker considers the 1975 Las Cases: as profound as most of the Medoc’s first-growths. JR@JR, 2011: Very correct and dry but actually much sweeter and more winning than most wines made in the 1970s at this estate. Firmer and drier than the Ch Latour 1975 served alongside it. Strong blackcurrant flavours. Dry but fine and very Las Cases. A really good wine, to 2035, 17.5; NM@RP, 2011: The ’75 has a lovely mature nose of mulberry, cedar, pine and a touch of gravel with very good definition and poise. The palate is not quite as attractive as the nose, but is fresh and lively with good acidity, degraded tertiary dark red fruits interlaced with tobacco and cedar, leading to an elegant supple finish with touches of wild mushroom. Very pleasing, 90; Parker, 1996: This is one of the great successes of the vintage. However, those with modern day tastes for soft, easy-going, supple wines may not enjoy the 1975 Leoville Las-Cases. Why? It is a tannic, backward, old style wine cut from the mold of such vintages as 1948 and 1928. The color is a dark ruby/garnet with a hint of amber at the edge. The nose offers up distinctive mineral, lead pencil, sweet, blackcurrant scents with flinty overtones. Full-bodied, thick, and concentrated, as well as atypically muscular and powerful, this should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. There are sensational levels of richness and intensity. While the vintage's tough tannin level ensures another 20-35 years of longevity, the wine may dry out by that time. I thought this wine would be at its peak by the mid-nineties, but it still needs another 5-8 years of cellaring. It is a very impressive, albeit backward and hard wine, 92; weight bottle and closure 561 g; www.domaines-delon.com ]
A lovely glowing ruby and garnet, marginally the reddest / most youthful-looking, at nearly 50 years of age not a deep wine now, but still the third-richest colour. Bouquet is simply fine and fragrant elegant claret, cassis browning now naturally, exquisite cedary oak, lovely berry ripeness, some brown tobacco. The harmony the wine shows in mouth is very attractive, soft mature browning fruit framed in fragrant oak, surprising richness and almost a silky texture, none of the untoward acid or tannin associated with the year, fully mature and harmonious. Those accustomed only to young wines would not immediately see the wine in the above terms: treasuring older wine is an elusive skill acquired only with persistence and experience. Nothing further to be gained from holding this wine: in warmer cellars fruit may already be retreating. Top wine for seven tasters, second favourite for three more, nearly all being clear the wine was from Bordeaux. GK 03/25
A lovely glowing ruby and garnet, marginally the reddest / most youthful-looking, at nearly 50 years of age not a deep wine now, but still the third-richest colour. Bouquet is simply fine and fragrant elegant claret, cassis browning now naturally, exquisite cedary oak, lovely berry ripeness, some brown tobacco. The harmony the wine shows in mouth is very attractive, soft mature browning fruit framed in fragrant oak, surprising richness and almost a silky texture, none of the untoward acid or tannin associated with the year, fully mature and harmonious. Those accustomed only to young wines would not immediately see the wine in the above terms: treasuring older wine is an elusive skill acquired only with persistence and experience. Nothing further to be gained from holding this wine: in warmer cellars fruit may already be retreating. Top wine for seven tasters, second favourite for three more, nearly all being clear the wine was from Bordeaux. GK 03/25
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $217 [ Cork, 53mm, ullage 27mm; CS 66%, Me 34; 18 – 22 months in barrel; production around 25,000 x 9-litre cases; Parker was disappointed with Leoville-Poyferre through the ‘60s, '70s, and '80s, despite it having a superb site, feeling vineyard and winery practice were not optimising the vineyard’s potential; Broadbent, 1986: Not a patch on its neighbours, **; RP@WA, 1983: Very soft, flabby, almost soupy, fruity flavors show good ripeness, but little structure, grip, or balance. A sweet, simple, fruity wine that can be quaffed easily, but it does not deliver “classified growth” breed or character. Drink up. Anticipated maturity: probably in serious decline [ in 1998 ], 76; weight bottle and closure: 569 g; www.leoville-poyferre.fr ]
Garnet and ruby, the third-deepest wine, still a suggestion of velvet. Bouquet right from opening is big, aromatic yet ‘sweet’, complex and harmonious, laden with well-browned cassis and dark pipe tobacco notes, some truffly hints, appealing. Palate still shows fruit-weight and texture, the wine second only to Petrus in richness, yet of so much more interest with its cabernet-derived aromatic berry-flavours, and relative 'freshness'. Even in this ‘bigger’ wine, there is a gentleness and suppleness which makes it enchanting with food. It is one of the few wines with a little time in hand, despite being written off by Parker in 1983. Top wine for three tasters, and second favourite for four more, with nobody thinking it merlot-led. GK 10/20
Garnet and ruby, the third-deepest wine, still a suggestion of velvet. Bouquet right from opening is big, aromatic yet ‘sweet’, complex and harmonious, laden with well-browned cassis and dark pipe tobacco notes, some truffly hints, appealing. Palate still shows fruit-weight and texture, the wine second only to Petrus in richness, yet of so much more interest with its cabernet-derived aromatic berry-flavours, and relative 'freshness'. Even in this ‘bigger’ wine, there is a gentleness and suppleness which makes it enchanting with food. It is one of the few wines with a little time in hand, despite being written off by Parker in 1983. Top wine for three tasters, and second favourite for four more, with nobody thinking it merlot-led. GK 10/20
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $500 [ cork; CS 83%, Me 12, CF & PV 5, planted to 10 000 vines / ha, cropped @ 30 hL/ha (1.6 t/ac) in 2003 (against an average of 45 (2.3 t/ac)), average vine age 35 years; 3 weeks cuvaison in cuves; 18 – 24 months in French oak 100% new; Parker: ... notes of spring flowers and creme de cassis ... a profound Margaux ... 99; Robinson: ... deep and serious, concentrated, fresh yet not alcoholic, lowest-ever acid levels. 18; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, older and lighter than the Montrose, the second-lightest in this bracket. This wine engendered a lot of debate, with winemakers praising its technical purity and richness of fruit (though less than Montrose or Lafite, I thought), and some stylists objecting to excessive pandering to populist chocolate and coffee tastes in the oak. The point was well made, that in 10 years, the new char flavours evident now will have married away into the wine. Yet I for one regret that for a wine traditionally famed for its (at best) perfume of violets and dark sweet florals (both Chateau Margaux, and the Margaux commune, at best), it is a pity to bury such unique and individual beauty under something so coarse and commonplace as coffee odours. And coffee is not a part of grape chemistry, unlike tea ! Oak aside, the balance is excellent, tannin seeming to substitute for acid in the hot year. This will be an interesting wine to follow over the next three decades – for those able to do so. GK 10/06
Ruby and some velvet, older and lighter than the Montrose, the second-lightest in this bracket. This wine engendered a lot of debate, with winemakers praising its technical purity and richness of fruit (though less than Montrose or Lafite, I thought), and some stylists objecting to excessive pandering to populist chocolate and coffee tastes in the oak. The point was well made, that in 10 years, the new char flavours evident now will have married away into the wine. Yet I for one regret that for a wine traditionally famed for its (at best) perfume of violets and dark sweet florals (both Chateau Margaux, and the Margaux commune, at best), it is a pity to bury such unique and individual beauty under something so coarse and commonplace as coffee odours. And coffee is not a part of grape chemistry, unlike tea ! Oak aside, the balance is excellent, tannin seeming to substitute for acid in the hot year. This will be an interesting wine to follow over the next three decades – for those able to do so. GK 10/06
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $135 [ cork 50mm, ullage 19mm; original price c.$45; certified biodynamic since 1999; no oak in the winery at all, apparently; 80% Gr c.80 years old, Mv 20 c.40 years, cropped at 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; all de-stemmed, cuvaison to 28 days, 18 – 24 months in concrete vats; some filtering, production c.3,300 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2009: Light pepper first nose, reductive, gummy, earthy and some raspberry fruit. Temporary red fruit on the palate – light and uninteresting. This is a Cotes du Rhone level wine, very modest. There is a sweet, toffee sign-off. To 2014, *(*); JD@RP, 2017: Spice, mature red fruits, kirsch and mulled blackberry notes emerge from the medium-bodied, supple, forward and fully mature 2007 Terres des Aines. To 2019, 87; www.montirius.com ]
A lovely fresh ruby and velvet, one of the redder wines, but the third lightest. The bouquet is wonderfully fresh, pink-roses-floral and aromatic, showing beautiful berry character and all the charm of mourvedre when not over-ripened. The whole bouquet has no hint of over-ripeness at all. Palate is equally beautiful, fresh, aromatic, beautiful tannin balance, illustrating to perfection that so often, grenache is impaired by new oak. This wine sees no wood at all, which at higher quality levels may handicap even a Southern Rhone wine, if certain vintages of latter-day Domaine Charvin are any guide. The wine also illustrates to perfection that in a number of instances, the better wines of Gigondas today may display some of the more attractive, even beautiful, features of yesteryear's Chateauneuf-du-Papes, before the trend to greater ripeness, higher alcohols, and more new oak. This Montirius shows the no-oak approach can be very successful. Two tasters had this as their first or second wine. A lovely wine totally atypical of the 2007 vintage; cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/19
A lovely fresh ruby and velvet, one of the redder wines, but the third lightest. The bouquet is wonderfully fresh, pink-roses-floral and aromatic, showing beautiful berry character and all the charm of mourvedre when not over-ripened. The whole bouquet has no hint of over-ripeness at all. Palate is equally beautiful, fresh, aromatic, beautiful tannin balance, illustrating to perfection that so often, grenache is impaired by new oak. This wine sees no wood at all, which at higher quality levels may handicap even a Southern Rhone wine, if certain vintages of latter-day Domaine Charvin are any guide. The wine also illustrates to perfection that in a number of instances, the better wines of Gigondas today may display some of the more attractive, even beautiful, features of yesteryear's Chateauneuf-du-Papes, before the trend to greater ripeness, higher alcohols, and more new oak. This Montirius shows the no-oak approach can be very successful. Two tasters had this as their first or second wine. A lovely wine totally atypical of the 2007 vintage; cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/19
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $297 [ Cork 50 mm, ullage 14 mm; landed cost $129; along with Ch Cos d'Estournel, Ch Montrose is one of the top two wines of Saint-Estephe. The two have jostled for pre-eminence since the War, first one, then the other, triumphing. At this moment, Ch Montrose is on a roll. It is one of the clear top six, to rank as a Super-Second. The estate was owned by the Charmolue family for 110 years, until sale to Martin Bouygues in 2006. Considerable investment has followed. Cepage CS 65%, Me 25, CF 8, PV 2, average vine age 43 years, planted at 9,000 vines per hectare, cropped at 42 hl / ha = 5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; cuvaison to 25 days in temperature-controlled s/s vats, malolactic in vat; elevation usually 18 months in barrels 60% new, varying somewhat with season; not known to employ reverse osmosis and similar hi-tech methods; Brook 2007 says of the 2000: The 2000 has super-ripe oaky tannins, but the palate is very backward, highly concentrated and pungent, but for now the the tannins rather overwhelm the undoubtedly rich fruit; such a review immediately invites a recent assessment, for example N. Martin in 2016: ... the question was whether the 2000 Montrose would be paradigmatic of a vintage whereby the wines have remained sullen and broody in their youth. On this occasion, to my surprise I found it more open than the 2005 (which admittedly is not saying that it's open for business!). It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot picked from 22 September to 7 October. I afforded it a couple of hours in the glass and it responded with plenty of pure ripe blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of cold slate and even charcoal emerging with time. The palate is not as complex as the aforementioned 2005, yet there is wonderful backbone and focus; towards the finish there is a sense of suppleness and refinement that might make this absolutely delicious in 5-7 years' time. Perhaps the 2000 has been usurped by subsequent releases in 2005, 2009 and 2010, but do not be surprised if it evolves into a regal Montrose, 94+; finally a review from R. Parker in 2003, who now with the death of Michael Broadbent has tasted more vintages of Ch Montrose than any other wine-writer, and is likely best placed to assess its ultimate future: This estate has frequently hit the bull's eye over recent vintages, and the 2000 Montrose is the finest effort produced since the compelling 1990 and 1989. This gigantically sized, tannic, backward effort boasts a saturated inky purple color followed by a huge nose of acacia flavors, crushed blackberries, creme de cassis, vanilla, hickory smoke, and minerals. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, dense, and multi-layered, this unreal Montrose should last for 30+ years … this is a special wine that has exceptional purity and length. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040, 96; he later extended that lifespan to 2050; production averages 16,660 x 9-litre cases of the grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 548 g; website hard to extract information from; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is closest to Ch Palmer in style, a wonderful purity of berry with clear floral darkest roses and lilac notes, on an aromatic and clearly more cassisy berry-dominant quality, as befits the higher percentage of cabernet sauvignon (65%) in Montrose, vs Palmer (53%). Like Palmer, oak is nearly invisible on bouquet, but becomes apparent in mouth, the fragrant cedary qualities lengthening the berry flavours considerably. It is hard to tell if the wine is actually less concentrated than the Palmer, or whether just being that bit more aromatic on the cabernet, which is noted for its lighter palate, that impression of less concentration prevails. This seemed the least developed wine in the set, and though it does not seem to me as big a wine as Parker implies, nonetheless it shows remarkable promise for the future. No votes for first or second place, at this stage, therefore. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is closest to Ch Palmer in style, a wonderful purity of berry with clear floral darkest roses and lilac notes, on an aromatic and clearly more cassisy berry-dominant quality, as befits the higher percentage of cabernet sauvignon (65%) in Montrose, vs Palmer (53%). Like Palmer, oak is nearly invisible on bouquet, but becomes apparent in mouth, the fragrant cedary qualities lengthening the berry flavours considerably. It is hard to tell if the wine is actually less concentrated than the Palmer, or whether just being that bit more aromatic on the cabernet, which is noted for its lighter palate, that impression of less concentration prevails. This seemed the least developed wine in the set, and though it does not seem to me as big a wine as Parker implies, nonetheless it shows remarkable promise for the future. No votes for first or second place, at this stage, therefore. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $70 [ cork; original price; Gr 70%, Mv 10, Sy, Ci, counoise and vaccarese, old vines; this wine in the 90s contrasted with traditional practice in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, being completely destemmed, then at least 50% of the wine is aged in new small oak for 9 months or more, the balance s/s, with a total elevation of 24 months (note in recent vintages the new oak has been reduced markedly); Parker 10/00: an extraordinary nose of pepper, blackberry liqueur, cherries, smoke, scorched earth, and garrigue. As the wine sits in the glass, licorice and creme de cassis notes also become apparent. Awesomely concentrated, with immense body, massive fruit, sweet tannin, and fabulous symmetry, this is one of the most remarkable Chateauneuf du Papes I have ever tasted 96. Ten years later, Parker 6/10 reports: This wine went through a long closed period. It was sensational to drink a year or two after bottling, then the wood tannins in the wine’s structure took over. It remained in that state until about two years ago, when it began to slightly open up, and now it seems to be coming into full form. It still has … 20 more years of drinkability. … notes of blueberry liqueur intermixed with graphite, smoke, crushed rock, and white flowers, the wine is full-bodied, beautifully pure, and all evidence of any barrique aging has been completely assimilated into the wine’s fruit and character. This is a beauty …98. Note, this wine is currently selling for an average of $NZ326 on www.wine-searcher.com; www.domaine-mordoree.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest wine, only a touch of garnet. Bouquet is conspicuously rich and deep in the set, wonderful berryfruit, the first impression impressive. Parker is spot-on with blueberry. In mouth the body is huge, and the new oak immediately becomes apparent. There is great berry fruit perhaps with hints of sur-maturité, just a thought of raisins and dark fruitcake, plus red and darker berries. Spice and oak intertwine inseparably, making for great complexity on palate. In contrast to the perfectly balanced and classically styled Vieux Telegraphe, this more modern interpretation of Chateauneuf may not cellar so beautifully, if the oak becomes more prominent. At the moment however, it is the richest wine in the set, and was clearly the most popular on the night. Love to have a dry extract for this wine. Cellar 10 – 15 years, maybe much longer. GK 04/12
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest wine, only a touch of garnet. Bouquet is conspicuously rich and deep in the set, wonderful berryfruit, the first impression impressive. Parker is spot-on with blueberry. In mouth the body is huge, and the new oak immediately becomes apparent. There is great berry fruit perhaps with hints of sur-maturité, just a thought of raisins and dark fruitcake, plus red and darker berries. Spice and oak intertwine inseparably, making for great complexity on palate. In contrast to the perfectly balanced and classically styled Vieux Telegraphe, this more modern interpretation of Chateauneuf may not cellar so beautifully, if the oak becomes more prominent. At the moment however, it is the richest wine in the set, and was clearly the most popular on the night. Love to have a dry extract for this wine. Cellar 10 – 15 years, maybe much longer. GK 04/12
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $135 [ cork, 49mm; purchase price c.$70; Gr 80%, Mv 10, Va 5, balance Sy, Ci, counoise, some of the grenache 90 years old, some 100+; viticulture now organic; this wine in the later ‘90s contrasted with traditional practice in Chateauneuf du Pape, being completely destemmed, then c.50% of the wine aged in new small oak for 9 months or more, the balance in s/s, with a total elevation then of 24 months; filtered to bottle; production varies, but c.1,250 9-litre cases; since the turn of the century the new oak has been reduced markedly; R. Parker, 2001: A candidate for wine of the vintage ... amazing concentration of fruit extract (blackberries and cherries) intermixed with graphite and creme de cassis. Spectacularly concentrated, full-bodied, extremely pure, well-delineated, and opulent, this superb wine is forward and accessible. To 2018, 94; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2014: Domaine de la Mordoree is a reference point estate for Chateauneuf du Pape ... plenty of character in its medium to full-bodied, rich and nicely concentrated personality. Giving up plenty of chocolaty dark fruits, spice-box and cured meat-like qualities ... to 2022, 92; www.domaine-mordoree.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not quite as youthful as the Hommage wine, but one of the two reddest, and the third deepest. Bouquet is in one sense even more exciting than the Hommage, for there is an enormous volume of fragrant red fruits all slightly cinnamon-spiced, a little vanillin from new oak adding to the garrigue aromatics, and all lifted slightly by the piquant alcohol fume. It is totally different from the Hommage, all red fruits browning slightly now, a much more regular but modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend. It could be marked higher than the Hommage – style preference comes into it. Both bouquet and palate show total purity, a saturation of cinnamon-laced red fruits, the new oak beautifully subtle so the finish lingers on aromatic fruit, not oak. This is very beautiful Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a more modern style, as is the 1998. It will cellar another 10 years, at least. Three people had this as their top wine. Curiously several people rated it their least wine, but I did not elucidate why. GK 03/19
Ruby and velvet, not quite as youthful as the Hommage wine, but one of the two reddest, and the third deepest. Bouquet is in one sense even more exciting than the Hommage, for there is an enormous volume of fragrant red fruits all slightly cinnamon-spiced, a little vanillin from new oak adding to the garrigue aromatics, and all lifted slightly by the piquant alcohol fume. It is totally different from the Hommage, all red fruits browning slightly now, a much more regular but modern Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend. It could be marked higher than the Hommage – style preference comes into it. Both bouquet and palate show total purity, a saturation of cinnamon-laced red fruits, the new oak beautifully subtle so the finish lingers on aromatic fruit, not oak. This is very beautiful Chateauneuf-du-Pape in a more modern style, as is the 1998. It will cellar another 10 years, at least. Three people had this as their top wine. Curiously several people rated it their least wine, but I did not elucidate why. GK 03/19
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $1,050 [ cork; DFB; optimal en primeur landed in NZ price $1050, retail up to $1650; CS 85%, Me 14, CF 1; average vine age 48 years; 100% new French barriques for 19-22 months; 25000 cases; Parker 4/08: The 2005 Mouton Rothschild will have to take a back seat to the prodigious 2006 … A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot, the dark purple-hued 2005 exhibits a restrained but promising nose of cedar, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis, and toasty oak. Full-bodied, tannic, and extremely backward, with the vintage’s tell-tale acidity, it appears to be even more closed in the bottle than it was from barrel. It does possess a long finish and multilayered mouthfeel. This is an undeniably outstanding, yet restrained, shy wine for a Mouton Rothschild. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+ 96; WS 3/08: Dark purple black in color. Complex aromas of mineral, licorice, lead pencil and blackberry follow through to a full body, with ultrafine tannins and a caressing, pretty finish. Has a lovely texture. Shows elegance and refinement. Best after 2012. 95; JR 4/06: 13.1 per cent alcohol compared with the more usual 12.3–12.8 per cent. Extremely deep crimson. Blackish tinge. Very dense and an interesting edge to it but, unusually, intensely sweet for a Pauillac first growth. Even hints of tar and game. Not as dense as some. Very raw at the moment – lots and lots fruit. The tannins are much less marked than on most – perhaps because the fruit is so ripe. Silky texture – but the overriding impression is one of sweetness. Bigger than the 2004 served immediately after but Mouton 2004 looks awfully good, if quite forward, now. Just 64 per cent of the crop went into the grand vin, so this is the smallest production of the grand vin for 25 years (not counting 1991 and 1977 which suffered such extreme weather conditions). 18.5; www.bpdr.com ]
Ruby and velvet, one of the older ones, midway in depth. Bouquet is immediately cedary and fragrant, with a suggestion of the elusive aromatic the Redd wine shows, and an academic touch of brett complexity. Below is cassisy fruit lifted by a trace of VA, more ester than acid. Palate shows a complex synthesis of fruit, berry and oak, all in a softer more evolved style than the New Zealand wines, more what the best New Zealand ones will show in another five years. The quality of the cedary oak on the finish is exceptional, the fruit long and smooth, richer than the Lafite, surprisingly developed. The comparison of this 85% cabernet wine with the 85% merlot l'Eglise-Clinet is breathtaking. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Ruby and velvet, one of the older ones, midway in depth. Bouquet is immediately cedary and fragrant, with a suggestion of the elusive aromatic the Redd wine shows, and an academic touch of brett complexity. Below is cassisy fruit lifted by a trace of VA, more ester than acid. Palate shows a complex synthesis of fruit, berry and oak, all in a softer more evolved style than the New Zealand wines, more what the best New Zealand ones will show in another five years. The quality of the cedary oak on the finish is exceptional, the fruit long and smooth, richer than the Lafite, surprisingly developed. The comparison of this 85% cabernet wine with the 85% merlot l'Eglise-Clinet is breathtaking. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 10/08
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $1,312 [ Spare; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 89 … too ‘classical’ and firm for the American palate, so Broadbent: an excellent long-haul vintage; original price $6.35; CS 55%, Me 40, CF 5; cuvaison up to 28 days, up to 24 months in barrel, up to 12,500 cases; I will never forget my first tasting of 1966 Ch Palmer, in assessing the 1966 clarets for cellaring. We were in a caravan in Canterbury (for those were the days when Christchurch was the hub of fine wine importing in New Zealand). It smelt of violets and cassis, and tasted like velvet. It was beautiful from day one, as so many great wines are. Few young clarets have seemed better to me, over the years. Accordingly, 1966 was the first vintage of fine Bordeaux I invested in quite significantly, and those 1966 cabernet / merlots have formed the measuring stick for my entire subsequent wine life, including judging. It was a good year, a very ‘classic’ year. That means the wines had all the bouquet and aromatics and vinosity of the berries themselves, shaped by oak, but not dominated by it, as so many over-ripe Austro-American-styled wines are these days. To modern tasters, the 1966s at release would have seemed somewhat austere, but then, remember, that was in the days when the dictum for Bordeaux was: It is a sin against the spirit of the bottle to open fine Bordeaux before its tenth anniversary. Not a thought the instant-gratification generation readily identifies with.
My liking for 1966 Ch Palmer is not all the romanticism of fuzzy memory. The wine is now rated (in Parker's 2003 edition of his definitive text Bordeaux) as: a great Palmer, one of the three or four best wines of the vintage. Elsewhere he says: When Palmer has a great vintage, no other left bank growth is as aromatically seductive to the nose and palate ... Palmer consistently made the best wine of the Margaux appellation between 1961 and 1977, but with the resurgence of Ch Margaux in 1978 … it is now often runner-up. The style of Palmer’s wine is characterised by a sensational fragrance … the richness of great Pomerol but the complexity of a Margaux; Peppercorn: The reputation of Palmer has soared in the last 30 years … one of the first ‘super-seconds’. The wine is characterised by an opulence and richness that are almost burgundian in the best years, combined with real finesse and breed. Coates, 1999: Magical fruit here. Very ripe and lush. Soft yet full. Impeccably balanced. Fullish, intense, silky-smooth. Almost sweet. Marvellous concentrated, quality fruit. Totally brilliant, 19; By 2002 Broadbent had tasted the wine 22 times (lucky man), and had upgraded it to: *****, not quite the ’61, but superbly balanced. Latterly: a fabulous – no other word – bouquet, sweet, lovely flavour, balance, and finish, *****; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby and garnet, above midway in depth, three times the depth of the 1969 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. The bouquet on this wine expanded remarkably with air, still nearly floral in an autumnal way, browning cassis, elegant pure brown pipe-tobacco complexity and cedary trace oak, no alcohol apparent, great purity. Once breathed, the palate has an exquisite harmony of cassisy berry browning now, integrated with cedary oak. There are those who aver that old wines collapse soon after opening, but this wine expanded dramatically. Freshly opened it tasted ‘austere’ my notes say: 24 hours later it is supple and very harmonious, beautiful browning berry fading now, but the whole wine smaller, subtler and finer than the loud and often non-floral wines favoured by Austro-American reviewers today. Three first-places, but seven second-place votes, 12 correctly locating it in Bordeaux, versus five in the Northern Rhone Valley. The third of the very highly-rated wines. Lovely old claret, once breathed just hanging on to its peak, from 750s. GK 03/20
My liking for 1966 Ch Palmer is not all the romanticism of fuzzy memory. The wine is now rated (in Parker's 2003 edition of his definitive text Bordeaux) as: a great Palmer, one of the three or four best wines of the vintage. Elsewhere he says: When Palmer has a great vintage, no other left bank growth is as aromatically seductive to the nose and palate ... Palmer consistently made the best wine of the Margaux appellation between 1961 and 1977, but with the resurgence of Ch Margaux in 1978 … it is now often runner-up. The style of Palmer’s wine is characterised by a sensational fragrance … the richness of great Pomerol but the complexity of a Margaux; Peppercorn: The reputation of Palmer has soared in the last 30 years … one of the first ‘super-seconds’. The wine is characterised by an opulence and richness that are almost burgundian in the best years, combined with real finesse and breed. Coates, 1999: Magical fruit here. Very ripe and lush. Soft yet full. Impeccably balanced. Fullish, intense, silky-smooth. Almost sweet. Marvellous concentrated, quality fruit. Totally brilliant, 19; By 2002 Broadbent had tasted the wine 22 times (lucky man), and had upgraded it to: *****, not quite the ’61, but superbly balanced. Latterly: a fabulous – no other word – bouquet, sweet, lovely flavour, balance, and finish, *****; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby and garnet, above midway in depth, three times the depth of the 1969 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. The bouquet on this wine expanded remarkably with air, still nearly floral in an autumnal way, browning cassis, elegant pure brown pipe-tobacco complexity and cedary trace oak, no alcohol apparent, great purity. Once breathed, the palate has an exquisite harmony of cassisy berry browning now, integrated with cedary oak. There are those who aver that old wines collapse soon after opening, but this wine expanded dramatically. Freshly opened it tasted ‘austere’ my notes say: 24 hours later it is supple and very harmonious, beautiful browning berry fading now, but the whole wine smaller, subtler and finer than the loud and often non-floral wines favoured by Austro-American reviewers today. Three first-places, but seven second-place votes, 12 correctly locating it in Bordeaux, versus five in the Northern Rhone Valley. The third of the very highly-rated wines. Lovely old claret, once breathed just hanging on to its peak, from 750s. GK 03/20
Pauillac Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; CS 60%, Me 35, CF 4, PV 1; up to 17 days cuvaison; up to 18 months in French oak; no filtration ]
Ruby and velvet, markedly older than some. Bouquet is a bigger and browner affair than the Las Cases, with obviously rich fruit in which merlot is showing more than cabernet at present, and all enveloped in noticeable oak which some tasters found to be a bit on the charry / chocolatey side. Palate is rich and very bottled-plummy, oak and tobacco notes developing, almost some suggestions of Pomerol rather than Pauillac, all lingering delightfully in the mouth. This seems as rich as the Las Cases, a big wine for the year, which will cellar another 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Ruby and velvet, markedly older than some. Bouquet is a bigger and browner affair than the Las Cases, with obviously rich fruit in which merlot is showing more than cabernet at present, and all enveloped in noticeable oak which some tasters found to be a bit on the charry / chocolatey side. Palate is rich and very bottled-plummy, oak and tobacco notes developing, almost some suggestions of Pomerol rather than Pauillac, all lingering delightfully in the mouth. This seems as rich as the Las Cases, a big wine for the year, which will cellar another 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France: 12%; $85 [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100%; a blend of 15 or more vintages; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Colour is a superb lemon hue. Bouquet is all one could ask of a blanc de blanc champagne, exquisite purity, apparent richness yet not 'fruity' (i.e. no hint of the New Zealand sparkling chardonnay syndrome), and a quality of yeast autolysis which is benchmark, amply justifying the descriptor baguette quality (artisan baguette, not industrial). Using current nv Lanson as a calibration wine in a small blind batch, and leaving aside the obvious pinot noir that wine shows, the critical quality the Peters wine shows is concentration of fruit, mouth feel and presence, yet again without being 'fruity'. The taste of baguette-crust on palate is lovely, with a suggestion of chablis-like chalkyness drying the fruit, and a dosage given as 6 – 7 g/L appropriate to high-quality non-vintage champagne. This is reference-quality blanc de blancs to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/14
Colour is a superb lemon hue. Bouquet is all one could ask of a blanc de blanc champagne, exquisite purity, apparent richness yet not 'fruity' (i.e. no hint of the New Zealand sparkling chardonnay syndrome), and a quality of yeast autolysis which is benchmark, amply justifying the descriptor baguette quality (artisan baguette, not industrial). Using current nv Lanson as a calibration wine in a small blind batch, and leaving aside the obvious pinot noir that wine shows, the critical quality the Peters wine shows is concentration of fruit, mouth feel and presence, yet again without being 'fruity'. The taste of baguette-crust on palate is lovely, with a suggestion of chablis-like chalkyness drying the fruit, and a dosage given as 6 – 7 g/L appropriate to high-quality non-vintage champagne. This is reference-quality blanc de blancs to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/14
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $248 [ cork; winesearcher value; Ch 100%; complete malolactic fermentation; no oak; >5 years sur lie; dosage c.9 g/L; www.polroger.com ]
Good straw, markedly lighter than the 1975 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs. One sniff – and this is champagne as one dreams of it: glorious crust-of-baguette in finest Le Moulin (Wellington bakery) style, white stonefruits deepening just a little, with hints of mealyness and hazelnuts, just lovely. Palate has the perfect quality you see in good champagnes, of presence and weight and substance, yet no fleshiness or fruitiness. The flavour lasts and lasts, on the subtle dosage say 9 g/L, but the richness makes it seem sweeter. This is glorious, and will cellar for 5 – 15 years yet. This wine too will be offered in a Library Tasting in Wellington, 2016. GK 02/16
Good straw, markedly lighter than the 1975 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs. One sniff – and this is champagne as one dreams of it: glorious crust-of-baguette in finest Le Moulin (Wellington bakery) style, white stonefruits deepening just a little, with hints of mealyness and hazelnuts, just lovely. Palate has the perfect quality you see in good champagnes, of presence and weight and substance, yet no fleshiness or fruitiness. The flavour lasts and lasts, on the subtle dosage say 9 g/L, but the richness makes it seem sweeter. This is glorious, and will cellar for 5 – 15 years yet. This wine too will be offered in a Library Tasting in Wellington, 2016. GK 02/16
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $394 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 13mm; $278 landed; cepage in 2010 CS 65%, Me 30, CF 4, PV 1; fermentation in both s/s and concrete; cuvaison to 28 days; half the wine is matured in new barrels, but latterly a swing away from oak, with one third of the harvest now matured in concrete amphorae; half in new barrels, elevation typically 16 months; average production 20,800 x 9-litre cases; consulting oenologist initially Michel Rolland, latterly Ludwig Vanneron; JR@JR, 2012: Subtle, fresh with really intense scents and wonderful fluidity. Complete. Exciting. Like purple flowers. Long and rich. Great fan of flavours, 18; in the Farr Vintners 2020 tasting, the bottle shown was thought to be sub-optimal (oxidation, reading between the lines), so the chateau later sent a second sample to key people. For the second bottle, JH@JR, 2020 made no score adjustment, but the revised notes say: There's far more fresh cedary cassis fruit, even a sort of stony freshness. Still very firm tannins but the fruit has the freshness and succulence to hold it all in balance. It's big and rich, with a bit of alcoholic heat, 17.5; the same re-supply applied for L.P-B@WA, 2020, who declined to give a score to the first sample (astute !). For the second: … a vast array of black fruit preserves and savory nuances: plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial, black cherry coulis and licorice with wafts of dried lavender, melted chocolate, charcuterie, black olives, truffles and camphor plus a hint of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is completely filled with black fruits, exotic spices and earthy nuances with a firm foundation of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and depth. So much more expressive and seductive than a lot of 2010s at this stage, and yet it is still incredibly youthful, 100; Pontet-Canet obtained organic certification from Ecocert and biodynamic certification from Biodyvin for the 2010 vintage – the chateau claims it is the first (and only) classed growth so certified. They consider the 2010: the finest Pontet-Canet of the modern era; website requires persistence to use, not all detail there; weight bottle and closure: 825 g; www.pontet-canet.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some development showing, just above midway in depth. If there had been a New World foil in the set, this would have been it, the wine showing a certain boldness and aggressiveness beyond the recorded 14.5% alcohol. You wonder if there is threshold VA. Within this big bouquet there is saturated cassis not quite so fresh and youthful as the top wines, plus plummy depths, and cedary oak. It is nostril- clearing. Flavour is big too, almost a mint-like complexity note, great berry richness the flavours all melding together, and a lot more ripeness and oak than most in the field. This wine will appeal more to people who regard florality and delicacy / subtlety in claret as nonsense. One person had Pontet-Canet as their top wine, but three rated it second. Big sturdy dry wine to cellar 20 – 50 years, but looking a bit burly in the company. GK 09/20
Ruby and velvet, some development showing, just above midway in depth. If there had been a New World foil in the set, this would have been it, the wine showing a certain boldness and aggressiveness beyond the recorded 14.5% alcohol. You wonder if there is threshold VA. Within this big bouquet there is saturated cassis not quite so fresh and youthful as the top wines, plus plummy depths, and cedary oak. It is nostril- clearing. Flavour is big too, almost a mint-like complexity note, great berry richness the flavours all melding together, and a lot more ripeness and oak than most in the field. This wine will appeal more to people who regard florality and delicacy / subtlety in claret as nonsense. One person had Pontet-Canet as their top wine, but three rated it second. Big sturdy dry wine to cellar 20 – 50 years, but looking a bit burly in the company. GK 09/20
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.3%; $19 [ screwcap; Gm 239 vines planted 1994; hand-picked in two phases, a botrytis tranche later added in; cold-settled, cool- and stop-fermented, all s/s; pH 2.88, RS 15 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Lemon. Bouquet is absolutely definitive riesling, whether from Marlborough, or Mosel. There are superb white florals including modest English garden flowers on the one hand, yet with vanilla orchid, freesias, almost a hint of frangipani, and citrus florals too, some white nectarine flesh and gorgeous lime zest zip. Palate is medium-dry, lovely fruit, some botrytis complexity showing, again the lime-zest, the whole wine perhaps not quite as subtle on phenolics as Mosel, but the flavour redeems it marvellously. For those who find properly dry riesling rather loses the point of the grape, this wine is the answer. Cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/09
Lemon. Bouquet is absolutely definitive riesling, whether from Marlborough, or Mosel. There are superb white florals including modest English garden flowers on the one hand, yet with vanilla orchid, freesias, almost a hint of frangipani, and citrus florals too, some white nectarine flesh and gorgeous lime zest zip. Palate is medium-dry, lovely fruit, some botrytis complexity showing, again the lime-zest, the whole wine perhaps not quite as subtle on phenolics as Mosel, but the flavour redeems it marvellously. For those who find properly dry riesling rather loses the point of the grape, this wine is the answer. Cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/09
Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $ – [ cork ]
Good pinot noir ruby, older than the others. A wonderfully explicit pinot noir bouquet, boronia and violets, total florals, on rich black cherry fruits. Additionally there are lovely aromatics, which include a savoury component. This bouquet is absolutely mouth-watering, as great pinot should be. Palate is interesting, not quite as rich and complex as the bouquet promises, the savoury component increasing - a euphemism for a brett component. Frankly, at this level, I love it, because it makes the wine so magical with any kind of grilled or richly casseroled meat. There are tannins on the finish, but the lingering fruit is lovely too. Benchmark burgundy in a quite big and traditional style, glorious with food, a wine to which only technologist winemakers could object. The soul and romance of wine is not very interested in technology. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Good pinot noir ruby, older than the others. A wonderfully explicit pinot noir bouquet, boronia and violets, total florals, on rich black cherry fruits. Additionally there are lovely aromatics, which include a savoury component. This bouquet is absolutely mouth-watering, as great pinot should be. Palate is interesting, not quite as rich and complex as the bouquet promises, the savoury component increasing - a euphemism for a brett component. Frankly, at this level, I love it, because it makes the wine so magical with any kind of grilled or richly casseroled meat. There are tannins on the finish, but the lingering fruit is lovely too. Benchmark burgundy in a quite big and traditional style, glorious with food, a wine to which only technologist winemakers could object. The soul and romance of wine is not very interested in technology. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $196 [ cork; up to 22 months in mostly second-year French oak; Rousseau owns 0.5 ha, 5.8% of the vineyard; making approx 175 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, exactly in the middle for depth of colour. This is very beautiful wine, not as new-oaky as the top wines and therefore seemingly understated, but with an enticing limpid florality to the bouquet which is explicitly pinot noir. Palate follows on perfectly, wonderful richness without being heavy, red and black fruits in equilibrium, gorgeous acid balance, great length and purity. This is benchmark pinot noir, without any dramatics. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Pinot noir ruby, exactly in the middle for depth of colour. This is very beautiful wine, not as new-oaky as the top wines and therefore seemingly understated, but with an enticing limpid florality to the bouquet which is explicitly pinot noir. Palate follows on perfectly, wonderful richness without being heavy, red and black fruits in equilibrium, gorgeous acid balance, great length and purity. This is benchmark pinot noir, without any dramatics. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $75 [ cork, 50 mm; Gr 70%, Mv 15, Sy 14; Ci 1; whole-bunch and wild-yeast co-fermentation and extended cuvaison; careful elevation 30% in concrete vat, 50% in barrels used one to four times, 20% in new oak; not filtered; production averages 3,000 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 600 g; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The bouquet is very pure, nearly floral, faintly aromatic on garrigue florality, wonderfully confusable with pinot noir, a lovely lift to it. The wine doesn't smell of alcohol at all, despite the given number. Palate shows elegant and beautifully perfumed fruit, with the perfect ratio of old oak to add structure and complexity while remaining nearly invisible. There is a wonderful concentration of florals, fruits and aromatics, plus surprising length. This is subtle yet rich red wine, lighter than Chateauneuf-du-Pape as good Gigondas (with its greater altitude) often is, just perfect (except as with all these 15% wines, you wish the alcohol were lower). Cellar 5 – 25 years. Distribution of Louis Barruol’s remarkable wines in New Zealand is in limbo, with the closing of The Wine Importer, Kumeu. GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The bouquet is very pure, nearly floral, faintly aromatic on garrigue florality, wonderfully confusable with pinot noir, a lovely lift to it. The wine doesn't smell of alcohol at all, despite the given number. Palate shows elegant and beautifully perfumed fruit, with the perfect ratio of old oak to add structure and complexity while remaining nearly invisible. There is a wonderful concentration of florals, fruits and aromatics, plus surprising length. This is subtle yet rich red wine, lighter than Chateauneuf-du-Pape as good Gigondas (with its greater altitude) often is, just perfect (except as with all these 15% wines, you wish the alcohol were lower). Cellar 5 – 25 years. Distribution of Louis Barruol’s remarkable wines in New Zealand is in limbo, with the closing of The Wine Importer, Kumeu. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $75 [ cork, 50mm; this vintage Gr 80%, Sy 10, Ci 10 – so a little unusual; a whole-bunch wine, cuvaison 5 weeks; elevation 70% in second- and third-year puncheons, 30% in concrete vats, both for up to 15 months; not fined or filtered; certified organic; production up to 1,400 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2016:, [ barrel sample ] The nose ... raspberry fruit aroma with some notions of rosemary, herbs. The palate spiced, crisp red fruits ... the finish is tingling, clear, holds a little rocky tannin, 2030-32, ****; J. Czerwinski @ R. Parker, 2017: It pushes the ripeness up a notch from the traditional cuvée toward blackberry, plum and chocolate but remains lively ... full-bodied and supple, with a creamy texture and a long finish. 2017 - 2025, 94; bottle weight 612g; www.st-prefert.fr ]
Ruby and some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, showing all the fragrance and complexity of classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape but here in a more modern idiom, lifted and amplified (almost) by the vanillin of ‘new’ oak. The oak is second- and third-year, not completely new, so it is beautifully mellow in mouth, and shifts the flavour of the wine a little, towards a style hinting at Bordeaux or the northern Rhone – except it is so soft. Fruit flavours are a beautiful mix of red and darker fruits, surprising since the cepage would have you looking for a wine with even more red fruits than the Clos des Papes. While the sweet vanillin oak may not be totally approved of by Chateauneuf-du-Pape traditionalists, nonetheless this presentation is going to win over many people. Modern yet subtle, and the price is favourable for a ‘Reserve’ bottling. I could not resolve whether this wine is slightly richer than the standard Saint Préfert: both are exemplary in this regard. This wine was well-liked, as one might anticipate, it combining Old World and New World so seamlessly: five first places and two second. One of the questions in the analysis section at the close of the ‘blind’ part of the tasting was: could this be the wine handled in ‘new’ oak, but only one taster thought so. So this is a modern but subtle Chateauneuf-du-Pape to cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/18
Ruby and some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, showing all the fragrance and complexity of classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape but here in a more modern idiom, lifted and amplified (almost) by the vanillin of ‘new’ oak. The oak is second- and third-year, not completely new, so it is beautifully mellow in mouth, and shifts the flavour of the wine a little, towards a style hinting at Bordeaux or the northern Rhone – except it is so soft. Fruit flavours are a beautiful mix of red and darker fruits, surprising since the cepage would have you looking for a wine with even more red fruits than the Clos des Papes. While the sweet vanillin oak may not be totally approved of by Chateauneuf-du-Pape traditionalists, nonetheless this presentation is going to win over many people. Modern yet subtle, and the price is favourable for a ‘Reserve’ bottling. I could not resolve whether this wine is slightly richer than the standard Saint Préfert: both are exemplary in this regard. This wine was well-liked, as one might anticipate, it combining Old World and New World so seamlessly: five first places and two second. One of the questions in the analysis section at the close of the ‘blind’ part of the tasting was: could this be the wine handled in ‘new’ oak, but only one taster thought so. So this is a modern but subtle Chateauneuf-du-Pape to cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/18
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $45 [ cork 49mm, ullage 10mm; original price c.$35; Gr 75%, Syrah c.15, Mv c.5, Ci c.5, hand-harvested; not destemmed then, long cuvaison to 35 days; elevation then mostly in large old wood, some in barriques, 20% in concrete vats, for 18 months; not filtered; production c. 3,300 x 9-litre cases; now labelled Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits; J. L-L, 2001: The bouquet is broad, meaty, has air of pebble dust, light pepper, animal hints – it is quite potent. This is interesting wine with the character to become complex, it is live, works well, has a bonny future. The attack is alert, the red stone fruits run well and integrate with the tannins, and there is a hint of pepper. The ending is good and fresh, which is a hallmark of the vintage, still in the shadow of 1998. Good wine. To 2020, ****(*); J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2016: The 1999 Gigondas is another classic wine from this estate and offers fully mature notes of cedar, spice box and mature fruit in a medium to full-bodied, supple and integrated package. Classic, mature, ready to go and balanced ..., 89; R. Parker, 2001: ... elegant mineral and cherry flavors intertwined with licorice notes. An austere finish kept my score low, but this medium-bodied Gigondas possesses excellent purity, loads of fruit, and a layered texture. To 2011, 89; www.santaduc.fr ]
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Again, the bouquet on this wine is wonderful, combining floral notes with garrigue aromatics and portobello mushroom savoury depths, all in grenache-led red fruits well browning now. This wine makes you hungry, just smelling it. Palate is nearly burgundian in style but drier, showing the beautifully integrated flavours of a wine at the pinnacle of maturity, not quite as rich as the Saint Cosme, and a little drier – yet another wine just crying out for food. Fully mature now, will hold at least five years. In the presentation of less- and more-oaked versions of the same base wine, this less-oaked Santa Duc was the hands-down winner. Tasters liked this wine: three first placings, and four second. GK 10/19
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Again, the bouquet on this wine is wonderful, combining floral notes with garrigue aromatics and portobello mushroom savoury depths, all in grenache-led red fruits well browning now. This wine makes you hungry, just smelling it. Palate is nearly burgundian in style but drier, showing the beautifully integrated flavours of a wine at the pinnacle of maturity, not quite as rich as the Saint Cosme, and a little drier – yet another wine just crying out for food. Fully mature now, will hold at least five years. In the presentation of less- and more-oaked versions of the same base wine, this less-oaked Santa Duc was the hands-down winner. Tasters liked this wine: three first placings, and four second. GK 10/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $83 [ cork 49mm, scarcely bleached; Gr 60%, Sy 22, Mv 17, Va 1; cuvaison to 35 days, a little saignée; elevation 53% in larger wood, 25% in smaller oak including some second-year from Ch Lynch-Bages; 22% in vat; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure 615 g; slow website; www.senechaux.fr ]
Ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet on this red illustrates to perfection the aromatic garrigue complexity so characterising better Southern Rhone Valley wines, seamlessly integrated with red fruits, red plums and raspberry mainly, plus trace cinnamon. Palate is immaculate, wonderful fruit / tannin / acid balance, sweetly-fruited yet dry, ripe and long, bursting with flavour, the alcohol well-contained. This wine epitomises all that is beautiful about the 2016 vintage in the Southern Rhone Valley. It is not a big Chateauneuf-du-Pape, more an elegant one in the style of a top Gigondas, with the alcohol remarkably well-hidden, in comparison with the Pirathons. Grenache magic again. It will give immense pleasure at table. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet on this red illustrates to perfection the aromatic garrigue complexity so characterising better Southern Rhone Valley wines, seamlessly integrated with red fruits, red plums and raspberry mainly, plus trace cinnamon. Palate is immaculate, wonderful fruit / tannin / acid balance, sweetly-fruited yet dry, ripe and long, bursting with flavour, the alcohol well-contained. This wine epitomises all that is beautiful about the 2016 vintage in the Southern Rhone Valley. It is not a big Chateauneuf-du-Pape, more an elegant one in the style of a top Gigondas, with the alcohol remarkably well-hidden, in comparison with the Pirathons. Grenache magic again. It will give immense pleasure at table. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Sauternes / Preignac Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $ – [ 49mm cork; Se 90%, SB 10; average age of vines 25 years, planted at 7,000 vines / ha, average yield 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; fermentation in s/s, then 24 months in small oak 33% new ; average production uncertain; BBR: … complex and beautifully harmonious … the wines show at their best with at least 10 years of bottle age. Robinson, 2011: Certainly the 2001 Sauternes are stupendous and are just starting to be broachable. Suduiraut is wonderfully dependable. Very rich yet tangy with flavours of almonds and citrus zest. There's a lot going on here - real depth of flavour, 18; Parker, 2004: A prodigious effort, possibly the finest Suduiraut since 1959, the medium gold-colored 2001 offers notes of creme brulee, caramelized citrus, Grand Marnier, honeysuckle, and other exotic fruits as well as a pleasant touch of oak. With terrific acidity, a voluptuous/unctuous palate, and sweet, powerful flavors buttressed by crisp acidity, it is a phenomenal Sauternes. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040, 98; www.suduiraut.com ]
Lighter gold, clearly below midway in depth of colour. From the outset, this wine too shows a little VA, and a clean new oak component, the latter (only) linking it with the d'Yquem. As it opened up, golden queen peaches and desiccated coconut thoughts arose, and you forgot all about the VA. But as soon as you put in your mouth, the lovely fruit and cake thoughts on bouquet were roughened by the VA, just a little bit, perhaps because it is not quite as rich as the Rieussec, perhaps because the percentage new oak seems slightly higher. Even so, the nett impression is rich and vibrant, as the score indicates. It was in the top three, for the group on the night, and should cellar well, 10 – 25 years. GK 07/14
Lighter gold, clearly below midway in depth of colour. From the outset, this wine too shows a little VA, and a clean new oak component, the latter (only) linking it with the d'Yquem. As it opened up, golden queen peaches and desiccated coconut thoughts arose, and you forgot all about the VA. But as soon as you put in your mouth, the lovely fruit and cake thoughts on bouquet were roughened by the VA, just a little bit, perhaps because it is not quite as rich as the Rieussec, perhaps because the percentage new oak seems slightly higher. Even so, the nett impression is rich and vibrant, as the score indicates. It was in the top three, for the group on the night, and should cellar well, 10 – 25 years. GK 07/14
Reims, Champagne, France: – %; $1,153 [ cork 40mm, ullage 70mm; original cost $35.95; cepage Ch 100%;
Tyson Stelzer regards Comtes de Champagne as amongst the very finest and most consistent blanc de blancs of Champagne. Fruit is drawn from a range of sites in the Cote des Blancs. 5% of the blend is aged for four months in new to 4-year-old French oak, to add subtle complexity. Full MLF. The wine spends at least eight years en tirage. Broadbent, 2002: slightly minty, lanolin nose, very good flavour, perfect acidity, *****; RP@RP, 2010: The 1975 Comtes de Champagne offers up truffles, mushrooms and autumn leaves in a mid-weight, fairly open style of Comtes. The wine turns more delicate in the glass; in fact it is quite a bit better composed on the palate than on the nose. Today the 1975 comes across as fully mature, 93; weight bottle and closure 969 g; www.taittinger.com ]
Straw, a wash of light gold, and the faintest trace of amber. At opening, there was only the slightest whisper of CO2 pressure; by the time the wine was poured (a minute or two) it was not even visibly petillant in the glass. But glory be, it still smelt fresh and vital. But how sad such a prestige wine, more expensive at $35.95 than any of the classed Medocs in the tasting, should be let down by Taittinger economising with the miserable 40mm corks. A ‘standard’ champagne cork for a quality non-vintage bubbly such as Lanson Black Label is 46 mm … and a few producers go as far as 49mm. The bouquet smells of baguette-crust, cashews and even a hint of hazelnut, all wrapped in gold-fleshed peach fruit … perhaps more (quality) glacé peach than canned or fresh-cut, plus a mealy hint of oatmeal biscuits. The thought occurs that this bouquet would not be out of place in a 1975 Meursault tasting. Palate shows astonishing fruit richness and dry extract, still some dosage evident adding to the perceived palate weight, and a remarkable length of flavour, including just a suggestion of oak. The acid of the year is still noticeable. Likely the dosage was higher then than now, but the total wine bouquet and flavour are a delight. Only on the late finish is there a hint of tannin peeping through – presumably from a barrel-age component. Tasters loved the wine, it being the oldest champagne many had tasted. Hard to score. GK 03/25
Tyson Stelzer regards Comtes de Champagne as amongst the very finest and most consistent blanc de blancs of Champagne. Fruit is drawn from a range of sites in the Cote des Blancs. 5% of the blend is aged for four months in new to 4-year-old French oak, to add subtle complexity. Full MLF. The wine spends at least eight years en tirage. Broadbent, 2002: slightly minty, lanolin nose, very good flavour, perfect acidity, *****; RP@RP, 2010: The 1975 Comtes de Champagne offers up truffles, mushrooms and autumn leaves in a mid-weight, fairly open style of Comtes. The wine turns more delicate in the glass; in fact it is quite a bit better composed on the palate than on the nose. Today the 1975 comes across as fully mature, 93; weight bottle and closure 969 g; www.taittinger.com ]
Straw, a wash of light gold, and the faintest trace of amber. At opening, there was only the slightest whisper of CO2 pressure; by the time the wine was poured (a minute or two) it was not even visibly petillant in the glass. But glory be, it still smelt fresh and vital. But how sad such a prestige wine, more expensive at $35.95 than any of the classed Medocs in the tasting, should be let down by Taittinger economising with the miserable 40mm corks. A ‘standard’ champagne cork for a quality non-vintage bubbly such as Lanson Black Label is 46 mm … and a few producers go as far as 49mm. The bouquet smells of baguette-crust, cashews and even a hint of hazelnut, all wrapped in gold-fleshed peach fruit … perhaps more (quality) glacé peach than canned or fresh-cut, plus a mealy hint of oatmeal biscuits. The thought occurs that this bouquet would not be out of place in a 1975 Meursault tasting. Palate shows astonishing fruit richness and dry extract, still some dosage evident adding to the perceived palate weight, and a remarkable length of flavour, including just a suggestion of oak. The acid of the year is still noticeable. Likely the dosage was higher then than now, but the total wine bouquet and flavour are a delight. Only on the late finish is there a hint of tannin peeping through – presumably from a barrel-age component. Tasters loved the wine, it being the oldest champagne many had tasted. Hard to score. GK 03/25
Reims, Champagne, France: – %; $694 [ traditional compound champagne cork; Broadbent rating for vintage: ***, a popular and stylish vintage … acidic, not that this is a grave disadvantage … with champagne; Wine Spectator rating for vintage: 92, Drink, bold but balanced wines. Ch 100%, MLF, 5% of the base wine is aged for four months only in barrels, one third new, 8 – 9 years en tirage; dosage c.9 g/L; Broadbent, 2002: slightly minty, lanolin nose, very good flavour, perfect acidity, *****; no other reviews found; www.taittinger.com ]
Colour is scarcely distinguishable from the 1975 Pol Roger, faintly lighter, midway in depth. Bouquet is not quite so astonishingly fresh as the 1975 Pol Roger, little or no hint of citrus left here, but wonderful autolysis passing from the baguette stage more to Vogel's Multigrain. Palate is a little drier than the Pol Roger, still equally good fruit, great length, superb autolysis, slightly more nutty to the finish, and a little nearer full maturity. This is another wonderful old wine, which the group rated third equal with the 1990 Bollinger. GK 05/16
Colour is scarcely distinguishable from the 1975 Pol Roger, faintly lighter, midway in depth. Bouquet is not quite so astonishingly fresh as the 1975 Pol Roger, little or no hint of citrus left here, but wonderful autolysis passing from the baguette stage more to Vogel's Multigrain. Palate is a little drier than the Pol Roger, still equally good fruit, great length, superb autolysis, slightly more nutty to the finish, and a little nearer full maturity. This is another wonderful old wine, which the group rated third equal with the 1990 Bollinger. GK 05/16
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, New Zealand: 13.5%; $128 [ cork 45mm, ullage 20mm; original price c.$60; Gr 75%, Sy 10, Mv 10, balance minor varieties, 75% of the vines more than 80 years old; 18 – 25 days cuvaison, 50% destemming (particularly the Mv), cuvaison to 25 days; elevation 18 – 24 months in large old wood; not filtered in 1999; production c.4,000 x 9-litre cases; moreso even than Domaine Charvin and Clos des Papes, each with their ‘Cotes du Rhone’ (or equivalent) junior wines, Vieux Donjon makes only one red Chateauneuf, one white. As with the other two, this means the buyer is getting the essence of the place; J. L-L, 2008: the bouquet is moving into a downhome, rather funky stage, with red fruits, overt pepper present, tea aromas also. It is wide, mostly clear for now. The palate red fruit has shoulders, is pretty robust and meaty. It ends on a pepper, grainy, pine-resin note. The pepper and a cocoa effect run through the fruit, showing some of the vintage acidity. The fruit persists well, and the wine is getting there now. “It is a little rustic, or animal this year; it was closed for a long time, but since early 2007 it started to open up,” – Claire Michel, winemaker. To 2024, ****(*); R. Parker, 2000: ... backward, concentrated, dense. It is slightly massive, with lots of up-front fruit. It is a serious, full-bodied effort with notes of dried herbs, smoke, licorice, black cherry liqueur, and cassis, multiple layers on the mid-palate, and that sweet, rich, authoritative finish that comes from old vines as well as low yields. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2015, 90 - 92; the website is just a holding page; www.levieuxdonjon.fr ]
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is soft, pure and gentle, not quite as much of any character as the Saint Cosme, yet fresh and appealing, lightly cinnamon, the grenache speaking. Palate is complex, integrated, reflecting grenache-led Southern Rhone red fruits browning now, no new oak yet beautiful tannin structure, more mature than the Saint Cosme, and richer. Again, the food-friendlyness of this wine is greatly enhanced by its 13.5% alcohol. Tasters were less enthused by this wine that I was, one first place, one second. The wine is fully mature, but will hold for 10 years or so. GK 10/19
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is soft, pure and gentle, not quite as much of any character as the Saint Cosme, yet fresh and appealing, lightly cinnamon, the grenache speaking. Palate is complex, integrated, reflecting grenache-led Southern Rhone red fruits browning now, no new oak yet beautiful tannin structure, more mature than the Saint Cosme, and richer. Again, the food-friendlyness of this wine is greatly enhanced by its 13.5% alcohol. Tasters were less enthused by this wine that I was, one first place, one second. The wine is fully mature, but will hold for 10 years or so. GK 10/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $150 [ cork, 50 mm; one of the more famous wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the price now reflecting that. All grown on the famous La Crau site with galets roulés, in which the Brunier family own c.70 ha. They first planted vines in La Crau in 1891. There are now three main red wines, our wine Vieux Telegraphe proper, from vines over 30 years age, Piedlong introduced in 2011, and Vieux Telegraphe Telegramme from younger vines (including another vineyard altogether). Telegraphe is now a much subtler wine than it used to be, while Telegramme is a little bolder. Cepage Gr 65%, Mv 15 – 20, Sy 15, a little Ci, Co and clairette, average age 65 – 70 years, hand-picked. Most of the crop is de-stemmed except for some old-vine grenache, cuvaison in s/s or oak cuves, extending to 30, sometimes 40 days; elevation 12 months in concrete vats, then c.9 months in 6,000 litre foudres. From time to time a new foudre is added, freshening the oak component a little. Production up to 16,500 x 9-litre cases in a good year. J.L-L, 2017: (barrel sample) The raspberry fruit aroma is very clear, ripely fruited with some husky, baked notes, black raisin, brandy cake, cherry stone. It is imposing. The palate gives strength, muscle, tight packing with tannins that are baked. ... It is concentrated and thorough, a wine of strength, many resources ... It will take much time, will be very long-lived, to 2048, ****(*); JC@RP, 2018: Undoubtedly one of the top vintages of this wine ... classy notes of crushed stones and black tea to go along with ripe raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied yet silky, there's more power and richness in La Crau than in Piedlong, yet there's commensurate elegance and finesse. The wine grows in intensity on the finish ... hints of tea and licorice, to 2035, 96; weight bottle and cork 629 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.vieux-telegraphe.fr ]
Lightish ruby, a pinot noir colour, the lightest wine in the 49 reds. Bouquet is supremely pure, and supremely subtle in this set of wines: just a whisper of fragrant garrigue augmented by hedge-rose florals, on all red fruits, red cherries but spiced with cinnamon. And then you taste it, and the concentration within these light red fruits is another world. The flavour is crystalline in its purity and subtlety, and its length. This is going to be great wine in later years. At the moment it is so subtle as to be easily overlooked. Consequently there were no votes at all in the Worth Cellaring tasting. The high mark is all for purity, perfect elevation, and potential, cellar 10 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Lightish ruby, a pinot noir colour, the lightest wine in the 49 reds. Bouquet is supremely pure, and supremely subtle in this set of wines: just a whisper of fragrant garrigue augmented by hedge-rose florals, on all red fruits, red cherries but spiced with cinnamon. And then you taste it, and the concentration within these light red fruits is another world. The flavour is crystalline in its purity and subtlety, and its length. This is going to be great wine in later years. At the moment it is so subtle as to be easily overlooked. Consequently there were no votes at all in the Worth Cellaring tasting. The high mark is all for purity, perfect elevation, and potential, cellar 10 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $72 [ cork 50 mm; Gr 80%, Sy 10, Mv 6, Ci 4, average age 40 years; elevation in concrete vat, then 7 months in 3,000 litre older oak; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 612 g; www.vieux-telegraphe.fr ]
Good fresh ruby, appreciably deeper than the Vieux Télégraphe proper, still one of the lighter wines. In a rigorously blind tasting of 21 wines, with time to check, and cross check, and then check again (unlike pressured commercial judgings where there is a perverted status in being the first to finish), it is quietly gratifying to find at the unveiling stage, that you have these two closely related wines totally adjacent, contiguous. Yet this Télégramme is quite different from its senior wine. It is darker and more aromatic, and syrah and mourvedre play a larger part. Like Vieux Télégraph, it is nearly floral, roses again but almost a hint of red carnations too, as if syrah is speaking. Purity is exquisite. Palate is aromatic, also darker, not quite as rich but still lovely, and again unbelievably pure and long-flavoured. These two Vieux Télégraphes make a remarkable pair of wines, infinitely covetable. Cellar Télégramme 10 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 05/19
Good fresh ruby, appreciably deeper than the Vieux Télégraphe proper, still one of the lighter wines. In a rigorously blind tasting of 21 wines, with time to check, and cross check, and then check again (unlike pressured commercial judgings where there is a perverted status in being the first to finish), it is quietly gratifying to find at the unveiling stage, that you have these two closely related wines totally adjacent, contiguous. Yet this Télégramme is quite different from its senior wine. It is darker and more aromatic, and syrah and mourvedre play a larger part. Like Vieux Télégraph, it is nearly floral, roses again but almost a hint of red carnations too, as if syrah is speaking. Purity is exquisite. Palate is aromatic, also darker, not quite as rich but still lovely, and again unbelievably pure and long-flavoured. These two Vieux Télégraphes make a remarkable pair of wines, infinitely covetable. Cellar Télégramme 10 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 05/19
Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France: 12%; $40 [ cork; gamay grown on granite, hand-picked; mostly maceration carbonique fermentation in concrete, wild-yeast, no chaptalisation, minimal S02, 10 – 12 days cuvaison; elevation half in big wood, half in barrels to 5 years age; www.chermette.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not dense though, above midway in depth. Bouquet is benchmark for beaujolais and gamay ripened to the point of perfection, richly floral with buddleia, roses and violets, beautiful cherry fruit more black than red, no leafyness on bouquet. Palate is fresh, plump, juicy, yet still crunchy-fresh, again no stalks or leafyness, just perfect berry. The oak is unbelievably, vanishingly, subtle. It is extremely hard to obtain this pinpoint ripeness yet freshness in the Beaujolais style. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 8 years, longer if you like old wine. GK 09/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not dense though, above midway in depth. Bouquet is benchmark for beaujolais and gamay ripened to the point of perfection, richly floral with buddleia, roses and violets, beautiful cherry fruit more black than red, no leafyness on bouquet. Palate is fresh, plump, juicy, yet still crunchy-fresh, again no stalks or leafyness, just perfect berry. The oak is unbelievably, vanishingly, subtle. It is extremely hard to obtain this pinpoint ripeness yet freshness in the Beaujolais style. Lovely wine to cellar 3 – 8 years, longer if you like old wine. GK 09/12
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $110 [ cork 50mm; Sy hand-harvested @ c. 5.8 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac, from vines averaging 60 years age; 20% whole bunch component, wild-yeast ferments with around 21 days cuvaison / days on skins; MLF in barrel; 20 – 22 months in French oak perhaps 15% new; thought to be sterile-filtered to bottle, dry extract not available; production c.1,200 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 579 g; RH@JR: More oak spice on the nose makes this a more user-friendly, approachable style than their Les Chailles. Rather delicious crunchy red fruit and yielding tannin that is drinkable now. Smooth, sophisticated, spicy finish, 17 +; JC@RP, 2018: In almost every vintage, it's worth the price difference to step up to Voge's Vieilles Vignes bottling. Certainly, the 2016 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is another huge success, with hints of cracked pepper and briars accenting red plums and then picking up licorice on the long, softly dusty finish. Full-bodied, concentrated and supple, it's approachable now yet looks sure to evolve gracefully for at least a decade, to 2030, 93; www.alain-voge.com ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Like the Airavata, this wine too has a clear whole-bunch complexity note in its lovely roses and even violets florals, beautiful aromatic cassis and other dark fruits, and no new oak recognisable on bouquet. Palate is reminiscent of the Hermitage, this wonderful pure deep dark berry, with not quite the lushness of fruit the top New Zealand wines show. Some oak shows on the palate, shaping and lengthening the flavours, but it tastes more of big or older oak, rather than new. This Cornas is more floral than the Hermitage, but then the palate is in a sense more straightforward, and not quite as rich. This wine too was well received, two top places, two second-favourites, and the clearest vote of the 12 for it being a French syrah – seven people. A beautiful and classic wine, to cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/19
Carmine, ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Like the Airavata, this wine too has a clear whole-bunch complexity note in its lovely roses and even violets florals, beautiful aromatic cassis and other dark fruits, and no new oak recognisable on bouquet. Palate is reminiscent of the Hermitage, this wonderful pure deep dark berry, with not quite the lushness of fruit the top New Zealand wines show. Some oak shows on the palate, shaping and lengthening the flavours, but it tastes more of big or older oak, rather than new. This Cornas is more floral than the Hermitage, but then the palate is in a sense more straightforward, and not quite as rich. This wine too was well received, two top places, two second-favourites, and the clearest vote of the 12 for it being a French syrah – seven people. A beautiful and classic wine, to cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/19
Gimblett Gravels mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $24 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 47%, CS 40, Ma 10, CF 3, hand-harvested; all de-stemmed, 20 – 25 days cuvaison; MLF and 20 months in French, American and Hungarian oak with a percentage new; Catalogue: a bouquet of lifted plums, cassis and cedar characters. Layers of berry and plum flavours combine with complex savoury characters on a palate which is full, rich and soft with excellent length and structure; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. Bouquet is saturated cassis, really quite remarkable. Below is rich berry showing all the freshness and zing lacking in the even richer Mission Jewelstone 2007, and ample bottled black plums. Palate at this stage reflects aromatic cabernet more than plummy merlot, but that will change in bottle. Being the Cellar Selection, it does not have quite the concentration and expensive oak treatment of the Reserve range, so it is easy to underestimate. Sometimes the Cellar Selection edition can be more attractive than the Reserve, for the same reason – there is more emphasis on the fruit. And given fruit of this quality, this is a gorgeous wine which is going to be available for irresistible prices. It is a little oakier but also more sophisticated than the competing Church Road Merlot / Cabernet. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. Bouquet is saturated cassis, really quite remarkable. Below is rich berry showing all the freshness and zing lacking in the even richer Mission Jewelstone 2007, and ample bottled black plums. Palate at this stage reflects aromatic cabernet more than plummy merlot, but that will change in bottle. Being the Cellar Selection, it does not have quite the concentration and expensive oak treatment of the Reserve range, so it is easy to underestimate. Sometimes the Cellar Selection edition can be more attractive than the Reserve, for the same reason – there is more emphasis on the fruit. And given fruit of this quality, this is a gorgeous wine which is going to be available for irresistible prices. It is a little oakier but also more sophisticated than the competing Church Road Merlot / Cabernet. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Gladstone, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 11.5%; $14 [ screwcap; made in a German style, in s/s, with 12 g/L RS; www.johner-estate.com ]
Pale lemongreen. This is a sweeter wine than the Mt Difficulty, with 'white' flowers just a little less aromatic and more freesia-like on bouquet, plus delicate pale fruit. Palate is beautifully pure, again Mosel / cut dessert apple in style, a dryish kabinett level of sweetness, fine-grained acid, lingering delightfully. Though sweeter than the Mt Difficulty, it is not quite as rich, and therefore may not cellar quite so long. Both these wines have a delicacy and finesse rarely achievable in Australia, and sometimes not in Alsace either, so they are pretty exciting. Cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 11/08
Pale lemongreen. This is a sweeter wine than the Mt Difficulty, with 'white' flowers just a little less aromatic and more freesia-like on bouquet, plus delicate pale fruit. Palate is beautifully pure, again Mosel / cut dessert apple in style, a dryish kabinett level of sweetness, fine-grained acid, lingering delightfully. Though sweeter than the Mt Difficulty, it is not quite as rich, and therefore may not cellar quite so long. Both these wines have a delicacy and finesse rarely achievable in Australia, and sometimes not in Alsace either, so they are pretty exciting. Cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 11/08
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $65 [ supercritical cork; hand-harvested from vines > 20 years, many clones; fermented in cuves, 15 days cuvaison including cold-soak; 12 months in French oak 30% new; dry extract 28.9 g/L, RS <1 g/L; 200 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, fractionally deeper than Voyager. This pinot noir is as dramatically varietal as Voyager, and for some tasters, it will be even more varietal. This is a wine optimising the floral expression which is key to great pinot noir, the aromas spanning the full range from buddleia through roses and violets to boronia. It is clearly more aromatic than Voyager, with also the faintest touch of Martinborough pennyroyal. Palate contrasts with Voyager in being a little leaner and firmer, a little less ripe but very aromatic, very Cote de Nuits in style. It is glorious pinot noir, the quality of florals right through to the finish making one wonder: will this be a pinot to later develop the elusive / much talked about (or at least reputed) peacock's tail spread of aromas and flavours on the aftertaste? Like Voyager, this wine too is a contender for New Zealand's greatest pinot yet. For those hooked on the floral component of the grape, it may well outpoint Voyager. Normally that would include me, but I deducted a little for the pennyroyal note. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Ruby and velvet, fractionally deeper than Voyager. This pinot noir is as dramatically varietal as Voyager, and for some tasters, it will be even more varietal. This is a wine optimising the floral expression which is key to great pinot noir, the aromas spanning the full range from buddleia through roses and violets to boronia. It is clearly more aromatic than Voyager, with also the faintest touch of Martinborough pennyroyal. Palate contrasts with Voyager in being a little leaner and firmer, a little less ripe but very aromatic, very Cote de Nuits in style. It is glorious pinot noir, the quality of florals right through to the finish making one wonder: will this be a pinot to later develop the elusive / much talked about (or at least reputed) peacock's tail spread of aromas and flavours on the aftertaste? Like Voyager, this wine too is a contender for New Zealand's greatest pinot yet. For those hooked on the floral component of the grape, it may well outpoint Voyager. Normally that would include me, but I deducted a little for the pennyroyal note. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/08
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; c. US$300; La Landonne a vineyard; Sy 100%; average vine age 25 years; cropped 35 - 37 hL / ha; fermented in s/s, 4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; Parker 156: "Extremely powerful, rich, and backward … 93 – 95"; Spectator: 96, earlier reviews on this website; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, older than most, a little below midway in depth. Bouquet stands out on this wine, capturing all the beautiful florals and fragrance, the wallflowers and dianthus, the underlying berry, which I seek in great syrah, but on this occasion with 10 tasters, I was alone in my enthusiasm. Below the florals and fragrant cassis berry, is a mouthwatering savoury note like perfectly grilled rare fillet steak, perhaps with some truffle paste dressing. Palate is rich yet silky, long, lingering, refreshing acid, elegant, remarkably like somewhat tanniny grand cru Cote de Nuits Burgundy. I thought this lovely wine, and in speaking to the wine noted this amount of brett is pretty attractive, and makes the wine even more food-friendly. Other tasters including winemakers demurred. For a wine like this, I feel a need to refer back to the notes on Brettanomyces I included in the Syrah Symposium report (20 Feb '07), where I suggested some moderation is needed in the new world appraisal of the brett issue (by winemakers, understood). This 2001 Guigal la Landonne is, quite simply, a beautiful wine, and the writings of most of the wine world (to the extent one can actually search most websites for a wine score) seem to agree: as above plus Livingstone-Learmonth 5-stars (note, he marks out of 6 stars, in his new book on the Northern Rhone). Such savoury wines are sublime with food. However, it is only fair to record that in the older flight, no other taster rated the wine in their top three. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Ruby, some velvet, older than most, a little below midway in depth. Bouquet stands out on this wine, capturing all the beautiful florals and fragrance, the wallflowers and dianthus, the underlying berry, which I seek in great syrah, but on this occasion with 10 tasters, I was alone in my enthusiasm. Below the florals and fragrant cassis berry, is a mouthwatering savoury note like perfectly grilled rare fillet steak, perhaps with some truffle paste dressing. Palate is rich yet silky, long, lingering, refreshing acid, elegant, remarkably like somewhat tanniny grand cru Cote de Nuits Burgundy. I thought this lovely wine, and in speaking to the wine noted this amount of brett is pretty attractive, and makes the wine even more food-friendly. Other tasters including winemakers demurred. For a wine like this, I feel a need to refer back to the notes on Brettanomyces I included in the Syrah Symposium report (20 Feb '07), where I suggested some moderation is needed in the new world appraisal of the brett issue (by winemakers, understood). This 2001 Guigal la Landonne is, quite simply, a beautiful wine, and the writings of most of the wine world (to the extent one can actually search most websites for a wine score) seem to agree: as above plus Livingstone-Learmonth 5-stars (note, he marks out of 6 stars, in his new book on the Northern Rhone). Such savoury wines are sublime with food. However, it is only fair to record that in the older flight, no other taster rated the wine in their top three. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ supercritical cork; hand-harvested from 3 clones of PN 25 years, fermented in cuves, 16 days cuvaison including cold-soak; 12 months in French oak 30% new; dry extract 32.3 g/L, RS <1 g/L; 200 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, some velvet, the deepest and oldest looking of these Escarpment top pinots, approaching the Dry River pinot noir in depth, but not hue – this is older. Bouquet in this wine is deeper, darker, riper and somewhat less floral than my top wines, but fragrance of bouquet develops in glass, and is augmented by trace brett at a positive level. Fruit is still black cherry, but bottled black doris aromas are creeping in, all complexed with some oak and a touch of barrel toast. In many ways, therefore, this is a more complex wine than the pure varietal Voyager and Kupe, and could be said to be more European in style. It is very ripe, though. Fruit weight is exemplary – as noted previously, we must rejoice that in New Zealand we are finally seeing red wines with a dry extract of 30 g/L, bespeaking a true grand cru cropping rate. It needs several years for the oak tannins to marry into the fruit, and will cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Big pinot noir ruby, some velvet, the deepest and oldest looking of these Escarpment top pinots, approaching the Dry River pinot noir in depth, but not hue – this is older. Bouquet in this wine is deeper, darker, riper and somewhat less floral than my top wines, but fragrance of bouquet develops in glass, and is augmented by trace brett at a positive level. Fruit is still black cherry, but bottled black doris aromas are creeping in, all complexed with some oak and a touch of barrel toast. In many ways, therefore, this is a more complex wine than the pure varietal Voyager and Kupe, and could be said to be more European in style. It is very ripe, though. Fruit weight is exemplary – as noted previously, we must rejoice that in New Zealand we are finally seeing red wines with a dry extract of 30 g/L, bespeaking a true grand cru cropping rate. It needs several years for the oak tannins to marry into the fruit, and will cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza 100%, average vine age 22 years; whole-bunch pressed, cold settled; 100% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 23° followed by 100% MLF ferment; 11 months in French oak 30% new plus older oak to 4 years, batonnage weekly initially spacing out to monthly later; pH 3.37, RS 1.6g/l; sterile-filtered; not entered in Shows; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Among the lemonstraw wines, this is the deepest, but the hue is more lemon than some. Initial bouquet is citrus and stonefruits, very neat and taut and understated, very Puligny, nearly a floral component. There is also a slight hint of mineral / chalkyness on bouquet, but here at a totally positive level. Many wines falter on this all-too-often spuriously marked-up complexity factor. Palate is more integrated than some of the top wines, as befits its extra year, it is not the richest but there is great elegance and restraint. Integration of fruit, oak, acid and chalk in the long finish is masterly – you can see why one or other of the Kumeu River chardonnays has figured seven times on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the Year list. No other New Zealand chardonnay can match that achievement, perhaps because the Kumeu is so European in style, and is therefore so food-friendly. Cellar 3 – 7 years. GK 03/12
Among the lemonstraw wines, this is the deepest, but the hue is more lemon than some. Initial bouquet is citrus and stonefruits, very neat and taut and understated, very Puligny, nearly a floral component. There is also a slight hint of mineral / chalkyness on bouquet, but here at a totally positive level. Many wines falter on this all-too-often spuriously marked-up complexity factor. Palate is more integrated than some of the top wines, as befits its extra year, it is not the richest but there is great elegance and restraint. Integration of fruit, oak, acid and chalk in the long finish is masterly – you can see why one or other of the Kumeu River chardonnays has figured seven times on the Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the Year list. No other New Zealand chardonnay can match that achievement, perhaps because the Kumeu is so European in style, and is therefore so food-friendly. Cellar 3 – 7 years. GK 03/12
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap; www.mudhouse.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. First impression is staggering cleanliness, varietal quality and freedom from SO2, for a current vintage wine. It is ripened to the honeysuckle, red capsicum and black passionfruit stage. Palate is long, highly varietal, dry and flavourful. This is almost enough to make me resile from my earlier urging that no current vintage sauvignons should be released till October, each season. Cellar 3 – 10 years, to taste. GK 08/05
Pale lemongreen. First impression is staggering cleanliness, varietal quality and freedom from SO2, for a current vintage wine. It is ripened to the honeysuckle, red capsicum and black passionfruit stage. Palate is long, highly varietal, dry and flavourful. This is almost enough to make me resile from my earlier urging that no current vintage sauvignons should be released till October, each season. Cellar 3 – 10 years, to taste. GK 08/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in new and older French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, on a par with the 2004 for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is midway between the 2004 and the 2002. It shows darkest rose florals on cassis, blueberry and plum fruit, plus a trace of the savoury complexity that characterises the 2002. Palate shows the Te Mata perfection with oak, with a superb balance of cassisy fruit, berry and cracked pepper spice to subtle oak, all lingering beautifully. This wine is starting to sing. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/05
Ruby and velvet, on a par with the 2004 for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is midway between the 2004 and the 2002. It shows darkest rose florals on cassis, blueberry and plum fruit, plus a trace of the savoury complexity that characterises the 2002. Palate shows the Te Mata perfection with oak, with a superb balance of cassisy fruit, berry and cracked pepper spice to subtle oak, all lingering beautifully. This wine is starting to sing. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/05
Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $172 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Good pinot ruby, one of the deeper Jadots. This is a bigger wine, with a greater volume of bouquet, and initially one rates it very highly. With more examination, it does not have quite the magical interweaving of florals and dark cherries that the top three wines show, and the oak is more obvious. Nonetheless the bouquet is darkly floral, with rich black cherry fruit, and a more weighty suggestion as of bottled black doris plums, plus a savoury component. Palate is more tannic, the wine sturdier all through, well worth cellaring. Comparison of this wine with McKenna's Kupe is interesting. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Good pinot ruby, one of the deeper Jadots. This is a bigger wine, with a greater volume of bouquet, and initially one rates it very highly. With more examination, it does not have quite the magical interweaving of florals and dark cherries that the top three wines show, and the oak is more obvious. Nonetheless the bouquet is darkly floral, with rich black cherry fruit, and a more weighty suggestion as of bottled black doris plums, plus a savoury component. Palate is more tannic, the wine sturdier all through, well worth cellaring. Comparison of this wine with McKenna's Kupe is interesting. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Gimblett Gravels & Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $26 [ screwcap; not on website yet; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely fresh claret colour. Bouquet is sweetly floral and pure, with violets hints passing into fragrant cassis, and good aromatic oak. In mouth the wine is very youthful, the berry qualities seemingly optimised for cassis, not as rich as the top wines, but wonderfully varietal and elegant. Though not a big wine, there is a finesse in this which is most appealing. At the blind stage one felt that if this is cabernet sauvignon to the Black Barn's Cabernet Franc, they make a great pair. Again the acid balance is superb, as we thankfully shed the Roseworthy influence. If this bottle is representative of the wine already appearing in supermarket promotions at $14 per bottle, it is the bargain of the year. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely fresh claret colour. Bouquet is sweetly floral and pure, with violets hints passing into fragrant cassis, and good aromatic oak. In mouth the wine is very youthful, the berry qualities seemingly optimised for cassis, not as rich as the top wines, but wonderfully varietal and elegant. Though not a big wine, there is a finesse in this which is most appealing. At the blind stage one felt that if this is cabernet sauvignon to the Black Barn's Cabernet Franc, they make a great pair. Again the acid balance is superb, as we thankfully shed the Roseworthy influence. If this bottle is representative of the wine already appearing in supermarket promotions at $14 per bottle, it is the bargain of the year. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ cork; cuvaison > 12 days; 14 months in French oak 15% new; www.teawa.com ]
Ruby, a little velvet, not as bright as the syrahs but the depth of colour competing well, in the middle. This is that wonderful thing, a New Zealand pinotage that smells ripe, berry-rich, and fragrant. The grape seems to have a very narrow climatic and cropping-rate slot in which to find optimum ripeness and complexity. So many are either stalky / green / under-ripe, or dully plummy / porty. The actual berry character is always hard to describe, but includes elements of black olives as well as rasp / boysenberry. In this example there is an intriguing floral lift, reminding of the pinot noir parent in the crossbreed. Palate shows lovely berry ripeness, a mix of boysenberry and damsons, beautifully balanced and oaked. This is a very good pinotage indeed. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, a little velvet, not as bright as the syrahs but the depth of colour competing well, in the middle. This is that wonderful thing, a New Zealand pinotage that smells ripe, berry-rich, and fragrant. The grape seems to have a very narrow climatic and cropping-rate slot in which to find optimum ripeness and complexity. So many are either stalky / green / under-ripe, or dully plummy / porty. The actual berry character is always hard to describe, but includes elements of black olives as well as rasp / boysenberry. In this example there is an intriguing floral lift, reminding of the pinot noir parent in the crossbreed. Palate shows lovely berry ripeness, a mix of boysenberry and damsons, beautifully balanced and oaked. This is a very good pinotage indeed. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Chassagne-Montrachet Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $375 [ cork; hand-harvested; (guideline) BF, LA, MLF in 30% new French oak; no specific info [then] on website; www.louisjadot.com ]
Lemon straw. This is a fatter bouquet altogether, also with a trace of VA, and the MLF component of winemaking complexity more evident than most in the batch, almost creamy. This leads into an attractive button mushrooms on buttered toast suggestion. Palate expands on this, the barrel ferment and lees autolysis components all beautifully integrated into rich white stone fruits. Palate length is great, the fruit ‘sweet’, with good acid and oak. Not as taut as the top wines, though. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/05
Lemon straw. This is a fatter bouquet altogether, also with a trace of VA, and the MLF component of winemaking complexity more evident than most in the batch, almost creamy. This leads into an attractive button mushrooms on buttered toast suggestion. Palate expands on this, the barrel ferment and lees autolysis components all beautifully integrated into rich white stone fruits. Palate length is great, the fruit ‘sweet’, with good acid and oak. Not as taut as the top wines, though. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $93 [ cork; Sy 100% Limmer clone, hand-harvested @ 2.2 t/ac from a stony part of the vineyard; 100% de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top oak cuves, 22 days cuvaison including cold-soak; no BF component; MLF and 20 months in French oak 42% new; RS nil; filtered; c. 1000 cases (of 12) of the 2007; WA / Martin, 2009: very intense, almost introverted on the nose, closed compared to the Block 14 but the palate is full-bodied with immense chewy tannins, real weight and concentration but good acidity. Huge grip, pure black cherry, cassis and plum but velvety and caressing on the finish. Iron first/velvet glove etc. Unreal. 96; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest in its tasting. Bouquet on this syrah is ultra-clean at a ripeness level a little beyond optimal varietal complexity in a temperate climate. Floral character is more attenuated than the Gramercy, but the cassis and black plum is comparable, or perhaps with a little more dark chocolate. On palate, the whole wine is firmer and more youthful, as if pH were lower and new oak much higher. Whereas the Gramercy is sensational (once breathed) now, the Craggy Range needs several years to soften and be accessible. Each year, one feels the need to coax the Craggy winemakers to reveal more of the beauty of syrah by increasing the floral component / reducing the sur-maturité (the top-rated Gramercy Syrah with its significant whole-bunch component is highly relevant to this discussion), and cutting the new oak – certainly needed here. Beauty would also be increased if the syrahs were handled more as if they were pinot noir. Further comment under the Te Mata Bullnose wine, below. We have the Australians to 'thank' for this obsession with new oak for syrah, in the style they deservedly call shiraz. We can do better than that, in New Zealand. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest in its tasting. Bouquet on this syrah is ultra-clean at a ripeness level a little beyond optimal varietal complexity in a temperate climate. Floral character is more attenuated than the Gramercy, but the cassis and black plum is comparable, or perhaps with a little more dark chocolate. On palate, the whole wine is firmer and more youthful, as if pH were lower and new oak much higher. Whereas the Gramercy is sensational (once breathed) now, the Craggy Range needs several years to soften and be accessible. Each year, one feels the need to coax the Craggy winemakers to reveal more of the beauty of syrah by increasing the floral component / reducing the sur-maturité (the top-rated Gramercy Syrah with its significant whole-bunch component is highly relevant to this discussion), and cutting the new oak – certainly needed here. Beauty would also be increased if the syrahs were handled more as if they were pinot noir. Further comment under the Te Mata Bullnose wine, below. We have the Australians to 'thank' for this obsession with new oak for syrah, in the style they deservedly call shiraz. We can do better than that, in New Zealand. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $144 [ cork, 49mm; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 5.4 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; no cold-soak, inoculated, c.11 days ferment, total cuvaison 20 days; MLF and 17 months in French oak 38% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; understood to be c.400 x 9-litre cases; Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 2012: ... aromas of warm black berries, black cherries and black pepper plus hints of lavender, Provence herbs, cloves, and star anise. Medium bodied with just enough fruit in the mouth, it has a medium to firm level of rounded tannins, crisp acidity and a long peppery finish. Approachable now, it should keep to 2019+, 90+; Michael Cooper, 2013: This super-charged syrah ... is hand-harvested when the grapes are 'supremely ripe', in several passes through the vineyard ... the 2010 is lovely – dark and rich, with dense plum, spice and pepper flavours, ripe tannins and great harmony, *****; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Great syrah is floral, like great pinot noir, something winemakers in hot climates such as Australia, California and Washington appear to scarcely understand. The silky beauty of the floral components on this wine, with its suggestions even of buddleia and wisteria, as well as roses and carnations, is extraordinary, matched only by the Cable Bay. Palate however is a size smaller than the top wines: there simply is not the dry extract, the matière, in the wine. Flavour shows exquisite cassis berry superbly handled in sweet cedary oak, and subliminal black pepper, a wine of great beauty. How different this is from the rumbustious pseudo-Californian Le Sols of earlier years. This wine respects the New Zealand climate. It is unbelievably close to the Cable Bay in style, but decidedly lighter. It is out and out Cote Rotie in styling, a wine of of extraordinary beauty. The Cote de Nuits analogy also applies here. This wine did not however resonate with tasters, one second-place vote only. Six thought it Northern Rhone Valley, two Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/18
Ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Great syrah is floral, like great pinot noir, something winemakers in hot climates such as Australia, California and Washington appear to scarcely understand. The silky beauty of the floral components on this wine, with its suggestions even of buddleia and wisteria, as well as roses and carnations, is extraordinary, matched only by the Cable Bay. Palate however is a size smaller than the top wines: there simply is not the dry extract, the matière, in the wine. Flavour shows exquisite cassis berry superbly handled in sweet cedary oak, and subliminal black pepper, a wine of great beauty. How different this is from the rumbustious pseudo-Californian Le Sols of earlier years. This wine respects the New Zealand climate. It is unbelievably close to the Cable Bay in style, but decidedly lighter. It is out and out Cote Rotie in styling, a wine of of extraordinary beauty. The Cote de Nuits analogy also applies here. This wine did not however resonate with tasters, one second-place vote only. Six thought it Northern Rhone Valley, two Cote Rotie. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/18
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; no info on website yet; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the bigger style of most top Neudorf pinots. Bouquet is different from the other top wines in this tasting, with a light pennyroyal aromatic lift reminiscent of Martinborough, as if there were occasional eucalypts within the horizon. But below there are mixed florals, red and black cherry fruit, and implicit richness. Palate is a little oakier than some, gorgeous black cherry fruit, great texture and length in mouth, not as heavy and alcoholic as some Moutere series wines have been in recent years, lingering attractively. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the bigger style of most top Neudorf pinots. Bouquet is different from the other top wines in this tasting, with a light pennyroyal aromatic lift reminiscent of Martinborough, as if there were occasional eucalypts within the horizon. But below there are mixed florals, red and black cherry fruit, and implicit richness. Palate is a little oakier than some, gorgeous black cherry fruit, great texture and length in mouth, not as heavy and alcoholic as some Moutere series wines have been in recent years, lingering attractively. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
St Joseph, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $535 [ cork; Sy 100%; new oak for 30 months; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as bright as any of the Sacred Hill wines. It is staggering how close this wine is to really good New Zealand syrah. In particular its wallflower and violets florality is benchmark, on great cassis berry. Palate is a little lighter than the other wines ranked so highly, but the precision of varietal character and the ripeness of the berry including cracked black peppercorns is stunning. It is significantly purer than the grands crus. The wines of Yves Cuilleron, and Te Mata's Bullnose, both come to mind, as analogues. New oak is unobtrusive, in the mysterious Guigal style. This is another benchmark French syrah for New Zealand makers to study closely. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as bright as any of the Sacred Hill wines. It is staggering how close this wine is to really good New Zealand syrah. In particular its wallflower and violets florality is benchmark, on great cassis berry. Palate is a little lighter than the other wines ranked so highly, but the precision of varietal character and the ripeness of the berry including cracked black peppercorns is stunning. It is significantly purer than the grands crus. The wines of Yves Cuilleron, and Te Mata's Bullnose, both come to mind, as analogues. New oak is unobtrusive, in the mysterious Guigal style. This is another benchmark French syrah for New Zealand makers to study closely. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork; original price $9.50 ]
An attractive lively gold, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is of the same calibre as the Prum wine, all a little fresher, but not quite the depth, again honeyed, a thought of pale sultana cake and grapefruit. Palate emphasises the grapefruit / citrus edge, the fruit delightfully fresh, both honey and sultana cake flavours, all a little drier than the Prum, but remarkable still. This too has a few years left, in this shape. GK 03/12
An attractive lively gold, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is of the same calibre as the Prum wine, all a little fresher, but not quite the depth, again honeyed, a thought of pale sultana cake and grapefruit. Palate emphasises the grapefruit / citrus edge, the fruit delightfully fresh, both honey and sultana cake flavours, all a little drier than the Prum, but remarkable still. This too has a few years left, in this shape. GK 03/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $32 [ screwcap; wine not on website; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour and also one of the freshest, as if less oak-influenced than for example the Vidal or the Bullnose. Bouquet is very youthful, with tremendous depth of both dark florals and cassis confuseable with cabernet sauvignon, plus great purity. Palate likewise is taut and youthful, but there is beautiful dark berry richness adding blueberry flavours, and superbly subtle (French, I assume) oak, beautifully balanced, in what is emerging as the Cellar Selection style. The absolute quality in this wine is exciting, and a surprise when the labels were revealed – it has come together dramatically in the last couple of months. In two years' time this elegant concentrated wine with its lovely soft finish might just be scooping the pool – buy as much as you can afford. A pity Villa have exploited the current trendyness of syrah, in pricing this wine out of the $20s, and hence away from the market. Cellar Selection initially seemed to offer wonderful quality for the price. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour and also one of the freshest, as if less oak-influenced than for example the Vidal or the Bullnose. Bouquet is very youthful, with tremendous depth of both dark florals and cassis confuseable with cabernet sauvignon, plus great purity. Palate likewise is taut and youthful, but there is beautiful dark berry richness adding blueberry flavours, and superbly subtle (French, I assume) oak, beautifully balanced, in what is emerging as the Cellar Selection style. The absolute quality in this wine is exciting, and a surprise when the labels were revealed – it has come together dramatically in the last couple of months. In two years' time this elegant concentrated wine with its lovely soft finish might just be scooping the pool – buy as much as you can afford. A pity Villa have exploited the current trendyness of syrah, in pricing this wine out of the $20s, and hence away from the market. Cellar Selection initially seemed to offer wonderful quality for the price. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ cork; crop 2 tonnes / acre; MLF in barrel, 15 months in French oak 50% new; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, like the Vidal. This is an understated but pure syrah bouquet, very close indeed to good Hermitage, or topmost Crozes-Hermitage. Main characters are cassis and black peppercorn, with fine French oak and a piquant trace of VA totally in the background. Palate is remarkable cassis, a little fresher again than the Kingsley, but still beautifully ripe with sweet tannins and lovely extension of flavour on the subtle oak. Mission makes an attractively authentic Rhone-styled syrah under their top Jewelstone label, and hence it tends to be overlooked in our Australian (read, oak)-influenced wine competitions. This will mature gracefully like the 1999 (a seriously overlooked gold-medal quality wine) and be marvellous with food in five or so years time. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, like the Vidal. This is an understated but pure syrah bouquet, very close indeed to good Hermitage, or topmost Crozes-Hermitage. Main characters are cassis and black peppercorn, with fine French oak and a piquant trace of VA totally in the background. Palate is remarkable cassis, a little fresher again than the Kingsley, but still beautifully ripe with sweet tannins and lovely extension of flavour on the subtle oak. Mission makes an attractively authentic Rhone-styled syrah under their top Jewelstone label, and hence it tends to be overlooked in our Australian (read, oak)-influenced wine competitions. This will mature gracefully like the 1999 (a seriously overlooked gold-medal quality wine) and be marvellous with food in five or so years time. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; release date for the Collection July 2006, nothing on the website yet about them; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good colour, above midway in depth. Freshly poured, this wine is a bit angular – it benefits from decanting and breathing for an hour or two – not for any defect, just to open up and soften. It then reveals a very ripe cassisy and slightly oaky version of syrah, a little over-ripe maybe for retaining optimal floral complexity, but with hints of peppercorn complexity made aromatic by the oak. Palate is very rich, again beautifully cassisy, plus blackest plums and blueberry, but more oaky than classically-styled syrah needs. It is therefore a bigger and brasher wine than the 2004 Vidal Soler, and needs a year or so more to harmonise. A finer wine could be created via a subtler approach, as has been previously discussed for ’02 le Sol. Cellar to 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good colour, above midway in depth. Freshly poured, this wine is a bit angular – it benefits from decanting and breathing for an hour or two – not for any defect, just to open up and soften. It then reveals a very ripe cassisy and slightly oaky version of syrah, a little over-ripe maybe for retaining optimal floral complexity, but with hints of peppercorn complexity made aromatic by the oak. Palate is very rich, again beautifully cassisy, plus blackest plums and blueberry, but more oaky than classically-styled syrah needs. It is therefore a bigger and brasher wine than the 2004 Vidal Soler, and needs a year or so more to harmonise. A finer wine could be created via a subtler approach, as has been previously discussed for ’02 le Sol. Cellar to 15 years. GK 05/06
Tutaekuri Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, co-fermented even though Vi then super-ripe; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 15 months in French oak 25% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
This wine too was in the blind tasting, and again it excelled. If the Bullnose is Hermitage in style, this wine is Cote Rotie, more floral, more supple, faintly more leafy, highly varietal, amply meriting its earlier gold medal score. Each of these two marvellous wines should be cellared. A case lot will be needed to check on one per year, over their expected lifespan. Great pleasure will accrue from such an investment. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
This wine too was in the blind tasting, and again it excelled. If the Bullnose is Hermitage in style, this wine is Cote Rotie, more floral, more supple, faintly more leafy, highly varietal, amply meriting its earlier gold medal score. Each of these two marvellous wines should be cellared. A case lot will be needed to check on one per year, over their expected lifespan. Great pleasure will accrue from such an investment. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $31 [ supercritical cork; cepage varies round SB 85%, Se 11 and sauvignon gris 4, hand-harvested, de-stemmed, brief skin-contact; low-solids juice 100% BF, LA and c. 8 months in French oak c. 30% new; pH 3.3, RS < 2 g/L; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon-green, a shimmering lovely colour. Bouquet is strong, complex, assertive, clearly oak-handled sauvignon blanc with much lees influence, and a degree of complexity suggesting wild yeasts and somewhere a stray barrel of MLF. Winemaker Peter Cowley advises both the latter are unlikely and certainly not intended. As in earlier vintages, this distinctive bouquet has hints of Castrol GTX to it, in a positive way. Palate extends the bouquet, the wine more clearly sauvignon now, the extended barrel work producing lovely brioche / sally lunn (un-iced) flavours which round out the sauvignon. The model for this wine is Pavillon Blanc, a lofty goal, but it certainly is totally modern Graves Blanc in style, and at a 'classed' level. It needs a little more richness / dry extract to challenge the finest Bordeaux examples. Cellar 2 – 10 years, and longer if you like old whites. GK 03/12
Lemon-green, a shimmering lovely colour. Bouquet is strong, complex, assertive, clearly oak-handled sauvignon blanc with much lees influence, and a degree of complexity suggesting wild yeasts and somewhere a stray barrel of MLF. Winemaker Peter Cowley advises both the latter are unlikely and certainly not intended. As in earlier vintages, this distinctive bouquet has hints of Castrol GTX to it, in a positive way. Palate extends the bouquet, the wine more clearly sauvignon now, the extended barrel work producing lovely brioche / sally lunn (un-iced) flavours which round out the sauvignon. The model for this wine is Pavillon Blanc, a lofty goal, but it certainly is totally modern Graves Blanc in style, and at a 'classed' level. It needs a little more richness / dry extract to challenge the finest Bordeaux examples. Cellar 2 – 10 years, and longer if you like old whites. GK 03/12
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $55 [ Gr 50%, Sy 25, Mv 25; average vine age 40 years; cropped 34 hL / ha; traditional cuvaison; 24 months in French oak, 50% new; c. 17 000 cases; www.guigal.com ]
Older ruby. Bouquet on this wine is beautiful, essence of the southern Rhone, some dianthus florals and herbes de Provence, fragrant berryfruit far more complex than any simple berry, gentle oak, slightly spicy and savoury, enchanting and very winey. Palate is soft and rich, great fruit based on grenache with its hints of raspberry complexed with cassis and other red berries, all spiced with cinnamon, lovely length, unusually pleasurable drinking. This is succulent alongside the Chateauneuf du Pape, and brings back direct memories of the same wine in the mid-80s. Lovely. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Older ruby. Bouquet on this wine is beautiful, essence of the southern Rhone, some dianthus florals and herbes de Provence, fragrant berryfruit far more complex than any simple berry, gentle oak, slightly spicy and savoury, enchanting and very winey. Palate is soft and rich, great fruit based on grenache with its hints of raspberry complexed with cassis and other red berries, all spiced with cinnamon, lovely length, unusually pleasurable drinking. This is succulent alongside the Chateauneuf du Pape, and brings back direct memories of the same wine in the mid-80s. Lovely. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $535 [ cork; Sy 100%, all stems in ferment; average vine age 27 years; cropped at less than half the normal 35 - 37 hL / ha (1.7 – 1.9 t/ac), so less than 1 t/ac; fermented in s/s, 5 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; Parker 170: Dense purple to the rim with a nose of graphite, creosote, earth, olives, and black, black, black fruits, the primordial, full-bodied, monumental 2003 Cote Rotie La Landonne is amazing stuff. I suspect this is more akin to a dry vintage port than most Cote Roties ever tend to be, but the purity, the richness, the texture, the length are all out of this world. 100; Robinson: Extraordinarily deep colour. Very intense, deep and leathery. Savoury, very Syrah. Very deep and rich start with very dry savoury finish. 19; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the Guigal Cote Roties, in the middle for the set. And to first impression, it is the deepest and finest of the Cote Roties in taste too. The depth of midnight ruby bouquet is wonderful, great cassis, hidden oak, a touch of roti maybe. On palate the concentration of syrah berry is all one could hope a great Cote Rotie would be, the flavours long and savoury and lingering. At the Regional Wines public tasting, I rashly made the comment that, in the Cote Rotie flight, la Landonne could be compared with 2002 Penfolds Grange, since it was the subtlest for ages. That comment looked pretty silly when the next wine was poured, the 2003 Hermitage Ex Voto, but the comment gives an idea of how rich and cassisy la Landonne is, in the context of current Cote Roties.
So why the relatively lower mark ? When one goes back to it, the wine does show rather more roti / hot year character than the other grands crus. And in that roti character, there is quite a noticeable brett component, in the sense of the skin-of-roast-beef savoury complexity, which makes the wine so magical with grilled steak or similar. It really is a bit higher than optimal. That means to a brett-nazi, the wine is clearly bretty, maybe even unacceptably so. In a blind line-up of syrahs, some technocratic new world judges might reject it. I would expect that character to increase, with age. In 10 years time or so, we will present a Library Tasting of some of these syrahs, and check that comment out. Meanwhile, 2003 Guigal la Landonne is a great but slightly flawed wine, too cellar perhaps a shorter time than the other grands crus, 10 – 20 + years, maybe, since brett has the effect of prematurely drying wines. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the Guigal Cote Roties, in the middle for the set. And to first impression, it is the deepest and finest of the Cote Roties in taste too. The depth of midnight ruby bouquet is wonderful, great cassis, hidden oak, a touch of roti maybe. On palate the concentration of syrah berry is all one could hope a great Cote Rotie would be, the flavours long and savoury and lingering. At the Regional Wines public tasting, I rashly made the comment that, in the Cote Rotie flight, la Landonne could be compared with 2002 Penfolds Grange, since it was the subtlest for ages. That comment looked pretty silly when the next wine was poured, the 2003 Hermitage Ex Voto, but the comment gives an idea of how rich and cassisy la Landonne is, in the context of current Cote Roties.
So why the relatively lower mark ? When one goes back to it, the wine does show rather more roti / hot year character than the other grands crus. And in that roti character, there is quite a noticeable brett component, in the sense of the skin-of-roast-beef savoury complexity, which makes the wine so magical with grilled steak or similar. It really is a bit higher than optimal. That means to a brett-nazi, the wine is clearly bretty, maybe even unacceptably so. In a blind line-up of syrahs, some technocratic new world judges might reject it. I would expect that character to increase, with age. In 10 years time or so, we will present a Library Tasting of some of these syrahs, and check that comment out. Meanwhile, 2003 Guigal la Landonne is a great but slightly flawed wine, too cellar perhaps a shorter time than the other grands crus, 10 – 20 + years, maybe, since brett has the effect of prematurely drying wines. GK 06/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-picked, 9 months in French oak; www.olssens.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, this is substantial but quiet wine, tending plummy but with appealing structure. Well breathed, it is another wine to expand into a deep sweetly floral black cherry pinot noir showing good balance for the weight of fruit. There are long rich sustained cherry flavours without undue alcohol, and a touch of acid and plum. This lovely Central Otago pinot noir is made for the cellar, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Big pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, this is substantial but quiet wine, tending plummy but with appealing structure. Well breathed, it is another wine to expand into a deep sweetly floral black cherry pinot noir showing good balance for the weight of fruit. There are long rich sustained cherry flavours without undue alcohol, and a touch of acid and plum. This lovely Central Otago pinot noir is made for the cellar, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; hand-harvested and sorted; 3 weeks cuvaison; new and 1-year French oak; website access has changed so many times lately as to be tiresome, but is now as shown, or @ www.churchroad.co.nz; these sites differ, and neither is up to date, this wine is not yet listed; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is withdrawn when initially opened, but gradually opens to complex dark aromas ranging from violets florals to cassis and darkest plums, plus attractive oak with a slight hint of dark chocolate, plus savoury notes. Palate is immediately black peppercorn and cassis, rich and complex, very dry, some brett (+ve), all very European. This too is great New Zealand syrah, though technocrats won’t agree. Well worth decanting. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is withdrawn when initially opened, but gradually opens to complex dark aromas ranging from violets florals to cassis and darkest plums, plus attractive oak with a slight hint of dark chocolate, plus savoury notes. Palate is immediately black peppercorn and cassis, rich and complex, very dry, some brett (+ve), all very European. This too is great New Zealand syrah, though technocrats won’t agree. Well worth decanting. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $28 [ cork; Ch 55%, PN 41, PM 4; 100% MLF; 32 months en tirage; dosage @ 8.2 g/L; I regret that in my previous review 11/08 incorrect info for this wine was posted, and has been there for 3 years; www.hunters.co.nz ]
Lemon to lemon-straw, and now none of the excess gas noted in the point-of-release review is apparent – appearance is classic bubbly. Bouquet is markedly fresher than the 2000 Le Brun, not the depth of baguette-crust autolysis, but still good, with faintly citric chardonnay notes too. Palate is gorgeous, delightfully Brut at about 8 g/L [ verified ], lingering fruit and baguette-crust, another great New Zealand methode. Outstanding New Zealand methode only comes along every 4 – 5 years, in fact: this and the 2000 Le Brun illustrate our best, along with the current Nautilus. The 2007 MiruMiru does not achieve the same excellence. This experience indicates how essential it is to cellar good methode champenoise, if the wine's true quality is to be enjoyed. This applies to nv too, when a good one is encountered. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Lemon to lemon-straw, and now none of the excess gas noted in the point-of-release review is apparent – appearance is classic bubbly. Bouquet is markedly fresher than the 2000 Le Brun, not the depth of baguette-crust autolysis, but still good, with faintly citric chardonnay notes too. Palate is gorgeous, delightfully Brut at about 8 g/L [ verified ], lingering fruit and baguette-crust, another great New Zealand methode. Outstanding New Zealand methode only comes along every 4 – 5 years, in fact: this and the 2000 Le Brun illustrate our best, along with the current Nautilus. The 2007 MiruMiru does not achieve the same excellence. This experience indicates how essential it is to cellar good methode champenoise, if the wine's true quality is to be enjoyed. This applies to nv too, when a good one is encountered. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $91 [ cork; av. vine age 60 years; hand-harvested; cuvaison c. 5 months in concrete; 100% matured in oak 12 - 14 months; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, a little velvet. Here we come into the full varietal expression of syrah the grape, as seen in the northern Rhone Valley. The key difference is the addition of a superb wallflowers and dianthus floral component to bouquet, on clear-cut black pepper, and classic cassis. These first three varietal attributes are lost when syrah is over-ripened (just like pinot noir). Hence they are rarely seen in Australian syrahs, and there is a danger the Gimblett Gravels in good years will also prove too hot for finesse and complexity in the syrah wines, if winemakers persist in taking grapes through to sur-maturité. Le Sol reflects the (admittedly successful) pursuit of this New World approach to syrah. It would be even better with some less-ripe fruit, for additional bouquet complexity. This Varonniers shows the difference. Palate shows the extreme new oak approach adopted by Chapoutier for his selections parcellaires wines (copying Guigal), but the total palate though rich, has a potentially silky, ‘delicate’, and magical quality which is more pinot noir from Burgundy than shiraz from Australia. Like the Mission wine, it can therefore be easily overlooked, in a tasting of burly Gimblett Gravels wines.
For interest, Robert Parker (who is usually pretty astute in his evaluation of syrah) reckons Varonniers is now the finest Crozes-Hermitage made, and he rates this particular wine 91 - 93 +, mentioning ‘cassis’ and ‘full-bodied’ in notes that read more like a Hermitage wine than a Crozes. It certainly matches the occasional great Jaboulet Thalabert from the 70s and 80s. For me, the great thing about this Varonniers is the florals on bouquet persist right through to the aftertaste, like the so-called peacock’s tail effect rarely seen in great burgundy. The oak is remarkably gentle and well-assimilated already, and unlike many northern Rhone 2001s, the wine is not tending acid. It will cellar for 5 - 15 years, and is still available at retail. Kudos to the Hawkes Bay Winemakers, for supporting the inclusion of such an important demonstration wine. GK 06/05
Ruby, a little velvet. Here we come into the full varietal expression of syrah the grape, as seen in the northern Rhone Valley. The key difference is the addition of a superb wallflowers and dianthus floral component to bouquet, on clear-cut black pepper, and classic cassis. These first three varietal attributes are lost when syrah is over-ripened (just like pinot noir). Hence they are rarely seen in Australian syrahs, and there is a danger the Gimblett Gravels in good years will also prove too hot for finesse and complexity in the syrah wines, if winemakers persist in taking grapes through to sur-maturité. Le Sol reflects the (admittedly successful) pursuit of this New World approach to syrah. It would be even better with some less-ripe fruit, for additional bouquet complexity. This Varonniers shows the difference. Palate shows the extreme new oak approach adopted by Chapoutier for his selections parcellaires wines (copying Guigal), but the total palate though rich, has a potentially silky, ‘delicate’, and magical quality which is more pinot noir from Burgundy than shiraz from Australia. Like the Mission wine, it can therefore be easily overlooked, in a tasting of burly Gimblett Gravels wines.
For interest, Robert Parker (who is usually pretty astute in his evaluation of syrah) reckons Varonniers is now the finest Crozes-Hermitage made, and he rates this particular wine 91 - 93 +, mentioning ‘cassis’ and ‘full-bodied’ in notes that read more like a Hermitage wine than a Crozes. It certainly matches the occasional great Jaboulet Thalabert from the 70s and 80s. For me, the great thing about this Varonniers is the florals on bouquet persist right through to the aftertaste, like the so-called peacock’s tail effect rarely seen in great burgundy. The oak is remarkably gentle and well-assimilated already, and unlike many northern Rhone 2001s, the wine is not tending acid. It will cellar for 5 - 15 years, and is still available at retail. Kudos to the Hawkes Bay Winemakers, for supporting the inclusion of such an important demonstration wine. GK 06/05
Triangle 83%, balance Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $220 [ cork 49mm; Sy 100% mostly clone 470, some 174, some MS, planted at an average 4,500 vines per hectare and average age 10 years, intensively hand-managed in the vineyard to optimise a reduced crop; the fruit all now machine (Selectiv) harvested (so no whole-bunch component), followed by optical sorting of individual berries; approximate cropping rate in previous years c.6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac); no cold soak, inoculated yeast, 21 days cuvaison; MLF later in barrel; 20 months in French small oak 42% new, with racking to both aerate and clarify the wine; RS < 1 g/L fermentable sugars: not fined, coarse filtration only; dry extract withheld; production c.300 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 832 g; M. Cooper, 2019: a highly fragrant, floral bouquet. A very elegant, supple, youthful and harmonious red, it is densely packed, with concentrated plum, spice and black pepper flavours, a hint of liquorice, and a long, refined finish. Already dangerously drinkable, it's well worth cellaring to at least 2022, *****; R. Campbell, 2019: Superbly elegant and fragrant syrah with violet, cranberry, plum and a suggestion of mocha among the more prominent flavours. An elegant wine with a silken and ethereal texture. Should develop well but surprisingly approachable now. Drink 2019 - 2025 +, 96; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a very deep, dense colour, the second darkest wire. Bouquet is different from the other 12, showing a lot of new oak, so much so you immediately think at the blind stage: uh-uhh … someone copying the Penfolds approach. But below the vanillin and cedar, there is rich cassis, though the oak-related top-notes drown any floral analogies. Palate is rich, aromatic and vibrant on the still-very-noticeable oak, with a depth of fruit approaching 29 – 30 g/L … I’d estimate. Pernod-Ricard too are shy about admitting to dry extract analyses, but this wine does show grand cru qualities. The saturation of cassisy berry flavours and relatively big new oak makes for a bold wine, so for those who respond well to new oak, this wine was a favourite: two top places and five second. Worth noting that only one person thought it could be French, though. This will cellar for 20 – 30 years, maybe longer, but at the price, few will do so. Pernod-Ricard seemed to be hell-hell bent on capturing some of the marketing pizzazz of the Grange concept in their aggressive pricing, but curiously, thus far relatively little has been exported. In European terms, it would be a better wine with less new oak – but maybe China is the long-term target market. GK 11/19
Carmine, ruby and velvet, a very deep, dense colour, the second darkest wire. Bouquet is different from the other 12, showing a lot of new oak, so much so you immediately think at the blind stage: uh-uhh … someone copying the Penfolds approach. But below the vanillin and cedar, there is rich cassis, though the oak-related top-notes drown any floral analogies. Palate is rich, aromatic and vibrant on the still-very-noticeable oak, with a depth of fruit approaching 29 – 30 g/L … I’d estimate. Pernod-Ricard too are shy about admitting to dry extract analyses, but this wine does show grand cru qualities. The saturation of cassisy berry flavours and relatively big new oak makes for a bold wine, so for those who respond well to new oak, this wine was a favourite: two top places and five second. Worth noting that only one person thought it could be French, though. This will cellar for 20 – 30 years, maybe longer, but at the price, few will do so. Pernod-Ricard seemed to be hell-hell bent on capturing some of the marketing pizzazz of the Grange concept in their aggressive pricing, but curiously, thus far relatively little has been exported. In European terms, it would be a better wine with less new oak – but maybe China is the long-term target market. GK 11/19
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; this is a later pick from the same vineyards as the James Hardwick blend, taking hand-harvested botrytis-affected bunches; whole-bunch pressed, no solids in wild-yeast s/s fermentation stopped at 58 g/L RS; some months LA; the name refers to an earlier vintage of this label being the first wine the proprietors tried screwcaps on, hence not plugged with a cork; www.muddywater.co.nz ]
Full lemon. Bouquet on this riesling is very different from the first three, there being clear development to a kind of lemon meringue analogy and richness which is most beguiling. Palate is clearly sweet, more flavoursome still with a hint of best pineapple (+ve – not a euphemism for VA), at an auslese level of sweetness with some botrytis. Such a description does not quite make clear that the wine is tending broad and a little phenolic by top riesling standards – Rheinhessen rather than Mosel, early developing. But it is still wonderfully flavoursome and varietal, and will give much pleasure. Cellar another five years or so, for there is the acid to stay fresh on. GK 04/09
Full lemon. Bouquet on this riesling is very different from the first three, there being clear development to a kind of lemon meringue analogy and richness which is most beguiling. Palate is clearly sweet, more flavoursome still with a hint of best pineapple (+ve – not a euphemism for VA), at an auslese level of sweetness with some botrytis. Such a description does not quite make clear that the wine is tending broad and a little phenolic by top riesling standards – Rheinhessen rather than Mosel, early developing. But it is still wonderfully flavoursome and varietal, and will give much pleasure. Cellar another five years or so, for there is the acid to stay fresh on. GK 04/09
NW Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 15.3%; $45 [ screwcap; shiraz 100%, harvested at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac from old-vine shiraz in vineyards 300 – 350m elevation; fruit all destemmed, cultured yeast ferments, up to 10 days cuvaison, wild malolactic fermentations; 18 months in hogsheads, 25% new French, 25% new American, balance older same ratio; not fined or filtered, production 200 x 9-litre cases on the website, 400 on the back label; weight bottle and closure 656 g; www.pirathon.com ]
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth, still a big wine. Bouquet shows more Australian flowering mint than the other two, lifted by noticeable alcohol. Again there is sweet bramble-fruited berry, enticing. Flavour adds oak but in good proportion to the rich fruit, with considerable length of complex berry including dark plummy and boysenberry flavours, with some vanillin from the sweet new American oak component, but a dry finish like Pirathon Gold. This very pure wine should cellar 15 – 35 years, easily. GK 06/20
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth, still a big wine. Bouquet shows more Australian flowering mint than the other two, lifted by noticeable alcohol. Again there is sweet bramble-fruited berry, enticing. Flavour adds oak but in good proportion to the rich fruit, with considerable length of complex berry including dark plummy and boysenberry flavours, with some vanillin from the sweet new American oak component, but a dry finish like Pirathon Gold. This very pure wine should cellar 15 – 35 years, easily. GK 06/20
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; not on website yet; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, still a big pinot noir colour yet a little lighter than the average of these top wines. Bouquet is amongst the most beautiful in the set, with explicit florals in the roses, boronia and violets spectrum, on red and black cherry fruit, in its lightness yet depth almost reminiscent of a 'reference-quality wine' such as Drouhin Clos de la Roche (grand cru) is in most good years. Palate is rich, tactile, beautifully varietal, subtly oaked, yet not quite as magical as those scored 19. The evolution of the Pegasus Bay pinot style over the last six years or so has been breathtaking. And this is just the standard wine! Another to secure, when it is released. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, still a big pinot noir colour yet a little lighter than the average of these top wines. Bouquet is amongst the most beautiful in the set, with explicit florals in the roses, boronia and violets spectrum, on red and black cherry fruit, in its lightness yet depth almost reminiscent of a 'reference-quality wine' such as Drouhin Clos de la Roche (grand cru) is in most good years. Palate is rich, tactile, beautifully varietal, subtly oaked, yet not quite as magical as those scored 19. The evolution of the Pegasus Bay pinot style over the last six years or so has been breathtaking. And this is just the standard wine! Another to secure, when it is released. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $42 [ screwcap; 1% viognier; hand-harvested; 80% whole berry in fermentation, MLF in barrel, 16 months in French oak; wine filed under Estate Syrah on website; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is intensely plummy and nearly blueberry, with a cassis and black peppercorn edge making it clearly syrah, plus spicy oak adding appeal. Palate is mouthfilling and rich, wonderful berry, almost lush, with great length of flavour in which the berry pretty well dominates the oak – unlike earlier Vidal’s syrahs. It is a little oakier than Block 14, but as rich. This is very ripe Hawkes Bay syrah, so ripe it is almost in danger of losing some varietal complexity (though the oak adds to the aromatics, in lieu). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is intensely plummy and nearly blueberry, with a cassis and black peppercorn edge making it clearly syrah, plus spicy oak adding appeal. Palate is mouthfilling and rich, wonderful berry, almost lush, with great length of flavour in which the berry pretty well dominates the oak – unlike earlier Vidal’s syrahs. It is a little oakier than Block 14, but as rich. This is very ripe Hawkes Bay syrah, so ripe it is almost in danger of losing some varietal complexity (though the oak adds to the aromatics, in lieu). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested; de-stemmed, 50% whole-berry, cold-soaked; MLF and 20 months in French oak; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Corbans Private Bin. Bouquet is very distinctive, an enticing plum-tart, blueberry and vanilla wafer quality to it, which mixes some aroma cues, yet is delightfully syrah. Palate brings up a little more cassis firmness, good berry, subtle oak, a lovely fleshy yet firm fruit quality which lingers well in mouth, still with the vanilla wafer. It is softer and richer than some other top Hawkes Bay syrahs of the year. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Corbans Private Bin. Bouquet is very distinctive, an enticing plum-tart, blueberry and vanilla wafer quality to it, which mixes some aroma cues, yet is delightfully syrah. Palate brings up a little more cassis firmness, good berry, subtle oak, a lovely fleshy yet firm fruit quality which lingers well in mouth, still with the vanilla wafer. It is softer and richer than some other top Hawkes Bay syrahs of the year. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $40 [ 25-year vines; 22 months in French oak; DFB; www.yalumba.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher than the 2000 Signature. Aha, this is more interesting, a Yalumba red not immediately smelling of oak. Bouquet is out-and-out cassis with a hint of violets, sweet, pure, simple in one sense, but complexed subtly by potentially cedary French oak. Palate is exactly the same, essence of cassis, only slightly oaky. There are suggestions of a cabernet doughnut palate, not quite the complexity the blended 2001 Vasse Felix or 2001 Pegasus Bay Maestro show, but this '00 Menzies is a very clean strict example of beautifully-defined Coonawarra cabernet. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher than the 2000 Signature. Aha, this is more interesting, a Yalumba red not immediately smelling of oak. Bouquet is out-and-out cassis with a hint of violets, sweet, pure, simple in one sense, but complexed subtly by potentially cedary French oak. Palate is exactly the same, essence of cassis, only slightly oaky. There are suggestions of a cabernet doughnut palate, not quite the complexity the blended 2001 Vasse Felix or 2001 Pegasus Bay Maestro show, but this '00 Menzies is a very clean strict example of beautifully-defined Coonawarra cabernet. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/04
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $90 [ cork; PN & PM 60%, Ch 40; 335 000 cases; www.taittinger.com ]
Colour is clearly medium lemon. The first impression on bouquet is pure and modest, with subtle baguette autolysis, on a blanc de blancs style of fruit. Palate however instantly fills the wine out, with great richness and much more flavour from the soft pinot meunier. Flavours hint at strawberries and cream in the best way, but drier. This wine seems lower in tannins, but not at all wishy-washy. Acid balance, residual sweetness and aftertaste are fine and elegant. GK 11/05
Colour is clearly medium lemon. The first impression on bouquet is pure and modest, with subtle baguette autolysis, on a blanc de blancs style of fruit. Palate however instantly fills the wine out, with great richness and much more flavour from the soft pinot meunier. Flavours hint at strawberries and cream in the best way, but drier. This wine seems lower in tannins, but not at all wishy-washy. Acid balance, residual sweetness and aftertaste are fine and elegant. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $30 [ supercritical cork; DFB; Me 61%, Ma 21, PV 11, CF 5, CS 2, hand-picked at c. 2.75 t/ac; average vine age 10 years; oak 40% new 'predominantly' French for 20 months; 600 cases; WS 2008: Firm and brawny, with peat moss, dark chocolate and black olive character framing black currant fruit. Herb notes, toasty, spicy oak and surly tannins extend through the finish. Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and others. Drink now through 2009. 542 cases made. 83; Bob Campbell: 93; Halliday: Delicious redcurrant/berry bouquet; a supple, smooth and elegant wine, no more than medium bodied, but with harmony and length to the intense palate; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is intensely floral and fragrant, showing all the beauty of classical (as opposed to modern) Bordeaux, where the berries spoke louder than the oak and the elevation. There is an almost wallflower / violets / syrah-like floral depth to perfect cassisy berry, wonderfully poised and elegant. Palate follows in the same style, not the biggest of the wines, tasting astonishingly cabernet-like for a merlot-dominant wine, slightly fresh acid, a little lean, but elegant. The florality of this wine wins high praise from me, the whole winestyle reminding of good 1966 or '96 Bordeaux when young – the unqualified bargain of the tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is intensely floral and fragrant, showing all the beauty of classical (as opposed to modern) Bordeaux, where the berries spoke louder than the oak and the elevation. There is an almost wallflower / violets / syrah-like floral depth to perfect cassisy berry, wonderfully poised and elegant. Palate follows in the same style, not the biggest of the wines, tasting astonishingly cabernet-like for a merlot-dominant wine, slightly fresh acid, a little lean, but elegant. The florality of this wine wins high praise from me, the whole winestyle reminding of good 1966 or '96 Bordeaux when young – the unqualified bargain of the tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 9%; $25 [ screwcap; second crop, hand-harvested @ < 0.5 t/ac with no botrytis; whole-bunch fermentation in s/s, 3 months LA; pH 3.1, RS 23 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Colour is palest lemongreen. Bouquet is essence of pure riesling, all lime-zest, cooking apples and citrus, some vanilla florals, and underlying white stonefruits. Palate is remarkable, a limpid varietal purity which is totally youthful Mosel in style, good kabinett, very beautiful, potentially soft, fragrant. Finish is medium-dry, yet subtle and nectary. This is a potentially great New Zealand riesling, but unfortunately it is never going to have a chance to be seen at anything approaching full development. Craggy Range have decided, unwisely in my view, to restrict the wine to restaurant-only sales. Some may be fleetingly available, though Craggy's cellar door outlet (cellardoor@craggyrange.com, Terroir Restaurant, Havelock North). Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Colour is palest lemongreen. Bouquet is essence of pure riesling, all lime-zest, cooking apples and citrus, some vanilla florals, and underlying white stonefruits. Palate is remarkable, a limpid varietal purity which is totally youthful Mosel in style, good kabinett, very beautiful, potentially soft, fragrant. Finish is medium-dry, yet subtle and nectary. This is a potentially great New Zealand riesling, but unfortunately it is never going to have a chance to be seen at anything approaching full development. Craggy Range have decided, unwisely in my view, to restrict the wine to restaurant-only sales. Some may be fleetingly available, though Craggy's cellar door outlet (cellardoor@craggyrange.com, Terroir Restaurant, Havelock North). Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Kalimna vineyard, and other Barossa Valley sites, South Australia, Australia: – %; $ – [ cork, 44mm; release price c.$3.10; elevation in 100% American oak, some new; first produced 1959; at that time, still somewhat before the ‘red wine boom’, this wine initially based on Kalimna fruit was a much more serious bottling than the frankly commercial label it is today. There are now so many more expensive Bins in the Penfolds range (eg RWT), with priority access to the Kalimna fruit. The 1970 was superb in its day (Evans, 1978 agreeing), but the 1971 is more highly rated by latterday Australians. The Kalimna wines from those days give us a preview of what can be expected from latterday RWT and similar bottlings, in 40-plus years. Langtons: During the early 1960s it quickly established a strong reputation as an "authentic Barossa type red" which would develop "additional character" with further cellaring. Bin 28 has very clear ripe fruit definition, with plenty of fruit volume, ripe tannin structure and underlying savoury nuances. In exceptional vintages it can age for decades; Penfolds website: NOSE: Intense leather / demi-glace / cedar aromas with honeycomb / apricot notes. PALATE: Fresh, soft, smooth wine with sweet leather / tobacco / chocolaty / liquorice flavours and satin tannins. Finishes long and sweet. Needs drinking soon; Halliday, 1999: a very complex bouquet with strongly bottle-developed chocolate, earth and vanilla aromas. In the palate, sweet, soft flavours coalesce into each other; with its silky texture the wine is still superb to drink now but must surely start its decline within the next five years, *****; www.penfolds.com ]
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is stunning on this wine, showing a quality of browning plummy berry with savoury and even truffly suggestions which is enchanting. In mouth the wine is velvety, no other word for it, a wine showing a perfect fruit / oak ratio, and thus an enviable rarity in the Penfolds scheme of things. It is wonderful with food. In all the years since the release of the 1970 and 1971 Penfolds Bin 28, both of which I bought by the case at the time, I have searched for comparable quality … pretty well in vain … and like many New Zealanders, ultimately you just lose interest in the heavy-handed, over-oaked, acid-adjusted Australian approach to red wine, as it ‘developed’ in later decades. To see this wine now, at full flowering, is a great experience. Will hold but not improve. Four tasters shared my pleasure in this wine, two first places, two second, and four were sure it was bordeaux. GK 09/17
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is stunning on this wine, showing a quality of browning plummy berry with savoury and even truffly suggestions which is enchanting. In mouth the wine is velvety, no other word for it, a wine showing a perfect fruit / oak ratio, and thus an enviable rarity in the Penfolds scheme of things. It is wonderful with food. In all the years since the release of the 1970 and 1971 Penfolds Bin 28, both of which I bought by the case at the time, I have searched for comparable quality … pretty well in vain … and like many New Zealanders, ultimately you just lose interest in the heavy-handed, over-oaked, acid-adjusted Australian approach to red wine, as it ‘developed’ in later decades. To see this wine now, at full flowering, is a great experience. Will hold but not improve. Four tasters shared my pleasure in this wine, two first places, two second, and four were sure it was bordeaux. GK 09/17
Kalimna (no Coonawarra), South Australia, Australia: – %; $606 [ cork, 42mm; CS 100%; vinification essentially as for Grange, ferment completed in new American oak, then 18 months in 100% new American oak; first produced, 1964; Penfolds Rewards of Patience, 2010: Fresh, intense, minerally, earthy, spicy aromas with some dark chocolate notes. Well concentrated and elegantly structured wine with praline, spice, mocha, vanilla, earthy flavours, fine cedary tannins and underlying savoury notes. Finishes bitter-sweet. The fruit is beginning to fade; Halliday, 1999: The bouquet is clean, lacking a little of the resplendent generosity of the [ 1966 ]. There are slight vegetal characters on the palate with a whisper of anise, but has that same mirror-smooth texture and fine tannins, ****; Neil Beckett, The World of Fine Wine, 2014: Beguiling nose: faintly medicinal, gently warm, with a dried orange-peel exoticism. Intricate, richly textured ... Ample, full, and rich on the palate, still harmonious but a little leaden, without the complexity that is so captivating on the nose. A generous finish of impressive integrity and length. Drink now. 16.5; www.penfolds.com ]
Garnet, ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is exceptional, showing an integration of browning cassisy berry and cedary oak which could be confused with Bordeaux, in particular Mouton-Rothschild … which can also be too cedary. Alongside the 1970 Leoville Las Cases it shows a perfection of fruit and berry ripeness which is astonishing. Palate is still showing remarkable fruit, but the cassis is well-browning now with just a hint of decay complexing it. On the later palate yet again you wish for a less heavy-handed approach to the oak, but the berry richness eclipses anything from New Zealand at that time (naturally – there were only two serious cabernet sauvignon wines). It would I imagine triumph over pretty well anything from the fragrant but lean and acid 1967 year in Bordeaux. The nett impact of this wine captivated tasters, it recording six first places and five second places (from the 21 tasters), clearly the favourite in the 12 wines by a considerable margin. It is the pinpoint ripeness of cabernet sauvignon that is enchanting, this wine highlighting the trace under-ripeness in the 1990 Bin 707. At a peak now: the fruit will soon be declining, the hint of decay will increase, and the oak will become more noticeable. Still 10 years in it (if it has been cellared in a cool climate). GK 09/17
Garnet, ruby and some velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is exceptional, showing an integration of browning cassisy berry and cedary oak which could be confused with Bordeaux, in particular Mouton-Rothschild … which can also be too cedary. Alongside the 1970 Leoville Las Cases it shows a perfection of fruit and berry ripeness which is astonishing. Palate is still showing remarkable fruit, but the cassis is well-browning now with just a hint of decay complexing it. On the later palate yet again you wish for a less heavy-handed approach to the oak, but the berry richness eclipses anything from New Zealand at that time (naturally – there were only two serious cabernet sauvignon wines). It would I imagine triumph over pretty well anything from the fragrant but lean and acid 1967 year in Bordeaux. The nett impact of this wine captivated tasters, it recording six first places and five second places (from the 21 tasters), clearly the favourite in the 12 wines by a considerable margin. It is the pinpoint ripeness of cabernet sauvignon that is enchanting, this wine highlighting the trace under-ripeness in the 1990 Bin 707. At a peak now: the fruit will soon be declining, the hint of decay will increase, and the oak will become more noticeable. Still 10 years in it (if it has been cellared in a cool climate). GK 09/17
Gimblett Gravels & other districts, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 15 days cuvaison; c. 18 months in French and American oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
As before, this is simply benchmark syrah, put into the blind tasting as a reference / calibration wine. The glorious thing about screwcap is, the chances for the next bottle to be different are remotely small, unlike cork. And it was all there, in the wine that turned out to be the Cellar Selection: florals, aromatics, the cassis, spice and berry, clearly varietal. Definitive, and good value. GK 11/08
As before, this is simply benchmark syrah, put into the blind tasting as a reference / calibration wine. The glorious thing about screwcap is, the chances for the next bottle to be different are remotely small, unlike cork. And it was all there, in the wine that turned out to be the Cellar Selection: florals, aromatics, the cassis, spice and berry, clearly varietal. Definitive, and good value. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels 65%, Dartmoor Valley 35, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 30 days cuvaison; c. 20 months on light lees in French oak 35% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. On bouquet, this is much the biggest wine of the Pask / Esk / Villa threesome, with richer berry and more oak. The oak is interfering with the florality at this stage, but will undoubtedly marry up and the bouquet will become more complex. In mouth it is clearly the richest of the three, almost a Reserve wine quality of cassisy berry in bottled dark plum, aromatic oak, some black pepper, and considerable length. If the 2009 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve is conspicuously more oaky than this, the Cellar Selection may in fact be the preferred wine for cellaring, in this excellent year. It is far too young now, but at the very attractive prices this wine and the Esk are offered in supermarkets from time to time, cellaring a case or two of each is only sensible. 2009 is a great year for Hawke's Bay reds, and wine lovers with any foresight must ensure they have a large stock of them. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. On bouquet, this is much the biggest wine of the Pask / Esk / Villa threesome, with richer berry and more oak. The oak is interfering with the florality at this stage, but will undoubtedly marry up and the bouquet will become more complex. In mouth it is clearly the richest of the three, almost a Reserve wine quality of cassisy berry in bottled dark plum, aromatic oak, some black pepper, and considerable length. If the 2009 Villa Maria Syrah Reserve is conspicuously more oaky than this, the Cellar Selection may in fact be the preferred wine for cellaring, in this excellent year. It is far too young now, but at the very attractive prices this wine and the Esk are offered in supermarkets from time to time, cellaring a case or two of each is only sensible. 2009 is a great year for Hawke's Bay reds, and wine lovers with any foresight must ensure they have a large stock of them. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12%; $22 [ screwcap; no wine detail on website; www.palliser.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is very neat, taut, and restrained, but clearly riesling in a fragrant lime-zest and vanillin way, like some Eden Valley rieslings. Palate is in that style too (though not as dry), New Zealand riesling 'dry', crystalline in flavour. The citrus component grows in mouth, and lingers long, an elegant riesling which is light but shows good concentration. This should cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/08
Pale lemon. Bouquet is very neat, taut, and restrained, but clearly riesling in a fragrant lime-zest and vanillin way, like some Eden Valley rieslings. Palate is in that style too (though not as dry), New Zealand riesling 'dry', crystalline in flavour. The citrus component grows in mouth, and lingers long, an elegant riesling which is light but shows good concentration. This should cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $49 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 20% whole bunch and wild-yeast fermentation; 11 months in French oak, not fined or filtered; this is the main bottling, a blend of approx. one third Elms, Cornish Point and Calvert vineyards; the most widely available; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, it was easy to dismiss this wine as jujube-y and awkward. Decanted / with air, it is transformed into a deeply floral and fragrant sensuous pinot noir on bouquet, rose and boronia notes just starting to appear, subtle oak. In mouth, the texture and richness of fruit is exemplary, oak is subtle, and the red and black cherry flavours linger superbly. This wine strikes a nearly optimal pitch of ripeness which will cellar well, and end up very burgundian, as the 1999 has. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, it was easy to dismiss this wine as jujube-y and awkward. Decanted / with air, it is transformed into a deeply floral and fragrant sensuous pinot noir on bouquet, rose and boronia notes just starting to appear, subtle oak. In mouth, the texture and richness of fruit is exemplary, oak is subtle, and the red and black cherry flavours linger superbly. This wine strikes a nearly optimal pitch of ripeness which will cellar well, and end up very burgundian, as the 1999 has. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 2 months LA in s/s with occasional batonnage, 2005 not on website but 2004 was RS 9 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet on this wine shows real varietal character, and even some suggestions of the yellow florals of the wines that epitomise pinot gris magic – best Alsace. (In this case subtlest oak may be contributing to my interpretation). There is great fruit and richness, even on bouquet. Palate shows a little more flavour than the Seddon wine, but perhaps fractionally less ultimate richness, and hence it is slightly more phenolic on the finish. Both are medium-dry. These are two fine New Zealand pinot gris, and well illustrate the impressive grasp Villa Maria is building with this variety, in a few short years. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/05
Lemon. Bouquet on this wine shows real varietal character, and even some suggestions of the yellow florals of the wines that epitomise pinot gris magic – best Alsace. (In this case subtlest oak may be contributing to my interpretation). There is great fruit and richness, even on bouquet. Palate shows a little more flavour than the Seddon wine, but perhaps fractionally less ultimate richness, and hence it is slightly more phenolic on the finish. Both are medium-dry. These are two fine New Zealand pinot gris, and well illustrate the impressive grasp Villa Maria is building with this variety, in a few short years. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/05
Mosel, Germany: 8%; $32 [ www.drloosen.de ]
Pale lemongreen. Another very pure and white florals bouquet, not quite as multidimensional as the Scharzhofberg, but still nectary and fine. Palate has an appley quality in the nectary flavours, and beautiful acid balance. This shows real finesse. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
Pale lemongreen. Another very pure and white florals bouquet, not quite as multidimensional as the Scharzhofberg, but still nectary and fine. Palate has an appley quality in the nectary flavours, and beautiful acid balance. This shows real finesse. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $56 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested, all de-stemmed but 30% un-crushed; cold soak, wild yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, MLF and c.19 months in French oak some new; www.vidal.co.nz ]
The colour is great, vibrant ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is a little oak-assertive at this early stage, but is saturated with rich violets and dark roses florals on cassis, blueberry and bottled back doris plummy fruit. In mouth, the dark plum fruit richness is sufficient to cover the oak, with attractive suggestions of black peppercorn. In another couple of years this should be great New Zealand syrah. Cellar 10 to 12 years. GK 03/09
The colour is great, vibrant ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is a little oak-assertive at this early stage, but is saturated with rich violets and dark roses florals on cassis, blueberry and bottled back doris plummy fruit. In mouth, the dark plum fruit richness is sufficient to cover the oak, with attractive suggestions of black peppercorn. In another couple of years this should be great New Zealand syrah. Cellar 10 to 12 years. GK 03/09
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; Sy 97.6%, Vi 2.4, all hand-picked @ c.7.8 t/ha (3.1 t/ac) from a hill-slope site with limestone; syrah all de-stemmed, 2 days cold-soak, c.10 days ferment, total cuvaison from 28 to 34 days; MLF and 9 months in French oak 40% new no American oak; RS 3 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth in the syrahs. Bouquet for this wine is a bit different, lighter, softer, more floral, explicitly wallflower, reminiscent of top years of Bullnose Syrah. There are even violets in this beautiful cassisy and darkly plummy wine. Palate is a little smaller than the top three, yet there is exquisite fragrant cassis character: the whole character of the wine is fragrant Cote Rotie, contrasting with the more masculine Hermitage styling of the Villa wines. Length of fragrant fruit on palate is good, with suggestions of white and black pepper, and subtle oak. Beguiling wine, just a little more concentration would make this very impressive indeed. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth in the syrahs. Bouquet for this wine is a bit different, lighter, softer, more floral, explicitly wallflower, reminiscent of top years of Bullnose Syrah. There are even violets in this beautiful cassisy and darkly plummy wine. Palate is a little smaller than the top three, yet there is exquisite fragrant cassis character: the whole character of the wine is fragrant Cote Rotie, contrasting with the more masculine Hermitage styling of the Villa wines. Length of fragrant fruit on palate is good, with suggestions of white and black pepper, and subtle oak. Beguiling wine, just a little more concentration would make this very impressive indeed. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Colour has softened on this wine since I last reported on it, but for a seven-year pinot it is still attractively velvety and ruddy. But the key thing is, unlike some other bigger darker pinot interpretations in New Zealand, this wine still smells explicitly floral, varietal and fragrant, a vanilla component like cherry-pie creeping up in boronia-like aromas. In mouth the wine shows great texture, still rich, more a Corton-like wine than Cote de Nuits, long and velvety in mouth. It accompanied the range of foods selected well, from salmon to chicken to lamb shanks, beautifully mouth-filling yet not heavy to the finish. It cannot be repeated too often to the instant-gratification generation, that if red wine is too complement and augment food, as opposed to just accompanying it, then appropriate bottle age, which means cellaring red wine, is essential. GK 12/08
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Colour has softened on this wine since I last reported on it, but for a seven-year pinot it is still attractively velvety and ruddy. But the key thing is, unlike some other bigger darker pinot interpretations in New Zealand, this wine still smells explicitly floral, varietal and fragrant, a vanilla component like cherry-pie creeping up in boronia-like aromas. In mouth the wine shows great texture, still rich, more a Corton-like wine than Cote de Nuits, long and velvety in mouth. It accompanied the range of foods selected well, from salmon to chicken to lamb shanks, beautifully mouth-filling yet not heavy to the finish. It cannot be repeated too often to the instant-gratification generation, that if red wine is too complement and augment food, as opposed to just accompanying it, then appropriate bottle age, which means cellaring red wine, is essential. GK 12/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested; extended cuvaison, aeration; MLF in barrel, 18 months in French oak 50% new, light fining; new and 1-year oak; first release, certified organic; www.twogates.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, not quite the carmine of the top wines, fractionally older. Bouquet shows an intriguing interplay of carnation and wallflower florals on slightly browning (or oak influenced) cassis and dark bottled plum fruit. Palate confirms the greater oak influence, but there is good cassisy berry in a more aromatic wine style. The oaking level is more akin to Guigal's d'Ampuis than the top wines, but it is still dramatically syrah. It is also clearly a notch denser and warmer climatically than the 2008 Mudbrick Reserve, yet has not lost syrah varietal character in the way most Australian examples do. For the EIT group as a whole, this was the second-ranked wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby and velvet, not quite the carmine of the top wines, fractionally older. Bouquet shows an intriguing interplay of carnation and wallflower florals on slightly browning (or oak influenced) cassis and dark bottled plum fruit. Palate confirms the greater oak influence, but there is good cassisy berry in a more aromatic wine style. The oaking level is more akin to Guigal's d'Ampuis than the top wines, but it is still dramatically syrah. It is also clearly a notch denser and warmer climatically than the 2008 Mudbrick Reserve, yet has not lost syrah varietal character in the way most Australian examples do. For the EIT group as a whole, this was the second-ranked wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Near High Eden, Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 13.6%; $20 [ screwcap; 18 months in older French and American oak; produced to the specification of the Manly Liquor Store, Whangaparoa Peninsula; no website ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep and rich. Bouquet is a delight, elegant shiraz even revealing some suggestions of syrah varietal quality in its deep florality, and nearly hints of cassis. These attributes are augmented by flowering mintbush (Prostanthera) aromas, but one could not say the wine was degraded by euc'y notes. Palate is a little riper than the bouquet suggests, some boysenberry creeping into bottled black doris plums, all rich and velvety and soft, only lightly oaked, long and flavoursome. This wine reflects a temperate vintage in the Barossa Valley, plus the dawning of some varietal sensibilities amongst Australian red-wine makers. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE. GK 08/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep and rich. Bouquet is a delight, elegant shiraz even revealing some suggestions of syrah varietal quality in its deep florality, and nearly hints of cassis. These attributes are augmented by flowering mintbush (Prostanthera) aromas, but one could not say the wine was degraded by euc'y notes. Palate is a little riper than the bouquet suggests, some boysenberry creeping into bottled black doris plums, all rich and velvety and soft, only lightly oaked, long and flavoursome. This wine reflects a temperate vintage in the Barossa Valley, plus the dawning of some varietal sensibilities amongst Australian red-wine makers. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE. GK 08/12
Marlborough, New Zealand: 11%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-picked off a single vineyard; pH 3.04, RS 36 g/L; www.highfield.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is as clear-cut as the Highfield Sauvignon, showing pinpoint ripe riesling varietal characters. These include freesia florals and nectar, with an undercurrent of lime-zest. Palate is rich, a suggestion of lees autolysis, clearly medium in sweetness, but perfectly balanced to acid, all very long. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/07
Lemon. Bouquet is as clear-cut as the Highfield Sauvignon, showing pinpoint ripe riesling varietal characters. These include freesia florals and nectar, with an undercurrent of lime-zest. Palate is rich, a suggestion of lees autolysis, clearly medium in sweetness, but perfectly balanced to acid, all very long. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/07
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ cork; Sy 89%, Mv 8, Gr 3, hand-harvested; cultured yeast, 10 day cuvaison (2 days cold soak); MLF in barrel, 12 months in French oak, 30% new initially, then older; not fined or filtered; 75 cases; www.stonyridge.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, an attractive colour, though clearly not the depth of the top two. Bouquet is a delight, the trace VA lift acceptable in the wonderful florality of syrah, another wine closely matching Cote Rotie, and thus forming a great comparison wine to the View East. Since the Stonyridge wine is clean / brett-free, the varietal qualities in the syrah-dominant blend can be focussed on totally. Palate is equally beautiful, pinot noir-like in its purity and velvety styling, not as big as the top wines, but so graceful it scores as highly. How exactly the mourvedre component achieved sufficient ripeness on Waiheke to not add a stalky note is a mystery – 2008 was certainly a good season. There is something freaky about the nature of the warmth on Waiheke, for though daily maxima are less than Hawkes Bay, growers report success with both petit verdot and grenache. On the face of it, they should both be marginal on Waiheke. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, an attractive colour, though clearly not the depth of the top two. Bouquet is a delight, the trace VA lift acceptable in the wonderful florality of syrah, another wine closely matching Cote Rotie, and thus forming a great comparison wine to the View East. Since the Stonyridge wine is clean / brett-free, the varietal qualities in the syrah-dominant blend can be focussed on totally. Palate is equally beautiful, pinot noir-like in its purity and velvety styling, not as big as the top wines, but so graceful it scores as highly. How exactly the mourvedre component achieved sufficient ripeness on Waiheke to not add a stalky note is a mystery – 2008 was certainly a good season. There is something freaky about the nature of the warmth on Waiheke, for though daily maxima are less than Hawkes Bay, growers report success with both petit verdot and grenache. On the face of it, they should both be marginal on Waiheke. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; hand-picked clone mendoza, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments; 100% MLF, 12 months LA and some batonnage in French oak up to 40% new and balance 1-year; RS < 2g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is still very young, showing the building-blocks rather than the finished item. Oak is overtly apparent at this stage, with rich fruit, yeast autolysis and stonefruit chardonnay behind it. Palate builds up the fruit component, with waxy MLF richness still to marry with the oak, and make both less apparent. Total style is softer richer and bolder than the Kumeu examples, so the two wineries make a beautifully complementary tasting. I am hoping to re-rate this wine, the next time I see it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is still very young, showing the building-blocks rather than the finished item. Oak is overtly apparent at this stage, with rich fruit, yeast autolysis and stonefruit chardonnay behind it. Palate builds up the fruit component, with waxy MLF richness still to marry with the oak, and make both less apparent. Total style is softer richer and bolder than the Kumeu examples, so the two wineries make a beautifully complementary tasting. I am hoping to re-rate this wine, the next time I see it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.8%; $34 [ screwcap; no info at website; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Kingsley. Bouquet changes on this wine each time one picks it up, being cassisy one moment, bush honey (which is very Rhone-like) another, aromatic and maybe oaky on the third. Today there are aromas of blueberry, and suggestions of Chilean carmenere on dark tobacco-y oak. Flavour is rich and round, slightly broader than the other top wines, yet fresh on cassis too, the oak and alcohol already marrying away surprisingly well. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Kingsley. Bouquet changes on this wine each time one picks it up, being cassisy one moment, bush honey (which is very Rhone-like) another, aromatic and maybe oaky on the third. Today there are aromas of blueberry, and suggestions of Chilean carmenere on dark tobacco-y oak. Flavour is rich and round, slightly broader than the other top wines, yet fresh on cassis too, the oak and alcohol already marrying away surprisingly well. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; website under construction; www.prophetsrock.co.nz ]
Ruby and some velvet, a little deeper than the Felton Road Block 3. This is a quietly-spoken wine, beautifully pure, suggesting darkest florals in black cherry fruits, subtly oaked. Yet in mouth it seems to expand, with boronia and violets florals becoming even more apparent, in black cherry fruit of great succulence. Oak is beautifully restrained. This will probably be scoring more highly in another couple of years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby and some velvet, a little deeper than the Felton Road Block 3. This is a quietly-spoken wine, beautifully pure, suggesting darkest florals in black cherry fruits, subtly oaked. Yet in mouth it seems to expand, with boronia and violets florals becoming even more apparent, in black cherry fruit of great succulence. Oak is beautifully restrained. This will probably be scoring more highly in another couple of years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $30 [ cork; DFB; wine info obscurely filed under 'Buy Wines', but this one not on website; www.teawa.com ]
Ruby and velvet, quite dense. Bouquet is rich and dark, with a suggestion of sur-maturité in the cassis and darkest plum, yet still perhaps some violets florals, and subtle oak. In mouth the fruit-richness is terrific. There seems to have been a worthwhile increase in palate weight in the Te Awa reds lately. Does this bespeak a lower cropping rate, for the upper-level wines ? Flavours are classic bottled black doris plums and rich cassis, made beautifully aromatic on the balanced oak. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/07
Ruby and velvet, quite dense. Bouquet is rich and dark, with a suggestion of sur-maturité in the cassis and darkest plum, yet still perhaps some violets florals, and subtle oak. In mouth the fruit-richness is terrific. There seems to have been a worthwhile increase in palate weight in the Te Awa reds lately. Does this bespeak a lower cropping rate, for the upper-level wines ? Flavours are classic bottled black doris plums and rich cassis, made beautifully aromatic on the balanced oak. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/07
Tours sur Marne, Champagne, France: 12%; $82 [ cork; Ch 45%, PN 40, PM 15; reserve wines 10 – 20 %; 500 000 cases; www.laurentperrierus.com ]
More lemon than lemonstraw. Bouquet on this one is understated relative to the Pol Roger, firm, very clean, combining baguette and wholemeal crust autolysis with cherry fruit and pinot character at the moment. Flavour is fresh and crisp, with citric notes in good stonefruit / baguette flavours, all slightly tauter than the Pol, more brut than many, and delicious. Cellarworthy. GK 11/05
More lemon than lemonstraw. Bouquet on this one is understated relative to the Pol Roger, firm, very clean, combining baguette and wholemeal crust autolysis with cherry fruit and pinot character at the moment. Flavour is fresh and crisp, with citric notes in good stonefruit / baguette flavours, all slightly tauter than the Pol, more brut than many, and delicious. Cellarworthy. GK 11/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $27 [ screwcap; 100% s/s; minimised skin contact; RS 3.5 g/L; www.saintclair.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet epitomises stainless steel Marlborough sauvignon, with fruit ripened through the capsicum colours to aromatic black passionfruit, plus sweet basil herbes, and a touch of sweat at an acceptable musky level. On palate there is a little retained red capsicum adding depth and zing, on marvellous fruit richness and length which is attractively 'dry'. This is lovely wine, in its body reflecting a 'grand cru' cropping rate, enriched by lees-autolysis maybe, but not complexed with oak [ these impressions recorded before the website data checked ]. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/08
Lemongreen. Bouquet epitomises stainless steel Marlborough sauvignon, with fruit ripened through the capsicum colours to aromatic black passionfruit, plus sweet basil herbes, and a touch of sweat at an acceptable musky level. On palate there is a little retained red capsicum adding depth and zing, on marvellous fruit richness and length which is attractively 'dry'. This is lovely wine, in its body reflecting a 'grand cru' cropping rate, enriched by lees-autolysis maybe, but not complexed with oak [ these impressions recorded before the website data checked ]. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $20 [ screwcap; 12 months in 1 and 2-year seasoned oak, MLF in barrel, regular batonnage; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the deep end of this batch. A little quiet freshly poured, the bouquet on this wine becomes very attractive with air. Violets and sweet plummy fruit of beautiful ripeness pour from the glass, supported by toasty oak. Palate brings up the oak somewhat, but it is far less oaky than the Elspeth series have tended to be. The wine thus reveals highly varietal merlot fruit, in a much more Bordeaux-like balance. And it is cleaner than the 2002 Elspeth series wines too, with no significant brett. This is not a showy wine, and in its lighter oak it may not win the gold medals. It will be infinitely more appealing with food, though. Remarkable for a second-tier wine. The score includes an element of forecast. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the deep end of this batch. A little quiet freshly poured, the bouquet on this wine becomes very attractive with air. Violets and sweet plummy fruit of beautiful ripeness pour from the glass, supported by toasty oak. Palate brings up the oak somewhat, but it is far less oaky than the Elspeth series have tended to be. The wine thus reveals highly varietal merlot fruit, in a much more Bordeaux-like balance. And it is cleaner than the 2002 Elspeth series wines too, with no significant brett. This is not a showy wine, and in its lighter oak it may not win the gold medals. It will be infinitely more appealing with food, though. Remarkable for a second-tier wine. The score includes an element of forecast. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/05
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $21 [ screwcap; all s/s, 4 months LA; RS 10 g/L; www.spyvalleywine.co.nz ]
Marvellous rich lemon. Bouquet is very youthful gewurztraminer, showing beautiful flowering wild ginger, citronella and rosepetal explicitly varietal floral qualities, some lychee and pale stonefruits, plus suggestions of muscat (at this youthful stage). Palate is richly flavoured, excellent acid balance for gewurztraminer, the intriguing varietal phenolics balanced by residual sugar just above the maximum 'dry' level [ confirmed ]. This will gain complexity in bottle over the next two years, and cellar very well indeed for 3 – 8 years. GK 04/08
Marvellous rich lemon. Bouquet is very youthful gewurztraminer, showing beautiful flowering wild ginger, citronella and rosepetal explicitly varietal floral qualities, some lychee and pale stonefruits, plus suggestions of muscat (at this youthful stage). Palate is richly flavoured, excellent acid balance for gewurztraminer, the intriguing varietal phenolics balanced by residual sugar just above the maximum 'dry' level [ confirmed ]. This will gain complexity in bottle over the next two years, and cellar very well indeed for 3 – 8 years. GK 04/08
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13%; $15 [ screwcap; no info [then] on website; www.gisbornewinecompany.co.nz ]
Lemon. On bouquet and palate, this is a superb expression of uncomplicated chardonnay varietal character, white and yellow stone fruits, mouth-filling fleshy flavours, great acid balance, and exactly the right amount of oak to make top-flight un-oaked chardonnay. Not being spirity, this is the best New Zealand un-oaked chardonnay for some time. Hard to get this winestyle more-ish, as this is. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 07/05
Lemon. On bouquet and palate, this is a superb expression of uncomplicated chardonnay varietal character, white and yellow stone fruits, mouth-filling fleshy flavours, great acid balance, and exactly the right amount of oak to make top-flight un-oaked chardonnay. Not being spirity, this is the best New Zealand un-oaked chardonnay for some time. Hard to get this winestyle more-ish, as this is. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 07/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 1.4 t/ac; 15 – 20% whole bunch, 5 – 7 days cold soak, mainly wild yeast, 16 days cuvaison; MLF and 11 months in barrel on full lees; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet. This wine just smells deliciously of red and black cherry pinot, subtly oaked so that the rose and boronia florals show beautifully. There is an intriguing citrus lift too. Palate is fresh, plump, gorgeous crunchy black cherry fruit, not as big as some wines, yet more aromatic. This is lovely pinot, and another Otago wine with a clear Cote de Nuits spice to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some velvet. This wine just smells deliciously of red and black cherry pinot, subtly oaked so that the rose and boronia florals show beautifully. There is an intriguing citrus lift too. Palate is fresh, plump, gorgeous crunchy black cherry fruit, not as big as some wines, yet more aromatic. This is lovely pinot, and another Otago wine with a clear Cote de Nuits spice to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ natural cork 54 mm; Me 100%, hand-picked @ c.2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac from vines 10 years old; 23 days cuvaison, c. 14 months French oak; not fined, scarcely filtered; release several months away; the firm's top wine; www.blackbarn.com ]
In any display / discussion of the Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blended winestyle in New Zealand, a good example of merlot is of paramount importance. Like the cabernet franc component, however, too many New Zealand merlots are either over-oaked if ripe, or both over-oaked and not sufficiently carefully ripened to accurately express the grape's trademark violets florals. Again, the Black Barn 2009 Merlot shows real appreciation of the Bordeaux model for this grape. It is recently bottled and thus still shy and awkward, so I gave it several decantings and a lot of air-time before the Lincoln showing. It then communicated very well, with real florality and plummy fruit. In a couple of years, I think it will be one of the most varietal and expressive merlots ever made in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/10
In any display / discussion of the Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blended winestyle in New Zealand, a good example of merlot is of paramount importance. Like the cabernet franc component, however, too many New Zealand merlots are either over-oaked if ripe, or both over-oaked and not sufficiently carefully ripened to accurately express the grape's trademark violets florals. Again, the Black Barn 2009 Merlot shows real appreciation of the Bordeaux model for this grape. It is recently bottled and thus still shy and awkward, so I gave it several decantings and a lot of air-time before the Lincoln showing. It then communicated very well, with real florality and plummy fruit. In a couple of years, I think it will be one of the most varietal and expressive merlots ever made in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100% hand-picked at 3.4t/ha = 1.4 t/ac, and hand-sorted; 3 days soak then up to 13 days cuvaison in open-top fermenters including cuves, 10% whole bunches retained in fermentation; no press wine in final blend, 26 months in French barriques 30% new, 1 month in s/s on lees; not fined, sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 30.5 g/L; production 139 x 9-litre cases; ‘Stone’ refers to the cobble-strewn younger soils of The Gimblett Gravels; weight bottle and closure 705 g; https://elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, rich wine fractionally older in appearance than Syrah Earth or even Pirathon Gold. Bouquet is clearly one of the riper wines in the set, deep and darkly plummy but with a clear suggestion of moist prunes, shaped by clean oak. Flavours are dark and concentrated, but not heavy, wonderfully rich berry, a hint of cocoa, lengthened by seemingly charry oak. Again, dry extract is impressive here. This smells and tastes like a warmer climate wine, with even perhaps a suggestion of acid addition, but all very carefully handled and the oak relatively subtle. It illustrates even more clearly that syrah can all too easily be over-ripened, on the Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 06/20
Ruby and velvet, rich wine fractionally older in appearance than Syrah Earth or even Pirathon Gold. Bouquet is clearly one of the riper wines in the set, deep and darkly plummy but with a clear suggestion of moist prunes, shaped by clean oak. Flavours are dark and concentrated, but not heavy, wonderfully rich berry, a hint of cocoa, lengthened by seemingly charry oak. Again, dry extract is impressive here. This smells and tastes like a warmer climate wine, with even perhaps a suggestion of acid addition, but all very carefully handled and the oak relatively subtle. It illustrates even more clearly that syrah can all too easily be over-ripened, on the Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 06/20
Gimblett Gravels 85% & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; CS > 85%, Me < 15; up to 5 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 20 months in French oak mostly new; RS < 1 g/L; cuve refers to the oak fermenters in the winery, a premium approach from Bordeaux; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, redder than the matching Merlot Cuve wine. Bouquet is quieter than the Merlot, more aromatic and attractively cassisy, with almost a subliminal mint aromatic as well. Palate is younger and firmer than the Merlot or the Elspeth One wine, and more savoury. Fruit richness is again splendid, classically Bordeaux, and wonderful value at the price. These two wines make a great pair, being both good new world exemplars of the two varieties, and illustrating the contrasting styles of west bank versus east bank clarets in Bordeaux. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, redder than the matching Merlot Cuve wine. Bouquet is quieter than the Merlot, more aromatic and attractively cassisy, with almost a subliminal mint aromatic as well. Palate is younger and firmer than the Merlot or the Elspeth One wine, and more savoury. Fruit richness is again splendid, classically Bordeaux, and wonderful value at the price. These two wines make a great pair, being both good new world exemplars of the two varieties, and illustrating the contrasting styles of west bank versus east bank clarets in Bordeaux. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 11/08
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; 100% Mendoza clone @ lower cropping rate than Kumeu River wine; 100% BF in a little more than 20% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. In this year's pair, the Maté’s benefits from decanting. It is a little less pure than the straight Kumeu River, showing more of the nutty and charry oak characters I have elsewhere referred to as Corbans Cottage Block character. Supporting fruit is great, however. With a breath of air, palate is waxy rich, richer even than the matching Kumeu River, and the nutty complexity melts away into the slightly buttery (+ve) richness to give a finish which lasts and lasts. The nutty quality makes the wine seemed drier than the already dry Kumeu River. These two wines make a beautifully matched but contrasting pair, though I suspect the Maté’s will dry in cellar a little earlier than the Kumeu River. Likewise at a peak now, but will cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Lemonstraw. In this year's pair, the Maté’s benefits from decanting. It is a little less pure than the straight Kumeu River, showing more of the nutty and charry oak characters I have elsewhere referred to as Corbans Cottage Block character. Supporting fruit is great, however. With a breath of air, palate is waxy rich, richer even than the matching Kumeu River, and the nutty complexity melts away into the slightly buttery (+ve) richness to give a finish which lasts and lasts. The nutty quality makes the wine seemed drier than the already dry Kumeu River. These two wines make a beautifully matched but contrasting pair, though I suspect the Maté’s will dry in cellar a little earlier than the Kumeu River. Likewise at a peak now, but will cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ cork; hand-harvested; 100% de-stemmed; 5 days cold-soak, fermented in oak, elevage 13 months in 50% new French oak; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Glowing rich ruby, a little lighter than the Greenhough. Initially opened the wine is reticent. It really demands splashy decanting into a wide decanter or jug. As it breathes lovely cherry fruit becomes apparent, not as floral as the Hope nor is rich and ripe as the Prima Donna, but beautifully ripe. Palate is where this wine picks up speed, revealing qualities which should become apparent on bouquet one day. Fruit is red and black cherry beautifully integrated with oak, with serious tannins for good ageing potential. This will be an exciting bottle to have around in 5 – 10 years, the oak being more subtle than the 1998 Martinborough Vineyards Reserve (also made by McKenna). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/06
Glowing rich ruby, a little lighter than the Greenhough. Initially opened the wine is reticent. It really demands splashy decanting into a wide decanter or jug. As it breathes lovely cherry fruit becomes apparent, not as floral as the Hope nor is rich and ripe as the Prima Donna, but beautifully ripe. Palate is where this wine picks up speed, revealing qualities which should become apparent on bouquet one day. Fruit is red and black cherry beautifully integrated with oak, with serious tannins for good ageing potential. This will be an exciting bottle to have around in 5 – 10 years, the oak being more subtle than the 1998 Martinborough Vineyards Reserve (also made by McKenna). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/06
Ay, Champagne,, France: 12%; $101 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 25; PM 15; 5 – 10% of blend reserve wines 5 – 10 years old; minimum 3 years en tirage; 100 000 cases; www.champagne-bollinger.fr ]
Colour is full straw, the second deepest here. Bouquet is unequivocally in the complex, developed, oak-influenced, pinot noir dominant, rich Bollinger style, with almost a hint of rose florals. Just as some tasters like to hunt for brett in red wines, only a fault-finder would claim this wine is aldehydic, rather than gloriously complex. Nett impression is wholegrain yeast autolysis on peachy and maybe some dried peaches fruit, plus a hint of marmite. Flavour is richly mouth-filling, a very big champagne indeed, developed relative to the Pol Roger, not as fresh, the mushroom component more brown mushrooms than white, with an intriguing cashew-nutty and savoury finish to the autolysis flavours. A polar opposite to the Taittinger style, and more brut maybe, but the wine is so rich, it is hard to analyse in mouth. Bollinger is understood to be a non-MLF wine, but one could never tell, from the taste. It cellars well, if one likes the style. GK 11/05
Colour is full straw, the second deepest here. Bouquet is unequivocally in the complex, developed, oak-influenced, pinot noir dominant, rich Bollinger style, with almost a hint of rose florals. Just as some tasters like to hunt for brett in red wines, only a fault-finder would claim this wine is aldehydic, rather than gloriously complex. Nett impression is wholegrain yeast autolysis on peachy and maybe some dried peaches fruit, plus a hint of marmite. Flavour is richly mouth-filling, a very big champagne indeed, developed relative to the Pol Roger, not as fresh, the mushroom component more brown mushrooms than white, with an intriguing cashew-nutty and savoury finish to the autolysis flavours. A polar opposite to the Taittinger style, and more brut maybe, but the wine is so rich, it is hard to analyse in mouth. Bollinger is understood to be a non-MLF wine, but one could never tell, from the taste. It cellars well, if one likes the style. GK 11/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 11.5%; $24 [ screwcap; mostly machine-picked from 27-year vines; very low solids juice cool-fermented in s/s, stop-fermented; 4 months LA; pH 2.85, RS 17.5 g/L; release date c. Oct 2009; www.framingham.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is close to the Black in quality, but not quite so Germanic, perhaps having slightly less (positively) botrytis-affected berries. The floral component therefore shows slightly more of the linalool / holygrass riesling signature on bouquet, all beautifully pure and fragrant. Palate is a little more aromatic, explicit riesling with slightly more hoppy terpenes than the other ‘gold medal’ rieslings in the tasting, a hint of grapefruit, a bolder New Zealand style where one can see some links to good South Australian examples of the grape (sweetness aside). Finish is medium-dry, the low pH making it taste drier than it is. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Lemon. Bouquet is close to the Black in quality, but not quite so Germanic, perhaps having slightly less (positively) botrytis-affected berries. The floral component therefore shows slightly more of the linalool / holygrass riesling signature on bouquet, all beautifully pure and fragrant. Palate is a little more aromatic, explicit riesling with slightly more hoppy terpenes than the other ‘gold medal’ rieslings in the tasting, a hint of grapefruit, a bolder New Zealand style where one can see some links to good South Australian examples of the grape (sweetness aside). Finish is medium-dry, the low pH making it taste drier than it is. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 1.4 t/ac, the product of a cooler reduced-yield year; 15 – 20% whole bunch, 5 – 7 days cold soak, mainly wild yeast, 16 days cuvaison; MLF and 11 months in barrel on full lees; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Ruby with a little garnet creeping in. Bouquet benefits from decanting and air, to reveal a highly varietal and quite strong pinot bouquet, with a clear boronia depth of florality. Palate is firmer than Target '09, the tannin level raised like '09 Long Gully, but there is plenty of red and black cherry fruit to carry it. This gives the impression of considerably more cellar life ahead of it. Using it now, it really needs air to show its best, not because it is reductive, just because the fruit seems sternly wrapped up with tannin, and the air exposure loosens it. As winemaker Matt Dicey commented, a dense introverted vintage. Cellar to another 6 years. GK 08/11
Ruby with a little garnet creeping in. Bouquet benefits from decanting and air, to reveal a highly varietal and quite strong pinot bouquet, with a clear boronia depth of florality. Palate is firmer than Target '09, the tannin level raised like '09 Long Gully, but there is plenty of red and black cherry fruit to carry it. This gives the impression of considerably more cellar life ahead of it. Using it now, it really needs air to show its best, not because it is reductive, just because the fruit seems sternly wrapped up with tannin, and the air exposure loosens it. As winemaker Matt Dicey commented, a dense introverted vintage. Cellar to another 6 years. GK 08/11
Julienas, Beaujolais, France: 13%; $27 [ cork; gamay grown mostly on granite, average vine age 50 years, hand-picked; mostly maceration carbonique fermentation in concrete, cuvaison 12 – 15 days; elevation 12 – 14 months in 600-litre old wood; no website found, some info @ www.frederickwildman.com/national/winery/potel-aviron and follow lead for this label. ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the same medium weight is the Chermette Moulin a Vent, just above midway in depth. Quality of bouquet here is exactly between the top two wines, not quite as floral as the La Rochelle but still wondrously floral, and not quite as ripely plummy as the Girardin wine. Palate is chock-full of black more than red cherry fruit, in between the freshness of the top wine and the breadth of fruit of Girardin. It could well be marked top, therefore, this gets pretty subtle. Oak is a little apparent for beaujolais, in classical terms. Another to cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the same medium weight is the Chermette Moulin a Vent, just above midway in depth. Quality of bouquet here is exactly between the top two wines, not quite as floral as the La Rochelle but still wondrously floral, and not quite as ripely plummy as the Girardin wine. Palate is chock-full of black more than red cherry fruit, in between the freshness of the top wine and the breadth of fruit of Girardin. It could well be marked top, therefore, this gets pretty subtle. Oak is a little apparent for beaujolais, in classical terms. Another to cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ cork; DFB; Me 86%, CF 14, hand-harvested @ 3.5 t/ac; 20 months in French oak 50% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a model Bordeaux-blend colour, yet not a heavyweight. The wine is little-changed from previous reports, the bouquet is simply sensational for the variety, explicit violets florals, and beautiful bottled black doris dark plum. Palate matches perfectly, ripe, warm, generous without being big, totally of (say) Fourth Growth Bordeaux standard. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a model Bordeaux-blend colour, yet not a heavyweight. The wine is little-changed from previous reports, the bouquet is simply sensational for the variety, explicit violets florals, and beautiful bottled black doris dark plum. Palate matches perfectly, ripe, warm, generous without being big, totally of (say) Fourth Growth Bordeaux standard. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; Sh 99%, CS 1; some barrel-ferment; 15 months in American hogsheads 100% new; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest but older in hue naturally. Bouquet on the 2002 is akin to the 2008, in that it is one of the fresher and more restrained. The quality of berry is at about the same point on my syrah ripening curve as the 2008, or perhaps a little riper, some blueberry, boysenberry starting to displace bottled black plums, too ripe for cassis, good for shiraz but over-ripe by syrah / Northern Rhone standards. There is a lovely smoothing and hint of integration just creeping into the palate here, the berry is starting to wrap up the oak nicely, and the VA is again within bounds. Palate is therefore slightly more velvety than the 2008, but the oak is still unsubtle / very Australian. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/13
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest but older in hue naturally. Bouquet on the 2002 is akin to the 2008, in that it is one of the fresher and more restrained. The quality of berry is at about the same point on my syrah ripening curve as the 2008, or perhaps a little riper, some blueberry, boysenberry starting to displace bottled black plums, too ripe for cassis, good for shiraz but over-ripe by syrah / Northern Rhone standards. There is a lovely smoothing and hint of integration just creeping into the palate here, the berry is starting to wrap up the oak nicely, and the VA is again within bounds. Palate is therefore slightly more velvety than the 2008, but the oak is still unsubtle / very Australian. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/13
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak some new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from the 2009. Bouquet is classic Bullnose syrah, fruit ripened to a Northern Rhone point of perfection emphasising florality and sensuous charm, berry dominant, oak in the background. Palate is pure cassis grading to bottled black doris berry, subtle black pepper and oak, youthful still, but set to marry up beautifully over the next five years, and cellar 5 – 15 years. At the point of release Bullnose has always been easy to underestimate, it really needs the extra year to harmonise and fill out. This wine is New Zealand's closest approach to fine Cote Rotie, even though there is no viognier – a function of the care taken in selecting the picking date to optimise florality and complexity. The 2010 follows on delightfully from the 2009, both representing New Zealand syrah at its most beautiful, rather than as heavyweights. GK 08/11
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from the 2009. Bouquet is classic Bullnose syrah, fruit ripened to a Northern Rhone point of perfection emphasising florality and sensuous charm, berry dominant, oak in the background. Palate is pure cassis grading to bottled black doris berry, subtle black pepper and oak, youthful still, but set to marry up beautifully over the next five years, and cellar 5 – 15 years. At the point of release Bullnose has always been easy to underestimate, it really needs the extra year to harmonise and fill out. This wine is New Zealand's closest approach to fine Cote Rotie, even though there is no viognier – a function of the care taken in selecting the picking date to optimise florality and complexity. The 2010 follows on delightfully from the 2009, both representing New Zealand syrah at its most beautiful, rather than as heavyweights. GK 08/11
South Australia, Australia: 14.3%; $ – [ cork; Sh 96%, CS 4; some barrel-ferment; 16 months in American hogsheads 100% new; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second deepest and third freshest of the set. Like the 2008, this wine too demonstrates some finesse in a bold way. The berry is not quite so fresh and suggestive of an appropriate red wine climate as the 2008, but one can imagine suggestions of cassis, even hints of syrah in this wine – the bounty of the cooler year. Most of the palate weight is in fact blueberry and darker bottled black doris plums, and their concentration is fabulous. There is some tell-tale boysenberry, and sad to say, a touch of euc, but this too really has some claim to being fine wine, and nearly syrah, as opposed to being an overstated national monument. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 07/13
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second deepest and third freshest of the set. Like the 2008, this wine too demonstrates some finesse in a bold way. The berry is not quite so fresh and suggestive of an appropriate red wine climate as the 2008, but one can imagine suggestions of cassis, even hints of syrah in this wine – the bounty of the cooler year. Most of the palate weight is in fact blueberry and darker bottled black doris plums, and their concentration is fabulous. There is some tell-tale boysenberry, and sad to say, a touch of euc, but this too really has some claim to being fine wine, and nearly syrah, as opposed to being an overstated national monument. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 07/13
Omaka & Wairau Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ cork; nil whole bunch; c.18 months in French oak 50% new, 50% 1-year; 75% of wine Omaka hill-slope older soils; www.nautilusestate.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Bouquet is a rare achievement for Marlborough, a pinot showing a depth, complexity and ripeness well beyond the tending-leafy buddleia level of florality so commonly encountered on the younger soils of the district. Along with excess florality, such wines sometimes show excess simple blackboy-peach fruit. This bouquet however indicates achieving full physiological maturity with darker fruits as well as red is possible in the district. Florals include a hint of buddleia-like aromas, but are centred on roses grading to suggestions of the deep and desirable boronia stage of maturity. Palate likewise grades from red fruits to black cherry, and the texture and length of cherry flavour suggests a grand cru cropping rate. In a district where Pinot development thus far has been more quantitative than qualitative, this wine is a key step forward for Marlborough. It presumably reflects vines grown largely on older terrace sites, not young gravels [ later confirmed, Clive Jones: 75% of the fruit Omaka Valley hill-slope older clayey soils ]. As these higher-clay soils are explored in the Marlborough region, all the evidence is there will be much more exciting, complex and physiologically mature pinot noirs forthcoming – a great prospect. This wine is therefore a real milestone and pointer to the more diverse future of the Marlborough district, given its overseas reputation for whites, coupled with some concern as to the 'one trick' nature of its reputation. As an aside, given the increasing effort thoughtful winemakers are putting into making sauvignon blanc so much more complex and pleasing to smell and drink, that concern is I think premature. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth. Bouquet is a rare achievement for Marlborough, a pinot showing a depth, complexity and ripeness well beyond the tending-leafy buddleia level of florality so commonly encountered on the younger soils of the district. Along with excess florality, such wines sometimes show excess simple blackboy-peach fruit. This bouquet however indicates achieving full physiological maturity with darker fruits as well as red is possible in the district. Florals include a hint of buddleia-like aromas, but are centred on roses grading to suggestions of the deep and desirable boronia stage of maturity. Palate likewise grades from red fruits to black cherry, and the texture and length of cherry flavour suggests a grand cru cropping rate. In a district where Pinot development thus far has been more quantitative than qualitative, this wine is a key step forward for Marlborough. It presumably reflects vines grown largely on older terrace sites, not young gravels [ later confirmed, Clive Jones: 75% of the fruit Omaka Valley hill-slope older clayey soils ]. As these higher-clay soils are explored in the Marlborough region, all the evidence is there will be much more exciting, complex and physiologically mature pinot noirs forthcoming – a great prospect. This wine is therefore a real milestone and pointer to the more diverse future of the Marlborough district, given its overseas reputation for whites, coupled with some concern as to the 'one trick' nature of its reputation. As an aside, given the increasing effort thoughtful winemakers are putting into making sauvignon blanc so much more complex and pleasing to smell and drink, that concern is I think premature. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 11%; $20 [ screwcap; 14.5 g/L RS; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Compared with the others, bouquet is sweeter and more floral and nectary on this riesling, and is slightly perfumed in the sense jasmine is perfumed. Palate is in a bigger style, the flavour components a little more hoppy and strong, good acid balance, all a little bolder and warmer-climate than the best South Island wines. Stylewise, this could end up in cellar as challenging top Eden and Clare Valley wines (except it is sweeter than their best, just outside the dry class by taste, more by analysis). It is wonderful that Esk Valley are moving towards releasing their whites in their second year, a policy much more in accord with serious European practice. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Pale lemon. Compared with the others, bouquet is sweeter and more floral and nectary on this riesling, and is slightly perfumed in the sense jasmine is perfumed. Palate is in a bigger style, the flavour components a little more hoppy and strong, good acid balance, all a little bolder and warmer-climate than the best South Island wines. Stylewise, this could end up in cellar as challenging top Eden and Clare Valley wines (except it is sweeter than their best, just outside the dry class by taste, more by analysis). It is wonderful that Esk Valley are moving towards releasing their whites in their second year, a policy much more in accord with serious European practice. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ release date August '04; MLF in barrel, 20 months in French oak; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, minutely darker than the Brokenstone Merlot. A youthful bouquet which is still slightly closed, below which are wonderful cassis, violets and dark plums. Oak is subtler than (for example) the Esk or Vidal Reserves, acid balance a little crisper, and the fruit not quite so rich. The whole wine is very aromatic, moreso than Brokenstone, and should mature into an attractive Medoc-styled bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, minutely darker than the Brokenstone Merlot. A youthful bouquet which is still slightly closed, below which are wonderful cassis, violets and dark plums. Oak is subtler than (for example) the Esk or Vidal Reserves, acid balance a little crisper, and the fruit not quite so rich. The whole wine is very aromatic, moreso than Brokenstone, and should mature into an attractive Medoc-styled bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $16 [ screwcap; Ri 100%, night and machine harvested; fermented in s/s with no solids; RS 13 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Paleish lemongreen. Bouquet is pure and understated, implicitly varietal at this stage, a little vanillin and lime-zest only. Palate is neat, light and medium-dry, firm acid, like some Mosel trocken or halb-trocken wines in youth. The late aftertaste shows beautiful handling of phenolics. This score includes a considerable element of anticipation – give it a couple of years undisturbed. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15, noting the winemaker says 18 months (though to a peak). Be fun to check. GK 04/09
Paleish lemongreen. Bouquet is pure and understated, implicitly varietal at this stage, a little vanillin and lime-zest only. Palate is neat, light and medium-dry, firm acid, like some Mosel trocken or halb-trocken wines in youth. The late aftertaste shows beautiful handling of phenolics. This score includes a considerable element of anticipation – give it a couple of years undisturbed. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15, noting the winemaker says 18 months (though to a peak). Be fun to check. GK 04/09
Tavel, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $32 [ Gr 50%, Ci 30, clairette 10, Sy 5, others 5; average vine age 25 years; cropped 34 hL / ha; free-run juice, in s/s 6 months; 3300 cases; www.guigal.com ]
Light salmon-flushed rosé. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, suggesting strawberry jam (in the best sense) and raspberry, with a lovely drying spicy cinnamon note adding complexity and vinosity, classic grenache-dominated rosé. Palate is flavoursome, rich yet not heavy, very dry yet seemingly sweet-fruited, long in flavour. Perfect rosé, for all practical purposes. 'They' always say drink the youngest available, but wines like this cellar beautifully short term, just passing from spring to autumn berry flavours. Cellar 3 - 8 years, if desired. GK 07/05
Light salmon-flushed rosé. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, suggesting strawberry jam (in the best sense) and raspberry, with a lovely drying spicy cinnamon note adding complexity and vinosity, classic grenache-dominated rosé. Palate is flavoursome, rich yet not heavy, very dry yet seemingly sweet-fruited, long in flavour. Perfect rosé, for all practical purposes. 'They' always say drink the youngest available, but wines like this cellar beautifully short term, just passing from spring to autumn berry flavours. Cellar 3 - 8 years, if desired. GK 07/05
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork (superb 55 mm); price at release in New Zealand $37.50, cf an anticipated $390 for the 2005; Broadbent on the Rhone vintage: "a magnificent hot dry summer ... the red wines from both the north and the south were excellent, rich and concentrated with hard tannins which have softened with maturity."; www.jaboulet.com ]
Colour older ruby and garnet, lightening to a burgundy weight. Bouquet is simply beautiful, syrah combining the cassis of Bordeaux with some of the florals of Burgundy, as well as dianthus / carnations, and fresh white and black pepper, all melding into definitive piquant syrah mellowed into full maturity, yet still so fresh. Palate is firm in one sense (thinking of the claret analogy), yet soft in another, very fragrant, absolutely pure, still good fruit, wondrous with food, the acid balance fresh and refreshing throughout. Those who have scoffed at this great wine, and the tannins they claimed it would never outlive, simply showed their lack of experience with the magic that happens when tannic wines crust in bottle – as here. Fully mature, but no great hurry in the next 5, maybe 10 years. GK 03/08
Colour older ruby and garnet, lightening to a burgundy weight. Bouquet is simply beautiful, syrah combining the cassis of Bordeaux with some of the florals of Burgundy, as well as dianthus / carnations, and fresh white and black pepper, all melding into definitive piquant syrah mellowed into full maturity, yet still so fresh. Palate is firm in one sense (thinking of the claret analogy), yet soft in another, very fragrant, absolutely pure, still good fruit, wondrous with food, the acid balance fresh and refreshing throughout. Those who have scoffed at this great wine, and the tannins they claimed it would never outlive, simply showed their lack of experience with the magic that happens when tannic wines crust in bottle – as here. Fully mature, but no great hurry in the next 5, maybe 10 years. GK 03/08
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.5%; $71 [ screwcap; 100% clone mendoza hand-picked; non-settled juice BF in French oak 30% new, 100% MLF, LA and batonnage 10 months; dry; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Good lemon. This is the most distinctive chardonnay in this batch. Bouquet is richly varietal, complexed by the kind of charred oak note that Corbans were famous for in the Cottage Block series in the 1990s. At this stage that character is a little prominent, along with a high-solids note, suppressing subtleties somewhat. In mouth however, the rich golden queen peach fruit is of tactile richness, against firm acid balance and fine texture. The high alcohol seems better hidden than some previous examples of the label. The only caveat about the wine is, if you are not so keen on the faintly coal-tar char note, this mightn't be the one for you. It will marry into the mealy qualities, becoming nutty, in the way walnuts have a little bite to them. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Good lemon. This is the most distinctive chardonnay in this batch. Bouquet is richly varietal, complexed by the kind of charred oak note that Corbans were famous for in the Cottage Block series in the 1990s. At this stage that character is a little prominent, along with a high-solids note, suppressing subtleties somewhat. In mouth however, the rich golden queen peach fruit is of tactile richness, against firm acid balance and fine texture. The high alcohol seems better hidden than some previous examples of the label. The only caveat about the wine is, if you are not so keen on the faintly coal-tar char note, this mightn't be the one for you. It will marry into the mealy qualities, becoming nutty, in the way walnuts have a little bite to them. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $254 [ 100% new oak ]
Classic pinot noir ruby. A voluminous bouquet showing deep aromatic florals (boronia-like with faint citrus blossom) overlain by nearly cedary oak, on red and black cherries and small fruits. Palate has that perfect crunchy cherry texture which is so hard to put into words, but is the essence of pinot, power without weight, perfect acid balance, long and satisfying fruit, the richest of the Rousseaus, but not a big wine. Oaking is in better balance for this wine than some in the range. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/05
Classic pinot noir ruby. A voluminous bouquet showing deep aromatic florals (boronia-like with faint citrus blossom) overlain by nearly cedary oak, on red and black cherries and small fruits. Palate has that perfect crunchy cherry texture which is so hard to put into words, but is the essence of pinot, power without weight, perfect acid balance, long and satisfying fruit, the richest of the Rousseaus, but not a big wine. Oaking is in better balance for this wine than some in the range. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ clone mendoza; hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed; BF 100%, LA, partial MLF; www.sacredhill.com ]
Elegant lemon. A classic chardonnay bouquet, just a touch of barrel char, then lovely pale stonefruits, oatmeal and vinosity. Palate is succulent, so rich as to make one wonder if it is not bone dry, carefully oaked, subtler than the Te Awa, the flavours lingering as varietal for ages. Cellar to 10 years, but delicious now. GK 06/04
Elegant lemon. A classic chardonnay bouquet, just a touch of barrel char, then lovely pale stonefruits, oatmeal and vinosity. Palate is succulent, so rich as to make one wonder if it is not bone dry, carefully oaked, subtler than the Te Awa, the flavours lingering as varietal for ages. Cellar to 10 years, but delicious now. GK 06/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ BF and extended LA, 30% new French oak; nil MLF; www.teawafarm.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, fractionally deeper than the Trinity Gimblett. First impression is of absolute purity of mendoza-dominant chardonnay and beeswax characters, coupled with gorgeous golden queen peachy fruit. Complexity factors include mealy and hazelnutty suggestions, and careful oak, but the beauty of the fruit rules. In mouth the oak increases somewhat, but the peachy flavours are great, with excellent length on fruit plus lees autolysis mealiness, and this waxy texture of fine mendoza fruit. With no MLF, relatively subtle alcohol actually less than that stated, potentially mealy and nutty complexity, and finely-textured oaking, this should cellar for 10 years easily, and still be an interesting bottle in 20. As the similarly non-MLF McWilliams 1981 (Hawkes Bay) is today. Lovely wine. GK 07/04
Lemonstraw, fractionally deeper than the Trinity Gimblett. First impression is of absolute purity of mendoza-dominant chardonnay and beeswax characters, coupled with gorgeous golden queen peachy fruit. Complexity factors include mealy and hazelnutty suggestions, and careful oak, but the beauty of the fruit rules. In mouth the oak increases somewhat, but the peachy flavours are great, with excellent length on fruit plus lees autolysis mealiness, and this waxy texture of fine mendoza fruit. With no MLF, relatively subtle alcohol actually less than that stated, potentially mealy and nutty complexity, and finely-textured oaking, this should cellar for 10 years easily, and still be an interesting bottle in 20. As the similarly non-MLF McWilliams 1981 (Hawkes Bay) is today. Lovely wine. GK 07/04
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $237 [ cork; Sy 93%, Vi 7; a blend of 6 vineyards, average vine age 50 + years; 38 months in new French oak; WA / Parker, 2009: masculine-styled ... dense, concentrated, and powerful, with gamy black currant, spice box, bacon fat, and herb notes, this chewy, tannic, enormously promising ... two decades or more. (94-96); www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, lighter and older than the top wines. Great to record that this vintage of d'Ampuis shows much less brett than several recent vintages. The syrah varietal quality and in particular the florality of this wine matches beautifully with the top New Zealand wines, augmented by 7% viognier, showing yet again just how exciting syrah is in New Zealand. The ratio of new oak to rich cassisy fruit is higher than the subtlest of the top New Zealand wines, again more on a par with the latest Craggy Range wines, which makes for a long but drying aftertaste, yet it is sustained by the fruit richness. The acid balance is perfection, serving to highlight the harshness of wines with added tartaric. Some thought the wine too oaky, in the ensuing discussion. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, lighter and older than the top wines. Great to record that this vintage of d'Ampuis shows much less brett than several recent vintages. The syrah varietal quality and in particular the florality of this wine matches beautifully with the top New Zealand wines, augmented by 7% viognier, showing yet again just how exciting syrah is in New Zealand. The ratio of new oak to rich cassisy fruit is higher than the subtlest of the top New Zealand wines, again more on a par with the latest Craggy Range wines, which makes for a long but drying aftertaste, yet it is sustained by the fruit richness. The acid balance is perfection, serving to highlight the harshness of wines with added tartaric. Some thought the wine too oaky, in the ensuing discussion. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $499 [ cork; Sh 99%, CS 1; perhaps some barrel-ferment; 15 months in American hogsheads 100% new; even with the recent strength of the NZ$, Grange has been increasing in price about 15% per annum for some years now, reflecting continuing strong American demand; Robinson: Balanced and poised even in its extreme youth. Savoury, dense but very smooth tannins, which also contribute freshness. Not yet very expressive though it has bags of sweet black fruit in the mid palate; quite primary. Incredible savoury blackness. 18.5; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, not the carmine of RWT or le Sol, reflecting more new-oak influence, but very dense, the second darkest wine of the tasting. Bouquet is intense, showing marvellous berry and a lot of fragrant oak, and all in a very fresh style (for Grange). The berry is not 'brown' as so many Penfolds top reds can be in lesser years. Aroma descriptors do not quite embrace the floral components essential to great syrah, as in le Sol, Block 14, or the top northern Rhone syrahs such as the Guigals in this tasting, thus reflecting a relatively hotter growing climate for Grange, even in a 'cool' year. Even so, there is superb cassis and darkest plum of great freshness and intensity. Palate introduces blueberry into a velvety fruit weight on palate which is magnificent in mouth (if one disregards the excessive oak), and much less raisined than many Granges have been. It is as rich as the Guigal Hermitage Ex Voto, showing just how incredible that wine is – to be of similar size to Grange is saying something about a French wine ! The Voto however shows how oak should be used. Notwithstanding the lavish oak, this is the finest and subtlest Grange I have tasted. It is much oakier than le Sol, needless to say, and clearly more concentrated. The two wines differ quite markedly, yet nett quality is comparable – see discussion under le Sol. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, not the carmine of RWT or le Sol, reflecting more new-oak influence, but very dense, the second darkest wine of the tasting. Bouquet is intense, showing marvellous berry and a lot of fragrant oak, and all in a very fresh style (for Grange). The berry is not 'brown' as so many Penfolds top reds can be in lesser years. Aroma descriptors do not quite embrace the floral components essential to great syrah, as in le Sol, Block 14, or the top northern Rhone syrahs such as the Guigals in this tasting, thus reflecting a relatively hotter growing climate for Grange, even in a 'cool' year. Even so, there is superb cassis and darkest plum of great freshness and intensity. Palate introduces blueberry into a velvety fruit weight on palate which is magnificent in mouth (if one disregards the excessive oak), and much less raisined than many Granges have been. It is as rich as the Guigal Hermitage Ex Voto, showing just how incredible that wine is – to be of similar size to Grange is saying something about a French wine ! The Voto however shows how oak should be used. Notwithstanding the lavish oak, this is the finest and subtlest Grange I have tasted. It is much oakier than le Sol, needless to say, and clearly more concentrated. The two wines differ quite markedly, yet nett quality is comparable – see discussion under le Sol. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 06/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; 18 months in French & American oak, 60% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great density. This quietly-spoken but giant-sized velvety red was written up in these reviews 12/04, 18.5 (q.v.). In this blind tasting of 25 cabernet, merlot and related wines, it showed up absolutely consistently. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great density. This quietly-spoken but giant-sized velvety red was written up in these reviews 12/04, 18.5 (q.v.). In this blind tasting of 25 cabernet, merlot and related wines, it showed up absolutely consistently. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; Me 70%, CS 17, Ma 13; hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; 22 months in French oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not the density and weight of the ’02 Reserve wine or the Craggys in this batch. Bouquet however is every bit as delightful. Like the Craggy Gimblett Merlot, it is not so serious and oak-influenced, but in many ways it is the better for that, allowing the fruit to shine through. In mouth the clarity of cassis and the beauty of the merlot black plum is marvellous. With the lighter oak, the wine is all one could ask of a top cru bourgeois or even a lesser classed growth. It won't cellar as long as the more expensive reserve wines, since it is not quite as rich, but it is at least as delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but not the density and weight of the ’02 Reserve wine or the Craggys in this batch. Bouquet however is every bit as delightful. Like the Craggy Gimblett Merlot, it is not so serious and oak-influenced, but in many ways it is the better for that, allowing the fruit to shine through. In mouth the clarity of cassis and the beauty of the merlot black plum is marvellous. With the lighter oak, the wine is all one could ask of a top cru bourgeois or even a lesser classed growth. It won't cellar as long as the more expensive reserve wines, since it is not quite as rich, but it is at least as delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 04/06
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13%; $24 [ screwcap; the label of Michelle Richardson, formerly chief winemaker at Villa Maria, noted for her rieslings; Robinson: just 4g/l residual sugar so tasting almost bone dry, the balance seems just about right for this refreshing, lightly floral, quite Germanic, ‘cool’ wine which will have an interesting life in bottle. Quite complex. 17.5 ]
Lemon, between the Fromm and the MadFish. Bouquet on this wine is intriguing, clearly riesling yet in the vanilla-pod intensity is a hint of something else, in the nougat / desiccated coconut spectrum. In mouth the flavours reflect the bouquet, great dry extract, some reminders of Mosel trocken style, a little sweeter than the MadFish, lime-zest again. A distinctive style, which should cellar well 5 – 10 + years. GK 08/06
Lemon, between the Fromm and the MadFish. Bouquet on this wine is intriguing, clearly riesling yet in the vanilla-pod intensity is a hint of something else, in the nougat / desiccated coconut spectrum. In mouth the flavours reflect the bouquet, great dry extract, some reminders of Mosel trocken style, a little sweeter than the MadFish, lime-zest again. A distinctive style, which should cellar well 5 – 10 + years. GK 08/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Ma 100%; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Tasted blind amongst a batch of Chilean malbecs, this NZ wine is perfectly ripe, dispelling the notion malbec can't be ripened properly in New Zealand. There is intense darkly plummy berry like merlot, but with an aromatic edge to it reminding of black olives and syrah. Plus a lot of hessian new oak. Palate is velvety rich, tending one-dimensional in the style of malbec, but again, beautifully ripe. One can see in this very good wine why it is nonetheless regarded as second rate in Bordeaux, for there is a certain monolithic quality to the fruit flavours. On the world stage this is internationally competitive top-level malbec, as rich or richer than any of the Viu Manent (Chile) wines, and subtler in its oaking, even though the Villa wine is scarcely low oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Tasted blind amongst a batch of Chilean malbecs, this NZ wine is perfectly ripe, dispelling the notion malbec can't be ripened properly in New Zealand. There is intense darkly plummy berry like merlot, but with an aromatic edge to it reminding of black olives and syrah. Plus a lot of hessian new oak. Palate is velvety rich, tending one-dimensional in the style of malbec, but again, beautifully ripe. One can see in this very good wine why it is nonetheless regarded as second rate in Bordeaux, for there is a certain monolithic quality to the fruit flavours. On the world stage this is internationally competitive top-level malbec, as rich or richer than any of the Viu Manent (Chile) wines, and subtler in its oaking, even though the Villa wine is scarcely low oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels 92% & Bridge Pa Triangle 8, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $49 [ cork 50mm; Me 77%, CS 23, mostly hand-picked the cabernet c.3 weeks later than the merlot (just before the rain); cuvaison mostly in oak cuves extended to 35 days for some components; c.20 months in all-French oak c.60% new, balance 1-year, with no BF or lees stirring, just racking; not fined or filtered; RS < 2 g/L all unfermentable; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. At this point in the two-hour tutorial, with eight component wines done, it is time to both examine and enjoy a couple of complete blends, wines which illustrate the great potential Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island mentioned too, not forgotten) has for world-class temperate-climate (i.e. complex) bordeaux blends. For this Church Road example, freshly poured the vanillin component from new oak was stronger than my earlier review suggested, but the fruit richness on bouquet is powerful too. Flavour shows a young wine of great fruit interest and complexity, still young and yet to meld. The oak makes it a little more aromatic than ideal at this stage, but the plummy merlot-led berryfruit is convincing. Lovely young wine to cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour. At this point in the two-hour tutorial, with eight component wines done, it is time to both examine and enjoy a couple of complete blends, wines which illustrate the great potential Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island mentioned too, not forgotten) has for world-class temperate-climate (i.e. complex) bordeaux blends. For this Church Road example, freshly poured the vanillin component from new oak was stronger than my earlier review suggested, but the fruit richness on bouquet is powerful too. Flavour shows a young wine of great fruit interest and complexity, still young and yet to meld. The oak makes it a little more aromatic than ideal at this stage, but the plummy merlot-led berryfruit is convincing. Lovely young wine to cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $26 [ cork; details not [then] on website; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much denser than the Block 14 Syrah. Bouquet is a whole size larger than the Block 14, a little boisterous in its youth, but much subtler and finer than the 2003. Darkest black doris plums dominate the bouquet, with almost a blackberry-in-the-sun berry fragrance and richness. Behind the oak there are real merlot violets and florals in this wine, which should emerge further as it marries down. Palate shows sensational fruit, wonderfully rich, explicitly varietal despite the oak and alcohol, inclining to the 'garagiste' new wave wine styles of St Emilion and Pomerol. Acid balance is fine-grained and natural – and quite apart from the floral and varietal fruit quality, this is where Kiwi merlot triumphs, and the Australian examples languish – the latter too hard, hot-climate, acid adjusted and coarse. This wine, in contrast, will be velvety in five years. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much denser than the Block 14 Syrah. Bouquet is a whole size larger than the Block 14, a little boisterous in its youth, but much subtler and finer than the 2003. Darkest black doris plums dominate the bouquet, with almost a blackberry-in-the-sun berry fragrance and richness. Behind the oak there are real merlot violets and florals in this wine, which should emerge further as it marries down. Palate shows sensational fruit, wonderfully rich, explicitly varietal despite the oak and alcohol, inclining to the 'garagiste' new wave wine styles of St Emilion and Pomerol. Acid balance is fine-grained and natural – and quite apart from the floral and varietal fruit quality, this is where Kiwi merlot triumphs, and the Australian examples languish – the latter too hard, hot-climate, acid adjusted and coarse. This wine, in contrast, will be velvety in five years. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Mendocino, California, USA: 14.2%; $ – [ cork; US$55; clones 114, 115, 667, 777 & Pommard, age 12 years; 100% de-stemmed, 5 – 8 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 22 days cuvaison; 15 months in French oak 50% new; no fining, no filtration; www.littorai.com ]
Deepish ruby, some velvet, in the deepest three for depth of colour, about a max for pinot noir. Bouquet is immediately big, velvety, fragrant, very deep so at first one asks: is this another over-extracted hefty new world misinterpretation of pinot noir. But exploring further, and with a little air, there is a darkest roses / violets floral-like lift to the fruit, and there are dark cherry notes, so dark they seem almost raisined, but not roasted. On palate the wine completely redeems itself, rich fruit of great poise, saturated black cherry flavours with tannins as much from grape skins as oak, and the wine not unduly dominated either by the fragrant oak or alcohol. Yes, it is very big as pinot noirs go, and some tasters felt it was excessively oaky as well, but it is strictly varietal in a blackfruits style, and has the mouthfeel and structure of grand cru burgundy of a very ripe year, plus good acid balance. I think it has the fruit and dry extract to absorb the oak. There must have been grand cru burgundies something like this, in some of the ‘great’ vintages of the past – 1959, 1949, 1945 (or earlier, though not much new oak in those days). It should be a top-notch bottle in 5 years, and cellar for 15 +. It would not however appeal to those who prefer a dominance of red fruits in their pinots. GK 06/07
Deepish ruby, some velvet, in the deepest three for depth of colour, about a max for pinot noir. Bouquet is immediately big, velvety, fragrant, very deep so at first one asks: is this another over-extracted hefty new world misinterpretation of pinot noir. But exploring further, and with a little air, there is a darkest roses / violets floral-like lift to the fruit, and there are dark cherry notes, so dark they seem almost raisined, but not roasted. On palate the wine completely redeems itself, rich fruit of great poise, saturated black cherry flavours with tannins as much from grape skins as oak, and the wine not unduly dominated either by the fragrant oak or alcohol. Yes, it is very big as pinot noirs go, and some tasters felt it was excessively oaky as well, but it is strictly varietal in a blackfruits style, and has the mouthfeel and structure of grand cru burgundy of a very ripe year, plus good acid balance. I think it has the fruit and dry extract to absorb the oak. There must have been grand cru burgundies something like this, in some of the ‘great’ vintages of the past – 1959, 1949, 1945 (or earlier, though not much new oak in those days). It should be a top-notch bottle in 5 years, and cellar for 15 +. It would not however appeal to those who prefer a dominance of red fruits in their pinots. GK 06/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $30 [ super-critical 'cork'; Me 61%, Ma 21, PV 11, CF 5, CS 2, hand-picked @ c. 2.75 t/ac; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 20 months in French oak c. 40% new; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the top two. As for the previous sampling, in the blind tasting this wine opened with a lovely aromatic component on the cassis just hinting at syrah, very fragrant indeed. Palate is closer to The Quarry than the Church Road, and not as rich as the latter but clearly aromatic and cassisy. It is surprisingly firm for a merlot-dominant wine, and a little richer and riper than Coleraine 2005. Like the 2006 Quarry, a warm-climate taster might think it a little too fresh. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the top two. As for the previous sampling, in the blind tasting this wine opened with a lovely aromatic component on the cassis just hinting at syrah, very fragrant indeed. Palate is closer to The Quarry than the Church Road, and not as rich as the latter but clearly aromatic and cassisy. It is surprisingly firm for a merlot-dominant wine, and a little richer and riper than Coleraine 2005. Like the 2006 Quarry, a warm-climate taster might think it a little too fresh. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Mt Barker, Western Australia, Australia: 14%; $36 [ cork; DFB; made at the Porongurup contract winery, using Ganimede Italian fermenters which cycle the juice over the skins using the CO2 produced in fermentation. Their reputation is to produce more colour and a softer and more aromatic wine - www.porongurup-winery.com.au; Xabregas is the volume label of Traolach; www.xabregas.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, as rich as the other top wines, but older than the 2002 Esk. Bouquet is intriguing, different, clearly floral on a very fragrant berry style even more like a traditional St Emilion. There are fragrant red currant qualities suggesting cabernet franc, as well as cassis, all in appropriate oak, and glory be, no euc. Palate is aromatic, good berry and fruit again distinctive in its fragrance, with some charry dark chocolate oak on the rich later palate. This is a lovely rich modern Bordeaux style, but one wouldn't pick it as straight cabernet sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby and velvet, as rich as the other top wines, but older than the 2002 Esk. Bouquet is intriguing, different, clearly floral on a very fragrant berry style even more like a traditional St Emilion. There are fragrant red currant qualities suggesting cabernet franc, as well as cassis, all in appropriate oak, and glory be, no euc. Palate is aromatic, good berry and fruit again distinctive in its fragrance, with some charry dark chocolate oak on the rich later palate. This is a lovely rich modern Bordeaux style, but one wouldn't pick it as straight cabernet sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed to barrel; wild-yeast ferments; no MLF, 8 months LA but no batonnage in French oak 30 – 40% new and balance 1-year; RS <1g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemon-straw, with a wash of brass. There is intriguing variation in the nature of the fruit in these three examples of Sauvage, the 2005 showing a slightly cooler rendering of sauvignon blanc than the 2007, with slightly more Marlborough cues: sweet basil and yellow as well as red capsicums, plus the same elevage complexities the younger two wines show. Palate brings up the fruit qualities to show beautiful richness and texture, clear baguette-quality yeast autolysis, oak now attractively married away. It is not quite as perfectly ripe as the 2007, and is at the beginning of full maturity now. It will cellar for several years more, but not as long as the 2007. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw, with a wash of brass. There is intriguing variation in the nature of the fruit in these three examples of Sauvage, the 2005 showing a slightly cooler rendering of sauvignon blanc than the 2007, with slightly more Marlborough cues: sweet basil and yellow as well as red capsicums, plus the same elevage complexities the younger two wines show. Palate brings up the fruit qualities to show beautiful richness and texture, clear baguette-quality yeast autolysis, oak now attractively married away. It is not quite as perfectly ripe as the 2007, and is at the beginning of full maturity now. It will cellar for several years more, but not as long as the 2007. GK 10/10
Pisa, Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $41 [ screwcap; oldest vines 15 years; nil whole bunch; c.12 months in French oak, 33% new; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Tending big pinot noir ruby, one of the darker wines, slightly older naturally enough than the 2010s. Initially opened, this is the most elegant young pinot from Pisa Range in some time. Even so it is better still with some air. Like the Mount Difficulty, there are clear dark cherry aromas with beautiful florality, here more violets and dark roses, not quite so aromatic. Fruit shows excellent richness, yet is poised and neat, again no heavyness, great persistence, slightly more noticeable oak than the Mount Difficulty. This too is a first-rate example of Otago pinot noir to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Tending big pinot noir ruby, one of the darker wines, slightly older naturally enough than the 2010s. Initially opened, this is the most elegant young pinot from Pisa Range in some time. Even so it is better still with some air. Like the Mount Difficulty, there are clear dark cherry aromas with beautiful florality, here more violets and dark roses, not quite so aromatic. Fruit shows excellent richness, yet is poised and neat, again no heavyness, great persistence, slightly more noticeable oak than the Mount Difficulty. This too is a first-rate example of Otago pinot noir to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $17 [ screwcap; 2005 not on website, 2004 11.3 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Purity of bouquet on this riesling matches the Felton Road and Coopers, and the varietal characters are similar but not quite at the same volume: white florals and freesia, vanilla pod, and citrus including lime. Palate is neatly pitched between the two, gorgeous flavours, a little richer than the Coopers, low phenolics, medium-dry, another classical New Zealand riesling. Great to have this quality in the basic wine of the Villa Maria range, and at an appropriate alcohol. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Pale lemongreen. Purity of bouquet on this riesling matches the Felton Road and Coopers, and the varietal characters are similar but not quite at the same volume: white florals and freesia, vanilla pod, and citrus including lime. Palate is neatly pitched between the two, gorgeous flavours, a little richer than the Coopers, low phenolics, medium-dry, another classical New Zealand riesling. Great to have this quality in the basic wine of the Villa Maria range, and at an appropriate alcohol. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $19 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; some LA, no oak, no MLF ]
Elegant pale lemon. Clean ripe complex sauvignon fruit, ripest red capsicum, black passionfruit, stone fruits, and a hint of herbes. Palate is beautifully rich, the flavours at a peak of integration and lusciousness, yet drier than most Marlborough sauvignons. There is lees-autolysis complexity and mineral austerity too, the latter said to characterise the Awatere Valley, versus the Wairau district. This wine has come together marvellously in the last two months. Cellar to 10 years, to taste. GK 02/06
Elegant pale lemon. Clean ripe complex sauvignon fruit, ripest red capsicum, black passionfruit, stone fruits, and a hint of herbes. Palate is beautifully rich, the flavours at a peak of integration and lusciousness, yet drier than most Marlborough sauvignons. There is lees-autolysis complexity and mineral austerity too, the latter said to characterise the Awatere Valley, versus the Wairau district. This wine has come together marvellously in the last two months. Cellar to 10 years, to taste. GK 02/06
Penedes DdO, Spain: 11.5%; $18 [ cork; Me 35%, Ull de Llebre = Te 35, Sy 20, Sumoll 10; RS 1.3 g/L; the back-label website www.stvincentscave.com is not functional, the winery website cumbersome; www.canrafolsdelscaus.com ]
Perfect light red cherry rosé. Bouquet is fragrant, immediately enticing, combining red crab-apple, red cherry and best side of strawberry with absolute cleanliness. Palate is just as good, flavoursome yet light, superbly refreshing at 11.5% alcohol and dry, yet showing the lovely mouthfeel of real rosé, tasting as if made with red grapes. Model in fact marvellous quaffing wine, clearly winey, confirming yet again rosé is NOT best in its first year, despite much conventional wisdom to the contrary. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/08
Perfect light red cherry rosé. Bouquet is fragrant, immediately enticing, combining red crab-apple, red cherry and best side of strawberry with absolute cleanliness. Palate is just as good, flavoursome yet light, superbly refreshing at 11.5% alcohol and dry, yet showing the lovely mouthfeel of real rosé, tasting as if made with red grapes. Model in fact marvellous quaffing wine, clearly winey, confirming yet again rosé is NOT best in its first year, despite much conventional wisdom to the contrary. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; the young wine seemed a little on the plummy side of black cherry, but as already noted, this vintage was enthusiastically received. 2012 impressions will be intriguing. Campbell 2008, 93: Strong sweet red cherry, plum and wild thyme characters. A plumper wine than the usual more restrained Felton Road style. But attractive with good complexity, nicely balanced and still with potential; www.feltonroad.com ]
Mature ruby, a rich and lovely pinot noir colour at 10 years, in the middle for weight. Needs decanting preferably into a decanter or other vessel with a good surface-to-air ratio, and standing for an hour. Bouquet is then the most floral, fragrant and complexly varietal in the set, with clear boronia, violets and rose notes on cherry fruit. In mouth the cherries are more black than red, and the charm of the wine is in the gentle oaking, so the fruit quality speaks right through to the rich aftertaste. This wine represents the very best of Otago pinot noir styles, it is distinctively new world yet also clearly burgundian in a vaguely Cote de Nuits way, and it is generally a delight. In a temperate climate cellar it is still remarkably fresh, now at a peak of early maturity, which it will hold for several years. Northern North Island New Zealand bottles will be older. GK 10/12
Mature ruby, a rich and lovely pinot noir colour at 10 years, in the middle for weight. Needs decanting preferably into a decanter or other vessel with a good surface-to-air ratio, and standing for an hour. Bouquet is then the most floral, fragrant and complexly varietal in the set, with clear boronia, violets and rose notes on cherry fruit. In mouth the cherries are more black than red, and the charm of the wine is in the gentle oaking, so the fruit quality speaks right through to the rich aftertaste. This wine represents the very best of Otago pinot noir styles, it is distinctively new world yet also clearly burgundian in a vaguely Cote de Nuits way, and it is generally a delight. In a temperate climate cellar it is still remarkably fresh, now at a peak of early maturity, which it will hold for several years. Northern North Island New Zealand bottles will be older. GK 10/12
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $42 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 40; in addition to s/s, part of base wine either fermented in oak cuves, or BF in oak; full MLF, 9 months LA after primary ferment, then after assembling, 3 years en tirage; RS / dosage c. 7g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Straw. Bouquet is in a big rich Bollinger style, implying pinot noir as much as chardonnay, and a little barrel fermentation and oak maturation in the first fermentation. There is exemplary baguette crust autolysis on quite rich fruit. Palate matches bouquet, mouth-filling with good body, and both baguette crust and wine biscuit near-mealyness from extended yeast maturation, all lingering long in mouth and wonderful with savoury foods. This is the living proof of why one should cellar (good) bubbly. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Straw. Bouquet is in a big rich Bollinger style, implying pinot noir as much as chardonnay, and a little barrel fermentation and oak maturation in the first fermentation. There is exemplary baguette crust autolysis on quite rich fruit. Palate matches bouquet, mouth-filling with good body, and both baguette crust and wine biscuit near-mealyness from extended yeast maturation, all lingering long in mouth and wonderful with savoury foods. This is the living proof of why one should cellar (good) bubbly. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ 24+ degrees Brix, all de-stemmed; mostly wild yeast, warm-fermented in concrete open-top vessels, c. 30 days cuvaison; MLF and c. 20 months in French oak 30% new; RS <1g/L; Catalogue: very fragrant exhibiting characteristics of plums, dark fruits, pepper, camphor and sandalwood and can be cellared with confidence for at least 8 years. Awards: Top 5 in class, Winestate 2008; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the top wines. Bouquet on this wine is as explicitly floral varietal as the Church Road, clear dianthus and wallflower on cassis and black fruits. Palate is not quite as rich as that wine or the Mission Syrah Reserve, but is even more varietal, with beautiful black peppercorn spice. It is rounder than the Villa – not quite so fresh. This wine is really starting to sing. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the top wines. Bouquet on this wine is as explicitly floral varietal as the Church Road, clear dianthus and wallflower on cassis and black fruits. Palate is not quite as rich as that wine or the Mission Syrah Reserve, but is even more varietal, with beautiful black peppercorn spice. It is rounder than the Villa – not quite so fresh. This wine is really starting to sing. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Cornerstone Vineyard, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $65 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from vines planted in 1996, de-stemmed; total wild-yeast and wild-malo fermentation, no enzyme, no tannin, and cuvaison extending to 35 days; MLF and c.21 months in French oak 25% new, with 2-weekly lees stirring but no racking; total production < 300 cases, release date late 2009; Catalogue: not in; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is a gentler wine than the 2006 Reserve wine, the initial impression being blueberries, softness and florality like the Craggy Range Block 14. In mouth, there is likewise a total Cote Rotie-like presentation of syrah, the emphasis on florality and suppleness, much less stern than the young wines of Hermitage can be, and which the Church Road Reserve shows to perfection. The fruit richness is superb, a rich backbone of cassis plus bottled black doris plum and black pepper, and more oak at this stage than the Block 14. I suspect this gloriously traditional and ‘natural’ wine will score higher in a year or two. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is a gentler wine than the 2006 Reserve wine, the initial impression being blueberries, softness and florality like the Craggy Range Block 14. In mouth, there is likewise a total Cote Rotie-like presentation of syrah, the emphasis on florality and suppleness, much less stern than the young wines of Hermitage can be, and which the Church Road Reserve shows to perfection. The fruit richness is superb, a rich backbone of cassis plus bottled black doris plum and black pepper, and more oak at this stage than the Block 14. I suspect this gloriously traditional and ‘natural’ wine will score higher in a year or two. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ supercritical cork; 100% mendoza from 21 years old vines; hand-picked, bunch-pressed; 100% BF in 50% new oak, LA and batonnage 12 months; 15% MLF; www.stonecroft.co.nz ]
Good lemon. Alongside the two South Island wines, this is a little more oaky and boisterous. The depth of golden peachy mendoza fruit is excellent, however, and there is a big baguette crust autolysis complexing it. Palate is rich and waxy, with long peachy fruit extended by the autolysis and by oak. Classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay in a bigger style. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Good lemon. Alongside the two South Island wines, this is a little more oaky and boisterous. The depth of golden peachy mendoza fruit is excellent, however, and there is a big baguette crust autolysis complexing it. Palate is rich and waxy, with long peachy fruit extended by the autolysis and by oak. Classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay in a bigger style. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $209 [ Cork 46mm, ullage 26mm; original price c.$40; CS 53%, Sh 47; elevage 13 months in US oak c.20% new, c. 65% 1-year including some ex-Grange, balance older; JH@ JR, 2009: Vanilla sweetness and some peppery spice over dark savoury rich black fruit. Dominated by oak at the moment. Not ready to drink. Very sweet oak covers the fruit at the moment. A grip of tannin. A bit thick even though smooth. Less finesse in the tannins than the 2004 Grange but quite juicy, 17.5; H. Steiman@WS, 2007: Velvety in texture, with refined tannins surrounding a plush core of currant, huckleberry and peppery spice flavors that linger effortlessly on the finish. Best from 2008 through 2016. 27,000 cases imported, 90; weight bottle and closure: 598 g; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth. A voluminous bouquet augmented by a little spirit, and a pennyroyal lift, the cabernet component dominant at this stage of the wine’s evolution, quite a cassisy quality. On palate oak becomes noticeable, but the berry quality is so good, it just makes the wine intensely aromatic. As with Bin 60A, shiraz fills out and sweetens the palate, the wine building into a very aromatic mouthful. Only on the finish does the Penfolds preoccupation with pH show up, the tartaric addition being noticeable. All the same, this is an exceptionally flavoursome and harmonious 389, reminding of some offerings in the 1970s. A pity Penfolds were still skimping on corks in 2004, 46 mm, for what is a 50 year wine. Top wine for one taster, and second favourite for another. Cellar 15 – 35 years. GK 04/21
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth. A voluminous bouquet augmented by a little spirit, and a pennyroyal lift, the cabernet component dominant at this stage of the wine’s evolution, quite a cassisy quality. On palate oak becomes noticeable, but the berry quality is so good, it just makes the wine intensely aromatic. As with Bin 60A, shiraz fills out and sweetens the palate, the wine building into a very aromatic mouthful. Only on the finish does the Penfolds preoccupation with pH show up, the tartaric addition being noticeable. All the same, this is an exceptionally flavoursome and harmonious 389, reminding of some offerings in the 1970s. A pity Penfolds were still skimping on corks in 2004, 46 mm, for what is a 50 year wine. Top wine for one taster, and second favourite for another. Cellar 15 – 35 years. GK 04/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 56%, Me 44, hand-harvested @ around 2.75 t/ac; vinified @ Mangere, 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation, with a longer cuvaison than the Merlot Reserve; MLF and 18 months in French and American oak 46% new; RS nil; Catalogue: Creme de cassis, bitter dark chocolate, coffee grindings, dried mint and graphite flow seamlessly from the nose to the palate. The palate is well structured with fine-grained tannins, concentrated, but with an overall elegance that is rare when coupled with this intensity. Anticipated maturity 2013-2018; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is deep and quiet, with a beautiful quality of floral-infused cassis, which is exactly modern Bordeaux from a classical producer. By that I mean, a wine which is not over-ripe, not over-oaky, is free from brett, but is still essentially aimed at European ideals of beauty. The floral notes are sweetly violets and dusky red roses. Palate is leaner than the top wines, but the quality of the cassis is superb, merlot plums still to fatten, and the body of the wine is floral right through. This is a delightful Hawkes Bay wine, not overly big but very beautiful indeed, unequivocally Bordeaux classed-growth standard. It is almost ‘delicate’ alongside the 2007 Church Rd Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, but then many a good Bordeaux would be too. This Villa Maria Reserve is simply an equally valid and equally exciting interpretation of the classic Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is deep and quiet, with a beautiful quality of floral-infused cassis, which is exactly modern Bordeaux from a classical producer. By that I mean, a wine which is not over-ripe, not over-oaky, is free from brett, but is still essentially aimed at European ideals of beauty. The floral notes are sweetly violets and dusky red roses. Palate is leaner than the top wines, but the quality of the cassis is superb, merlot plums still to fatten, and the body of the wine is floral right through. This is a delightful Hawkes Bay wine, not overly big but very beautiful indeed, unequivocally Bordeaux classed-growth standard. It is almost ‘delicate’ alongside the 2007 Church Rd Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, but then many a good Bordeaux would be too. This Villa Maria Reserve is simply an equally valid and equally exciting interpretation of the classic Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $83 [ cork; 33% BF in new French oak, 67% s/s, 100% MLF; www.guigal.com ]
Lemon-straw. If one prefers beauty and varietal elegance over size and oak, this is the best Guigal Condrieu for several years. Varietal fruit clearly dominates the oak this year, with clear-cut citrus blossom very evocative. Fruit notes on bouquet include both suggestions of mandarin and explicit apricots ranging from fresh to canned. Palate is much subtler in its oaking than recent years, and the wine is admirably fresh, as if this year a percentage stayed in stainless steel without MLF. Not a big or rich wine, but a beautiful illustration of all the yellow-tinged floral and fruit notes which make good viogniers so distinctive. New Zealand producers of pallid pinot gris-like viogniers need to study wines like this, and accept the facts, that this variety needs warmth on a warmest Hawkes Bay and best sites on Waiheke Island scale, if the grape is to display appropriate varietal smells and flavours. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw. If one prefers beauty and varietal elegance over size and oak, this is the best Guigal Condrieu for several years. Varietal fruit clearly dominates the oak this year, with clear-cut citrus blossom very evocative. Fruit notes on bouquet include both suggestions of mandarin and explicit apricots ranging from fresh to canned. Palate is much subtler in its oaking than recent years, and the wine is admirably fresh, as if this year a percentage stayed in stainless steel without MLF. Not a big or rich wine, but a beautiful illustration of all the yellow-tinged floral and fruit notes which make good viogniers so distinctive. New Zealand producers of pallid pinot gris-like viogniers need to study wines like this, and accept the facts, that this variety needs warmth on a warmest Hawkes Bay and best sites on Waiheke Island scale, if the grape is to display appropriate varietal smells and flavours. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 10/10
Flagey-Echezeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $340 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; adjoins Clos de Vougeot, upslope; no detail on website, but presumably comparable with other grands crus; www.drouhin.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little above midway in depth, clearly oak-influenced. Freshly poured, this wine was darkly floral, a little withdrawn, with clear black cherry fruit. With air it expanded into a deep dark yet still understated wine, perhaps the most tannic and skinsy of the set, with some dark plum too – very marcy. To the extent Drouhin reds could ever be 'heavy', this one tends that way (that is not a euphemism for being reductive). Palate richness for these dark fruits is excellent. In five years time it will justify its score – at the moment it is little anticipatory. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/07
Good pinot noir ruby, a little above midway in depth, clearly oak-influenced. Freshly poured, this wine was darkly floral, a little withdrawn, with clear black cherry fruit. With air it expanded into a deep dark yet still understated wine, perhaps the most tannic and skinsy of the set, with some dark plum too – very marcy. To the extent Drouhin reds could ever be 'heavy', this one tends that way (that is not a euphemism for being reductive). Palate richness for these dark fruits is excellent. In five years time it will justify its score – at the moment it is little anticipatory. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 12/07
Kumeu River, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; see 2010 Hunting Hill; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lively straw, the deepest of the Kumeu chardonnays. After all the young wines, what a pleasure to smell and taste a wine with some maturity. Here there is an element of biscuitty complexity creeping into the stonefruit, and no negatives from reduction. Palate is delightful, beautiful fully mature chardonnay surely including some clone mendoza, golden queen and other peaches, oatmeal, gentle oak, lovely balance and length. Eminently drinkable and poised wine, mature now, yet will cellar three years yet. GK 04/13
Lively straw, the deepest of the Kumeu chardonnays. After all the young wines, what a pleasure to smell and taste a wine with some maturity. Here there is an element of biscuitty complexity creeping into the stonefruit, and no negatives from reduction. Palate is delightful, beautiful fully mature chardonnay surely including some clone mendoza, golden queen and other peaches, oatmeal, gentle oak, lovely balance and length. Eminently drinkable and poised wine, mature now, yet will cellar three years yet. GK 04/13
Gimblett Gravels (Me & CS) and Havelock North (CF), Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; CS 41%, Me 31, CF 18, all hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed; 21 separate fermentation components, up to 38 days cuvaison for the CS; MLF and 16 months in French oak 40% new; not fined or filtered; Catalogue: classic blackcurrant and dark forest berry characters with complex savoury nuances; Awards: Silver @ Liquorland Top 100 2008, Silver @ Air New Zealand 2008; background @ www.corbans.co.nz, leads to detail @; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com//tastingnotes.php? ]
Ruby and velvet, dense, the same richness as the 2007 but clearly older. Bouquet on this wine shows some of the integration and completeness the 2005 Tom shows, being beautifully complex and Bordeaux / Medoc like, with gorgeous cedar and cassis, as well as gentleness. Palate is not quite as good as that wine however, the weight of fruit being more cru bourgeois whereas the bouquet promised more, but the subtlety of oaking and Medoc totality of style is delightful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet, dense, the same richness as the 2007 but clearly older. Bouquet on this wine shows some of the integration and completeness the 2005 Tom shows, being beautifully complex and Bordeaux / Medoc like, with gorgeous cedar and cassis, as well as gentleness. Palate is not quite as good as that wine however, the weight of fruit being more cru bourgeois whereas the bouquet promised more, but the subtlety of oaking and Medoc totality of style is delightful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap ]
Lemongreen. A lovely fragrant sauvignon bouquet, which in addition to red capsicum and black passionfruit, has a suggestion of subtle cucumber which is delightful at a trace level. This wine has more body than most sauvignons, a richness on palate which could suggest a small percentage of barrel ferment, subtly done (if true). Delicious, anyway ! Should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. GK 01/05
Lemongreen. A lovely fragrant sauvignon bouquet, which in addition to red capsicum and black passionfruit, has a suggestion of subtle cucumber which is delightful at a trace level. This wine has more body than most sauvignons, a richness on palate which could suggest a small percentage of barrel ferment, subtly done (if true). Delicious, anyway ! Should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. GK 01/05
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $535 [ cork; Sy 89%, Vi 11, co-fermented; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, nearly richest pinot noir, the lightest of the grands crus. I admire the florality of La Mouline, and the fragrant and sensuous charm it displays with 11% viognier. Those many New Zealand winemakers who are too timid to deploy more than 5% viognier in their syrah blends really need to think again, and try La Mouline more often (and John Hancock's 2007 Homage with 9% viognier). And in any case, what is wrong with presenting two premium syrahs, one straight wine emulating Hermitage, and one with viognier emulating Cote Rotie. Though with Australia hell-bent on devaluing the concept of Shiraz / Viognier to the lowest common denominator level, perhaps any premium offering is now best simply labelled as Syrah. Palate shares much with pinot noir, but is so much richer. In the Guigal range, the Brune & Blonde is the closest match, but a fraction the weight. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Ruby, nearly richest pinot noir, the lightest of the grands crus. I admire the florality of La Mouline, and the fragrant and sensuous charm it displays with 11% viognier. Those many New Zealand winemakers who are too timid to deploy more than 5% viognier in their syrah blends really need to think again, and try La Mouline more often (and John Hancock's 2007 Homage with 9% viognier). And in any case, what is wrong with presenting two premium syrahs, one straight wine emulating Hermitage, and one with viognier emulating Cote Rotie. Though with Australia hell-bent on devaluing the concept of Shiraz / Viognier to the lowest common denominator level, perhaps any premium offering is now best simply labelled as Syrah. Palate shares much with pinot noir, but is so much richer. In the Guigal range, the Brune & Blonde is the closest match, but a fraction the weight. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.8%; $52 [ screwcap; CS 80%, Me 15, CF 5, hand-picked; cuvaison up to 21 days; c.14 months in all-French oak 40% new; 180 cases; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper again than 2010 Larose. Bouquet on this wine shows a richness and ripeness which is more Hawkes Bay 2009 – more precisely Gimblett Gravels 2009. The cassis of the cabernet is melding into opulent darkest bottled plums of great purity and depth, and fragrant oak. Flavours in mouth are very ripe, again Hawkes Bay / Gimblett Gravels 2009, or like Bordeaux 2009, fractionally ripe for a Bordeaux traditionalist but well-suited to new world palates, all with ample fruit weight. The quality of oak is good but the level is too high (except for winning medals in judgings). It will marry up in the medium term, I think. In one sense this is simpler wine than the Passage Rock Cabernet Reserve and Larose, because of its greater ripeness. Many will prefer it for that, however. Cellar 5 – 25 years.
A couple of points for Mudbrick Vineyard in general. There is a prestige wine named Velvet made in the best years. The 2010 was not shown at the Expo (sadly). The cepage is not given, if it is anything like the 2008 one might guess syrah as well as the bordeaux varieties contributes to a rich winestyle meriting its name, it spends 19 months in all-French oak this time (great !) 50% new, there are 200 cases of it, and it costs $110. Given the reputation of the winery and the performance of the bordeaux varieties reviewed here, it seems a safe bet to add it to one's 2010 Waiheke collection. Secondly, the website is weird, there is virtually no wine info, it is as if wine production were completely incidental to social activity, even locating the skimpy wine info that is there is not obvious. The website needs completely re-orienting and re-emphasising, to give equal weight to the wine component. That is after all the only facet of this place anyone beyond Auckland will ever know. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper again than 2010 Larose. Bouquet on this wine shows a richness and ripeness which is more Hawkes Bay 2009 – more precisely Gimblett Gravels 2009. The cassis of the cabernet is melding into opulent darkest bottled plums of great purity and depth, and fragrant oak. Flavours in mouth are very ripe, again Hawkes Bay / Gimblett Gravels 2009, or like Bordeaux 2009, fractionally ripe for a Bordeaux traditionalist but well-suited to new world palates, all with ample fruit weight. The quality of oak is good but the level is too high (except for winning medals in judgings). It will marry up in the medium term, I think. In one sense this is simpler wine than the Passage Rock Cabernet Reserve and Larose, because of its greater ripeness. Many will prefer it for that, however. Cellar 5 – 25 years.
A couple of points for Mudbrick Vineyard in general. There is a prestige wine named Velvet made in the best years. The 2010 was not shown at the Expo (sadly). The cepage is not given, if it is anything like the 2008 one might guess syrah as well as the bordeaux varieties contributes to a rich winestyle meriting its name, it spends 19 months in all-French oak this time (great !) 50% new, there are 200 cases of it, and it costs $110. Given the reputation of the winery and the performance of the bordeaux varieties reviewed here, it seems a safe bet to add it to one's 2010 Waiheke collection. Secondly, the website is weird, there is virtually no wine info, it is as if wine production were completely incidental to social activity, even locating the skimpy wine info that is there is not obvious. The website needs completely re-orienting and re-emphasising, to give equal weight to the wine component. That is after all the only facet of this place anyone beyond Auckland will ever know. GK 10/12
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 49mm; hand-harvested CS 56%, Me 30, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 25 + years; 18 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, not as dense as the Petit Mouton (allowing for hue), but clearly denser and more saturated than the Awatea, and showing a little more oak influence / less youthful. Bouquet is really interesting. On the face of it, it is less floral and less obvious than the Awatea, showing a taut integration of cassis and potentially cedary oak which is all promise, exquisitely pure. In mouth however it is the other way round, Coleraine showing a richness of berryfruit, and a texture and ripeness right through the tannins which eclipses Awatea. It tastes excitingly young and contemplative, all potential, not giving away much now. But it is still not as rich and ripe as either the 2011 Brokenstone, or the 2010 Petit Mouton, a second wine, note. Relative to Mouton proper, the lack of richness and ripeness is dramatic.
The issue here seems to be that proprietor John Buck set his palate parameters for bordeaux winestyles in the 1960s, a time when the world was cooler and wines from Bordeaux tended to be lighter. Even though based in London for a time then (at Stowells of Chelsea), he seems not to have sufficiently registered the odd riper and richer wine of the mid-60s, such as the wonderful 1966 Palmer I have written about frequently over the years. Thus the style determination for the future Coleraine and Awatea which John brought back to New Zealand then, is now out of step with the times. And I say that even allowing for the all-pervasive influence and style preferences of Robert Parker, in the intervening years, which are too much the other way. The truth lies in between.
You just need to look at the wines in this tasting. When the much-hyped Coleraine of the scarcely-matched 2013 vintage is a lighter wine than the second wine of Mouton Rothschild in 2010, something is out of whack. But New Zealand winewriters never talk about these things. I wonder if they even think about them, being apparently so totally mesmerised by the dicta of the proprietors. Dry extract data would settle the issue, but Te Mata rarely make this kind of hard data available. In one sense, Te Mata so believe and impose their own spin, and a credulous wine public so fawn on them, that these matters are never discussed.
Yet in another sense, Te Mata do things wonderfully well. Their website pioneered the quality approach to communicating about wine in New Zealand. There is information for every vintage of their wines that matter, a feature many, many wineries in New Zealand need to emulate, if they are to be regarded as serious winemakers. Naturally, the information reflects Te Mata's favourable view of their wines, but in this context, that is to be expected. Or take the corks. They were by far the first to employ branded, dated, full length Bordeaux corks in New Zealand. They formerly used 53 – 55mm corks in Coleraine, a length used only by the most quality-conscious Bordeaux proprietors. In a sad commentary on New Zealanders' lack of real affinity with wine (despite all the blah), chief winemaker Peter Cowley comments that consumers seem not to have corkscrews suited to long corks, and they complained the long corks broke in two. So now they are 49mm. Many New Zealand bordeaux-blend proprietors, who desperately want to be taken seriously overseas (and at home), still do not even date their corks, despite Te Mata showing the way 30 years ago. If only Te Mata would pay as much attention to classed-growth Bordeaux cropping rates, as to their presentation, their top wine could indeed in all reality still be New Zealand's top red. But now, the tide has come in around them, and there are a number of other Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island) winemakers challenging for this title.
But all this said, 2013 Coleraine is in truth a good wine. It just does not fulfil the proprietors' lofty claims for it. It will cellar for at least 25 years, and given the good corks, will still be pretty interesting at 35 years. I do not have many doubts my 82s and 83s will still open reasonably well, for those who like old wine. In New Zealand terms it is therefore an ideal choice for cellaring, to commemorate newborns in the year 2013, 21 years on. But a number of other Hawkes Bay 2013 reds will be too. GK 03/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, not as dense as the Petit Mouton (allowing for hue), but clearly denser and more saturated than the Awatea, and showing a little more oak influence / less youthful. Bouquet is really interesting. On the face of it, it is less floral and less obvious than the Awatea, showing a taut integration of cassis and potentially cedary oak which is all promise, exquisitely pure. In mouth however it is the other way round, Coleraine showing a richness of berryfruit, and a texture and ripeness right through the tannins which eclipses Awatea. It tastes excitingly young and contemplative, all potential, not giving away much now. But it is still not as rich and ripe as either the 2011 Brokenstone, or the 2010 Petit Mouton, a second wine, note. Relative to Mouton proper, the lack of richness and ripeness is dramatic.
The issue here seems to be that proprietor John Buck set his palate parameters for bordeaux winestyles in the 1960s, a time when the world was cooler and wines from Bordeaux tended to be lighter. Even though based in London for a time then (at Stowells of Chelsea), he seems not to have sufficiently registered the odd riper and richer wine of the mid-60s, such as the wonderful 1966 Palmer I have written about frequently over the years. Thus the style determination for the future Coleraine and Awatea which John brought back to New Zealand then, is now out of step with the times. And I say that even allowing for the all-pervasive influence and style preferences of Robert Parker, in the intervening years, which are too much the other way. The truth lies in between.
You just need to look at the wines in this tasting. When the much-hyped Coleraine of the scarcely-matched 2013 vintage is a lighter wine than the second wine of Mouton Rothschild in 2010, something is out of whack. But New Zealand winewriters never talk about these things. I wonder if they even think about them, being apparently so totally mesmerised by the dicta of the proprietors. Dry extract data would settle the issue, but Te Mata rarely make this kind of hard data available. In one sense, Te Mata so believe and impose their own spin, and a credulous wine public so fawn on them, that these matters are never discussed.
Yet in another sense, Te Mata do things wonderfully well. Their website pioneered the quality approach to communicating about wine in New Zealand. There is information for every vintage of their wines that matter, a feature many, many wineries in New Zealand need to emulate, if they are to be regarded as serious winemakers. Naturally, the information reflects Te Mata's favourable view of their wines, but in this context, that is to be expected. Or take the corks. They were by far the first to employ branded, dated, full length Bordeaux corks in New Zealand. They formerly used 53 – 55mm corks in Coleraine, a length used only by the most quality-conscious Bordeaux proprietors. In a sad commentary on New Zealanders' lack of real affinity with wine (despite all the blah), chief winemaker Peter Cowley comments that consumers seem not to have corkscrews suited to long corks, and they complained the long corks broke in two. So now they are 49mm. Many New Zealand bordeaux-blend proprietors, who desperately want to be taken seriously overseas (and at home), still do not even date their corks, despite Te Mata showing the way 30 years ago. If only Te Mata would pay as much attention to classed-growth Bordeaux cropping rates, as to their presentation, their top wine could indeed in all reality still be New Zealand's top red. But now, the tide has come in around them, and there are a number of other Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island) winemakers challenging for this title.
But all this said, 2013 Coleraine is in truth a good wine. It just does not fulfil the proprietors' lofty claims for it. It will cellar for at least 25 years, and given the good corks, will still be pretty interesting at 35 years. I do not have many doubts my 82s and 83s will still open reasonably well, for those who like old wine. In New Zealand terms it is therefore an ideal choice for cellaring, to commemorate newborns in the year 2013, 21 years on. But a number of other Hawkes Bay 2013 reds will be too. GK 03/15
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ screwcap; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-picked; 18 months in all-French oak, 33% new; www.cablebayvineyards.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as Pilgrim. This is beautiful syrah, more exactly floral and varietal on bouquet than Pilgrim, with even the elusive syrah wallflower aroma in red and black fruits, and light black pepper. It is slightly cooler than the View East Syrah, therefore. Palate shows similar weight and exact cassis to the Pilgrim, delightfully pure varietal expression, but slightly skewed by fragrant new oak. This too is immaculately clean. It makes a good running mate for Pilgrim, both being roughly the same size. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as Pilgrim. This is beautiful syrah, more exactly floral and varietal on bouquet than Pilgrim, with even the elusive syrah wallflower aroma in red and black fruits, and light black pepper. It is slightly cooler than the View East Syrah, therefore. Palate shows similar weight and exact cassis to the Pilgrim, delightfully pure varietal expression, but slightly skewed by fragrant new oak. This too is immaculately clean. It makes a good running mate for Pilgrim, both being roughly the same size. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from 6 vineyards; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; 5,500 cases; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon. The similarity of style between the 2008 Estate and the 2007 Estate is remarkable, the 2008 simply being less integrated and seemingly less rich at this stage, and the oak showing a little more. Both this wine and the 2009 Riflemans illustrate delightfully how the oak marries away in the third year, in fine chardonnay. This is another benchmark New Zealand chardonnay: anything better than this is really special. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 10/10
Lemon. The similarity of style between the 2008 Estate and the 2007 Estate is remarkable, the 2008 simply being less integrated and seemingly less rich at this stage, and the oak showing a little more. Both this wine and the 2009 Riflemans illustrate delightfully how the oak marries away in the third year, in fine chardonnay. This is another benchmark New Zealand chardonnay: anything better than this is really special. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; cold soak, cuvaison up to 25 days; MLF and c.20 months in French oak 33% new; RS nil; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour, scarcely less rich or less fresh than the Le Sol, remarkable. First impressions are cedar and vanillin, rather more than cassis as in Le Sol, so I hoped that would be recognised as a greater ratio of oak in the wine, or a less vivid expression of varietal / fruit character. This was not achieved, both wines being thought equally oaky. In mouth, this Legacy Syrah is rich and long flavoured, on syrah berry fractionally riper than Le Sol. This faithfully reflects the two vintages. It is a lovely wine, but alongside the leading-edge Le Sol, it does reflect the greater oak ratio we as a nation are still addicted to. This too will cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 09/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour, scarcely less rich or less fresh than the Le Sol, remarkable. First impressions are cedar and vanillin, rather more than cassis as in Le Sol, so I hoped that would be recognised as a greater ratio of oak in the wine, or a less vivid expression of varietal / fruit character. This was not achieved, both wines being thought equally oaky. In mouth, this Legacy Syrah is rich and long flavoured, on syrah berry fractionally riper than Le Sol. This faithfully reflects the two vintages. It is a lovely wine, but alongside the leading-edge Le Sol, it does reflect the greater oak ratio we as a nation are still addicted to. This too will cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 09/13
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5; hand-picked; 21 days cuvaison; c.10 months in French and American oak about equal, one third of the French new; 1200 cases; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher and deeper than the more serious Passage Rock Reserve Syrah, as if less oak influence. Bouquet suggests that too, with both floral and cassis notes, but also a suggestion of riper boysenberry, in great fruit. Fruit in mouth is particularly attractive, supple cassis, suggestions of bottled black doris plums, succulent quality, less oak complexity than the more serious labels so it seems simple (in one sense), yet in many ways it is therefore more varietal and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fresher and deeper than the more serious Passage Rock Reserve Syrah, as if less oak influence. Bouquet suggests that too, with both floral and cassis notes, but also a suggestion of riper boysenberry, in great fruit. Fruit in mouth is particularly attractive, supple cassis, suggestions of bottled black doris plums, succulent quality, less oak complexity than the more serious labels so it seems simple (in one sense), yet in many ways it is therefore more varietal and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $50 [ CS dominant, Me, Ma roughly thirds; partial BF for the CS; 20 months in French and American oak 100% new; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper colours. This is a huge bouquet among the set of 16 wines, and it is easy to be unduly influenced by the slightly charry American oak showing at this stage. However fruit richness and the depth of darkest cassis and plummy fruit is super, and despite the weight there is freshness and fragrance in the berryfruit – qualities which set it apart from so many Australian cabernet blends much influenced by American oak. The impressions of powerful fruit grow in mouth, to make this a bold and individualistic statement in its own right. It is much more cassisy and cabernet-dominant than most of the wines, well in style, but hard to confuse with Bordeaux – due not only to the level of oak, but also the slightly buttery (+ve) American oak. The wine could be refined, in that area. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper colours. This is a huge bouquet among the set of 16 wines, and it is easy to be unduly influenced by the slightly charry American oak showing at this stage. However fruit richness and the depth of darkest cassis and plummy fruit is super, and despite the weight there is freshness and fragrance in the berryfruit – qualities which set it apart from so many Australian cabernet blends much influenced by American oak. The impressions of powerful fruit grow in mouth, to make this a bold and individualistic statement in its own right. It is much more cassisy and cabernet-dominant than most of the wines, well in style, but hard to confuse with Bordeaux – due not only to the level of oak, but also the slightly buttery (+ve) American oak. The wine could be refined, in that area. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/04
Navarra DdO Califica y Garantiza, Spain: 12%; $25 [ cork; hand-picked; www.bodegaschivite.com ]
Brilliant lemon. Bouquet is stunningly pure, sweet, and varietal, muscat ripened to perfection, no toothpasty / minty undertones, instead nectary and yellow stonefruit florals in profusion. Palate is full sweet, fat as if some botrytis, silky, yet with enough acid and skin contact to produce structure in the wine. This is elegant – always exciting to find in muscat. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/06
Brilliant lemon. Bouquet is stunningly pure, sweet, and varietal, muscat ripened to perfection, no toothpasty / minty undertones, instead nectary and yellow stonefruit florals in profusion. Palate is full sweet, fat as if some botrytis, silky, yet with enough acid and skin contact to produce structure in the wine. This is elegant – always exciting to find in muscat. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/06
Geelong, Victoria, Australia: 13.5%; $40 [ WPN ]
Ruby and garnet. A compelling varietal bouquet, but veering towards the beautifully floral and perfumed end of the pinot spectrum: violets, jasmine, roses, really quite haunting. Dry yet deceptively rich complex berry palate, good fruit, spicy oak, and a fragrant stalky thread noticeable in the comparative line-up. It is fair to say that this character was not universally liked, but those who appreciated it are keen on it as a component of varietal character. Stimulating pinot noir, in its fragrant style hinting at Domaine Dujac. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Ruby and garnet. A compelling varietal bouquet, but veering towards the beautifully floral and perfumed end of the pinot spectrum: violets, jasmine, roses, really quite haunting. Dry yet deceptively rich complex berry palate, good fruit, spicy oak, and a fragrant stalky thread noticeable in the comparative line-up. It is fair to say that this character was not universally liked, but those who appreciated it are keen on it as a component of varietal character. Stimulating pinot noir, in its fragrant style hinting at Domaine Dujac. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Cromwell Basin & Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; 10 months in oak; www.rockburn.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. The quality of florals on bouquet is benchmark best New Zealand pinot, clear-cut red roses to boronia aromas on red cherry fruit, beautifully understated in the oaking. Palate amplifies the red cherry, and the florals are suffused right through the fruit, with attractive tannin balance and structure. An understated, highly varietal and attractive wine, contrasting with the more black-fruits wines I have in this review (perhaps arguably) rated highly. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. The quality of florals on bouquet is benchmark best New Zealand pinot, clear-cut red roses to boronia aromas on red cherry fruit, beautifully understated in the oaking. Palate amplifies the red cherry, and the florals are suffused right through the fruit, with attractive tannin balance and structure. An understated, highly varietal and attractive wine, contrasting with the more black-fruits wines I have in this review (perhaps arguably) rated highly. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork 45mm, ullage 15mm; original price c.$36; winemaker Andrew Greenhough; winemaking, see Table; HS@WS, 2001: Smooth in texture, with well-focused blackberry and plum flavors that echo nicely on the round finish. Fades a bit on the finish, but otherwise very good. Drink now through 2003. 500 cases made, 86; Cooper, 2002: The fragrant 1999 is another generous red … richly coloured, mouthfilling, warm and concentrated, with sweet ripe flavours of cherries, plums and nuts, quality oak and firm underlying tannins. Still youthful, it’s built to last; open 2002+, *****; weight bottle, no closure 593 g; https://greenhough.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, a lovely colour with good glow, the third-deepest wine. Bouquet is initially restrained, but the more you work at it, the more it gives. There is a beautiful subtle florality hinting at violets and dusky roses, still, even at this 20-year point, backed by red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely, totally burgundian, beautifully layered fruit shaped by oak, yet in one sense the oak near-invisible. Remarkable wine, a great achievement, from a wine on the main Waimea Valley terraces. Tasters were simply bowled over by this wine, which I placed at position 11: eight first places, two second, no leasts, and for country of origin, France 10, New Zealand nine. A great achievement from a low-key winemaker. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, a lovely colour with good glow, the third-deepest wine. Bouquet is initially restrained, but the more you work at it, the more it gives. There is a beautiful subtle florality hinting at violets and dusky roses, still, even at this 20-year point, backed by red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely, totally burgundian, beautifully layered fruit shaped by oak, yet in one sense the oak near-invisible. Remarkable wine, a great achievement, from a wine on the main Waimea Valley terraces. Tasters were simply bowled over by this wine, which I placed at position 11: eight first places, two second, no leasts, and for country of origin, France 10, New Zealand nine. A great achievement from a low-key winemaker. GK 09/19
Cromwell & Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; no winery info on '05 on website, presumably similar '04; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, one of the darker. This wine has features in common with Escarpment's Kupe, as if there were a lees-in-barrel enrichment component, together with great florals from rose to violets, and plenty of dark cherry. On palate some oak aromatics creep into the wine, making it firmer than some, but the richness is excellent and the flavours are classical Central Otago. What a vintage 2005 is turning out to be for the district. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, one of the darker. This wine has features in common with Escarpment's Kupe, as if there were a lees-in-barrel enrichment component, together with great florals from rose to violets, and plenty of dark cherry. On palate some oak aromatics creep into the wine, making it firmer than some, but the richness is excellent and the flavours are classical Central Otago. What a vintage 2005 is turning out to be for the district. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; 100% Sy hand-picked late April @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t / ac; 100% de-stemmed; seven days cold-soak, total 35 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; www.rmwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, attractive. The wine benefits from simple decanting, to reveal a great bouquet, soft, deeply floral wallflower and dusky roses, in style altogether reminding of the sweetest ripest years of Te Mata Bullnose Syrah. This is explicitly varietal temperate-climate syrah, immaculately made. Palate follows on perfectly, quite lightly oaked with the oak fragrant and vanillin, on cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and a lovely touch of black pepper again. It has the richness to cellar well, though it is more an easy-access early wine, low tannins, not so much made for serious long-term cellaring. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, attractive. The wine benefits from simple decanting, to reveal a great bouquet, soft, deeply floral wallflower and dusky roses, in style altogether reminding of the sweetest ripest years of Te Mata Bullnose Syrah. This is explicitly varietal temperate-climate syrah, immaculately made. Palate follows on perfectly, quite lightly oaked with the oak fragrant and vanillin, on cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and a lovely touch of black pepper again. It has the richness to cellar well, though it is more an easy-access early wine, low tannins, not so much made for serious long-term cellaring. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Martinborough, New Zealand: 10%; $29 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked with c. 30% botrytis; 100% s/s ferment; pH 3.3, RS 123 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw flushed with gold, a little forward for its age. Bouquet is simply wonderful, classic botrytised riesling, beautifully pure. Fruit aromas range from cherimoya to pineapple, with quite a lot of apricot along the way. Palate likewise is a little fruit-salad, but it is fresh, richly fruited, luscious with botrytis but not unduly sweet (as the maker says, about beerenauslese in sweetness), all needing another year to really harmonise. Larry McKenna has always had a great feel for sweet wines, being scrupulous in excluding any hint of ignoble rot. His 1987 Muller-Thurgau Late-Harvest made for Martinborough Vineyard is still superb. This 2006 wine is a little different, being richer, and the true riesling introducing a terpene aromatic that makes one suspect there is a hint of oak – not so. Cellar 2 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 10/07
Lemonstraw flushed with gold, a little forward for its age. Bouquet is simply wonderful, classic botrytised riesling, beautifully pure. Fruit aromas range from cherimoya to pineapple, with quite a lot of apricot along the way. Palate likewise is a little fruit-salad, but it is fresh, richly fruited, luscious with botrytis but not unduly sweet (as the maker says, about beerenauslese in sweetness), all needing another year to really harmonise. Larry McKenna has always had a great feel for sweet wines, being scrupulous in excluding any hint of ignoble rot. His 1987 Muller-Thurgau Late-Harvest made for Martinborough Vineyard is still superb. This 2006 wine is a little different, being richer, and the true riesling introducing a terpene aromatic that makes one suspect there is a hint of oak – not so. Cellar 2 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $52 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 52%, Ma 22, CS 26, hand-picked from 12 & 14 year-old vines; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, below midway in richness. Bouquet shows contrary thoughts, the alcohol spirity and distracting, implying over-ripe, whereas the actual berry characters include a cooler cassis and almost leafy (+ve) note, making this one of the closest to a Bordeaux styling amongst the gold-medal wines. Oak is in balance, and aromatics include a light pennyroyal note, like the Andrew Will. In fact, the palate, mouthfeel and entire style of the wine is remarkably close to the Washington wine, with a clear cassis component through the plummy fruit, and lingering fresh richness which shows no hint of the cool (e.g. leafy) characters implied on bouquet. It is richer than the 2004 and 2005 Alluviale, but not quite as neat as the two 2004 Craggy Merlots. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Ruby and velvet, below midway in richness. Bouquet shows contrary thoughts, the alcohol spirity and distracting, implying over-ripe, whereas the actual berry characters include a cooler cassis and almost leafy (+ve) note, making this one of the closest to a Bordeaux styling amongst the gold-medal wines. Oak is in balance, and aromatics include a light pennyroyal note, like the Andrew Will. In fact, the palate, mouthfeel and entire style of the wine is remarkably close to the Washington wine, with a clear cassis component through the plummy fruit, and lingering fresh richness which shows no hint of the cool (e.g. leafy) characters implied on bouquet. It is richer than the 2004 and 2005 Alluviale, but not quite as neat as the two 2004 Craggy Merlots. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; no info; www.desertheart.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is deep and brooding initially, really crying out for decanting. It opens up to a darkly floral and attractive aroma confuseable with best merlot on bouquet, but on palate lightening-up magically to be clearly black cherry pinot noir of considerable depth. It is nicely framed by noticeable oak but at a subtler level than the Mitre Rocks wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is deep and brooding initially, really crying out for decanting. It opens up to a darkly floral and attractive aroma confuseable with best merlot on bouquet, but on palate lightening-up magically to be clearly black cherry pinot noir of considerable depth. It is nicely framed by noticeable oak but at a subtler level than the Mitre Rocks wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ screwcap; machine-harvested grapes, s/s cool-fermented, 3 months lees contact, no oak; a Pernod-Ricard group wine; pH 3.57, RS 9.7 g/L; no website ]
Pale lemonstraw. Total style and balance is similar to its stable-mate, yet intriguingly different. The bouquet here is more baked apples, still complexed by tell-tale cinnamon subliminal spice notes. Palate is as rich as the Brancott, but it seems a little sweeter than the modest difference in the specs indicates, and it is grippy on the phenolics. It is a little harder to match with food, therefore. Cellar 2 – 6 years maybe, in case those phenolics increase. GK 04/13
Pale lemonstraw. Total style and balance is similar to its stable-mate, yet intriguingly different. The bouquet here is more baked apples, still complexed by tell-tale cinnamon subliminal spice notes. Palate is as rich as the Brancott, but it seems a little sweeter than the modest difference in the specs indicates, and it is grippy on the phenolics. It is a little harder to match with food, therefore. Cellar 2 – 6 years maybe, in case those phenolics increase. GK 04/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ screwcap; hand-harvested at just over 5 t/ha (2 t/ac); c. 26% whole-bunch, long cold-soak, wild yeast and a total of 23 days cuvaison; c.12 months in French oak 38% new, followed by a further 6 months in 3-year-old oak; www.feltonroad.com ]
Colour is a variation on ideal, a little denser than the Aroha, not quite so bright, also in the middle of the range. Bouquet is a little less floral than Aroha, yet it is fragrant in an attractive dusky way. In addition there is great fruit presence, black more than red cherries, and great purity, all backed by oak on a similar subtle scale to the Aroha. In mouth the richness of the fruit is a delight, real black cherry in a bursting mouthful of flavour, wonderful acid balance, slightly more oak than the Aroha, great length. These two wines illustrate ideal red-fruits and black-fruits variants on the New Zealand pinot theme, with pinpoint ripeness. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/13
Colour is a variation on ideal, a little denser than the Aroha, not quite so bright, also in the middle of the range. Bouquet is a little less floral than Aroha, yet it is fragrant in an attractive dusky way. In addition there is great fruit presence, black more than red cherries, and great purity, all backed by oak on a similar subtle scale to the Aroha. In mouth the richness of the fruit is a delight, real black cherry in a bursting mouthful of flavour, wonderful acid balance, slightly more oak than the Aroha, great length. These two wines illustrate ideal red-fruits and black-fruits variants on the New Zealand pinot theme, with pinpoint ripeness. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/13
Wairau & Omaka Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 10.7%; $20 [ screwcap; s/s cool-fermented, some lees contact; pH 2.7, RS 20 g/L; www.westbrook.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is less obvious than the Thornbury, more delicate, a lovely floral note reminiscent of freesia blossoms, a totally Mosel presentation of the grape. Palate is both floral and appley ( fresh-cut sturmer ), citrus too, good concentration, very fine-grain, the nexus of acid, pH and residual sweetness (invisible) astonishing, the style totally Mosel, though a dryish one. This is outstanding New Zealand riesling, which will cellar to 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/13
Lemongreen. Bouquet is less obvious than the Thornbury, more delicate, a lovely floral note reminiscent of freesia blossoms, a totally Mosel presentation of the grape. Palate is both floral and appley ( fresh-cut sturmer ), citrus too, good concentration, very fine-grain, the nexus of acid, pH and residual sweetness (invisible) astonishing, the style totally Mosel, though a dryish one. This is outstanding New Zealand riesling, which will cellar to 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 04/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.3%; $30 [ screwcap; if like the 2008, hand-picked, cuvaison extending to 4 weeks for some parcels; c. 8 months in French oak c.25% new; not fined or filtered; www.bannockbrae.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, bouquet is tending plummy and heavy. With air it takes on a new life, expanding to become deeply floral in the exciting dark roses to boronia sector, with clear black cherry fruit. In mouth, the wine like the Mud House shows exceptional varietal quality, due to the magic of older or lighter oak, the black more than red cherry flavours lingering superbly. Attractive dry wine, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, bouquet is tending plummy and heavy. With air it takes on a new life, expanding to become deeply floral in the exciting dark roses to boronia sector, with clear black cherry fruit. In mouth, the wine like the Mud House shows exceptional varietal quality, due to the magic of older or lighter oak, the black more than red cherry flavours lingering superbly. Attractive dry wine, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $96 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 80 – 85%, Sy 5 – 10, Mv 5, others 5; bought-in wine from up to 50 suppliers, favouring older vines and lower yields; 24 months in foudre; not fined, filtered; J.L-L: red berry fruit ... a suggestion of flowers ... Strawberry and spice ... palate has good body, is a really structured Chateauneuf ... this captures the vintage freshness and its true depth, ****(*); Parker, 2012: abundant aromas of sweet kirsch, roasted herbs, lavender, Christmas fruitcake and spice ... dense, full-bodied, powerful, 92 – 94; typical production uncertain, both Karis and J.L-L give double the production Guigal does on his website, which says 16,500 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 565 g; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some development showing, well below midway. In a blind tasting of Chateauneuf-du-Papes, the Guigal example tends to stand out for its wineyness, its elegance, and its obvious cedary oak component. This is a very fragrant wine, all red fruits, grenache seemingly dominant despite the cepage. Palate is supple, flavour is long, there is not quite the varietal interest because the Guigal style superimposes itself, via the fruit / cooperage interaction. But as a wine with dinner, it is obviously southern Rhone, and will be a delight. The fruit sweetness to the later palate is sensational. In a sense the taste is a little older than most in the set, but it will cellar for years, say 5 – 20. With its lower alcohol, this wine will give much pleasure at table. One person rated it their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Ruby, some development showing, well below midway. In a blind tasting of Chateauneuf-du-Papes, the Guigal example tends to stand out for its wineyness, its elegance, and its obvious cedary oak component. This is a very fragrant wine, all red fruits, grenache seemingly dominant despite the cepage. Palate is supple, flavour is long, there is not quite the varietal interest because the Guigal style superimposes itself, via the fruit / cooperage interaction. But as a wine with dinner, it is obviously southern Rhone, and will be a delight. The fruit sweetness to the later palate is sensational. In a sense the taste is a little older than most in the set, but it will cellar for years, say 5 – 20. With its lower alcohol, this wine will give much pleasure at table. One person rated it their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $115 [ cork; CS 57, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; en primeur offer date 1 June 2008 "significantly" below the above price, release date 1 April 2009; Mystae alludes to the name given to students entering the schools of philosophy of the great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, and presumably implies the thought of understudy to Magna Praemia; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, significantly deeper than Destinae of the same year. Bouquet and flavour show a riper spectrum of fruit colour and density than the junior wine, with clear cassis and bottled black doris plums, though not the depth of the Craggy Range Merlot. Palate is darkly fragrant, just a hint of violets, deeper and more raisiny / plummy than many, yet light on its feet, totally best cru bourgeois / lesser classed growth in style. The oak seems better concealed here than in the 2006 Magna Praemia, or 2007 Mystae at this stage, so in a sense it seems better balanced – hence the score matching the same-year Magna Praemia though it is not as rich. It is not as fragrant as the 2005 Te Motu, but is a little plumper. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, some velvet, significantly deeper than Destinae of the same year. Bouquet and flavour show a riper spectrum of fruit colour and density than the junior wine, with clear cassis and bottled black doris plums, though not the depth of the Craggy Range Merlot. Palate is darkly fragrant, just a hint of violets, deeper and more raisiny / plummy than many, yet light on its feet, totally best cru bourgeois / lesser classed growth in style. The oak seems better concealed here than in the 2006 Magna Praemia, or 2007 Mystae at this stage, so in a sense it seems better balanced – hence the score matching the same-year Magna Praemia though it is not as rich. It is not as fragrant as the 2005 Te Motu, but is a little plumper. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $175 [ cork; hand-harvested, organic vineyard practice; BF in 30% new oak, 12 months LA; www.bourgogne-chartron.com ]
Lemonstraw, the deepest of the Chartrons. Bouquet is closer to best New Zealand practice, ripe stonefruit, vanillin new oak, just a touch of char complexity like the Keltern, some mealyness. Palate is clearly more oaky, the same fresh acid of these 2010s a little more noticeable because of the oak, markedly less fruit than the lovely Folatieres and remarkable Chevalier, yet the total impression is still classic chardonnay. There is a complexity in the flavour, and a touch of pale Danish butter, which is seductive. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw, the deepest of the Chartrons. Bouquet is closer to best New Zealand practice, ripe stonefruit, vanillin new oak, just a touch of char complexity like the Keltern, some mealyness. Palate is clearly more oaky, the same fresh acid of these 2010s a little more noticeable because of the oak, markedly less fruit than the lovely Folatieres and remarkable Chevalier, yet the total impression is still classic chardonnay. There is a complexity in the flavour, and a touch of pale Danish butter, which is seductive. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; vines 19 years age; no RS on website; Glover Family Wines, not Dave Glover of Nelson; www.zephyrwine.com ]
Lemonstraw, minutely deeper than the Bladen. Oh boy, after their excessively restrained sauvignon blanc and riesling, the Zephyr Gewurztraminer is the real thing. It is not perfumed like the Bladen, there is just that magical bit of extra ripeness to fill out the bouquet to satisfying yellow florals (as in wild-ginger blossom) and lychee, plus great varietal character. Palate is just as good, the phenolics beautifully balanced on great flesh, real body, beautiful acid balance, clearly drier than the Bladen. This is great New Zealand gewurztraminer, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw, minutely deeper than the Bladen. Oh boy, after their excessively restrained sauvignon blanc and riesling, the Zephyr Gewurztraminer is the real thing. It is not perfumed like the Bladen, there is just that magical bit of extra ripeness to fill out the bouquet to satisfying yellow florals (as in wild-ginger blossom) and lychee, plus great varietal character. Palate is just as good, the phenolics beautifully balanced on great flesh, real body, beautiful acid balance, clearly drier than the Bladen. This is great New Zealand gewurztraminer, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; www.kingsmillwines.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little age showing. Bouquet is much deeper and richer than the Marlborough and North Canterbury wines, immediately showing a savoury richness of black cherry fruit with boronia florality. There are thoughts of Cote de Nuits here. On palate tannins are relatively high, even though the oak component is not blatant, and the aromatics on savoury fruit are delightful, on a drying finish. This is as rich as the top Escarpments, and will cellar well. Once it has lost a little tannin, it should be a lovely example of Central Otago pinot noir, and very food-friendly. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Good pinot noir ruby, a little age showing. Bouquet is much deeper and richer than the Marlborough and North Canterbury wines, immediately showing a savoury richness of black cherry fruit with boronia florality. There are thoughts of Cote de Nuits here. On palate tannins are relatively high, even though the oak component is not blatant, and the aromatics on savoury fruit are delightful, on a drying finish. This is as rich as the top Escarpments, and will cellar well. Once it has lost a little tannin, it should be a lovely example of Central Otago pinot noir, and very food-friendly. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ cork; DFB; CS 38, Me 24, CF 20, Ma 18; cold soak and cuvaison up to 30 days for some fractions; MLF and 23 months in French oak 75% new, temperature controlled; released October 2006; www.alphadomus.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, not as rich as the top wines. This wine too shows an astonishingly Bordeaux-like complexity on bouquet, with similar nuances of fruit, tobacco and cedary oak as ‘02 Tom, but with a little more complexity and purity. The ratio of fruit to oak in this vintage of Aviator is more favourably balanced to the fruit than the 2000, and the tobacco-y complexity is greater. Like Tom, there is a trace of brett, but that merely adds to its astonishing Bordeaux-like complexity. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby and velvet, not as rich as the top wines. This wine too shows an astonishingly Bordeaux-like complexity on bouquet, with similar nuances of fruit, tobacco and cedary oak as ‘02 Tom, but with a little more complexity and purity. The ratio of fruit to oak in this vintage of Aviator is more favourably balanced to the fruit than the 2000, and the tobacco-y complexity is greater. Like Tom, there is a trace of brett, but that merely adds to its astonishing Bordeaux-like complexity. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $59 [ screwcap; season 1120 growing degree days; 12 months on lees in French oak 35% new; a Treasury wine group initiative, owners of Matua Valley; website coming at: www. blackgrapesociety.com, meanwhile some info @; http://treasurytru.com/brand/black-grapes-society ]
Pinot noir ruby, a notch deeper than the Marlborough. Bouquet is much deeper than the Marlborough, yet there are still clear dusky red roses and boronia florality, on black rather than red cherry fruit. In mouth the complementarity with the Marlborough wine is sheer pleasure, the gentle oaking seems essentially the same, all that is different is the darker and slightly more aromatic (thyme ?) black cherry fruit, and greater length and depth. It is not as rich as Escarpment Kiwa, however. Finish is simply lovely on fruit and gentle oak. Cellar 3 – 12 years. What a revolution is underway at Matua Valley, after years of uninspiring at best and awful at worst wines. The introductory remarks to The Marlborough wine are therefore rapidly becoming inappropriate. GK 04/13
Pinot noir ruby, a notch deeper than the Marlborough. Bouquet is much deeper than the Marlborough, yet there are still clear dusky red roses and boronia florality, on black rather than red cherry fruit. In mouth the complementarity with the Marlborough wine is sheer pleasure, the gentle oaking seems essentially the same, all that is different is the darker and slightly more aromatic (thyme ?) black cherry fruit, and greater length and depth. It is not as rich as Escarpment Kiwa, however. Finish is simply lovely on fruit and gentle oak. Cellar 3 – 12 years. What a revolution is underway at Matua Valley, after years of uninspiring at best and awful at worst wines. The introductory remarks to The Marlborough wine are therefore rapidly becoming inappropriate. GK 04/13
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $364 [ cork 50mm, ullage 10mm; original price c.$95; cepage CS 76%, Me 20, CF 3, PV 1, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; c.18 months in barrel, % new likely increasing towards the modern 60%; in 1996 59% of the crop went into the grand vin; 17,600 x 9-litre cases; Montrose website: Vintage: Sept. 23 – Oct. 6; From August to September 17, a very dry weather covered Bordeaux. The grapes gradually ripened in excellent conditions, allowing a good concentration of sugar and polyphenols. Wine: The wines are characterized by velvety tannins. The Merlots are similar to the 1995. The Cabernets are more homogeneous, richer, with more acidity compared to the previous year; Coates, 2004: Wine: Slight touch of reduction over a quite austere Cabernet nose. Just a little sweaty. Medium-full body. Slightly astringent as well as tannic. Some acidity but not really enough. Ripe but not very long and stylish. Good merely. Tails off a bit at the end. To 2012, 15; Broadbent, 2002: vintage: ** to **** A seriously underrated vintage. The late-picked Cabernets were of high quality resulting in rich, fairly concentrated wines. Wine: … bouquet now enriched, great depth; sweeter and fleshier than its neighbour and rival, Ch Cos d’Estournel. Crisp, dry finish, *(****), 2006 – 2026; J. Robinson, 2011: Very developed bouquet that is super correct and pleasing to a classical claret lover. Lovely integrated fruit freshness, vitality. The tannins are dissipated but this is a really nice, fresh wine for now. Not super succulent but very successful. Sucky stony finish, 17.5; early review by Robert Parker, April 1997, illustrating his tasting skills when the wine is an impenetrable 6 months old: The wine reveals ... a young, grapy but remarkably sweet, pure nose of black fruits, licorice, and subtle oak. Thrilling levels of extract, glycerin, and fruit pour over the palate with no hard edges. Along with a well-defined, full-bodied personality, this wine offers plenty of tannin, but it is more than compensated for by the huge quantities of fruit. ... This is a 30-35 year wine, 92 – 94; and then a recent review by Neal Martin, 2016, on the RP website, showing the wine nearly 20 years later: It was served alongside the 1986 Montrose, however, this is a far better wine ... it is that loamy character that defines the nose – freshly tilled, damp soil that tinctures the black fruit – that takes you straight to this particular château. This is classic through and through and very well defined. The palate is wonderful with very fine delineation, pitch-perfect acidity, touches of graphite infusing the red and black fruit that dovetails into a very pretty, floral finish. This is clearly one of the great wines of the 1996 vintage and ... will give 30-40 years of pleasure, 96; weight bottle and closure 555 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. This is the most cassisy, aromatic, and clearly cabernet-led wine in the set, partly because it is relatively younger and still shows some primary berry characters. And, at 76% cabernet sauvignon, it is in fact the highest ratio of cabernet sauvignon. The bouquet has a refreshing and sublimely aromatic quality to it, which it shares to a degree with the 2005, 1986, 1975, and particularly the 1966, though the latter three are clearly older. It is the aromatics of cabernet sauvignon showing through. Apart from cassis and browning cassis, browning tobacco-leaf and some plummy aromas mingle with cedary oak. Palate is very much last-century, a leaner and firmer wine, with very fine-grained tannins reminding me clearly of the 1966 when it was young – a palate-setting wine for me which I was proud to own a box of. Acid is more apparent too. Being so aromatic, 1996 Montrose was set as the first wine in the set of 12, to show the former cabernet sauvignon-led style that Ch Montrose displayed last century. The combination of higher acid and being first wine on the palate, meant there were no first or second places, and one least. So in a sense the wine was slightly overlooked / suffered from its placing. It is a surprise (to me) that Robert Parker has always rated this 1996 so highly, in the sense the size and acid balance of the wine is much more in the ‘Englishman's claret’ mould. But it is textbook cabernet sauvignon. It sits happily with the 1986, the 1975, and the 1966 once breathed. This will cellar for another 15 – 25 years, in its style, ending up much where the 1966 is now. GK 07/21
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. This is the most cassisy, aromatic, and clearly cabernet-led wine in the set, partly because it is relatively younger and still shows some primary berry characters. And, at 76% cabernet sauvignon, it is in fact the highest ratio of cabernet sauvignon. The bouquet has a refreshing and sublimely aromatic quality to it, which it shares to a degree with the 2005, 1986, 1975, and particularly the 1966, though the latter three are clearly older. It is the aromatics of cabernet sauvignon showing through. Apart from cassis and browning cassis, browning tobacco-leaf and some plummy aromas mingle with cedary oak. Palate is very much last-century, a leaner and firmer wine, with very fine-grained tannins reminding me clearly of the 1966 when it was young – a palate-setting wine for me which I was proud to own a box of. Acid is more apparent too. Being so aromatic, 1996 Montrose was set as the first wine in the set of 12, to show the former cabernet sauvignon-led style that Ch Montrose displayed last century. The combination of higher acid and being first wine on the palate, meant there were no first or second places, and one least. So in a sense the wine was slightly overlooked / suffered from its placing. It is a surprise (to me) that Robert Parker has always rated this 1996 so highly, in the sense the size and acid balance of the wine is much more in the ‘Englishman's claret’ mould. But it is textbook cabernet sauvignon. It sits happily with the 1986, the 1975, and the 1966 once breathed. This will cellar for another 15 – 25 years, in its style, ending up much where the 1966 is now. GK 07/21
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 100% the website implying but not confirming the vines may be 20 + years age, hand-picked; 7 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation, 21 days further skin contact, cuvaison therefore around 33 days; 18 months in French oak some new; www.rmwines.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine. Bouquet is the beautiful side of syrah, immediately floral wallflower more than dianthus, on cassisy and darkly plummy fruit. In mouth the fruit is soft and velvety, quite a nod to Te Mata Bullnose here in styling, and the oak is beautifully vanillin and soft, not at all spiky. This is lovely wine, and a great debut for Rod McDonald's Te Awanga Estate label. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/13
Ruby and velvet, a flush of carmine. Bouquet is the beautiful side of syrah, immediately floral wallflower more than dianthus, on cassisy and darkly plummy fruit. In mouth the fruit is soft and velvety, quite a nod to Te Mata Bullnose here in styling, and the oak is beautifully vanillin and soft, not at all spiky. This is lovely wine, and a great debut for Rod McDonald's Te Awanga Estate label. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/13
New Zealand: 13.9%; $115 [ cork; Me 49%, CS 35, CF 12, Ma 4, hand-harvested @ average 1.7 t/ac; 10 – 15 months in French and American oak about equal, 60% new; released 1 April 2009; Mystae alludes to the name given to students entering the schools of philosophy of the great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle; in style it lies between the Medoc-oriented Magna Praemia, and Destinae conceived as more right bank (though the cepage confuses the issue); 610 cases, WWA Certified, in general the en primeur offer for this wine has passed, however persons taking up membership and the 2006 wines will be able to secure the 2005 @ $70 until the 2006 release date 1 August 2009, when RRP for both will be $115. At that date, the 2007 en primeur campaign opens – volumes for the 2007 vintage are maybe half those for 2006, so the possibility arises only subscribers will secure the 2007 wines; ‘Dark and rich with lush texture and fresh berry fruit; lovely structure, great length and racy acidity; smooth, intense and totally balanced;’; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, older than the 2006 Mystae and denser, much older than the 2005 Goldie. Bouquet is richer and deeper than the ’06 pair, cassisy berry and dark tobacco melding with quite a lot of oak at this stage. Palate shows good fruit with some maturity, with seemingly more apparent cedary oak than the subtler 2006 wines, yet the mellow flavours and Bordeaux styling of the wine are well apparent, and the richness gives it an edge on the 2006s. There is just a trace of brett complexity, and it is a little too oaky, but its ripeness and richness augur well for future vintages. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, older than the 2006 Mystae and denser, much older than the 2005 Goldie. Bouquet is richer and deeper than the ’06 pair, cassisy berry and dark tobacco melding with quite a lot of oak at this stage. Palate shows good fruit with some maturity, with seemingly more apparent cedary oak than the subtler 2006 wines, yet the mellow flavours and Bordeaux styling of the wine are well apparent, and the richness gives it an edge on the 2006s. There is just a trace of brett complexity, and it is a little too oaky, but its ripeness and richness augur well for future vintages. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ screwcap; Me 60, CS 17, CF 16, PV 4, Ma 3; hand-picked; the grapes de-stemmed, average vine age 14 years; c.28 days cuvaison; 18 months in 'predominantly' French oak 35% new; www.trinityhill.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour, denser than 2010 Te Kahu. Bouquet displays wonderful varietal purity and complexity, nearly a violets floral complexity, the berry dominant over oak, styling a totally modern Bordeaux blend with the cassisy cabernet speaking with a louder voice on bouquet than its percentage composition would suggest, in saturated bottled black doris plum. Flavour follows perfectly, rich wine more perfectly oaked than the Mother's Ruin, plummy merlot on the mid-palate, all firm and taut. This wine is richer and purer than most of the 2010 minor bordeaux checked recently. It would be a sin against the spirit of the bottle to open this before five years from vintage, at the least. If you have to, for the next few years pour it out into a wide-mouthed jug preferably overnight. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour, denser than 2010 Te Kahu. Bouquet displays wonderful varietal purity and complexity, nearly a violets floral complexity, the berry dominant over oak, styling a totally modern Bordeaux blend with the cassisy cabernet speaking with a louder voice on bouquet than its percentage composition would suggest, in saturated bottled black doris plum. Flavour follows perfectly, rich wine more perfectly oaked than the Mother's Ruin, plummy merlot on the mid-palate, all firm and taut. This wine is richer and purer than most of the 2010 minor bordeaux checked recently. It would be a sin against the spirit of the bottle to open this before five years from vintage, at the least. If you have to, for the next few years pour it out into a wide-mouthed jug preferably overnight. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ screwcap; 7 days cold-soak, wild yeast, 20% whole-bunch fermentation, 25 days cuvaison, c. 10 months in French oak 25% new; www.twopaddocks.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is total pinot, the florals of boronia and dusky roses, black cherries, deep, quieter than the Carrick, yet beautifully varietal. Palate shows a wine where fruit quality is uppermost, not dominated by oak, beautiful crunchy cherry fruit, long flavours recapturing the florals on bouquet, all really burgundian. Not quite the palate weight of the Carrick, though. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 04/05
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is total pinot, the florals of boronia and dusky roses, black cherries, deep, quieter than the Carrick, yet beautifully varietal. Palate shows a wine where fruit quality is uppermost, not dominated by oak, beautiful crunchy cherry fruit, long flavours recapturing the florals on bouquet, all really burgundian. Not quite the palate weight of the Carrick, though. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 04/05
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $71 [ cork; hand-picked @ c. 3.7 t/ha (1.5 t/ac) from one of the exciting new-generation old-soil vineyards 200 m. above seas level, sloping 14°, and planted c.5,000 vines / ha; double-sorted fruit, destemmed but retaining whole berries; 7 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation 5 days, then 18 days further skin contact making a cuvaison of 30 days – much more traditional; 16 months in French oak 40% new, not filtered; pH 3.8, RS nil; biodynamic; www.churtonwines.co.nz ]
A lovely pinot noir colour, just right, slightly above midway in depth. Bouquet immediately smells saturated with complex floral aromas including cherry-ripe, and red and black cherries. Oak is very much in the background, so the wine seems understated in comparison with the more oaky Otago wines alongside. It is on the palate this wine demonstrates absolute fidelity to the model of grand cru Burgundy. Fruit is more red cherry than black, there is a lovely evolution of dark red rose florality in the mouth, and the style of the wine is (loosely-speaking) Corton. Acid balance and oak complex the wine delightfully and ensure good cellar life. I thought last year that the 2010 Greywacke Pinot Noir was perhaps the best pinot noir yet to emerge from Marlborough, as the new generation of older-soil vineyards come to fruition, but this 2010 The Abyss poses an exciting challenge. Love to have them alongside ! Well worth cellaring 5 – 12 years. Total sulphur is much lower than the average New Zealand pinot noir. GK 03/13
A lovely pinot noir colour, just right, slightly above midway in depth. Bouquet immediately smells saturated with complex floral aromas including cherry-ripe, and red and black cherries. Oak is very much in the background, so the wine seems understated in comparison with the more oaky Otago wines alongside. It is on the palate this wine demonstrates absolute fidelity to the model of grand cru Burgundy. Fruit is more red cherry than black, there is a lovely evolution of dark red rose florality in the mouth, and the style of the wine is (loosely-speaking) Corton. Acid balance and oak complex the wine delightfully and ensure good cellar life. I thought last year that the 2010 Greywacke Pinot Noir was perhaps the best pinot noir yet to emerge from Marlborough, as the new generation of older-soil vineyards come to fruition, but this 2010 The Abyss poses an exciting challenge. Love to have them alongside ! Well worth cellaring 5 – 12 years. Total sulphur is much lower than the average New Zealand pinot noir. GK 03/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $260 [ cork, 50mm, ullage 37mm; original price c.$40; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Broadbent, 2003: Outstanding reds, rich, long-lasting, *****; Parker vintage chart rating: 89; J.L-L, 2006: mature, but warm and rounded bouquet. Suggests plum fruit, honey, a little vanilla and licorice. Is pretty, true and very representative of the vintage. The palate is more lean than the nose, 2015 – 2018, ***(*); Parker, 1997: ... an opulent, rich, savory style of wine with a spicy, earthy, black-fruited, animal-scented nose, gamy, ripe chewy, concentrated flavors, considerable body, low acidity, and a lush, velvety-textured finish. ... It should continue to drink well for at least another decade, 1995 – 2005, 93; JS@WS, 1991: A seductive wine, with lush flavors. Wonderfully deep ruby in color, with rosemary, tomato and earth aromas, full-bodied, focused raspberry and chocolate flavors, silky tannins and a long finish, 91; weight bottle and closure: 678 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Garnet and ruby, still a surprising rosy flush to its hue, much younger than the 1983, a little below midway in depth. In one sense this was the surprise of the tasting, the wine showing delightful vigour and relative fruit. The bouquet is now grenache-dominant, red fruits browning now, a little cinnamon from which it is hard to tease out a trace of benign brett. Palate is surprisingly rich (for its age), round, still with remnants of furry mourvedre tannins, and then delight: still fruit sweetness to the finish, as well as tannin. Interesting, and superb with food. One person had the 1985 as their top wine, and three their second-favourite, but it was least for two. Six tasters registered brett, one thinking it excessive. A wine at attractive full maturity: bottles will vary. Nothing to be gained by keeping it for longer, though there is no great hurry. GK 05/21
Garnet and ruby, still a surprising rosy flush to its hue, much younger than the 1983, a little below midway in depth. In one sense this was the surprise of the tasting, the wine showing delightful vigour and relative fruit. The bouquet is now grenache-dominant, red fruits browning now, a little cinnamon from which it is hard to tease out a trace of benign brett. Palate is surprisingly rich (for its age), round, still with remnants of furry mourvedre tannins, and then delight: still fruit sweetness to the finish, as well as tannin. Interesting, and superb with food. One person had the 1985 as their top wine, and three their second-favourite, but it was least for two. Six tasters registered brett, one thinking it excessive. A wine at attractive full maturity: bottles will vary. Nothing to be gained by keeping it for longer, though there is no great hurry. GK 05/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; Me 85%, Ma 10, CS 5; hand-harvested; 18 months in French oak 100% (?) new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Great ruby, carmine and velvet colour. This wine is looking as good as it did when written up in these reviews 5/04 and 12/04. It is slightly less oaky than the same year’s Esk Valley Merlot / Malbec / Cabernet Reserve. Another wine to cellar by the case, since it is an absolute mystery why the wine is still available. This is great New Zealand red wine, showing relative to virtually all Australian merlots, just how appropriate our more temperate ‘Bordeaux’ climate in Hawkes Bay is for this variety. GK 11/05
Great ruby, carmine and velvet colour. This wine is looking as good as it did when written up in these reviews 5/04 and 12/04. It is slightly less oaky than the same year’s Esk Valley Merlot / Malbec / Cabernet Reserve. Another wine to cellar by the case, since it is an absolute mystery why the wine is still available. This is great New Zealand red wine, showing relative to virtually all Australian merlots, just how appropriate our more temperate ‘Bordeaux’ climate in Hawkes Bay is for this variety. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 1.5 – 2 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed, up to 6 hours cold-soak, 80% barrel-fermented in French oak of which 25% was new, 40% of the total wine through MLF, 10 months LA and occasional batonnage; RS 1.8 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Unlike the quaffing varieties mentioned under verdelho, viognier is not only a noble variety, but also a variety pre-eminently suited to the absolutely warmest parts of New Zealand – Hawke's Bay and Waiheke Island. Great / fine viognier is unbelievably rare on the world scale, and in New Zealand, like syrah, we have the opportunity in the best years to make world-class examples. Thus, I was saddened to hear in idle conversation with Villa Maria winemakers that the market is so disinterested in viognier that the firm may well abandon it altogether. This would be a tragedy, and I urge them not to.
Villa Maria has already produced some of the best examples of viognier ever made in New Zealand, and they have the grapes in the right place (the Gimblett Gravels – Omahu Vineyard), unlike too many other proprietors struggling with viognier in cooler parts of Hawke's Bay. Plus critically, every year their Gimblett Gravels viognier has another year's age, and thus the promise of better varietal expression. But on top of these factors, the Villa Maria winemakers have been attentive to the French Condrieu model, and employed the malolactic fermentation to build in the texture and magic necessary to make viognier great. Few New Zealand winemakers taste widely enough to even have thought this through. So I implore Villa Maria to persist with and optimise their viognier. If the market won't pay the Reserve price for a short-lived variety (in bottle), regard the wine as a flagship. Aim to be famous for New Zealand's best viognier, competing with Passage Rock (Waiheke Island), and export most of it under the more affordable Cellar Selection label to the United Kingdom. And above all, get out and promote the magical smells and tastes of this wonderful and versatile honeysuckle and apricots variety, which is so food-friendly.
The key issue Villa Maria has to face in tackling this goal is that mentioned under verdelho. Too many winemakers are stupidly growing viognier in parts of the country totally unsuited to it, and producing insipid wines which silly wine-judges and winewriters then give gold medals to. This lack of world wine knowledge (and assessing the quality that bespeaks world-class wine) is totally ruining the market in New Zealand for serious viognier from serious / thoughtful Hawke's Bay (or Waiheke) producers. This 'dabbling' mentality in the New Zealand wine industry is one of its key failings.
So after that preamble, what of this wine? The colour is perfect lemonstraw, it smells of yellow honeysuckle and canned apricots (i.e. totally varietal, and ripe), it shows complex elevation, and it tastes nearly as good. It is not quite rich enough and complex enough on bouquet or palate to be gold-medal by good Condrieu standards. But in the context of this review, and with reference to the many poor wines from other producers in New Zealand, this is for the time being gold-medal New Zealand viognier. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 05/13
Lemonstraw. Unlike the quaffing varieties mentioned under verdelho, viognier is not only a noble variety, but also a variety pre-eminently suited to the absolutely warmest parts of New Zealand – Hawke's Bay and Waiheke Island. Great / fine viognier is unbelievably rare on the world scale, and in New Zealand, like syrah, we have the opportunity in the best years to make world-class examples. Thus, I was saddened to hear in idle conversation with Villa Maria winemakers that the market is so disinterested in viognier that the firm may well abandon it altogether. This would be a tragedy, and I urge them not to.
Villa Maria has already produced some of the best examples of viognier ever made in New Zealand, and they have the grapes in the right place (the Gimblett Gravels – Omahu Vineyard), unlike too many other proprietors struggling with viognier in cooler parts of Hawke's Bay. Plus critically, every year their Gimblett Gravels viognier has another year's age, and thus the promise of better varietal expression. But on top of these factors, the Villa Maria winemakers have been attentive to the French Condrieu model, and employed the malolactic fermentation to build in the texture and magic necessary to make viognier great. Few New Zealand winemakers taste widely enough to even have thought this through. So I implore Villa Maria to persist with and optimise their viognier. If the market won't pay the Reserve price for a short-lived variety (in bottle), regard the wine as a flagship. Aim to be famous for New Zealand's best viognier, competing with Passage Rock (Waiheke Island), and export most of it under the more affordable Cellar Selection label to the United Kingdom. And above all, get out and promote the magical smells and tastes of this wonderful and versatile honeysuckle and apricots variety, which is so food-friendly.
The key issue Villa Maria has to face in tackling this goal is that mentioned under verdelho. Too many winemakers are stupidly growing viognier in parts of the country totally unsuited to it, and producing insipid wines which silly wine-judges and winewriters then give gold medals to. This lack of world wine knowledge (and assessing the quality that bespeaks world-class wine) is totally ruining the market in New Zealand for serious viognier from serious / thoughtful Hawke's Bay (or Waiheke) producers. This 'dabbling' mentality in the New Zealand wine industry is one of its key failings.
So after that preamble, what of this wine? The colour is perfect lemonstraw, it smells of yellow honeysuckle and canned apricots (i.e. totally varietal, and ripe), it shows complex elevation, and it tastes nearly as good. It is not quite rich enough and complex enough on bouquet or palate to be gold-medal by good Condrieu standards. But in the context of this review, and with reference to the many poor wines from other producers in New Zealand, this is for the time being gold-medal New Zealand viognier. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 05/13
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $104 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 10mm; release price c.$59; Spectator rating for year 90; typically Sy 96%, Vi 4, average vine age 35 years, said to be cropped at the same rate as d’Ampuis, namely 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac, but often seems as if the rate a little higher; c. 25 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 35 – 50% new, plus some in larger barrels; J.L-L, no date: … overt, spiced bouquet, smoky dark jam; well-packed flavour, sustained red fruits, quite solid. Good weight. Back to the 1980s levels. Chewy finale. From 2005-06. 2013-2015, ****; Robinson, 2005: Round and seductive with lots of ripe fruit – quite different from most other regular Côte Roties. Some tarriness but still the delicacy of the appellation. I’m impressed by this! A complete wine that seems obviously from a successful vintage. Really fruity core without any sacrifice of typicity, 17.5; Parker, 2002: Guigal's Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde (25,000 cases produced), tends to have 4-5% Viognier included in the blend. The 1998 exhibits some of the vintage's hard tannin, as well as complex aromatics of roasted olives, black currants, creamy oak, sweet cherries, and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied and structured, with a sweet attack, it will benefit from another two years of cellaring, and last for 15 years, 90; Wine Spectator, 2001: #10 in the Top 100 for 2001: Caresses the palate. Elegant, with mineral, red and black fruit and supple tannins. Seductive balance on the fresh finish, where the firm tannins make a surprise appearance that suggests a bit of cellar time is needed to bring out the best of this red. Best from 2003 through 2010. 31,665 cases made. 93; weight bottle and closure: 565 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, the third to lightest wine. Though 1998 was a hot year in the Southern Rhone Valley, that means little in the much cooler North, where this wine shows perfect ripeness and retention of floral complexity on bouquet, no sur-maturité. It is sweeter than the 1995, the balance more to wallflower than dianthus, with red roses underpinning. Berry characters on palate are exciting, almost a hint of very red pomegranate enlivening the cassis / blackcurrant, simply a beautifully-balanced palate, berry fruit dominating the oak, excellent acid balance. It is not as rich and soft as the 1999, but it is still a lovely statement about Cote Rotie. One person had the 1998 as top wine of the tasting, and three as their second-favourite. The florality in this wine is stunning, definitive syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/20
Ruby, the third to lightest wine. Though 1998 was a hot year in the Southern Rhone Valley, that means little in the much cooler North, where this wine shows perfect ripeness and retention of floral complexity on bouquet, no sur-maturité. It is sweeter than the 1995, the balance more to wallflower than dianthus, with red roses underpinning. Berry characters on palate are exciting, almost a hint of very red pomegranate enlivening the cassis / blackcurrant, simply a beautifully-balanced palate, berry fruit dominating the oak, excellent acid balance. It is not as rich and soft as the 1999, but it is still a lovely statement about Cote Rotie. One person had the 1998 as top wine of the tasting, and three as their second-favourite. The florality in this wine is stunning, definitive syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/20
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ cork; Sy 100%; includes clone 470 for first time, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 16 months in new and older French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. In the blind line-up of northern and southern Rhone wines, the fruit quality on bouquet for this one is impressive, sweet cassis, dark plums, and fragrant oak. But even for Te Mata, so restrained in their oaking alongside most New Zealand wineries, this is clearly the oakiest amongst ten comparable French wines. Palate richness is excellent. One is always apprehensive about presenting a wine in a blind tasting with other well regarded labels, when one has recently published a glowing account. But on this occasion I found no reason to vary from my notes on this site 10/05, and 10 of the 24 tasters rated Bullnose their wine of the night. Worth investing in. GK 11/05
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. In the blind line-up of northern and southern Rhone wines, the fruit quality on bouquet for this one is impressive, sweet cassis, dark plums, and fragrant oak. But even for Te Mata, so restrained in their oaking alongside most New Zealand wineries, this is clearly the oakiest amongst ten comparable French wines. Palate richness is excellent. One is always apprehensive about presenting a wine in a blind tasting with other well regarded labels, when one has recently published a glowing account. But on this occasion I found no reason to vary from my notes on this site 10/05, and 10 of the 24 tasters rated Bullnose their wine of the night. Worth investing in. GK 11/05
Te Awanga district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ cork; hand-picked Sy 99% and Vi 1, de-stemmed; mostly wild-yeast fermentations; MLF and 16 months in French oak 40% new; winemaker Steve Skinner advises there was a prestige cuvée also in 2009, named Airavata, which featured both 15% whole-bunch and only 25% new oak; he advises they have the new winery dilemma of having to wait for the clean new oak to become 'old', rather than risk buying secondhand; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, older than some, midway in depth. Freshly opened the wine is quite oaky, more in the style of Sacred Hill's Deerstalkers (not included), but with good cassisy berry evident below the slightly smoky oak. [The winemaker attributes this smoky character to the Chave clone, contrasting it with the Limmer clone.] The quality of berry moves away from cassis more to blueberry, bespeaking the ripe year, with good richness. The combined fruit and oak is long in the mouth. There is too much oak by classical standards, but the new world likes this approach. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/12
Ruby and velvet, older than some, midway in depth. Freshly opened the wine is quite oaky, more in the style of Sacred Hill's Deerstalkers (not included), but with good cassisy berry evident below the slightly smoky oak. [The winemaker attributes this smoky character to the Chave clone, contrasting it with the Limmer clone.] The quality of berry moves away from cassis more to blueberry, bespeaking the ripe year, with good richness. The combined fruit and oak is long in the mouth. There is too much oak by classical standards, but the new world likes this approach. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/12
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; up to 50% BF, only small percentage new oak, up to 50% MLF, 4 – 5 months LA; RS 4 g/L; 250 cases; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Attractive lemon. One sniff and this is like a homecoming – simply lovely viognier, showing clearly varietal character and appropriate ripeness, something so few viogniers in either New Zealand or Australia achieve. On the showing of the last two vintages, Passage Rock Viognier is rapidly becoming the New Zealand reference wine for the variety. Bouquet is sweetly yellow honeysuckle and wild ginger blossom, and fresh and canned apricots. Palate amplifies, limpidly ripe, lovely fruit and acid, invisible oak, invisible MLF, yet the complexity of both is evident in the texture and the way the flavour lingers beautifully – real apricot. It has the freshness of Condrieu, and none of the ponderous qualities so many Australian examples of the grape show. This wine is really something – search it out. Cellar 1 – 3 years. VALUE. GK 07/10
Attractive lemon. One sniff and this is like a homecoming – simply lovely viognier, showing clearly varietal character and appropriate ripeness, something so few viogniers in either New Zealand or Australia achieve. On the showing of the last two vintages, Passage Rock Viognier is rapidly becoming the New Zealand reference wine for the variety. Bouquet is sweetly yellow honeysuckle and wild ginger blossom, and fresh and canned apricots. Palate amplifies, limpidly ripe, lovely fruit and acid, invisible oak, invisible MLF, yet the complexity of both is evident in the texture and the way the flavour lingers beautifully – real apricot. It has the freshness of Condrieu, and none of the ponderous qualities so many Australian examples of the grape show. This wine is really something – search it out. Cellar 1 – 3 years. VALUE. GK 07/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 60%, Me 40, hand-harvested @ 0.8 – 1.3 t/ac; cultured yeast and cuvaison averaging 20 days including cold-soak; 18 months in ‘predominantly’ French oak, 50% new; fined and filtered; RS < 2 g/L; 250 cases; ‘Unreleased sample highlighting the excellent 2005 Waiheke Island vintage – release date 01 July 2009. Robert Parkers The Wine Advocate May 2008 92 Points. "This has a superb, intense nose of black cherry, smoke and cedar. Very focused and great breeding. Excellent"’; www.goldwaterwine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a great hue for 2005. Bouquet is berry-rich and concentrated, with cassis, bottled plums and cedar, another delightfully fragrant wine. There is a touch of Bovril / savoury complexity too, bespeaking some brett, but it complexes the wine delightfully without compromising it unduly, in the long-established style of Leoville-Barton. Palate shows soft toasty oak integrated with plummy fruit of great length, and again the analogy to Bordeaux is exact, for example older-style St Juliens. Finish is long, tapering, no drying on brett here. The Goldwaters state the 2005 vintage is the best red wine vintage for them since 1987. I still have the 1987s from both Goldwater and Stonyridge. While both are good, the latter is exceptional, totally of good classed-growth standard. Their statement adds interest to this wine, therefore.
Scoring a wine like this is so difficult. In an Australasian higher-level judging with winemakers on all panels and sometimes in a majority, it would be thrown out, on brett. At a judging like the much-touted International Wine Show London, where faults are often marked up, it would be gold medal wine. Robert Parker’s Neal Martin has rated it 92 points, noting that both Parker and Martin don’t always recognise brett, sometimes even at quite severe levels of infection. But I am siding with the hedonistic approach on this one, for this Goldie is so absolutely Bordeaux including contemporary Bordeaux in approach, and classed Bordeaux at that (Leoville-Barton quoted above is a second growth.). So gold medal it is. If you are sensitive to brett, don’t buy it (or Leoville-Barton) for your planned Bordeaux 2005 comparative cross-country tastings. I plan to however, since I have the Barton to put with it – and it will be interesting indeed. Cellar 5 – 12 years.
Goldwater Wines has now become something much greater than the original Waiheke dream of Kim & Jeannette in 1978. The winery is now owned by the New Zealand Wine Fund, along with Vavasour, and Clifford Bay. The Goldwaters are still on the Board. They are now one-third owners in the highly regarded Rapaura Vintners, Wairau Valley, Marlborough – hence the succesful Goldwater Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. They are expanding into pinot noir and more sauvignon in the Awatere Valley. In the 2000s they have also acquired and planted 8 ha (20 acres) on the Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, with more affordable Bordeaux-styled reds in view. None of these wines were shown in the Waiheke Expo, the company limiting themselves to solely Waiheke wines. Odd ones tasted in recent years have been very good, however. There are about 10 wines all told in the portfolio (on their website). GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, a great hue for 2005. Bouquet is berry-rich and concentrated, with cassis, bottled plums and cedar, another delightfully fragrant wine. There is a touch of Bovril / savoury complexity too, bespeaking some brett, but it complexes the wine delightfully without compromising it unduly, in the long-established style of Leoville-Barton. Palate shows soft toasty oak integrated with plummy fruit of great length, and again the analogy to Bordeaux is exact, for example older-style St Juliens. Finish is long, tapering, no drying on brett here. The Goldwaters state the 2005 vintage is the best red wine vintage for them since 1987. I still have the 1987s from both Goldwater and Stonyridge. While both are good, the latter is exceptional, totally of good classed-growth standard. Their statement adds interest to this wine, therefore.
Scoring a wine like this is so difficult. In an Australasian higher-level judging with winemakers on all panels and sometimes in a majority, it would be thrown out, on brett. At a judging like the much-touted International Wine Show London, where faults are often marked up, it would be gold medal wine. Robert Parker’s Neal Martin has rated it 92 points, noting that both Parker and Martin don’t always recognise brett, sometimes even at quite severe levels of infection. But I am siding with the hedonistic approach on this one, for this Goldie is so absolutely Bordeaux including contemporary Bordeaux in approach, and classed Bordeaux at that (Leoville-Barton quoted above is a second growth.). So gold medal it is. If you are sensitive to brett, don’t buy it (or Leoville-Barton) for your planned Bordeaux 2005 comparative cross-country tastings. I plan to however, since I have the Barton to put with it – and it will be interesting indeed. Cellar 5 – 12 years.
Goldwater Wines has now become something much greater than the original Waiheke dream of Kim & Jeannette in 1978. The winery is now owned by the New Zealand Wine Fund, along with Vavasour, and Clifford Bay. The Goldwaters are still on the Board. They are now one-third owners in the highly regarded Rapaura Vintners, Wairau Valley, Marlborough – hence the succesful Goldwater Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. They are expanding into pinot noir and more sauvignon in the Awatere Valley. In the 2000s they have also acquired and planted 8 ha (20 acres) on the Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, with more affordable Bordeaux-styled reds in view. None of these wines were shown in the Waiheke Expo, the company limiting themselves to solely Waiheke wines. Odd ones tasted in recent years have been very good, however. There are about 10 wines all told in the portfolio (on their website). GK 06/09
Margaret River mostly, some Mt Barker, West Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $39 [ BF, LA, and 15% MLF, 10 months in French oak; www.vassefelix.com.au ]
Perfect lemon. An understated but totally varietal chardonnay bouquet showing beautiful white stonefruit, light hazelnuts and oatmeal, and charry barrel mealiness, the high alcohol not intrusive. Palate is rich, devastatingly dry, the alcohol now more apparent and shortening the succulence, but the flavours are great: white stonefruits chardonnay, hazelnuts and subtle oak. Cellar to 10 years, possibly longer. GK 06/04
Perfect lemon. An understated but totally varietal chardonnay bouquet showing beautiful white stonefruit, light hazelnuts and oatmeal, and charry barrel mealiness, the high alcohol not intrusive. Palate is rich, devastatingly dry, the alcohol now more apparent and shortening the succulence, but the flavours are great: white stonefruits chardonnay, hazelnuts and subtle oak. Cellar to 10 years, possibly longer. GK 06/04
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $695 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, just above midway in depth. This is a smaller wine in the field, and it is almost as if the makers have backed off on oak accordingly. There is a dusky rose floral quality, and near-cassis and black pepper spice making this wine more clearly syrah than most. Palate is much fresher than many too, fragrant berry definition, again nearly cassisy berry and fruit, attractive acid backbone, and the oak in remarkably good balance to the smaller fruit weight. It highlights the excesses in elevation so many of the other wines show. No ratings from the group at all, a wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Ruby, some velvet, just above midway in depth. This is a smaller wine in the field, and it is almost as if the makers have backed off on oak accordingly. There is a dusky rose floral quality, and near-cassis and black pepper spice making this wine more clearly syrah than most. Palate is much fresher than many too, fragrant berry definition, again nearly cassisy berry and fruit, attractive acid backbone, and the oak in remarkably good balance to the smaller fruit weight. It highlights the excesses in elevation so many of the other wines show. No ratings from the group at all, a wine to cellar 5 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Morey-St Denis, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $135 [ cork; named for the limestone outcrop in the vineyard; hand-harvested, fermentation (some stalks) and cuvaison in open wooden vats 18 – 20 days; c. 18 months in barrels understood to be about 1/3 new; Wine Direct the NZ agents; www.drouhin.com ]
Ruby, a more typical good pinot colour, the lightest in the tasting. Bouquet is tending understated, but is perhaps the purest and subtlest expression of pinot here. The floral component is sweet and lovely, more in the boronia camp (but perhaps below threshold for many tasters), with no roti edges at all. Later bouquet and palate is velvety red and black cherry fruit, with the furry tannins of the dry year, but the fruit succulence incorporating them effortlessly, all finishing on good acid. It seems quite the freshest among the French wines in the set, perhaps because it is not as massive as the two top wines. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 03/06
Ruby, a more typical good pinot colour, the lightest in the tasting. Bouquet is tending understated, but is perhaps the purest and subtlest expression of pinot here. The floral component is sweet and lovely, more in the boronia camp (but perhaps below threshold for many tasters), with no roti edges at all. Later bouquet and palate is velvety red and black cherry fruit, with the furry tannins of the dry year, but the fruit succulence incorporating them effortlessly, all finishing on good acid. It seems quite the freshest among the French wines in the set, perhaps because it is not as massive as the two top wines. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 03/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 15 days cuvaison; c. 15 months in French and American oak 60% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. There should be great interest in the two 2006 Villa Maria Cellar Selection syrahs, Villa presenting us with both a straight syrah, and this wine, which is a blend of 5% of the white grape viognier with syrah, both wines being largely Gimblett Gravels fruit. In the blend the syrah is co-fermented both with viognier juice, and on viognier skins, after most of the juice has been taken off for the straight white viognier (the 2006 Villa Omahu of which is exceptional, incidentally). The interesting detail is, viognier is a grape very high in phenolics, and they bind with the anthocyanins of the red grapes, sometimes producing an even deeper-coloured wine in the blend than the straight syrah. Counter-intuitive, I know, but there it is. And indeed in these two matched wines, the Syrah / Viognier is fractionally the deeper-coloured wine of the two. Bouquet in the Syrah / Viognier is wonderfully different from the straight syrah, both wines showing lovely syrah florals as described elsewhere in these notes, but the blend having additionally, an even more lovely honeysuckle / almost Peace rose fragrance. Flavours are different too, the blend being softer, subtler, more beguiling but less focused on syrah, less authoritative somehow. Alongside the Martinborough Vineyard wine similarly blended with viognier, the Villa is riper all through, another wine illustrating delightfully what Cote Rotie should be, but so often is not, in its marginal northern Rhone climate. These two Villa Cellar Selections are a great pair of syrahs, much the best the firm has offered in this series. Once you have secured the Reserve wine, buy a case of each of these, and compare and contrast them over the next 6 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet. There should be great interest in the two 2006 Villa Maria Cellar Selection syrahs, Villa presenting us with both a straight syrah, and this wine, which is a blend of 5% of the white grape viognier with syrah, both wines being largely Gimblett Gravels fruit. In the blend the syrah is co-fermented both with viognier juice, and on viognier skins, after most of the juice has been taken off for the straight white viognier (the 2006 Villa Omahu of which is exceptional, incidentally). The interesting detail is, viognier is a grape very high in phenolics, and they bind with the anthocyanins of the red grapes, sometimes producing an even deeper-coloured wine in the blend than the straight syrah. Counter-intuitive, I know, but there it is. And indeed in these two matched wines, the Syrah / Viognier is fractionally the deeper-coloured wine of the two. Bouquet in the Syrah / Viognier is wonderfully different from the straight syrah, both wines showing lovely syrah florals as described elsewhere in these notes, but the blend having additionally, an even more lovely honeysuckle / almost Peace rose fragrance. Flavours are different too, the blend being softer, subtler, more beguiling but less focused on syrah, less authoritative somehow. Alongside the Martinborough Vineyard wine similarly blended with viognier, the Villa is riper all through, another wine illustrating delightfully what Cote Rotie should be, but so often is not, in its marginal northern Rhone climate. These two Villa Cellar Selections are a great pair of syrahs, much the best the firm has offered in this series. Once you have secured the Reserve wine, buy a case of each of these, and compare and contrast them over the next 6 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $45 [ cork; hand-harvested @ c. 2 tonnes / acre; cuvaison in the order of 4 weeks, 13 months in French oak 50% new; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense, almost black, darker than the 2006 Vidal Reserve. This wine is a little richer, deeper and riper than the Vidal, and hence shows less varietal florals at least at this stage, but even more berry. And it is not so ripe as to lose black peppercorn spice. Palate is rich and youthful, chock-full of fruit. This looks to be in the top stream of Mission Jewelstone Syrahs, a wine somewhat over-looked despite good ones regularly since 1998. It may be the best yet. This is going to be exciting wine to watch – it may rank higher in a year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense, almost black, darker than the 2006 Vidal Reserve. This wine is a little richer, deeper and riper than the Vidal, and hence shows less varietal florals at least at this stage, but even more berry. And it is not so ripe as to lose black peppercorn spice. Palate is rich and youthful, chock-full of fruit. This looks to be in the top stream of Mission Jewelstone Syrahs, a wine somewhat over-looked despite good ones regularly since 1998. It may be the best yet. This is going to be exciting wine to watch – it may rank higher in a year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.2%; $36 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 30% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Beautiful pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than The Pinnacle. This is wonderful wine, exquisitely pure light and fine on sweet buddleia, red roses and red cherry aromas, so much so one doesn't immediately register quite how burgundian / Cote de Beaune it is. This bouquet is very special, and a little unusual for Central Otago, where the average of the pinot noirs tends darker. In mouth the red fruits expand, some black cherry now too, and the fruit richness seems almost sweet, giving a tactile impression of dry extract. Oaking is beautifully subtle. Textbook pinot noir, with much better physiological maturity than the 2007, and affordable, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 11/10
Beautiful pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than The Pinnacle. This is wonderful wine, exquisitely pure light and fine on sweet buddleia, red roses and red cherry aromas, so much so one doesn't immediately register quite how burgundian / Cote de Beaune it is. This bouquet is very special, and a little unusual for Central Otago, where the average of the pinot noirs tends darker. In mouth the red fruits expand, some black cherry now too, and the fruit richness seems almost sweet, giving a tactile impression of dry extract. Oaking is beautifully subtle. Textbook pinot noir, with much better physiological maturity than the 2007, and affordable, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 11/10
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ screwcap ]
Big ruby, a little deeper than the Bonnes Mares. This wine displays a big and clearly varietal bouquet from the moment it is opened. It takes a while to come into focus, though, and one finally realises that it is a little different, because of a faint spearmint edge to buddleia florals and blackboy peach fruit. Palate is fresh and full of cherry / blackboy succulence, with wonderfully understated and careful oak, matching the French. Where the wine doesn't quite match the French ‘03s is in its fresh temperate-climate florals and aromatics, which make it seem a little cooler, but only in the context of the reduced aromatics some of these drought-year French wines show. The finish is superb. This dramatically varietal wine was rated top wine by seven of 23 tasters on the night (blind), and recognised as not French by only two. It therefore represents stunning value at $29. Still sparingly available. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 03/06
Big ruby, a little deeper than the Bonnes Mares. This wine displays a big and clearly varietal bouquet from the moment it is opened. It takes a while to come into focus, though, and one finally realises that it is a little different, because of a faint spearmint edge to buddleia florals and blackboy peach fruit. Palate is fresh and full of cherry / blackboy succulence, with wonderfully understated and careful oak, matching the French. Where the wine doesn't quite match the French ‘03s is in its fresh temperate-climate florals and aromatics, which make it seem a little cooler, but only in the context of the reduced aromatics some of these drought-year French wines show. The finish is superb. This dramatically varietal wine was rated top wine by seven of 23 tasters on the night (blind), and recognised as not French by only two. It therefore represents stunning value at $29. Still sparingly available. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 03/06
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $22 [ screwcap; some LA including stirring; 2005 not on website, 2004 was 2 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Like the Private Bin wine, this is sauvignon taken up the ripeness scale, so there is no hint of green or yellow capsicums, but more emphasis on honeysuckle, black passionfruit, and stone fruits. Palate goes on to show wonderful fruit, subtle phenolics, great varietal flavour with now some suggestions of reddest capsicums in the black passionfruit, perfect acid, and less sweetness than most in the ‘dry’ class. Though the alcohol is higher than is optimal for finesse in sauvignon blancs, it is well hidden. Cellar to 10 years. GK 11/05
Lemongreen. Like the Private Bin wine, this is sauvignon taken up the ripeness scale, so there is no hint of green or yellow capsicums, but more emphasis on honeysuckle, black passionfruit, and stone fruits. Palate goes on to show wonderful fruit, subtle phenolics, great varietal flavour with now some suggestions of reddest capsicums in the black passionfruit, perfect acid, and less sweetness than most in the ‘dry’ class. Though the alcohol is higher than is optimal for finesse in sauvignon blancs, it is well hidden. Cellar to 10 years. GK 11/05
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13.5%; $21 [ screwcap; no info [then] on website; www.gisbornewinecompany.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, a better hue than the Oaked Longbush. Bouquet is more complexed on this wine, with a big MLF creamy / lactic note in barrel ferment and lees autolysis components, all based on ripe golden queen peachy fruit. Palate is rich, beautifully fruited, acid in balance but oak looming a little large, a good example of serious Gisborne chardonnay, except for its not-quite-bone-dry finish. And maybe there is a little American oak. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Lemonstraw, a better hue than the Oaked Longbush. Bouquet is more complexed on this wine, with a big MLF creamy / lactic note in barrel ferment and lees autolysis components, all based on ripe golden queen peachy fruit. Palate is rich, beautifully fruited, acid in balance but oak looming a little large, a good example of serious Gisborne chardonnay, except for its not-quite-bone-dry finish. And maybe there is a little American oak. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $340 [ cork; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as Pavillon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is in exactly the same style as Pavillon, wallflower sweetness and some dianthus florals with cassis and dark plum. In both bouquet and flavour, this wine is not quite as dark as Pavillon, though there is still a hint of black pepper. Palate is clearly less concentrated than Pavillon, and is slightly fresher, but it shows a similar delightful level of cassisy ripeness, again black pepper, a relatively shorter finish. Another attractive syrah to cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 03/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as Pavillon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is in exactly the same style as Pavillon, wallflower sweetness and some dianthus florals with cassis and dark plum. In both bouquet and flavour, this wine is not quite as dark as Pavillon, though there is still a hint of black pepper. Palate is clearly less concentrated than Pavillon, and is slightly fresher, but it shows a similar delightful level of cassisy ripeness, again black pepper, a relatively shorter finish. Another attractive syrah to cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 03/10
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $361 [ cork; Mar 100%; www.chapoutier.com ]
Lemonstraw, magically the freshest of the four whites. For a very welcome change, here is a Chapoutier marsanne which smells more of the grape than the winemaker, and is free of oxidation. Instead there is lovely nearly-perfumed marsanne aroma with a touch of citrus blossom, more or less reasonable alcohol, plus a clear hint of MLF and lees autolysis mealy complexity, without making a fetish of it. Bouquet leads into a simple mealy perfumed version of a big chardonnay on palate, the MLF tastable (+ve) and softening the wine, all lingering long on nearly dried peach flavours. This wine simply goes to show that quality white wines can be made from the Hill of Hermitage, even if it is still a ridiculous waste of precious land that desirably would be devoted to syrah. This wine also shows that the lavish praise heaped year-on-year on so many heavily oxidised clumsy white Hermitages is simply flannel. This is one to cellar, 5 – 30 years. GK 03/10
Lemonstraw, magically the freshest of the four whites. For a very welcome change, here is a Chapoutier marsanne which smells more of the grape than the winemaker, and is free of oxidation. Instead there is lovely nearly-perfumed marsanne aroma with a touch of citrus blossom, more or less reasonable alcohol, plus a clear hint of MLF and lees autolysis mealy complexity, without making a fetish of it. Bouquet leads into a simple mealy perfumed version of a big chardonnay on palate, the MLF tastable (+ve) and softening the wine, all lingering long on nearly dried peach flavours. This wine simply goes to show that quality white wines can be made from the Hill of Hermitage, even if it is still a ridiculous waste of precious land that desirably would be devoted to syrah. This wine also shows that the lavish praise heaped year-on-year on so many heavily oxidised clumsy white Hermitages is simply flannel. This is one to cellar, 5 – 30 years. GK 03/10
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.1%; $54 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch, wild-yeast fermentation; total cuvaison extending to 26 days; 12 months in French oak 28% new; not fined or filtered; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Elegant pinot noir ruby, close to the Grasshopper 2008, what a change from earlier days at Neudorf. Oh boy, is this fragrant and floral, there is almost a Musigny-like quality to this quintessentially pinot noir varietal bouquet. The floral components have a light fraction to them, as well as sensuous boronia and dark red roses, fruit is red cherry grading to black, and even on bouquet, it smells rich. The palate is wonderful: taste this alongside the Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers, which it resembles in some ways, and the vastly richer fruit is a standout. This is clearly a grand cru cropping rate wine. The absolute quality of the Nelson fruit is slightly different from the Otago wines, there being a fragrant hint of sweet leaf, like holygrass (+ve). Is this the best straight Neudorf Pinot Noir so far ? There certainly have been some lovely designated-vineyard wines, but this is great. I very much like the way this label has evolved over the last 15 years. Memorable wine to cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/10
Elegant pinot noir ruby, close to the Grasshopper 2008, what a change from earlier days at Neudorf. Oh boy, is this fragrant and floral, there is almost a Musigny-like quality to this quintessentially pinot noir varietal bouquet. The floral components have a light fraction to them, as well as sensuous boronia and dark red roses, fruit is red cherry grading to black, and even on bouquet, it smells rich. The palate is wonderful: taste this alongside the Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers, which it resembles in some ways, and the vastly richer fruit is a standout. This is clearly a grand cru cropping rate wine. The absolute quality of the Nelson fruit is slightly different from the Otago wines, there being a fragrant hint of sweet leaf, like holygrass (+ve). Is this the best straight Neudorf Pinot Noir so far ? There certainly have been some lovely designated-vineyard wines, but this is great. I very much like the way this label has evolved over the last 15 years. Memorable wine to cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/10
Maraekakaho, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $34 [ screwcap; clone 15, 100% MLF, 9 months BF and LA in 45% new French oak; 2 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemon. This too is fragrant chardonnay, more focussed on the purity of fruit than the other top wines. There is a floral and grapefruit zest lift which is enchanting. Grapefruit zest continues on palate, and adds an interesting edge to the rich peachy fruit. Oak and alcohol are miraculously absorbed in this wine. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Lemon. This too is fragrant chardonnay, more focussed on the purity of fruit than the other top wines. There is a floral and grapefruit zest lift which is enchanting. Grapefruit zest continues on palate, and adds an interesting edge to the rich peachy fruit. Oak and alcohol are miraculously absorbed in this wine. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $19 [ screwcap; 4 g/L RS; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is definitive Marlborough sauvignon, showing clear-cut varietal character ranging from sweet basil and reddest capsicum through to black passionfruit, with just the faintest suggestion of musky armpit character mingling with the sweet basil – acceptable. Palate is crisp, flavourful and 'dry', close to the Highfield in style but not quite so rich, less acid than the Cloudy Bay. In the New Zealand Sauvignon class, 2006 Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc is the current yardstick. Anything better than this is unarguably gold-medal sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Pale lemon. Bouquet is definitive Marlborough sauvignon, showing clear-cut varietal character ranging from sweet basil and reddest capsicum through to black passionfruit, with just the faintest suggestion of musky armpit character mingling with the sweet basil – acceptable. Palate is crisp, flavourful and 'dry', close to the Highfield in style but not quite so rich, less acid than the Cloudy Bay. In the New Zealand Sauvignon class, 2006 Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc is the current yardstick. Anything better than this is unarguably gold-medal sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; 3 t/ac; 40% whole bunch, some wild yeast; 14% BF in French oak 10% new, 4 months LA, RS 3 g/L; exemplary website info though slow to unfold; www.craggyrange.com ]
Lemongreen. This is a most unusual sauvignon, very ripe and very pure, like the Amisfield in some ways in its pear, pale peach and ripest English gooseberry fruit, scarcely any capsicum. Palate is gorgeous, really ripe gooseberry, a totally different sauvignon style. Thankfully Craggy are retreating from some of their coarser, high-alcohol sauvignons of previously. The use of oak in this wine is nearly as subtle as the Amisfield. A great comparison with the Otago wine, both adding a new dimension to New Zealand sauvignon. This should cellar well for 3 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Lemongreen. This is a most unusual sauvignon, very ripe and very pure, like the Amisfield in some ways in its pear, pale peach and ripest English gooseberry fruit, scarcely any capsicum. Palate is gorgeous, really ripe gooseberry, a totally different sauvignon style. Thankfully Craggy are retreating from some of their coarser, high-alcohol sauvignons of previously. The use of oak in this wine is nearly as subtle as the Amisfield. A great comparison with the Otago wine, both adding a new dimension to New Zealand sauvignon. This should cellar well for 3 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $82 [ cork; New Zealand purchase price c.$14; even the reliable Wine Spectator lets us down, for the 1983, there is now no review. Parker in his 1987 book does say: Marcel Guigal has embarked on a plan to use more Mourvedre and Syrah in its composition and the result has been a series of excellent, full-bodied, surprisingly complex wines in vintages such as 1981, 1982, and 1983. The Cotes du Rhone was grenache-dominant then. Because 1983 was a famous year in the Southern Rhone Valley, several people do mention the 1983 Guigal Cotes du Rhone in their reminiscences: For example, in 2008 an American commentator on artisanwine.blogspot.com noted for the 1983: Guigal's record with Cotes du Rhone speaks for itself, however, and goes back many years. The 1981, 1983 and 1985 Guigal Cotes du Rhone stand out in my memory. When I had a chance to pick up the 1983 for about $30/case in 1990 (when by all rights it should have been dead), I had no hesitation. And it was drinking so beautifully that I went back for case No. 2 and enjoyed every drop. I last tasted the 1983 on 8 May 2010. The wine was soft, fragrant and burgundian, savoury, and very food-friendly … in a fully mature way. So it may be a bit fragile now; weight bottle and closure: 578 g; www.guigal.com ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, immediately attractive, the lightest colour. Bouquet is simply astonishing for the wine-class, epitomising vinosity and complexity, red fruits browning now, nearly pink roses, an aromatic hint of bouquet garni, all soft and enticing, tending burgundian in style like a mature Cote de Nuits wine of some standing. Palate matches, still surprising fruit balanced against harmonious soft tannins, thoughts of browning raspberries and red plums, beautiful acid balance, subtlest oak, long in flavour. Cotes du Rhone does not get much better than this. Top wine for four tasters, and second favourite for another four. In a cool cellar (in the southern two-thirds of the country), will easily hold for its 40th birthday. GK 03/21
Glowing ruby and garnet, immediately attractive, the lightest colour. Bouquet is simply astonishing for the wine-class, epitomising vinosity and complexity, red fruits browning now, nearly pink roses, an aromatic hint of bouquet garni, all soft and enticing, tending burgundian in style like a mature Cote de Nuits wine of some standing. Palate matches, still surprising fruit balanced against harmonious soft tannins, thoughts of browning raspberries and red plums, beautiful acid balance, subtlest oak, long in flavour. Cotes du Rhone does not get much better than this. Top wine for four tasters, and second favourite for another four. In a cool cellar (in the southern two-thirds of the country), will easily hold for its 40th birthday. GK 03/21
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ cork; BF French oak, 9 months LA; www.palliser.co.nz ]
Brilliant lemongreen. This is a remarkable chardonnay bouquet, with similar complex acacia florals and vanillin to the '02 Villa Waikahu, but fresher and lighter. Palate sustains the florals right through, like a fine Mosel of a good year, but here dry and combined with chardonnay fruit weight, supremely subtle barrel fermentation and lees autolysis, and much lighter alcohol than the Villa wines. This is a glorious new world chardonnay, but not a big one. The British market should love it, for it is comparable with (but different from) grand cru chablis. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Brilliant lemongreen. This is a remarkable chardonnay bouquet, with similar complex acacia florals and vanillin to the '02 Villa Waikahu, but fresher and lighter. Palate sustains the florals right through, like a fine Mosel of a good year, but here dry and combined with chardonnay fruit weight, supremely subtle barrel fermentation and lees autolysis, and much lighter alcohol than the Villa wines. This is a glorious new world chardonnay, but not a big one. The British market should love it, for it is comparable with (but different from) grand cru chablis. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Mosel, Germany: 7.5%; $34 [ www.drloosen.de ]
Lemon, faintest straw. One of the most eloquent bouquets in the set, with clearcut sweet white flowers and sweet vernal / linalool florals, making for unequivocal riesling. Palate shows palest stonefruits and white cherries, hints of pure fresh pineapple (without the VA), good body, fine acid almost concealing appropriate sweetness, and a long elegant finish. This can be compared with the 2001. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/04
Lemon, faintest straw. One of the most eloquent bouquets in the set, with clearcut sweet white flowers and sweet vernal / linalool florals, making for unequivocal riesling. Palate shows palest stonefruits and white cherries, hints of pure fresh pineapple (without the VA), good body, fine acid almost concealing appropriate sweetness, and a long elegant finish. This can be compared with the 2001. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ Me 50%, CS 35, Sy 15; new French oak 26 months; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is the dark horse in the contest, being a little understated at this stage. With more air and time, beautifully ripe cassis and darkest plums emerge, plus tobacco complexities and quiet oaking. Palate is exquisitely pure, total cassis and plum, utterly Bordeaux in styling and weight. Where has the oak disappeared to ? On the specs, it should dominate, but here, like the Guigal Grands Crus, it is almost invisible. Dry extract must be outstanding, to do that. The percentage of totally compatible syrah in this wine is a pointer to making Hawkes Bay Blends distinctive on the world stage (for our syrah is at the cassisy and French end of the flavour spectrum, not the blowsy boysenberry Australian end). Cellar to 20 years. May well score higher in a couple of years. GK 10/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is the dark horse in the contest, being a little understated at this stage. With more air and time, beautifully ripe cassis and darkest plums emerge, plus tobacco complexities and quiet oaking. Palate is exquisitely pure, total cassis and plum, utterly Bordeaux in styling and weight. Where has the oak disappeared to ? On the specs, it should dominate, but here, like the Guigal Grands Crus, it is almost invisible. Dry extract must be outstanding, to do that. The percentage of totally compatible syrah in this wine is a pointer to making Hawkes Bay Blends distinctive on the world stage (for our syrah is at the cassisy and French end of the flavour spectrum, not the blowsy boysenberry Australian end). Cellar to 20 years. May well score higher in a couple of years. GK 10/04
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; clones 15 and another, 100% wild yeast ferment, 50% MLF, 9 months BF and LA in 100% new French oak; 1 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemon with a suggestion of straw, relative to the top wines. Bouquet here is more complex, with mealy and slightly smoky / bacony barrel char characters showing on rich fruit. Palate is rich, already some hazelnutty suggestions in the mealy complexity, all on succulent stonefruits. Wines like these really do show the dry extract which is the key to greatness. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Lemon with a suggestion of straw, relative to the top wines. Bouquet here is more complex, with mealy and slightly smoky / bacony barrel char characters showing on rich fruit. Palate is rich, already some hazelnutty suggestions in the mealy complexity, all on succulent stonefruits. Wines like these really do show the dry extract which is the key to greatness. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Gimblett Gravels 58%, The Triangle 42, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.4%; $120 [ cork 50mm; CS 41%, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 12, and Te 8, all hand-picked at an average cropping rate of 4.1 t/ha = 1.65 t/ac, then optically-sorted, plus the cabernets further hand-sorted; c.4 days soak then (depending on variety) up to c.15 days cuvaison, all components fermented in oak cuves, and no pressings in this wine; 26 months in French oak 50% new, plus 8 months on lees in s/s; not fined, sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 32.1 g/L; production 280 x 9-litre cases; Hieronymus refers to a Weiss-family (owners) ancestor, mayor of Nuremberg; weight bottle and closure 587 g; https://elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older in appearance than Syrah Earth, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully pure, cassisy berry browning a little now, even maybe a delicate suggestion of violets florals on bouquet, grape tannins seemingly more apparent than oak on bouquet. Flavour is long, velvety and wonderfully fine-grain on new oak tannins, with a near-floral lift through the cassisy and plummy dark berryfruits. This wine could not be much riper, if the magic of temperate-climate cabernet sauvignon
winestyles is to be retained. As with Airavata, dry extract is exemplary, showing a value rarely achieved in New Zealand. I did not pick up that it was even richer than Airavata, at the blind stage. Some maturity is already starting to show. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Ruby and velvet, a little older in appearance than Syrah Earth, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is wonderfully pure, cassisy berry browning a little now, even maybe a delicate suggestion of violets florals on bouquet, grape tannins seemingly more apparent than oak on bouquet. Flavour is long, velvety and wonderfully fine-grain on new oak tannins, with a near-floral lift through the cassisy and plummy dark berryfruits. This wine could not be much riper, if the magic of temperate-climate cabernet sauvignon
winestyles is to be retained. As with Airavata, dry extract is exemplary, showing a value rarely achieved in New Zealand. I did not pick up that it was even richer than Airavata, at the blind stage. Some maturity is already starting to show. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Gibbston 60%, Bannockburn 40, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 10 months in French oak 35% new; www.waitiricreek.co.nz ]
Older pinot noir ruby, middling weight. The key to this wine is its wonderful floral bouquet, illustrating the full span of floral indicators of ripeness, from hints of buddleia through roses to deep boronia complexity. It illustrates that in New Zealand as for Burgundy wines of good physiological maturity retain florality as the wine matures. Below are red and black fruits and great varietal excitement. Palate is equally poised, a touch of leaf maybe as the buddleia note might suggest, but clear-cut cherry fruit, good length on well-handled oak, showing some secondary characters already. Like the Mount Difficulty Long Gully, this is not a 'black' Central Otago Pinot, and is the better for it. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 02/10
Older pinot noir ruby, middling weight. The key to this wine is its wonderful floral bouquet, illustrating the full span of floral indicators of ripeness, from hints of buddleia through roses to deep boronia complexity. It illustrates that in New Zealand as for Burgundy wines of good physiological maturity retain florality as the wine matures. Below are red and black fruits and great varietal excitement. Palate is equally poised, a touch of leaf maybe as the buddleia note might suggest, but clear-cut cherry fruit, good length on well-handled oak, showing some secondary characters already. Like the Mount Difficulty Long Gully, this is not a 'black' Central Otago Pinot, and is the better for it. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.6%; $179 [ cork; hand-harvested clone 10/5 23 years old, and other younger clones, sorting table; 10 – 15% whole bunch, 4 – 5 days cold soak, up to 20 days cuvaison; 12 months in French oak 100% new, plus 4 months in new and one year; not fined or filtered; 900 bottles only from what is considered to be an outstanding Martinborough vintage; www.martinborough-vineyard.co.nz ]
This wine was not part of the Exhibitors' Tasting, but was seen with the 2003 Rousseaus and other top New Zealand pinots a few days later, while all the Conference wines were still available. It was too interesting to leave out, considering it is likely to become something of a status symbol. Colour is rich pinot noir ruby, a little darker than all the Rousseaus. It was presented blind in a flight of five, four being Rousseau grand crus, plus the Marie Zelie. And the immediate thing to say is, it was fully competitive. As seen blind by 20 or so of Wellington's most experienced pinot / burgundy tasters, it was placed approximately third in ranking these five wines. That is a remarkable result. Bouquet is floral, varietal and fresh, closest in style to the Rousseau Clos St Jacques. Palate is richly varietal too, the balance of black cherry and plum flavours again close to the St Jacques. Where it differs from the Rousseaus in general, and the St Jacques in particular, is in being a little shrill, in side-by-side comparison. This is a function of slightly higher total acid than is ideal, and more apparent and slightly aggressive new oak. We still have so much to learn about oak handling, against the French centuries of tradition. Dry extract will be the key, I suggest, but for now, as for New Zealand syrah (which when good has so much in common with pinot), in general less will be more. This Reserve wine should cellar for 10, maybe 15 + years.
Pricing-wise, I think it is time for somebody in New Zealand to say that this increasingly presumptuous and pretentious pricing for supposedly prestige wines is doing a disservice to the New Zealand wine industry. It is far too early for us to be making claim to world-class wines, at the grandiose level of $179 per bottle. We deserve to be mocked, on this, as Remington Norman did exactly in the Syrah Symposium preceding Pinot Noir 2007. Only a few years ago Trinity Hill scandalised the wine community with $100 bottles. Now in this review we have $157 and $179 bottles of pinot noir. It is time to call a halt, I say. If winemakers want to skite, put a maximum of $100 on their top wine as they perceive it, and leave it at that. Let the consumer decide, if they can find objective reviews to help them. The trouble is, as we saw in the Pinot Conference proper, reviewers can all too easily be diverted from evaluating the actual liquid in the glass in front of them, by knowledge of the label, or in this case, the price. And the other good reason to downplay prestige bottlings is the simple fact, it devalues the standard wine. Martinborough Vineyard's standard pinot has been looking skinny for some time. Siphoning off the best fruit for wines like this Reserve bottling can only aggravate that trend. As the Champenoise have done in recent years, get the standard wine to a top quality level first. GK 02/07
This wine was not part of the Exhibitors' Tasting, but was seen with the 2003 Rousseaus and other top New Zealand pinots a few days later, while all the Conference wines were still available. It was too interesting to leave out, considering it is likely to become something of a status symbol. Colour is rich pinot noir ruby, a little darker than all the Rousseaus. It was presented blind in a flight of five, four being Rousseau grand crus, plus the Marie Zelie. And the immediate thing to say is, it was fully competitive. As seen blind by 20 or so of Wellington's most experienced pinot / burgundy tasters, it was placed approximately third in ranking these five wines. That is a remarkable result. Bouquet is floral, varietal and fresh, closest in style to the Rousseau Clos St Jacques. Palate is richly varietal too, the balance of black cherry and plum flavours again close to the St Jacques. Where it differs from the Rousseaus in general, and the St Jacques in particular, is in being a little shrill, in side-by-side comparison. This is a function of slightly higher total acid than is ideal, and more apparent and slightly aggressive new oak. We still have so much to learn about oak handling, against the French centuries of tradition. Dry extract will be the key, I suggest, but for now, as for New Zealand syrah (which when good has so much in common with pinot), in general less will be more. This Reserve wine should cellar for 10, maybe 15 + years.
Pricing-wise, I think it is time for somebody in New Zealand to say that this increasingly presumptuous and pretentious pricing for supposedly prestige wines is doing a disservice to the New Zealand wine industry. It is far too early for us to be making claim to world-class wines, at the grandiose level of $179 per bottle. We deserve to be mocked, on this, as Remington Norman did exactly in the Syrah Symposium preceding Pinot Noir 2007. Only a few years ago Trinity Hill scandalised the wine community with $100 bottles. Now in this review we have $157 and $179 bottles of pinot noir. It is time to call a halt, I say. If winemakers want to skite, put a maximum of $100 on their top wine as they perceive it, and leave it at that. Let the consumer decide, if they can find objective reviews to help them. The trouble is, as we saw in the Pinot Conference proper, reviewers can all too easily be diverted from evaluating the actual liquid in the glass in front of them, by knowledge of the label, or in this case, the price. And the other good reason to downplay prestige bottlings is the simple fact, it devalues the standard wine. Martinborough Vineyard's standard pinot has been looking skinny for some time. Siphoning off the best fruit for wines like this Reserve bottling can only aggravate that trend. As the Champenoise have done in recent years, get the standard wine to a top quality level first. GK 02/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ cork; 100% French oak; not on the website yet; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, much the same weight as the Dry River. My word, what a change in style for Elspeth Syrah. This is subtle, no US oak, all French, no VA, just floral and fragrant red roses, cassis and almost red rather than black plums, yet smelling beautifully ripe. Palate includes blueberry in the spread of small fruits, acid crisper than some, oak delightfully aromatic. On the acid and subtlety, this wine should build terrific bouquet in the bottle, over 5 – 12 years, and be good with food too. GK 01/07
Ruby, a little carmine and velvet, much the same weight as the Dry River. My word, what a change in style for Elspeth Syrah. This is subtle, no US oak, all French, no VA, just floral and fragrant red roses, cassis and almost red rather than black plums, yet smelling beautifully ripe. Palate includes blueberry in the spread of small fruits, acid crisper than some, oak delightfully aromatic. On the acid and subtlety, this wine should build terrific bouquet in the bottle, over 5 – 12 years, and be good with food too. GK 01/07
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 11 months in French oak 35% new; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Colour is a beautiful limpid pinot noir colour, fractionally deeper than the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard, more like the Long Gully but a little fresher, clearly not one of the very dark Otago pinots. Bouquet on this wine is one of the most marvellous in the Conference, explicit boronia florals along with roses and violets, on beautiful red and black cherry fruit showing more black cherry than the Martinborough but very fresh. Palate has a limpid cherry-fruit sensuality to it which is already delightful, showing not quite as much oak as the Long Gully but more than the standard 2008 Martinborough Vineyard. I can well imagine that with cellaring, the florality of bouquet may extend right through the palate of this wine, to produce the elusive / much-talked-about but rarely tasted 'peacock's tail' impression on aftertaste. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Colour is a beautiful limpid pinot noir colour, fractionally deeper than the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard, more like the Long Gully but a little fresher, clearly not one of the very dark Otago pinots. Bouquet on this wine is one of the most marvellous in the Conference, explicit boronia florals along with roses and violets, on beautiful red and black cherry fruit showing more black cherry than the Martinborough but very fresh. Palate has a limpid cherry-fruit sensuality to it which is already delightful, showing not quite as much oak as the Long Gully but more than the standard 2008 Martinborough Vineyard. I can well imagine that with cellaring, the florality of bouquet may extend right through the palate of this wine, to produce the elusive / much-talked-about but rarely tasted 'peacock's tail' impression on aftertaste. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $69 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields < 2 t/ac; extended cold-soak and cuvaison c.20% whole-bunch; all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 11 months in French oak c. 25% new; no fining or filtration; introduction to the Calvert concept 25 Nov 2008; intriguing new website; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby, about a maximum for the variety. Bouquet is supremely sweet and floral at the dark roses and boronia level, on clear red and black cherry fruit and subtle oak. In mouth the florals are quite aromatic and permeate the youthful fruit, though some marrying-up is still needed. Within the Otago tending darker and well-fruited context, this is even more varietal than the Craggy Calvert, but with respect to its oaking it is also a little simpler. Either way, this is fine New Zealand pinot noir, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Big pinot noir ruby, about a maximum for the variety. Bouquet is supremely sweet and floral at the dark roses and boronia level, on clear red and black cherry fruit and subtle oak. In mouth the florals are quite aromatic and permeate the youthful fruit, though some marrying-up is still needed. Within the Otago tending darker and well-fruited context, this is even more varietal than the Craggy Calvert, but with respect to its oaking it is also a little simpler. Either way, this is fine New Zealand pinot noir, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; not much info on website; www.amisfield.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet ripe and modern Marlborough sauvignon, a lot of black passionfruit, and honeysuckle too. Palate is pure long-flavoured black passionfruit, more obvious but less complex than the Amisfield, and equally long, a little less 'dry'. The tiny bite of sweet aromatic red capsicum lengthening the finish is excellent. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet ripe and modern Marlborough sauvignon, a lot of black passionfruit, and honeysuckle too. Palate is pure long-flavoured black passionfruit, more obvious but less complex than the Amisfield, and equally long, a little less 'dry'. The tiny bite of sweet aromatic red capsicum lengthening the finish is excellent. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ cork; hand-harvested from the home vineyard; open-vat fermentation, cuvaison 22 days, 16 months in French oak, RS 1 g/L, dry extract 31 g/L; www.danielschusterwines.com ]
Ruby, a classical presentation of pinot noir. Bouquet is captivating, sweetly fragrant and spicy, with whole-berry fermentation and floral components of pinot noir alongside a great volume of nutmeg-tinged soft spicy oak. This oak is reminiscent of the wines Gary Farr was making in the 1980s. The bouquet is an exciting and stylish statement about pinot noir, handled in an individualistic and European way, but one does initially wonder whether there will be too much oak on palate. In the comparative blind tasting, however, the palate wins out, with rich cherry fruit sustaining the smooth spicy oak into a long finish, which is very varietal and stylish indeed – 31 g/L dry extract confirms excellent concentration. In one sense, the Omihi makes the top ’04 Otago wines look a little simple alongside, though they are equally fine examples of New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
Ruby, a classical presentation of pinot noir. Bouquet is captivating, sweetly fragrant and spicy, with whole-berry fermentation and floral components of pinot noir alongside a great volume of nutmeg-tinged soft spicy oak. This oak is reminiscent of the wines Gary Farr was making in the 1980s. The bouquet is an exciting and stylish statement about pinot noir, handled in an individualistic and European way, but one does initially wonder whether there will be too much oak on palate. In the comparative blind tasting, however, the palate wins out, with rich cherry fruit sustaining the smooth spicy oak into a long finish, which is very varietal and stylish indeed – 31 g/L dry extract confirms excellent concentration. In one sense, the Omihi makes the top ’04 Otago wines look a little simple alongside, though they are equally fine examples of New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
Chablis, France: 13%; $95 [ cork; Fevre domaine-holdings wine ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet here is pure chardonnay, with suggestions of the white florals the grape can display (as in the '03 Palliser), but oak is surprisingly noticeable for chablis. Palate is wonderful white stonefruits plus some mealy / potentially nutty complexity making one think of white burgundy more than chablis, richer than the Montée Tonnerre, gentler acid than the Bougros but still enough for reasonable longevity, and a long lingering aftertaste. Just all a bit soft and ample for chablis: a globally-warmed chablis, I guess, but pretty lovely. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Lemongreen. Bouquet here is pure chardonnay, with suggestions of the white florals the grape can display (as in the '03 Palliser), but oak is surprisingly noticeable for chablis. Palate is wonderful white stonefruits plus some mealy / potentially nutty complexity making one think of white burgundy more than chablis, richer than the Montée Tonnerre, gentler acid than the Bougros but still enough for reasonable longevity, and a long lingering aftertaste. Just all a bit soft and ample for chablis: a globally-warmed chablis, I guess, but pretty lovely. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ screwcap; mostly mendoza and clone 15; relative to Nelson wine, more BF, new oak, MLF and wild yeast; still available at vineyard ]
Lemongreen, fractionally deeper than the Nelson wine. Bouquet on this wine is in the same style as the Nelson one, but deeper, tauter, drier even on bouquet, with very attractive baguette crust / lees-autolysis complexity. Palate is terrific, total barrel-fermented chardonnay beautifully fresh – one would never know it was a 2003 vintage wine. Flavours are almost floral white stonefruits, great oatmeal and baguette crust lees-autolysis with a faint hint of Corban's Cottage Block character, and the viscosity of a successful MLF component without any of the flavours. This is an elegant rich chardonnay mellowing beautifully in one sense yet scarcely showing any sign of its extra year, remarkably Burgundian, and not at all overblown in the still-common oaky new world style. It will be great with food, and will cellar for 8 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Lemongreen, fractionally deeper than the Nelson wine. Bouquet on this wine is in the same style as the Nelson one, but deeper, tauter, drier even on bouquet, with very attractive baguette crust / lees-autolysis complexity. Palate is terrific, total barrel-fermented chardonnay beautifully fresh – one would never know it was a 2003 vintage wine. Flavours are almost floral white stonefruits, great oatmeal and baguette crust lees-autolysis with a faint hint of Corban's Cottage Block character, and the viscosity of a successful MLF component without any of the flavours. This is an elegant rich chardonnay mellowing beautifully in one sense yet scarcely showing any sign of its extra year, remarkably Burgundian, and not at all overblown in the still-common oaky new world style. It will be great with food, and will cellar for 8 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; 30% whole bunch; 11 months French oak 40% new; www.valliwine.com ]
Rich ruby and velvet, deep for pinot noir, the deepest in its tasting, and the darkest of my top 10. This wine illustrates the darker phase of Otago pinots, yet the bouquet still retains good pinot character, showing fair freshness and a dusky florality centred on boronia, but grading into black cherry fruit and the aroma of blackest plums in the sun. Palate is wonderfully rich, saturated, tannic, about as big as pinot can be and retain elegance, yet again it is on the right side of the line, fresh, black cherry again, a little plummy maybe, with great potential sensuality and a lingering black cherry tannin balance. It therefore represents about the outer limits of desirable ripeness in pinot noir, if the wine is to retain florality, freshness, varietal complexity, and burgundian styling. Darker is not necessarily better, in pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Rich ruby and velvet, deep for pinot noir, the deepest in its tasting, and the darkest of my top 10. This wine illustrates the darker phase of Otago pinots, yet the bouquet still retains good pinot character, showing fair freshness and a dusky florality centred on boronia, but grading into black cherry fruit and the aroma of blackest plums in the sun. Palate is wonderfully rich, saturated, tannic, about as big as pinot can be and retain elegance, yet again it is on the right side of the line, fresh, black cherry again, a little plummy maybe, with great potential sensuality and a lingering black cherry tannin balance. It therefore represents about the outer limits of desirable ripeness in pinot noir, if the wine is to retain florality, freshness, varietal complexity, and burgundian styling. Darker is not necessarily better, in pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 70%, Me 30; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another great colour for a young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. The fruit richness and sweetness on this wine is exceptional, with slightly more overt new oak, perhaps because the VA is approaching threshold. The total impression is sensational. Palate is plums and cassis in fragrant oak, a firmer slightly leaner wine than the top three, beautifully clean. This too will cellar to 10 – 20 years, and become more fragrant and supple in its slightly oaky Medoc styling. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another great colour for a young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. The fruit richness and sweetness on this wine is exceptional, with slightly more overt new oak, perhaps because the VA is approaching threshold. The total impression is sensational. Palate is plums and cassis in fragrant oak, a firmer slightly leaner wine than the top three, beautifully clean. This too will cellar to 10 – 20 years, and become more fragrant and supple in its slightly oaky Medoc styling. GK 06/10
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ screwcap; release Sept. ’06, ’04 c. $36; clone 15 and others; 100% BF in 25% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is immediately stonefruits chardonnay and clearcut barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis / breadcrust complexity, with a hint of char, all sweet and clean and attractive. Palate is white stonefruits and nectarine, the richness of MLF without the butter, perfect acid balance for longevity, a hint of mineral austerity, and balanced oak including some taste of the new. This is taut poised wine in a medium Puligny-Montrachet style, which should cellar for 6 – 10 years. NB: notes based on final assembled blend, pre-bottling. GK 02/06
Lemon. Bouquet is immediately stonefruits chardonnay and clearcut barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis / breadcrust complexity, with a hint of char, all sweet and clean and attractive. Palate is white stonefruits and nectarine, the richness of MLF without the butter, perfect acid balance for longevity, a hint of mineral austerity, and balanced oak including some taste of the new. This is taut poised wine in a medium Puligny-Montrachet style, which should cellar for 6 – 10 years. NB: notes based on final assembled blend, pre-bottling. GK 02/06
Waimea Plains, Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; clones 10/5 and others, some vines up to 24 years, harvested at under 2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, up to 7 days cold soak, up to 27 days cuvaison; 12 months in French oak 37% new; Robinson '05: Dark blackish purple. Something rather odd on the nose. Sweet start, rather charming essence of Pinot + gas. Probably not a long liver! 16; no website ]
Good pinot noir ruby, much the same weight as the 2003 Mt Difficulty Target Gully, but fractionally older. Bouquet is a little more developed than the wines rated higher, showing beautiful pinot noir varietal character in fragrant oak, possibly with an invisible whisper of brett complexity. Palate brings up the boronia florals on a succulent dark cherry complexity, beautiful lingering fruit, oak slightly more noticeable than some (like the 2003 Prima Donna), and the whole wine a little looser. This is a clearly burgundian glass of pinot noir, crying out for food. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/07
Good pinot noir ruby, much the same weight as the 2003 Mt Difficulty Target Gully, but fractionally older. Bouquet is a little more developed than the wines rated higher, showing beautiful pinot noir varietal character in fragrant oak, possibly with an invisible whisper of brett complexity. Palate brings up the boronia florals on a succulent dark cherry complexity, beautiful lingering fruit, oak slightly more noticeable than some (like the 2003 Prima Donna), and the whole wine a little looser. This is a clearly burgundian glass of pinot noir, crying out for food. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/07
Cromwell Basin 80%, Gibbston 20, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 35% new; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Rich ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, pretty deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is even fresher and more fragrant and floral than the Valli, totally burgundian Cote de Nuits berry, absolutely exciting. The florals range from buddleia through roses to boronia, the fruit notes being black more than red cherries. It is all just that magical bit cooler than the Valli: in mouth that thought of coolness translates into slightly fresher tannins, a hint of leaf only in a positive descriptive sense, with great poise, zest and balance, and good tannin ripeness. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Rich ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, pretty deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is even fresher and more fragrant and floral than the Valli, totally burgundian Cote de Nuits berry, absolutely exciting. The florals range from buddleia through roses to boronia, the fruit notes being black more than red cherries. It is all just that magical bit cooler than the Valli: in mouth that thought of coolness translates into slightly fresher tannins, a hint of leaf only in a positive descriptive sense, with great poise, zest and balance, and good tannin ripeness. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $120 [ Cork 49mm; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed but still some whole-berries; wild yeast, up to 13 days ferment, total cuvaison 26 days; MLF mostly in tank, 15 months in French oak 72% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; around 500 cases; Campbell, 2012: Big, rich, velvet-textured Syrah with masses of chocolate/mocha, ripe plum and mixed spice flavours. Is this the best vintage yet of this iconic label? Concentrated, sumptuous wine supported by ripe tannins that suggest great cellaring potential, 95; Chan, 2012: 100% Syrah from the ‘Gimblett Estate' and ‘Gimblett Stones' vineyards, mainly ‘MS Heritage' clone from 15 y.o. vines, hand-picked, destemmed and fermented with a large portion of whole berries to 13.7% alc. The wine was aged 15 months in predominantly new French oak barriques. Very dark, deep, … colour. This has a very refined and tightly concentrated nose of ripe black fruits, graphite and minerals at the core, initially brooding and unyielding, but unfolding to reveal unending layers of dark red berry fruits, violet notes, black pepper and spices. Medium-full bodied, this combines great intensity and concentration with elegance and finesse. Black fruits, boysenberries, dark plums and iron-earth flavours form a densely packed core. The mouthfeel is rich, luscious and near-unctuous, but simultaneously tight and restrained, the textures being ultra-smooth and fine. This has great power and line, with building tannin expression, along with layers of pepper, Asian spices, oak toast and florals that carry though to a very long and sustained finish. This is a multi-layered Syrah with great concentration and immense refinement. 10-12+ years, 19.5+; Cooper, 2013: The 2010 vintage is a '7 out of 7 year' believes winemaker John Hancock. Densely coloured … it is powerful, with great depth of superbly ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, framed by ripe, supple tannins. Still a baby, it's already approachable, but well worth cellaring to at least 2015+, 5-stars; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the fresher reds, above midway in depth. And freshly opened, the colour correlates with a shadow of reduction. Once decanted, pour it splashily from jug to jug five times, and enjoy the transformation. It is like a flower bud bursting. This syrah then combines florality like La Chapelle with a softness of palate which is very beguiling, closer to the Cuilleron Cote Rotie than the others. There is also a shadow of leathery complexity, but in this highly technically-qualified audience, no one mentioned the b-word. The length and richness of the palate is Hermitage-like. This is a beautiful food-friendly wine, astonishingly best-European in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the fresher reds, above midway in depth. And freshly opened, the colour correlates with a shadow of reduction. Once decanted, pour it splashily from jug to jug five times, and enjoy the transformation. It is like a flower bud bursting. This syrah then combines florality like La Chapelle with a softness of palate which is very beguiling, closer to the Cuilleron Cote Rotie than the others. There is also a shadow of leathery complexity, but in this highly technically-qualified audience, no one mentioned the b-word. The length and richness of the palate is Hermitage-like. This is a beautiful food-friendly wine, astonishingly best-European in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $28 [ cork; Ch 55%, PN 41, PM 4; www.hunters.co.nz ]
Bright lemonstraw. Bouquet is remarkable, combining a citric freshness with attractive mealy and baguette-crust autolysis of textbook quality, just lovely. Palate is full of flavour, really satisfying and long, a little toasty now, great with savouries, everything an affordable bubbly should be. And the dosage at 8 g/L is superb, setting wines like this apart from the overly sweet Pernod-Ricard (and successors) offerings. In the simplest terms, there is no reputable New Zealand bubbly which is not better after two or three years bottle age after release, and this wine vividly confirms that. This delightful wine has body and palate weight reminiscent of fine champagne, but is not 'fruity'. Cellar 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 01/14
Bright lemonstraw. Bouquet is remarkable, combining a citric freshness with attractive mealy and baguette-crust autolysis of textbook quality, just lovely. Palate is full of flavour, really satisfying and long, a little toasty now, great with savouries, everything an affordable bubbly should be. And the dosage at 8 g/L is superb, setting wines like this apart from the overly sweet Pernod-Ricard (and successors) offerings. In the simplest terms, there is no reputable New Zealand bubbly which is not better after two or three years bottle age after release, and this wine vividly confirms that. This delightful wine has body and palate weight reminiscent of fine champagne, but is not 'fruity'. Cellar 2 – 10 years, to taste. GK 01/14
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; c.11 months in French oak c.33% new; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, some age showing. Like the 2005 Waitiri Creek, this Otago wine also shows that attractively ripe pinot noir retains exciting roses and boronia florality as the wine matures. Bouquet is total pinot noir, not as overtly floral as the Waitiri, but sweeter and perhaps fractionally riper, with beautiful dusky rose qualities and boronia floral notes. Palate is delightful, clearly above the threshold of ripeness that relates to leafy, instead now displaying fine harmony, the florality running into maturing cherry flavours spanning red and black fruits, with good freshness, richness, oak balance and length. There are Cote de Nuits qualities in this. This Black Poplar vineyard wine made by Rudi Bauer has built up an enviable track record for consistency, the wines usually being in the darker Otago style outlined for the Felton Road Block 5. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, some age showing. Like the 2005 Waitiri Creek, this Otago wine also shows that attractively ripe pinot noir retains exciting roses and boronia florality as the wine matures. Bouquet is total pinot noir, not as overtly floral as the Waitiri, but sweeter and perhaps fractionally riper, with beautiful dusky rose qualities and boronia floral notes. Palate is delightful, clearly above the threshold of ripeness that relates to leafy, instead now displaying fine harmony, the florality running into maturing cherry flavours spanning red and black fruits, with good freshness, richness, oak balance and length. There are Cote de Nuits qualities in this. This Black Poplar vineyard wine made by Rudi Bauer has built up an enviable track record for consistency, the wines usually being in the darker Otago style outlined for the Felton Road Block 5. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/10
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $416 [ cork, 49mm; Sy 100%; purchase price c.$349; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Vibrant ruby and velvet, not as deep as 2003, above midway in depth. This wine opened up appealingly in the glass, showing good syrah varietal character a little riper than the 2010, not exactly floral or cassis, but beautifully fragrant on dark bottled plums and nearly blackberry fruit. There is even a hint of black pepper spice, and some garrigue-like aromatics, though like the 2010 they are nearly masked by the oak. Like the 2003, the oak comes in with a rush on the palate, and coupled with the high tannins of the 2005 vintage, there is a dryness on palate now, which I hope with time the fruit richness will cover. The 2005 brings together aspects of the 2003 and 2010 vintages, but it is not as rich. This wine too was popular, three first places and one second, but also one least place – perhaps the tannin load. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 94. GK 10/18
Vibrant ruby and velvet, not as deep as 2003, above midway in depth. This wine opened up appealingly in the glass, showing good syrah varietal character a little riper than the 2010, not exactly floral or cassis, but beautifully fragrant on dark bottled plums and nearly blackberry fruit. There is even a hint of black pepper spice, and some garrigue-like aromatics, though like the 2010 they are nearly masked by the oak. Like the 2003, the oak comes in with a rush on the palate, and coupled with the high tannins of the 2005 vintage, there is a dryness on palate now, which I hope with time the fruit richness will cover. The 2005 brings together aspects of the 2003 and 2010 vintages, but it is not as rich. This wine too was popular, three first places and one second, but also one least place – perhaps the tannin load. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 94. GK 10/18
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap; '06 not on website yet, but '05 had 15% BF in French oak plus 4 months LA; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet on this sauvignon is very different from the Marlborough wines, gentler, riper, with a distinct tropical (e.g. pepino or musk melon) fruit note on the black passionfruit, remarkably like fresh fruit salad. Palate is rich, and continues the fruit salad impression exactly, the mouthfeel close to the Highfield, but the residual higher – though still 'dry'. This is a perfect expression of the warmer-climate Hawkes Bay style, showing quite different fruit notes. It should appeal immensely to those who find Marlborough sauvignons are generally too refreshing. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Lemon. Bouquet on this sauvignon is very different from the Marlborough wines, gentler, riper, with a distinct tropical (e.g. pepino or musk melon) fruit note on the black passionfruit, remarkably like fresh fruit salad. Palate is rich, and continues the fruit salad impression exactly, the mouthfeel close to the Highfield, but the residual higher – though still 'dry'. This is a perfect expression of the warmer-climate Hawkes Bay style, showing quite different fruit notes. It should appeal immensely to those who find Marlborough sauvignons are generally too refreshing. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.6%; $44 [ screwcap; 30% whole-bunch, 11 months in French oak, one third new, balance 1 and 2-year ]
Big pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth, not as youthful as some 2007s. Bouquet is intensely floral, including dusky rose and boronia aromas, with red grading to black cherry fruit teetering towards plummyness, and some sur-maturité. Palate rescues the wine, being fresh, the flavours dark … yes, but not heavy, with sensitive oaking, and great length on the skin tannins, all lingering attractively. A clue to the volume of bouquet is apparent in the slight suggestion of stalkyness on palate, but the total depth of varietal fruit is remarkable – a lovely wine. The benefits of a part-stalk component in the fermentation are well-apparent here. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Big pinot noir ruby, above midway in depth, not as youthful as some 2007s. Bouquet is intensely floral, including dusky rose and boronia aromas, with red grading to black cherry fruit teetering towards plummyness, and some sur-maturité. Palate rescues the wine, being fresh, the flavours dark … yes, but not heavy, with sensitive oaking, and great length on the skin tannins, all lingering attractively. A clue to the volume of bouquet is apparent in the slight suggestion of stalkyness on palate, but the total depth of varietal fruit is remarkable – a lovely wine. The benefits of a part-stalk component in the fermentation are well-apparent here. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Bridge Pa Triangle 77%, Tukituki Valley 13, Gimblett Gravels 10, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $34 [ screwcap; CS 85%, Me 15; some components up to 5 weeks cuvaison; 21 months in French oak 37% new; RS < 2 g/L, all unfermentable; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, midway in the second third, for depth. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, cassis and cedary oak already integrating, very Medoc even Pauillac, lovely purity. Palate carries on exactly as for the bouquet, cassisy and plummy dark aromatic berry with cedary oak to a max, perhaps not ideally plump, but with a good feeling of fruit on the tongue. These McDonald Series wines have offered outstanding value in recent years, with the added excitement of sometimes being available with worthwhile discounts (as I write, for example, $22), allowing customers the pleasure of achieving the case-quantity purchases the quality demands. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, nearly some carmine, midway in the second third, for depth. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, cassis and cedary oak already integrating, very Medoc even Pauillac, lovely purity. Palate carries on exactly as for the bouquet, cassisy and plummy dark aromatic berry with cedary oak to a max, perhaps not ideally plump, but with a good feeling of fruit on the tongue. These McDonald Series wines have offered outstanding value in recent years, with the added excitement of sometimes being available with worthwhile discounts (as I write, for example, $22), allowing customers the pleasure of achieving the case-quantity purchases the quality demands. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Me 90.5%, CF 4.5, CS 4, hand-picked from 7 year old vines @ just under 2.5 t/ac; de-stemmed, not crushed; open-vat cuvaison approx 30 days; 18 months in French oak 75% new, no BF; no lees stirring; RS < 0.1 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Colour is ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from Sophia, above midway. If Sophia is a notch oakier than the Church Road, Brokenstone is another notch oakier. Yet the same violets florality and bottled black doris plums of the berry is discernible. Likewise in mouth, one just has to search harder to isolate the rich fruit: it is good. This wine needs time in cellar to harmonise its oak, but on balance it is just a bit too oaky for merlot to excel. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Colour is ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from Sophia, above midway. If Sophia is a notch oakier than the Church Road, Brokenstone is another notch oakier. Yet the same violets florality and bottled black doris plums of the berry is discernible. Likewise in mouth, one just has to search harder to isolate the rich fruit: it is good. This wine needs time in cellar to harmonise its oak, but on balance it is just a bit too oaky for merlot to excel. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.3%; $49 [ supercritical cork; 70% Te Muna Road, mix of clones, 30% whole bunch, wild yeast, 18-day cuvaison; 11 months in French oak, 30% new; dry extract 30 g/L, RS 1.2 g/L; c. 500 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. It is astonishing the degree to which this Martinborough wine can be confused with less dark Otago pinots of the same year. There is a slightly aromatic violets and boronia florality on cherry fruit, with a fair measure of black cherry. It is fractionally riper than the Cornish Point 2008, with slightly more oak influence. The scope for confusing the two districts is intriguing, since so many claim they are worlds apart. This is a lovely example of Larry McKenna's craft, the best standard-label yet, achieving European standards of fruit weight as expressed by the all-important dry extract figure. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Good pinot noir ruby. It is astonishing the degree to which this Martinborough wine can be confused with less dark Otago pinots of the same year. There is a slightly aromatic violets and boronia florality on cherry fruit, with a fair measure of black cherry. It is fractionally riper than the Cornish Point 2008, with slightly more oak influence. The scope for confusing the two districts is intriguing, since so many claim they are worlds apart. This is a lovely example of Larry McKenna's craft, the best standard-label yet, achieving European standards of fruit weight as expressed by the all-important dry extract figure. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Fleurieu Peninsula, Padthaway, Barossa Valley and other districts, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $59 [ cork; 16 months in large old oak; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, much the same weight as the 2001 RWT. Both the St Henris benefit from decanting. This 2001 has quite the best bouquet I have ever struck on St Henri, notwithstanding trace brett. There are some dianthus-like florals and thoughts of syrah, on overt blueberry, with underpinning cassis, plum and boysenberry, very rich, much more complex than the 2002. Palate continues the fine berry in quite a peppery tannin structure, still quite oaky despite the stated old-oak-only elevage, the fruit nearly as rich as 2001 RWT. This is a remarkable St Henri, in a bizarre / gigantic way almost offering a promise of pinot noir-styled bouquet and fruit, delightful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/06
Ruby and velvet, much the same weight as the 2001 RWT. Both the St Henris benefit from decanting. This 2001 has quite the best bouquet I have ever struck on St Henri, notwithstanding trace brett. There are some dianthus-like florals and thoughts of syrah, on overt blueberry, with underpinning cassis, plum and boysenberry, very rich, much more complex than the 2002. Palate continues the fine berry in quite a peppery tannin structure, still quite oaky despite the stated old-oak-only elevage, the fruit nearly as rich as 2001 RWT. This is a remarkable St Henri, in a bizarre / gigantic way almost offering a promise of pinot noir-styled bouquet and fruit, delightful. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 36%, Me 35, Ma 29, machine-harvested, de-stemmed; 5 days cold-soak, main batch cuvaison to 28 days, some partial BF; c.18 months in French and American oak; 2007 not on website yet; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the Church Road two, below midway. Wow, what a volume of Bordeaux-like bouquet this wine is showing, with floral and fragrant cassisy cabernet plus good oak leading the pack, thus showing a little more aromatic excitement than the high-merlot wines. Palate likewise is not as fat as some, but it is richer than the Cheval Blanc. The Pask sat alongside the highly-regarded West Australian Cullen's Diana Madeline Cabernet / Merlot in the original tasting, and the contrast was vivid, the warmer-climate wine showing the awkwardness of earlier picking to conserve acid (presumably), and a shrill character all through compared with the naturally-ripened beauty of cabernet / merlot from an optimal temperate-climate such as Hawke's Bay or Bordeaux. I have often taxed the Pask winemakers' patience by commenting on excess oak, so it is a pleasure to record the more harmonious berry / oak balance in this wine. It is still the oakiest of these top six wines, though, and it is worth noting our UK visitors commented on the excess oak in the cabernet / merlot styles. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the Church Road two, below midway. Wow, what a volume of Bordeaux-like bouquet this wine is showing, with floral and fragrant cassisy cabernet plus good oak leading the pack, thus showing a little more aromatic excitement than the high-merlot wines. Palate likewise is not as fat as some, but it is richer than the Cheval Blanc. The Pask sat alongside the highly-regarded West Australian Cullen's Diana Madeline Cabernet / Merlot in the original tasting, and the contrast was vivid, the warmer-climate wine showing the awkwardness of earlier picking to conserve acid (presumably), and a shrill character all through compared with the naturally-ripened beauty of cabernet / merlot from an optimal temperate-climate such as Hawke's Bay or Bordeaux. I have often taxed the Pask winemakers' patience by commenting on excess oak, so it is a pleasure to record the more harmonious berry / oak balance in this wine. It is still the oakiest of these top six wines, though, and it is worth noting our UK visitors commented on the excess oak in the cabernet / merlot styles. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $89 [ Vi 100%; average vine age 25 years; cropped 35 hL / ha; 33% fermented in new French oak, 67% in s/s, all through MLF; nearly 12 000 cases; www.guigal.com ]
Glowing rich lemon. Bouquet is textbook viognier, just perfect, canned apricots and florals reminiscent of frangipani and tropical evenings, heavenly. Palate is intriguing, taking the fruit and adding some phenolics, like sucking on the stone of the apricot, to give great length of flavour without heaviness. Some tasters thought the wine could be richer, but it is then hard to retain the freshness - as we see in the Yalumba wines (leaving aside the hotter climate). Drink in the next year or so. GK 07/05
Glowing rich lemon. Bouquet is textbook viognier, just perfect, canned apricots and florals reminiscent of frangipani and tropical evenings, heavenly. Palate is intriguing, taking the fruit and adding some phenolics, like sucking on the stone of the apricot, to give great length of flavour without heaviness. Some tasters thought the wine could be richer, but it is then hard to retain the freshness - as we see in the Yalumba wines (leaving aside the hotter climate). Drink in the next year or so. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels 97.5%, Bridge Pa Triangle 2.5, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.4%; $155 [ cork; CS 58%, Me 42; all hand-picked, the dominant cabernet @ 5.1 t/ha (minutely over 2 t/ac), absolutely a serious classed-growth cropping rate, the merlot 9.6 t/ha (3.8 t/ac), and hand-sorted from on-average 12-year old vines; 100% de-stemmed, crushed, no cold soak, inoculated fermentation mostly in oak cuves, a fraction in s/s, cuvaison up to 5 weeks for the CS components, less for Me; 21 months in all-French oak c.81% new, balance 1-year, successive rackings to clarify and aerate; not fined or filtered; RS <1 g/L; 450 cases; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a similar density to the 2013 Tom, but older and fractionally lighter. Bouquet now forms a vivid contrast with the 2013 Tom. It is bigger, softer, riper, and more oaky, reflecting an earlier-style Tom, plus the hotter year in Hawkes Bay in 2009 (which contrasts with the cooler dry 2013 vintage). Yet all that said, there is still a wonderful saturation of very ripe cassis and darkest plum fruit which would not be out of place in some classed growths in the hotter years of Bordeaux. Only Australians and Americans think those hotter years better, however. It is imperative if we are to keep Hawkes Bay on its true international winemaking trajectory / destiny, that the fruit characters of the 2013 Tom, not the 2009, be seen as the goal of viticulture and winemaking for premier reds in Hawkes Bay. Flavours in mouth are bigger all round, some melding of oak and fruit now apparent, suggestions of browning in the cassis, some brown tobacco complexity notes, rather more apparent oak than the 2013, but still all a pretty exciting mouthful. You can understand from the viewpoint of the Te Mata Coleraine proprietors, this 2009 could be described as over-ripe, if one prefers a slightly cooler more vibrant and aromatic winestyle. Fair enough, and the 2013 provides that exactly, plus exemplary richness. But as indicated, there are Bordeaux as ripe as this (in 2009 for example, but not quite so oaky), and the wine will give immense pleasure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby and velvet, a similar density to the 2013 Tom, but older and fractionally lighter. Bouquet now forms a vivid contrast with the 2013 Tom. It is bigger, softer, riper, and more oaky, reflecting an earlier-style Tom, plus the hotter year in Hawkes Bay in 2009 (which contrasts with the cooler dry 2013 vintage). Yet all that said, there is still a wonderful saturation of very ripe cassis and darkest plum fruit which would not be out of place in some classed growths in the hotter years of Bordeaux. Only Australians and Americans think those hotter years better, however. It is imperative if we are to keep Hawkes Bay on its true international winemaking trajectory / destiny, that the fruit characters of the 2013 Tom, not the 2009, be seen as the goal of viticulture and winemaking for premier reds in Hawkes Bay. Flavours in mouth are bigger all round, some melding of oak and fruit now apparent, suggestions of browning in the cassis, some brown tobacco complexity notes, rather more apparent oak than the 2013, but still all a pretty exciting mouthful. You can understand from the viewpoint of the Te Mata Coleraine proprietors, this 2009 could be described as over-ripe, if one prefers a slightly cooler more vibrant and aromatic winestyle. Fair enough, and the 2013 provides that exactly, plus exemplary richness. But as indicated, there are Bordeaux as ripe as this (in 2009 for example, but not quite so oaky), and the wine will give immense pleasure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $228 [ cork; Sy 100% of 60 + years, from schist and granite hillside adjoining the Cote Blonde; hand-harvested "at peak maturity"; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in open-top oak vessels, fermentation to 32 C, cuvaison not given; 30% new French oak; not fined or filtered; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the lightest of the syrahs. Freshly opened this wine is a little disorganised. With air it settles down to be deeply floral including violets and wallflowers, in clear cassis, bottled black doris plum, and again black peppercorn. Palate brings up the cracked black peppercorn a little more, in a taut cassis-dominated wine like the Pavillon but not as rich. It is not as rich as the Varonniers either, but is more finely tuned, with just a hint of Cote de Nuits in its well-breathed bouquet. In a blind tasting, one might just work out it was Cote Rotie, therefore. Oak is beautifully balanced, much of it new. There is a lot in common with the 2005 Te Mata Syrah Bullnose here. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 07/08
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the lightest of the syrahs. Freshly opened this wine is a little disorganised. With air it settles down to be deeply floral including violets and wallflowers, in clear cassis, bottled black doris plum, and again black peppercorn. Palate brings up the cracked black peppercorn a little more, in a taut cassis-dominated wine like the Pavillon but not as rich. It is not as rich as the Varonniers either, but is more finely tuned, with just a hint of Cote de Nuits in its well-breathed bouquet. In a blind tasting, one might just work out it was Cote Rotie, therefore. Oak is beautifully balanced, much of it new. There is a lot in common with the 2005 Te Mata Syrah Bullnose here. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 07/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 42%, Me 34, Ma 24, 65% hand-harvested, balance machine @ < 2.5 t/ac; 70% French oak, 30 US 25% new; coarse-filtered only; c. 900 cases; not on website yet; www.forrestwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, fragrant berry and some spirit, but the oak much more aromatic and reminding of Rioja, presumably therefore including some American (confirmed). With it there is elegant cassisy berry, fresh and fragrant, not quite as weighty as the Craggys. Palate is succulent on the berry, still a little oaky, but all lingering delightfully. This wine reminds of some of the more aromatic and cassisy years of Grand Puy Lacoste. There is also a ghostly reminder of the impact that ultimate New Zealand leading-light cabernet, 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, had at first release, on account of the oak. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, fragrant berry and some spirit, but the oak much more aromatic and reminding of Rioja, presumably therefore including some American (confirmed). With it there is elegant cassisy berry, fresh and fragrant, not quite as weighty as the Craggys. Palate is succulent on the berry, still a little oaky, but all lingering delightfully. This wine reminds of some of the more aromatic and cassisy years of Grand Puy Lacoste. There is also a ghostly reminder of the impact that ultimate New Zealand leading-light cabernet, 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, had at first release, on account of the oak. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $69 [ screwcap; 25% whole bunch; 14 months in French oak, 42% new; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is fine Otago pinot noir, clear rose and boronia florals, and red and black cherry fruit. Palate is fractionally harder and more youthful than the 2007 Block 5 at this stage, but close to it in potential richness and integration, and very much in the more aromatic Felton style. This will cellar attractively, 3 – 8 years. GK 03/10
Good pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is fine Otago pinot noir, clear rose and boronia florals, and red and black cherry fruit. Palate is fractionally harder and more youthful than the 2007 Block 5 at this stage, but close to it in potential richness and integration, and very much in the more aromatic Felton style. This will cellar attractively, 3 – 8 years. GK 03/10
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from vines planted in 1990; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lovely lemon, only a little deeper than the 2007 Riflemans. Initially opened, this wine isn't giving much away, appearing gawky and oaky with fresh hessian edges. It is far too young to be opening – a better idea is to put every bottle aside for 18 months. When next opened, it will then show perfect chardonnay fruit which is both white-flowers floral, and pale stonefruits, with a depth on bouquet which will be remarkable. Palate will be intense yellow-green stonefruits, slightly mineral, the oak quite absorbed. I think this is going to be a topnotch Maté's of great purity, but it is hard to retrieve those qualities right now. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Lovely lemon, only a little deeper than the 2007 Riflemans. Initially opened, this wine isn't giving much away, appearing gawky and oaky with fresh hessian edges. It is far too young to be opening – a better idea is to put every bottle aside for 18 months. When next opened, it will then show perfect chardonnay fruit which is both white-flowers floral, and pale stonefruits, with a depth on bouquet which will be remarkable. Palate will be intense yellow-green stonefruits, slightly mineral, the oak quite absorbed. I think this is going to be a topnotch Maté's of great purity, but it is hard to retrieve those qualities right now. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/08
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $421 [ cork; 17 months in American oak 100% new; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, almost some carmine, one of the deepest. One sniff and this is Grange, almost a caricature of itself, back to the massively oaky style there was some respite from in one or two vintages of the late '90s. Of course there is great berry too, intense cassis and darkest plum, but the level of oak is ridiculous, catering to fetishists. Palate is wonderfully rich, but the berry is a little browning in character, like blackcurrant jam (under cellophane) 10 years old one has found in the back of the pantry. Berry and oak battle it out through a long vanillin and nearly buttery (+ve) palate, with incredible richness. This and the 707 are soul-mates, but whereas the 707 is within bounds (just) on the oak front, this Grange is so in pursuit of its own image, there is a risk of losing the plot. Somebody needs to say, wine is usually drunk with food, had you forgotten. On concentration, it has to be scored highly, but in the sense most Grange is 'consumed' (as the Americans say) prematurely by trophy hunters, rather than savoured by thoughtful tasters, score hardly matters. Cellar for 20 – 50 years, when it might reflect the generous score above. But if you want to see what good shiraz (with some thought of syrah) actually smells and tastes like, get seven 2001 St Henri for the price of one of these. GK 07/06
Ruby and velvet, almost some carmine, one of the deepest. One sniff and this is Grange, almost a caricature of itself, back to the massively oaky style there was some respite from in one or two vintages of the late '90s. Of course there is great berry too, intense cassis and darkest plum, but the level of oak is ridiculous, catering to fetishists. Palate is wonderfully rich, but the berry is a little browning in character, like blackcurrant jam (under cellophane) 10 years old one has found in the back of the pantry. Berry and oak battle it out through a long vanillin and nearly buttery (+ve) palate, with incredible richness. This and the 707 are soul-mates, but whereas the 707 is within bounds (just) on the oak front, this Grange is so in pursuit of its own image, there is a risk of losing the plot. Somebody needs to say, wine is usually drunk with food, had you forgotten. On concentration, it has to be scored highly, but in the sense most Grange is 'consumed' (as the Americans say) prematurely by trophy hunters, rather than savoured by thoughtful tasters, score hardly matters. Cellar for 20 – 50 years, when it might reflect the generous score above. But if you want to see what good shiraz (with some thought of syrah) actually smells and tastes like, get seven 2001 St Henri for the price of one of these. GK 07/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-picked; s/s ferment; RS 20 g/L; not released yet; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, and highly varietal riesling in an almost juicy way: some floral notes, lemon and black passionfruit aromas, an undertone of mandarin, lovely. Palate slots in well with the Riverby, seemingly a little bolder in its lemon-fruit flavours, less botrytis, but just as long and exciting on roughly similar residual sweetness. This should cellar 10 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Lemon. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, and highly varietal riesling in an almost juicy way: some floral notes, lemon and black passionfruit aromas, an undertone of mandarin, lovely. Palate slots in well with the Riverby, seemingly a little bolder in its lemon-fruit flavours, less botrytis, but just as long and exciting on roughly similar residual sweetness. This should cellar 10 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ 15 months French oak; no archival info @ website; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Older ruby, some velvet. In the blind tasting led by Alastair Mailing MW, I confidently identified this as a Rhone syrah, Hermitage probably, 1999 possibly. It now shows all the attributes one would expect from fine Northern Rhone syrah: carnations and violets florals, beautiful cassisy berry going savoury and gamey as it develops, some herbes de Provence, a delightful touch of brett complexity adding a hint of venison, and perfect ripeness, not over-ripe. This wine has been exciting since release (for example a review in the predecessor to these notes 10/03, likewise 18.5), but its European styling has not attracted the praise it deserves in New Zealand, over-influenced as we are by the excesses of Australian shiraz. Still a few bottles at the winery. Attractively maturing now, a preview of where fine New Zealand syrah will be going, great with food, or cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 12/04
Older ruby, some velvet. In the blind tasting led by Alastair Mailing MW, I confidently identified this as a Rhone syrah, Hermitage probably, 1999 possibly. It now shows all the attributes one would expect from fine Northern Rhone syrah: carnations and violets florals, beautiful cassisy berry going savoury and gamey as it develops, some herbes de Provence, a delightful touch of brett complexity adding a hint of venison, and perfect ripeness, not over-ripe. This wine has been exciting since release (for example a review in the predecessor to these notes 10/03, likewise 18.5), but its European styling has not attracted the praise it deserves in New Zealand, over-influenced as we are by the excesses of Australian shiraz. Still a few bottles at the winery. Attractively maturing now, a preview of where fine New Zealand syrah will be going, great with food, or cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ crop 2 tonnes / acre; MLF in barrel, 15 months in French oak 50% new; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Initially opened, the wine is youthful, tending oaky and seeming a little closed, but also very cassisy and Medoc-like. Breathed, the cassisy berry expands to embrace fresh-cracked black peppercorns, and dark bottled plums, with the oak now blending with an almost floral / aromatic component. Palate is crisply berry and fragrant oak, showing lovely varietal character in a Rhone weight and alcohol (which is lighter than the predominance of richer, softer wines in the set), and thus reminiscent of the 1999 of this label. Few Crozes-Hermitages are this good, and really this is Hermitage in style. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Initially opened, the wine is youthful, tending oaky and seeming a little closed, but also very cassisy and Medoc-like. Breathed, the cassisy berry expands to embrace fresh-cracked black peppercorns, and dark bottled plums, with the oak now blending with an almost floral / aromatic component. Palate is crisply berry and fragrant oak, showing lovely varietal character in a Rhone weight and alcohol (which is lighter than the predominance of richer, softer wines in the set), and thus reminiscent of the 1999 of this label. Few Crozes-Hermitages are this good, and really this is Hermitage in style. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Tours sur Marne, Champagne, France: 12%; $214 [ cork; Ch 52%, PN 48; www.laurentperrierus.com ]
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth of colour. This is another of the wines with a bouquet showing rose blossom and strawberry on the bouquet, firmed by clear autolysis and baguette characters. Flavours in mouth are pinot noir-dominant despite the cepage, more the weight of the Deutz than the bigger wines, with fresh acid. Just fine and delicate champagne lingering attractively on a dosage higher than some, the baguette crust increasing throughout. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth of colour. This is another of the wines with a bouquet showing rose blossom and strawberry on the bouquet, firmed by clear autolysis and baguette characters. Flavours in mouth are pinot noir-dominant despite the cepage, more the weight of the Deutz than the bigger wines, with fresh acid. Just fine and delicate champagne lingering attractively on a dosage higher than some, the baguette crust increasing throughout. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.3%; $19 [ screwcap; Gm 239 vines planted 1994; hand-picked in two phases, a botrytis tranche later added in; cold-settled, cool- and stop-fermented, all s/s; pH 2.88, RS 15 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Lemon. Bouquet is softly freesia floral, not as dramatic as the late-harvest Greystone, but fine and fragrant, with suggestions of lemon juice, lime-zest, and sweet botrytis. Palate fills out the fruit delightfully, the lime zest much more apparent but not phenolic, the riesling varietal character assisted perfectly by the 15 g/L residual sugar. The nett impression is just off-dry. This too should cellar for 10 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Lemon. Bouquet is softly freesia floral, not as dramatic as the late-harvest Greystone, but fine and fragrant, with suggestions of lemon juice, lime-zest, and sweet botrytis. Palate fills out the fruit delightfully, the lime zest much more apparent but not phenolic, the riesling varietal character assisted perfectly by the 15 g/L residual sugar. The nett impression is just off-dry. This too should cellar for 10 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Cornerstone Vineyard, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $62 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from 12-year old vines @ 'very low' yields; 100% de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentation, and cuvaison extending to 32 days; 16 months in French oak 33% new, with lees stirring; residual sugar nil; total production 260 cases; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, closely matching the Sabarotte. Bouquet on this wine speaks volumes too, clear-cut syrah varietal complexity of cassis, black peppercorn, some florals, and more new oak than some of the wines in this batch. On palate, it seems not quite as rich as the top wines, and the new oak more, so the flavour is in one sense more vibrant and attractive. This Esk Reserve wine has married up delightfully since I last reviewed it, and it too will give much pleasure in cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/08
Good ruby, carmine and velvet, closely matching the Sabarotte. Bouquet on this wine speaks volumes too, clear-cut syrah varietal complexity of cassis, black peppercorn, some florals, and more new oak than some of the wines in this batch. On palate, it seems not quite as rich as the top wines, and the new oak more, so the flavour is in one sense more vibrant and attractive. This Esk Reserve wine has married up delightfully since I last reviewed it, and it too will give much pleasure in cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/08
Ngatarawa Triangle 55%, Gimblett Gravels 45, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration (syrah is sulphide-prone); c. 12 months in burgundy barrels c. 53% new, c. 700 cases (as 12s); www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the densest colours. Once well-swirled or decanted, bouquet on this year's edition of the Church Road Reserve Syrah is very fragrant, clearly syrah yet with a yellow honeysuckle and fresh apricot note, making me wonder if there is some viognier in the blend. There is a depth of cassisy and dark plum aromas which is beguiling, plus savoury oak and even a complexity factor suggesting some barrel-ferment. In some ways the bouquet is more complex than the pure but contrasting syrah interpretations offered by the 2007 le Sol and Bullnose syrahs. Palate is rich, dark, and a little drying on firmer oak than the Bullnose. From memory, the Church Road Reserve Syrah this year seems a more burly wine, not quite as pure and aromatic as the 2006 maybe, and just a touch more European in total achievement. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the densest colours. Once well-swirled or decanted, bouquet on this year's edition of the Church Road Reserve Syrah is very fragrant, clearly syrah yet with a yellow honeysuckle and fresh apricot note, making me wonder if there is some viognier in the blend. There is a depth of cassisy and dark plum aromas which is beguiling, plus savoury oak and even a complexity factor suggesting some barrel-ferment. In some ways the bouquet is more complex than the pure but contrasting syrah interpretations offered by the 2007 le Sol and Bullnose syrahs. Palate is rich, dark, and a little drying on firmer oak than the Bullnose. From memory, the Church Road Reserve Syrah this year seems a more burly wine, not quite as pure and aromatic as the 2006 maybe, and just a touch more European in total achievement. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 4.5 years; considered fairly typical growing season, a successful flowering resulting in a large crop, saignée for Vin Gris needed; the wines reminding of the 2001s; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, some garnet, above midway in weight of colour. Freshly opened this needs a swirl or two, to reveal a highly fragrant wine in which the floral component is browning, but still clearly on the dark roses and boronia side. Fruit quality is red and black cherry. Flavours include secondary nearly-leathery and oaky-spicy notes, but still with astonishing fruit. This is lovely, as perfectly mature pinot noir from a year showing elegant tannin ripeness, and still fruit dominant over tannin. This should hold for some years yet, another 2 – 5 or so. I suspect this is now ahead of 2003 Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir Target Gully Single Vineyard, which has been my top Otago 2003, but now may be frail. GK 08/14
Pinot noir ruby, some garnet, above midway in weight of colour. Freshly opened this needs a swirl or two, to reveal a highly fragrant wine in which the floral component is browning, but still clearly on the dark roses and boronia side. Fruit quality is red and black cherry. Flavours include secondary nearly-leathery and oaky-spicy notes, but still with astonishing fruit. This is lovely, as perfectly mature pinot noir from a year showing elegant tannin ripeness, and still fruit dominant over tannin. This should hold for some years yet, another 2 – 5 or so. I suspect this is now ahead of 2003 Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir Target Gully Single Vineyard, which has been my top Otago 2003, but now may be frail. GK 08/14
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $104 [ Cork, 49 mm; now Sy 96%, Vi 4, average age 35 years, typically cropped at 4.8 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; Parker rating for year 90; c. 21 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 50% new; J.L-L, pre-2005: overt, spiced bouquet, smoky dark jam; well-packed flavour, sustained red fruits, quite solid. Good weight. Back to the 1980s levels. Chewy finale. From 2005-06. 2013-2015, ****; Robinson, 2005: Deep and quite healthy ruby. Round and seductive with lots of ripe fruit – quite different from most other regular Cote Roties. Some tarriness but still the delicacy of the appellation. I’m impressed by this! A complete wine that seems obviously from a successful vintage. Really fruity core without any sacrifice of typicity, 17.5; Parker, 2002: Guigal's Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde (25,000 cases produced), tends to have 4-5% Viognier included in the blend. The 1998 exhibits some of the vintage's hard tannin, as well as complex aromatics of roasted olives, black currants, creamy oak, sweet cherries, and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied and structured, with a sweet attack, it will benefit from another two years of cellaring, and last for 15 years, 90; Wine Spectator, 2001: #10 in the Top 100 for 2001: Caresses the palate. Elegant, with mineral, red and black fruit and supple tannins. Seductive balance on the fresh finish, where the firm tannins make a surprise appearance that suggests a bit of cellar time is needed to bring out the best of this red. Best from 2003 through 2010. 31,665 cases made. 93; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby with a little garnet creeping in. Bouquet is clearly floral, fragrant, fresh, wonderful, no hint of the 1998 heat some Rhone wines show. In the introduction I had described the key character of perfectly ripe syrah as carnations / dianthus / pinks / sweet william florality married to cassis-led fruit. I could not have asked for a better example than this wine, which shows to perfection the essence of syrah varietal florality. The cassis character is browning a little now. Total bouquet is wonderfully fragrant, berry dominant, oak subsidiary. Palate shows a little more maturity than the bouquet suggests, flavour perfectly summing up the bouquet, extended on fragrant cedary oak which is beautifully in the background. At 19 years of age this wine is at a peak of perfection. It will cellar another 10 years or so. It shows why Guigal’s Brune & Blonde is the reference wine for the Cote Rotie appellation. If a wine is better than Brune & Blonde in any given year, the winemaker has a winner. Tasters did not react as warmly to this wine as I did, it not being a favourite for anybody. This may be because I mark up florality, especially of this quality. GK 05/17
Ruby with a little garnet creeping in. Bouquet is clearly floral, fragrant, fresh, wonderful, no hint of the 1998 heat some Rhone wines show. In the introduction I had described the key character of perfectly ripe syrah as carnations / dianthus / pinks / sweet william florality married to cassis-led fruit. I could not have asked for a better example than this wine, which shows to perfection the essence of syrah varietal florality. The cassis character is browning a little now. Total bouquet is wonderfully fragrant, berry dominant, oak subsidiary. Palate shows a little more maturity than the bouquet suggests, flavour perfectly summing up the bouquet, extended on fragrant cedary oak which is beautifully in the background. At 19 years of age this wine is at a peak of perfection. It will cellar another 10 years or so. It shows why Guigal’s Brune & Blonde is the reference wine for the Cote Rotie appellation. If a wine is better than Brune & Blonde in any given year, the winemaker has a winner. Tasters did not react as warmly to this wine as I did, it not being a favourite for anybody. This may be because I mark up florality, especially of this quality. GK 05/17
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ screwcap; hand-picked, 10 months in French oak; www.domainroad.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. This is a pinot noir which communicates from the first moment, showing some roses-like florals with vanillin, on red and black cherry fruit. In the glass boronia florals appear too. Palate is gorgeous cherry fruit, just like biting into a perfectly ripe dark red one, subtle oak, great length, elegant balance. This will cellar well, 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. This is a pinot noir which communicates from the first moment, showing some roses-like florals with vanillin, on red and black cherry fruit. In the glass boronia florals appear too. Palate is gorgeous cherry fruit, just like biting into a perfectly ripe dark red one, subtle oak, great length, elegant balance. This will cellar well, 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $32 [ screwcap, BF in older French oak, small % MLF; RS 1.5 g/L; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Light lemon. Bouquet is understated but shows fragrant yellow florals with suggestions of honeysuckle / wild ginger blossom on gentle custard-apple and light fresh ripe apricots. Palate is elegantly balanced, some body in the fruit but still light and refreshing, the oak and MLF components virtually invisible, yet both framing the wine, and filling out the finish beautifully. This is lovely gentle and mild international-quality viognier of great finesse, avoiding the edginess of the Te Mata. It is the best Vidal Viognier yet, perhaps the best New Zealand viognier yet, and being subtle should cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 04/07
Light lemon. Bouquet is understated but shows fragrant yellow florals with suggestions of honeysuckle / wild ginger blossom on gentle custard-apple and light fresh ripe apricots. Palate is elegantly balanced, some body in the fruit but still light and refreshing, the oak and MLF components virtually invisible, yet both framing the wine, and filling out the finish beautifully. This is lovely gentle and mild international-quality viognier of great finesse, avoiding the edginess of the Te Mata. It is the best Vidal Viognier yet, perhaps the best New Zealand viognier yet, and being subtle should cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 04/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $56 [ screwcap; winery only; not filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the three Feltons. This Felton shares the wonderful florals of the other two, but in a way it seems both lighter (buddleia more than boronia) and yet more fragrant. Below there is wonderful cherry fruit, but here not quite as dark, with some red cherries in the black. Palate is classic pinot, lighter in flavour than the other two, but in a way seemingly sweeter, longer and richer. Oak is milder here than on the Block 5 – perhaps a lesser percentage of new. The truth probably is, that each time one tastes these three lovely wines, on one occasion one will appeal the most, and on the next another. All three will cellar beautifully, this one for 5 – 12 years. GK 11/05
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the three Feltons. This Felton shares the wonderful florals of the other two, but in a way it seems both lighter (buddleia more than boronia) and yet more fragrant. Below there is wonderful cherry fruit, but here not quite as dark, with some red cherries in the black. Palate is classic pinot, lighter in flavour than the other two, but in a way seemingly sweeter, longer and richer. Oak is milder here than on the Block 5 – perhaps a lesser percentage of new. The truth probably is, that each time one tastes these three lovely wines, on one occasion one will appeal the most, and on the next another. All three will cellar beautifully, this one for 5 – 12 years. GK 11/05
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ cork; CS 40%, Me 38%, CF 17, PV 5, hand-harvested; c. 20 months in French oak 40% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from 2007 Coleraine. This is the sweetest, ripest and finest Awatea in years, maybe ever. In some ways it is more charming than the same year Coleraine, at least at this stage and in the sense it is not quite so new oak-influenced and rich, and will thus be accessible earlier. But in terms of pinpoint cassis character, florality, and Bordeaux styling, this is a lovely wine. The advent of 375 ml bottles is inspired – and should introduce many more people to the fact that the best New Zealand cabernet / merlot is world-class wine. A pity our grasping restaurateurs do not cellar wines, so their customers could more readily appreciate that. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, scarcely distinguishable from 2007 Coleraine. This is the sweetest, ripest and finest Awatea in years, maybe ever. In some ways it is more charming than the same year Coleraine, at least at this stage and in the sense it is not quite so new oak-influenced and rich, and will thus be accessible earlier. But in terms of pinpoint cassis character, florality, and Bordeaux styling, this is a lovely wine. The advent of 375 ml bottles is inspired – and should introduce many more people to the fact that the best New Zealand cabernet / merlot is world-class wine. A pity our grasping restaurateurs do not cellar wines, so their customers could more readily appreciate that. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. VALUE GK 03/09
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $384 [ cork; PN 50%, PM 50; en tirage 8 – 10 years; tedious, hard-to-use, info-poor website; current vintage price in NZ c.$250; www.domperignon.com ]
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth. Bouquet is less dramatic on this wine, clean, soft, some autolysis and more white mushroom. Palate is distinctly on the easy / agreeable side, gentle acid, not a weighty wine, clearly higher dosage perhaps 10 – 11 g/L. In other words, a 'popular' version of a prestige wine, nothing to frighten the uninitiated. Yet its escapes being bland: you could drink an awful lot of this ! Cellar for some years, since even here the dry extract is pretty good. GK 11/14
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth. Bouquet is less dramatic on this wine, clean, soft, some autolysis and more white mushroom. Palate is distinctly on the easy / agreeable side, gentle acid, not a weighty wine, clearly higher dosage perhaps 10 – 11 g/L. In other words, a 'popular' version of a prestige wine, nothing to frighten the uninitiated. Yet its escapes being bland: you could drink an awful lot of this ! Cellar for some years, since even here the dry extract is pretty good. GK 11/14
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $790 [ cork, 45mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, just below midway in depth. At the tasting this wine was TCA-affected to a degree, but the more professional tasters could see through the fog to quality fruit in behind. Putting the glass to bed with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® allowed full flowering of the wine overnight, the wine then showing fragrant but browning darkly plummy fruit, with some chestnutty notes from the elevation. Palate has beautiful fruit richness and velvety texture, just how you imagine the 2003 will develop. I'd prefer a less overt oak regime, but this is attractive nicely mature wine. I'd like to see it alongside 1991 Penfolds Grange – an unusually subtle edition of that ‘loud’ wine. On the day, it was not realistic to seek a ranking, but a good bottle would have done well. At nearly 30 years of age, it is well along its plateau of maturity, but will hold a few years yet. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, just below midway in depth. At the tasting this wine was TCA-affected to a degree, but the more professional tasters could see through the fog to quality fruit in behind. Putting the glass to bed with 100 mm² of Gladwrap® allowed full flowering of the wine overnight, the wine then showing fragrant but browning darkly plummy fruit, with some chestnutty notes from the elevation. Palate has beautiful fruit richness and velvety texture, just how you imagine the 2003 will develop. I'd prefer a less overt oak regime, but this is attractive nicely mature wine. I'd like to see it alongside 1991 Penfolds Grange – an unusually subtle edition of that ‘loud’ wine. On the day, it was not realistic to seek a ranking, but a good bottle would have done well. At nearly 30 years of age, it is well along its plateau of maturity, but will hold a few years yet. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; 11 months French oak; www.carrick.co.nz ]
A big pinot noir ruby, about the maximum needed for the variety. Initially opened, this wine is youthful and quiet, benefitting from decanting. In a mixed varieties blind tasting, the bouquet becomes gloriously varietal, sweet, floral with boronia, violets and buddleia, attractively deep. There is an excellent underpinning of black cherry and aromatic oak. The quality and excitement of florals on bouquet can be compared with fine wines from the Cote de Nuits, without presuming any equivalence. Palate follows on superbly, rich aromatic black cherries, marvellous acid balance, oak maybe to a max, drying it a little, but that should attenuate in cellar. Not quite the depth and excitement of the Mt Difficulty Target Gully, but fine New Zealand pinot, which will cellar for 5 - 12 years. GK 04/05
A big pinot noir ruby, about the maximum needed for the variety. Initially opened, this wine is youthful and quiet, benefitting from decanting. In a mixed varieties blind tasting, the bouquet becomes gloriously varietal, sweet, floral with boronia, violets and buddleia, attractively deep. There is an excellent underpinning of black cherry and aromatic oak. The quality and excitement of florals on bouquet can be compared with fine wines from the Cote de Nuits, without presuming any equivalence. Palate follows on superbly, rich aromatic black cherries, marvellous acid balance, oak maybe to a max, drying it a little, but that should attenuate in cellar. Not quite the depth and excitement of the Mt Difficulty Target Gully, but fine New Zealand pinot, which will cellar for 5 - 12 years. GK 04/05
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $44 [ cork; this near-experimental wine does not appear to be on the website; hand-picked; 100% BF in French oak with wild yeast, trace MLF not by design; www.craggyrange.com ]
Deepish lemon. Bouquet is magnificent, though to first sniff in a blind tasting, the taster can be forgiven for interpreting the wine as chardonnay. On closer examination, hiding amongst the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis mealyness and baguette crust, there is the same beautiful sweet basil-influenced black passionfruit of the 2007 wine, complexed also by trace MLF. In mouth the wine is more clearly sauvignon, with clear reminders of Cloudy Bay's Te Koko, the same great fruit richness, but all reined-in alongside Te Koko, more subtle with much less MLF. At the moment the oak is a little apparent, but in a year's time, this will be a great Graves-styled wine. Options enthusiasts should note this wine is packed into a Dry River look-alike flanged bottle, indistinguishable (especially when in a paper bag). Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Deepish lemon. Bouquet is magnificent, though to first sniff in a blind tasting, the taster can be forgiven for interpreting the wine as chardonnay. On closer examination, hiding amongst the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis mealyness and baguette crust, there is the same beautiful sweet basil-influenced black passionfruit of the 2007 wine, complexed also by trace MLF. In mouth the wine is more clearly sauvignon, with clear reminders of Cloudy Bay's Te Koko, the same great fruit richness, but all reined-in alongside Te Koko, more subtle with much less MLF. At the moment the oak is a little apparent, but in a year's time, this will be a great Graves-styled wine. Options enthusiasts should note this wine is packed into a Dry River look-alike flanged bottle, indistinguishable (especially when in a paper bag). Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-picked @ c.4.35 t/ha (1.75 t/ac), all de-stemmed; up to 42 days cuvaison; MLF and 17 months in French oak 60% new; 420 cases (expressed as 9-litre equivalent) made; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest of these four premium syrahs, even fresher and more vibrant than the Homage. Initially opened and presented, this wine is very oaky, so much so it fought with the over-spiced main course it accompanied in the lunch. If using it in the next few years, decant it and give it some air, prior. The wine opens to a quality of cassisy syrah which is made dramatic by the vanillin in the oak, plus suggestions of blueberry and blackberry from some riper material. The absolute purity of the wine alongside Huchet and Homage is phenomenal. Flavours in mouth follow naturally, the vanillin oak rather dominating the cassis at this early stage in its life, so the wine loses varietal precision. But the concentration of varietal berry is such that one has to wonder, what will the balance be in five, 10, and 15 years, Cellaring the wine is absolutely essential. This is amongst the finest reds Villa Maria have ever made, but how I wish they would ease up on the oak, and allow the beauty of the variety (as ripened in New Zealand) to express itself more. Syrah is like strong pinot noir, it does not need and is in fact impaired by too much new oak, if purity of varietal expression is the goal. Being under screwcap, it will cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest of these four premium syrahs, even fresher and more vibrant than the Homage. Initially opened and presented, this wine is very oaky, so much so it fought with the over-spiced main course it accompanied in the lunch. If using it in the next few years, decant it and give it some air, prior. The wine opens to a quality of cassisy syrah which is made dramatic by the vanillin in the oak, plus suggestions of blueberry and blackberry from some riper material. The absolute purity of the wine alongside Huchet and Homage is phenomenal. Flavours in mouth follow naturally, the vanillin oak rather dominating the cassis at this early stage in its life, so the wine loses varietal precision. But the concentration of varietal berry is such that one has to wonder, what will the balance be in five, 10, and 15 years, Cellaring the wine is absolutely essential. This is amongst the finest reds Villa Maria have ever made, but how I wish they would ease up on the oak, and allow the beauty of the variety (as ripened in New Zealand) to express itself more. Syrah is like strong pinot noir, it does not need and is in fact impaired by too much new oak, if purity of varietal expression is the goal. Being under screwcap, it will cellar for 10 – 25 years. GK 05/13
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13%; $33 [ cork, 50mm, ullage 20mm; CS 79%, Me 15, CF 4, Ma 2, cropped at c.5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no chaptalising; 12 months in barrel, 95% French, 5 % American, 65% new; Cooper, 1992: Dark-hued, minty and massively proportioned, Stonyridge Larose 1987 was, and still is, one of this country's most glorious reds; GK, 1989: Colour is intense velvety carmine. Bouquet and flavour are rich, ripe, soft and complex, showing all the merits of blending the four classic Bordeaux varieties cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, and malbec. Oak, and acid balance, are excellent. This Waiheke Island wine has a generosity of fruit, and a richness of velvety texture, which will be the envy of many a winemaker. Its plumpness in some ways speaks more of Pomerol or St Emilion than the Medoc. It ... will cellar for a decade. Its softness does not bespeak early fatigue, merely excellence of ripe fruit, *****; not entered in Shows; weight bottle and closure: 509 g; www.stonyridge.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, an appropriate colour for a 34-year-old bordeaux-blend, midway in depth. Bouquet is pure and fragrant, some cassisy and dark plummy notes browning to a degree now, a little brown tobacco and mushroomy complexity, no obvious alcohol, and very fine-grained cedary oak – all astonishingly bordeaux-like. Palate shows both a texture and an integration of clear berry flavours and very gentle oak which are delightful. They are coupled with natural acid and silky mouth-feel, which is long, rich, balanced with respect to acid, and sustained. It has the same kind of detail, delicacy and enchantment that 1970 Ducru Beaucaillou showed last year, though if they were alongside each other, the Larose would be a little more cedary. Like 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1982 Te Mata Coleraine, but in a much more complex and sophisticated way than either of those two wines, 1987 Stonyridge Larose is an absolute benchmark wine in this country, pointing to the emergence of great bordeaux-look-alike reds in New Zealand. Anybody professing the slightest interest in the emergence of fine New Zealand red wines (as opposed to bulk beverage wines) must ensure they taste this wine, while they can. Note that bottles cellared in Auckland / anywhere north of Palmerston North are now markedly more advanced than Wellington stock from a good cellar. Note also that wine auction rooms advising you that this or that wine has been cellared in ‘impeccable’ conditions in temperature-controlled cellars, never tell you from what year the owner installed an air-conditioned cellar. There were virtually none in New Zealand, when this wine was released in 1989. Fully mature for some years now, nearing the end of its plateau of maturity, and now losing just a little fruit freshness, in Wellington. So, sadly, in the next 5 – 10 years, this definitive wine must be finished up. Top wine for five people, the clearest vote on that aspect in the set of wines, second favourite for another two, and four thought it bordeaux, a number matched only by the actual bordeaux. The analogy I made to Pomerol or Saint-Emilion in 1989 was off-target. This wine speaks now of Saint-Julien or Pauillac. In a similar tasting in 2002, Stonyridge Larose also topped the field, scoring 18.5, with the concluding comment: ‘Fully mature, but no hurry’. GK 06/21
Ruby and garnet, an appropriate colour for a 34-year-old bordeaux-blend, midway in depth. Bouquet is pure and fragrant, some cassisy and dark plummy notes browning to a degree now, a little brown tobacco and mushroomy complexity, no obvious alcohol, and very fine-grained cedary oak – all astonishingly bordeaux-like. Palate shows both a texture and an integration of clear berry flavours and very gentle oak which are delightful. They are coupled with natural acid and silky mouth-feel, which is long, rich, balanced with respect to acid, and sustained. It has the same kind of detail, delicacy and enchantment that 1970 Ducru Beaucaillou showed last year, though if they were alongside each other, the Larose would be a little more cedary. Like 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1982 Te Mata Coleraine, but in a much more complex and sophisticated way than either of those two wines, 1987 Stonyridge Larose is an absolute benchmark wine in this country, pointing to the emergence of great bordeaux-look-alike reds in New Zealand. Anybody professing the slightest interest in the emergence of fine New Zealand red wines (as opposed to bulk beverage wines) must ensure they taste this wine, while they can. Note that bottles cellared in Auckland / anywhere north of Palmerston North are now markedly more advanced than Wellington stock from a good cellar. Note also that wine auction rooms advising you that this or that wine has been cellared in ‘impeccable’ conditions in temperature-controlled cellars, never tell you from what year the owner installed an air-conditioned cellar. There were virtually none in New Zealand, when this wine was released in 1989. Fully mature for some years now, nearing the end of its plateau of maturity, and now losing just a little fruit freshness, in Wellington. So, sadly, in the next 5 – 10 years, this definitive wine must be finished up. Top wine for five people, the clearest vote on that aspect in the set of wines, second favourite for another two, and four thought it bordeaux, a number matched only by the actual bordeaux. The analogy I made to Pomerol or Saint-Emilion in 1989 was off-target. This wine speaks now of Saint-Julien or Pauillac. In a similar tasting in 2002, Stonyridge Larose also topped the field, scoring 18.5, with the concluding comment: ‘Fully mature, but no hurry’. GK 06/21
Nelson & Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $15 [ screwcap; website [then] not up-to-date; www.mountriley.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. A sweet clean and floral / freesia unequivocal riesling bouquet, with vanillin undertones, plus lime-zest and grapefruit. Palate is unashamedly juicy, but dramatically riesling in flavour, fine-grained acid, sweetness medium-dry. Not a complex wine, but so varietal and delicious that it deserves gold-medal rating. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Pale lemongreen. A sweet clean and floral / freesia unequivocal riesling bouquet, with vanillin undertones, plus lime-zest and grapefruit. Palate is unashamedly juicy, but dramatically riesling in flavour, fine-grained acid, sweetness medium-dry. Not a complex wine, but so varietal and delicious that it deserves gold-medal rating. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/06
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $70 [ CS 52%; Me 29; CF 19; French oak, 70% new, 20 months; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. The Medoc styling on this bouquet is tremendous, the oak already showing some cedar, on rich cassisy and brambly berry. Palate is rich, the cassisy cabernets dominating at the moment, but there is plummy fruit below. The ratio of fruit to oak is better than the more popular Aviator, and hence Coleraine may be the better longterm cellar prospect. Cellar to 15 years. GK 10/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. The Medoc styling on this bouquet is tremendous, the oak already showing some cedar, on rich cassisy and brambly berry. Palate is rich, the cassisy cabernets dominating at the moment, but there is plummy fruit below. The ratio of fruit to oak is better than the more popular Aviator, and hence Coleraine may be the better longterm cellar prospect. Cellar to 15 years. GK 10/04
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $153 [ cork; PN 20%, Ch 80; secondary fermentation under cork; now owned by Bollinger; no wine info on website; www.champagne-ayala.com ]
Colour is one of the lightest of the luxury champagnes. Though clearly fitting in with the top wines, this one too has floral and strawberry qualities on bouquet, almost hinting at strawberry shortcake (in a positive sense). Palate is more straightforward, clearcut autolysis, more clearly chardonnay-dominant than the Salon, even more delicate then the Grand Siecle but no weaker, not as brut as some, perhaps because the acid is higher. There might be a whisper of oak in this wine, too. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Colour is one of the lightest of the luxury champagnes. Though clearly fitting in with the top wines, this one too has floral and strawberry qualities on bouquet, almost hinting at strawberry shortcake (in a positive sense). Palate is more straightforward, clearcut autolysis, more clearly chardonnay-dominant than the Salon, even more delicate then the Grand Siecle but no weaker, not as brut as some, perhaps because the acid is higher. There might be a whisper of oak in this wine, too. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Gibbston Valley, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ screwcap; 10 months in French oak, 35% new, RS < 1 g/L; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and some velvet, excessively youthful. After the glorious 2005, will Peregrine be able to achieve that standard again with the 2006, particularly since the '06 vintage is being talked up in Otago ? It is almost a disappointment to see this wine released less than a year after vintage, for it is hard to assess at this early stage. Bouquet is intensely floral, in the boronia and violets style last year's wine showed. Palate shows good black and red cherry fruit and real texture, balanced by subtle oak to give good length. Might the acid be a little soft ? The score contains an element of wishful thinking – it will be easier to be definite in six months. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/07
Carmine, ruby and some velvet, excessively youthful. After the glorious 2005, will Peregrine be able to achieve that standard again with the 2006, particularly since the '06 vintage is being talked up in Otago ? It is almost a disappointment to see this wine released less than a year after vintage, for it is hard to assess at this early stage. Bouquet is intensely floral, in the boronia and violets style last year's wine showed. Palate shows good black and red cherry fruit and real texture, balanced by subtle oak to give good length. Might the acid be a little soft ? The score contains an element of wishful thinking – it will be easier to be definite in six months. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/07
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $88 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$115; Sy 100%, average age 40 years; at the time Guigal owned no vineyards in Hermitage, bought-in wines cropped at c.5.2 t/ha = 2.1 t/ac; 3 – 4 weeks cuvaison; elevation 30 – 36 months in French oak c.20% new (J.L-L); not fined or filtered; production around 7,000 x 9-litre cases; Parker, 2003: … a big, masculine, virile nose of roasted meats, pepper, earth, minerals, and black fruits. Currently closed and impenetrable, it should open with another 4-5 years of cellaring, and age for 15-18 years, 90; Wine Spectator, 2002: A gentle giant … subtle and elegant Hermitage, layered with seductive aromas and flavors, from tobacco to green olive, roasted game, mineral and blackberries. Silky mouthfeel, this medium-bodied red is smooth, yet also fresh on the long finish. Will age for years. Drink now through 2015, 93; weight bottle and closure: 572 g; www.guigal.com ]
Garnet and ruby, just above midway in depth, below midway in redness. This wine has a very pretty floral bouquet, such that you instantly think of wallflowers and Cote Rotie. When you actually sniff it side-by-side with the Ch d’Ampuis, the much greater new cedary oak loading on the latter wine is apparent, making it seem much firmer and more Hermitage-like. Below the beautiful florals is silky near-cassisy berry. In mouth the wine is supple and gentle, a smaller scale but beautiful example of Guigal's village Hermitage label, and redolent of syrah the grape as it should be. Tasters were not so attracted to the fragrant subtlety of this wine as I was, one second-place ranking. Seven thought it Hermitage, though. This wine is well along its plateau of maturity, but it should hold for several years yet. In its subtlety and charm, it really bridges the link to good pinot noir. It is so supple it would be [ and is ] magnificent with food. GK 11/19
Garnet and ruby, just above midway in depth, below midway in redness. This wine has a very pretty floral bouquet, such that you instantly think of wallflowers and Cote Rotie. When you actually sniff it side-by-side with the Ch d’Ampuis, the much greater new cedary oak loading on the latter wine is apparent, making it seem much firmer and more Hermitage-like. Below the beautiful florals is silky near-cassisy berry. In mouth the wine is supple and gentle, a smaller scale but beautiful example of Guigal's village Hermitage label, and redolent of syrah the grape as it should be. Tasters were not so attracted to the fragrant subtlety of this wine as I was, one second-place ranking. Seven thought it Hermitage, though. This wine is well along its plateau of maturity, but it should hold for several years yet. In its subtlety and charm, it really bridges the link to good pinot noir. It is so supple it would be [ and is ] magnificent with food. GK 11/19
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $42 [ Me, CS, less Sy; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, between the Villa Merlot and the Kingsley Cabernet / Malbec in colour. Initially opened, this wine is minutely reductive, and needs splashy decanting. It then becomes another wine with a remarkably Bordeaux-like bouquet, showing some violets, intense cassis, and potentially cedary oak. Palate is clearly aromatic, in flavour also between the cabernet-dominant Kingsley and the Villa Merlot, with great concentration and length. This is a great example of the emerging Hawkes Bay Blend class of wines, building on the Bordeaux model via addition of syrah. Cellar 15 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, between the Villa Merlot and the Kingsley Cabernet / Malbec in colour. Initially opened, this wine is minutely reductive, and needs splashy decanting. It then becomes another wine with a remarkably Bordeaux-like bouquet, showing some violets, intense cassis, and potentially cedary oak. Palate is clearly aromatic, in flavour also between the cabernet-dominant Kingsley and the Villa Merlot, with great concentration and length. This is a great example of the emerging Hawkes Bay Blend class of wines, building on the Bordeaux model via addition of syrah. Cellar 15 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $26 [ screwcap; small crop, all s/s implied; only available ex vineyard; www.chardfarm.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is clean, sweet, and highly varietal, with suggestions of the yellow florals that characterise good examples of the grape in its homeland, Alsace. Palate blends these florals with pearflesh and rich white stonefruit, plus some subtle complexing from winemaking I suspect (part barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis ?) giving attractive varietal richness. Finish is nearly dry, just outside the dry class. The whole mouthful is pinot-like, with the grape dominant, not oak. Lovely wine to cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/06
Lemon. Bouquet is clean, sweet, and highly varietal, with suggestions of the yellow florals that characterise good examples of the grape in its homeland, Alsace. Palate blends these florals with pearflesh and rich white stonefruit, plus some subtle complexing from winemaking I suspect (part barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis ?) giving attractive varietal richness. Finish is nearly dry, just outside the dry class. The whole mouthful is pinot-like, with the grape dominant, not oak. Lovely wine to cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/06
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $100 [ cork; CS c.60%, Me c.25%, balance CF, Sy & Ma, handpicked @ c.1 t/ac; c.2.5 years in predominantly French & Hungarian oak c.30% new; c. 500 cases; www.temotu.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little garnet, some velvet. This is the wine that sets the pace for the time being, in the Te Motu stable. Bouquet is very fragrant, an intriguing blend of browning cassis and bottled dark plums lifted by threshold VA (much lower than the 2002) and complexed by an aromatic quality slightly reminiscent of bay-leaf, but more pleasant. As mentioned for the 2006, this wine is extraordinarily like Graves classed growths in the 60s and 70s –or even certain Pauillacs from the same era. Palate is already harmonious, older than one would hope for a 2005 Bordeaux, but the other Te Motus show they in fact hold their fruit well even when the colour suggests otherwise – the length of fruit on the aftertaste gives a clue to this. The similarities and differences in style between Te Motu and Destiny Bay are a delight, and the contrast between these two more classical producers, and the others mostly more modern, adds further interest and diversity to the range of bordeaux blends now emerging from Waiheke. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer, on the fruit weight. GK 06/10
Ruby, a little garnet, some velvet. This is the wine that sets the pace for the time being, in the Te Motu stable. Bouquet is very fragrant, an intriguing blend of browning cassis and bottled dark plums lifted by threshold VA (much lower than the 2002) and complexed by an aromatic quality slightly reminiscent of bay-leaf, but more pleasant. As mentioned for the 2006, this wine is extraordinarily like Graves classed growths in the 60s and 70s –or even certain Pauillacs from the same era. Palate is already harmonious, older than one would hope for a 2005 Bordeaux, but the other Te Motus show they in fact hold their fruit well even when the colour suggests otherwise – the length of fruit on the aftertaste gives a clue to this. The similarities and differences in style between Te Motu and Destiny Bay are a delight, and the contrast between these two more classical producers, and the others mostly more modern, adds further interest and diversity to the range of bordeaux blends now emerging from Waiheke. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer, on the fruit weight. GK 06/10
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $79 [ screwcap; clone mendoza 100%, hand-picked, organic viticulture; high-solids fermentation, all wild-yeast, all in barrels only 7% new; full MLF and 12 months on full lees with monthly stirring in barrel, followed by 4 months assembly in s/s; dry; production 362 x 9-litre cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, an attractive chardonnay colour, the second deepest of the young chardonnays. Bouquet is intriguingly different on this wine, white florals and a quite lifted grapefruity quality of fruit inclining more to nectarine and white peach than golden queen. It is a little more fruit and lees-dominant, less new oak complexity, than the Radburnd. Bouquet qualities carry through to palate, where there is a softness implying MLF, in a flavour showing attractive fruit and nougat-like complexities. The wine is softer and rounder than the Radburnd, earlier developing. The gentle white fruits and lingering aftertaste are lovely. Cellar 8 – 12 years. GK 06/20
Lemonstraw, an attractive chardonnay colour, the second deepest of the young chardonnays. Bouquet is intriguingly different on this wine, white florals and a quite lifted grapefruity quality of fruit inclining more to nectarine and white peach than golden queen. It is a little more fruit and lees-dominant, less new oak complexity, than the Radburnd. Bouquet qualities carry through to palate, where there is a softness implying MLF, in a flavour showing attractive fruit and nougat-like complexities. The wine is softer and rounder than the Radburnd, earlier developing. The gentle white fruits and lingering aftertaste are lovely. Cellar 8 – 12 years. GK 06/20
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.8%; $72 [ screwcap; Ata Rangi is one of the founder vineyards, and arguably the most highly-regarded winery in the Martinborough (and Wairarapa) district, perhaps because there have been no pompous claims about their wines, no prestige-priced wines, just constant quiet attention to detail, as exemplified by winemaker Helen Masters. And their top chardonnay (Craighall) can be as fine as their pinot noir. Clive Paton bought the first land in 1980, following on the 1978 DSIR report on the suitability of the district for pinot noir by the then Soil Bureau's Dr Derek Milne (the author's conviction later to find practical expression in the Martinborough Vineyard original partnership). Ata Rangi has over a dozen clones of pinot noir planted, including a high percentage of the now-local and highly regarded Abel clone. This wine includes Abel, plus Dijon clones, and a 10% whole-bunch component. Vine age extends to over 30 years, thus some of the oldest pinot noir vines in New Zealand. The wine has 12 months in French oak, 25% new. Dry extract is a commendable 29 g/L against <1 g/L RS. Note that we are tasting the 2011, which will shortly give way to the cool-year 2012; www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for weight. From first opening, this wine is intensely fragrant, with rose, daphne and boronia florals grading into clear-cut cherry fruit, red cherry more than black, and thus contrasting with the Pisa wine. In the daphne component there is the slightest hint of pennyroyal, perhaps a tell-tale for a Martinborough source in blind tastings. In mouth the pinot quality of the wine is superb, soft yet fresh even crisp red grading to black cherry, perfect oak shaping but in no way dominating the wine, and great length of fruit and flavour. The fruit lightens back to red-dominant in the aftertaste, which is very burgundian, and it seems drier than the seductive Greystone. And yet … that hint of mint just takes the wine out of Burgundy, so we must celebrate this as great new world pinot noir. Is this the best Ata Rangi pinot noir yet ? Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 06/14
Good pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for weight. From first opening, this wine is intensely fragrant, with rose, daphne and boronia florals grading into clear-cut cherry fruit, red cherry more than black, and thus contrasting with the Pisa wine. In the daphne component there is the slightest hint of pennyroyal, perhaps a tell-tale for a Martinborough source in blind tastings. In mouth the pinot quality of the wine is superb, soft yet fresh even crisp red grading to black cherry, perfect oak shaping but in no way dominating the wine, and great length of fruit and flavour. The fruit lightens back to red-dominant in the aftertaste, which is very burgundian, and it seems drier than the seductive Greystone. And yet … that hint of mint just takes the wine out of Burgundy, so we must celebrate this as great new world pinot noir. Is this the best Ata Rangi pinot noir yet ? Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 06/14
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $345 [ Cork, 55mm; Sy 100; general elevation etc see Intro; Robinson, 2010: Dark blackish purplish crimson. Bloody and savoury on the nose. The fruit here – at last – is in the ascendancy over the fruit [ sic ]. Massively palate-coating oak. You can see how the magnificence of this at triumphing over new oak must have inspired them to treat all the fruit as though it had this ability. Very fine indeed. One of those wines where you can hardly imagine it is simple fermented grape juice. What talent! And it’s all in the fruit, not the winemaking. Great freshness as well as power and majesty. Suave and certainly not earthy, but it should eventually emerge as a great mature wine – though it would be a terrible shame to drink it too early, however seductive it is already. Not a brute! Streets ahead of the rest of the range, 18.5+; Parker, 2012: … the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is easily the greatest, most profound La Chapelle since the 1990. ... enormous concentration in addition to an extraordinary bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, blackberries, licorice, beef blood and a touch of smoked game. Boasting phenomenal intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and 50 years of longevity …. consumers should plan on laying it away for 8-10 years, 97+; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the saturation of the 2010, the second deepest. The purity of berry aromas in this wine is a delight, but the more you look at it, the more you realise it is a bigger, softer, plusher and less aromatic wine than the 2010. It is much harder to isolate a cassis component here, or a hint of pepper. In a slight step towards subtlest Australian examples of the grape (as shiraz), the oak here is more the source of the aromatics. Palate is not as good as the bouquet, the tannins are obtrusive, and the complexity of flavour is less, even though the wine is weighty. In terms of my ripening curve for syrah, this wine is tip-toeing into a warmer-climate expression of the grape, lacking complexity. It is still a wonderfully powerful expression of syrah, but there is little hope of a floral component. I expected this wine to be well-liked, but no first-places. Cellar 10 to 45 years. 09/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite the saturation of the 2010, the second deepest. The purity of berry aromas in this wine is a delight, but the more you look at it, the more you realise it is a bigger, softer, plusher and less aromatic wine than the 2010. It is much harder to isolate a cassis component here, or a hint of pepper. In a slight step towards subtlest Australian examples of the grape (as shiraz), the oak here is more the source of the aromatics. Palate is not as good as the bouquet, the tannins are obtrusive, and the complexity of flavour is less, even though the wine is weighty. In terms of my ripening curve for syrah, this wine is tip-toeing into a warmer-climate expression of the grape, lacking complexity. It is still a wonderfully powerful expression of syrah, but there is little hope of a floral component. I expected this wine to be well-liked, but no first-places. Cellar 10 to 45 years. 09/14
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $70 [ screwcap; clones 10/5 and others, 4 years, harvested at 1.7 t/ac; up to 10 days cold soak, 6% whole bunch, wild yeast, 30 days cuvaison; 11 months French oak none new; coarse filtration; Robinson '05 (on the standard label): Good deep colour. Very rich and broad yet confidence and well balanced, mainly from a new vineyard in the early-ripening Bendigo area. Very sweet and gentle with lots and lots of fruit with no excess of acid or tannin. Very well managed and harmonious although at 14.5 per cent quite big. 18.5; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, close to the 2003 Mt Difficulty. Bouquet is quieter than some top wines, yet with air opens with similar dusky florals to the Kupe (less the thought of mint), wonderfully pure and deep. Palate is not quite as rich and layered as the top wines, nor as oaky as the 2003 Prima Donna, but the whole wine is wonderfully complete aromatic pinot noir in the style of a Cote de Nuits wine of a riper year. This will give great pleasure. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Big pinot noir ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, close to the 2003 Mt Difficulty. Bouquet is quieter than some top wines, yet with air opens with similar dusky florals to the Kupe (less the thought of mint), wonderfully pure and deep. Palate is not quite as rich and layered as the top wines, nor as oaky as the 2003 Prima Donna, but the whole wine is wonderfully complete aromatic pinot noir in the style of a Cote de Nuits wine of a riper year. This will give great pleasure. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $37 [ screwcap; Ri 100%; pH 2.97; no RS given; Halliday rates Eden Valley 8 /10 for whites in 2006; www.henschke.com.au ]
When it comes to reds, Henschke is a much-revered name in South Australia. But traditionally, the whites have not been in the same class. A pleasure therefore to find this absolutely classic lemongreen 2006 Eden Valley riesling, epitomising the best South Australian dry examples of the style. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, fragrant with vanillin and freesia florals, highly varietal. Palate is delicate lime fruit, not phenolic, drier than almost all New Zealand rieslings. When the pH is below 3 however it is hard to estimate residual sugar. Cellar to 15 years. GK 02/08
When it comes to reds, Henschke is a much-revered name in South Australia. But traditionally, the whites have not been in the same class. A pleasure therefore to find this absolutely classic lemongreen 2006 Eden Valley riesling, epitomising the best South Australian dry examples of the style. Bouquet is exquisitely clean, fragrant with vanillin and freesia florals, highly varietal. Palate is delicate lime fruit, not phenolic, drier than almost all New Zealand rieslings. When the pH is below 3 however it is hard to estimate residual sugar. Cellar to 15 years. GK 02/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 42%, Me 34, Ma 24, 65% hand-harvested, balance machine @ < 2.5 t/ac; 70% French oak, 30 US, 25% new; coarse-filtered only; c. 900 cases; www.forrestwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, fragrant berry and some spirit, but the oak much more aromatic and reminding of Rioja, presumably therefore including some American (confirmed). With it there is elegant cassisy berry, fresh and fragrant, not quite as weighty as the Craggys. Palate is succulent on the berry, still a little oaky, but all lingering delightfully. This wine reminds of some of the more aromatic and cassisy years of Grand Puy Lacoste. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a little different on this wine, fragrant berry and some spirit, but the oak much more aromatic and reminding of Rioja, presumably therefore including some American (confirmed). With it there is elegant cassisy berry, fresh and fragrant, not quite as weighty as the Craggys. Palate is succulent on the berry, still a little oaky, but all lingering delightfully. This wine reminds of some of the more aromatic and cassisy years of Grand Puy Lacoste. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels 90%, Bridge Pa Triangle 10, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; CS 90%, Ma 10 (the Bridge Pa part); c.12 months in French oak none new, 100% 1-year, followed by 18 months in tank; RS 3 g/L; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, right in the middle of the middle tier for weight. Bouquet is soft ripe rich and very plummy, at first suggesting merlot, with vanillin from the oak. In mouth this roundness continues, the wine showing attractive cassis and dark plum flavours, plus good richness, on fragrant and more subtle oak than many here. There is a fine-grain delicacy to this wine again reminding me of the Margaux district. It is still youthful, but on the not-quite-bone-dry aftertaste it is accurately cabernet sauvignon, with more cassis here than on bouquet. Acute tasters object to the few grams RS, and in one sense it should not be necessary. Grapes clearly cropped at well under 5 t/ha convey their own 'apparent' sweetness. I am a little permissive on this: in my view the accuracy of other parameters in our evolving red wine classes is more important. Cellar 5 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, right in the middle of the middle tier for weight. Bouquet is soft ripe rich and very plummy, at first suggesting merlot, with vanillin from the oak. In mouth this roundness continues, the wine showing attractive cassis and dark plum flavours, plus good richness, on fragrant and more subtle oak than many here. There is a fine-grain delicacy to this wine again reminding me of the Margaux district. It is still youthful, but on the not-quite-bone-dry aftertaste it is accurately cabernet sauvignon, with more cassis here than on bouquet. Acute tasters object to the few grams RS, and in one sense it should not be necessary. Grapes clearly cropped at well under 5 t/ha convey their own 'apparent' sweetness. I am a little permissive on this: in my view the accuracy of other parameters in our evolving red wine classes is more important. Cellar 5 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $50 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; around 15 months in French hogsheads (300 L), 50% new; intriguingly, the Chinese allocation will be under cork; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight of colour. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, showing wonderful floral notes including carnations and violets, on aromatic cassisy berry. First impressions are this has been picked at the optimal point for florality. On palate however it is not quite as rich and concentrated as hoped, and might perhaps have been picked a little too soon for total saturation of flavour. Or, perhaps the crop-level did not quite allow the dry extract needed to give the impression of saturation. It is still richer than quite a few Cote Roties. This should be an attractive wine, all the same, to cellar 5 – 12 years. Great to see the ratio of new oak inching back year by year, better allowing the exact variety to speak. GK 06/14
NB: Provisional / indicative score only. Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight of colour. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, showing wonderful floral notes including carnations and violets, on aromatic cassisy berry. First impressions are this has been picked at the optimal point for florality. On palate however it is not quite as rich and concentrated as hoped, and might perhaps have been picked a little too soon for total saturation of flavour. Or, perhaps the crop-level did not quite allow the dry extract needed to give the impression of saturation. It is still richer than quite a few Cote Roties. This should be an attractive wine, all the same, to cellar 5 – 12 years. Great to see the ratio of new oak inching back year by year, better allowing the exact variety to speak. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $ – [ cork; DFB; export only, @ US$35, NOT available on the NZ market; Me 80%, CS & Ma 20, hand-harvested @ 3.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in s/s; 19 months in French oak 55% new; fined and filtered; CEO Steve Smith sees this as akin to a second wine to Sophia; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth of colour. This wine too shows the magical cassis and darkest plums of the other Craggys, but with an additional almost blueberry note, which grades into violets florals. Palate shows the gorgeous dusky berry richness of the range, beautifully balanced to potentially cedary oak. It may be a little lighter and oakier than the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, but many would prefer it for that. Given that this is the volume spearhead of Craggy's export thrust in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends, and is priced at much the same level as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, all New Zealanders can be immensely proud of this affordable but champion red actively out there in the export arena. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth of colour. This wine too shows the magical cassis and darkest plums of the other Craggys, but with an additional almost blueberry note, which grades into violets florals. Palate shows the gorgeous dusky berry richness of the range, beautifully balanced to potentially cedary oak. It may be a little lighter and oakier than the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, but many would prefer it for that. Given that this is the volume spearhead of Craggy's export thrust in Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends, and is priced at much the same level as the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, all New Zealanders can be immensely proud of this affordable but champion red actively out there in the export arena. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 05/07
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ screwcap; hand-harvested mostly clone 95, BF in French oak 40% new, balance second year, some wild yeast, 100% MLF; 10 months LA and half the wine undergoing batonnage, RS <1 g/L; note the wine is the same price as 10 years ago; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Elegant full lemon, marginally the deepest of these four chardonnays. Bouquet is dramatically chardonnay in the slightly more tropical style of Gisborne, just a hint of mango in white and yellow stonefruits, ample barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis creamy elevation complexity, a hint of barrel char but less than Keltern. One could hardly ask for a clearer demonstration of obvious chardonnay characters. Palate is rich, succulent, new oak more apparent now but well-covered, nearly a brioche suggestion from the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components. Gisborne has a reputation for producing forward fleshy chardonnays, but appearances can be deceptive. I showed the 1986 of this exact label to the judges in this year's New Zealand Easter Wine Show, and it tasted very well indeed, the cashew of late maturity. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/13
Elegant full lemon, marginally the deepest of these four chardonnays. Bouquet is dramatically chardonnay in the slightly more tropical style of Gisborne, just a hint of mango in white and yellow stonefruits, ample barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis creamy elevation complexity, a hint of barrel char but less than Keltern. One could hardly ask for a clearer demonstration of obvious chardonnay characters. Palate is rich, succulent, new oak more apparent now but well-covered, nearly a brioche suggestion from the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components. Gisborne has a reputation for producing forward fleshy chardonnays, but appearances can be deceptive. I showed the 1986 of this exact label to the judges in this year's New Zealand Easter Wine Show, and it tasted very well indeed, the cashew of late maturity. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/13
Bridge Pa Triangle 62%, Gimblett Gravels 38%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ screwcap; CS 93%, CF 5, Ma 2; up to 5 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 18 months in French oak 35% new; RS < 2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well up in the top quarter for density. Bouquet is shy at first opening, the berry fruit hiding behind oak, but it slowly opens to reveal rich cassis and dark plum nuances. Palate shows the gorgeous ripeness of the best 2009s, with a plumpness and richness which is beguiling. It is not as rich as the Cabernet / Merlot Reserve 2009 from the same stable, which reflects the Bridge Pa Triangle component in the fruit, but the oak is less too so it is attractively balanced. It forms an admirable running mate for the McDonald Merlot, the present wine being sterner as befits high cabernet sauvignon. The ripeness achieved in this wine predominantly from the Bridge Pa Triangle tends to confirm the statement made in relation to the Ngatarawa wines, that their long history of stalky reds reflects over-cropping, not location per se. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE on special. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well up in the top quarter for density. Bouquet is shy at first opening, the berry fruit hiding behind oak, but it slowly opens to reveal rich cassis and dark plum nuances. Palate shows the gorgeous ripeness of the best 2009s, with a plumpness and richness which is beguiling. It is not as rich as the Cabernet / Merlot Reserve 2009 from the same stable, which reflects the Bridge Pa Triangle component in the fruit, but the oak is less too so it is attractively balanced. It forms an admirable running mate for the McDonald Merlot, the present wine being sterner as befits high cabernet sauvignon. The ripeness achieved in this wine predominantly from the Bridge Pa Triangle tends to confirm the statement made in relation to the Ngatarawa wines, that their long history of stalky reds reflects over-cropping, not location per se. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE on special. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ DFB; Me dominant, CF, Sy, Ma, CS; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour. This is the ripest, richest, most restrained and least apparently oaky of the Mills Reef bordeaux-styled blends in 2002. It shows complex cassis with almost a hint of syrah, big dark rich bottled plums, and noticeable oak with subtle VA. Palate is richly cassisy, with the fruit weight to carry the slightly aggressive oaking. This should marry up into an exciting if bold ‘Hawkes Bay blend’, but it is much too oaky to be readily compared with Bordeaux or fine Napa, in blind tastings. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour. This is the ripest, richest, most restrained and least apparently oaky of the Mills Reef bordeaux-styled blends in 2002. It shows complex cassis with almost a hint of syrah, big dark rich bottled plums, and noticeable oak with subtle VA. Palate is richly cassisy, with the fruit weight to carry the slightly aggressive oaking. This should marry up into an exciting if bold ‘Hawkes Bay blend’, but it is much too oaky to be readily compared with Bordeaux or fine Napa, in blind tastings. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ nearly two years in wood; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, denser than the Homage. First opened, the wine is a little oaky, but it breathes to intense cassis, with some hints of darkest rose florals. Palate brings in darkest plums, beautiful berryfruit length, slightly chocolatey flavours from the oak, yet despite the bouquet oak is not prominent in the flavour. Perhaps there is a barrel ferment component in this wine too. Length of flavour and balance are excellent, and it is great to have the flavours of such ripeness at 13.5% rather than the worrying near-standard 14% or more in most of these wines. This wine too is wonderfully northern Rhone in style. Like the other '02 syrahs, the Unison is a little soft for long cellaring. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, denser than the Homage. First opened, the wine is a little oaky, but it breathes to intense cassis, with some hints of darkest rose florals. Palate brings in darkest plums, beautiful berryfruit length, slightly chocolatey flavours from the oak, yet despite the bouquet oak is not prominent in the flavour. Perhaps there is a barrel ferment component in this wine too. Length of flavour and balance are excellent, and it is great to have the flavours of such ripeness at 13.5% rather than the worrying near-standard 14% or more in most of these wines. This wine too is wonderfully northern Rhone in style. Like the other '02 syrahs, the Unison is a little soft for long cellaring. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $60 [ cork; DFB; CS 92%, Me 6, CF & Ma 2, hand-harvested; if like the 2006 cropped @ c. 2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated and fermented in oak cuves; 21 months in French oak 84% new, fined and filtered; production around 200 cases, not exported; release date 1 June '09, not on website yet; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, appearing a little older and more oak-influenced than 2007 Sophia. Freshly opened, and for some time afterwards, first impressions are of an overtly cedary Bordeaux and Medoc-styled wine, in a kind of out-doing Mouton approach. Below is rich cassisy berry, and some plum and depth, but it is not so transparent as Sophia. Palate reveals the cassis much more, with a berry richness which may evolve and stand up to the oak with time, but the wine seems to me not as beautifully pitched as 2005 The Quarry, or 2007 Sophia. Alongside Coleraine 2007, this Quarry wine looks distinctly brash and new world, being both bigger and much more oaky. However, because people love oak, the popular view will be The Quarry is the superior wine of the two premium 2007 Craggy Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends. The only way to find out is to secure a case of each, for they will both cellar for 20 years easily. Together with Coleraine and other certain-to-be-top-notch 2007s yet to be released they will provide great interest and satisfaction along the way. My score reflects the fact there is lashings of fruit, and stylistic interpretation aside, it is beautifully made. And it is less oaky than Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707, for example. GK 03/09
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, appearing a little older and more oak-influenced than 2007 Sophia. Freshly opened, and for some time afterwards, first impressions are of an overtly cedary Bordeaux and Medoc-styled wine, in a kind of out-doing Mouton approach. Below is rich cassisy berry, and some plum and depth, but it is not so transparent as Sophia. Palate reveals the cassis much more, with a berry richness which may evolve and stand up to the oak with time, but the wine seems to me not as beautifully pitched as 2005 The Quarry, or 2007 Sophia. Alongside Coleraine 2007, this Quarry wine looks distinctly brash and new world, being both bigger and much more oaky. However, because people love oak, the popular view will be The Quarry is the superior wine of the two premium 2007 Craggy Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blends. The only way to find out is to secure a case of each, for they will both cellar for 20 years easily. Together with Coleraine and other certain-to-be-top-notch 2007s yet to be released they will provide great interest and satisfaction along the way. My score reflects the fact there is lashings of fruit, and stylistic interpretation aside, it is beautifully made. And it is less oaky than Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707, for example. GK 03/09
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ original price, ex vineyard; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Good ruby with a flush of carmine and velvet, about as big as pinot needs to be. Bouquet on this wine is beautifully pure, understated, with some florals plus red and black cherry fruit. First impression on palate is the weight of fruit, yet the beautiful expression of black cherry pinot noir character and perfect acid balance is without any hint of superfluous weight, juiciness, or excess oak. This wine shows delightfully how New Zealand pinot can be concentrated and rich (as we know from Burgundy), without being transmogrified into a populist new world fruit bomb. This is classical New Zealand pinot noir, beautifully subtly oaked, as straight as a die, yet to evolve magic. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/04
Good ruby with a flush of carmine and velvet, about as big as pinot needs to be. Bouquet on this wine is beautifully pure, understated, with some florals plus red and black cherry fruit. First impression on palate is the weight of fruit, yet the beautiful expression of black cherry pinot noir character and perfect acid balance is without any hint of superfluous weight, juiciness, or excess oak. This wine shows delightfully how New Zealand pinot can be concentrated and rich (as we know from Burgundy), without being transmogrified into a populist new world fruit bomb. This is classical New Zealand pinot noir, beautifully subtly oaked, as straight as a die, yet to evolve magic. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/04
Morey-St-Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy , France: 14%; $125
Rich pinot noir ruby. On bouquet, this wine combines many of the good points of the Beze and Pommard Girardins into an attractively floral and fragrant, highly varietal cherry pinot. There is new oak showing, but not quite as much as the Beze. Palate is delicious red and black cherries beautifully fresh and flavoursome, long and sweet in the mouth, lingering delightfully. Not as rich as the Pommard or Corton, but a little more floral and complex all through. Clos de la Roche is a marvellous site, often under-estimated. Cellar to 20 years +. GK 08/04
Rich pinot noir ruby. On bouquet, this wine combines many of the good points of the Beze and Pommard Girardins into an attractively floral and fragrant, highly varietal cherry pinot. There is new oak showing, but not quite as much as the Beze. Palate is delicious red and black cherries beautifully fresh and flavoursome, long and sweet in the mouth, lingering delightfully. Not as rich as the Pommard or Corton, but a little more floral and complex all through. Clos de la Roche is a marvellous site, often under-estimated. Cellar to 20 years +. GK 08/04
Aloxe-Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy , France: 14%; $80
Deep for pinot noir, fractionally deeper than the Pommard, ruby with a touch of carmine and velvet. A good sweet ripe burgundian bouquet, not as floral and aromatic as the better Cote de Nuits wines, but with fine dark cherry approaching plum in weight, and lifted by lightest new oak. Palate is classically grand cru Corton in style, soft, rich, beautiful flavours not as complex as the Chambertins, but maybe exceeding them in generosity and richness. It is silkier and finer than the Pommard. This will be a wonderful food wine, and, with a less prestigious address, it is a more realistic role model for New Zealand winemakers favouring bigger pinots. Cellar 25 + years. GK 08/04
Deep for pinot noir, fractionally deeper than the Pommard, ruby with a touch of carmine and velvet. A good sweet ripe burgundian bouquet, not as floral and aromatic as the better Cote de Nuits wines, but with fine dark cherry approaching plum in weight, and lifted by lightest new oak. Palate is classically grand cru Corton in style, soft, rich, beautiful flavours not as complex as the Chambertins, but maybe exceeding them in generosity and richness. It is silkier and finer than the Pommard. This will be a wonderful food wine, and, with a less prestigious address, it is a more realistic role model for New Zealand winemakers favouring bigger pinots. Cellar 25 + years. GK 08/04
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ screwcap; $56 ex vineyard, when available ; www.feltonroad.com ]
A full pinot noir ruby, fractionally deeper than the standard Felton, lighter than the Block 5. Bouquet is the most complete statement of pinot noir on the day, combining deep florals as in dark roses, with black cherries in profusion. There is no trace of pennyroyal adding spurious aromatics, and the oaking is much subtler than some previous Block wines. Palate follows through perfectly, rich and crunchy cherries, a little more new oak now apparent, excellent acid balance. This looks to me like the fruit of a perfect season for pinot noir in Otago, much more floral, piquant and aromatic than the sometimes over-ripe, ponderous, yet widely-hyped 2002s. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/04
A full pinot noir ruby, fractionally deeper than the standard Felton, lighter than the Block 5. Bouquet is the most complete statement of pinot noir on the day, combining deep florals as in dark roses, with black cherries in profusion. There is no trace of pennyroyal adding spurious aromatics, and the oaking is much subtler than some previous Block wines. Palate follows through perfectly, rich and crunchy cherries, a little more new oak now apparent, excellent acid balance. This looks to me like the fruit of a perfect season for pinot noir in Otago, much more floral, piquant and aromatic than the sometimes over-ripe, ponderous, yet widely-hyped 2002s. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/04
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $142 [ cork; hand-harvested; fermentation in oak vats; MLF and c. 18 months in oak; www.drouhin.com ]
Medium pinot ruby. The emphasis in this wine is on the florals, in the Drouhin style: gorgeous sweet roses and buddleia perfumes on blackboy and red cherry fruit, the blackboy in particular tying in with best Martinborough and Marlborough pinot varietal character. Despite the deceptively light bouquet, there is excellent fruit weight as measured in terms of dry extract, accompanied by a long supple silky yet aromatic presence in the mouth and aftertaste. A classical Drouhin presentation of fine burgundy, in a very fragrant style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Medium pinot ruby. The emphasis in this wine is on the florals, in the Drouhin style: gorgeous sweet roses and buddleia perfumes on blackboy and red cherry fruit, the blackboy in particular tying in with best Martinborough and Marlborough pinot varietal character. Despite the deceptively light bouquet, there is excellent fruit weight as measured in terms of dry extract, accompanied by a long supple silky yet aromatic presence in the mouth and aftertaste. A classical Drouhin presentation of fine burgundy, in a very fragrant style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $ – [ cork; release September 2007; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, markedly lighter than the other top wines. Bouquet comes into the sensational category, being straight out of Cote Rotie: beautiful dianthus and wallflower florals, a hint of balsam aromatics, and the most delightful bush honey complexity, as is sometimes seen in the Rhone – for example 1982 Jaboulet les Jumelles. Palate is fragrant and supple, a hint of syrah spice, limpid fruit, slightly acid, refreshing. It is not as big as the other top wines, but like the 2005 Bullnose, is beautiful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, markedly lighter than the other top wines. Bouquet comes into the sensational category, being straight out of Cote Rotie: beautiful dianthus and wallflower florals, a hint of balsam aromatics, and the most delightful bush honey complexity, as is sometimes seen in the Rhone – for example 1982 Jaboulet les Jumelles. Palate is fragrant and supple, a hint of syrah spice, limpid fruit, slightly acid, refreshing. It is not as big as the other top wines, but like the 2005 Bullnose, is beautiful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $67 [ cork; 22-year old vines, Cleland vineyard, Martinborough; 15 days cuvaison, 12 months in French oak 30% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 28 g/L, not filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the third deepest of the Escarpment pinot noirs. The wine needs a breath of air to reveal a stunning pinot noir floral bouquet, sweetly floral ranging from deepest red roses to boronia, and thoughts of violets too. Behind that are red and black cherries and subtle oak, and an intriguing hint of bouquet garni / herbes. Palate epitomises pinot noir, dark cherry, potentially velvety texture, careful oak, lovely length yet no heavyness, not quite as rich as 2011 Kupe. There is a limpid burgundian quality to this wine, which, once breathed, makes it a great New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the third deepest of the Escarpment pinot noirs. The wine needs a breath of air to reveal a stunning pinot noir floral bouquet, sweetly floral ranging from deepest red roses to boronia, and thoughts of violets too. Behind that are red and black cherries and subtle oak, and an intriguing hint of bouquet garni / herbes. Palate epitomises pinot noir, dark cherry, potentially velvety texture, careful oak, lovely length yet no heavyness, not quite as rich as 2011 Kupe. There is a limpid burgundian quality to this wine, which, once breathed, makes it a great New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/13
The Grampians, Victoria, Australia: 14.5%; $38 [ cork, 50mm; original price $60; Halliday rates the 1999 vintage in the Grampians 10/10; this label rated Excellent in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the third-level group of 68 wines, and rated a Classic Wine of Australia by Halliday; Sh 100% grown on granite-derived soils at 350 m altitude, with summer temperatures reminiscent of Launceston; hand-picked from vines planted in 1963, in many vintages estimated to be the last-to-be-picked shiraz vines in Australia; some years a percentage of whole bunches in the ferment, c.21 days cuvaison; this vintage matured in American oak 85%, French 15, some new, for around 14 months; production c.3,500 x 9-litre cases; Halliday, 2011: an archetypal Langi bouquet, offering a mix of spice, black cherry, mint, licorice and leather. The palate has lively, sweet fruit woven through the more minty/spicy characters of the bouquet, but slightly sharp acidity on the finish needs to integrate, to 2009, 93; RP@RP, 2002: Mount Langi Ghiran's flagship offering, the 1999 Shiraz Langi was closed and tight when tasted. It revealed interesting blackberry fruit notes intermixed with ground pepper, spice, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, tightly-knit, tannic, and backward, it may merit a 90-point score in 2-3 years, and last for 15+ years, 88; weight bottle and closure: 586 g; www.langi.com.au ]
Garnet and ruby, below midway in depth, and one of the least red wines. Like RunRig, but a little moreso, the initial bouquet on this wine is dramatically floral and aromatic, but more Prostanthera flowering mint than carnations. This floral slightly aromatic character gives a lightness and lift to the bouquet which is endearing, when not too pronounced. This wine is to a max. Berry quality here is not so clearly cassis-led as the top two, just good aromatic berry, with a firmness to it. At the altitude of the site, it is hard to know if the acid is natural or adjusted. It tastes harder than the Jamet, so probably it is. The two wines make an interesting pair. Again this is syrah from Australia, not shiraz – glory be. This wine too was well liked, three first-places and four second. It is further along its plateau of maturity than the Jamet, but should have another 10 years in it. GK 11/19
Garnet and ruby, below midway in depth, and one of the least red wines. Like RunRig, but a little moreso, the initial bouquet on this wine is dramatically floral and aromatic, but more Prostanthera flowering mint than carnations. This floral slightly aromatic character gives a lightness and lift to the bouquet which is endearing, when not too pronounced. This wine is to a max. Berry quality here is not so clearly cassis-led as the top two, just good aromatic berry, with a firmness to it. At the altitude of the site, it is hard to know if the acid is natural or adjusted. It tastes harder than the Jamet, so probably it is. The two wines make an interesting pair. Again this is syrah from Australia, not shiraz – glory be. This wine too was well liked, three first-places and four second. It is further along its plateau of maturity than the Jamet, but should have another 10 years in it. GK 11/19
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ cork; DFB; CS and Me hand-harvested @ c. 2 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed; 50% BF in French oak via 'Vinification Integrale' in the 400 litre purpose-designed barrel from Tonnellerie Baron, balance s/s; c. 16 months in French oak 50% new; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, another developed colour for the year, and not as deep as many. Bouquet on this wine is devastatingly Bordeaux-like, quite extraordinary, like a rich Ch. Angludet or similar, fragrant with cassisy cabernet and merlot qualities in gentle and not obviously new oak. In mouth, the analogy continues, the berries beautifully ripe, lovely round tannins, gentle oak, a long soft aftertaste. This will be ready earlier than some. When the identity is revealed on this wine, what a revelation. There is an exciting re-thinking of oak-handling, and the relative ratio of oak to berry, taking place at Mills Reef. The result is more elegant and much more food-friendly wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/07
Ruby and velvet, another developed colour for the year, and not as deep as many. Bouquet on this wine is devastatingly Bordeaux-like, quite extraordinary, like a rich Ch. Angludet or similar, fragrant with cassisy cabernet and merlot qualities in gentle and not obviously new oak. In mouth, the analogy continues, the berries beautifully ripe, lovely round tannins, gentle oak, a long soft aftertaste. This will be ready earlier than some. When the identity is revealed on this wine, what a revelation. There is an exciting re-thinking of oak-handling, and the relative ratio of oak to berry, taking place at Mills Reef. The result is more elegant and much more food-friendly wines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/07
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.2%; $50 [ TE ]
Good ruby, a touch of carmine. A vibrant redfruits bouquet, with blackboy peach to the fore. This wine characterises the intensely fruited cherry / berry New Zealand pinot noir style. Some florals, some oak, an attractive hint of star anise and maraschino too. Rich palate, remarkable concentration, good acid, fine balance. This wine, as with several others, does however make one reflect that fine New Zealand pinot noir does ideally need full physiological flavour maturity at alcohols nearer Burgundy norms. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Good ruby, a touch of carmine. A vibrant redfruits bouquet, with blackboy peach to the fore. This wine characterises the intensely fruited cherry / berry New Zealand pinot noir style. Some florals, some oak, an attractive hint of star anise and maraschino too. Rich palate, remarkable concentration, good acid, fine balance. This wine, as with several others, does however make one reflect that fine New Zealand pinot noir does ideally need full physiological flavour maturity at alcohols nearer Burgundy norms. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $209
Good pinot noir ruby. A classic pinot noir, showing beautiful florals, fragrant cherries, softly aromatic oak, and total appeal: one just wants to drink such a wine, even knowing it is an infant. Palate is concentrated red and black cherries, saturating the tongue with their flavour. There is a lovely aromatic lift to this wine, partly Chambertin, partly new oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
Good pinot noir ruby. A classic pinot noir, showing beautiful florals, fragrant cherries, softly aromatic oak, and total appeal: one just wants to drink such a wine, even knowing it is an infant. Palate is concentrated red and black cherries, saturating the tongue with their flavour. There is a lovely aromatic lift to this wine, partly Chambertin, partly new oak. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/04
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $23 [ screwcap; c.20% BF, c.30% wild yeast, LA; www.craggyrange.com ]
Pale lemongreen. Still youthful with some marrying-up to do, to reveal sweet ripe capsicum and black passionfruit varietal characters. Palate is rich, flavoursome, totally varietal, showing magnificent use of oak to optimise varietal character but not dominate it. This will cellar well, if desired. GK 09/04
Pale lemongreen. Still youthful with some marrying-up to do, to reveal sweet ripe capsicum and black passionfruit varietal characters. Palate is rich, flavoursome, totally varietal, showing magnificent use of oak to optimise varietal character but not dominate it. This will cellar well, if desired. GK 09/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.5%; $19 [ supercritical cork; not a saignée wine, but made from scratch with all the zin; 5 g/L RS; www.stonecroft.co.nz ]
Perfect rosé hue. Bouquet is superbly clean and lightly berried, and knowing it is made from zin, one imagines it is blueberries. There are strawberries too. Whatever, it smells like serious rosé, made from red grapes. Palate is ripe (how, at the Brix indicated by the alcohol, I cannot imagine), with a marvellous balance of fruit to tannins, against slightly fresh acid. Finish is either bone dry, or so close to it as doesn't matter, beautiful fruit, very sophisticated and more-ish. The whole wine style is reminiscent of Tavel. This will cellar for several years, to taste. GK 02/06
Perfect rosé hue. Bouquet is superbly clean and lightly berried, and knowing it is made from zin, one imagines it is blueberries. There are strawberries too. Whatever, it smells like serious rosé, made from red grapes. Palate is ripe (how, at the Brix indicated by the alcohol, I cannot imagine), with a marvellous balance of fruit to tannins, against slightly fresh acid. Finish is either bone dry, or so close to it as doesn't matter, beautiful fruit, very sophisticated and more-ish. The whole wine style is reminiscent of Tavel. This will cellar for several years, to taste. GK 02/06
Gimblett Gravels & Tuki Tuki Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $135 [ cork; DFB; Me 47, CS 44, Ma 9, hand-harvested; 3 – 4 week cuvaison; 12 months in French oak 50% new, plus 6 more months in oak; released October 2006 and subsequently offered @ $100 – 105 several retailers; not on Church Road website; http://www.pernod-ricard-nz.com/Pages/wines/our_wines/tom_2002.html ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly older and lighter than most of the ‘04s, more the weight of the Gunn Woolshed blend. Bouquet is astonishingly complex, a total Bordeaux look-alike, with complex berry embracing cassis, redcurrant and red and black plums. There is also tobacco complexity varying from light to dark in hue, plus potentially cedary oak, and a little brett. Palate too shows all these features, remarkably integrated, soft and forward for its age, in the style of a 10-year-old St Emilion. This is a food wine ! Complexity of flavour goes a long way to concealing that the wine is still lacking real concentration, though one can overlook that for the scoring. But greater dry extract is needed to have this wine justify its price tag. The time-honoured way of achieving this is via an even lower cropping rate than that alluded to on the website. This is the first edition of Tom to measure up to the man it honours – which is exciting – but its pricing and packaging appeals to baser values than love of wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Ruby and velvet, clearly older and lighter than most of the ‘04s, more the weight of the Gunn Woolshed blend. Bouquet is astonishingly complex, a total Bordeaux look-alike, with complex berry embracing cassis, redcurrant and red and black plums. There is also tobacco complexity varying from light to dark in hue, plus potentially cedary oak, and a little brett. Palate too shows all these features, remarkably integrated, soft and forward for its age, in the style of a 10-year-old St Emilion. This is a food wine ! Complexity of flavour goes a long way to concealing that the wine is still lacking real concentration, though one can overlook that for the scoring. But greater dry extract is needed to have this wine justify its price tag. The time-honoured way of achieving this is via an even lower cropping rate than that alluded to on the website. This is the first edition of Tom to measure up to the man it honours – which is exciting – but its pricing and packaging appeals to baser values than love of wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ Champion wine of the 2005 Challenge; screwcap; hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed. BF with wild yeast in new French oak, 10 month LA and batonnage, MLF 100%, RS <2 g/L; www.gunnestate.co.nz ]
Lemon, a suggestion of straw. Bouquet on this wine is in a distinctively New Zealand style of chardonnay, and specifically a classical Hawkes Bay chardonnay. There is tight golden queen peachy fruit complexed by barrel-ferment, MLF and lees autolysis. Compared with the Pemberton Reserve wine, bouquet is more aromatic from barrel-ferment in a higher percentage of newer and fragrant oak. Palate develops the golden peachy fruit to a well textured richness, but with the oak at a maximum. Flavour has something in common with the big Californian, but with the lower alcohol it shows much more restraint and finesse. This will cellar well for 5 – 10 years, in which time the oak should marry away. GK 10/05
Lemon, a suggestion of straw. Bouquet on this wine is in a distinctively New Zealand style of chardonnay, and specifically a classical Hawkes Bay chardonnay. There is tight golden queen peachy fruit complexed by barrel-ferment, MLF and lees autolysis. Compared with the Pemberton Reserve wine, bouquet is more aromatic from barrel-ferment in a higher percentage of newer and fragrant oak. Palate develops the golden peachy fruit to a well textured richness, but with the oak at a maximum. Flavour has something in common with the big Californian, but with the lower alcohol it shows much more restraint and finesse. This will cellar well for 5 – 10 years, in which time the oak should marry away. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; 100% Sy hand-picked late April @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t / ac; 100% de-stemmed; seven days cold-soak, total 35 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; www.rmwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, likewise not the richest syrah. It is always pleasing when you write up a wine at a certain (high) level, as in my recent report on the 2013 Easter Show, and then later in a much bigger blind tasting a couple of months later, one finds one has allocated the same score to the wine. On this showing, it is almost identical in style to the 2011 Church Road Grand Reserve, highly varietal, faintly more oak, a model expression of fine (not necessarily the biggest) New Zealand syrah, both wines linking with the top Cuilleron Cote Roties astonishingly well. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, likewise not the richest syrah. It is always pleasing when you write up a wine at a certain (high) level, as in my recent report on the 2013 Easter Show, and then later in a much bigger blind tasting a couple of months later, one finds one has allocated the same score to the wine. On this showing, it is almost identical in style to the 2011 Church Road Grand Reserve, highly varietal, faintly more oak, a model expression of fine (not necessarily the biggest) New Zealand syrah, both wines linking with the top Cuilleron Cote Roties astonishingly well. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.8%; $80 [ screwcap; 20% whole-bunch; elevage detail (now corrected from the Conference booklet, Blair Walter, pers. comm) is 11 months in French oak, 38% new, followed by a further 6 months in 3-year-old oak; www.feltonroad.com ]
Rich pinot noir ruby, nearly some carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense quiet, but it defines the darker spectrum of pinot noir florals, darkest red roses and boronia, with a faint garrigue-like (aka Otago thyme, +ve) complexity note, on clear black cherry fruit. Palate fulfils the promise of bouquet totally. At number five in the Pinot Noirs of the World tasting sequence, this wine came as a shaft of light in what had till that point been a sad and deflating experience: how could the organisers think the first four represented world achievements in pinot noir ? But here suddenly was a wine that was floral, beautiful, vibrant and exciting to smell and taste – exactly what great pinot noir should be. This was more what we came for !
Palate is magnificent, immediately reminding me of a great pinot noir I once tasted from Chalone Vineyard (high-altitude California), again vibrant, rich black cherry fruit at a maximum for ripeness but not at all heavy, long and saturated in mouth, bone dry, beautifully ripe tannins, no brett, simply superb pinot noir. On the New Zealand pinot landscape, it is darker in its floral and fruit characters than might be superlative, all black cherry, just a hint of sur-maturité, thus clearly representing the dark phase of Central Otago wines. It is still fresh and tantalising, though, and lingers in mouth well. Aftertaste is cherry on skinsy ripe tannins, lovely, long, perhaps slightly oaky in its youthful balance. This wine encapsulates the future of one phase (the darker phase) of New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/10
Rich pinot noir ruby, nearly some carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense quiet, but it defines the darker spectrum of pinot noir florals, darkest red roses and boronia, with a faint garrigue-like (aka Otago thyme, +ve) complexity note, on clear black cherry fruit. Palate fulfils the promise of bouquet totally. At number five in the Pinot Noirs of the World tasting sequence, this wine came as a shaft of light in what had till that point been a sad and deflating experience: how could the organisers think the first four represented world achievements in pinot noir ? But here suddenly was a wine that was floral, beautiful, vibrant and exciting to smell and taste – exactly what great pinot noir should be. This was more what we came for !
Palate is magnificent, immediately reminding me of a great pinot noir I once tasted from Chalone Vineyard (high-altitude California), again vibrant, rich black cherry fruit at a maximum for ripeness but not at all heavy, long and saturated in mouth, bone dry, beautifully ripe tannins, no brett, simply superb pinot noir. On the New Zealand pinot landscape, it is darker in its floral and fruit characters than might be superlative, all black cherry, just a hint of sur-maturité, thus clearly representing the dark phase of Central Otago wines. It is still fresh and tantalising, though, and lingers in mouth well. Aftertaste is cherry on skinsy ripe tannins, lovely, long, perhaps slightly oaky in its youthful balance. This wine encapsulates the future of one phase (the darker phase) of New Zealand pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/10
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $26 [ screwcap; Sy 99%, Vi 1, all hand-picked @ 2.5 t/ac from a hill-slope site with limestone; syrah de-stemmed, c.21 days cuvaison; MLF and 14 months in French oak c.25% new; RS 3 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, below midway. Bouquet is totally Cote Rotie, delightfully floral and warm, wallflowers and dark red roses, gorgeous. There is cassis, plum and blueberry on the fruit side, with subtlest potentially cedary oak. Palate continues in this gentle fruit-forward style, totally Cote Rotie against the 2009 Church Road, the trace residual contributing to the gentleness. This is succulent and delicious wine, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/12
Ruby and velvet, below midway. Bouquet is totally Cote Rotie, delightfully floral and warm, wallflowers and dark red roses, gorgeous. There is cassis, plum and blueberry on the fruit side, with subtlest potentially cedary oak. Palate continues in this gentle fruit-forward style, totally Cote Rotie against the 2009 Church Road, the trace residual contributing to the gentleness. This is succulent and delicious wine, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/12
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $26 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, co-fermented even though Vi then super-ripe; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 15 months in new and older French oak; superb website; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, wonderfully floral and fragrant, the florals deeper and spicier than pinot noir and violets, not quite as sweet as dianthus, but clearly in style for Cote Rotie (the model). Below is a piquant spiciness of cracked pepper and cassis. Palate shows much the best fruit weight yet under this label, and a freshness of cassis and beautiful round berryfruits, which again can only be compared to Cote Rotie. There is no hint of the over-ripe boysenberry broadness characterising Australian shiraz. The wine is so young, the flavours are not quite integrated yet, with dark berry, cracked pepper and oak remaining separate on the tongue. This is a potentially beautiful wine, which it would be folly not to buy by the case, to follow its evolution and enjoy how attractive it will become over the next 10 years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/05
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is dramatically syrah, wonderfully floral and fragrant, the florals deeper and spicier than pinot noir and violets, not quite as sweet as dianthus, but clearly in style for Cote Rotie (the model). Below is a piquant spiciness of cracked pepper and cassis. Palate shows much the best fruit weight yet under this label, and a freshness of cassis and beautiful round berryfruits, which again can only be compared to Cote Rotie. There is no hint of the over-ripe boysenberry broadness characterising Australian shiraz. The wine is so young, the flavours are not quite integrated yet, with dark berry, cracked pepper and oak remaining separate on the tongue. This is a potentially beautiful wine, which it would be folly not to buy by the case, to follow its evolution and enjoy how attractive it will become over the next 10 years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; rare (c. 200 6-packs), release ex winery only early March; hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed; French oak 50% new, batonnage in barrel; not on website yet; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as some. Bouquet is wonderfully clean and aromatic, the new oak showing a little much at this stage, but with air revealing lots of dark rose and violets florals, on cassis in rich plummy fruit. Below is a little black peppercorn spice. Palate is rich too, the quality of the cassis fruit first-rate, all very pure, both crisp and juicy. This fruit with less new oak would be super, and it may well marry up to be that, anyway. It is 14.5% alcohol, sadly, but carries it well. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as some. Bouquet is wonderfully clean and aromatic, the new oak showing a little much at this stage, but with air revealing lots of dark rose and violets florals, on cassis in rich plummy fruit. Below is a little black peppercorn spice. Palate is rich too, the quality of the cassis fruit first-rate, all very pure, both crisp and juicy. This fruit with less new oak would be super, and it may well marry up to be that, anyway. It is 14.5% alcohol, sadly, but carries it well. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 01/07
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; www.akarua.com ]
Ruby, suggestions of carmine and velvet, deep for pinot, but no weightier than some of the Girardins. Bouquet is phenomenal: here at last is another wonderfully floral, complex, and cherried wine to match the 1999 Felton Road. The florals are soft, sweet, and sensuous, reminiscent of lilac and violets, almost drowning the fruit. Palate matches with attractive cherry flesh, suggestions of fresh-baked jam tarts, subtle oak, and totally burgundian poise. It is deceptively rich, particularly in the cherry fruit component, though it seems lighter than the Felton Block 3. Oaking is beautifully subtle, so flavour as well as bouquet display New Zealand pinot at its varietal best. Indeed, if anybody asks what pinot noir should smell like, this is the (affordable) bottle to display the answer. This kind of pinot is a so much more fragrant and beautiful expression of the variety than some of the fatter, plummier, '02 Otago wines. In two or three years this should settle down into one of New Zealand's finest pinot noir achievements so far. Cellar 3 – 12 years. Tasted three times. GK 11/04
Ruby, suggestions of carmine and velvet, deep for pinot, but no weightier than some of the Girardins. Bouquet is phenomenal: here at last is another wonderfully floral, complex, and cherried wine to match the 1999 Felton Road. The florals are soft, sweet, and sensuous, reminiscent of lilac and violets, almost drowning the fruit. Palate matches with attractive cherry flesh, suggestions of fresh-baked jam tarts, subtle oak, and totally burgundian poise. It is deceptively rich, particularly in the cherry fruit component, though it seems lighter than the Felton Block 3. Oaking is beautifully subtle, so flavour as well as bouquet display New Zealand pinot at its varietal best. Indeed, if anybody asks what pinot noir should smell like, this is the (affordable) bottle to display the answer. This kind of pinot is a so much more fragrant and beautiful expression of the variety than some of the fatter, plummier, '02 Otago wines. In two or three years this should settle down into one of New Zealand's finest pinot noir achievements so far. Cellar 3 – 12 years. Tasted three times. GK 11/04
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ will be supercritical 'cork'; 27 days cuvaison including 5 cold soak @ 8 degrees; c. 12 months in 50% new oak, 90% French, 10 American ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a close match to the 2005 Bullnose. And on bouquet, the wine is much in the style of the Ngatarawa Triangle wines too, deep wallflower and dusky rose florals, both cassis and soft blueberry fruit, and subtle oak, all totally pure. Palate is a little richer than the highly-rated Villa Maria Syrah / Viognier Cellar Selection, and more floral than that wine, despite having no viognier at all. This Cote Rotie-styled wine highlights the importance of the floral dimension in great syrah, something the Australians haven't thought about much yet, but we can achieve superbly in good years and on good sites in our more critically attuned syrah climate – if the wine is not over-ripened or over-oaked. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a close match to the 2005 Bullnose. And on bouquet, the wine is much in the style of the Ngatarawa Triangle wines too, deep wallflower and dusky rose florals, both cassis and soft blueberry fruit, and subtle oak, all totally pure. Palate is a little richer than the highly-rated Villa Maria Syrah / Viognier Cellar Selection, and more floral than that wine, despite having no viognier at all. This Cote Rotie-styled wine highlights the importance of the floral dimension in great syrah, something the Australians haven't thought about much yet, but we can achieve superbly in good years and on good sites in our more critically attuned syrah climate – if the wine is not over-ripened or over-oaked. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; cool-fermented; 3 months lees autolysis and weekly stirring; no oak; 4 g/L RS; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pale lemonstraw. Bouquet is clear-cut pinot family, attractive rosepetal and white pearflesh, some white nectarine, plus some lees-autolysis enhancement evident. Palate continues these winning qualities, pure pinot gris fruit, surprisingly dry yet the phenolics so well handled they merely give the wine structure. This is a lovely example of the variety. It will be a good food wine, as well as cellaring well 2 – 6 years. GK 11/08
Pale lemonstraw. Bouquet is clear-cut pinot family, attractive rosepetal and white pearflesh, some white nectarine, plus some lees-autolysis enhancement evident. Palate continues these winning qualities, pure pinot gris fruit, surprisingly dry yet the phenolics so well handled they merely give the wine structure. This is a lovely example of the variety. It will be a good food wine, as well as cellaring well 2 – 6 years. GK 11/08
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $115 [ cork; CS 57, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; en primeur offer date 1 April 2009 "significantly" below the above price, release date 1 April 2010; Mystae alludes to the name given to students entering the schools of philosophy of the great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, and presumably implies the thought of understudy to Magna Praemia; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Craggy, but one of the deepest Waiheke reds. Bouquet is rich, ripe and aromatically deeply cassisy, very attractive. Fruit richness in mouth is good too, not as rich as the same-year Magna Praemia, darkest plums, more aromatic than the Craggy (reasonable, it is cabernet-dominated) and on examination, much more oaky, at about the maximum the fruit can sustain. As with the top years of Stonyridge Larose, this wine shows full physiological flavour maturity and ripeness of cabernet sauvignon is achievable on Waiheke Island. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Craggy, but one of the deepest Waiheke reds. Bouquet is rich, ripe and aromatically deeply cassisy, very attractive. Fruit richness in mouth is good too, not as rich as the same-year Magna Praemia, darkest plums, more aromatic than the Craggy (reasonable, it is cabernet-dominated) and on examination, much more oaky, at about the maximum the fruit can sustain. As with the top years of Stonyridge Larose, this wine shows full physiological flavour maturity and ripeness of cabernet sauvignon is achievable on Waiheke Island. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/08
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $33 [ screwcap; 10 months French oak; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Ruby, almost some carmine and velvet, big for pinot noir. Bouquet is full-throttle Otago pinot, showing gorgeous floral components blending violets, boronia and buddleia on black cherry fruit. It is so floral, one can overlook the spirit. Palate is aromatic cherries much more than dark plums, with the freshness of cherries counterpointed by fine oak to a maximum at this stage, and a fresh acid balance. This is refreshing wine chockfull of flavour, unequivocally pinot, rather more new world than the Schuster Omihi, but both equally good. It has the richness to need several years to marry up, and become velvety. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
Ruby, almost some carmine and velvet, big for pinot noir. Bouquet is full-throttle Otago pinot, showing gorgeous floral components blending violets, boronia and buddleia on black cherry fruit. It is so floral, one can overlook the spirit. Palate is aromatic cherries much more than dark plums, with the freshness of cherries counterpointed by fine oak to a maximum at this stage, and a fresh acid balance. This is refreshing wine chockfull of flavour, unequivocally pinot, rather more new world than the Schuster Omihi, but both equally good. It has the richness to need several years to marry up, and become velvety. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/06
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; usually around 4% Vi; some new oak even then; www.guigal.com ]
Mature ruby and garnet, almost pinot noir in weight. Bouquet is simply sensational, in that wonderful indefinable territory where immediately you can see why Lafite Hermitagé was prized in the 1800s. The wine manages at the same time to remind of both fine mature bordeaux and fine burgundy on bouquet, showing a beautiful harmonious quality which is simply the essence of fine old red. On palate, the browning cassis and lightest cedar still remind of bordeaux, a Pauillac with fine tannins, maybe, yet there is an elegant simplicity to its mouthfeel which is mature (but rather dry) burgundy. Sounds perfect for mature Cote Rotie, therefore. From a temperate-climate cellar in Wellington, this wine is at the apex of full maturity, epitomising perfectly ripe Northern Rhone syrah, and should hold for some years yet. From warmer districts, it may be fading. What a thrill bottles like this are. GK 04/13
Mature ruby and garnet, almost pinot noir in weight. Bouquet is simply sensational, in that wonderful indefinable territory where immediately you can see why Lafite Hermitagé was prized in the 1800s. The wine manages at the same time to remind of both fine mature bordeaux and fine burgundy on bouquet, showing a beautiful harmonious quality which is simply the essence of fine old red. On palate, the browning cassis and lightest cedar still remind of bordeaux, a Pauillac with fine tannins, maybe, yet there is an elegant simplicity to its mouthfeel which is mature (but rather dry) burgundy. Sounds perfect for mature Cote Rotie, therefore. From a temperate-climate cellar in Wellington, this wine is at the apex of full maturity, epitomising perfectly ripe Northern Rhone syrah, and should hold for some years yet. From warmer districts, it may be fading. What a thrill bottles like this are. GK 04/13
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: – %; $39 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 80%, Me 10, Ma 10, hand-picked; c.20 days cuvaison; c.12 months in barrel, 60% French oak, 40 American, 35% new; sterile-filtered; 300 cases, August 2009 release; ‘Strong blackberry aromas with cherry and cigar box full bodied with a long rich concentrated finish.’; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little different in this wine, and adds diversity to this set of Waiheke cabernet / merlots. It is not as cassisy as the other top wines, but adds an attractive aromatic note hinting a little at black pepper and the florals of syrah, all made fragrant by potentially cedary oak. Palate is softly cassis and dark plum, thoughts of violets and blackberry too, an earlier-developing and softer wine than the Mudbrick or the Isola. Part of the intrigue of this wine I suspect is a slightly greater maritime influence, a hint of sea-salt maybe. Cellar 3 – 10 years.
These top five Waiheke cabernet / merlot and related blends in this review (note Stonyridge Larose, Destiny Bay Magna Praemia and Te Whau were not in the Expo) illustrate and confirm one glorious thing. In the best years on Waiheke Island, it is possible to ripen even cabernet sauvignon-dominant blends to perfect Bordeaux-modelled physiological maturity. Additionally, their style closely matches the very best Havelock North / Ngatarawa Triangle wines from Hawkes Bay. Note that perfect physiological maturity in each of these places is achievable only once or twice a decade, exactly as in Bordeaux, confirming yet again that the most beautiful wines are made in marginal climates. Such wines optimise the beautiful floral components of cabernet and merlot particularly. This contrasts with the sometimes riper and heavier Bordeaux blends from the Gimblett Gravels. In the warmest years those wines may lose precise Bordeaux elegance and charm, and move towards the bigger and more impressive but not necessarily more beautiful winestyles of the Napa Valley. This is unlikely to be a problem for Waiheke sites. The challenge now is for other Waiheke cabernet and merlot growers to optimise their viticulture to achieve the soft fragrant ripeness these top wines show, with lower total acid and less stalkyness. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little different in this wine, and adds diversity to this set of Waiheke cabernet / merlots. It is not as cassisy as the other top wines, but adds an attractive aromatic note hinting a little at black pepper and the florals of syrah, all made fragrant by potentially cedary oak. Palate is softly cassis and dark plum, thoughts of violets and blackberry too, an earlier-developing and softer wine than the Mudbrick or the Isola. Part of the intrigue of this wine I suspect is a slightly greater maritime influence, a hint of sea-salt maybe. Cellar 3 – 10 years.
These top five Waiheke cabernet / merlot and related blends in this review (note Stonyridge Larose, Destiny Bay Magna Praemia and Te Whau were not in the Expo) illustrate and confirm one glorious thing. In the best years on Waiheke Island, it is possible to ripen even cabernet sauvignon-dominant blends to perfect Bordeaux-modelled physiological maturity. Additionally, their style closely matches the very best Havelock North / Ngatarawa Triangle wines from Hawkes Bay. Note that perfect physiological maturity in each of these places is achievable only once or twice a decade, exactly as in Bordeaux, confirming yet again that the most beautiful wines are made in marginal climates. Such wines optimise the beautiful floral components of cabernet and merlot particularly. This contrasts with the sometimes riper and heavier Bordeaux blends from the Gimblett Gravels. In the warmest years those wines may lose precise Bordeaux elegance and charm, and move towards the bigger and more impressive but not necessarily more beautiful winestyles of the Napa Valley. This is unlikely to be a problem for Waiheke sites. The challenge now is for other Waiheke cabernet and merlot growers to optimise their viticulture to achieve the soft fragrant ripeness these top wines show, with lower total acid and less stalkyness. GK 06/09
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ screwcap; not on website yet; www.clayridge.net.nz ]
Rich pinot ruby and velvet. This wine benefits from decanting and airing for several hours, to reveal a bouquet which is extraordinary for a Marlborough pinot noir. There is a depth and darkness of varietal florals and fruit to it more closely approaching the characters one associates with Central Otago. Florals are in the lilac, roses and boronia spectrum, a little 'lighter' than the best Otago. Likewise in the berryfruit, while there is some blackboy peach, there is clear red and black cherry. Oak is noticeable, fragrant, but not too dominating. Richness on palate and depth of flavour are remarkable, and the alcohol is much less than some of the Villa Maria multiple award wines. There might be a trace of brett adding savoury complexity. This wine is a great example of what may be achieved in years to come in Marlborough, on optimal un-irrigated sites. It is a great achievement by winemaker / growers Mike and Paula Just. It is amongst Marlborough's finest pinots yet, perhaps the best. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Rich pinot ruby and velvet. This wine benefits from decanting and airing for several hours, to reveal a bouquet which is extraordinary for a Marlborough pinot noir. There is a depth and darkness of varietal florals and fruit to it more closely approaching the characters one associates with Central Otago. Florals are in the lilac, roses and boronia spectrum, a little 'lighter' than the best Otago. Likewise in the berryfruit, while there is some blackboy peach, there is clear red and black cherry. Oak is noticeable, fragrant, but not too dominating. Richness on palate and depth of flavour are remarkable, and the alcohol is much less than some of the Villa Maria multiple award wines. There might be a trace of brett adding savoury complexity. This wine is a great example of what may be achieved in years to come in Marlborough, on optimal un-irrigated sites. It is a great achievement by winemaker / growers Mike and Paula Just. It is amongst Marlborough's finest pinots yet, perhaps the best. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $49 [ screwcap; clone 15 predominates in Hunting Hill but a mix, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel usually 20% new but varies; 2014 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay; RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon, fractionally the palest of the Kumeu River chardonnays. Bouquet is distinctive on the Hunting Hill wine this year, more clearly floral than the other chardonnays, hints of common honeysuckle and white flowers, on white stonefruits with an oatmeal and hessian undertone, like Maté's awaiting assimilation. Palate is slightly more 'mineral' and less rich than Maté's, with suggestions of citrus / grapefruit in the white stonefruits. You can see why Paul Brajkovich in speaking to the wine, mentioned that London tasters saw Puligny qualities in it. It really needs two more years to smooth out, develop some mealyness, and be as accessible as Maté's is, but the fruit richness is there. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Lemon, fractionally the palest of the Kumeu River chardonnays. Bouquet is distinctive on the Hunting Hill wine this year, more clearly floral than the other chardonnays, hints of common honeysuckle and white flowers, on white stonefruits with an oatmeal and hessian undertone, like Maté's awaiting assimilation. Palate is slightly more 'mineral' and less rich than Maté's, with suggestions of citrus / grapefruit in the white stonefruits. You can see why Paul Brajkovich in speaking to the wine, mentioned that London tasters saw Puligny qualities in it. It really needs two more years to smooth out, develop some mealyness, and be as accessible as Maté's is, but the fruit richness is there. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/16
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $28 [ screwcap; www.vassefelix.com.au ]
Lemongreen, the second palest of the chardonnays. The degree of similarity between this West Australian chardonnay, and the Martinborough one, is staggering, presumably reflecting the wonderful varietal quality of clone mendoza, called gin gin in West Australia. The autolysis quality on this Vasse Felix is if anything more magical than the Dry River, crust-of-baguette and hints of cashew. In mouth total acid is slightly lower than the Dry River, but fruit richness is nearly as good. There is just the faintest subliminal suggestion of reduction complexing the palate, so subtle you can't be sure. Fruit quality here is slightly more yellow stonefruits, matched by beautifully subtle oaking, barrel ferment at its best. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/16
Lemongreen, the second palest of the chardonnays. The degree of similarity between this West Australian chardonnay, and the Martinborough one, is staggering, presumably reflecting the wonderful varietal quality of clone mendoza, called gin gin in West Australia. The autolysis quality on this Vasse Felix is if anything more magical than the Dry River, crust-of-baguette and hints of cashew. In mouth total acid is slightly lower than the Dry River, but fruit richness is nearly as good. There is just the faintest subliminal suggestion of reduction complexing the palate, so subtle you can't be sure. Fruit quality here is slightly more yellow stonefruits, matched by beautifully subtle oaking, barrel ferment at its best. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/16
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $44 [ screwcap; CS nominally 100%, average vine age 35 years; 15 months in 84% French oak up to 30% new and 16% American oak a little new; RS < 1 g/L; the 54th year of production; www.wynns.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is clean and fragrant, nearly floral, with a clear suggestion of cassisy berry and potentially cedary oak. There might be a trace of mint, but the wine is not euc'y, glory be, suggesting a more reasonable set of temperatures at vintage. Palate shows an attractive weight of fruit balanced to good oak, again cassis and bottled black doris plums. This wine overlaps with the Gimblett Gravels in its ripening curve parameters, and the oaking is restrained. It looks to be one to go for, when it is released. Cellar 5 – 20 years. [ 12/11: VALUE @ $20 on special, Glengarry Wines ] GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is clean and fragrant, nearly floral, with a clear suggestion of cassisy berry and potentially cedary oak. There might be a trace of mint, but the wine is not euc'y, glory be, suggesting a more reasonable set of temperatures at vintage. Palate shows an attractive weight of fruit balanced to good oak, again cassis and bottled black doris plums. This wine overlaps with the Gimblett Gravels in its ripening curve parameters, and the oaking is restrained. It looks to be one to go for, when it is released. Cellar 5 – 20 years. [ 12/11: VALUE @ $20 on special, Glengarry Wines ] GK 08/11
Upper Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ screwcap; hand-picked from a vineyard on the Riflemans Terraces, notably cooler than the Gimblett Gravels; 100% clone mendoza on own roots, average vine age 22 years; whole-bunch pressed, settled only briefly; 100% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 20° followed by 100% MLF ferment; 11 months on lees in French oak 80% new balance 1-year, batonnage weekly in the first months extending to monthly later; selection and blending of final wine followed by 1 month in barrel; pH 3.50, RS <1 g/l; sterile-filtered; no longer entered in Shows; NB: weather did not allow the quality desired for Riflemans in 2011, and there will be no 2012 either – loss of two consecutive years of Riflemans is unprecedented, illustrating the extraordinary commitment to quality in this winery; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemonstraw, just a slight wash of straw is disappointing at such a young age. Bouquet initially opened is quite grapefruity, breathing out into classic young chardonnay still quite oaky at this early stage, more oaky and less subtle than the Neudorf or Elston. Palate is yellow-fleshed stonefruit, real mendoza flavours here, and a similar degree of mealy and cashew nut complexity to the Neudorf. It is let down fractionally alongside those wines by the more obvious new oak. The richness seems between Elston and Neudorf. Length of flavour is great, with attractive fruit sweetness. This should cellar well, 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Lemonstraw, just a slight wash of straw is disappointing at such a young age. Bouquet initially opened is quite grapefruity, breathing out into classic young chardonnay still quite oaky at this early stage, more oaky and less subtle than the Neudorf or Elston. Palate is yellow-fleshed stonefruit, real mendoza flavours here, and a similar degree of mealy and cashew nut complexity to the Neudorf. It is let down fractionally alongside those wines by the more obvious new oak. The richness seems between Elston and Neudorf. Length of flavour is great, with attractive fruit sweetness. This should cellar well, 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork 49mm; release price $100, this vintage not on winesearcher; Sy 96 %, Vi 4%, cropped c. 1 t/ac; hand-picked and sorted, high % whole berries; MLF in tank; 26 months in mostly 6-months old French oak; J Robinson, 2008: This famous wine in a naughtily heavy bottle also contains some Viognier and is obviously extremely concentrated if not exactly subtle. Yields were apparently 17 hl/ha and, I was told proudly, the 2002 vintage is on the list at Gordon Ramsay at £200 a bottle. Wonder how many people order it?: 16.5; Neal Martin @ R Parker, 2008: … the 2004 Homage Syrah has a more open-knit, fruit driven nose with touches of blueberry and violets. Good definition. The palate is medium-bodied, very well-balanced; although not quite as taut as the 2006 with white pepper, game and leather towards the supple, fleshy finish. This impressive wine should drink well over the next 10-12 years: 91; M Cooper, 2007: Arrestingly intense but not tough, it is boldly coloured, with a fragrant, smoky, spicy, complex bouquet. The palate shows lovely density, structure and flow, with layers of fresh blackcurrant, plum, liquorice and spice flavours, finely textured and lasting: *****; weight bottle and closure: 1040 g; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, the lightest wine. And the bouquet matches perfectly, the first nett impression being of an extraordinarily fragrant and burgundian (Cote de Nuits) red, soft, enticing. Flavours do little to dispel that interpretation, the fruit being soft, mellow but still faintly aromatic as in good burgundy, spreading, beautifully framed by cedary oak completely in the background. On the later palate, a passing thought of ripe stalks again reminiscent of good burgundy occurs. This is a very special New Zealand wine, extraordinarily European. How one wishes the European winewriters ever undertook rigorously blind cross-country tastings. Three people rated it their top wine. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 09/16
Ruby, the lightest wine. And the bouquet matches perfectly, the first nett impression being of an extraordinarily fragrant and burgundian (Cote de Nuits) red, soft, enticing. Flavours do little to dispel that interpretation, the fruit being soft, mellow but still faintly aromatic as in good burgundy, spreading, beautifully framed by cedary oak completely in the background. On the later palate, a passing thought of ripe stalks again reminiscent of good burgundy occurs. This is a very special New Zealand wine, extraordinarily European. How one wishes the European winewriters ever undertook rigorously blind cross-country tastings. Three people rated it their top wine. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 09/16
Mosel Valley, Germany: 11.5%; $38 [ cork; organic and biodynamic; a selection from younger vines (by German standards) on slate in the Rothenpfad vineyard; website is more about the overall approach, and illustrations, than factual info for each wine; www.clemens-busch.de ]
Lemon. Bouquet is more open than the Grauen from the same producer, clearly vinifera but not overtly varietal initially, lightly fragrant on citrus and fresh-cut hay. Palate is dry, but much more varietal in flavour than many of the wines, with less lees influence and artefact, the phenolics much more terpene-derived, the wine gentler, the flavour building nicely in mouth, nearly floral, now clearly riesling. This tastes much more a stainless steel wine, it is gentler than the Muschelkalk, and gives an exciting pointer to quality dry riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/17
Lemon. Bouquet is more open than the Grauen from the same producer, clearly vinifera but not overtly varietal initially, lightly fragrant on citrus and fresh-cut hay. Palate is dry, but much more varietal in flavour than many of the wines, with less lees influence and artefact, the phenolics much more terpene-derived, the wine gentler, the flavour building nicely in mouth, nearly floral, now clearly riesling. This tastes much more a stainless steel wine, it is gentler than the Muschelkalk, and gives an exciting pointer to quality dry riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $47 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; all de-stemmed to leave whole berries, short cold-soak, cultured-yeast fermentations, total days cuvaison up to c24 days; 15 months in 300-litre barrels (note), 80% French, 20% American, 41% new; not sterile-filtered; released; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Bright ruby, one of the the lighter colours. Not the lightest bouquet, however, a very fragrant and floral syrah bouquet with suggestions of dianthus, clear red roses, some oak vanillins, and then lots of berry. There seems to be a hint of red fruits as well as cassis and black plum, with a spicy black pepper suggestion. There are reminders of Bullnose on the bouquet, but there is more oak vanillin and less berry here, which would correlate with the American oak component. Palate is pure berry, elegant oak with a hint of char suggesting milk chocolate, again red fruits as well as black, an attractive beguiling flavour, more accessible / less authoritative than the top wines, earlier developing, a lovely accessible style. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/15
Bright ruby, one of the the lighter colours. Not the lightest bouquet, however, a very fragrant and floral syrah bouquet with suggestions of dianthus, clear red roses, some oak vanillins, and then lots of berry. There seems to be a hint of red fruits as well as cassis and black plum, with a spicy black pepper suggestion. There are reminders of Bullnose on the bouquet, but there is more oak vanillin and less berry here, which would correlate with the American oak component. Palate is pure berry, elegant oak with a hint of char suggesting milk chocolate, again red fruits as well as black, an attractive beguiling flavour, more accessible / less authoritative than the top wines, earlier developing, a lovely accessible style. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/15
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ cork, dry; www.glovers-vineyard.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, very youthful. Bouquet on this riesling is delightful, with already a strongly floral bouquet reminiscent of freesia, or even as perfumed as jasmine, on sweet vanillin and potentially nectary notes, plus a zing of aromatic hops. Palate is exceptional, with precise varietal definition made the more unusual (for New Zealand) by being bone dry, yet with great body and length of flavour. This is remarkable, individual, and distinctive wine, in a style Dave Glover has made his own. Unfortunately so little of this wine was made that it is available only at the winery, and only then with a good deal of pleading. Over the years, riesling is the wine Glover has become best known for. Not every year has the sweet Germanic florals of this one, and some years they are bottled with higher free sulphur, to deliberately create a 10-year plus cellar wine. Each vintage is worth assessing, to find the superlative ones in time to buy. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Lemongreen, very youthful. Bouquet on this riesling is delightful, with already a strongly floral bouquet reminiscent of freesia, or even as perfumed as jasmine, on sweet vanillin and potentially nectary notes, plus a zing of aromatic hops. Palate is exceptional, with precise varietal definition made the more unusual (for New Zealand) by being bone dry, yet with great body and length of flavour. This is remarkable, individual, and distinctive wine, in a style Dave Glover has made his own. Unfortunately so little of this wine was made that it is available only at the winery, and only then with a good deal of pleading. Over the years, riesling is the wine Glover has become best known for. Not every year has the sweet Germanic florals of this one, and some years they are bottled with higher free sulphur, to deliberately create a 10-year plus cellar wine. Each vintage is worth assessing, to find the superlative ones in time to buy. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $68 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 54%, Me 54, hand-harvested @ 0.8 – 1.3 t/ac; cultured yeast and cuvaison to 22 days for Me, 35 days for CS; 15 months in 50% new French oak; fined and filtered; RS < 2 g/L; www.goldwaterwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. This will be a contentious wine. Bouquet on Goldie is deep and dark and intensely floral, but in a midnight-deep way virtually off the colour scale, with superb depth of dark berry below. But intertwined with those aromas are the tell-tale fragrant aromas of complex brett too, in exactly the same way a number of highly-rated classed growths show. Palate is very rich, ripe and ample, but with savoury complexity components that raise the (delicious) thought of bacon and smoked fish, as well as intense dark cassis, darkest plum and berry, pipe tobacco and cedar. Many technocrat-tasters will dismiss this wine out of hand, yet it is a stunning Bordeaux style, which will match some famous names, Leoville-Barton for example. So buy this wine for pleasure, enjoyment, and world-class achievement in a traditional style, but be careful to whom you offer it. Some people like to dissect and destroy academically-faulty wines like this. They are so preoccupied with technical detail, they miss out completely on the total stylistic achievement of the wine. My mark therefore is permissive, on richness and total hedonistic style. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer (though if there is a gram or so of sugar, the brett will increase). GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. This will be a contentious wine. Bouquet on Goldie is deep and dark and intensely floral, but in a midnight-deep way virtually off the colour scale, with superb depth of dark berry below. But intertwined with those aromas are the tell-tale fragrant aromas of complex brett too, in exactly the same way a number of highly-rated classed growths show. Palate is very rich, ripe and ample, but with savoury complexity components that raise the (delicious) thought of bacon and smoked fish, as well as intense dark cassis, darkest plum and berry, pipe tobacco and cedar. Many technocrat-tasters will dismiss this wine out of hand, yet it is a stunning Bordeaux style, which will match some famous names, Leoville-Barton for example. So buy this wine for pleasure, enjoyment, and world-class achievement in a traditional style, but be careful to whom you offer it. Some people like to dissect and destroy academically-faulty wines like this. They are so preoccupied with technical detail, they miss out completely on the total stylistic achievement of the wine. My mark therefore is permissive, on richness and total hedonistic style. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer (though if there is a gram or so of sugar, the brett will increase). GK 09/07
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $245 [ Sy 93%, Vi 7; a blend of 6 vineyards; 30 months in small and large French oak; no info on website; www.guigal.com ]
Good ruby, a little carmine and velvet, lighter than the top three Cote-Roties. In some ways this is the most representative of the Cote-Rotie bouquets, showing some of the florals required to lift syrah from the robust to the beautiful, plus attractive red berries including faint cassis, and more cherries and plums. New oak is detectable, but subdued relative to the top wines. Palate is beautifully fresh, classic syrah, not as rich as the ‘grands crus’, a little acid, but potentially elegant and lovely. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Good ruby, a little carmine and velvet, lighter than the top three Cote-Roties. In some ways this is the most representative of the Cote-Rotie bouquets, showing some of the florals required to lift syrah from the robust to the beautiful, plus attractive red berries including faint cassis, and more cherries and plums. New oak is detectable, but subdued relative to the top wines. Palate is beautifully fresh, classic syrah, not as rich as the ‘grands crus’, a little acid, but potentially elegant and lovely. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $38 [ screwcap; Sy 100% mass selection clone hand-harvested and sorted, all de-stemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, up to 30 days cuvaison in s/s, careful aeration; 17 months in barrel, French 87% the balance Hungarian, 34% new, the first six months on light lees, then 11 months in barrel; RS 2.2 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest but not as intense as the Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Syrah. This bouquet too is beautifully varietal, dusky port-wine magnolia and darkest rose florals on cassis and bottled black doris plums, though there is a trace of pennyroyal. Being a year younger, the wine does not show quite the degree of berry / oak integration the Tom so magically shows, but it is very good – and adds weight to the case for 2014 being exciting (for syrah at least) in Hawkes Bay too. Palate is sweet, ripe and full, winemaker Chris Scott not wanting much black pepper in his syrahs, so he ripens them well. But unlike some earlier years, not so much as to lose the spicy magical lift that subliminal black pepper conveys. Additionally, the oak is less than some earlier years of the Reserve wine, adding to the quality of this edition. This is beautiful wine too, but not quite as rich as the phenomenal 2013 McDonald Series Syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest but not as intense as the Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Syrah. This bouquet too is beautifully varietal, dusky port-wine magnolia and darkest rose florals on cassis and bottled black doris plums, though there is a trace of pennyroyal. Being a year younger, the wine does not show quite the degree of berry / oak integration the Tom so magically shows, but it is very good – and adds weight to the case for 2014 being exciting (for syrah at least) in Hawkes Bay too. Palate is sweet, ripe and full, winemaker Chris Scott not wanting much black pepper in his syrahs, so he ripens them well. But unlike some earlier years, not so much as to lose the spicy magical lift that subliminal black pepper conveys. Additionally, the oak is less than some earlier years of the Reserve wine, adding to the quality of this edition. This is beautiful wine too, but not quite as rich as the phenomenal 2013 McDonald Series Syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Lowburn & Pisa districts, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-picked from 7 – 13 year old vines; 11 months in French oak 25% new ; www.aurumwines.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft and gentle, always appealing in pinot noir, with intense roses aromas grading into both red cherry and peaches – a little unusual for pinot noir, until one thinks of Chambolle-district wines from a producer like Drouhin. Palate is intriguing, all the softly floral and blackboy peach / nectarines notes, but then some cherry firmness too. Needs another year to harmonise, but this is subtle understated wine to cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft and gentle, always appealing in pinot noir, with intense roses aromas grading into both red cherry and peaches – a little unusual for pinot noir, until one thinks of Chambolle-district wines from a producer like Drouhin. Palate is intriguing, all the softly floral and blackboy peach / nectarines notes, but then some cherry firmness too. Needs another year to harmonise, but this is subtle understated wine to cellar 3 – 10 years. VALUE GK 09/10
Awatere Valley 80%, Wairau Valley 20, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap; machine harvested, long cold-settled (72 hours) to clear juice; cool-fermented in s/s; pH 3.23, RS 3.4 g/L; www.yealandsestate.co.nz ]
Excellent lemon. Bouquet is wonderfully forthcoming, and immensely varietal, illustrating beautifully ripe sauvignon blanc in an essentially straight uncomplicated form. Key characters on bouquet include black passionfruit, a trace of fresh sweat, red capsicums, and best of all a hint of sweet basil, all stunningly clean. Palate wraps all these flavours up in a refreshingly crisp stainless steel presentation of the grape, not exactly a rich wine, but the quality of bouquet and flavour makes up for that, and the flavours linger nicely even so. It is not as rich as the Saint Clair Reserve, but it is cleaner, so they score the same. Rather good with celery. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Excellent lemon. Bouquet is wonderfully forthcoming, and immensely varietal, illustrating beautifully ripe sauvignon blanc in an essentially straight uncomplicated form. Key characters on bouquet include black passionfruit, a trace of fresh sweat, red capsicums, and best of all a hint of sweet basil, all stunningly clean. Palate wraps all these flavours up in a refreshingly crisp stainless steel presentation of the grape, not exactly a rich wine, but the quality of bouquet and flavour makes up for that, and the flavours linger nicely even so. It is not as rich as the Saint Clair Reserve, but it is cleaner, so they score the same. Rather good with celery. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $85 [ screwcap; c.15% whole-bunch, 18 months in French oak 50% new; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Colour is model pinot noir ruby, still quite deep by French standards, but good. On bouquet this wine reminds a little of one of the Rousseau Grand Cru Chambertins, where from the outset, you can smell the new oak in the young wine, yet there is the fruit to sustain it. With air both red and black cherry fruit, as well as aromatic rose and boronia florality also become apparent. The flavours are intriguing, illustrating the goal of capturing New Zealand's vibrant fruit, yet building-in a tannins-based backbone into the wine, to facilitate bottle ageing. The cherry-rich fruit lingers well.
This is one of the New Zealand pinots striving for the higher ground, the big statement. Thankfully and wisely, Carrick have not made grandiose price claims in the way Martinborough Vineyard have with their $179 Marie Zelie Reserve wine, yet Excelsior though the lighter wine achieves more. Bouquet is to first impression oaky like the Marie Zelie, but both the quality of varietal florals and the depth of cherry fruit are more apparent in the Otago wine. Looking at this wine together with the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard standard wine and the 2006 Reserve Marie Zelie, Excelsior therefore shows a more intriguing balancing of resources, in style sitting between the two northern wines. With many producers striving to increase the cellaring potential of New Zealand pinot, this is an exciting wine, offering a glimpse of the future. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Colour is model pinot noir ruby, still quite deep by French standards, but good. On bouquet this wine reminds a little of one of the Rousseau Grand Cru Chambertins, where from the outset, you can smell the new oak in the young wine, yet there is the fruit to sustain it. With air both red and black cherry fruit, as well as aromatic rose and boronia florality also become apparent. The flavours are intriguing, illustrating the goal of capturing New Zealand's vibrant fruit, yet building-in a tannins-based backbone into the wine, to facilitate bottle ageing. The cherry-rich fruit lingers well.
This is one of the New Zealand pinots striving for the higher ground, the big statement. Thankfully and wisely, Carrick have not made grandiose price claims in the way Martinborough Vineyard have with their $179 Marie Zelie Reserve wine, yet Excelsior though the lighter wine achieves more. Bouquet is to first impression oaky like the Marie Zelie, but both the quality of varietal florals and the depth of cherry fruit are more apparent in the Otago wine. Looking at this wine together with the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard standard wine and the 2006 Reserve Marie Zelie, Excelsior therefore shows a more intriguing balancing of resources, in style sitting between the two northern wines. With many producers striving to increase the cellaring potential of New Zealand pinot, this is an exciting wine, offering a glimpse of the future. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ screwcap; 10% whole bunch; 12 months in French oak 33% new; www.martinborough-vineyard.co.nz ]
Colour is pure pinot noir, the limpidity of red fruits, some depth but no black, pinot perfection. Bouquet is the expression of the colour, highly floral from a ripeness point just above the level of buddleia, grading through to dusky roses, violets and boronia, all wonderfully fresh yet fully ripe, explicit varietal pinot noir. Palate likewise says nearly all one needs to know about pinot noir the fruit when optimally ripe, the florality continuing into the red and black cherry fruit, a sensual softness and richness of palate, firmed by but in no way dominated by oak, magic. I am tempted to say this is the most important pinot noir Martinborough Vineyard has ever made, having followed their wines since 1984, simply because of the pinpoint varietal accuracy and ripeness of the fruit, no leafyness or Martinborough mint on the one hand, no overt plummyness or oak on the other. It achieves one kind of perfection, which the seriously worked-on Marie Zelie Reserve wine does not. Critics might argue that the standard wine needs a little more tannin (from older oak, rather than new, preferably) to cellar well, but to have this precision of varietal expression is a great achievement. In fact the oak will be a little more noticeable as the wine ages – to have the fruit dominant now as in Burgundy is great. Every pinot noir maker in New Zealand should buy a case of this wine, as a reference point on the one hand, or a challenge to surpass on the other. This readily available and relatively affordable wine makes phooey of the glib notion that New Zealand cannot make truly burgundian pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Colour is pure pinot noir, the limpidity of red fruits, some depth but no black, pinot perfection. Bouquet is the expression of the colour, highly floral from a ripeness point just above the level of buddleia, grading through to dusky roses, violets and boronia, all wonderfully fresh yet fully ripe, explicit varietal pinot noir. Palate likewise says nearly all one needs to know about pinot noir the fruit when optimally ripe, the florality continuing into the red and black cherry fruit, a sensual softness and richness of palate, firmed by but in no way dominated by oak, magic. I am tempted to say this is the most important pinot noir Martinborough Vineyard has ever made, having followed their wines since 1984, simply because of the pinpoint varietal accuracy and ripeness of the fruit, no leafyness or Martinborough mint on the one hand, no overt plummyness or oak on the other. It achieves one kind of perfection, which the seriously worked-on Marie Zelie Reserve wine does not. Critics might argue that the standard wine needs a little more tannin (from older oak, rather than new, preferably) to cellar well, but to have this precision of varietal expression is a great achievement. In fact the oak will be a little more noticeable as the wine ages – to have the fruit dominant now as in Burgundy is great. Every pinot noir maker in New Zealand should buy a case of this wine, as a reference point on the one hand, or a challenge to surpass on the other. This readily available and relatively affordable wine makes phooey of the glib notion that New Zealand cannot make truly burgundian pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $99 [ cork 49mm; release price $105; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 5.4 t/ha (2.2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; no cold-soak, inoculated, c.11 days ferment, total cuvaison 20 days; MLF and 17 months in French oak 38% new, no American oak; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; understood to be at least 400 cases (of 12); Lisa Perrotti-Brown @ R Parker, 2012: Produced from 100% Syrah, the 2010 Le Sol is deep garnet-purple in color with aromas of warm black berries, black cherries and black pepper plus hints of lavender, Provence herbs, cloves, and star anise. Medium bodied with just enough fruit in the mouth, it has a medium to firm level of rounded tannins, crisp acidity and a long peppery finish. Approachable now, it should keep to 2019+: 90+; M Cooper, 2013: This super-charged Syrah has pushed the boundaries in terms of its enormous scale – and succeeded brilliantly … the 2010 is lovely – dark and rich, with dense plum, spice and pepper flavours, ripe tannins and great harmony: *****; weight bottle and closure: 960 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a huge wine, but the second deepest. Bouquet shares much with the 2009 Le Sol, but is cooler, fresher, more aromatic, more cassis, more black pepper, again a near-perfect expression of temperate-climate syrah at pinpoint peak maturity, for syrah. Palate shows even more cassis than the 2009, but it is not quite so rich and plump, instead real thoroughbred lines, with an attractive long sustained aromatic cassisy flavour lifted by noticeable black pepper. This is textbook new-world syrah. One vote for first place. Cellar 5 – 15 years. [ Date tasted should be 9/16 ... technical hitch. ] GK 10/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a huge wine, but the second deepest. Bouquet shares much with the 2009 Le Sol, but is cooler, fresher, more aromatic, more cassis, more black pepper, again a near-perfect expression of temperate-climate syrah at pinpoint peak maturity, for syrah. Palate shows even more cassis than the 2009, but it is not quite so rich and plump, instead real thoroughbred lines, with an attractive long sustained aromatic cassisy flavour lifted by noticeable black pepper. This is textbook new-world syrah. One vote for first place. Cellar 5 – 15 years. [ Date tasted should be 9/16 ... technical hitch. ] GK 10/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $57 [ screwcap; average vine age 11.5 years; a mixed season, good crops from successful flowering, but summer characterised by cool southerly weather and more moisture than ideal; later season markedly better than most of New Zealand, good ripeness, reduced crop; www.feltonroad.co ]
Vibrant deep pinot noir ruby, the second to deepest. This is a deep and dusky wine, yet to develop full florality. The style is close to the beautiful 2010, a warm dark red rose and aromatic boronia floral lift, cherries more black than red, total Cote de Nuits. Flavours in mouth again bespeak its youth, with the cherry fruit and oak still to knit, close to the Kusuda in that component. This is the pick of the last three years, to cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/14
Vibrant deep pinot noir ruby, the second to deepest. This is a deep and dusky wine, yet to develop full florality. The style is close to the beautiful 2010, a warm dark red rose and aromatic boronia floral lift, cherries more black than red, total Cote de Nuits. Flavours in mouth again bespeak its youth, with the cherry fruit and oak still to knit, close to the Kusuda in that component. This is the pick of the last three years, to cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/14
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is just a little more fumey and aromatic than Asili, fragrant red fruits, and the oak showing slightly more than some. Flavour includes nearly a hint of cassis in the dark cherry, with lovely aromatics a little more zingy than the Asili, all with slightly more tannin too. This is lovely wine. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Ruby, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is just a little more fumey and aromatic than Asili, fragrant red fruits, and the oak showing slightly more than some. Flavour includes nearly a hint of cassis in the dark cherry, with lovely aromatics a little more zingy than the Asili, all with slightly more tannin too. This is lovely wine. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ cork 48mm; DFB; CS 49%, Ma 27, Me 24, hand-picked from c.22-year old vines planted at 1,832 vines / ha and cropped @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; cuvaison 16 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank and barrel; 16 – 17 months in barrel 98% French, 2 US, c.45% new; RS <2 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not available; production 1,000 x 9-L cases; release date Nov. 2015; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Adam Hazeldine and John Lang; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, not revealing too much yet, at this stage smelling simply rich and dry. Flavour shows a wonderful concentration of dark grape tannins, certainly rich and yes, very dry, berryfruit and skins more than oak, long and fine-grained on the finish. What a remarkable grape malbec can be when it is properly ripe, as it so rarely is in New Zealand. There is no coarseness or malbec-induced stalkyness in this Patriarch at all, the wine is simply reserved at this stage. It must be the ripest and richest Patriarch ever. Don't look at it for five years. The very different cepage in this wine makes it an essential component of any representative 2013 Hawkes Bay red collection. Tasting back and forth through these wines, though, you cannot help feeling that malbec coarsens The Patriarch to a degree, the flavours being obvious rather than magical. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, not revealing too much yet, at this stage smelling simply rich and dry. Flavour shows a wonderful concentration of dark grape tannins, certainly rich and yes, very dry, berryfruit and skins more than oak, long and fine-grained on the finish. What a remarkable grape malbec can be when it is properly ripe, as it so rarely is in New Zealand. There is no coarseness or malbec-induced stalkyness in this Patriarch at all, the wine is simply reserved at this stage. It must be the ripest and richest Patriarch ever. Don't look at it for five years. The very different cepage in this wine makes it an essential component of any representative 2013 Hawkes Bay red collection. Tasting back and forth through these wines, though, you cannot help feeling that malbec coarsens The Patriarch to a degree, the flavours being obvious rather than magical. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $36 [ cork; Ch 100%; 7 years en tirage; RS 8 g/L; the website is one page lacking any detail as to the wines, strange; www.lebrun.co.nz ]
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Bubbly as a class has sometimes not been well judged in New Zealand. It is for example easy to confuse reduced sulphur characters with poor yeast autolysis. At the other end of the oxidation / reduction equation, alleged aldehydes can be confused with appropriate baguette-crust aromatics. Sometimes the notion of total wine style achieved can be lost sight of due to over-concern with technical purity – as can happen with brett in red wines too. So it is good to say that in the 2008 Air New Zealand judging, the judges were right on the button. The 2000 Le Brun Blanc de Blancs is one of the top three bubblies ever made in New Zealand. I tasted it alongside Piper-Heidseck, and though the latter is obviously pinot noir-influenced, the total style achieved in the Le Brun is superior. Total colour and appearance for a 2000 vintage wine is superb, the precise quality of the baguette-crust yeast autolysis is exemplary, while the brut finish is a delight. And the wine has had an appropriate time to marry up in bottle since disgorgement, as shown by the mushroom shape of the cork. Do try and taste this wine: if you like Lindauer Blanc de Blancs Reserve, this Le Brun at twice the price is four times as complex and good. It will cellar 5 – 8 years at least. [ A few days later I was able to compare a remnant with one of the other top three implied above, 1996 Pask Brut, and both of them are totally of good grande marque standard – New Zealand wines to be really proud of. ] GK 12/08
[ This review in non-standard format, excerpted from narrative article dated: 24 Dec 2008 ]
Bubbly as a class has sometimes not been well judged in New Zealand. It is for example easy to confuse reduced sulphur characters with poor yeast autolysis. At the other end of the oxidation / reduction equation, alleged aldehydes can be confused with appropriate baguette-crust aromatics. Sometimes the notion of total wine style achieved can be lost sight of due to over-concern with technical purity – as can happen with brett in red wines too. So it is good to say that in the 2008 Air New Zealand judging, the judges were right on the button. The 2000 Le Brun Blanc de Blancs is one of the top three bubblies ever made in New Zealand. I tasted it alongside Piper-Heidseck, and though the latter is obviously pinot noir-influenced, the total style achieved in the Le Brun is superior. Total colour and appearance for a 2000 vintage wine is superb, the precise quality of the baguette-crust yeast autolysis is exemplary, while the brut finish is a delight. And the wine has had an appropriate time to marry up in bottle since disgorgement, as shown by the mushroom shape of the cork. Do try and taste this wine: if you like Lindauer Blanc de Blancs Reserve, this Le Brun at twice the price is four times as complex and good. It will cellar 5 – 8 years at least. [ A few days later I was able to compare a remnant with one of the other top three implied above, 1996 Pask Brut, and both of them are totally of good grande marque standard – New Zealand wines to be really proud of. ] GK 12/08
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $347 [ cork 54mm; cepage then approx. CS 55%, Me 40, CF 5, planted at 10,000 vines / ha; c.21 months in barrel, 45% new; Broadbent, 2002: A lovely wine and a very good 1978. Seductively rich, ripe, mulberry-like fruit: full, soft and fleshy in its early days. Most recently, sweet, attractive, quite good length and residual tannin and acidity: ****; Coates, 2000: Lovely fragrant nose. Rather more flexible than Ch Margaux 1978. Classy. Laid-back. Not as rich as the Palmer 1975 though. Medium-full body. Crisp and alive. Good grip. Very stylish, ripe fruit. But it is not as complete as the 1975. But it is long, vigorous and very classy. Fine plus. 18; R. Parker, 1993: One of the few stars of this vintage, the 1978 Palmer offers a dark garnet color with some amber at the edge. Its bouquet of dried roasted herbs, spices, and blackcurrants offers considerable fragrance. Full-bodied, lush, and concentrated, with only a vague hint of the weediness that has become such an annoying component of this vintage, this soft, fleshy, corpulent style of Palmer is delicious now and promises to keep for another 10-12 years: 90; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Soft garnet and ruby, the second to lightest colour. This wine is simply extraordinary. It seems for the last 50 years I have been reading about venerable wine men (always men) confusing burgundy with claret: the notion seemed scarcely conceivable to me. But now I believe it. This 1978 Palmer has a floral / roses perfume like a slightly cedary Clos de Tart, followed by a supple silky palate which is simply grand cru Cote de Nuits. This is now a beautiful supple wine, soft, fully mature, delicious. No great hurry, though. Three people rated it their top wine, none second. A wonderful experience. GK 08/16
Soft garnet and ruby, the second to lightest colour. This wine is simply extraordinary. It seems for the last 50 years I have been reading about venerable wine men (always men) confusing burgundy with claret: the notion seemed scarcely conceivable to me. But now I believe it. This 1978 Palmer has a floral / roses perfume like a slightly cedary Clos de Tart, followed by a supple silky palate which is simply grand cru Cote de Nuits. This is now a beautiful supple wine, soft, fully mature, delicious. No great hurry, though. Three people rated it their top wine, none second. A wonderful experience. GK 08/16
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.8%; $45 [ screwcap; Mo 100%, hand-harvested; 3 weeks cuvaison; 12 months in French oak 30% new; no fining, minimal filtering; www.jurassicridge.com ]
Good ruby and velvet, some carmine. Bouquet is simply beautiful montepulciano, fragrant, darkly floral, intensely berried, slightly spicy, but unlike so many of the wines from this grape's homeland, this one is perfectly clean. Palate is soft rich and velvety, the oak in good new world proportion, the flavours long and dry. This is benchmark montepulciano, a grape which is doing exceptionally well on Waiheke Island. Sadly for Waiheke producers, increasingly good and technically-modern examples are also coming forward from its Abruzzo homeland, and they are so much more affordable. Cellar 5 – 12 maybe 15 years. GK 10/12
Good ruby and velvet, some carmine. Bouquet is simply beautiful montepulciano, fragrant, darkly floral, intensely berried, slightly spicy, but unlike so many of the wines from this grape's homeland, this one is perfectly clean. Palate is soft rich and velvety, the oak in good new world proportion, the flavours long and dry. This is benchmark montepulciano, a grape which is doing exceptionally well on Waiheke Island. Sadly for Waiheke producers, increasingly good and technically-modern examples are also coming forward from its Abruzzo homeland, and they are so much more affordable. Cellar 5 – 12 maybe 15 years. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ cork; available cellar door only, not on website; 8 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 16-day cuvaison; 15 months in French oak NONE new, 50% 1-year, 50% 2-year; www.teawa.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not as deep as some, closer to the Bullnose. This is another distinctive wine, with an as yet unfocused floral component, on a berry character that reminds of mulberry, as well as cassis and plum. Palate is rich, a little more acid than some, but with intense fruit, and adding blueberry to the mix. Oaking is a little too noticeable at this early stage, but what a joy to have a syrah of this quality raised only in older oak. Even 50% 1-year is obtrusive ! This wine has the physical structure to cellar happily. It will be fun to see just where it fits in to the syrah spectrum, in five and ten years. Recommended. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby and velvet, not as deep as some, closer to the Bullnose. This is another distinctive wine, with an as yet unfocused floral component, on a berry character that reminds of mulberry, as well as cassis and plum. Palate is rich, a little more acid than some, but with intense fruit, and adding blueberry to the mix. Oaking is a little too noticeable at this early stage, but what a joy to have a syrah of this quality raised only in older oak. Even 50% 1-year is obtrusive ! This wine has the physical structure to cellar happily. It will be fun to see just where it fits in to the syrah spectrum, in five and ten years. Recommended. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $64 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 100, hand-harvested @ 2.8 - 4.3 t/ha ( 1.1 - 1.7 t/ac; French oak 33% new; coarse-filtered only; RS nil; 200 cases; not on website yet; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest reds. Bouquet is sensational, not quite as floral as the 2013 Te Mata Coleraine, but even more dramatically cassis-led and aromatic cabernet-dominant Medoc-styled red, though with the faintest hint of pennyroyal. It shows stunning purity and ripeness, and again, compared with earlier Forrest Collection wines, more restraint in oak handling. Berry dominates totally. Palate adds blackberries-in-the-sun flavours, and now a little more new oak than ideal, giving a wine of fractionally greater richness and ripeness than 2013 Coleraine, but not quite the magic interplay of complex aromas and flavours that Coleraine displays. Both wines are great illustrations of how clearly we can emulate fine Bordeaux, in Hawkes Bay. This wine is just a baby. It will cellar even longer than 2013 Coleraine, 15 – 30 years. GK 03/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest reds. Bouquet is sensational, not quite as floral as the 2013 Te Mata Coleraine, but even more dramatically cassis-led and aromatic cabernet-dominant Medoc-styled red, though with the faintest hint of pennyroyal. It shows stunning purity and ripeness, and again, compared with earlier Forrest Collection wines, more restraint in oak handling. Berry dominates totally. Palate adds blackberries-in-the-sun flavours, and now a little more new oak than ideal, giving a wine of fractionally greater richness and ripeness than 2013 Coleraine, but not quite the magic interplay of complex aromas and flavours that Coleraine displays. Both wines are great illustrations of how clearly we can emulate fine Bordeaux, in Hawkes Bay. This wine is just a baby. It will cellar even longer than 2013 Coleraine, 15 – 30 years. GK 03/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 75%, Me 25, 100% hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at 3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ 5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; cuvaison up to 28 days for Me, up to 42 days for CS, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank and barrel; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; RS 0.44 g/L; not sterile-filtered; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of the Villa Maria reds. Bouquet on this wine is nearly as beautiful as the Braided Gravels Merlot, being deeply and darkly floral, darkest roses and maybe violets, on cassis-led darkly plummy fruit. Below is fragrant oak, potentially cedary. Palate is not quite so exciting right now, maybe simply reflecting its extreme youth, there being great aromatic berry, but also a firm tannic streak, perfectly reasonable in a classic but very young bordeaux blend. This definitely needs to cellar at least five years, preferably 10, to harmonise. At the moment, 2013 Trinity Hill The Gimblett is a more advanced, mellow and bordeaux-like wine, its colour suggesting a rather different elevation. Its not quite as rich though, I suspect, this Villa achieving the magic 30 g/L dry extract. Cellar the Villa Reserve 10 – 25 years, at least: it will be an investment well worth making, as the score suggests. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest of the Villa Maria reds. Bouquet on this wine is nearly as beautiful as the Braided Gravels Merlot, being deeply and darkly floral, darkest roses and maybe violets, on cassis-led darkly plummy fruit. Below is fragrant oak, potentially cedary. Palate is not quite so exciting right now, maybe simply reflecting its extreme youth, there being great aromatic berry, but also a firm tannic streak, perfectly reasonable in a classic but very young bordeaux blend. This definitely needs to cellar at least five years, preferably 10, to harmonise. At the moment, 2013 Trinity Hill The Gimblett is a more advanced, mellow and bordeaux-like wine, its colour suggesting a rather different elevation. Its not quite as rich though, I suspect, this Villa achieving the magic 30 g/L dry extract. Cellar the Villa Reserve 10 – 25 years, at least: it will be an investment well worth making, as the score suggests. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels 50%, Te Awanga 30%, Triangle 20%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $49 [ Screwcap; Sy 99, Vi 1, all hand-picked, co-fermented in both cuves and s/s, 20% whole-bunch component; 19 months in all-French oak, 40% new, followed by 6 months assembly in s/s on lees; no fining, minimal filtration; Cooper, 2017: The stylish, finely poised 2014 ... is dark and purple-flushed, densely packed, with ripe youthful plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice, good tannin backbone, excellent complexity, and a long future ahead. Best drinking 2019 +, *****; MaryAnn Worobiec of Wine Spectator rates both the standard 2014 Syrah and the 2013 Reserve at 92 points: the following review is for the 2013 Reserve, since the oak handling may be similar: 2015: Exotic and spicy, with sandalwood, neroli oil, pine needle and star anise aromatics and a lush, velvety core of blackberry, plum and black cherry compote. Whiffs of smoke and savory details push through on the long, detailed finish. Drink now through 2030, 92; the second-tier wine, below Airavata; bottle weight 689 g; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet improves with air to be stunningly different from the other wines, fragrant yet with a dark component we all struggled to find words for. There is this overlay on the cassisy berry which suggests black olives, portobello mushrooms, and even aspects of mocha, yet it is different from the Lloyd in a quite different way, that wine being simply concentrated dark plum. Palate is juicy, rich, beautiful texture from the lower alcohol, a wine which will mature effortlessly into something much more European than Australian in style. The ‘different’ character on bouquet is due to the whole-bunch component, and it is worth noting that it would look ‘different’ in a New Zealand line-up too, unless Trinity Hill Homage or Rod Easthope’s Moteo Syrah were included. Three rated this their top wine, two second, four their least reflecting how different it was, nobody thought it Penfolds but five thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet improves with air to be stunningly different from the other wines, fragrant yet with a dark component we all struggled to find words for. There is this overlay on the cassisy berry which suggests black olives, portobello mushrooms, and even aspects of mocha, yet it is different from the Lloyd in a quite different way, that wine being simply concentrated dark plum. Palate is juicy, rich, beautiful texture from the lower alcohol, a wine which will mature effortlessly into something much more European than Australian in style. The ‘different’ character on bouquet is due to the whole-bunch component, and it is worth noting that it would look ‘different’ in a New Zealand line-up too, unless Trinity Hill Homage or Rod Easthope’s Moteo Syrah were included. Three rated this their top wine, two second, four their least reflecting how different it was, nobody thought it Penfolds but five thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Sonoma Valley, California, USA: – %; $ – [ cork; reasonable-quality year in Sonoma; well-regarded winery particularly for chardonnay; higher-level label; www.sonomacutrer.com ]
Lemon with a wash of straw, much the lightest, freshest and youngest of the whites. Bouquet is clean and pure, a lot of lees and barrel-ferment characters, pure pale peachy fruit, subtle oak as if a significant percentage of it old (even then), highly varietal. Palate is gorgeous, illustrating vividly how much more evolved the 1990s Californian wine industry was than ours. There is a perfect ratio of golden peachy fruit to barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, all fully mature, not a big wine and drying just a little, but still fresh and vital (to a wine enthusiast, not a winemaker). Tasters recalled the enthusiasm the late Grant Jones had for Californian wines like these, and the zeal with which he followed the NZ / US exchange rate, with a view to stocking his (then inimitable) Regional Wines & Spirits. GK 12/17
Lemon with a wash of straw, much the lightest, freshest and youngest of the whites. Bouquet is clean and pure, a lot of lees and barrel-ferment characters, pure pale peachy fruit, subtle oak as if a significant percentage of it old (even then), highly varietal. Palate is gorgeous, illustrating vividly how much more evolved the 1990s Californian wine industry was than ours. There is a perfect ratio of golden peachy fruit to barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, all fully mature, not a big wine and drying just a little, but still fresh and vital (to a wine enthusiast, not a winemaker). Tasters recalled the enthusiasm the late Grant Jones had for Californian wines like these, and the zeal with which he followed the NZ / US exchange rate, with a view to stocking his (then inimitable) Regional Wines & Spirits. GK 12/17
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $140 [ cork; DFB; CS 44%, Ma 21, Me 15, PV 15, CF 5, cropped at c. 1 t/ac in 2005; up to 25-day cuvaison; MLF in barrel; oak 90% French, 10 US, 70% either new, or shaved and re-toasted; not filtered; 500 cases; organic; www.stonyridge.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines. This wine stood a little way apart from the rest, because of its faint mint suggestion on the deep dark berry. Below that is terrific cassis which the subtle mint accentuates, on fruit which smells ripe and Bordeaux-like. Palate is saturated berry, cassis and velvety plums, some dark tobacco, a little oakier than some, and acid fractionally higher than the Gimblett Gravels wines. The amazing thing about this wine is the 15% of petit verdot, yet the wine smells and tastes ripe. No Pichon-Lalande leafiness – another vineyard with a risky amount of petit verdot. No wonder Stonyridge say 2005 is the best vintage ever for the island. Those who like mint in their wines would rate this lovely wine higher, and it is true that many including Max Lake consider cabernet sometimes shows mint aromatics in the complete absence of eucalypts (as is the case here). Cellar 5 – 20 years. Incidentally, the 1987 Stonyridge Larose is currently perfection (cellared in Wellington's climate) – as seen blind not too long ago with 1986 classed Bordeaux. It was fully comparable with several of them. Even so, pricing is too ambitious for Larose. At auction the wine does not approach its retail pricing. And the competition at this quality point is increasing dramatically. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines. This wine stood a little way apart from the rest, because of its faint mint suggestion on the deep dark berry. Below that is terrific cassis which the subtle mint accentuates, on fruit which smells ripe and Bordeaux-like. Palate is saturated berry, cassis and velvety plums, some dark tobacco, a little oakier than some, and acid fractionally higher than the Gimblett Gravels wines. The amazing thing about this wine is the 15% of petit verdot, yet the wine smells and tastes ripe. No Pichon-Lalande leafiness – another vineyard with a risky amount of petit verdot. No wonder Stonyridge say 2005 is the best vintage ever for the island. Those who like mint in their wines would rate this lovely wine higher, and it is true that many including Max Lake consider cabernet sometimes shows mint aromatics in the complete absence of eucalypts (as is the case here). Cellar 5 – 20 years. Incidentally, the 1987 Stonyridge Larose is currently perfection (cellared in Wellington's climate) – as seen blind not too long ago with 1986 classed Bordeaux. It was fully comparable with several of them. Even so, pricing is too ambitious for Larose. At auction the wine does not approach its retail pricing. And the competition at this quality point is increasing dramatically. GK 09/07
Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ cork 45mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from c.23-year old vines; all de-stemmed, 15 months in French oak usually 35 – 40% new; RS dry; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to 2015 Awatea. Bouquet is sweet, floral, ripe, showing complex carnations and red roses notes on dark cassisy berry, with an underpinning of black pepper. Flavour is quite rich, aromatic cassis and darkly plummy berry with shaping oak, dry, long in flavour and texture, highly varietal. The consistency of Cote Rotie styling in Bullnose for many years now is wonderful, the 2015 just magically richer and riper. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to 2015 Awatea. Bouquet is sweet, floral, ripe, showing complex carnations and red roses notes on dark cassisy berry, with an underpinning of black pepper. Flavour is quite rich, aromatic cassis and darkly plummy berry with shaping oak, dry, long in flavour and texture, highly varietal. The consistency of Cote Rotie styling in Bullnose for many years now is wonderful, the 2015 just magically richer and riper. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/17
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $140 [ cork; DFB; CS 44%, Ma 21, Me 15, PV 15, CF 5, cropped at c. 1 t/ac in 2005; up to 25-day cuvaison; MLF in barrel; oak 90% French, 10 US, 70% either new, or shaved and re-toasted; not filtered; 500 cases; organic; www.stonyridge.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines. This wine stood a little way apart from the rest, because of its faint mint suggestion on the deep dark berry. Below that is terrific cassis which the subtle mint accentuates, on fruit which smells ripe and Bordeaux-like. Palate is saturated berry, cassis and velvety plums, some dark tobacco, a little oakier than some, and acid fractionally higher than the Gimblett Gravels wines. The amazing thing about this wine is the 15% of petite verdot, yet the wine smells and tastes ripe. No Pichon-Lalande leafiness – another vineyard with a risky amount of petit verdot. No wonder Stonyridge say 2005 is the best vintage ever for the island. Those who like mint in their wines would rate this lovely wine higher, but for Francophiles it raises a cautionary note: if eucalypts are growing taller around this vineyard, it is time to get rid of them. We do not want one of our finest reds showing Australian suggestions. Cellar 5 – 20 years. For those who mock my love affair with old wines, and the cellaring ranges suggested to achieve them, please note the 1987 Stonyridge is currently perfection (cellared in Wellington's climate) – as seen blind recently with 1986 classed Bordeaux. It was fully comparable with some of them. GK 05/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the darker wines. This wine stood a little way apart from the rest, because of its faint mint suggestion on the deep dark berry. Below that is terrific cassis which the subtle mint accentuates, on fruit which smells ripe and Bordeaux-like. Palate is saturated berry, cassis and velvety plums, some dark tobacco, a little oakier than some, and acid fractionally higher than the Gimblett Gravels wines. The amazing thing about this wine is the 15% of petite verdot, yet the wine smells and tastes ripe. No Pichon-Lalande leafiness – another vineyard with a risky amount of petit verdot. No wonder Stonyridge say 2005 is the best vintage ever for the island. Those who like mint in their wines would rate this lovely wine higher, but for Francophiles it raises a cautionary note: if eucalypts are growing taller around this vineyard, it is time to get rid of them. We do not want one of our finest reds showing Australian suggestions. Cellar 5 – 20 years. For those who mock my love affair with old wines, and the cellaring ranges suggested to achieve them, please note the 1987 Stonyridge is currently perfection (cellared in Wellington's climate) – as seen blind recently with 1986 classed Bordeaux. It was fully comparable with some of them. GK 05/07
Marne Valley, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ cork; BF in older oak; no MLF ]
Lemongreen. This bubbly shows a beautifully clean and fragrant bouquet epitomising the white florals, white stonefruits and faintly mineral qualities of fine chardonnay. They are augmented in a champagne presentation by exquisite lees autolysis, leading to light baguette-crust complexity on chardonnay fruit uncomplicated by MLF. This is a textbook example of what chardonnay should smell and taste like – one could smell this all day. Palate and mouthfeel is initially very crisp on acid, yet one quickly adjusts to the superb varietal fruit, with a dry extract and texture in mouth which is excellent. Residual sugar might be in the 10 – 12 g/L area, with a long aftertaste in which white mushrooms are apparent. Unlike many New Zealand blanc de blanc sparklings, this wine is not ‘fruity’ or ‘sparkling chardonnay’, yet it has body. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Lemongreen. This bubbly shows a beautifully clean and fragrant bouquet epitomising the white florals, white stonefruits and faintly mineral qualities of fine chardonnay. They are augmented in a champagne presentation by exquisite lees autolysis, leading to light baguette-crust complexity on chardonnay fruit uncomplicated by MLF. This is a textbook example of what chardonnay should smell and taste like – one could smell this all day. Palate and mouthfeel is initially very crisp on acid, yet one quickly adjusts to the superb varietal fruit, with a dry extract and texture in mouth which is excellent. Residual sugar might be in the 10 – 12 g/L area, with a long aftertaste in which white mushrooms are apparent. Unlike many New Zealand blanc de blanc sparklings, this wine is not ‘fruity’ or ‘sparkling chardonnay’, yet it has body. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $82 [ cork; DFB; 80% 85-year Sh vines, 20% 60-year CS, both unirrigated, cropped at c. 1.5 t/acre; open vat ferment, MLF and 15 months in oak on lees, all new oak 80% French, 20% US, 70% hogsheads & 30% barriques; unfiltered; Parker 167: "… a beautiful marriage of power and elegance, displaying an inky/blue/purple color as well as notions of black raspberries, blueberries, graphite, and sweet pain grille. Ripe, pure, and medium to full-bodied with sweet but noticeable tannin … cellar 12-15 years. 93"; www.glaetzer.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the deeper ones. Bouquet is magnificent modern Australian shiraz tiptoeing towards syrah in style, great berry with clear cassis evident, the cabernet subservient to the shiraz. Palate is richly cassis, more oaky than Le Sol but similarly properly dry, still with berry dominant. Both blueberry and blackberry also play on the palate, which is long. The aftertaste tapers away on great berry, but there is a faint trace of saline in the berry / oak amalgam. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, one of the deeper ones. Bouquet is magnificent modern Australian shiraz tiptoeing towards syrah in style, great berry with clear cassis evident, the cabernet subservient to the shiraz. Palate is richly cassis, more oaky than Le Sol but similarly properly dry, still with berry dominant. Both blueberry and blackberry also play on the palate, which is long. The aftertaste tapers away on great berry, but there is a faint trace of saline in the berry / oak amalgam. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Margaux, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $ – [ cork, 50 mm; second wine of Ch Palmer; cepage this year CS 51%, Me 49, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.18 months, 25% new; bottle courtesy of Eugene d'Eon, greatly appreciated; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly both older and richer than Coleraine. Bouquet is deeper, more oaky, the fruit richer and riper than 2015 Coleraine, and the wine markedly less floral despite the high (49%) merlot content. Plummy and cassisy berry are browning slightly now, and melding with cedary oak, as would be expected given the age difference. Palate is intriguing. Even though this is a second wine (of Ch Palmer, the second-most-famous wine of the commune of Margaux), it is richer in terms of taste and dry extract than 2015 Coleraine. There is the length, savour and complexity of flavour and texture which still sets fine Bordeaux apart from most New World challengers. It is more oaky than 2015 Coleraine, though, and does not have anything like the florality or the rapier-like clarity of berryfruit, so in the simplest terms, it is less beautiful. A wonderful comparison and calibration confirming once again my consistent comments on the cropping rates for Coleraine, but you can't help feeling that a better year of Cheval Blanc would be closer to the wonderful bouquet of the Coleraine, and make a better comparison (if cost were no object). Cellar 5 – 30 years, and longer. GK 03/17
Ruby and velvet, clearly both older and richer than Coleraine. Bouquet is deeper, more oaky, the fruit richer and riper than 2015 Coleraine, and the wine markedly less floral despite the high (49%) merlot content. Plummy and cassisy berry are browning slightly now, and melding with cedary oak, as would be expected given the age difference. Palate is intriguing. Even though this is a second wine (of Ch Palmer, the second-most-famous wine of the commune of Margaux), it is richer in terms of taste and dry extract than 2015 Coleraine. There is the length, savour and complexity of flavour and texture which still sets fine Bordeaux apart from most New World challengers. It is more oaky than 2015 Coleraine, though, and does not have anything like the florality or the rapier-like clarity of berryfruit, so in the simplest terms, it is less beautiful. A wonderful comparison and calibration confirming once again my consistent comments on the cropping rates for Coleraine, but you can't help feeling that a better year of Cheval Blanc would be closer to the wonderful bouquet of the Coleraine, and make a better comparison (if cost were no object). Cellar 5 – 30 years, and longer. GK 03/17
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ screwcap; was $24; hand-picked; and finally, a younger wine to show the grape at that stage; 2007 a year of good quality but low crops in Martinborough; Larry McKenna is so well-known for his pinot noir, we tend to forget he has produced some pretty lovely rieslings over the years. GK, 2007: Bouquet … lime-zest and cooking apples again, just a hint of cinnamon-like spice, as if there is a little more skin influence. Palate is totally extraordinary. It tastes dramatically riesling, and in effect, totally dry, with low phenolics. Alongside the known-to-be-dry Craggy Rapaura, the Escarpment tastes drier and finer. Yet on examination of the numbers, the latter is 15 g/L residual sugar, normally a clear medium-dry to medium … a function of the phenomenally low pH on this wine, 2.84, … it should cellar for 10 – 20 years, 18 +; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, the palest, clearly the baby of the set. And bouquet conveys that impression too, still infantile, clearly appley but cooking apples of a kind you can hardly buy now, ballarat for example. Palate is freshly acid but has physical fruit and dry extract, and on careful examination it shows greater residual sugar than the Australians or the Glover, so the acid is well covered. Due to the low pH the wine however tastes quite austere. Some tasters therefore found the wine hard to understand, at this early stage. A wine to cellar 5 – 15 years, awaiting full flavour development. Surprises in store here, I think. GK 03/14
Lemongreen, the palest, clearly the baby of the set. And bouquet conveys that impression too, still infantile, clearly appley but cooking apples of a kind you can hardly buy now, ballarat for example. Palate is freshly acid but has physical fruit and dry extract, and on careful examination it shows greater residual sugar than the Australians or the Glover, so the acid is well covered. Due to the low pH the wine however tastes quite austere. Some tasters therefore found the wine hard to understand, at this early stage. A wine to cellar 5 – 15 years, awaiting full flavour development. Surprises in store here, I think. GK 03/14
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 5 months post-fermentation LA and occasional stirring, RS 12 g/L; 2005 not on website yet; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is beautifully pure, in the pale pear-fleshed style that is coming to characterise most New Zealand pinot gris, unlike the yellow florals and flesh of the best Alsace. But this wine does have suggestions of white florals, and hints of nutmeg adding to complexity and interest. Palate is rich, with more flavours than most New Zealand examples of the grape, and perhaps the promise of more bouquet to develop in cellar. The excessive alcohol is well hidden in the fruit richness, and the finish is attractive , the intrinsic phenolics of the variety well covered by medium-dry sweetness. This should cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/05
Pale lemongreen. Bouquet is beautifully pure, in the pale pear-fleshed style that is coming to characterise most New Zealand pinot gris, unlike the yellow florals and flesh of the best Alsace. But this wine does have suggestions of white florals, and hints of nutmeg adding to complexity and interest. Palate is rich, with more flavours than most New Zealand examples of the grape, and perhaps the promise of more bouquet to develop in cellar. The excessive alcohol is well hidden in the fruit richness, and the finish is attractive , the intrinsic phenolics of the variety well covered by medium-dry sweetness. This should cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; this wine not yet for sale, so not on website – if as previous examples is Sy 100%, hand-picked, 100% de-stemmed, fermentation in open-topped French oak vessels, c. 21 days cuvaison; c. 16 – 20 months and MLF in French oak c.55% new, minimal filtration; RS nil; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally deeper than the Dry River, more CO2 than desirable. And bouquet is a size bigger too, showing both richer fruit and more ripeness, but also more oak. Even so, oaking has been pulled back from the earlier Reserves, and the key characters of the variety show well: dark roses and wallflower florality on deep cassis. Alongside the Dry River, the cassis is darkening to bottled black doris plums. Palate is bigger, richer, rounder and more oaky than the Dry River or 2009 Bullnose, the oak now to a maximum. I think fruit richness is sufficient to ultimately win, though. This wine illustrates the beautiful 2009 vintage in Hawke's Bay very well, in this case via a fine New Zealand syrah, though in a new-oak styling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally deeper than the Dry River, more CO2 than desirable. And bouquet is a size bigger too, showing both richer fruit and more ripeness, but also more oak. Even so, oaking has been pulled back from the earlier Reserves, and the key characters of the variety show well: dark roses and wallflower florality on deep cassis. Alongside the Dry River, the cassis is darkening to bottled black doris plums. Palate is bigger, richer, rounder and more oaky than the Dry River or 2009 Bullnose, the oak now to a maximum. I think fruit richness is sufficient to ultimately win, though. This wine illustrates the beautiful 2009 vintage in Hawke's Bay very well, in this case via a fine New Zealand syrah, though in a new-oak styling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/11
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed; BF with wild yeasts in new and 1-year oak; RS < 1 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Lemon. Whereas the Mills Reef is explicitly a climatic variation on the Marlborough stainless steel-dominated style, this Sacred Hill is a stylistic alternative, clearly oak-influenced, in the class that used to be called Fumé Blanc. It shows similar riper-spectrum fruit to the Mills Reef, rich honeysuckle and sautéed red capsicum fruit intimately entwined with oak, to give an attractive melded and full bouquet. It is neither as aggressive as the Te Mata Cape Crest, or as complex as the Te Koko, but oak is still about the maximum. Palate shows great fruit richness and palate length, a dimension of golden queen peaches adding to the fruit character, and a wonderfully dry finish. The wine is so rich, it doesn't seem dry at all. For Sauvage, ultimately the fruit richness wins over the oak, to make this an exciting alternative sauvignon style – if you like oak. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Lemon. Whereas the Mills Reef is explicitly a climatic variation on the Marlborough stainless steel-dominated style, this Sacred Hill is a stylistic alternative, clearly oak-influenced, in the class that used to be called Fumé Blanc. It shows similar riper-spectrum fruit to the Mills Reef, rich honeysuckle and sautéed red capsicum fruit intimately entwined with oak, to give an attractive melded and full bouquet. It is neither as aggressive as the Te Mata Cape Crest, or as complex as the Te Koko, but oak is still about the maximum. Palate shows great fruit richness and palate length, a dimension of golden queen peaches adding to the fruit character, and a wonderfully dry finish. The wine is so rich, it doesn't seem dry at all. For Sauvage, ultimately the fruit richness wins over the oak, to make this an exciting alternative sauvignon style – if you like oak. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; Me 100% hand-harvested, vinified @ Waiheke; 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation; c. 12 months in French and American oak, none new; www.goldwaterwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet opened shyly, really needing a lot of swirling to reveal deep florals again in the violets and related camp, sweet, pure, very Medoc (even though it is merlot-dominant). Below is wonderfully ripe cassisy berry and beautiful oak. Palate is sturdy Margaux in style, corduroy rather than velvet in texture as yet, but showing good richness. Aftertaste is berry-rich and classical, shaped by subtle seemingly new oak. It need several years in bottle, to soften and communicate. This wine is beautifully done, though it is hard to believe there is not a bit of cabernet sauvignon in there, to produce such cassisy berry complexity. It teams up with the Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels and Villa Maria Merlot Reserve, as the new face of merlot in Hawkes Bay. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet opened shyly, really needing a lot of swirling to reveal deep florals again in the violets and related camp, sweet, pure, very Medoc (even though it is merlot-dominant). Below is wonderfully ripe cassisy berry and beautiful oak. Palate is sturdy Margaux in style, corduroy rather than velvet in texture as yet, but showing good richness. Aftertaste is berry-rich and classical, shaped by subtle seemingly new oak. It need several years in bottle, to soften and communicate. This wine is beautifully done, though it is hard to believe there is not a bit of cabernet sauvignon in there, to produce such cassisy berry complexity. It teams up with the Craggy Range Merlot Gimblett Gravels and Villa Maria Merlot Reserve, as the new face of merlot in Hawkes Bay. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 20% hand-picked from c.13-year old vines planted at c.3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ c.5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison 28 days, no whole-bunch component, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank and barrel; 20 months in French oak c.40% new; RS nil g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured yet; production 250 x 9-L cases; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Ian Clark, release Sept. 2015; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. One sniff of this, and the beautiful floral complexity combining dark red roses, dianthus and wallflower is impressive. Blind once again you think this could be the Te Mata syrah in the set. And in flavour the similarity of styling is uncanny, beautiful light fragrant cassis and plummy fruits, and a hint of black pepper. On close comparison there is just a touch more oak than the Te Mata, making the wine slightly firmer and more aromatic. It is a considerably less intense wine than the Villa Reserve, and will be accessible sooner. In the Regional Wines tasting, one person rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. One sniff of this, and the beautiful floral complexity combining dark red roses, dianthus and wallflower is impressive. Blind once again you think this could be the Te Mata syrah in the set. And in flavour the similarity of styling is uncanny, beautiful light fragrant cassis and plummy fruits, and a hint of black pepper. On close comparison there is just a touch more oak than the Te Mata, making the wine slightly firmer and more aromatic. It is a considerably less intense wine than the Villa Reserve, and will be accessible sooner. In the Regional Wines tasting, one person rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ screwcap; virtually unknown at retail, mainly sold to the mail-order list; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields not above 2.3 t/ac; up to 23% whole-bunch; up to 10 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 22 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 11 months in French oak c. 38% new, then 7 months in 3-year-old oak; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers: 'The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines'; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Initially this wine opens a little massive, like some of the 2002 Otago pinots. With decanting or aeration, it reveals a darker more brooding version of the standard Felton or Calvert wines, but the deep florals are still there, on probing. In mouth too it is fuller, fatter and riper, with some suggestions of bottled black doris plum. Some will like it more for that, whereas classicists may say there is some sur-maturité. Whichever, it is a great mouthful of pinot, and will bring much pleasure when cellared 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby. Initially this wine opens a little massive, like some of the 2002 Otago pinots. With decanting or aeration, it reveals a darker more brooding version of the standard Felton or Calvert wines, but the deep florals are still there, on probing. In mouth too it is fuller, fatter and riper, with some suggestions of bottled black doris plum. Some will like it more for that, whereas classicists may say there is some sur-maturité. Whichever, it is a great mouthful of pinot, and will bring much pleasure when cellared 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/09
Mt Barker, Western Australia, Australia: 14%; $ – [ cork; price low $30s; made at the Porongurup contract winery, using Ganimede Italian fermenters which cycle the juice over the skins using the CO2 produced in fermentation. Their reputation is to produce more colour and a softer and more aromatic wine - www.porongurup-winery.com.au; Xabregas is the volume label of Traolach; www.xabregas.com.au ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest colours. This is a wonderfully enveloping blueberry version of syrah, with potentially cedary and also slightly charry / dark chocolate oak, plus some florals ranging from buddleia to darkest roses. In mouth, there is a hint of mint, but this is probably noticeable only when the wine is run among a dominance of New Zealand (or French) syrahs. Berry is rich, spanning blueberry to suggestions of boysenberry, with faint cracked black peppercorns. In terms of varietal expression, it is not much hotter in climatic origin than some of the bigger 2002 Gimblett Gravels wines. It has more syrah character than many South Australian examples of the grape, and will therefore be a first-rate example of Australian shiraz to include in New Zealand comparative tastings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest colours. This is a wonderfully enveloping blueberry version of syrah, with potentially cedary and also slightly charry / dark chocolate oak, plus some florals ranging from buddleia to darkest roses. In mouth, there is a hint of mint, but this is probably noticeable only when the wine is run among a dominance of New Zealand (or French) syrahs. Berry is rich, spanning blueberry to suggestions of boysenberry, with faint cracked black peppercorns. In terms of varietal expression, it is not much hotter in climatic origin than some of the bigger 2002 Gimblett Gravels wines. It has more syrah character than many South Australian examples of the grape, and will therefore be a first-rate example of Australian shiraz to include in New Zealand comparative tastings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; low cropping rate due to season; pre-ferment oxidation, 100% BF and temperature-controlled to max 25 degrees in barrel; lees stirring, 75% MLF; c. 10 months in French oak 15% new; lightly fined and filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. This wine needs decanting / some air, to reveal itself and soften a little. I have written before about the linden blossom / subtlest acacia blossom florals that great chardonnay can sometimes show in grand cru chablis, and occasionally elsewhere. Once breathed, this 2007 Mt Difficulty offers the definitive illustration of the style, the bouquet showing enticing florals on pale stonefruits and lees autolysis. In mouth, the wine is certainly crisper than the Riflemans, naturally enough, and the analogy with grand cru chablis is more accurate. The actual richness hiding below the acid could in fact remind the taster of leaner vintages of Corton-Charlemagne. I feel like saying, you've got to taste this wine, but the acid is high and the style tending austerely European, so not everyone will like it, therefore. It is great wine, all the same, to cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw. This wine needs decanting / some air, to reveal itself and soften a little. I have written before about the linden blossom / subtlest acacia blossom florals that great chardonnay can sometimes show in grand cru chablis, and occasionally elsewhere. Once breathed, this 2007 Mt Difficulty offers the definitive illustration of the style, the bouquet showing enticing florals on pale stonefruits and lees autolysis. In mouth, the wine is certainly crisper than the Riflemans, naturally enough, and the analogy with grand cru chablis is more accurate. The actual richness hiding below the acid could in fact remind the taster of leaner vintages of Corton-Charlemagne. I feel like saying, you've got to taste this wine, but the acid is high and the style tending austerely European, so not everyone will like it, therefore. It is great wine, all the same, to cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 11/08
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $58 [ supercritical cork; Me 100%, 10 years old; the firm’s top wine, release spring 2010; www.blackbarn.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, half the weight of the top wines. But appearance isn't everything, and the bouquet on this wine is really beautiful. If you've ever shaken your head in despair about all the nonsense some people talk about allegedly floral wines, then shout yourself a smell and taste of this one. There is a veritable bouquet of flower-like aromas here, extending from almost sweet buddleia of pinot noir via dark roses to real spring violets. Those wonderful smells are reinforced by the vanillin of new French oak, and beautiful ripe plummy fruits. At the blind stage, I rather hoped this was a cabernet franc / merlot blend due to the red berry aromas – a New Zealand St Emilion maybe. Palate however is firmer than the bouquet promised, with clear cassis now, so perhaps there is more cabernet sauvignon than one thought [ later, none in fact ]. All very confusing, but enchanting too. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, half the weight of the top wines. But appearance isn't everything, and the bouquet on this wine is really beautiful. If you've ever shaken your head in despair about all the nonsense some people talk about allegedly floral wines, then shout yourself a smell and taste of this one. There is a veritable bouquet of flower-like aromas here, extending from almost sweet buddleia of pinot noir via dark roses to real spring violets. Those wonderful smells are reinforced by the vanillin of new French oak, and beautiful ripe plummy fruits. At the blind stage, I rather hoped this was a cabernet franc / merlot blend due to the red berry aromas – a New Zealand St Emilion maybe. Palate however is firmer than the bouquet promised, with clear cassis now, so perhaps there is more cabernet sauvignon than one thought [ later, none in fact ]. All very confusing, but enchanting too. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/10
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $35 [ supercritical cork 47 mm; CF 100%, hand-picked @ c.3.4 t/ha = 1.4 t/ac from vines 10 and 14 years old; 18 days cuvaison, c. 14 months French oak 66% and balance subtle American oak; not fined, scarcely filtered; release several months away; www.blackbarn.com ]
Good ruby, much lighter than the Babich Patriarch. It is so hard to get clear-cut cabernet franc in New Zealand, most makers thus far not respecting the delicate red fruits fragrance and fine grain of the grape, instead oaking the hell out of it and forcing it into some ugly Australasian vision of one kind of cabernet sauvignon. This Black Barn wine is quite the opposite, with a delicacy to it which is almost burgundian – as is not infrequently said of some St Emilions, where the grape achieves its peak performance. It is not a big wine, but nor is it weak, and the ripeness is pinpoint. This is much the best illustration of the variety I have seen in New Zealand, to cellar 3 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 10/10
Good ruby, much lighter than the Babich Patriarch. It is so hard to get clear-cut cabernet franc in New Zealand, most makers thus far not respecting the delicate red fruits fragrance and fine grain of the grape, instead oaking the hell out of it and forcing it into some ugly Australasian vision of one kind of cabernet sauvignon. This Black Barn wine is quite the opposite, with a delicacy to it which is almost burgundian – as is not infrequently said of some St Emilions, where the grape achieves its peak performance. It is not a big wine, but nor is it weak, and the ripeness is pinpoint. This is much the best illustration of the variety I have seen in New Zealand, to cellar 3 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 10/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $40 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-harvested; 100% de-stemmed; c.14 months in French oak 25% new, no American oak; RS dry; www.crossroadswines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, bigger and more vibrant than Bullnose, the deepest syrah. Like Bullnose, this syrah is distinguished in the set of syrahs by the elegance and purity of its bouquet. The alcohol reflects thoughtful picking, before too many florals were lost – wonderful. It is not however quite so exquisitely floral and varietal as Bullnose, showing more black pepper and more oak, and less subtle complexity. In mouth the wine is stronger, bolder, more tannic and more oaky, but still the cassisy berry dominates: it is dramatically syrah. It is great to see the winemaker not falling into the excess new oak trap. What a great step up this wine is, for Crossroads. It is as if a block of syrah has been grown specifically for quality, with a much lower cropping rate than many of the Crossroads wines over the last decade. Those who like their wines with a little more obvious grunt, may well prefer this to the more subtle 2013 Bullnose. With time in cellar, it may well match or overtake Bullnose. Exciting wine. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 03/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, bigger and more vibrant than Bullnose, the deepest syrah. Like Bullnose, this syrah is distinguished in the set of syrahs by the elegance and purity of its bouquet. The alcohol reflects thoughtful picking, before too many florals were lost – wonderful. It is not however quite so exquisitely floral and varietal as Bullnose, showing more black pepper and more oak, and less subtle complexity. In mouth the wine is stronger, bolder, more tannic and more oaky, but still the cassisy berry dominates: it is dramatically syrah. It is great to see the winemaker not falling into the excess new oak trap. What a great step up this wine is, for Crossroads. It is as if a block of syrah has been grown specifically for quality, with a much lower cropping rate than many of the Crossroads wines over the last decade. Those who like their wines with a little more obvious grunt, may well prefer this to the more subtle 2013 Bullnose. With time in cellar, it may well match or overtake Bullnose. Exciting wine. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 03/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; in the sense 2004 le Sol can be said to be more varietal if less weighty than the 2002, it is worth paraphrasing Parker on the 2002 of this label. R. Parker 155: One of the finest reds I have ever tasted from New Zealand … tremendous freshness, concentration, and intensity… the acidity and definition of a top-notch northern Rhone … tremendous presence on the palate … remarkable elegance and precision. All of Syrah’s characteristics – smoke, licorice, pepper, blackberries, and currants – are present in this beautifully knit, pure, concentrated 2002. Kudos to winemaker Steve Smith. 94; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as deep as the Passage Rock. This le Sol was not part of the Symposium formal tastings, instead being presented with food. Like the similarly deployed '04 Pask Declaration, this was a mistake, in that context this very youthful wine looking raw and spirity. Yet as soon as it is lined up in my post-Symposium taste-off, it looks wonderfully varietal. There are darkest violets and rose florals, not quite the cassis and precise varietal definition of the Passage Rock, but rich berry, and great length and juicyness on palate. The spirit shows more than the Yering Station or the Passage Rock, and it is the most new-oaky. With all these top wines, we have to learn that 14.5% alcohol is not food friendly. I acknowledge the magical qualities of grenache allow fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape to get away with it (particularly with cellar-age), but syrah is closer to pinot in style, and the marriage with high alcohol is less happy. It is worth noting the superb 2005 Dry River has achieved physiological maturity at 12.5% alcohol. So there is work needed here. I hope le Sol will mellow in cellar. Comparison with the Craggy Range Block 14 wine is interesting, the two being similar in their nearly sur-maturité approach. Le Sol is slightly the crisper and more focussed of the two, presumably reflecting its greater percentage of new oak. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, as deep as the Passage Rock. This le Sol was not part of the Symposium formal tastings, instead being presented with food. Like the similarly deployed '04 Pask Declaration, this was a mistake, in that context this very youthful wine looking raw and spirity. Yet as soon as it is lined up in my post-Symposium taste-off, it looks wonderfully varietal. There are darkest violets and rose florals, not quite the cassis and precise varietal definition of the Passage Rock, but rich berry, and great length and juicyness on palate. The spirit shows more than the Yering Station or the Passage Rock, and it is the most new-oaky. With all these top wines, we have to learn that 14.5% alcohol is not food friendly. I acknowledge the magical qualities of grenache allow fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape to get away with it (particularly with cellar-age), but syrah is closer to pinot in style, and the marriage with high alcohol is less happy. It is worth noting the superb 2005 Dry River has achieved physiological maturity at 12.5% alcohol. So there is work needed here. I hope le Sol will mellow in cellar. Comparison with the Craggy Range Block 14 wine is interesting, the two being similar in their nearly sur-maturité approach. Le Sol is slightly the crisper and more focussed of the two, presumably reflecting its greater percentage of new oak. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 40%, Me 30, CF 29, PV 1, hand-picked from c.10-year old vines planted at 3,125 vines / ha and cropped @ 6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; cuvaison c.28 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak c.30% new; RS 0.4 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract 28.1 g/L; production 3,000 x 9-L cases; released; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth, not as bright as Coleraine. This wine has even more cabernet franc than Coleraine or Helmsman, but you don't pick it up blind. So once the identifications are known, one is looking for grape fragrance and complexity, as opposed to oak complexity. But on the fragrant and pretty side, Coleraine wins, perhaps because it has appropriate ripeness for cabernet franc to show its red-fruits charm and florality. The Gimblett is clearly riper, and therefore somewhat less fragrant. Helmsman is the other high-franc wine, but it is more oaky, likewise muting the subtle fragrant cabernet franc to a degree. It is on the palate that The Gimblett wins, showing a ripe berry softness and weight which is beguiling, and a pleasing depth of fruit. It is softer, riper and richer than Coleraine or Sophia. It is also a fractionally darker wine than Sophia, but the fruit quality is close. It remains to be seen whether the softer structure will curtail cellaring potential at all, compared with the leaner style of Coleraine, which has a great track record for cellar-worthiness, despite being lighter. At a certain point it is relevant to note that, loosely speaking, you can buy three of The Gimblett for one of Coleraine or Sophia. If the snob-factor associated with the labels were taken out of the equation, it would be a brave person who would predict which of these three wines would please the greater number of people, blind. A clue can be gained from the rankings at the Regional Wines tasting, noting this record of the popular vote is taken strictly at the blind stage. If both first and second place rankings are counted, The Gimblett was clearly the second-favourite wine of the night. Two people rated this the top wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth, not as bright as Coleraine. This wine has even more cabernet franc than Coleraine or Helmsman, but you don't pick it up blind. So once the identifications are known, one is looking for grape fragrance and complexity, as opposed to oak complexity. But on the fragrant and pretty side, Coleraine wins, perhaps because it has appropriate ripeness for cabernet franc to show its red-fruits charm and florality. The Gimblett is clearly riper, and therefore somewhat less fragrant. Helmsman is the other high-franc wine, but it is more oaky, likewise muting the subtle fragrant cabernet franc to a degree. It is on the palate that The Gimblett wins, showing a ripe berry softness and weight which is beguiling, and a pleasing depth of fruit. It is softer, riper and richer than Coleraine or Sophia. It is also a fractionally darker wine than Sophia, but the fruit quality is close. It remains to be seen whether the softer structure will curtail cellaring potential at all, compared with the leaner style of Coleraine, which has a great track record for cellar-worthiness, despite being lighter. At a certain point it is relevant to note that, loosely speaking, you can buy three of The Gimblett for one of Coleraine or Sophia. If the snob-factor associated with the labels were taken out of the equation, it would be a brave person who would predict which of these three wines would please the greater number of people, blind. A clue can be gained from the rankings at the Regional Wines tasting, noting this record of the popular vote is taken strictly at the blind stage. If both first and second place rankings are counted, The Gimblett was clearly the second-favourite wine of the night. Two people rated this the top wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/15
Pauillac First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $673 [ cork 55mm; cepage then approx. CS 80%, Me 10, CF 10, planted at 10,000 vines / ha; 17 months in barrel, 85 – 100% new oak depending on the vintage; Broadbent, 2002: Rated equal with Lafite at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting, but soon to dry out, lacking conviction in the early 1990s **; Coates, 2000: Splendidly Latour on the nose. Surprisingly soft on the palate. Fullish, velvety-rich fruit. Very good grip. Above all real breed and complexity. Aristocratic and harmonious. Slightly less voluptuous than Lafite. The structure is more obvious. But this is classier. Very lovely finish. Excellent: 19.5; Parker, 2000: Medium garnet-colored with moderate amber at the edge, the 1978 Latour offers a spicy, saddle leather, tobacco, dried herb, earthy nose with sweet fruit trying to poke through. Interestingly, new oak also makes an appearance in the flavors. Medium-bodied, elegant, and fragrant, but possibly beginning to dry out, this fully mature wine requires consumption over the next decade. 90; www.chateau-latour.com ]
Ruby and garnet, nearly as fresh as the Margaux, but deeper, the deepest wine. Bouquet is powerful, but as already alluded to in the Ch Margaux review re the thought of oaky Penfolds reds, is the impact and power for the right reason ? So you taste carefully. The ripeness in the cabernet is fractionally deeper / riper than the 1978 Las Cases, but you just wish you could taste the cassis as clearly as in the Margaux. On balance the Latour is both richer and riper in its berry than the Las Cases, and despite the oak, the fruit simply cannot be ignored. Oakniks would rate this wine higher than the Ch Margaux. Plenty of life left here, even 15 years, but it is likely to become relatively more oaky. As is commonly the case with (beautifully) oaky wines, 6 people rated this their top or second wine. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, nearly as fresh as the Margaux, but deeper, the deepest wine. Bouquet is powerful, but as already alluded to in the Ch Margaux review re the thought of oaky Penfolds reds, is the impact and power for the right reason ? So you taste carefully. The ripeness in the cabernet is fractionally deeper / riper than the 1978 Las Cases, but you just wish you could taste the cassis as clearly as in the Margaux. On balance the Latour is both richer and riper in its berry than the Las Cases, and despite the oak, the fruit simply cannot be ignored. Oakniks would rate this wine higher than the Ch Margaux. Plenty of life left here, even 15 years, but it is likely to become relatively more oaky. As is commonly the case with (beautifully) oaky wines, 6 people rated this their top or second wine. GK 08/16
Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ Cork, 50 mm; $33, then; CS 79%, Me 15, CF 4, Ma 2; 70% new oak; Cooper, 1992: Dark-hued, minty and massively proportioned, Stonyridge Larose 1987 was, and still is, one of this country's most glorious reds; in a tasting of 27 claret-styled 1987 blends mainly from New Zealand which was convened by the Goldwaters at Waiheke, I reported in NBR 18 August 1989 that: The results were clearcut. Stonyridge Larose is New Zealand’s top red in the 1987 vintage; in the same NBR article cited for the Goldwater, I reported on a smaller tasting in Wellington, noting for this Larose: Colour is intense velvety carmine. Bouquet and flavour are rich, ripe, soft and complex, showing all the merits of blending the four classic Bordeaux varieties … Oak, and acid balance, are excellent. This Waiheke Island wine has a generosity of fruit, and a richness of velvety texture, which will be the envy of many a winemaker. Its plumpness in some ways speaks more of Pomerol or Saint Emilion than the Medoc; bottle weight 499 g; www.stonyridge.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, the second-lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet however, this wine almost epitomises the claret style: great aromatic cassisy freshness and excitement with apparent sweetness and lift. Clear cassis melds with cedary oak to achieve a total vinosity that escapes the Gruaud-Larose (on bouquet) and even the too-cedary Mouton. Nett impression on bouquet doesn't quite carry through to palate, but largely because of the company on the day. The Mouton, Margaux and Gruaud-Larose are spectacularly concentrated examples of fine claret as as it used to be understood, whereas the Stonyridge is more standard-weight classed growth. The integration and melding together of berry, oak and acid is superlative, the wine seeming totally in harmony with itself. On the long aftertaste the fruit tapers just a little. A lovely bottle, at a peak of perfection (still), showing beautifully on the day. Martin Pickering, the current Stonyridge winemaker, commented that he doubted their remaining bottles cellared on Waiheke Island would shows the freshness this Wellington-cellared bottle displays. This has frequently been my experience, over the years. The 3.5° mean temperature difference between Auckland and Wellington has an enormous impact on the way wines mature and stay at a peak in cellar. Six people had this as their second-favourite wine of the evening, 11 of the 21 thought it Bordeaux, and four thought it a First Growth. It is results like this, in a rigorously blind tasting for 21 people, half of them winemakers, that confirm Steven Spurrier's view expressed a few years ago (in Decanter), that when it comes to challengers to traditional Bordeaux red wine styles, New Zealand cabernet / merlots can (at best) most closely match fine Bordeaux – relative to cabernet / merlots from the rest of the world. In the entire post-war period in New Zealand through to 1998, this 1987 Stonyridge Larose takes its place with 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1982 and 1983 Te Mata Coleraine, as one of the four greatest New Zealand red wines of that entire era. A great achievement. There are not many bottles left now; those in cool cellars will hold a few more years. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, the second-lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet however, this wine almost epitomises the claret style: great aromatic cassisy freshness and excitement with apparent sweetness and lift. Clear cassis melds with cedary oak to achieve a total vinosity that escapes the Gruaud-Larose (on bouquet) and even the too-cedary Mouton. Nett impression on bouquet doesn't quite carry through to palate, but largely because of the company on the day. The Mouton, Margaux and Gruaud-Larose are spectacularly concentrated examples of fine claret as as it used to be understood, whereas the Stonyridge is more standard-weight classed growth. The integration and melding together of berry, oak and acid is superlative, the wine seeming totally in harmony with itself. On the long aftertaste the fruit tapers just a little. A lovely bottle, at a peak of perfection (still), showing beautifully on the day. Martin Pickering, the current Stonyridge winemaker, commented that he doubted their remaining bottles cellared on Waiheke Island would shows the freshness this Wellington-cellared bottle displays. This has frequently been my experience, over the years. The 3.5° mean temperature difference between Auckland and Wellington has an enormous impact on the way wines mature and stay at a peak in cellar. Six people had this as their second-favourite wine of the evening, 11 of the 21 thought it Bordeaux, and four thought it a First Growth. It is results like this, in a rigorously blind tasting for 21 people, half of them winemakers, that confirm Steven Spurrier's view expressed a few years ago (in Decanter), that when it comes to challengers to traditional Bordeaux red wine styles, New Zealand cabernet / merlots can (at best) most closely match fine Bordeaux – relative to cabernet / merlots from the rest of the world. In the entire post-war period in New Zealand through to 1998, this 1987 Stonyridge Larose takes its place with 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1982 and 1983 Te Mata Coleraine, as one of the four greatest New Zealand red wines of that entire era. A great achievement. There are not many bottles left now; those in cool cellars will hold a few more years. GK 08/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ cork; Sy 96 %, Vi 4%, cropped c. 1 t/ac; hand-picked and sorted, high % whole berries; MLF in tank; 26 months in mostly 6-month old French oak; the wine is a tribute to the late Gerard Jaboulet, John Hancock (proprietor / winemaker) having done a vintage at Jaboulet in the earlier 90s, back when la Chapelle was world-famous; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet does not immediately open as sweetly as some of the wines, not having quite the purity of those rated more highly. There is an awkward youthful / perhaps cooperage character yet to marry in, and reminding of some (good) Chilean syrahs. With air, more cassis develops. Palate is black pepper and cassis, slightly richer and riper than la Collina but not as pure, not quite as ripe as the Vidal Reserve (or the riper le Sol). Berry on palate is long and very aromatic, from memory the flavours not as Hermitage-like as the 2002, this wine tending more to a concentrated Crozes-Hermitage character. Has the richness to cellar well though, as do the best Crozes-Hermitage reds – witness the 1979 Jaboulet Thalabert right now – and this will almost certainly look different and better in five years. Cellar for 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. Bouquet does not immediately open as sweetly as some of the wines, not having quite the purity of those rated more highly. There is an awkward youthful / perhaps cooperage character yet to marry in, and reminding of some (good) Chilean syrahs. With air, more cassis develops. Palate is black pepper and cassis, slightly richer and riper than la Collina but not as pure, not quite as ripe as the Vidal Reserve (or the riper le Sol). Berry on palate is long and very aromatic, from memory the flavours not as Hermitage-like as the 2002, this wine tending more to a concentrated Crozes-Hermitage character. Has the richness to cellar well though, as do the best Crozes-Hermitage reds – witness the 1979 Jaboulet Thalabert right now – and this will almost certainly look different and better in five years. Cellar for 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ cork; CS 45%, Me 44, CF 11, hand-picked from 10 year old vines; cuvaison approx 28 days; 18 months in French oak c.65% new, RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; Parker: 93+, Robinson: 17; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, near the upper end of the middle third for concentration. Bouquet is exquisite, subtle, much less loud and more beautiful than some of the other good wines here. But as fine Medoc has shown for many years, before the American influence on desired size and weight in claret winestyles became apparent, beauty is a key component in fine wine. This almost smells of dark red roses, grading into cassis. The flavours of the wine are however a little smaller than hoped for on bouquet, or in comparison with the plummy 2010 Brokenstone Merlot. It is thus a classic Medoc, but not so far up the classed growth hierarchy as some here. It would be nice to open a 2010 Talbot alongside, for example. This is intriguing wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years to lose some tannin, and then open alongside same-vintage bordeaux. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, near the upper end of the middle third for concentration. Bouquet is exquisite, subtle, much less loud and more beautiful than some of the other good wines here. But as fine Medoc has shown for many years, before the American influence on desired size and weight in claret winestyles became apparent, beauty is a key component in fine wine. This almost smells of dark red roses, grading into cassis. The flavours of the wine are however a little smaller than hoped for on bouquet, or in comparison with the plummy 2010 Brokenstone Merlot. It is thus a classic Medoc, but not so far up the classed growth hierarchy as some here. It would be nice to open a 2010 Talbot alongside, for example. This is intriguing wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years to lose some tannin, and then open alongside same-vintage bordeaux. GK 06/14
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $79 [ Cork, 49 mm; now Sy 96%, Vi 4, average age 35 years from Guigal vineyards plus 40 growers, typically cropped at 4.8 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; Parker rating for year 97; c. 21 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, mostly small-wood from the 2004 vintage on, 40 – 50% new; J.L-L, 2015: dark red, slight lightness at the top of the robe. The bouquet is a meaty, crunchy red fruited affair, still very close-knit, has a light peppering as well. The palate has an interior vigour; on the outside it coasts along via clear red cherry fruit. Its depth lies below, like an iceberg. The longer you leave this, the more varied and compelling it will become: that is a formal announcement. The content has a savoury angle, lamb stock. The aftertaste is lip smacking, shows rosemary and dried herbs. The exit is lightly salted. Decant this, and wait until 2018. 13.5°. 2033-2036, ****(*); R Hemming @ Robinson, 2014: Violets and peppered meat; the authenticity can’t be faulted. Classic, savoury, lovely manicured tannins. Impressive aromatic range and lovely depth of flavour, 17; J Dunnuck @ Parker, 2014: A wine I reviewed earlier this year, the 2010 Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde is a stunning Cote-Rotie. Made from 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier and aged in equal parts new and once used barrels, it’s medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with rocking notes of raspberries, peppered bacon, coffee bean and violets. Drink it anytime over the coming decade or more, 93; Wine Spectator, 2014: Shows energy and range, with mouthwatering, briary tannins carrying the core of blackberry and plum paste notes. Fruitcake, pastis and alder details fill in the background. The sneakily long finish presents heft and cut. Best from 2015 through 2025. 500 cases imported, 94; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, absolutely in the middle for depth of colour. In presenting this tasting, with five vintages of Brune & Blonde spanning 2010 to 1983, it seemed more important for tasters to focus on the way syrah ages, and the way its character varies with the warmth of summer, rather than trying to work out blind which wines were syrah dominant, and which were grenache. Accordingly the five Brune & Blonde wines were presented first, from 2010 back to 1983, in simple vintage sequence. This format also allowed tasters to focus on the differences in the three grenache-led wines, wines 6 to 8, which followed. Bouquet on this 2010 syrah epitomises the pinot noir-like beauty that syrah can show when not over-ripe. It is not a big wine, but it illustrates pinpoint varietal character, near-carnations / dianthus florals, a hint of black rather than white pepper, red and black fruits including blackcurrant / cassis and some plum, beautifully fragrant, subtle oak. Palate follows perfectly, showing the freshness of the 2010 year, not quite as fat and ripe as the 2009s. This is more the weight of wine the Redman Shiraz used to be at Coonawarra in the 1970s, before Australians became obsessed with oak and size (sadly). Since Guigal’s Brune & Blonde is the benchmark Cote Rotie, against which all other Cote Roties are measured, this is an important wine. It shows dramatically just how good Te Mata Syrah Bullnose is nowadays, in its Cote Rotie styling. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/17
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, absolutely in the middle for depth of colour. In presenting this tasting, with five vintages of Brune & Blonde spanning 2010 to 1983, it seemed more important for tasters to focus on the way syrah ages, and the way its character varies with the warmth of summer, rather than trying to work out blind which wines were syrah dominant, and which were grenache. Accordingly the five Brune & Blonde wines were presented first, from 2010 back to 1983, in simple vintage sequence. This format also allowed tasters to focus on the differences in the three grenache-led wines, wines 6 to 8, which followed. Bouquet on this 2010 syrah epitomises the pinot noir-like beauty that syrah can show when not over-ripe. It is not a big wine, but it illustrates pinpoint varietal character, near-carnations / dianthus florals, a hint of black rather than white pepper, red and black fruits including blackcurrant / cassis and some plum, beautifully fragrant, subtle oak. Palate follows perfectly, showing the freshness of the 2010 year, not quite as fat and ripe as the 2009s. This is more the weight of wine the Redman Shiraz used to be at Coonawarra in the 1970s, before Australians became obsessed with oak and size (sadly). Since Guigal’s Brune & Blonde is the benchmark Cote Rotie, against which all other Cote Roties are measured, this is an important wine. It shows dramatically just how good Te Mata Syrah Bullnose is nowadays, in its Cote Rotie styling. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/17
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ screwcap; release date Feb. 2009; 5 clones of PN, some whole bunch component; c. 6 days cold soak; cuvaison c. 2 weeks; MLF in spring in barrel, and c. 14 months in French oak some new; RS < 1 g/L; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, minutely the deepest of the three Mt Difficulty pinot noirs. Once breathed, telling these three wines apart, for example identifying them correctly in repeated triangular tests, would be hard. I think this is fractionally the most aromatic of the three, the same faint shadow of fine syrah as in the standard wine. Likewise on the stunning black cherry palate, it is a little firmer and crisper than the other two, and is suited to the longest cellaring of the three. It is not quite as floral, supple and ample as the Pipeclay. Buy as many of these three exemplary Otago pinots as you can afford. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Good pinot noir ruby, minutely the deepest of the three Mt Difficulty pinot noirs. Once breathed, telling these three wines apart, for example identifying them correctly in repeated triangular tests, would be hard. I think this is fractionally the most aromatic of the three, the same faint shadow of fine syrah as in the standard wine. Likewise on the stunning black cherry palate, it is a little firmer and crisper than the other two, and is suited to the longest cellaring of the three. It is not quite as floral, supple and ample as the Pipeclay. Buy as many of these three exemplary Otago pinots as you can afford. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $18 [ screwcap; Me 91%, Ma 9; 24 – 36 hours skin-contact, low-temperature fermentation, no mention of any oak; RS 6 g/L; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Very full rosé, deeper than the Unison. Bouquet continues the benchmark-setting standard of most years of this wine: great fruit clearly from red grapes, already some vinosity, simply terrific rosé with so much more to say than most rosé d’Anjou styles. This is more fine Tavel quality, but not quite as dry and smelling of Bordeaux grapes. Palate is rich, with the fruit complexed and winey, as if there a kiss of oak, not the one-dimensional stainless steel / fruit juice style which is so common, as illustrated here by the Longridge. Tannin ripeness and balance is superb for serious rosé, acid is harmonious, and the finish is long, not bone dry, but close. The New Zealand standard for rosé, which will cellar to five years. GK 11/05
Very full rosé, deeper than the Unison. Bouquet continues the benchmark-setting standard of most years of this wine: great fruit clearly from red grapes, already some vinosity, simply terrific rosé with so much more to say than most rosé d’Anjou styles. This is more fine Tavel quality, but not quite as dry and smelling of Bordeaux grapes. Palate is rich, with the fruit complexed and winey, as if there a kiss of oak, not the one-dimensional stainless steel / fruit juice style which is so common, as illustrated here by the Longridge. Tannin ripeness and balance is superb for serious rosé, acid is harmonious, and the finish is long, not bone dry, but close. The New Zealand standard for rosé, which will cellar to five years. GK 11/05
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $35 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; cuvaison c.15 days, cultured yeast; MLF and 9 months in barrel 10% new French, 25% 1-year American, balance older French; 302 cases, WWA Certified; ‘Release of third vintage. Dark & plush with concentrated fruits and spice.’; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is richly ripe and dark, blackest plums at dropping-from-the-tree ripeness, a bit fumy on alcohol, a suggestion of black olives like one of the syrahs, a dense wine. Palate contrasts immediately with bouquet, being very aromatic on presumably quite high American oak, with a fleshy yet firm tannin profile, and firm acid – but critically, a little softer than the Obsidian Syrah. It is easy to imagine black pepper in this one too, and slot it in with the heavier syrahs, but it is not so spicy, just dark and at this early stage a little oaky. As for the 2007 wine but moreso, this is a great introduction to this grape in a thoroughly modern brett-free presentation, so different from the average example from Abruzzo. Don't even think of drinking one for a couple of years, then cellar 5 – 12 years or so. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is richly ripe and dark, blackest plums at dropping-from-the-tree ripeness, a bit fumy on alcohol, a suggestion of black olives like one of the syrahs, a dense wine. Palate contrasts immediately with bouquet, being very aromatic on presumably quite high American oak, with a fleshy yet firm tannin profile, and firm acid – but critically, a little softer than the Obsidian Syrah. It is easy to imagine black pepper in this one too, and slot it in with the heavier syrahs, but it is not so spicy, just dark and at this early stage a little oaky. As for the 2007 wine but moreso, this is a great introduction to this grape in a thoroughly modern brett-free presentation, so different from the average example from Abruzzo. Don't even think of drinking one for a couple of years, then cellar 5 – 12 years or so. GK 06/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $31 [ 45 mm supercritical cork (Diam); SB 87%, Se 10, SG 3; hand-harvested; all BF with significant new oak; little or no MLF, but much lees work and stirring, 8 months in barrel, then further marrying-up in tank before bottling; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon green. This is the most outspoken wine in the present Te Mata batch offered for tasting, reds or whites. The interaction between ripe Hawkes Bay sauvignon and a complete barrel-ferment including considerable new oak for this wine gives a quite strident bouquet, with an unusual pungent fruit quality to it when young. I have previously compared this aroma with Castrol GTX. In the intervening years, Castrol's feedstock has changed, and GTX now is milder (also correlated probably with lower total sulphurs), whereas this 2014 Cape Crest is absolutely full-on. In mouth the first thing to strike you is the palate weight. Both this wine and Zara make one think that Te Mata have consciously reduced their cropping rate, to up the ripeness, mouthfeel, dry extract and quality. This wine has tactile dry extract. The flavours centre round white stonefruit and sweet basil. Cape Crest is unashamedly modelled on famous white Medocs and Graves wines, where the sauvignon blanc-led barrel-fermented whites may be higher-priced than the chateau's famous reds. On that analogy, this should be a $100 bottle. Like Elston it needs three (or more) years to harmonise, and may not initially appeal, on bouquet. The high score therefore includes an anticipatory component, rewarding the richness particularly. It will cellar just as long as Elston, and maybe longer, for those not trapped in the conventional wisdom of New Zealand views on sauvignon blanc. GK 03/16
Elegant lemon green. This is the most outspoken wine in the present Te Mata batch offered for tasting, reds or whites. The interaction between ripe Hawkes Bay sauvignon and a complete barrel-ferment including considerable new oak for this wine gives a quite strident bouquet, with an unusual pungent fruit quality to it when young. I have previously compared this aroma with Castrol GTX. In the intervening years, Castrol's feedstock has changed, and GTX now is milder (also correlated probably with lower total sulphurs), whereas this 2014 Cape Crest is absolutely full-on. In mouth the first thing to strike you is the palate weight. Both this wine and Zara make one think that Te Mata have consciously reduced their cropping rate, to up the ripeness, mouthfeel, dry extract and quality. This wine has tactile dry extract. The flavours centre round white stonefruit and sweet basil. Cape Crest is unashamedly modelled on famous white Medocs and Graves wines, where the sauvignon blanc-led barrel-fermented whites may be higher-priced than the chateau's famous reds. On that analogy, this should be a $100 bottle. Like Elston it needs three (or more) years to harmonise, and may not initially appeal, on bouquet. The high score therefore includes an anticipatory component, rewarding the richness particularly. It will cellar just as long as Elston, and maybe longer, for those not trapped in the conventional wisdom of New Zealand views on sauvignon blanc. GK 03/16
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, right in the middle for depth. Though lighter in colour, in this wine the bouquet comes across as showing a darker phase of the nebbiolo berry spectrum, aromatic cherries again but a faint suggestion of bottled black doris plums too. The garrigue-like savoury herbes are there as well. Palate shows gorgeous fruit, the same weight as Asili but a darker shade, and those beautiful ripe grape tannins. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Ruby, right in the middle for depth. Though lighter in colour, in this wine the bouquet comes across as showing a darker phase of the nebbiolo berry spectrum, aromatic cherries again but a faint suggestion of bottled black doris plums too. The garrigue-like savoury herbes are there as well. Palate shows gorgeous fruit, the same weight as Asili but a darker shade, and those beautiful ripe grape tannins. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 05/16
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.4%; $50 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked and sorted in field, cropping rate average 2 t/ac; all de-stemmed, inoculated yeast, 1 day cold-soak, 15 – 21 days cuvaison, no additional acid needed, no BF; most MLF in barrel, 14 months in American 75% and French 25 oak, 50% new (the American fraction for 2008); totally dry; sterile-filtered to bottle, 296 cases; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, excellent. Bouquet shows glorious soft sweet wallflower and darkest roses florality, on cassis and darkest bottled black doris plums, all wonderfully fresh and fragrant and enticing, with cracked black peppercorn, and oak aromatics too. Palate shows great fruit amplifying the bouquet, beautifully shaped by oak, but not dominating it, the cassis, dark plum and gentle black pepper all rich and lingering long in mouth. Like Stonyridge Larose, this virtually fault-free wine points to the future of Waiheke Island premium reds. It is astonishing how this wine has come together since the January Syrah Symposium, in just the same way Bullnose blossoms after 18 months in bottle. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 06/10
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet, excellent. Bouquet shows glorious soft sweet wallflower and darkest roses florality, on cassis and darkest bottled black doris plums, all wonderfully fresh and fragrant and enticing, with cracked black peppercorn, and oak aromatics too. Palate shows great fruit amplifying the bouquet, beautifully shaped by oak, but not dominating it, the cassis, dark plum and gentle black pepper all rich and lingering long in mouth. Like Stonyridge Larose, this virtually fault-free wine points to the future of Waiheke Island premium reds. It is astonishing how this wine has come together since the January Syrah Symposium, in just the same way Bullnose blossoms after 18 months in bottle. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 06/10
Awatere & Wairau Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 100% de-stemmed, cold-soak up to 14 days; 11 months and MLF in French oak 40 – 50% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Beautiful pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sensationally floral, running the full gamut from red roses to boronia and violets, plus also some of the lighter floral fractions such as buddleia. Below are cherry and small fruits, exquisitely pure. Palate is first and foremost subtle, crystalline-pure pinot fruit which at first sight seems simple red and black cherries, slightly leafy. In mouth however the fruit expands, to produce layers of velvety texture on the later palate, all gorgeously aromatic in the way good Cote de Nuits wines are. It is still a little fresh in its acid balance, which nibbles away at the texture slightly, yet it freshens the wine – some of our pinots are too heavy. But stylewise, this could be good Gevrey-Chambertin premier cru wine, loosely speaking. Presumably the slightly cooler-district Awatere fruit is adding distinction to the wine, and deepening the balance of flavours from buddleia / blackboy to boronia / black cherry cues. If this trend can be augmented, enriched, and softened on palate just a little, Marlborough will really be consistently producing world-class pinots. Remedying the combination of high alcohol and high acid, coupled with the retaining of a slightly leafy / stalky thread, is really the key viticultural issue facing Marlborough pinot. This Villa Reserve will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/06
Beautiful pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sensationally floral, running the full gamut from red roses to boronia and violets, plus also some of the lighter floral fractions such as buddleia. Below are cherry and small fruits, exquisitely pure. Palate is first and foremost subtle, crystalline-pure pinot fruit which at first sight seems simple red and black cherries, slightly leafy. In mouth however the fruit expands, to produce layers of velvety texture on the later palate, all gorgeously aromatic in the way good Cote de Nuits wines are. It is still a little fresh in its acid balance, which nibbles away at the texture slightly, yet it freshens the wine – some of our pinots are too heavy. But stylewise, this could be good Gevrey-Chambertin premier cru wine, loosely speaking. Presumably the slightly cooler-district Awatere fruit is adding distinction to the wine, and deepening the balance of flavours from buddleia / blackboy to boronia / black cherry cues. If this trend can be augmented, enriched, and softened on palate just a little, Marlborough will really be consistently producing world-class pinots. Remedying the combination of high alcohol and high acid, coupled with the retaining of a slightly leafy / stalky thread, is really the key viticultural issue facing Marlborough pinot. This Villa Reserve will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/06
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $40 [ 50 mm cork; Gr 60%, Sy 20; Mv 18, Ci 2; a small crop due to hail at flowering, which turned out to be in a sense beneficial for handling the late season drought – tannic wines; whole-bunch and wild-yeast fermentations and extended cuvaison; up to 70% of the wine is aged in 1 – 4 years-old barrels, the balance concrete vat; not filtered; 2.900 cases; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second to deepest wine. Bouquet shows all the beauty of great Chateauneuf, in a wine of greater richness, plummyness and fruit than the 2010. The cinnamon and silver / pink pine (Dacrydium spp) aromatics of grenache are wonderfully apparent, complexed by faint brett. In mouth, the wine is the most burly in the group as befits a 2009 representative. The total acid and the aromatics are slightly down relative to the 2010 Saint Cosme Gigondas, but the plushness of this midnight-dark fruit is sensational. This wine too will give great pleasure for 10 – 30 years. Robert Parker reports that his sample of the 2009 Gigondas showed reduction. The bottling available in New Zealand is perfect in this respect, and the wine can be cellared with great confidence (unless you are paranoid about brett). GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second to deepest wine. Bouquet shows all the beauty of great Chateauneuf, in a wine of greater richness, plummyness and fruit than the 2010. The cinnamon and silver / pink pine (Dacrydium spp) aromatics of grenache are wonderfully apparent, complexed by faint brett. In mouth, the wine is the most burly in the group as befits a 2009 representative. The total acid and the aromatics are slightly down relative to the 2010 Saint Cosme Gigondas, but the plushness of this midnight-dark fruit is sensational. This wine too will give great pleasure for 10 – 30 years. Robert Parker reports that his sample of the 2009 Gigondas showed reduction. The bottling available in New Zealand is perfect in this respect, and the wine can be cellared with great confidence (unless you are paranoid about brett). GK 10/12
Clevedon, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork, 50 mm; Me 70%, carmenere 10, CF 10, CS 5, Ma 5, viticulture tending organic, hand-picked from vines 13 – 16 years old at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; all destemmed, cold soaked up to 5 days with wild yeasts, then cultured yeasts; up to 4 weeks cuvaison; pressings kept separate; 23 months in 100% new French oak, blending at time of final assembly; not fined, light filtering only; the 2013 not yet released, price will be of the order of $150; no reviews; dry extract not available; production c. 250 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 580 g; www.puririhills.co.nz ]
Ruby, the second-lightest wine in depth of colour. This wine stands out in the tasting for exactly the same reason that Ch Cheval-Blanc stands out in a line-up of Medocs and Pomerols. There is an extraordinary fragrance and freshness of bouquet centred on red fruits, almost red currant and raspberry, as if the wine were cabernet franc dominant. Heaven knows exactly what carmenere character is like in New Zealand, but those two varieties are about 10% each, and merlot 70%. Red fruits are backed up by oak of dazzling cedary quality, vastly different from and finer than the oak in Ngakirikiri. In mouth the wine is hard to judge, at this stage. There is a bit much oak for the weight of fruit, interfering with sensory estimation of both total acid and dry extract. It is not one of the richest wines, but it is probably richer than 2013 Coleraine. As the score indicates, I'm giving the wine the benefit of the doubt. At the moment it is the quality of bouquet that is commanding. The proprietor's goal is to make a great East Bank / Saint Emilion winestyle in New Zealand. The 2010s and now this 2013 wine show that they are well on track. Two people rated this their top wine, two their second. The contrast in style vis-a-vis the other wines was noted, six people thinking this might be the Californian wine. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, the second-lightest wine in depth of colour. This wine stands out in the tasting for exactly the same reason that Ch Cheval-Blanc stands out in a line-up of Medocs and Pomerols. There is an extraordinary fragrance and freshness of bouquet centred on red fruits, almost red currant and raspberry, as if the wine were cabernet franc dominant. Heaven knows exactly what carmenere character is like in New Zealand, but those two varieties are about 10% each, and merlot 70%. Red fruits are backed up by oak of dazzling cedary quality, vastly different from and finer than the oak in Ngakirikiri. In mouth the wine is hard to judge, at this stage. There is a bit much oak for the weight of fruit, interfering with sensory estimation of both total acid and dry extract. It is not one of the richest wines, but it is probably richer than 2013 Coleraine. As the score indicates, I'm giving the wine the benefit of the doubt. At the moment it is the quality of bouquet that is commanding. The proprietor's goal is to make a great East Bank / Saint Emilion winestyle in New Zealand. The 2010s and now this 2013 wine show that they are well on track. Two people rated this their top wine, two their second. The contrast in style vis-a-vis the other wines was noted, six people thinking this might be the Californian wine. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Clevedon, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $140 [ cork; Me 54%, CF 25, Ca 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested @ c. 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; 22 months in French oak 75% new; not fined, lightly filtered; will not be released for some time, price indicative; www.puririhills.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Needs some air, then the bouquet has that magical violets, cedar and cassis quality that says Bordeaux, really quite freaky. There is a hint of blackberry too, and fine fragrant oak. Palate has great precision and delicacy, a wine which would easily become lost amongst more burly / oaky Australasian bordeaux blends, but one gradually realises there is an enchanting fruit weight and texture. Even so, new-oaking is to a max, but the oak is of high quality and potentially cedary. This wine is totally of lighter classed growth quality. It is exciting to think about how it will look in tastings of 2010 Bordeaux and 2009 Hawkes Bay blends in a few years time. Cellar 5 – 15-plus years, for a very beautiful medium-weight example of an east-bank-styled New Zealand bordeaux blend. GK 08/12
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Needs some air, then the bouquet has that magical violets, cedar and cassis quality that says Bordeaux, really quite freaky. There is a hint of blackberry too, and fine fragrant oak. Palate has great precision and delicacy, a wine which would easily become lost amongst more burly / oaky Australasian bordeaux blends, but one gradually realises there is an enchanting fruit weight and texture. Even so, new-oaking is to a max, but the oak is of high quality and potentially cedary. This wine is totally of lighter classed growth quality. It is exciting to think about how it will look in tastings of 2010 Bordeaux and 2009 Hawkes Bay blends in a few years time. Cellar 5 – 15-plus years, for a very beautiful medium-weight example of an east-bank-styled New Zealand bordeaux blend. GK 08/12
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $53 [ cork; Me 65%, CS 25, CF 10; 20 days cuvaison, c.20 months French oak 40% new; www.benfieldanddelamare.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. The 2003 Benfield & Delamare has been eagerly awaited, for the vintage was a great one in Martinborough. Public release was this debut at the Regional Roadshow, but though the wine has been released to the mailing list, and is available at the winery, release to the limited number of trade outlets is expected "shortly". Bouquet is wonderfully full and fragrant, with at this stage, the trademark spicy clove and nutmeg oak dominant, and plummy fruit below. Palate is another matter altogether, with a texture and viscosity to the densely plummy and cassisy fruit which is remarkable, and covers the oak totally. And the low alcohol is magical, the way Bordeaux used to be. Martinborough in its warmest years achieves a similar fruit complexity and flavour to Bordeaux, and this wine is one of the best achievements yet from these two committed proprietors. From memory, only two other vintages of theirs in the last 14 years compare with this 2003. Expensive, but in the top years, the quality and rarity of this wine combine to make it a distinctive and desirable top New Zealand claret style. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest. The 2003 Benfield & Delamare has been eagerly awaited, for the vintage was a great one in Martinborough. Public release was this debut at the Regional Roadshow, but though the wine has been released to the mailing list, and is available at the winery, release to the limited number of trade outlets is expected "shortly". Bouquet is wonderfully full and fragrant, with at this stage, the trademark spicy clove and nutmeg oak dominant, and plummy fruit below. Palate is another matter altogether, with a texture and viscosity to the densely plummy and cassisy fruit which is remarkable, and covers the oak totally. And the low alcohol is magical, the way Bordeaux used to be. Martinborough in its warmest years achieves a similar fruit complexity and flavour to Bordeaux, and this wine is one of the best achievements yet from these two committed proprietors. From memory, only two other vintages of theirs in the last 14 years compare with this 2003. Expensive, but in the top years, the quality and rarity of this wine combine to make it a distinctive and desirable top New Zealand claret style. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 10/05
Hawkes Bay (three districts), New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; mostly hand-picked; cepage not revealed – see text; 14 months in all-new oak, French 85%, balance American; RS ‘dry’; www.crossroadswinery.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the top quarter for depth of colour. Initially opened, the wine is tending heavy. With air it opens up to a rich oaky soft wine, with big plummy berry and furry oak. This year's wine certainly hides its "secret" cepage well, there being suggestions of merlot, malbec and syrah dominant, as well as cabernet and others. There could even be pinotage, for there is something different about the blend. Ripeness is impressive in this wine, and shows up many of the other reds in this review. There is a much better ratio of berryfruit to oak here than in the 2009 version, and given vigorous and splashy decanting, it can be recommended. With 10 years in cellar, and decanting, it should be the best Talisman yet, by a large margin. This time round, my impressions of the 2009 were not so favourable, see below. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the top quarter for depth of colour. Initially opened, the wine is tending heavy. With air it opens up to a rich oaky soft wine, with big plummy berry and furry oak. This year's wine certainly hides its "secret" cepage well, there being suggestions of merlot, malbec and syrah dominant, as well as cabernet and others. There could even be pinotage, for there is something different about the blend. Ripeness is impressive in this wine, and shows up many of the other reds in this review. There is a much better ratio of berryfruit to oak here than in the 2009 version, and given vigorous and splashy decanting, it can be recommended. With 10 years in cellar, and decanting, it should be the best Talisman yet, by a large margin. This time round, my impressions of the 2009 were not so favourable, see below. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed; BF in French oak 60% new, two-thirds of the wine wild-yeast fermentations, c. 40% through MLF; 10 months LA in barrel with occasional stirring, plus 2 months further in tank on lees; pH 3.32, RS nil g/L; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Pale lemon, as pale as the Stoneleigh, very elegant. Bouquet is exactly what you'd expect the Felton to be, clear pale chardonnay reminding of grand cru chablis, with light oak. There is a lot of barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis here too, complexed with good MLF. The total bouquet is excellent. In mouth, it is firmer than expected, total acid making the oak seem a little apparent at this stage, body not quite as succulent as the top wines, maybe. These top wines show an immensely rewarding diversity of styles, which simply adds to the excitement of tasting them or cellaring a good selection. The total achievement in chardonnay today is so much finer and more elegant than the wines of 10 years ago. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemon, as pale as the Stoneleigh, very elegant. Bouquet is exactly what you'd expect the Felton to be, clear pale chardonnay reminding of grand cru chablis, with light oak. There is a lot of barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis here too, complexed with good MLF. The total bouquet is excellent. In mouth, it is firmer than expected, total acid making the oak seem a little apparent at this stage, body not quite as succulent as the top wines, maybe. These top wines show an immensely rewarding diversity of styles, which simply adds to the excitement of tasting them or cellaring a good selection. The total achievement in chardonnay today is so much finer and more elegant than the wines of 10 years ago. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Tukituki Valley 67%, Gimblett Gravels 31% & Bridge Pa Triangle 2%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $34 [ screwcap; Me 100%; all de-stemmed, up to 5 weeks cuvaison; 18 – 20 months in French oak 33% new; RS < 2 g/L, all unfermentable; coarse-filtered only; to illustrate merlot with more oak, but still contrasting with the aromatic and tannic CS shown in the first wine (Menzies); www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine. After the Villa Merlot this initially smelt oaky, but there is lovely fruit below. Merlot too is often abused by Southern Hemisphere winemakers, and 'firmed up' with oak into the oaky-aromatic style so many winemakers sadly think is needed for the class as a whole. In cabernet / merlot blends, adding aromatics (and heavyness) from oak is not the same as having great cabernet perfectly ripe which optimises the wine's intrinsic aromatic complexity. So to round out the merlot component of the presentation, an oaked merlot yet still with great varietal berry and fruit was needed. This McDonald wine is near-perfect for the job, since the plummy fruit behind the oak retains its own vibrancy in this less-warm year. These two merlots hold hands perfectly, and convey a great picture of the variety's role in the Hawkes Bay blend, namely to provide palate weight and smooth-over the hole in the cabernet palate. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, some carmine. After the Villa Merlot this initially smelt oaky, but there is lovely fruit below. Merlot too is often abused by Southern Hemisphere winemakers, and 'firmed up' with oak into the oaky-aromatic style so many winemakers sadly think is needed for the class as a whole. In cabernet / merlot blends, adding aromatics (and heavyness) from oak is not the same as having great cabernet perfectly ripe which optimises the wine's intrinsic aromatic complexity. So to round out the merlot component of the presentation, an oaked merlot yet still with great varietal berry and fruit was needed. This McDonald wine is near-perfect for the job, since the plummy fruit behind the oak retains its own vibrancy in this less-warm year. These two merlots hold hands perfectly, and convey a great picture of the variety's role in the Hawkes Bay blend, namely to provide palate weight and smooth-over the hole in the cabernet palate. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $216 [ cork, 50 mm; DFB; original price $200; Sy 100% (mass selection clone) intensively hand-managed in the vineyard to optimise a reduced crop; the crop hand-harvested and sorted, all with great attention to fruit quality for the Tom parcels, at an approximate cropping rate of 6 t/ha (= 2.4 t/ac), all destemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, fermentation in an open-top oak cuve, up to 31 days cuvaison, particular attention to aeration during and after fermentation; 22 months in French small oak 71% new, with racking to both aerate and clarify the wine; RS is given as 2.5 g/L, but that is the non-fermentable sugars: in the usual sense (of glucose and fructose) nil would be more realistic; neither fined nor filtered; winemaker Chris Scott considers 2013 is the driest year in the viticultural zone for 70 years, and not unduly hot; no overseas reviews; Chan, 2016: ... integrated and harmonious aromas of ripe black-berried fruits and plums with liquorice, soft spices, nuances of pepper and Mediterranean spices … an edge of decadence and exoticism to the aromatics ... flavours ... an array of ripe black fruits, black pepper, spices and florals. The mouthfeel is seamless, with very fine, flowery tannins and significant, but stylish extraction ... concentrated ... a very long, intense, sustained finish, 19.5; Cooper, 2017: Delicious from the start ... it is seductively smooth (winemaker Chris Scott aims to 'melt the tannins into the wine') with concentrated, ripe blackcurrant and spice flavours, a hint of pepperiness, gentle tannins and acidity, and lovely fragrance, depth and harmony, *****; production c.150 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 824 g; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. One sniff and this is a big wine, sweeter, riper, deeper, more concentrated, more oaky, just pouring from the glass. It would be easy to be seduced by such opulence / magnificence. Looking at the wine more closely, the exciting ‘lift’ on bouquet is more alcohol than florals, but the power of berry is impressive. It tastes as lush and dramatic as it smells, but still not exactly floral, and it is hard to feel that even fresh cassis is clearly delineated. All the fruit is very ripe, but happily it is still clearly within bounds. There is no clumsy boysenberry as characterises so much Australian shiraz. So this is a wine more in the style of 2003 or 2009 (that is, hot years) in Hermitage, years with sur-maturité unless the winemaker was scrupulously careful in picking. Chief winemaker Chris Scott is clear-cut about wanting the soft tannins of ripe fruit, but in pursuing this style, he is at risk of losing one of the particular charms of great Hermitage and Cote Rotie, the complex florals. This is a factor we can ultimately match in New Zealand, as the Bullnose already shows. Few other countries can. Tasting further through the wine, the palate is opulent, but later in the aftertaste and swallow the high alcohol consequent on this approach becomes evident. If Hermitage and Cote Rotie be the yardstick, a little less would give more, in this flagship wine. Two tasters rated Tom their first or second wine, and two thought it Australian. Tellingly, nobody thought it French. One detail re labelling. It is too confusing for people un-versed in the subtleties of bottle shape etc, to now have two very different wines both labelled on the front label, simply Church Road Tom McDonald. The striking front label needs moving up the bottle a little, to add below in red: Syrah (or Cabernet / Merlot) as the case may be. Notwithstanding the detail is on the back label. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, nearly carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. One sniff and this is a big wine, sweeter, riper, deeper, more concentrated, more oaky, just pouring from the glass. It would be easy to be seduced by such opulence / magnificence. Looking at the wine more closely, the exciting ‘lift’ on bouquet is more alcohol than florals, but the power of berry is impressive. It tastes as lush and dramatic as it smells, but still not exactly floral, and it is hard to feel that even fresh cassis is clearly delineated. All the fruit is very ripe, but happily it is still clearly within bounds. There is no clumsy boysenberry as characterises so much Australian shiraz. So this is a wine more in the style of 2003 or 2009 (that is, hot years) in Hermitage, years with sur-maturité unless the winemaker was scrupulously careful in picking. Chief winemaker Chris Scott is clear-cut about wanting the soft tannins of ripe fruit, but in pursuing this style, he is at risk of losing one of the particular charms of great Hermitage and Cote Rotie, the complex florals. This is a factor we can ultimately match in New Zealand, as the Bullnose already shows. Few other countries can. Tasting further through the wine, the palate is opulent, but later in the aftertaste and swallow the high alcohol consequent on this approach becomes evident. If Hermitage and Cote Rotie be the yardstick, a little less would give more, in this flagship wine. Two tasters rated Tom their first or second wine, and two thought it Australian. Tellingly, nobody thought it French. One detail re labelling. It is too confusing for people un-versed in the subtleties of bottle shape etc, to now have two very different wines both labelled on the front label, simply Church Road Tom McDonald. The striking front label needs moving up the bottle a little, to add below in red: Syrah (or Cabernet / Merlot) as the case may be. Notwithstanding the detail is on the back label. Cellar 5 – 30 years. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2, hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) mainly from the Limmer clone, also some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard on the hill of Hermitage, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, markedly lighter than 2009 The Gimblett. Bouquet is more regular Northern Rhone syrah, showing clear dianthus-family florals on cassisy berry browning slightly now, plus rather a lot of oak. A black pepper lift is apparent, too. In mouth the wine might be in an awkward phase, an interaction between berry tannin and oak producing a slight hardness. There is great fruit richness, length of flavour, and potential smoothness, but the oak continues a little prominent right now. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, markedly lighter than 2009 The Gimblett. Bouquet is more regular Northern Rhone syrah, showing clear dianthus-family florals on cassisy berry browning slightly now, plus rather a lot of oak. A black pepper lift is apparent, too. In mouth the wine might be in an awkward phase, an interaction between berry tannin and oak producing a slight hardness. There is great fruit richness, length of flavour, and potential smoothness, but the oak continues a little prominent right now. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $93 [ 49mm cork; Me 61%, CS 20, CF 19, vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; 19 months in French oak c.42% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, again a good claret colour, lighter than the top three, above midway in depth. This wine has a distinctive very fragrant bouquet, with a clear aromatic component hinting at balsam, on cassisy and darkly plummy rich berry. Palate shows lovely ripe supple fruit, not quite as rich as the top wines, so the oak is showing slightly more, but again the whole wine totally international in calibre and flavour. It should cellar for 10 – 20 years, and hold longer. GK 03/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, again a good claret colour, lighter than the top three, above midway in depth. This wine has a distinctive very fragrant bouquet, with a clear aromatic component hinting at balsam, on cassisy and darkly plummy rich berry. Palate shows lovely ripe supple fruit, not quite as rich as the top wines, so the oak is showing slightly more, but again the whole wine totally international in calibre and flavour. It should cellar for 10 – 20 years, and hold longer. GK 03/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $75 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Me 62%, CS 19, CF 18, PV 1, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison not given, cultured-yeast; 19 months in French oak c.42% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; dry extract 25.9 g/L; production not disclosed; release date 1 June, 2015; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in colour depth, lighter than Coleraine. One sniff and you think of St Emilion or even Pomerol, the wine soft and floral / fragrant, not as rich and dark as the Brokenstone, which is even more Pomerol, or as perfumed as the Coleraine. It is not a big wine, but there is beautiful ripe berryfruit underpinning the floral qualities, all tending soft and round as you might expect from a merlot-led wine, and showing distinctly less oak influence than most of the top wines. It is softer and a little riper than Coleraine, a wine aiming for beauty more than power. It thus contrasts rather in style with some of the more heroic reds of Craggy's earlier years. The palate ripeness should allow it to cellar well – in the sense the high cabernets of Coleraine adds to that wine's cellar longevity, so greater ripeness here should match that. Dry extract is more in the traditional range of better New Zealand reds, but the Craggy winemakers feel this will be a particularly long-lived example of the Sophia label, which may well out-perform some of the bigger wines. An interesting wine to follow, therefore, and also to have as a running mate for Coleraine, with which it shares some attributes. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in colour depth, lighter than Coleraine. One sniff and you think of St Emilion or even Pomerol, the wine soft and floral / fragrant, not as rich and dark as the Brokenstone, which is even more Pomerol, or as perfumed as the Coleraine. It is not a big wine, but there is beautiful ripe berryfruit underpinning the floral qualities, all tending soft and round as you might expect from a merlot-led wine, and showing distinctly less oak influence than most of the top wines. It is softer and a little riper than Coleraine, a wine aiming for beauty more than power. It thus contrasts rather in style with some of the more heroic reds of Craggy's earlier years. The palate ripeness should allow it to cellar well – in the sense the high cabernets of Coleraine adds to that wine's cellar longevity, so greater ripeness here should match that. Dry extract is more in the traditional range of better New Zealand reds, but the Craggy winemakers feel this will be a particularly long-lived example of the Sophia label, which may well out-perform some of the bigger wines. An interesting wine to follow, therefore, and also to have as a running mate for Coleraine, with which it shares some attributes. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/15
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ cork; BF, MLF and 18 months LA in French oak, a small percentage new; RS 1.3 g/L; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, attractive. Bouquet is a little unusual for chardonnay, but if one thinks about acacia florals and extended lees-autolysis, and some of Gaja's nearly-scented bread-crust chardonnays, it starts to make sense. The actual fruit is a little hidden in the artefact, but it smells rich. Palate is very rich indeed, pure lees-autolysis of baguette crust and crumb flavour quality, quite firm acid in the Marlborough style, a suggestion of barrel-char throughout. This distinctive chardonnay is a little outside the square, but high-quality. It should cellar well 5 – 12 years, and may rate higher in a year or so. GK 05/08
Lemongreen, attractive. Bouquet is a little unusual for chardonnay, but if one thinks about acacia florals and extended lees-autolysis, and some of Gaja's nearly-scented bread-crust chardonnays, it starts to make sense. The actual fruit is a little hidden in the artefact, but it smells rich. Palate is very rich indeed, pure lees-autolysis of baguette crust and crumb flavour quality, quite firm acid in the Marlborough style, a suggestion of barrel-char throughout. This distinctive chardonnay is a little outside the square, but high-quality. It should cellar well 5 – 12 years, and may rate higher in a year or so. GK 05/08
Apalta Valley, Santa Cruz DoO, Chile: 14.5%; $70 [ cork, 50mm; release price $135; this wine is widely rated as Chile’s top syrah; Montes is a totally new winery, the product of four visionaries in 1987 / 88. They wanted to demonstrate what Chile could do in wine, with more modern methods. By 2005 they had become the fifth largest exporter of Chilean wine. This Syrah Folly represents an experimental wine from grapes planted higher than had ever been proposed before, in the Apalta Valley. The Finca de Apalta vineyard has slopes up to 45°, and is at c.600m asl, in a rainfall zone of c.600mm per year. Drip irrigation is employed, in a manner that stresses the vines. Folly was first made in 2000. It is all hand-picked, and yields are low at 3.5 t/ha = 1.4 t/ac. At pressing, 15% of the juice is drawn off (saignée) for use elsewhere, to concentrate the wine. It is then matured in 100% new French oak, for 18 months. Production is 600 – 700 9-litre cases; Robinson, 2002: Cask sample. This vintage is drier, with more acid, structure and potential. Dense and concentrated, it makes me want to taste it in a couple of years, 18.5 (with Montes Alpha M (once), her highest score ever for a Montes wine); Halliday, 2002: it is a very youthful wine, years away from its peak. But it is technically perfect ... a Syrah which has one foot in the Old World (Côte Rotie) and one foot in the New World, (no score given); Wine Spectator, 2003: This stunner flaunts a wall of concentrated blackberry and black currant fruit surrounding notes of cocoa, espresso and meat, but it's all buttressed by massive tannins, so cellar for maximum effect. Terrific Syrah that doesn't stray into the top-heavy blockbuster style … really impressive. Best from 2004 through 2007, 93;
bottle weight dry 955 grams; www.monteswines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, remarkably youthful for its age, uncannily close to the Le Sol, in the middle for depth. Bouquet shares clear-cut aromatic cassis berry with Le Sol, but is more aromatic, to the point of a light balsam component. There is some black pepper, and aromatic oak a little greater than the Le Sol. Palate is close to the Le Sol too, in terms of cassisy fruit quality and precise ripeness, and high alcohol, but new oak becomes more noticeable to the finish. This wine too has the good texture of natural acid. This was clearly the second favourite wine in the tasting, eight people rating it their first or second wine. It is still too youthful to impress with food. The best Chilean wine I have tasted, both on purity of fruit and quality of cooperage. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/18
bottle weight dry 955 grams; www.monteswines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, remarkably youthful for its age, uncannily close to the Le Sol, in the middle for depth. Bouquet shares clear-cut aromatic cassis berry with Le Sol, but is more aromatic, to the point of a light balsam component. There is some black pepper, and aromatic oak a little greater than the Le Sol. Palate is close to the Le Sol too, in terms of cassisy fruit quality and precise ripeness, and high alcohol, but new oak becomes more noticeable to the finish. This wine too has the good texture of natural acid. This was clearly the second favourite wine in the tasting, eight people rating it their first or second wine. It is still too youthful to impress with food. The best Chilean wine I have tasted, both on purity of fruit and quality of cooperage. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 80% de-stemmed, 20 whole-bunch, up to 7 days cold-soak, commercial yeasts; 10 months in French oak 40% new; minimal filtration; a Villa Maria group label; www.thornbury.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. This is an intriguing wine, showing both lovely pinot noir varietal character and some European styling in its oak handling (that is not a euphemism for brett), making the wine aromatic and spicy. There are clear varietal florals at the darker red rose and boronia level of complexity, on black cherry fruit. Palate is soft, rich, flavoursome, with lingering cherry fruit and slightly cedary attractive oak, subtler and more appropriate than the Excelsior. It is not quite as pure and varietal as the Villa Maria Taylor's, the oak is a little bolder, but it is good rich wine with more ideal ripeness, no thought of stalks. It may not be absolutely bone-dry to the finish. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Good pinot noir ruby. This is an intriguing wine, showing both lovely pinot noir varietal character and some European styling in its oak handling (that is not a euphemism for brett), making the wine aromatic and spicy. There are clear varietal florals at the darker red rose and boronia level of complexity, on black cherry fruit. Palate is soft, rich, flavoursome, with lingering cherry fruit and slightly cedary attractive oak, subtler and more appropriate than the Excelsior. It is not quite as pure and varietal as the Villa Maria Taylor's, the oak is a little bolder, but it is good rich wine with more ideal ripeness, no thought of stalks. It may not be absolutely bone-dry to the finish. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $127 [ cork; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-harvested @ c. 1 t/ac from vines 12 years old (the syrah); the percentage Vi hard to estimate, as there is both fruit (strictly 2%), but also fermentation of the red on the much greater volume of pressed skins from the dry white Viognier; 100% de-stemmed; a shorter cuvaison than the Esk Valley Reserve, maybe 15 days; MLF and 18 months in French oak 92% new; 311 cases; winemakers Warren Gibson & John Hancock; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this wine (or this bottle) does not have quite the crystalline clarity of varietal expression the top wines show. It is clearly syrah, with dusky floral components, and herbes de Provence plus black peppercorn spice, on slightly smoky cassis and dark plum. There is also a suggestion of bush honey, as Rhone syrahs sometimes show, but here the smoky oak-related character gives the wine a suggestion of the distinctive aroma in honey from a hive mildly infected with the bee disease American foul brood. Trace brett seems the likely explanation, though these days most would call it funky. Palate straightens the wine up, clear-cut cassis, quite oaky, as rich as the Esk Reserve, but not matching the sheer beauty and concentration of the Villa Reserve. The combination of characters in this wine suggested to many tasters (in the blind tasting) that it was a French syrah, so it will be an intriguing bottle to have in cellar for future comparative 2005 / 6 syrah tastings. Price is a problem though, a topic to be touched on elsewhere. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this wine (or this bottle) does not have quite the crystalline clarity of varietal expression the top wines show. It is clearly syrah, with dusky floral components, and herbes de Provence plus black peppercorn spice, on slightly smoky cassis and dark plum. There is also a suggestion of bush honey, as Rhone syrahs sometimes show, but here the smoky oak-related character gives the wine a suggestion of the distinctive aroma in honey from a hive mildly infected with the bee disease American foul brood. Trace brett seems the likely explanation, though these days most would call it funky. Palate straightens the wine up, clear-cut cassis, quite oaky, as rich as the Esk Reserve, but not matching the sheer beauty and concentration of the Villa Reserve. The combination of characters in this wine suggested to many tasters (in the blind tasting) that it was a French syrah, so it will be an intriguing bottle to have in cellar for future comparative 2005 / 6 syrah tastings. Price is a problem though, a topic to be touched on elsewhere. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; 5 clones of pinot, the oldest (on own roots) 17 years at harvest; earlier vintages have been cropped at c. 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; up to 9 days cold-soak with c. 6% whole-bunches, up to 8 days fermentation, up to 9 days maceration, a similar cuvaison to Target Gulley, but the least whole-bunch component; 16 months in French oak, some new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. This is the quietest of the three Single Vineyard wines on bouquet, at the moment just an implied dusky florality in quite dark cherry fruit. On palate the fruit richness from red and black cherries is close to Target Gulley, the acid is lower than Pipeclay, but there is a slightly burly tannin quality yet to marry in. It is very hard to say which of Long and Pipeclay is the better, indeed one's view can change from tasting to tasting, but they are different. Winemaker Matt Dicey sees this as the most 'masculine' of the Individual Vineyard pinots. Cellar 3 – 8 years, 10 in a cool cellar. GK 06/11
Pinot noir ruby. This is the quietest of the three Single Vineyard wines on bouquet, at the moment just an implied dusky florality in quite dark cherry fruit. On palate the fruit richness from red and black cherries is close to Target Gulley, the acid is lower than Pipeclay, but there is a slightly burly tannin quality yet to marry in. It is very hard to say which of Long and Pipeclay is the better, indeed one's view can change from tasting to tasting, but they are different. Winemaker Matt Dicey sees this as the most 'masculine' of the Individual Vineyard pinots. Cellar 3 – 8 years, 10 in a cool cellar. GK 06/11
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $40 [ 50 mm cork; Gr 60%, Sy 20; Mv 18, Ci 2; whole-bunch and wild-yeast fermentations and extended cuvaison; perhaps up to 70% of the wine is aged in 1 – 4 years-old barrels, the balance concrete vat; not filtered; 3,330 cases; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the lightest of the wines, still a great colour. Bouquet is complex, with quite noticeable garrigue aromatics and florals, clean cinnamon, lots of red and black fruits, great integration and just an academic level of brett to make the wine even more food-friendly. Palate is gorgeous, similar fruit to the top wines but slightly more oak, so in one sense the wine seems delicate and aromatic. It hasn't quite got the burgundian beauty of the Guigal yet, it is clearly more aromatic, and the flavour lingers on the aromatics. Do not think of the concrete vat component as detracting from the quality of the wine. In fact surprisingly often this cuvée ends up more supple, burgundian and harmonious than the more oak-affected "serious" Gigondas such as Valbelle from Saint Cosme. Another wine to buy as much as you can afford, and rejoice in for half a lifetime. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally the lightest of the wines, still a great colour. Bouquet is complex, with quite noticeable garrigue aromatics and florals, clean cinnamon, lots of red and black fruits, great integration and just an academic level of brett to make the wine even more food-friendly. Palate is gorgeous, similar fruit to the top wines but slightly more oak, so in one sense the wine seems delicate and aromatic. It hasn't quite got the burgundian beauty of the Guigal yet, it is clearly more aromatic, and the flavour lingers on the aromatics. Do not think of the concrete vat component as detracting from the quality of the wine. In fact surprisingly often this cuvée ends up more supple, burgundian and harmonious than the more oak-affected "serious" Gigondas such as Valbelle from Saint Cosme. Another wine to buy as much as you can afford, and rejoice in for half a lifetime. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 10/12
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; SB 100%, cool-harvested in evening at c. 5.2 t/ac, de-stemmed avoiding skin-contact, and cool-fermented with neutral cultivated yeasts in s/s with no solids; pH 3.38, RS 3.3 g/L; Astrolabe is now famous for this standard-label Sauvignon Blanc – the variety accounts for 80% of production, but there is a good range of other varieties. The wine are marketed in 3 series, the standard blended wines labelled (very faintly) Voyage), individual-site wines labelled Discovery, and occasional special wines labelled Experience; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
I have described this wine as the benchmark and definitive example of the Marlborough style, so it was included again to check such an assertion. The result was pleasing, achieving much the same outcome – see previous review for description. The thought that the slightly richer and drier Awatere wine might be even better does not detract from the glorious achievement of this more widely available wine. If you are not familiar with these two top Astrolabe sauvignon blancs from the Awatere and Wairau Valleys (but not the Kekerengu example, which is more a study wine), do seek them out. Any worthwhile wine merchant should stock them. It is probably too good for the price-driven supermarkets, and if it is too maintain its great intrinsic quality, long may that remain so. Cellar to 10 years, if you like the flavours of older sauvignon. GK 04/09
I have described this wine as the benchmark and definitive example of the Marlborough style, so it was included again to check such an assertion. The result was pleasing, achieving much the same outcome – see previous review for description. The thought that the slightly richer and drier Awatere wine might be even better does not detract from the glorious achievement of this more widely available wine. If you are not familiar with these two top Astrolabe sauvignon blancs from the Awatere and Wairau Valleys (but not the Kekerengu example, which is more a study wine), do seek them out. Any worthwhile wine merchant should stock them. It is probably too good for the price-driven supermarkets, and if it is too maintain its great intrinsic quality, long may that remain so. Cellar to 10 years, if you like the flavours of older sauvignon. GK 04/09
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.5%; $56 [ price ex vineyard; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
A fine pinot ruby, like the 2001 Pisa. A subdued bouquet showing suggestions of violets and deep pinot florals, plus blackest cherries. Palate concentrates the cherries incredibly, to give a mouthfeel which is beautifully rich in flavour, lingers on black cherry skins counterpointed by subtle oak, and hides the high alcohol surprisingly well. Fruit richness and ripeness is wonderful, though possibly verging on sur-maturité, without the piquant freshness of the Ata Rangi or Cloudy Bay. That would explain the understated bouquet. Even so, in this tasting it is New Zealand’s top-equal pinot noir, and demonstrates clearly that pinot can be big, beautiful and highly varietal (as we know from Burgundy), yet avoid the anonymous clumsiness of the fruit bomb approach. Not often that Nelson presents a wine seeming warmer-climate in style than Marlborough. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/04
A fine pinot ruby, like the 2001 Pisa. A subdued bouquet showing suggestions of violets and deep pinot florals, plus blackest cherries. Palate concentrates the cherries incredibly, to give a mouthfeel which is beautifully rich in flavour, lingers on black cherry skins counterpointed by subtle oak, and hides the high alcohol surprisingly well. Fruit richness and ripeness is wonderful, though possibly verging on sur-maturité, without the piquant freshness of the Ata Rangi or Cloudy Bay. That would explain the understated bouquet. Even so, in this tasting it is New Zealand’s top-equal pinot noir, and demonstrates clearly that pinot can be big, beautiful and highly varietal (as we know from Burgundy), yet avoid the anonymous clumsiness of the fruit bomb approach. Not often that Nelson presents a wine seeming warmer-climate in style than Marlborough. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/04
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ cork; 100% BF and MLF in 33% new French oak, 10 months LA; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, a little deeper than expected. Bouquet on this wine is much more complex than Woodthorpe Chardonnay, with a much greater winemaker input adding smells and flavours. To first impression, oatmeal and potential toasted nuttiness dominates, but the underlying peaches and custard, with aromatic but well-hidden oak, is great too. Palate takes all these and adds a subtle fine butter component from the MLF contribution, rich golden queen peaches, and long flavours on quite firm acid. As the wine lingers in mouth, fruit and mealy nuttiness become inseparable, and the aftertaste is gorgeous. Not quite as rich as I was expecting, maybe – certainly leaner (and oakier) than the Villas. The winemaker says cellar 2 – 6 years, and it is more developed than some Elstons have been at release. But 5 – 8 years should be safe, at least in Wellington and south. GK 03/05
Lemonstraw, a little deeper than expected. Bouquet on this wine is much more complex than Woodthorpe Chardonnay, with a much greater winemaker input adding smells and flavours. To first impression, oatmeal and potential toasted nuttiness dominates, but the underlying peaches and custard, with aromatic but well-hidden oak, is great too. Palate takes all these and adds a subtle fine butter component from the MLF contribution, rich golden queen peaches, and long flavours on quite firm acid. As the wine lingers in mouth, fruit and mealy nuttiness become inseparable, and the aftertaste is gorgeous. Not quite as rich as I was expecting, maybe – certainly leaner (and oakier) than the Villas. The winemaker says cellar 2 – 6 years, and it is more developed than some Elstons have been at release. But 5 – 8 years should be safe, at least in Wellington and south. GK 03/05
Geelong, Victoria, Australia: 13.2%; $ – [ cork, 48mm; winemaker then was Gary Farr, of pinot noir fame, a devotee of Jacques Seysses (Domaine Dujac); grapes picked 25 March and 10 April at 20.7 and 21.8° Brix, sugar addition to achieve 13%, 100% BF in French oak 30% new, balance 1- and 2-year; 6 – 8 weeks lees-stirring, then 11 months untouched in barrel; 50% of the wine through MLF; 1.3 g/L RS so sterile filtered to bottle; details Gary Farr, correspondence; www.bannockburnvineyards.com ]
Lemon with the faintest straw wash, scarcely able to be differentiated from the Vat 47, the second palest wine. Bouquet on this bottle was (sadly) lightly TCA-affected, but at a level where one can still interpret the wine clearly. The structure of the wine was so compelling, I included it in the tasting - as a study wine. In the case of this note, evaluation is assisted by last year's tasting of this wine, against the same Vat 47, on which occasion the Bannockburn was even more astonishing for its fresh mealy Meursault or Corton-like elegance than the Tyrrell. Like it, there is still pale peach fruit of enchanting freshness and richness, beautiful barrel ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, and a long mealy palate hinting at cashew. Acid balance is fantastic, against the rich fruit: you would never suspect half the wine went through MLF, as Gary Farr now advises. Like the Tyrrell, this will hold some years. Even flawed, this wine ranked top or second for three tasters – a great example of technical tasting skill. GK 09/15
Lemon with the faintest straw wash, scarcely able to be differentiated from the Vat 47, the second palest wine. Bouquet on this bottle was (sadly) lightly TCA-affected, but at a level where one can still interpret the wine clearly. The structure of the wine was so compelling, I included it in the tasting - as a study wine. In the case of this note, evaluation is assisted by last year's tasting of this wine, against the same Vat 47, on which occasion the Bannockburn was even more astonishing for its fresh mealy Meursault or Corton-like elegance than the Tyrrell. Like it, there is still pale peach fruit of enchanting freshness and richness, beautiful barrel ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, and a long mealy palate hinting at cashew. Acid balance is fantastic, against the rich fruit: you would never suspect half the wine went through MLF, as Gary Farr now advises. Like the Tyrrell, this will hold some years. Even flawed, this wine ranked top or second for three tasters – a great example of technical tasting skill. GK 09/15
Upper Moutere Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $59 [ screwcap; main clones UCD 5, Dijon 777, 16 – 22 years age, all hand-picked; small percentage whole-bunch and all wild-yeast fermentations; 12 months French oak 25% new, not fined or filtered, production 401 9-L cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Lovely limpid pinot noir weight ruby, the lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet though, the wine presenting glorious varietal florals of Cote de Nuits quality, port-wine magnolia and boronia, slightly spicy and aromatic red cherry fruit, plus subtle fragrant oak. Palate follows delightfully, the fruit impression bearing no relation to the lightness of colour, the whole wine having a Rousseau-like quality to it. The floral sweetness suffuses right through the palate, an essentially burgundian quality only achieved by the great wines of places like Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. The quality of flavour is superb, the wine having a clearly burgundian sweetness to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/18
Lovely limpid pinot noir weight ruby, the lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet though, the wine presenting glorious varietal florals of Cote de Nuits quality, port-wine magnolia and boronia, slightly spicy and aromatic red cherry fruit, plus subtle fragrant oak. Palate follows delightfully, the fruit impression bearing no relation to the lightness of colour, the whole wine having a Rousseau-like quality to it. The floral sweetness suffuses right through the palate, an essentially burgundian quality only achieved by the great wines of places like Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny. The quality of flavour is superb, the wine having a clearly burgundian sweetness to it. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 03/18
Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $155 [ cork; vine age 25 – 60 years; wine-searcher valuation $734; www.mongeard.com ]
Wine is clear and a pale brick-red colour in appearance, bright and paling at rim. Clean nose, still developing, with fragrant aromas of dried red cherries, concentrated sweet prunes, lifted floral violets and a smoky savouriness, suggesting beef jerky. Dry, soft and plush mouthfeel, drinking very well now. The wine still contains a freshness and high acidity that suggests potential for further cellaring. Intensely concentrated plum and prune characters, along with dried strawberry, stewed rhubarb and floral herb undertones. Long length and light ripe tannins. A lovely wine. RD 08/16
Wine is clear and a pale brick-red colour in appearance, bright and paling at rim. Clean nose, still developing, with fragrant aromas of dried red cherries, concentrated sweet prunes, lifted floral violets and a smoky savouriness, suggesting beef jerky. Dry, soft and plush mouthfeel, drinking very well now. The wine still contains a freshness and high acidity that suggests potential for further cellaring. Intensely concentrated plum and prune characters, along with dried strawberry, stewed rhubarb and floral herb undertones. Long length and light ripe tannins. A lovely wine. RD 08/16
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; machine-harvested cool at night / early morning, 3 – 4 hours skin contact, all s/s cool fermentation with cultured yeasts to a maximum of 14° C to optimise aromatics; RS 4 g/L; Templar Vineyard farmed organically since 2010 and gained Biogro certification in 2012; 2015 seen as a quality year for Marlborough sauvignon blanc; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
This is one of two distinctly yellow-washed lemon-coloured wines in the Villa set. Bouquet on this wine is intriguingly different, combining clear sautéed red capsicum notes with yellow fruits reminiscent of both black passionfruit pulp and almost trace mango. As with the Taylors Pass wine, there is a suggestion of pure white clover honey, too. (NB: pure New Zealand clover honey is white, and has virtually no smell, just a very sweet white waxy / honey character. Virtually all our 'clover honey' has colour, aroma and flavour blended into it from other nectar / pollen sources). In mouth this wine seems both fractionally sweeter [ confirmed ] and riper than the first two, still aromatic from the black passionfruit component but scarcely any recognisable red capsicum complexity. Nectarine / stone fruit is the main impression, with few green notes at all. The British would therefore condemn it, but here in New Zealand it bridges the gap to the best Hawkes Bay sauvignon blancs, via Martinborough. Only on the late aftertaste do suggestions of red capsicum zingy aromatics become apparent. NB: this wine is as sweet as top-quality New Zealand sauvignon blanc should be. Cellar 3 – 10 years, being riper. GK 04/16
This is one of two distinctly yellow-washed lemon-coloured wines in the Villa set. Bouquet on this wine is intriguingly different, combining clear sautéed red capsicum notes with yellow fruits reminiscent of both black passionfruit pulp and almost trace mango. As with the Taylors Pass wine, there is a suggestion of pure white clover honey, too. (NB: pure New Zealand clover honey is white, and has virtually no smell, just a very sweet white waxy / honey character. Virtually all our 'clover honey' has colour, aroma and flavour blended into it from other nectar / pollen sources). In mouth this wine seems both fractionally sweeter [ confirmed ] and riper than the first two, still aromatic from the black passionfruit component but scarcely any recognisable red capsicum complexity. Nectarine / stone fruit is the main impression, with few green notes at all. The British would therefore condemn it, but here in New Zealand it bridges the gap to the best Hawkes Bay sauvignon blancs, via Martinborough. Only on the late aftertaste do suggestions of red capsicum zingy aromatics become apparent. NB: this wine is as sweet as top-quality New Zealand sauvignon blanc should be. Cellar 3 – 10 years, being riper. GK 04/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $43 [ Stelvin Lux screwcap; main clones UCD 5, 6, 10/5, planted at c.2,000 vines/ha, average age 18 – 19 years; all hand-picked at 6.5 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac; 7 – 10% whole-bunch, 8 – 9 days cold soak, cuvaison not given but in other years has been around 20 days, all wild-yeast; all the wine in barrel usually around 11 months in all-French oak 30% new, medium toast, MLF in barrel; sterile-filtered to bottle; RS 0.2 g/L: dry extract 26.6 g/L; production 9,500 9-L cases; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet is beautifully floral, total red roses, supremely varietal, arguably the finest bouquet in the set. Palate shows clear red cherry more than black cherry fruit illustrating a perfect point of picking, lovely balance in mouth, a very stylish wine epitomising good New Zealand pinot noir. There is no way this wine typifies Otago Pinot noir, however. Cellar 5 – 12 years. Again, tasters mostly did not endorse this classically proportioned wine, only one first or second place. Nobody thought it Otago. GK 08/16
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet is beautifully floral, total red roses, supremely varietal, arguably the finest bouquet in the set. Palate shows clear red cherry more than black cherry fruit illustrating a perfect point of picking, lovely balance in mouth, a very stylish wine epitomising good New Zealand pinot noir. There is no way this wine typifies Otago Pinot noir, however. Cellar 5 – 12 years. Again, tasters mostly did not endorse this classically proportioned wine, only one first or second place. Nobody thought it Otago. GK 08/16
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $97 [ cork, 49mm; CS 59%, Me 29, CF 12; warm dry summer, significant April rain but little effect, GDD 1557, harvest mid to late April; release price $35; Cowley, 2017: dark fruit, firm and fine; Cooper, 1998: The exceptionally intense and stylish 1991 vintage is arguably the greatest Coleraine yet, and currently in devastating form; Cooper, 1993: outstanding power and subtlety … mouth-filling body and exciting depth of cassis, plum, spice and new oak flavours, braced by firm ripe tannins, this is a glorious red, *****; Chan, 2008 review: Great purity and intensity on the nose ... powerful, but refined blackcurrant fruit that opens out in the glass with sweetness and ripeness ... On the palate, powerfully intense and concentrated ... Blackcurrants, cedarwood, blackberries, rich, dense and layered. The wine is still tightly bound, with beautifully fine-grained tannins, providing a supple, but firm backbone and great length. ... this is pretty well perfect, and will live another decade easily, 20; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, the third to lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet however, the quality of browning cassis infused with cedary oak, dark tobacco, and cigar box being classical mature Medoc, and within the Medoc, more Pauillac than Margaux. Palate is smooth and velvety, some richness, beautiful ripeness and acid balance, again a lovely integration of mature berry and cedary oak. To be as vital as this at 26 years of age is a great achievement, so the wine still just slips into gold medal level. There might be a molecule of brett complexity adding to the bouquet, but since it is totally threshold after this time, it is completely academic, and positive. The bottles on the two nights did differ: both were good but the second night the wine seemed fresher, more fragrant, and younger. Accordingly in simple terms it was the most favoured wine of the tasting, with eight tasters rating it first or second. On night one it was well-rated too, but just surpassed by the 1998. This 1991 Coleraine stands alongside 1987 Stonyridge Larose as one of the few great achievements in the first 26 years or so of cabernet and cabernet / merlot winestyles, in the modern phase of New Zealand viticulture. It is fully mature, to starting to fade now, as the two bottles showed. Nothing to be gained from holding, though there is no hurry. The better bottles should have 10 years in them. GK 08/17
Ruby and garnet, the third to lightest wine. Nothing light about the bouquet however, the quality of browning cassis infused with cedary oak, dark tobacco, and cigar box being classical mature Medoc, and within the Medoc, more Pauillac than Margaux. Palate is smooth and velvety, some richness, beautiful ripeness and acid balance, again a lovely integration of mature berry and cedary oak. To be as vital as this at 26 years of age is a great achievement, so the wine still just slips into gold medal level. There might be a molecule of brett complexity adding to the bouquet, but since it is totally threshold after this time, it is completely academic, and positive. The bottles on the two nights did differ: both were good but the second night the wine seemed fresher, more fragrant, and younger. Accordingly in simple terms it was the most favoured wine of the tasting, with eight tasters rating it first or second. On night one it was well-rated too, but just surpassed by the 1998. This 1991 Coleraine stands alongside 1987 Stonyridge Larose as one of the few great achievements in the first 26 years or so of cabernet and cabernet / merlot winestyles, in the modern phase of New Zealand viticulture. It is fully mature, to starting to fade now, as the two bottles showed. Nothing to be gained from holding, though there is no hurry. The better bottles should have 10 years in them. GK 08/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, France: 12.5%; $33 [ cork; Ch 80%, PN 20; 7 years en tirage, no MLF, no BF, 7 g/L dosage. Formerly available only ex winery, a little was distributed to the trade after its gold medal win in the 2006 Easter Show. It is now sold out. With the time on lees reminiscent of Bollinger RD, there is some resemblance, but the wine though developed is lighter. Closest NZ comparison 2000 Huia, but without the barrel-ferment; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Straw. Bouquet is sensational, a vivid display of exactly what yeast autolysis transformed into finest baguette crust should smell like. There are clear reminders of Bollinger's RD style on bouquet. Palate is pretty well unique in New Zealand bubbly, the depth of baguette flavour marvellous but not marmite-y, showing good body but not at all fruity, and finishing superbly dry with a delicate white mushroom hint. Only the Huia 2000 comes close to this, but alongside it is a little more acid and awkward, with the barrel-ferment / oak component a little obtrusive. This Pask is THE wine to present blind as an aperitif to quizzical overseas visitors keen on wine – few would suspect it was anything but French – and fine French at that. It is the best New Zealand bubbly I have ever tasted, and a great New Zealand wine achievement. Cellar 5 – 15 years, though it is unlikely to get any better. GK 12/06
Straw. Bouquet is sensational, a vivid display of exactly what yeast autolysis transformed into finest baguette crust should smell like. There are clear reminders of Bollinger's RD style on bouquet. Palate is pretty well unique in New Zealand bubbly, the depth of baguette flavour marvellous but not marmite-y, showing good body but not at all fruity, and finishing superbly dry with a delicate white mushroom hint. Only the Huia 2000 comes close to this, but alongside it is a little more acid and awkward, with the barrel-ferment / oak component a little obtrusive. This Pask is THE wine to present blind as an aperitif to quizzical overseas visitors keen on wine – few would suspect it was anything but French – and fine French at that. It is the best New Zealand bubbly I have ever tasted, and a great New Zealand wine achievement. Cellar 5 – 15 years, though it is unlikely to get any better. GK 12/06
Gimblett Gravels 85%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $29 [ screwcap; CS > 85%, Me < 15; up to 5 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 20 months in French oak mostly new; RS < 1 g/L; cuve refers to the French oak fermenters in the winery, a premium approach from Bordeaux which Church Road introduced to New Zealand; Catalogue: A wine of power and elegance, this is an earthy, rich Bordeaux-style wine built around a core of ripe Hawke’s Bay fruit. Deep in colour with aromas of dark berry fruit, black cherry, and floral characters are complemented by integrated toast and spice from French oak and complexities of earth, cedar and a hint of minerality. The wine has excellent flesh and concentration, balanced by a backbone of ripe, fine-grained tannins. The finish is long and persistent; Awards: Gold @ Air New Zealand 2008; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby. Bouquet is mellowing now on this very fragrant 2005 Hawkes Bay cabernet. The integration of cassisy berry and cedary oak is magnificent on both bouquet and palate, producing a wine in a St Julien mould. The delicacy yet length of the cassis / cedar aftertaste is particularly noteworthy. This unassuming wine is an elegant illustration of Hawkes Bay’s stunning potential to achieve world-class Bordeaux blends quite regularly within the next 10 years. The best wines from the years 2005, 2006 and now 2007 provide all the guidelines needed. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby. Bouquet is mellowing now on this very fragrant 2005 Hawkes Bay cabernet. The integration of cassisy berry and cedary oak is magnificent on both bouquet and palate, producing a wine in a St Julien mould. The delicacy yet length of the cassis / cedar aftertaste is particularly noteworthy. This unassuming wine is an elegant illustration of Hawkes Bay’s stunning potential to achieve world-class Bordeaux blends quite regularly within the next 10 years. The best wines from the years 2005, 2006 and now 2007 provide all the guidelines needed. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ CS 71%, Me 24, CF 4, Ma 1; cuvaison 28 days; MLF in barrel, 19 months in French oak, 70% new; unfiltered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, perhaps the deepest colour in the Bordeaux comparative tasting of 16 wines. To first sniff this is very Bordeaux, a complex wine with deep florals, ripe cassis and rich and plummy fruit, plus fragrant oak carrying savoury suggestions of trace brett and trace VA. On palate the deep cassisy berry is great, made aromatic by new oak which is more at a new world level, and a slightly fresher acid balance than the '02s. This will marry up in bottle into a fragrant, complex, rich and harmonious wine which will give much pleasure at one level, and cause endless consternation in blind Hawkes Bay & Bordeaux comparisons, in another. Great stuff, every bit as good as the best '02s, just a little different in style ! Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, perhaps the deepest colour in the Bordeaux comparative tasting of 16 wines. To first sniff this is very Bordeaux, a complex wine with deep florals, ripe cassis and rich and plummy fruit, plus fragrant oak carrying savoury suggestions of trace brett and trace VA. On palate the deep cassisy berry is great, made aromatic by new oak which is more at a new world level, and a slightly fresher acid balance than the '02s. This will marry up in bottle into a fragrant, complex, rich and harmonious wine which will give much pleasure at one level, and cause endless consternation in blind Hawkes Bay & Bordeaux comparisons, in another. Great stuff, every bit as good as the best '02s, just a little different in style ! Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Upper Nahe Valley, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork, 46mm; the third of the auction bottles, again excellent fill for age. It does not carry QmP, being before 1971 German Wine Laws, but it should be of equivalent quality since it carries German Gold Medal ranking; Broadbent records that 1967 was a very difficult year in Germany, the main crop washed out by heavy September rains, but then fine weather returning in autumn, with some astonishing late-harvest wines made, particularly at the beeren- and trockenbeerenauslese level. Kupfergrube is a south-facing site with weathered volcanic soils high in copper. Pigott notes the vineyards of Schloss Bockelheim are steep and rocky, with Kupfergrube one of the best sites. It has a reputation for steely piquant rieslings with great ageing capability ... 'at the the highest levels of concentration -- beerenauslese and above – the wines can be breathtaking’. Von Plettenberg winery is current, regarded as in the second tier for quality; production around 29,000 9-litre cases, riesling not as dominant as some wineries. The website name www.reichsgraf-von-plettenberg.de is registered, but there is no content on the site. ]
Mahogany, with an old-gold rim, brass-edged, the second deepest wine. The volume of bouquet on this wine is staggering, combining both fresh bush-honey notes with toffee and nutty thoughts, and voluminous sultanas, raisins and dried peaches. Additionally there is a fruit / age / oak interaction which some described as reminding of pedro ximinez, others as ancient Rutherglen Muscat with its rancio complexity, but much subtler. A winemaker commented that the concept ‘rancio’ implied more oxidation that this wine shows. Palate combines all these thoughts into a saturated aromatic nutty and drying but still sweet flavour, which tasters compared with traditional dark Christmas cake, or even moreso, classical moist long-steamed English Christmas pudding. Unlike the cake however, the acid balance keeps the wine (and mouth) fresh, even though the flavours are so dark. Hard to judge, but doesn't seem as sweet as the Schonborn Beerenauslese, even allowing for the higher acid in the Kupfergrube – well under 200 g/L. This was the third favourite wine on the night, two top places, six second, the trockenbeerenauslesen winning on sheer sweetness. A slight doubt about the colour, as explained for the Marcobrunn TBA. GK 11/17
Mahogany, with an old-gold rim, brass-edged, the second deepest wine. The volume of bouquet on this wine is staggering, combining both fresh bush-honey notes with toffee and nutty thoughts, and voluminous sultanas, raisins and dried peaches. Additionally there is a fruit / age / oak interaction which some described as reminding of pedro ximinez, others as ancient Rutherglen Muscat with its rancio complexity, but much subtler. A winemaker commented that the concept ‘rancio’ implied more oxidation that this wine shows. Palate combines all these thoughts into a saturated aromatic nutty and drying but still sweet flavour, which tasters compared with traditional dark Christmas cake, or even moreso, classical moist long-steamed English Christmas pudding. Unlike the cake however, the acid balance keeps the wine (and mouth) fresh, even though the flavours are so dark. Hard to judge, but doesn't seem as sweet as the Schonborn Beerenauslese, even allowing for the higher acid in the Kupfergrube – well under 200 g/L. This was the third favourite wine on the night, two top places, six second, the trockenbeerenauslesen winning on sheer sweetness. A slight doubt about the colour, as explained for the Marcobrunn TBA. GK 11/17
Margaux, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $200 [ cork 50mm; cepage this year CS 51%, Me 49, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.18 months, 25% new; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally denser than the grand vin, the deepest wine. It is very difficult indeed to tell the second wine from the first wine, on bouquet, in 2010. The clarity and purity of berry is stunning. It is not quite so warmly floral or the merlot so forward, perhaps, but on bouquet the two wines are wonderfully close. Flavours do show up a slight difference, almost as if there is more press wine in the Alter Ego. It is slightly harder, and slightly leaner, but it is still of a quality surpassing many lesser classed growths. How different Bordeaux practice is today, from when I first started studying them. Back then, and all through the 60s, 70s, 80s and even the 90s, the second wines were often miserable affairs. Selection now for the grand vin is so rigorous, and the same approach applies for the second wine in the great estates, that investing in this wine seems essential. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally denser than the grand vin, the deepest wine. It is very difficult indeed to tell the second wine from the first wine, on bouquet, in 2010. The clarity and purity of berry is stunning. It is not quite so warmly floral or the merlot so forward, perhaps, but on bouquet the two wines are wonderfully close. Flavours do show up a slight difference, almost as if there is more press wine in the Alter Ego. It is slightly harder, and slightly leaner, but it is still of a quality surpassing many lesser classed growths. How different Bordeaux practice is today, from when I first started studying them. Back then, and all through the 60s, 70s, 80s and even the 90s, the second wines were often miserable affairs. Selection now for the grand vin is so rigorous, and the same approach applies for the second wine in the great estates, that investing in this wine seems essential. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed; 70% of the wine BF in French oak none younger than 2003, plus 3 months LA in oak, 30% wild yeast fermented in s/s, plus MLF; all blended then aged a further 5 months on light lees only; Brix at harvest: 23.6 – 25.8, wine pH 3.8, RS < 1 g/L; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet has plenty to say, in a clearly French style. The high-solids components broaden the bouquet a little, quietening the florals I look for in good viognier, and there is academic VA. Below those however are suggestions of citrus blossom, excellent apricotty fruit, and complex barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components, all with a degree of lushness and indulgence essential to really complex viognier. The lees autolysis and MLF show up to advantage on the palate, blending both texture and baguette-like complexity into apricot fruit. Like the Cuilleron, they produce thoughts of apricot shortcake, though the fruit is not quite so ripe in the Hawkes Bay wine, and there is a slight phenolic nip in the tail. Nonetheless this wine is a marvellous achievement, and the emphasis the winemakers have placed on achieving the right flavours in the winestyle, rather than a technically 'correct' wine, has really paid off. It makes a great contribution to the emergence of this exciting variety in New Zealand. With a little more attention to optimising the floral complexity on bouquet, this will be even better, for it has the generosity and complexity of palate needed for good viognier. Many New Zealand examples fall short in this respect. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 07/07
Lemonstraw. Bouquet has plenty to say, in a clearly French style. The high-solids components broaden the bouquet a little, quietening the florals I look for in good viognier, and there is academic VA. Below those however are suggestions of citrus blossom, excellent apricotty fruit, and complex barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components, all with a degree of lushness and indulgence essential to really complex viognier. The lees autolysis and MLF show up to advantage on the palate, blending both texture and baguette-like complexity into apricot fruit. Like the Cuilleron, they produce thoughts of apricot shortcake, though the fruit is not quite so ripe in the Hawkes Bay wine, and there is a slight phenolic nip in the tail. Nonetheless this wine is a marvellous achievement, and the emphasis the winemakers have placed on achieving the right flavours in the winestyle, rather than a technically 'correct' wine, has really paid off. It makes a great contribution to the emergence of this exciting variety in New Zealand. With a little more attention to optimising the floral complexity on bouquet, this will be even better, for it has the generosity and complexity of palate needed for good viognier. Many New Zealand examples fall short in this respect. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 07/07
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 50mm; hand-harvested CS 56%, Me 30, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 25 + years; 18 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper reds. Bouquet shows a beautiful dusky nearly sweet floral quality which in its intensity is rare either in Bordeaux or New Zealand. It bespeaks a commitment to classical Bordeaux styling before the American-led fashion for size and over-ripeness in red wines led inexorably to loss of grape-derived bouquet volume and quality. Florality in red wines is simply lost with over-ripening, as many Australian reds confirm. As to the quality of this beautiful aroma, it is somewhere in the darkest red roses / port-wine magnolia / violets sector, quite haunting. In mouth you almost feel this is a merlot-led wine: there is a dark plummy quality to the berry which is very Saint-Emilion, but it is given sparkle by both cassis from the cabernet, the persistence of florals right into the palate, and then the subtle oak. It is not a big wine, and in its flavours one could think just a little more ripeness is needed, but then the bouquet would be less. It has come together beautifully since I reviewed it last year. Nobody will regret having this Coleraine in their cellar. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 03/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper reds. Bouquet shows a beautiful dusky nearly sweet floral quality which in its intensity is rare either in Bordeaux or New Zealand. It bespeaks a commitment to classical Bordeaux styling before the American-led fashion for size and over-ripeness in red wines led inexorably to loss of grape-derived bouquet volume and quality. Florality in red wines is simply lost with over-ripening, as many Australian reds confirm. As to the quality of this beautiful aroma, it is somewhere in the darkest red roses / port-wine magnolia / violets sector, quite haunting. In mouth you almost feel this is a merlot-led wine: there is a dark plummy quality to the berry which is very Saint-Emilion, but it is given sparkle by both cassis from the cabernet, the persistence of florals right into the palate, and then the subtle oak. It is not a big wine, and in its flavours one could think just a little more ripeness is needed, but then the bouquet would be less. It has come together beautifully since I reviewed it last year. Nobody will regret having this Coleraine in their cellar. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 03/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ NB pre-release provisional score on newly-bottled wine; hand-picked, classical triage on sorting table; 8 – 10 day cold soak, wild yeast, 20 – 30 day cuvaison, MLF in barrel, all French oak 35% new, not fined or filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as concentrated as the top '02s. This wine cheats a bit, for in addition to its carnation florals from the cooler, more aromatic '03 vintage, there is very fragrant oak adding a balsam-like aromatic lift to the sweet cassis, black pepper and rich berry. It is clearly beautiful varietal syrah. Fragrant slightly resiny oak carries through to the palate, but it is more flavour than phenolics, and melds happily with the intensely aromatic berry. This is another outstanding example of Gimblett Gravels syrah, showing all the advantages of a slightly cooler vintage relative to the sometimes over-ripe 02s. In 2003, very little fruit met the firm's requirements for this label, and the wine will be scarce. There will be no '03 le Sol at all. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as concentrated as the top '02s. This wine cheats a bit, for in addition to its carnation florals from the cooler, more aromatic '03 vintage, there is very fragrant oak adding a balsam-like aromatic lift to the sweet cassis, black pepper and rich berry. It is clearly beautiful varietal syrah. Fragrant slightly resiny oak carries through to the palate, but it is more flavour than phenolics, and melds happily with the intensely aromatic berry. This is another outstanding example of Gimblett Gravels syrah, showing all the advantages of a slightly cooler vintage relative to the sometimes over-ripe 02s. In 2003, very little fruit met the firm's requirements for this label, and the wine will be scarce. There will be no '03 le Sol at all. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Tukituki Valley 67%, Gimblett Gravels 31% & Bridge Pa Triangle 2%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $33 [ screwcap; Me 100%; all destemmed, up to 5 weeks cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 18 – 20 months in French oak 33% new; RS < 1 g/L; coarse-filtered only; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely deep colour. Bouquet is totally textbook merlot, beautifully deep sweet floral notes reminiscent of violets on rich dark bottled black doris plums, all framed in cedary oak. Palate is exactly the same, a thought of darkest pipe tobacco too, remarkable, almost perfect temperate-climate physiological maturity for the variety, the oak beautifully done, all in the background. This is a remarkable evocation of a quality Pomerol winestyle from Hawkes Bay, at a fraction the price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely deep colour. Bouquet is totally textbook merlot, beautifully deep sweet floral notes reminiscent of violets on rich dark bottled black doris plums, all framed in cedary oak. Palate is exactly the same, a thought of darkest pipe tobacco too, remarkable, almost perfect temperate-climate physiological maturity for the variety, the oak beautifully done, all in the background. This is a remarkable evocation of a quality Pomerol winestyle from Hawkes Bay, at a fraction the price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 9 years; a good spring and flowering produced a large crop; February however cool and adverse, requiring care with crop reduction should this continue; March and April unusually favourable, leading to an ideal crop c.5.5 t/ha of near-perfect fruit; at the time the young wines showed beautiful aromatics and a purity of fruit expression making them possibly the best yet; the Bannockburn label introduced to name the till-now 'standard' Felton Road pinot noir; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, softening a little, well below midway in depth of colour. With air the bouquet opens to classic Otago pinot noir, showing clear boronia aromatic and floral uplift on red and black cherry fruits. It is not one of the most demonstrative wines, though, and you have to work at it. There was a lot more bouquet 24 hours later. In mouth this is a very dry wine, but not unpleasantly so, with lovely furry tannins. Initially you think it is a little austere, not something I associate with the 2009s in Central, but 24 hours later it seemed to have expanded a whole size. It is still drier and less supple than the 2009 Calvert, but with time this wine might surprise. The tannins are much riper and more elegant than the 2007. This wine too moved up the rankings, with re-examination moving ever-closer to the Kusuda. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Pinot noir ruby, softening a little, well below midway in depth of colour. With air the bouquet opens to classic Otago pinot noir, showing clear boronia aromatic and floral uplift on red and black cherry fruits. It is not one of the most demonstrative wines, though, and you have to work at it. There was a lot more bouquet 24 hours later. In mouth this is a very dry wine, but not unpleasantly so, with lovely furry tannins. Initially you think it is a little austere, not something I associate with the 2009s in Central, but 24 hours later it seemed to have expanded a whole size. It is still drier and less supple than the 2009 Calvert, but with time this wine might surprise. The tannins are much riper and more elegant than the 2007. This wine too moved up the rankings, with re-examination moving ever-closer to the Kusuda. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ screwcap; 23-year old vines, Barton vineyard in Martinborough proper; wild-yeast fermented in wooden cuves, 24 days cuvaison, 18 months in French oak 30% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 27.7 g/L, not filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, the third deepest wine. I am a bit worried about some of the Escarpment wines this year, as the double-blinded wines progressively revealed themselves. This wine too smells first and foremost of this nutmeg-spicy new French oak, which is not the first impression I want in pinot noir. I wonder if Larry and Huw have barrels from a new cooper, this year. Below are suggestions of red grading to black cherry, but it is hard to find. So you check the palate, where the impression is much better. There is vibrant cherry fruit of excellent concentration, and the oak retreats a little, thankfully, to give a wine of much better balance than Kupe. Less experienced tasters love oak, so expect these wines to be ranked highly by those who don't refer to the wines of Burgundy very often. In fact fruit richness here is exemplary, on reflection, and new oak does marry in with time, so this wine should come together attractively over the next five years, and score more highly then. Today’s score anticipates that. If you wanted to be mischievous, the fruit richness here almost qualifies as an Otago fruit-bomb. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/17
Big pinot noir ruby, the third deepest wine. I am a bit worried about some of the Escarpment wines this year, as the double-blinded wines progressively revealed themselves. This wine too smells first and foremost of this nutmeg-spicy new French oak, which is not the first impression I want in pinot noir. I wonder if Larry and Huw have barrels from a new cooper, this year. Below are suggestions of red grading to black cherry, but it is hard to find. So you check the palate, where the impression is much better. There is vibrant cherry fruit of excellent concentration, and the oak retreats a little, thankfully, to give a wine of much better balance than Kupe. Less experienced tasters love oak, so expect these wines to be ranked highly by those who don't refer to the wines of Burgundy very often. In fact fruit richness here is exemplary, on reflection, and new oak does marry in with time, so this wine should come together attractively over the next five years, and score more highly then. Today’s score anticipates that. If you wanted to be mischievous, the fruit richness here almost qualifies as an Otago fruit-bomb. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/17
Chambolle-Musigny Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: – %; $ – [ a Drouhin domaine wine; Broadbent ’02: In 2001, a glorious bouquet, with a sort of cherry-like fruit; perfect sweetness, fairly hefty yet not obtrusively so, lovely flavour with mulberry-ripe fruit. All the component parts perfectly balanced *****. ]
Garnet and ruby, older than the les Cedres, one of the lightest. Bouquet is slow to unfold, and is not quite as floral as the village Gevrey. Fruit richness however is greater, with autumnal red and black cherry, and a hint of spice (from the percentage of new oak) which closes the gap with the cinnamon of les Cedres. The palate too is rich, unequivocally pinot noir, richer than most of the clarets, but drier and less seductive than the Jaboulet. The two wines make a marvellous and instructive juxtaposition. These top three wines were a delight to have together, for all illustrated their districts superbly. They are all now mellow, wonderfully food-friendly, and best used in the next few years. GK 03/06
Garnet and ruby, older than the les Cedres, one of the lightest. Bouquet is slow to unfold, and is not quite as floral as the village Gevrey. Fruit richness however is greater, with autumnal red and black cherry, and a hint of spice (from the percentage of new oak) which closes the gap with the cinnamon of les Cedres. The palate too is rich, unequivocally pinot noir, richer than most of the clarets, but drier and less seductive than the Jaboulet. The two wines make a marvellous and instructive juxtaposition. These top three wines were a delight to have together, for all illustrated their districts superbly. They are all now mellow, wonderfully food-friendly, and best used in the next few years. GK 03/06
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ CS 40% Me 30, CF 20, Ma 10; French oak, 90% new, 24 months; www.alphadomus.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This was the favourite wine on the night, its combination of vibrant cassis and cedary oak making it very Medoc, even Pauillac, in style. The volume of bouquet at this stage is ahead of the Brokenstone or Coleraine, partly due to the oak. On palate there is great fruit / oak complexity augmented by a little brett, demonstrating what nonsense it is for wine technocrats to damn wines for academic levels of this complexity factor. As the wine lingers in mouth, the ratio of fruit to oak moves a little in favour of oak, so this will not be quite such a longterm cellar prospect as the top two wines. But in the next 10 years it will be marvellous. Cellar 10–15 years. GK 10/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This was the favourite wine on the night, its combination of vibrant cassis and cedary oak making it very Medoc, even Pauillac, in style. The volume of bouquet at this stage is ahead of the Brokenstone or Coleraine, partly due to the oak. On palate there is great fruit / oak complexity augmented by a little brett, demonstrating what nonsense it is for wine technocrats to damn wines for academic levels of this complexity factor. As the wine lingers in mouth, the ratio of fruit to oak moves a little in favour of oak, so this will not be quite such a longterm cellar prospect as the top two wines. But in the next 10 years it will be marvellous. Cellar 10–15 years. GK 10/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $ – [ Cork, 49 mm; now Gr 70%, Sy 20, Mv 10, cropped at ± 4.2 t/ha = 1.7 t/ac; Parker rating for year 87; elevation two years in large oak, up to 50% new; note J.L-L has quite a different rendering of these ‘facts’, and he is such an assiduous researcher of the Northern Rhone I am inclined to believe him: 60% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, 7% various others – Syrah, Cinsault, large wood but little new, wine bought from up to 40 suppliers; the extent to which ‘right-thinking’ wine drinkers are blinkered beyond belief is not only indicated, but confirmed by wine-searcher.com having no Guigal Gigondas listed before the 1996 vintage. Likewise even Parker has deleted earlier 80s reviews from his new (but not necessarily improved) website – shame; Guigal records the cepage for this wine now as above, but Parker’s earlier Rhone book notes that Mv and Sy were higher in 1983; Parker, 1987: Guigal feels that 1983 was a mediocre year for Gigondas, but he also admits that his Gigondas in this vintage is his best yet, due to the larger amounts of Syrah and Mourvedre in the blend. This is a rich, full-bodied, powerful Gigondas with loads of peppery, cassis-scented fruit. Drink over the next 5 – 7 years, 87; Wine Spectator, 1986: Classic Rhone, with beautiful black pepper and spice character framing plum, cherry and anise flavors, ripe, intense and elegant at the same time. A real mouthful, 91; www.guigal.com ]
Garnet and ruby, the third lightest wine. 1983 was a magic year for Guigal, and right from first opening this wine shows all the gentle complexity of great Chateauneuf-du-Pape at full maturity, wonderfully fragrant on its red fruits browning now, beautiful cinnamon and a hint of manool / silver-pine spicey character, and obvious garrigue complexity. The oak is nearly invisible and importantly, the alcohol is down where it used to be, when Chateauneuf-du-Pape was more subtle and beautiful than it is now. Palate is simply velvet, light in one sense, and ethereal, yet still heaps of fruit in a light yet mouth-filling way. There is trace brett, absolutely at the positive complexity level. One person rated it the most enjoyable wine of the entire set, and another second, a pleasing result. Fully mature, but no hurry at all – the wine was better still the next day. This wine is now sensational with food, being so soft, aromatic and complex. GK 05/17
Garnet and ruby, the third lightest wine. 1983 was a magic year for Guigal, and right from first opening this wine shows all the gentle complexity of great Chateauneuf-du-Pape at full maturity, wonderfully fragrant on its red fruits browning now, beautiful cinnamon and a hint of manool / silver-pine spicey character, and obvious garrigue complexity. The oak is nearly invisible and importantly, the alcohol is down where it used to be, when Chateauneuf-du-Pape was more subtle and beautiful than it is now. Palate is simply velvet, light in one sense, and ethereal, yet still heaps of fruit in a light yet mouth-filling way. There is trace brett, absolutely at the positive complexity level. One person rated it the most enjoyable wine of the entire set, and another second, a pleasing result. Fully mature, but no hurry at all – the wine was better still the next day. This wine is now sensational with food, being so soft, aromatic and complex. GK 05/17
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ cork – second bottle available; was $17; there is a measure of inconsistency in the wines from Dave Glover, which tends to obscure the odd gem. This one appealed to me at release – I am looking forward to seeing it again; GK, 2006: a strongly floral bouquet reminiscent of freesia, or even as perfumed as jasmine, on sweet vanillin and potentially nectary notes, plus a zing of aromatic hops. Palate is exceptional, with precise varietal definition made the more unusual (for New Zealand) by being bone dry, yet with great body and length of flavour …, 18.5; www.glovers-vineyard.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth. This wine shows an explicit riesling varietal bouquet: freesia florals, lemony hints, reminders of holy grass again, and clear suggestions of sturmer apples. Palate shows great fruit and length for a dry riesling, with the degree of extraction / tannin handling ideal. The wine has backbone, but is in no way phenolic – quite an achievement in dry riesling. Aftertaste is sturmers and vanillin, long and lingering, lovely. The group liked the wine less than I did, only one other taster considering it exemplary. I suspect this reflects the Australasian expectation that even 'dry' riesling will be 7 g/L residual. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/14
Lemonstraw, below midway in depth. This wine shows an explicit riesling varietal bouquet: freesia florals, lemony hints, reminders of holy grass again, and clear suggestions of sturmer apples. Palate shows great fruit and length for a dry riesling, with the degree of extraction / tannin handling ideal. The wine has backbone, but is in no way phenolic – quite an achievement in dry riesling. Aftertaste is sturmers and vanillin, long and lingering, lovely. The group liked the wine less than I did, only one other taster considering it exemplary. I suspect this reflects the Australasian expectation that even 'dry' riesling will be 7 g/L residual. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/14
Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $34 [ screwcap; main clones Dijon 777 and 115, planted at 2,500 vines/ha, hand-picked @ c. 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac), c.11 years age; 10% whole-bunch component, pre-ferment cold soak c.4 days, then c.31 days cuvaison with 100% wild yeast; 10.5 months in French oak c.30% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS 0.3 g/L: dry extract 29.2 g/L; production c.4,000 cases; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Fresh pinot noir ruby, an identical hue to the Cornish, but not quite so deep, just below midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine is simply sensational. To all the knockers and mockers who doubt that the first key attribute of great pinot noir is the floral component, I say simply: assess this wine. If the extraordinary florality embracing buddleia, heliotrope, French pink tea-roses, and even violets and dark red roses is not apparent to you, then quite simply, you are blind to the concept of 'florality' in wine. This difficulty is, sadly, not uncommon. Follow-through to the palate is not quite as complete and near-perfect as the Cornish Point, suggesting that the total achieved ripeness here / the point of picking was fractionally sooner than for the Cornish. There is the faintest leafyness, pretty well subliminal. Accordingly fruit character and flavour is red cherry more than black, which some tasters in fact prefer. But on the other hand, for the second great quality required of pinot noir, mouth-feel and texture, even layers of texture, some say, the richness of this wine is clearly very good. The floral qualities permeate the entire palate, a rare attribute, giving the wine an extraordinary presence. After a couple of years in cellar, it may be more difficult to tell the Greystone from the Cornish Point wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 1): 4 first places, six second, none least. GK 11/15
Fresh pinot noir ruby, an identical hue to the Cornish, but not quite so deep, just below midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine is simply sensational. To all the knockers and mockers who doubt that the first key attribute of great pinot noir is the floral component, I say simply: assess this wine. If the extraordinary florality embracing buddleia, heliotrope, French pink tea-roses, and even violets and dark red roses is not apparent to you, then quite simply, you are blind to the concept of 'florality' in wine. This difficulty is, sadly, not uncommon. Follow-through to the palate is not quite as complete and near-perfect as the Cornish Point, suggesting that the total achieved ripeness here / the point of picking was fractionally sooner than for the Cornish. There is the faintest leafyness, pretty well subliminal. Accordingly fruit character and flavour is red cherry more than black, which some tasters in fact prefer. But on the other hand, for the second great quality required of pinot noir, mouth-feel and texture, even layers of texture, some say, the richness of this wine is clearly very good. The floral qualities permeate the entire palate, a rare attribute, giving the wine an extraordinary presence. After a couple of years in cellar, it may be more difficult to tell the Greystone from the Cornish Point wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 1): 4 first places, six second, none least. GK 11/15
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $122 [ CS 71%, Sy 29; 22 months in French oak 22% new, 625 dozen only; rated 98 points by Robert Parker; DFB; www.yalumba.com ]
Ruby and velvet. Even on bouquet, this is immensely impressive wine, with huge brambly berry of great weight and presence, made fragrant by excessive oak, in the Australian style. It is however very high quality and potentially cedary French oak. Palate is velvety-rich, showing immense concentration of cassis, and a fruit quality in mouth comparable with Grange – but in this case made from cabernet sauvignon more than shiraz. The cassis broadens out into milk chocolate and plum in mouth, but always the nagging oak (and high alcohol) takes the magic out of it. One has to score it at gold medal-level on the concentration of cassis, blackberry and plummy varietal character, but alongside it, '01 Lafite from a middle-weight year achieves so much more finesse and sheer pleasure, with so much less. Cellar 10 – 40 years, in the latter part of which it should be attractive with food. GK 07/04
Ruby and velvet. Even on bouquet, this is immensely impressive wine, with huge brambly berry of great weight and presence, made fragrant by excessive oak, in the Australian style. It is however very high quality and potentially cedary French oak. Palate is velvety-rich, showing immense concentration of cassis, and a fruit quality in mouth comparable with Grange – but in this case made from cabernet sauvignon more than shiraz. The cassis broadens out into milk chocolate and plum in mouth, but always the nagging oak (and high alcohol) takes the magic out of it. One has to score it at gold medal-level on the concentration of cassis, blackberry and plummy varietal character, but alongside it, '01 Lafite from a middle-weight year achieves so much more finesse and sheer pleasure, with so much less. Cellar 10 – 40 years, in the latter part of which it should be attractive with food. GK 07/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $35 [ screwcap; no info @ website; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, matching Homage and le Sol. This is more the Australian approach to Gimblett Gravels syrah, with lots of fragrant oak marrying into wonderful cassis and black plum fruit, to give a big and ‘impressive’ wine inclining to the show-pony style. Palate has the same velvety weight as le Sol, with blueberry flavours joining the berry and plum. Black peppercorn and florals are pretty well lost at this ripeness, but it is not so over-ripe as to be boysenberry in the obvious Australian style. In another five years, this wine may well score higher, in a repeat tasting. Cellar 5 - 20 years. GK 06/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, matching Homage and le Sol. This is more the Australian approach to Gimblett Gravels syrah, with lots of fragrant oak marrying into wonderful cassis and black plum fruit, to give a big and ‘impressive’ wine inclining to the show-pony style. Palate has the same velvety weight as le Sol, with blueberry flavours joining the berry and plum. Black peppercorn and florals are pretty well lost at this ripeness, but it is not so over-ripe as to be boysenberry in the obvious Australian style. In another five years, this wine may well score higher, in a repeat tasting. Cellar 5 - 20 years. GK 06/05
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100% based on 2012 fruit, understood to be not all grand cru, with c.30% Reserve wine, but using only 10 years' selection, not the full 18; hand-picked from estate vineyards in several locations in the Cote De Blancs; all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.2.5 years en tirage; dosage c.6.5 g/L; the L.S.N.V. on the label signifies Light Sparkling Non Vintage; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Colour is fractionally more lemonstraw than the lemon of the latest Cuvée de Reserve. Bouquet is classic blanc de blancs champagne, clear essence of chardonnay, some florality, some baguette, some chalk. I did not open the wines, so cannot comment on how much less pressure this 'cremant'-style' bottling may show. I understand pressure is more 3.5 – 4 atmospheres rather than the standard for champagne of 5 – 6. [ Note the term 'cremant', formerly denoting lower pressure, has since 1994 had a geographic connotation, not pressure. ] It is closest in style to the Rosé, once you take away the red fruit component of the latter. Again there is great freshness, seemingly a little more depth on bouquet than the current Extra Brut at this point, but not quite the authority on palate, being sweeter. Yet the elegance of the blanc de blancs fruit is immediately apparent, as soon as you compare it with the current Moet & Chandon. If you wanted a fine blanc de blancs with less gas, this is the answer. Fruit quality here seems more like last year's batch of Cuvée de Reserve, but not as rich. Cellar 5 – 12 years, but a bit of a puzzle why one has a low-pressure champagne, all the same. GK 10/15
Colour is fractionally more lemonstraw than the lemon of the latest Cuvée de Reserve. Bouquet is classic blanc de blancs champagne, clear essence of chardonnay, some florality, some baguette, some chalk. I did not open the wines, so cannot comment on how much less pressure this 'cremant'-style' bottling may show. I understand pressure is more 3.5 – 4 atmospheres rather than the standard for champagne of 5 – 6. [ Note the term 'cremant', formerly denoting lower pressure, has since 1994 had a geographic connotation, not pressure. ] It is closest in style to the Rosé, once you take away the red fruit component of the latter. Again there is great freshness, seemingly a little more depth on bouquet than the current Extra Brut at this point, but not quite the authority on palate, being sweeter. Yet the elegance of the blanc de blancs fruit is immediately apparent, as soon as you compare it with the current Moet & Chandon. If you wanted a fine blanc de blancs with less gas, this is the answer. Fruit quality here seems more like last year's batch of Cuvée de Reserve, but not as rich. Cellar 5 – 12 years, but a bit of a puzzle why one has a low-pressure champagne, all the same. GK 10/15
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.2%; $105 [ supercritical 'cork' 47 mm; cepage not revealed, guessing – Me, Sy, CS, Ma, hand-picked; 15 months elevage in 80% new barrels some American (confirmed); 120 cases only, a label made only in top vintages when the desired rich texture can be achieved; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet and carmine. Bouquet is soft, smooth, very winey and rich, not as explicitly varietal as Stonyridge Larose, but as rich, with aromatic oak perhaps including some American. There is an attractive and intriguing savoury character reminiscent of light brett, but specific analysis shows incidence to be well below threshold. At the blind stage, it was not at all clear whether to class the wine with the Bordeaux blends or the syrahs, and then with the identity revealed, but the cepage not given, the soft fragrant rich plummy fruit could sit with either. There is beautiful floral complexity hinting at both violets and wallflowers, suggesting that both merlot and syrah are prominent, but the blackberries in the sun and cassisy lift in the later palate add the thought of cabernet and malbec too. The mouthfeel does live up to the wine's name, showing superb texture and natural acid, all the quality of a classed growth in a ripe year. This is an excellent wine by any standards, with great flavour, ripeness, freshness and richness. Styling approaches the best St Emilions. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, some velvet and carmine. Bouquet is soft, smooth, very winey and rich, not as explicitly varietal as Stonyridge Larose, but as rich, with aromatic oak perhaps including some American. There is an attractive and intriguing savoury character reminiscent of light brett, but specific analysis shows incidence to be well below threshold. At the blind stage, it was not at all clear whether to class the wine with the Bordeaux blends or the syrahs, and then with the identity revealed, but the cepage not given, the soft fragrant rich plummy fruit could sit with either. There is beautiful floral complexity hinting at both violets and wallflowers, suggesting that both merlot and syrah are prominent, but the blackberries in the sun and cassisy lift in the later palate add the thought of cabernet and malbec too. The mouthfeel does live up to the wine's name, showing superb texture and natural acid, all the quality of a classed growth in a ripe year. This is an excellent wine by any standards, with great flavour, ripeness, freshness and richness. Styling approaches the best St Emilions. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.6%; $85 [ screwcap; 3 clones, hand-picked late April from c. 11 year-old vines at 1.4 t/ac; c. 5 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation with c.15% whole-bunch, up to 27 days cuvaison; MLF and c.17 months in French oak c. 50% new; neither fined nor filtered; 147 cases; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, nearly on a par with the Pyramid Valley wine, so tending marginal for pinot noir. Bouquet is bold and youthful, much less together than the same-year Pinnacle. The depth of dark florality is remarkable for such a dark wine, and there is an integration of black cherry and quite a lot of oak which is impressive, making the wine later described as boisterous (Pyramid Calvert) seem almost delicate in comparison. Palate is enormously concentrated, nearly too ripe in its balance of black fruits to red, a touch of the old Mondavi Reserve aromatic oak lengthening the flavour further. This 2007 can be cellared with total confidence: the cropping rate must have been very low to achieve this tactile feel of fruit richness (dry extract) on the tongue. One goal of the Excelsior project has been to produce a pinot noir which has longevity in bottle. This one seems richer even than the same-year Pinnacle, and should therefore cellar for longer. It should fine down in bottle and gain in charm. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/10
Big pinot noir ruby, nearly on a par with the Pyramid Valley wine, so tending marginal for pinot noir. Bouquet is bold and youthful, much less together than the same-year Pinnacle. The depth of dark florality is remarkable for such a dark wine, and there is an integration of black cherry and quite a lot of oak which is impressive, making the wine later described as boisterous (Pyramid Calvert) seem almost delicate in comparison. Palate is enormously concentrated, nearly too ripe in its balance of black fruits to red, a touch of the old Mondavi Reserve aromatic oak lengthening the flavour further. This 2007 can be cellared with total confidence: the cropping rate must have been very low to achieve this tactile feel of fruit richness (dry extract) on the tongue. One goal of the Excelsior project has been to produce a pinot noir which has longevity in bottle. This one seems richer even than the same-year Pinnacle, and should therefore cellar for longer. It should fine down in bottle and gain in charm. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/10
Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA: 13%; $ – [ cork, 50mm; understood to be made from the oldest chardonnay in the Willamette Valley, using inoculated ferments in the 1990s. Less than 4% new oak, chardonnay up to 18 months in barrel. No reviews found, but the winery is regarded highly. Bottle courtesy Canadian Prof. Ray Hilborn, wine enthusiast and friend of fisheries scientist Canadian Paul Starr, both intermittent visitors to Regional's tasting room, and consultants to the NZ Fishing Industry Board on science-based stock assessment; www.eyrievineyards.com ]
Straw with a wash of gold, just below midway in depth. Like the Bannockburn, this was an understated wine freshly opened, showing some stonefruit, some lees autolysis mealyness, a faint scent which might be oak-related, plus suggestions of oatmeal. In mouth the whole wine expands dramatically, surprisingly rich dried peach fruit, good oatmeal and hazelnut autolysis favours, more oak than one suspected on bouquet, and good balance. It doesn't have the fruit purity of the Leeuwin, or the elevation complexity of the Lafon, the net impression ending up closest to the Bannockburn, but a little less fruit richness, and rather more oak. Some tasters felt the oak dominated the finish a little too much. Like the Bannockburn, you ended up thinking this was wonderful New World chardonnay, owing a good deal to the Meursault heritage. Five first places, two second places, but also two least places. Three people thought it French. GK 08/18
Straw with a wash of gold, just below midway in depth. Like the Bannockburn, this was an understated wine freshly opened, showing some stonefruit, some lees autolysis mealyness, a faint scent which might be oak-related, plus suggestions of oatmeal. In mouth the whole wine expands dramatically, surprisingly rich dried peach fruit, good oatmeal and hazelnut autolysis favours, more oak than one suspected on bouquet, and good balance. It doesn't have the fruit purity of the Leeuwin, or the elevation complexity of the Lafon, the net impression ending up closest to the Bannockburn, but a little less fruit richness, and rather more oak. Some tasters felt the oak dominated the finish a little too much. Like the Bannockburn, you ended up thinking this was wonderful New World chardonnay, owing a good deal to the Meursault heritage. Five first places, two second places, but also two least places. Three people thought it French. GK 08/18
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $148 [ Cork, 50 mm; rated Exceptional in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the first-level group of 21 wines; Halliday rates the 1996 vintage 9, for Eden Valley; hand-picked from 75 – 84 year old ungrafted vines, raised in American and French oak hogshead size barrels for 18 months; the Henschkes rate the vintage Exceptional; Halliday, 1998: Medium to full red-purple; complex aromas run through the bouquet with nuances of pepper, licorice and mint to the core of red cherry fruit. The palate is smooth, with cherry, mint and a touch of pepper all showing; the oak is sweet but not forceful, the tannins soft and supple. Top gold 1998 National Wine Show, 95; Robinson, 2003: Looks more evolved than the 1995. Much more aromatic than most with the same minty note as the Hill of Grace from this vintage. Big, exuberant, glossy and easy to like. Liquorice. Powerful. Intense, confident expression of the vintage. Still some tannin there, though not as much as on the Hill of Grace, 18; bottle weight 490 g; www.henschke.com.au ]
Garnet and ruby, the second-lightest wine. This wine illustrates perfectly the lightly minty floral note which I equate with the Australian flowering mint shrub Prostanthera (as a descriptor), a character which synergises with the diagnostic floral carnation character of syrah (think Prof Saintsbury and his gillyflowers) to at times become quite strong, as in the McCrae Wood. But even then it is infinitely more attractive and softer than euc'y characters with their coarse menthol notes. Below the florals is berry of near-cassis quality, fattened with some aromatic bottled black doris dark plum fruit. Oak is fractionally more noticeable than the Langi, both accentuating the mint and making the palate more aromatic. The saturation of fruit is gorgeous, yet this is not a big or heavy wine. Mt Edelstone is often the most subtle expression of shiraz from the Henschke stable: so this wine too pretty well qualifies as syrah. The colour is a good deal more advanced than the Langi or the O'Shea, but it still has some time ahead of it. This was one of the three most popular wines on the night, five rating it their top wine, three their second favourite, no least places, and five thought it French (a little surprisingly, given the mint). GK 03/17
Garnet and ruby, the second-lightest wine. This wine illustrates perfectly the lightly minty floral note which I equate with the Australian flowering mint shrub Prostanthera (as a descriptor), a character which synergises with the diagnostic floral carnation character of syrah (think Prof Saintsbury and his gillyflowers) to at times become quite strong, as in the McCrae Wood. But even then it is infinitely more attractive and softer than euc'y characters with their coarse menthol notes. Below the florals is berry of near-cassis quality, fattened with some aromatic bottled black doris dark plum fruit. Oak is fractionally more noticeable than the Langi, both accentuating the mint and making the palate more aromatic. The saturation of fruit is gorgeous, yet this is not a big or heavy wine. Mt Edelstone is often the most subtle expression of shiraz from the Henschke stable: so this wine too pretty well qualifies as syrah. The colour is a good deal more advanced than the Langi or the O'Shea, but it still has some time ahead of it. This was one of the three most popular wines on the night, five rating it their top wine, three their second favourite, no least places, and five thought it French (a little surprisingly, given the mint). GK 03/17
Lower Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $35 [ screwcap; juice cold-settled to clear, minimised skin contact; cool-fermented in 100% s/s; pH 3.53; RS 4 g/L; dry extract 26.8 incl. RS; www.saintclair.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. This wine has become an absolute standard-bearer for Marlborough, even though style-wise it is a little deviant. It is not quite the purest Marlborough sauvignon in the way the Astrolabe Voyage so often is, the Wairau Reserve being a little quirky and indulgent. Some years it is simply too sweaty, but this 2012 is restrained. It also flirts dangerously with reduction, but again gets away with it. In a way the wine is much more Sancerre / European, and the body is totally European, fantastic, chardonnay-like, as confirmed by the dry extract. I absolutely cannot reconcile the body, texture, mouth feel and dry extract by analysis with the cropping rate given to me, so there is a mystery there. Part of it is the late-picking of the grapes, I am told. Finish is very long, on a civilised 3.3 g/L residual sugar. Interesting to compare the near-identical residuals of the Yealands and the Saint Clair, against their quite different bodies and style. This is a fabulous food sauvignon. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemongreen. This wine has become an absolute standard-bearer for Marlborough, even though style-wise it is a little deviant. It is not quite the purest Marlborough sauvignon in the way the Astrolabe Voyage so often is, the Wairau Reserve being a little quirky and indulgent. Some years it is simply too sweaty, but this 2012 is restrained. It also flirts dangerously with reduction, but again gets away with it. In a way the wine is much more Sancerre / European, and the body is totally European, fantastic, chardonnay-like, as confirmed by the dry extract. I absolutely cannot reconcile the body, texture, mouth feel and dry extract by analysis with the cropping rate given to me, so there is a mystery there. Part of it is the late-picking of the grapes, I am told. Finish is very long, on a civilised 3.3 g/L residual sugar. Interesting to compare the near-identical residuals of the Yealands and the Saint Clair, against their quite different bodies and style. This is a fabulous food sauvignon. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.3%; $135 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Me 58%, CF 23, CS 19, hand-picked from c.17-year old vines cropped @ 4.4 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; cuvaison not given, cultured-yeast; 18 months in French oak 45% new; RS nil; fined, lightly filtered; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Like the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, there is a purity and varietal accuracy to this wine which is a delight. There is more oak than the straight Merlot, so it is a bit harder to tease out the violets exactly, but it is deeply floral and highly varietal, on rich dark berry of bottled omega plum quality. Palate has a freshness to the fruit which is enchanting, the wine positively dancing on the tongue, with almost a hint of cassis complexity, the two cabernets being quite high this year. This wine shows classic Saint-Emilion styling, but with more oak and a New World brightness to it. Again, even though the cropping rate is moving in the right direction, there is not quite the concentration ideally desired, to measure up internationally. As with Aroha, I believe the pricing for Sophia (and more at the winery) is getting ahead of itself. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Like the Gimblett Gravels Merlot, there is a purity and varietal accuracy to this wine which is a delight. There is more oak than the straight Merlot, so it is a bit harder to tease out the violets exactly, but it is deeply floral and highly varietal, on rich dark berry of bottled omega plum quality. Palate has a freshness to the fruit which is enchanting, the wine positively dancing on the tongue, with almost a hint of cassis complexity, the two cabernets being quite high this year. This wine shows classic Saint-Emilion styling, but with more oak and a New World brightness to it. Again, even though the cropping rate is moving in the right direction, there is not quite the concentration ideally desired, to measure up internationally. As with Aroha, I believe the pricing for Sophia (and more at the winery) is getting ahead of itself. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $48 [ screwcap; hand-picked @ c. 2.25 t/ac; 15% whole-bunch component, 6 – 8 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation, 3 – 4 weeks cuvaison, MLF and 10 months in French oak 33% new on lees; RS < 1 g/L; introduction to the Calvert concept 25 Nov 2008; www.craggyrange.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a whole size less than the Felton, deeper than The Pinnacle. Bouquet is close to the Peregrine Pinnacle, faintly fleshier, but a similar quality of soft fragrant slightly vanillin oak (which in the first blind tasting at Regional Wines, Escarpment winemaker Larry McKenna instantly picked as a Craggy wine). Palate shows red fruits more than black, dramatically less black in comparison with the Felton, which since the three contributing proprietors harvest all at the same time, goes to show how important the wine making component is in wine style. The palate is a delight, soft, long and sensuous, another tasting sweet on the fruit richness. The increasingly subtle oak-handling in this wine compared with previous vintages is praiseworthy. This wine will give much pleasure. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/10
Good pinot noir ruby, a whole size less than the Felton, deeper than The Pinnacle. Bouquet is close to the Peregrine Pinnacle, faintly fleshier, but a similar quality of soft fragrant slightly vanillin oak (which in the first blind tasting at Regional Wines, Escarpment winemaker Larry McKenna instantly picked as a Craggy wine). Palate shows red fruits more than black, dramatically less black in comparison with the Felton, which since the three contributing proprietors harvest all at the same time, goes to show how important the wine making component is in wine style. The palate is a delight, soft, long and sensuous, another tasting sweet on the fruit richness. The increasingly subtle oak-handling in this wine compared with previous vintages is praiseworthy. This wine will give much pleasure. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/10
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ cork, 47mm high-quality; probably SB 100% at that stage, hand-harvested; BF in French oak around 30% new, then 6 – 8 months LA with some batonnage, nil MLF, nil RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Glowing rich lemon, a sensational colour. Bouquet shows sweet vernal, English gooseberry and green kiwifruit aromas, complexed with a hint of sweet basil, plus lees autolysis / barrel ferment qualities which have a suggestion of crushed oyster-shell to them. Total bouquet is sophisticated, enticing, and almost saliva-inducing. It just cries out for sea-foods. Flavour is a little stronger than the bouquet descriptors, resting on bottled English gooseberries and white stonefruits, in which there is sweet basil and suggestions of bouquet garni, but scarcely any sign of even sautéed red capsicum. Oak is fractionally high for perfect harmony with food. Nonetheless there is beautiful fruit weight and length, and a dry / stony / mineral finish, all with no suggestions of undue age.
This is sauvignon blanc beautifully ripened in an international sense, no hints of Marlborough, yet still retaining freshness and excitement. It is the barrel work and elevation complexity which makes the wine so compelling. It is little short of a national tragedy that New Zealanders have been so brain-washed by ill-informed winewriters, to believe that sauvignon blanc does not cellar. This wine is the vivid embodiment of the nonsense of such views. But to achieve this excellence, the fruit must be ripened appropriately, cropped conservatively, and then fermented and raised with respect to Bordeaux tradition, not Marlborough. Kudos to Peter Cowley, Te Mata chief winemaker. A wonderful wine at the peak of maturity. GK 09/18
Glowing rich lemon, a sensational colour. Bouquet shows sweet vernal, English gooseberry and green kiwifruit aromas, complexed with a hint of sweet basil, plus lees autolysis / barrel ferment qualities which have a suggestion of crushed oyster-shell to them. Total bouquet is sophisticated, enticing, and almost saliva-inducing. It just cries out for sea-foods. Flavour is a little stronger than the bouquet descriptors, resting on bottled English gooseberries and white stonefruits, in which there is sweet basil and suggestions of bouquet garni, but scarcely any sign of even sautéed red capsicum. Oak is fractionally high for perfect harmony with food. Nonetheless there is beautiful fruit weight and length, and a dry / stony / mineral finish, all with no suggestions of undue age.
This is sauvignon blanc beautifully ripened in an international sense, no hints of Marlborough, yet still retaining freshness and excitement. It is the barrel work and elevation complexity which makes the wine so compelling. It is little short of a national tragedy that New Zealanders have been so brain-washed by ill-informed winewriters, to believe that sauvignon blanc does not cellar. This wine is the vivid embodiment of the nonsense of such views. But to achieve this excellence, the fruit must be ripened appropriately, cropped conservatively, and then fermented and raised with respect to Bordeaux tradition, not Marlborough. Kudos to Peter Cowley, Te Mata chief winemaker. A wonderful wine at the peak of maturity. GK 09/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ 18 months French oak; no info at the user-unfriendly website; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as youthful as some of the 02s. This is a superb syrah bouquet, pretty much in a classical northern Rhone style, taken up as far as one can go before losing floral and varietal subtlety. Some might say, a little past that, with a hint of sur-maturité. There are still dark roses though, in a deep rich cassis and blackest plums bouquet which is attractively balanced to oak. Palate is succulent, more clearly a bit over-ripe and fat, the oak seeming more prominent than the Trinity Homage, but with black pepper still tasteable. What a fragrant and aromatic Hermitage-like wine this will be, once it loses some puppyfat. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as youthful as some of the 02s. This is a superb syrah bouquet, pretty much in a classical northern Rhone style, taken up as far as one can go before losing floral and varietal subtlety. Some might say, a little past that, with a hint of sur-maturité. There are still dark roses though, in a deep rich cassis and blackest plums bouquet which is attractively balanced to oak. Palate is succulent, more clearly a bit over-ripe and fat, the oak seeming more prominent than the Trinity Homage, but with black pepper still tasteable. What a fragrant and aromatic Hermitage-like wine this will be, once it loses some puppyfat. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 15%; $70 [ cork; Sy 100%; 8 – 10 day cold soak, MLF in barrel, 17 months in French oak 55% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, as fabulous as Homage. I waver on this wine, sometimes being put off by the high alcohol (15.4°), which introduces a vintage port thought, but then being enchanted by the saturated berryfruit flavours, and subtlety of the oak handling. It is not quite as complex as the Homage, partly due to the subtler oak, but in many ways it is a purer exposition of syrah as berry - essence of syrah. Cassis, black plums and blueberry are the core smells and flavours. It is a bit too ripe for florals, though one hopes they will emerge with time. The palate is softening already, and assimilating / concealing the alcohol tolerably well. It is spirity with food, though. This too will cellar for 10 - 20 years. Like Homage, production was small, and having been released earlier, it is even rarer at retail than Homage. UK sales are via Capricorn Wines, and USA Kobrand Corporation. GK 06/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, as fabulous as Homage. I waver on this wine, sometimes being put off by the high alcohol (15.4°), which introduces a vintage port thought, but then being enchanted by the saturated berryfruit flavours, and subtlety of the oak handling. It is not quite as complex as the Homage, partly due to the subtler oak, but in many ways it is a purer exposition of syrah as berry - essence of syrah. Cassis, black plums and blueberry are the core smells and flavours. It is a bit too ripe for florals, though one hopes they will emerge with time. The palate is softening already, and assimilating / concealing the alcohol tolerably well. It is spirity with food, though. This too will cellar for 10 - 20 years. Like Homage, production was small, and having been released earlier, it is even rarer at retail than Homage. UK sales are via Capricorn Wines, and USA Kobrand Corporation. GK 06/05
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; Sy 97.6%, Vi 2.4, all hand-picked @ c.7.8 t/ha (3.1 t/ac) from a hill-slope site with limestone; syrah all de-stemmed, 2 days cold-soak, c.10 days ferment, total cuvaison from 28 to 34 days; MLF and 9 months in French oak 40% new, no American oak; RS 3 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; 354 cases; no top ranking, 3 second; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, not so much carmine, much less dense than the top wines, below midway. This was one of the two sensationally floral wines in the tasting, the precision and sweetness of the dianthus and wallflower components being breathtaking, exactly comparable with some of the 2010 Cote Roties from Yves Cuilleron also recently tasted with the Hawkes Bay Hot Red syrahs, report imminent. There is a hint of sweet black pepper, lovely fragrant cassisy berry, and almost invisible oak beautifully done. Palate shows real cassis, some soft bottled black plums, black pepper, and oak. The tannin structure of the wine is so good, you have to be a very sensitive taster to immediately pick up there are 3g of residual sugar in the finish. Looking back at one's notes at the 'blind' stage, words like 'plump' are a clue. Syrah winemakers need to study this wine for its glorious florality and exact varietal expression, both components facilitated by more appropriate oak use than most of the wines in this tasting. As I have written so often before, fine syrah is more like pinot noir. We must shed clumsy Australian patterns of oak usage, if we are to optimise our syrahs so they may find their true place on the world wine stage. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Ruby and velvet, not so much carmine, much less dense than the top wines, below midway. This was one of the two sensationally floral wines in the tasting, the precision and sweetness of the dianthus and wallflower components being breathtaking, exactly comparable with some of the 2010 Cote Roties from Yves Cuilleron also recently tasted with the Hawkes Bay Hot Red syrahs, report imminent. There is a hint of sweet black pepper, lovely fragrant cassisy berry, and almost invisible oak beautifully done. Palate shows real cassis, some soft bottled black plums, black pepper, and oak. The tannin structure of the wine is so good, you have to be a very sensitive taster to immediately pick up there are 3g of residual sugar in the finish. Looking back at one's notes at the 'blind' stage, words like 'plump' are a clue. Syrah winemakers need to study this wine for its glorious florality and exact varietal expression, both components facilitated by more appropriate oak use than most of the wines in this tasting. As I have written so often before, fine syrah is more like pinot noir. We must shed clumsy Australian patterns of oak usage, if we are to optimise our syrahs so they may find their true place on the world wine stage. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.7%; $136 [ 50mm cork; Sy 100%, all hand-harvested at 6.6 t/ha = 2.7 t/ac; all de-stemmed, inoculated ferments in oak cuves; MLF and 17 months in French oak 30% new; not fined, lightly filtered; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine. Bouquet lacks the vibrant varietal sparkle of the 2016s, being a bit more massive and oaky. It is still a big and recognisably syrah bouquet, but the oak is more evident than in the younger wine. Flavours follow pro rata, a more oaky rendering of cassisy and darkly plummy berry, black pepper varietal notes developing nicely in mouth, sufficient fruit weight for the wine to be quite long-flavoured, but the new oak is extending the impression of fruit concentration. This level of oak will appeal to many new world tasters, but is greater than nearly all highly-ranked Northern Rhone examples of syrah would show. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest wine. Bouquet lacks the vibrant varietal sparkle of the 2016s, being a bit more massive and oaky. It is still a big and recognisably syrah bouquet, but the oak is more evident than in the younger wine. Flavours follow pro rata, a more oaky rendering of cassisy and darkly plummy berry, black pepper varietal notes developing nicely in mouth, sufficient fruit weight for the wine to be quite long-flavoured, but the new oak is extending the impression of fruit concentration. This level of oak will appeal to many new world tasters, but is greater than nearly all highly-ranked Northern Rhone examples of syrah would show. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ cork; hand-harvested; no stems, no crushing; 5 days cold-soak and fermented in new wooden French cuves, elevage 13 months in 50% new French oak, 50% 1-year; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, at a max for a substantial example of the variety, a little deeper than the darkest 2002 Jadot. Initially opened, the wine is a bit reluctant, and benefits greatly from decanting. With air, total bouquet on this wine melds dark florals of the blackest rose and boronia kind, with black cherry and sun-warmed plums. It is a deeper, richer, riper bouquet than the DRC or the Greenhough Hope, not so floral, but wonderfully pure, and clearly deep pinot noir. Perhaps there is a hint of sur-maturité. Palate is concentrated black cherries, the succulent texture of fruit to come, firm tannins but beautifully understated oak, a richness which can only mean a grand cru cropping rate. [Dry extract later found to be 29 g/L]. This is great new world pinot which will cellar wonderfully well. In five years time I expect it to have significantly more bouquet. It is not as complex on palate as the DRC, due to the lack of brett, but in its purity some will rate it higher for that. This is among the finest New Zealand pinots to emerge, thus far. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Big pinot noir ruby, at a max for a substantial example of the variety, a little deeper than the darkest 2002 Jadot. Initially opened, the wine is a bit reluctant, and benefits greatly from decanting. With air, total bouquet on this wine melds dark florals of the blackest rose and boronia kind, with black cherry and sun-warmed plums. It is a deeper, richer, riper bouquet than the DRC or the Greenhough Hope, not so floral, but wonderfully pure, and clearly deep pinot noir. Perhaps there is a hint of sur-maturité. Palate is concentrated black cherries, the succulent texture of fruit to come, firm tannins but beautifully understated oak, a richness which can only mean a grand cru cropping rate. [Dry extract later found to be 29 g/L]. This is great new world pinot which will cellar wonderfully well. In five years time I expect it to have significantly more bouquet. It is not as complex on palate as the DRC, due to the lack of brett, but in its purity some will rate it higher for that. This is among the finest New Zealand pinots to emerge, thus far. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/05
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $83 [ cork, 49mm; original price c.$90; in 2005 Gr 90%, Sy 5, Mv 5, from the La Crau sector; not covered by J.L-L, not clear from Tardieu-Laurent website if details now apply in 2005 vintage, but maybe 66% of crop de-stemmed; no cuvaison detail, elevation then the Sy and Mv in new or newish small wood, the Gr in large wood, for 12 months, then 12 months in older foudre; not fined or filtered; Philippe Cambie consults; JR@JR, 2006: Super-ripe blackberries-in-the-sun sort of aromas. Gosh, one could imagine a trickle of this on a scoop of vanilla ice cream! It’s a sort of crème de mûre kind of wine – so sweet but with the backing and depth to take the alcohol ... The very fine tannins keep it refreshing, 2014 – 2024, 18; RP@RP, 2007: This is a beautiful wine that is more elegant than the regular Chateauneuf du Pape, with raspberry and kirsch liqueur notes ... finesse, acidity, and ripe tannin ... a style midway between the traditionalists and the modernists ... 2014 – 2037, 91 -- 93; weight bottle and cork 911 g; http://tardieu-laurent.fr ]
Ruby, velvet and some garnet, just above midway in depth of colour. Bouquet here is aromatic, a lot more oak and noticeably cedary new oak, so much so you can't be sure if there is garrigue complexity. Red and darker fruits seem equally prominent. Palate is quite rich, as you would hope with the Vieilles Vignes designation, but the high-quality oak almost leads the flavours. This is very much a modern wine, but has the richness to marry up a good deal more in cellar, 10 – 20 years. One taster had it as second favourite, but in contrast, a couple of people had it least, not liking so much new oak in their Southern Rhones. How it is scored could therefore vary considerably. GK 07/19
Ruby, velvet and some garnet, just above midway in depth of colour. Bouquet here is aromatic, a lot more oak and noticeably cedary new oak, so much so you can't be sure if there is garrigue complexity. Red and darker fruits seem equally prominent. Palate is quite rich, as you would hope with the Vieilles Vignes designation, but the high-quality oak almost leads the flavours. This is very much a modern wine, but has the richness to marry up a good deal more in cellar, 10 – 20 years. One taster had it as second favourite, but in contrast, a couple of people had it least, not liking so much new oak in their Southern Rhones. How it is scored could therefore vary considerably. GK 07/19
Te Muna Road, Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $115 [ screwcap; PN 100% from 17-year old vines, close-planted at 6,700 vines / ha; 18 months in French oak 50% new; not fined or filtered; RS 0.2 g/L, dry extract 28.4 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth of colour for the pinots. Freshly opened there is a strange smell, needing vigorous decanting / pouring from jug to jug a few times. With air the wine is transformed into an archetypal Martinborough pinot noir, exhibiting what I understand people to mean by the descriptor ‘savoury’. It is a ‘drier’ style of pinot noir than the average of the Otago wines. Once breathed, there is a floral quality to the bouquet, but you have to work at it, slightly spicy red roses, more Cote de Nuits in style than Cote de Beaune. In mouth red fruits dominate, with surprising richness / dry extract, much more than the bouquet promises. The florals continue right into the palate, a highly desirable attribute. Tannin structure is quite strong in the wine, but it is not too oaky, thank heaven. Top of head, this is the best Kupe I have seen, there being an almost Gevrey-Chambertin quality to it. If this is a pointer to the future, McKenna's long-standing faith in his Kupe vineyard will be repaid. Aftertaste is the best part of the wine, promising much. McKenna has long been ambitious for the price on Kupe, and the latest lift continues the trend. There is now some track record, and some consistency. It will be good when the alcohol comes back a bit in the Te Muna vineyard, hopefully with increasing vine age. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Good pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth of colour for the pinots. Freshly opened there is a strange smell, needing vigorous decanting / pouring from jug to jug a few times. With air the wine is transformed into an archetypal Martinborough pinot noir, exhibiting what I understand people to mean by the descriptor ‘savoury’. It is a ‘drier’ style of pinot noir than the average of the Otago wines. Once breathed, there is a floral quality to the bouquet, but you have to work at it, slightly spicy red roses, more Cote de Nuits in style than Cote de Beaune. In mouth red fruits dominate, with surprising richness / dry extract, much more than the bouquet promises. The florals continue right into the palate, a highly desirable attribute. Tannin structure is quite strong in the wine, but it is not too oaky, thank heaven. Top of head, this is the best Kupe I have seen, there being an almost Gevrey-Chambertin quality to it. If this is a pointer to the future, McKenna's long-standing faith in his Kupe vineyard will be repaid. Aftertaste is the best part of the wine, promising much. McKenna has long been ambitious for the price on Kupe, and the latest lift continues the trend. There is now some track record, and some consistency. It will be good when the alcohol comes back a bit in the Te Muna vineyard, hopefully with increasing vine age. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.8%; $21 [ screwcap; SB cropped @ 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac); free-run juice settled overnight, straight to barrel % new unknown, wild-yeast and not-cold fermentation; LA and twice-weekly batonnage for some months; RS 4.2 g/L, some filtering and bottled March following; 350 cases; www.tohuwines.co.nz ]
Rich lemon. A very fragrant and voluminous bouquet of ripe sauvignon blanc barrel-fermented in mellow oak, to produce complex florals including not-totally-attractive daisy family (Cape Ivy, chrysanthemum) notes as well as sautéed red capsicum, black passionfruit and generalised fruit aromas. Palate is soft and rich, picking up on the black passionfruit pulp component particularly, and here the seasoned oak really comes into its own, not making this palate spikey. A love or hate wine, I would imagine, not as interfered-with as Te Koko, not as bracing as Sauvage, richer than Cape Crest, perhaps not one for delicacy fans. This emergence of Graves-like (except for the RS) sauvignons in New Zealand is exciting, mostly due to the attention now paid to physiological maturity in the fruit, and conserving those flavours via subtle handling in old oak. This is a lovely example. Cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/11
Rich lemon. A very fragrant and voluminous bouquet of ripe sauvignon blanc barrel-fermented in mellow oak, to produce complex florals including not-totally-attractive daisy family (Cape Ivy, chrysanthemum) notes as well as sautéed red capsicum, black passionfruit and generalised fruit aromas. Palate is soft and rich, picking up on the black passionfruit pulp component particularly, and here the seasoned oak really comes into its own, not making this palate spikey. A love or hate wine, I would imagine, not as interfered-with as Te Koko, not as bracing as Sauvage, richer than Cape Crest, perhaps not one for delicacy fans. This emergence of Graves-like (except for the RS) sauvignons in New Zealand is exciting, mostly due to the attention now paid to physiological maturity in the fruit, and conserving those flavours via subtle handling in old oak. This is a lovely example. Cellar 3 – 8 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; original price $45; Me 92%, Ma 5, CF 3; French oak 75% new, 12 months, plus 6 months in 2-year; M Cooper, 2005: The brilliant 2002 … a notably complete Hawkes Bay wine, it is dark and overflowing with rich, brambly, spicy, earthy flavours. Powerful, yet very elegant, silky and complex, it's already a delicious mouthful, but has the stuffing and structure to mature gracefully for many years. Don't miss it: *****; Wine Spectator, 2004: Serves up concentrated black cherry, plum and black currant notes folding into generous cedary oak, fresh herbs and vanilla in the brawny tannins on the finish. Best from 2006 through 2008: 88; [ GK comment on that review: the American consumerist approach to cellaring wine really is laughable ... ]; weight bottle and closure: 614 g; www.sacredhill.com ]
Rich ruby and velvet, youthful for its age, above midway in depth. Bouquet is particularly attractive, a dominance of dusky violet and rose florals over bottled dark-plums fruit, shaped but not unduly dominated by cedary oak. This smells for all the world like a modern (slightly oaky) Saint-Emilion. In mouth it is again beauty rather than size or power that creates the greatest impression, a total harmony of plummy berry / oak interaction, lovely freshness and length, oak a little more noticeable now in comparison with the Cos d'Estournel, appropriate alcohol. This is a great New Zealand Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend at an early peak of maturity, which it will hold for many years. Top or second wine for four tasters, second equal favourite on the night, but not easily recognised as to variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Rich ruby and velvet, youthful for its age, above midway in depth. Bouquet is particularly attractive, a dominance of dusky violet and rose florals over bottled dark-plums fruit, shaped but not unduly dominated by cedary oak. This smells for all the world like a modern (slightly oaky) Saint-Emilion. In mouth it is again beauty rather than size or power that creates the greatest impression, a total harmony of plummy berry / oak interaction, lovely freshness and length, oak a little more noticeable now in comparison with the Cos d'Estournel, appropriate alcohol. This is a great New Zealand Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend at an early peak of maturity, which it will hold for many years. Top or second wine for four tasters, second equal favourite on the night, but not easily recognised as to variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.2%; $34 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all hand-harvested @ 6.4 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac; all de-stemmed; 16 months in French oak 20% new; fined, filtered; RS, dry; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is dramatically fine varietal syrah ripened to perfection, beautiful dusky florals hinting at carnations, sweet black pepper, fragrant cassis-oriented berry, and subtlest oak. It is the restraint in the oak that allows me to say the varietal quality is dramatic. In mouth, quality and charm continue unabated, with seemingly better concentration and dry extract than most of these wines, and near-perfect varietal expression. Worth noting that this level of oak matches many 'grand cru' bottlings from Cote Rotie and Hermitage. It is all too easy to be misled by the top Guigal wines, in the matter of syrah and oak. This is delightful wine, to be bought by the multiple case lot. It will give infinite pleasure with food for many years, whether as a young wine or a mature one. It shows exactly why the best Hawkes Bay syrah totally matches Hermitage and Cote Rotie, and far eclipses Crozes-Hermitage. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is dramatically fine varietal syrah ripened to perfection, beautiful dusky florals hinting at carnations, sweet black pepper, fragrant cassis-oriented berry, and subtlest oak. It is the restraint in the oak that allows me to say the varietal quality is dramatic. In mouth, quality and charm continue unabated, with seemingly better concentration and dry extract than most of these wines, and near-perfect varietal expression. Worth noting that this level of oak matches many 'grand cru' bottlings from Cote Rotie and Hermitage. It is all too easy to be misled by the top Guigal wines, in the matter of syrah and oak. This is delightful wine, to be bought by the multiple case lot. It will give infinite pleasure with food for many years, whether as a young wine or a mature one. It shows exactly why the best Hawkes Bay syrah totally matches Hermitage and Cote Rotie, and far eclipses Crozes-Hermitage. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $66 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 4.1 t/ha (1.65 t/ac) from 12-year old vines (Dijon clones only), growing in a season of c.1190 degree days; ferments include a 30% whole-bunch component, cuvaison 21 days; 11 months in French oak 34% new, the balance first-and second-year; not fined or filtered; 290 9-litre cases; exemplary spec sheets for each wine; www.valliwine.com ]
Pinot noir ruby of some depth, inseparable from the Gibbston Vineyard wine or maybe faintly younger, at the head of the second quarter of the 57 wines for depth. Again, the bouquet demonstrates all that one could ask for in one phase of precise pinot noir varietal definition. It shows a sensuous floral dimension centred on the buddleia / lilac / pink hedge-rose / violets spectrum, wonderfully fragrant, on red fruits. Palate extends the red cherry flavours, the wine slightly more tannic than the top two, and showing a little more maturity. Oak might be fractionally high, but only relative to the perfection of the top two. Nicely mature now, it will hold 3 – 8 years easily. GK 06/17
Pinot noir ruby of some depth, inseparable from the Gibbston Vineyard wine or maybe faintly younger, at the head of the second quarter of the 57 wines for depth. Again, the bouquet demonstrates all that one could ask for in one phase of precise pinot noir varietal definition. It shows a sensuous floral dimension centred on the buddleia / lilac / pink hedge-rose / violets spectrum, wonderfully fragrant, on red fruits. Palate extends the red cherry flavours, the wine slightly more tannic than the top two, and showing a little more maturity. Oak might be fractionally high, but only relative to the perfection of the top two. Nicely mature now, it will hold 3 – 8 years easily. GK 06/17
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $103 [ cork, 50mm; CS 56%, Me 30, CF 14; dry but not unduly hot, a highly-rated year, GDD 1489, harvest late March to early April; release price $95; Cowley, 2017: intense, dense fruit, firm; Perrotti-Brown @ R. Parker, 2015: ... a fragrant nose of blackberries, mulberries and blackcurrants with dark chocolate, cigar box and clove nuances. Medium-bodied, the palate ... restrained fruit and spice layers supported by an impressively seamless structural line of firm, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing very long, 93+; Chan, 2015: The nose ... ripe blackcurrant and cassis fruit entwined with black and red plum fruit and waves of redcurrant detail ... floral perfumes ... enriched by pencil shavings and toasty oak elements. Medium-full bodied and elegantly proportioned, the palate ... sweet core of ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Complexing dark plum, herb, tobacco leaf ... balanced by fresh lacy acid ... wonderfully concentrated, elegantly proportioned ... it will evolve over the next 10-15 years and hold for three decades plus, 19.5; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally older than the 2015, still the second deepest wine. And this difference is clearly reflected on bouquet, for this wine has a bouquet, already some appearance of secondary characters, superb roses and violets florals, clear cassis and blackberry fruit, the oak still nearly hidden. In one sense, the highly cassisy flavour shows a perfect point of picking, optimising florality yet no hint of stalks, lovely ripe but slightly fresh tannins, good length. So this 2013 Coleraine is exceptional on bouquet. It is only in palate weight that it does not quite measure up, as earlier discussed. The slightly more concentrated 2015 (and 1998) are ahead, in that respect. Which one prefers will depend on the weighting you give to florals on the bouquet, versus palate satisfaction. This Coleraine with its precise florality, must surely epitomise exactly what John Buck was talking about, when he referred to the florals he found in the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon and the Bordeaux wines, in the history section quoted. This too will be a lovely Coleraine, forming a complementary pair with the 2015. It has to be said, sadly, that for most tasters, the qualities and subtleties of bouquet are much less important than the nett impression on palate. The 2013 did not shine for tasters, a couple each night rating it second-favourite, and one only first place. I thought the bottles identical. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 08/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally older than the 2015, still the second deepest wine. And this difference is clearly reflected on bouquet, for this wine has a bouquet, already some appearance of secondary characters, superb roses and violets florals, clear cassis and blackberry fruit, the oak still nearly hidden. In one sense, the highly cassisy flavour shows a perfect point of picking, optimising florality yet no hint of stalks, lovely ripe but slightly fresh tannins, good length. So this 2013 Coleraine is exceptional on bouquet. It is only in palate weight that it does not quite measure up, as earlier discussed. The slightly more concentrated 2015 (and 1998) are ahead, in that respect. Which one prefers will depend on the weighting you give to florals on the bouquet, versus palate satisfaction. This Coleraine with its precise florality, must surely epitomise exactly what John Buck was talking about, when he referred to the florals he found in the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon and the Bordeaux wines, in the history section quoted. This too will be a lovely Coleraine, forming a complementary pair with the 2015. It has to be said, sadly, that for most tasters, the qualities and subtleties of bouquet are much less important than the nett impression on palate. The 2013 did not shine for tasters, a couple each night rating it second-favourite, and one only first place. I thought the bottles identical. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 08/17
Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $242 [ cork; 30 – 35 hl/ha (1.5 – 1.8 t/ac); 10% whole-bunch, c. 15 day cuvaison in s/s; MLF and up 22 months in French oak 100% new; Coates: rather more closed-in on the nose. But the palate is very concentrated. Some tannin. Lots and lots of depth. Very good grip. This is a lot less advanced but it is very fine indeed. The wine goes on for ever in the mouth. Great class. From 2012; Parker / Rovani: 92 – 94; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Ruby, identical to the Chambertin. Bouquet is reserved at first, midway between the Beze and le Chambertin in terms of the depth of oaking, and at this stage the oak is tending to dominate. With plenty of air, quiet floral components and red and black cherries appear. Palate is pure crisp cherry, the fruit weight not quite as impressive as the Chambertin or Beze, the acid fractionally higher. But the cherry flavours and varietal beauty are still delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Ruby, identical to the Chambertin. Bouquet is reserved at first, midway between the Beze and le Chambertin in terms of the depth of oaking, and at this stage the oak is tending to dominate. With plenty of air, quiet floral components and red and black cherries appear. Palate is pure crisp cherry, the fruit weight not quite as impressive as the Chambertin or Beze, the acid fractionally higher. But the cherry flavours and varietal beauty are still delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $79 [ screwcap; Ch clone mendoza 100%, hand-picked, organic viticulture; high-solids fermentation, all wild-yeast, all in barrels only 7% new; full MLF and 12 months on full lees with monthly stirring in barrel, followed by 4 months assembly in s/s; dry; production 362 x 9-litre cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Light lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is a model of mendoza-informed Antipodean chardonnay, beautifully pure and sweet, nearly creamy in the sense of finest Danish butter. The complexity on bouquet gives the impression of subtle barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis in barrels most of which are far from new, very beguiling [later – confirmed ]. The bouquet is totally free from trendy reduction. Palate is not quite so subtle, the level of new oak now tastable compared with understated fine white burgundy (though there are new-oaky ones too), malolactic complexity still to marry in, the palate weight good by New Zealand standards and many examples from Burgundy, but not exemplary. It will be much more together and complete in 3 – 5 years. As with many of these wines, setting the price ($79) to cater more for an elite market means that reviewers are justified in assessing it by international standards, not New Zealand commercial / wine show standards. Even so, this is a fine New Zealand chardonnay (one of New Zealand’s best, consistently) which will give great pleasure especially in five years. It also compares well with the finest Australia has to offer (noting that in West Australia at least they also use clone mendoza, as gin gin). How wonderful it is to see leading producers making their top chardonnay with 7%-only new oak. As the notes imply, the ratio could be even lower. With its firm (and finegrain, not added) acid balance, it will cellar for at least 20 years. GK 06/19
Light lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is a model of mendoza-informed Antipodean chardonnay, beautifully pure and sweet, nearly creamy in the sense of finest Danish butter. The complexity on bouquet gives the impression of subtle barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis in barrels most of which are far from new, very beguiling [later – confirmed ]. The bouquet is totally free from trendy reduction. Palate is not quite so subtle, the level of new oak now tastable compared with understated fine white burgundy (though there are new-oaky ones too), malolactic complexity still to marry in, the palate weight good by New Zealand standards and many examples from Burgundy, but not exemplary. It will be much more together and complete in 3 – 5 years. As with many of these wines, setting the price ($79) to cater more for an elite market means that reviewers are justified in assessing it by international standards, not New Zealand commercial / wine show standards. Even so, this is a fine New Zealand chardonnay (one of New Zealand’s best, consistently) which will give great pleasure especially in five years. It also compares well with the finest Australia has to offer (noting that in West Australia at least they also use clone mendoza, as gin gin). How wonderful it is to see leading producers making their top chardonnay with 7%-only new oak. As the notes imply, the ratio could be even lower. With its firm (and finegrain, not added) acid balance, it will cellar for at least 20 years. GK 06/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $129 [ cork, 49mm; cepage at the time was more Gr 65%, Mv 20, Sy 10, others 5; all cropped very conservatively c.2.6 t/ha = fractionally over 1 t/ac; all destemmed, 21 days cuvaison; elevation c.12 months in large foudres, no new oak; not fined or filtered; like Domaine Charvin, remarkable for making just the one cuvée of (red) Chateauneuf, annual production c.7,000 cases; J. L-L, 2015: ... an open and wide display of red fruit with clove, mocha touches, licorice. It’s on the cusp between smily fruit and secondary spices. The palate holds entertaining red stone fruit with fine grain late moments, red berries; it has very joli airborne qualities. There are fresh, winning rays of sunshine in the glass, a wine that enhances the day. There is latent game and graininess in it, and a savoury, strawberry jam presence on the finish. It very digestible, super enhancing wine. Vincent Avril comments: "a year of Mourvedre for us”, to 2030; ****(*); J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: A solid step up over the '98, the Clos des Papes 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape (one of Paul-Vincent's favorites) offers a more youthful color to go with Burgundian notes of spice, dried flowers, black cherries and licorice. More fresh and lively, with medium to full-bodied richness, it has a youthful feel and has another decade of longevity, 94; www.clos-des-papes.fr ]
Ruby and garnet, another glowing exquisite colour, quite the lightest of the 12. The volume of bouquet here is a delight, mainly red fruits, a beautiful near-floral garrigue aromatic component, plus great zing / piquant excitement from trace brett. In mouth the whole wine is soft, velvety, burgundian in a big spicy Cote de Nuits way, shaped by older oak but the oak flavours minor, suppressed, exquisitely integrated. As so often, Clos des Papes is the most free-run and charming wine in the set, supple, mature, yet no hurry at all. Even with trace brett, this is absolutely beautiful wine, which would grace any dinner setting. It was the second most-favoured wine on the night, four first places, three second. Two tasters thought the brett ‘significant’. The aftertaste lingers delightfully on spicy almost succulent fruit. GK 03/19
Ruby and garnet, another glowing exquisite colour, quite the lightest of the 12. The volume of bouquet here is a delight, mainly red fruits, a beautiful near-floral garrigue aromatic component, plus great zing / piquant excitement from trace brett. In mouth the whole wine is soft, velvety, burgundian in a big spicy Cote de Nuits way, shaped by older oak but the oak flavours minor, suppressed, exquisitely integrated. As so often, Clos des Papes is the most free-run and charming wine in the set, supple, mature, yet no hurry at all. Even with trace brett, this is absolutely beautiful wine, which would grace any dinner setting. It was the second most-favoured wine on the night, four first places, three second. Two tasters thought the brett ‘significant’. The aftertaste lingers delightfully on spicy almost succulent fruit. GK 03/19
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $100 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ just under 2.5 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top oak cuves, 22 days cuvaison including cold-soak; no BF component; MLF and 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS nil; filtered; release date 1 June 2008, 166 cases (of 12) only; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than la Sabarotte. Well, this is a change of pace for Le Sol. This is no high-alcohol near-Australian out-to-impress-by-size-alone syrah. Instead it is delicately floral, not quite in the heightened way of la Sabarotte, but instead wallflowers, red roses and violets, soft, sensuous, on lovely red and black fruits. Palate is similar, no richer than the Esk Reserve but less oaky, not quite the saturation of berry and dry extract of the Villa Reserve. Fruit is cassis and almost dark cherry as well as bottled plum, with delicate black peppercorn spice. Some years of le Sol have been Hermitage in style – Hermitage on steroids, some might say – but this year is more Cote Rotie, beautiful, lingering on firmer acid than some, yet still gentle. The purity of this le Sol alongside the same-year Trinity Homage is dazzling. Price is becoming a worry though, with the Craggy Range wines. Having established themselves, the days of their being attractively priced have (it seems) passed. The company will no doubt argue, that they have established a world market for Craggy Range wines, and further, that for 2006 the volume is minuscule. I think it is too soon for New Zealand wineries to be so bullish about their pricing, notably with pinot noir, but now via le Sol and the Trinity Homage, with syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally lighter than la Sabarotte. Well, this is a change of pace for Le Sol. This is no high-alcohol near-Australian out-to-impress-by-size-alone syrah. Instead it is delicately floral, not quite in the heightened way of la Sabarotte, but instead wallflowers, red roses and violets, soft, sensuous, on lovely red and black fruits. Palate is similar, no richer than the Esk Reserve but less oaky, not quite the saturation of berry and dry extract of the Villa Reserve. Fruit is cassis and almost dark cherry as well as bottled plum, with delicate black peppercorn spice. Some years of le Sol have been Hermitage in style – Hermitage on steroids, some might say – but this year is more Cote Rotie, beautiful, lingering on firmer acid than some, yet still gentle. The purity of this le Sol alongside the same-year Trinity Homage is dazzling. Price is becoming a worry though, with the Craggy Range wines. Having established themselves, the days of their being attractively priced have (it seems) passed. The company will no doubt argue, that they have established a world market for Craggy Range wines, and further, that for 2006 the volume is minuscule. I think it is too soon for New Zealand wineries to be so bullish about their pricing, notably with pinot noir, but now via le Sol and the Trinity Homage, with syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Nahe, Germany: 8.5%; $46
Brilliant lemongreen, excellent. A very clean and clearly varietal riesling bouquet, with elegant lime and citrus blossom florals on top, and fragrant white stonefruits below. Flavour develops the bouquet, with fine lingering acid to balance normal spatlese sweetness, the lime note persisting through to the aftertaste. The lime notes presumably bespeak greater terpene development as in a warmer year, but acid balance remains elegant. Lovely wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/04
Brilliant lemongreen, excellent. A very clean and clearly varietal riesling bouquet, with elegant lime and citrus blossom florals on top, and fragrant white stonefruits below. Flavour develops the bouquet, with fine lingering acid to balance normal spatlese sweetness, the lime note persisting through to the aftertaste. The lime notes presumably bespeak greater terpene development as in a warmer year, but acid balance remains elegant. Lovely wine. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 03/04
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $118 [ cork; hand-harvested; fermentation in oak vats; MLF and 18 months in oak; www.drouhin.com ]
Medium pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest in this tasting. This Drouhin is so close to the Charmes-Chambertin in style, and so obviously Drouhin in a blind tasting, that the same notes would serve perfectly well for both. Perhaps the Clos de la Roche is even more floral, and showing slightly less new oak. It is a perfect expression of pinot noir the grape fully ripe, remarkably floral, just beautiful. A feminine style of pinot noir, though interestingly in the blind tasting, several female tasters described the wine as masculine. There is more to the parfumier’s art than one imagines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Medium pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest in this tasting. This Drouhin is so close to the Charmes-Chambertin in style, and so obviously Drouhin in a blind tasting, that the same notes would serve perfectly well for both. Perhaps the Clos de la Roche is even more floral, and showing slightly less new oak. It is a perfect expression of pinot noir the grape fully ripe, remarkably floral, just beautiful. A feminine style of pinot noir, though interestingly in the blind tasting, several female tasters described the wine as masculine. There is more to the parfumier’s art than one imagines. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/05
Kumeu, Auckland, New Zealand: 13%; $46 [ screwcap; hand harvested; whole-bunch pressed, wild yeast, 100% MLF, BF, LA in French oak 12 months; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet here shows a beautiful integration of slightly charry oak with mealy fruit, for all the world in the style of Meursault. Fruit flavours are maybe a little more yellow-peachy than the Girardin wines, presumably reflecting the Mendoza clone. Fruit weight, acid balance, and mealy complexities plus some new oak enable this new world wine to slot straight in amongst the modern Girardins, a number of tasters identifying it as French. Wonderful to have such ripe and elegant chardonnay flavours and intensity at 13% alcohol, with the Girardins all said to be 14%. One can see exactly why this wine and /or the sibling Kumeu River Chardonnay have figured so consistently in Wine Spectator’s top 100 lists, over the last 13 years. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/04
Pale lemon. Bouquet here shows a beautiful integration of slightly charry oak with mealy fruit, for all the world in the style of Meursault. Fruit flavours are maybe a little more yellow-peachy than the Girardin wines, presumably reflecting the Mendoza clone. Fruit weight, acid balance, and mealy complexities plus some new oak enable this new world wine to slot straight in amongst the modern Girardins, a number of tasters identifying it as French. Wonderful to have such ripe and elegant chardonnay flavours and intensity at 13% alcohol, with the Girardins all said to be 14%. One can see exactly why this wine and /or the sibling Kumeu River Chardonnay have figured so consistently in Wine Spectator’s top 100 lists, over the last 13 years. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/04
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, tended for low-cropping; hand-harvested, all destemmed; inoculated yeast, 21 days cuvaison; MLF completed and 10 months in French oak 60% new; RS nil; www.sileni.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a more evolved colour than the Tom Syrah or Le Sol, and one of the lighter colours altogether. Bouquet here is in one sense quite different from the Church Road and Craggy Range syrahs, yet it is gloriously linked to them too. It shows the smooth warm cedary oak character that Grant Edmonds manages to achieve in his top-tier EV wines, yet on palate the oak does not dominate at all. In much earlier days, Robert Mondavi achieved a similar beauty of palate in his oaking of their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Trying to describe this wine is difficult, all the components being so seamlessly interwoven. It is nearly floral, but the vanillin in the oak confuses that, and the cassis component is similarly so infused with sweet oak, you know it is there but can't pin it down. Fruit flavours also clearly suggest blueberry, implying greater ripeness than most of these syrahs. There is a trace of black pepper spice, but you can only see it when you put the wine alongside a Cabernet / Merlot. It seems nearly as rich as the phenomenal Tom Syrah, but the styling is absolutely Cote Rotie. This is a rare wine on the New Zealand red wine landscape, showing a harmony, integration and totality of style achievement which is remarkable. I suspect some will overlook it, therefore. There might be a trace of residual to the finish of this wine too, but it is very hard to tell when the dry extract is high ... so probably not. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Ruby and velvet, a more evolved colour than the Tom Syrah or Le Sol, and one of the lighter colours altogether. Bouquet here is in one sense quite different from the Church Road and Craggy Range syrahs, yet it is gloriously linked to them too. It shows the smooth warm cedary oak character that Grant Edmonds manages to achieve in his top-tier EV wines, yet on palate the oak does not dominate at all. In much earlier days, Robert Mondavi achieved a similar beauty of palate in his oaking of their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons. Trying to describe this wine is difficult, all the components being so seamlessly interwoven. It is nearly floral, but the vanillin in the oak confuses that, and the cassis component is similarly so infused with sweet oak, you know it is there but can't pin it down. Fruit flavours also clearly suggest blueberry, implying greater ripeness than most of these syrahs. There is a trace of black pepper spice, but you can only see it when you put the wine alongside a Cabernet / Merlot. It seems nearly as rich as the phenomenal Tom Syrah, but the styling is absolutely Cote Rotie. This is a rare wine on the New Zealand red wine landscape, showing a harmony, integration and totality of style achievement which is remarkable. I suspect some will overlook it, therefore. There might be a trace of residual to the finish of this wine too, but it is very hard to tell when the dry extract is high ... so probably not. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Great Western & Barossa Valleys, Victoria and South Australia respectively, Australia: – %; $ – [ cork, 46mm; ullage to base neck; in the 1950s and early ‘60s, Seppelt Moyston and Chalambar labels were remarkably high quality. They gradually drifted down into a more commercial spectrum, as first a Bin range, and then later a Reserve Bin range of regional wines, were introduced. This wine was made at Great Western, all the cabernet being Great Western (perhaps a quarter of the wine), but the hermitage approx. one third Great Western, two-thirds Barossa Valley. Halliday in the 1980s described the Bin wines thus: quality remains remarkably consistent from one year to the next ..., almost damning them with faint praise. Over the years, any Seppelt wine with a significant percentage of Great Western fruit is in my experience likely to be of markedly higher quality. The matching ‘burgundy’ label was BW6. The label little known or recalled, today. ]
Ruby and garnet, clearly a flush of red still, the third to lightest wine. Bouquet shows a lovely harmony of ripe berry browning now, the subtlest hint of Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera), almost detectable fading cassis in red berries, plus faintly cedary and totally complementary oak. Palate continues the harmony in a manner astonishing for Australian reds of the era, the palate light yet long, almost cabernet-dominant, the oak subtle yet sustained and of a quality that suggests some French, yet the wine finishes on berry which is remarkably fresh and flavoursome for its age. In its youth my recollection is the degree of toast on the oak was more apparent, but now the balance is remarkable. The qualities which this wine shows today are rare in Australian reds from the 1960s. Few 1969 Bordeaux could compete, it being a weak year there, and further, the shiraz does add body. One of the four most popular wines, three first places, three second. Totally mature now, but not frail, when cellared in a cool Wellington climate. The Stuyvesant House restaurant in Sydney has the 1973 of this label on their list at $AU290. Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 36 mm. GK 04/19
Ruby and garnet, clearly a flush of red still, the third to lightest wine. Bouquet shows a lovely harmony of ripe berry browning now, the subtlest hint of Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera), almost detectable fading cassis in red berries, plus faintly cedary and totally complementary oak. Palate continues the harmony in a manner astonishing for Australian reds of the era, the palate light yet long, almost cabernet-dominant, the oak subtle yet sustained and of a quality that suggests some French, yet the wine finishes on berry which is remarkably fresh and flavoursome for its age. In its youth my recollection is the degree of toast on the oak was more apparent, but now the balance is remarkable. The qualities which this wine shows today are rare in Australian reds from the 1960s. Few 1969 Bordeaux could compete, it being a weak year there, and further, the shiraz does add body. One of the four most popular wines, three first places, three second. Totally mature now, but not frail, when cellared in a cool Wellington climate. The Stuyvesant House restaurant in Sydney has the 1973 of this label on their list at $AU290. Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 36 mm. GK 04/19
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ 48 mm supercritical cork; CS 49%, Ma 29, CF 22; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the top wines, but a lovely colour. Bouquet is floral with violets, again in the cassis and bottled black doris berry style, with fragrant and potentially cedary French oak adding complexity. Palate is intriguing, exceptional cassis, the floral quality extending right through beautiful gentle berry fruit, not as rich as some but elegant throughout. This is a real northern Medoc look-alike. It has been a long wait for Babich Patriarch to be cropped at a rate allowing the flavours of proper Bordeaux-like ripeness to be evident, and thus be truly a gold medal wine. This result is therefore very welcome, to someone who has monitored their cabernet sauvignons from the first release in the '70s. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the top wines, but a lovely colour. Bouquet is floral with violets, again in the cassis and bottled black doris berry style, with fragrant and potentially cedary French oak adding complexity. Palate is intriguing, exceptional cassis, the floral quality extending right through beautiful gentle berry fruit, not as rich as some but elegant throughout. This is a real northern Medoc look-alike. It has been a long wait for Babich Patriarch to be cropped at a rate allowing the flavours of proper Bordeaux-like ripeness to be evident, and thus be truly a gold medal wine. This result is therefore very welcome, to someone who has monitored their cabernet sauvignons from the first release in the '70s. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $21 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; part of the wine was BF in French oak 35% new, then held in s/s, the balance likewise but left in the barrels, both batches 7 months LA, some MLF, RS 2 g/L; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Lemon. A big bouquet showing clear varietal character, and clear barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, with nearly a suggestion of baguette crust, pure, attractive. Palate does indeed introduce a thought of nougat (as the back-label suggests) and MLF complexity, new oak but subtle, very rich. This is great oak handling, and the wine should cellar well, 3 – 10 years. The mealy aftertaste is delicious. GK 03/07
Lemon. A big bouquet showing clear varietal character, and clear barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis complexity, with nearly a suggestion of baguette crust, pure, attractive. Palate does indeed introduce a thought of nougat (as the back-label suggests) and MLF complexity, new oak but subtle, very rich. This is great oak handling, and the wine should cellar well, 3 – 10 years. The mealy aftertaste is delicious. GK 03/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; the young wine showed good black cherry fruit and less oak than some of the vintage. Cooper 2003, ****: finely balanced, full-flavoured … lively wine with sweet fruit characters, integrated oak, some nutty complexity, supple tannins and good length; in 2005 Jancis Robinson awarded the 2003 of this label 18.5, in the top half dozen scores she has given to New Zealand pinot noirs (she particularly liked our 2003s). In that review she comments of the 2002: The 2002 had quite marked tannin and a most attractive nose reminiscent of violets; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is quite different from the standard Felton Road (now labelled Bannockburn), so much so that one would not suspect they came from essentially the same district and sub-district. Both floral and fruit notes are red more than black, the floral quality is softer (more roses, less boronia), and the cherries are red, browning a little now naturally with 10 years development. The flavours are uncannily burgundian, much softer and less vibrant than the main Felton, almost Corton-like and with exact pinot style. If wine people in other parts of the world ever ran rigorously blind tastings of pinots from around the world, including around Burgundy, and included New Zealand wines of this calibre, they would find themselves considerably surprised. Nicely mature, no hurry. GK 10/12
Perfect pinot noir ruby, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is quite different from the standard Felton Road (now labelled Bannockburn), so much so that one would not suspect they came from essentially the same district and sub-district. Both floral and fruit notes are red more than black, the floral quality is softer (more roses, less boronia), and the cherries are red, browning a little now naturally with 10 years development. The flavours are uncannily burgundian, much softer and less vibrant than the main Felton, almost Corton-like and with exact pinot style. If wine people in other parts of the world ever ran rigorously blind tastings of pinots from around the world, including around Burgundy, and included New Zealand wines of this calibre, they would find themselves considerably surprised. Nicely mature, no hurry. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork 49mm; Sy 98%, Vi 2, cropped 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; release price $100, not on wine-searcher; MLF in tank, 17 months in new French oak, neither fined nor filtered; J Robinson, 2010: Homage is the lowest yield. Big and chunky and quite alcoholic. Peppery. Sweet and a bit hot. Not very complex though: 16.5; Neal Martin @ R Parker, 2008: This is quite muted on the nose, a little faecal and barnyardy – much more rustic than I expected. The palate is medium-bodied, quite elegant, well balanced but just lacking a little vigour on the finish. Cherry, white pepper and fleshy, meaty red-berried fruits. Just a little linear: 89; M Cooper, 2006: … a dark wine with a lovely fragrant bouquet suggestive of plums and violets. Supple, with dense flavours of spices, dark chocolate and plums, its a generous and graceful wine, not a blockbuster but intense, building to a powerful finish. It's still quite youthful; open mid-2006+: *****; weight bottle and closure: 1022 g; www.trinityhillwines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. One sniff and this bouquet is totally Hermitage of comparable age, cassis and dark plum melding now (with the elapsed 14 years) with the oak, to be beautifully aromatic, highly varietal, oak well under control, no trace of Martin's concerns. Palate is mellow, hints of brown mushroom complexity creeping into browning berry, a complex and beautifully soft yet rich wine at early maturity. Two tasters had it as their second-favourite wine. It has the concentration to cellar 3 – 8 years more, at least. GK 09/16
Ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. One sniff and this bouquet is totally Hermitage of comparable age, cassis and dark plum melding now (with the elapsed 14 years) with the oak, to be beautifully aromatic, highly varietal, oak well under control, no trace of Martin's concerns. Palate is mellow, hints of brown mushroom complexity creeping into browning berry, a complex and beautifully soft yet rich wine at early maturity. Two tasters had it as their second-favourite wine. It has the concentration to cellar 3 – 8 years more, at least. GK 09/16
Murrumbateman, Canberra district, New South Wales, Australia: 14%; $80 [ screwcap; Sh 93%, Vi 7%; some whole bunch; French oak; R. Parker 168: The brilliant 2005 Shiraz/Viognier reveals … an exotic, flamboyant bouquet of peach jam intermixed with blueberry and blackberry liqueur. Deep and rich with excellent precision, full body, sweet tannin, and decent acidity, it can be enjoyed over the next decade. 91; available in New Zealand though The Fine Wine Delivery Company, Auckland, but possibly sold out; www.clonakilla.com.au ]
Ruby, lighter than the Dry River. Initially opened, bouquet is distinctive, with attractive florals at the red roses level, uplifted by clear balsam notes (the dried leaves of Canadian balsam fir). As with the Yering Station wine, this is an attractive and rarified take on the flowering mint component sometimes encountered in more elegant Victorian and South Australian shiraz wines. Palate is delicate, low extraction of phenolics, totally Cote Rotie styling, yet persisting marvellously on succulent berry. There is common ground with the 2005 Dry River, both in style and in the approach to the tannins, but the Clonakilla is richer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, lighter than the Dry River. Initially opened, bouquet is distinctive, with attractive florals at the red roses level, uplifted by clear balsam notes (the dried leaves of Canadian balsam fir). As with the Yering Station wine, this is an attractive and rarified take on the flowering mint component sometimes encountered in more elegant Victorian and South Australian shiraz wines. Palate is delicate, low extraction of phenolics, totally Cote Rotie styling, yet persisting marvellously on succulent berry. There is common ground with the 2005 Dry River, both in style and in the approach to the tannins, but the Clonakilla is richer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ screwcap; PN all hand-harvested; all de-stemmed, all wild-yeast fermentation; MLF and 11 months in French oak, 15% new, followed by 4 months assembly in s/s; dry, not fined or filtered; production 303 x 9-litre cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
A lovely pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter pinots. Bouquet is immediately floral, sweet, warm, very much buddleia and red roses, subtle, not loud like some pink roses, enticing. Below is red cherry fruit. Palate shows lovely ripeness in this red fruits spectrum, none of the tell-tale stalks some of the Waipara wines show, better concentration than I recollect from some Neudorf wines, altogether long and elegant. This is an understated wine, a gentler more feminine winestyle, more Cru Cotes de Beaune by analogy than Nuits, deceptive. It is a perfect introduction to New Zealand pinot noir, and Neudorf's pricing policy is fair. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/19
A lovely pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter pinots. Bouquet is immediately floral, sweet, warm, very much buddleia and red roses, subtle, not loud like some pink roses, enticing. Below is red cherry fruit. Palate shows lovely ripeness in this red fruits spectrum, none of the tell-tale stalks some of the Waipara wines show, better concentration than I recollect from some Neudorf wines, altogether long and elegant. This is an understated wine, a gentler more feminine winestyle, more Cru Cotes de Beaune by analogy than Nuits, deceptive. It is a perfect introduction to New Zealand pinot noir, and Neudorf's pricing policy is fair. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/19
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.1%; $ – [ cork; cepage CS 74, Me 14, CF 6, Ma 4, PV 2, hand-harvested; c. 12 – 14 months in American c.80% and French oak, 80 – 90% new; Magna Praemia contains the highest % of press wine of the three labels, is cabernet-lead, and aims to be Medoc in style; price not given, since like Stonyridge Larose it is complex, and primarily aimed at the serious wine-lover who will buy 6 or more bottles before release on an en primeur basis, similarly to the Bordeaux procedure. The en primeur price is half or slightly more the final retail price, details via website under 'Patron Club'. The point of difference from Bordeaux is that there, reliable tasters from both sides of the Atlantic report on the wines, and the prospective buyer can identify with a taster who matches the buyer's taste preferences, and act accordingly. In New Zealand that quality of guidance is not readily achievable. It is best therefore to give the price as a range: $175 – $330; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Good ruby. Bouquet gives the impression of being modelled on a Ribera del Duero interpretation of Pauillac, the wine showing cedar and citrus-infused berry fragrance with great lift and excitement. Even more so than the Expatrius, one has to wonder about the emphasis on the oak in the elevage, no matter how good it is. The flavour is exciting, though, with attractive cassisy berry melding with this fragrant oak. The total wine is quite light in the sense (back to Pauillac) Grand-Puy-Lacoste can be light yet long, and deceptive. The distinctive style of this family of wines rests solely on the elevage, yet the fruit is there. Their present direction is taking them away from classical bordeaux, which for me is a matter of regret, yet the achievement in quality terms is comparable. The future will be watched with interest. Cellar 5 – 20 years.
This time around, I'm having difficulty with the pricing structure on these Destiny Bay wines. At first sight one might think that Destiny Bay is primarily seeking a market outside New Zealand, but this is not the case. The proprietors advise that the majority of customers are in New Zealand, but the wines do go to several countries overseas as well. I have been to the winery, and there is no doubt that no expense is spared in making the Destiny Bay wines, with a state-of-the-art winery and many detailed and passionate procedures in fruit cultivation, low cropping-rate, fruit handling and processing all aimed at making the best wine possible, so ultimately I guess my issue is style and achievement. 2008 was a good vintage for cabernet-blends on Waiheke, and I had hoped for more from these three 2008 wines. They were being assessed against 2010 wines from other wineries, which admittedly made it tough for them. From another tack though, wine is already saddled with so much snobbery baggage, that a pricing structure at this level (matched by only one other winery in New Zealand whose wines are never seen in fair blind review) does put a reviewer on guard. As my scores for them may indicate, I do not yet see the wines occupying another stratum. A key difficulty is the wines are stylistically very different. Time will tell whether in future blind tastings up against the wines particularly of Spain, California, and Italy, rather more than classical Bordeaux, the Destiny Bay wines claim their place in the sun. Other New Zealand wineries have shown that it is possible (underlined) to take a high profile and price-leading approach with one's wines, and to convince a surprising number of people for a surprisingly long time on the alleged superiority of the produce. I feel the last thing we need in New Zealand however is a local variant on the Screaming Eagle approach. It does not spread good vibes about wine. Ultimately, auction realisations will be the final arbiter on this matter. GK 10/12
Good ruby. Bouquet gives the impression of being modelled on a Ribera del Duero interpretation of Pauillac, the wine showing cedar and citrus-infused berry fragrance with great lift and excitement. Even more so than the Expatrius, one has to wonder about the emphasis on the oak in the elevage, no matter how good it is. The flavour is exciting, though, with attractive cassisy berry melding with this fragrant oak. The total wine is quite light in the sense (back to Pauillac) Grand-Puy-Lacoste can be light yet long, and deceptive. The distinctive style of this family of wines rests solely on the elevage, yet the fruit is there. Their present direction is taking them away from classical bordeaux, which for me is a matter of regret, yet the achievement in quality terms is comparable. The future will be watched with interest. Cellar 5 – 20 years.
This time around, I'm having difficulty with the pricing structure on these Destiny Bay wines. At first sight one might think that Destiny Bay is primarily seeking a market outside New Zealand, but this is not the case. The proprietors advise that the majority of customers are in New Zealand, but the wines do go to several countries overseas as well. I have been to the winery, and there is no doubt that no expense is spared in making the Destiny Bay wines, with a state-of-the-art winery and many detailed and passionate procedures in fruit cultivation, low cropping-rate, fruit handling and processing all aimed at making the best wine possible, so ultimately I guess my issue is style and achievement. 2008 was a good vintage for cabernet-blends on Waiheke, and I had hoped for more from these three 2008 wines. They were being assessed against 2010 wines from other wineries, which admittedly made it tough for them. From another tack though, wine is already saddled with so much snobbery baggage, that a pricing structure at this level (matched by only one other winery in New Zealand whose wines are never seen in fair blind review) does put a reviewer on guard. As my scores for them may indicate, I do not yet see the wines occupying another stratum. A key difficulty is the wines are stylistically very different. Time will tell whether in future blind tastings up against the wines particularly of Spain, California, and Italy, rather more than classical Bordeaux, the Destiny Bay wines claim their place in the sun. Other New Zealand wineries have shown that it is possible (underlined) to take a high profile and price-leading approach with one's wines, and to convince a surprising number of people for a surprisingly long time on the alleged superiority of the produce. I feel the last thing we need in New Zealand however is a local variant on the Screaming Eagle approach. It does not spread good vibes about wine. Ultimately, auction realisations will be the final arbiter on this matter. GK 10/12
Waiheke Island, Auckland District, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; high proportion of new oak; not much info on website; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older than most of the 2004s. Bouquet on this wine is the most Rhone-like of them all, with greater complexity owing to a savoury component on top of florals, cassis, and plum. Palate is beautifully ripe yet attractively oaked, in a mouthfeel and weight that is perfect northern Rhone, Hermitage even. The extra dimension in this wine is a trace of brett, but at a level only highly-skilled and perceptive winemakers would notice. For most tasters it is magical complexity. Don't get too worried about all this current agitation re brett – nobody mentioned it 10 years ago. The wines of the day had it, and they are still being enjoyed. The only detail to note is that its presence above trace amounts does shorten wine life in cellar somewhat. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Ruby and velvet, a little older than most of the 2004s. Bouquet on this wine is the most Rhone-like of them all, with greater complexity owing to a savoury component on top of florals, cassis, and plum. Palate is beautifully ripe yet attractively oaked, in a mouthfeel and weight that is perfect northern Rhone, Hermitage even. The extra dimension in this wine is a trace of brett, but at a level only highly-skilled and perceptive winemakers would notice. For most tasters it is magical complexity. Don't get too worried about all this current agitation re brett – nobody mentioned it 10 years ago. The wines of the day had it, and they are still being enjoyed. The only detail to note is that its presence above trace amounts does shorten wine life in cellar somewhat. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Columbia Valley, Washington, U.S.A.: 14.5%; $90 [ cork; Me 42%, CF 36, CS 16, PV 6, c. 17 years average age; c. 21 months in 35% new French oak; one leading Oregon wine merchant comments: [among] Washington State’s great vineyards, one name that consistently appears near the top of any list is [ Andrew Will’s ] Ciel du Cheval Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA. Famed for the elegance and complexity of the wines it produces …; Advocate 94; www.andrewwill.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Stylistically, bouquet on this wine is more best New Zealand Merlot / Cabernet than Bordeaux, showing great freshness and cassisy aromatics, and a clear hint of pennyroyal. It is one of those unusual wines where palate is much more convincing than bouquet, with a big burst of flavour like biting a blackboy peach, the suggestion of mint in the aromatics marrying into plummy fruit, attractive potentially cedary oak, and a good ratio of berry to oak. In mouth the Bordeaux affinity grows, however, with a lingering cassisy finish. This rich wine should cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. Stylistically, bouquet on this wine is more best New Zealand Merlot / Cabernet than Bordeaux, showing great freshness and cassisy aromatics, and a clear hint of pennyroyal. It is one of those unusual wines where palate is much more convincing than bouquet, with a big burst of flavour like biting a blackboy peach, the suggestion of mint in the aromatics marrying into plummy fruit, attractive potentially cedary oak, and a good ratio of berry to oak. In mouth the Bordeaux affinity grows, however, with a lingering cassisy finish. This rich wine should cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Clarendon, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $85 [ screwcap; 18 months in small French and American oak, around 40% new, some of the fruit is air-dried to contribute an 'amarone' component; c. 400 x 9-L cases; weight bottle and closure: 580 g; www.primoestate.com.au ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, off the scale for depth, by far the deepest colour. Yet the instant you smell it, it is not in the clumsy style of shiraz, at all. The wine shows a depth of berry which is astonishing, both in its intensity and richness, but also in its point of picking, for South Australia. Dominant fruit notes are loganberry and bottled black doris plums, with some boysenberry, but not the simplistic over-ripe boysenberry of so many South Australian shirazes. It is hard to imagine black pepper – but maybe. You can't help noting vanillin from American oak, which lets the wine down / makes it more Australian. It would be great to see this intensity and purity of fruit without both the 'amarone' component (guaranteed to destroy florality), and the American oak. But then I live in the hope of finding the winestyle syrah in mainland Australia. In mouth the wine is velvety rich, thick and textured in an astonishing way, yet the residual sugar is given as only 1.5 g/L (it tastes more, being so rich), so that doesn't distort things too much. This wine approaches a beauty which finally escapes it, for the reasons given. But it is still magnificent, and infinitely more subtle in its oaking than so many of the better-known icon / national monument Australian shirazes. Also it is not euc'y, there being only a shadow of mint. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 08/16
Carmine, ruby and velvet, off the scale for depth, by far the deepest colour. Yet the instant you smell it, it is not in the clumsy style of shiraz, at all. The wine shows a depth of berry which is astonishing, both in its intensity and richness, but also in its point of picking, for South Australia. Dominant fruit notes are loganberry and bottled black doris plums, with some boysenberry, but not the simplistic over-ripe boysenberry of so many South Australian shirazes. It is hard to imagine black pepper – but maybe. You can't help noting vanillin from American oak, which lets the wine down / makes it more Australian. It would be great to see this intensity and purity of fruit without both the 'amarone' component (guaranteed to destroy florality), and the American oak. But then I live in the hope of finding the winestyle syrah in mainland Australia. In mouth the wine is velvety rich, thick and textured in an astonishing way, yet the residual sugar is given as only 1.5 g/L (it tastes more, being so rich), so that doesn't distort things too much. This wine approaches a beauty which finally escapes it, for the reasons given. But it is still magnificent, and infinitely more subtle in its oaking than so many of the better-known icon / national monument Australian shirazes. Also it is not euc'y, there being only a shadow of mint. Cellar 10 – 40 years. GK 08/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; hand-picked @ c. 2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, fermented in French oak cuves with wild yeast; 9 months on lees in French oak 45% new; RS nil; the intriguing thing about this wine is, the fruit from the one vineyard is shared between Craggy Range, Felton Road, and Pyramid Valley, resulting in three different wines reflecting the winemakers' vision for the one variety – all three are now on the market; www.craggyrange.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, a great colour. Bouquet shows beautiful clarity and depth of precise dark rose and boronia florals, on clear red and black cherry fruits. And then on palate, the floral qualities are diffused right through the crisp, perfectly pure, dark cherry fruit. This is a great New Zealand pinot in the making, not big but very beautiful. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Pinot noir ruby, a great colour. Bouquet shows beautiful clarity and depth of precise dark rose and boronia florals, on clear red and black cherry fruits. And then on palate, the floral qualities are diffused right through the crisp, perfectly pure, dark cherry fruit. This is a great New Zealand pinot in the making, not big but very beautiful. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels 65%, Te Awanga 35%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 50mm; Sy 98.7%, Vi 1.3, co-fermented where possible; all hand-picked from vines of average age 13 years at c.4.8 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; on average 4 days cold-soak, probably c.25% whole-bunch; 18 months in oak c.40% new; production 273 x 9-L cases; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. What a hard wine to come to grips with, this Airavata is. Like 2013 Homage, the appreciable percentage of whole-bunch complicates and nearly disrupts the bouquet, at this stage, but holds promise of enhanced florality which is yet to blossom – to mix a metaphor. The wine is darkly fragrant, smelling rich, but it is again hard to find descriptors. They include dark cassis and black pepper, as well as dark roses. Palate like Homage seems to find Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle as its role model. It has compelling richness and depth, on beautifully understated oak, but is still not quite together in the way Bullnose is, for example. A wine to cellar, and watch with great interest, for 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Carmine, ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. What a hard wine to come to grips with, this Airavata is. Like 2013 Homage, the appreciable percentage of whole-bunch complicates and nearly disrupts the bouquet, at this stage, but holds promise of enhanced florality which is yet to blossom – to mix a metaphor. The wine is darkly fragrant, smelling rich, but it is again hard to find descriptors. They include dark cassis and black pepper, as well as dark roses. Palate like Homage seems to find Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle as its role model. It has compelling richness and depth, on beautifully understated oak, but is still not quite together in the way Bullnose is, for example. A wine to cellar, and watch with great interest, for 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Ribatejo, Portugal: 13%; $ – [ cork, 44mm; release price $US20; this is the first 100% varietal syrah bottled by Lagoalva de Cima – it may be a little old now. This 7,000 ha estate has c.50ha devoted to grapes, and has produced wine since 1888. Annual production is c.22,500 cases. Syrah is not produced every year. It is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, followed by 12 – 14 months in French oak some new. Julia Harding at Robinson has had later vintages, noting the style is more southern Rhone than Australia, and the wines are 'savoury with good Syrah character' – she has marked them to 17; bottle weight dry 737 grams; www.lagoalva.pt ]
Mature ruby, the same weight but slightly older than the 1999 Guigal Hermitage, the second lightest wine. Bouquet is extraordinarily beautiful, sweetly floral (though not the first bloom of youth), browning cassis, in one sense remarkably like mature bordeaux with cedary oak, the whole bouquet epitomising the concept ‘winey’. Palate has remarkably young-tasting fruit reflecting the bouquet exactly, beautifully varietal, markedly fresher than the Guigal, superbly subtle oak, great length with some varietal black pepper noticeable to the late palate, yet the whole wine scarcely weightier than a good Cote de Nuits pinot noir. Very beautiful mature wine at a peak of perfection, gentle alcohol, natural acid, stellar with food. Four people rated this their top or second wine in the set, and more thought it French than any other. Will hold for some years. GK 03/18
Mature ruby, the same weight but slightly older than the 1999 Guigal Hermitage, the second lightest wine. Bouquet is extraordinarily beautiful, sweetly floral (though not the first bloom of youth), browning cassis, in one sense remarkably like mature bordeaux with cedary oak, the whole bouquet epitomising the concept ‘winey’. Palate has remarkably young-tasting fruit reflecting the bouquet exactly, beautifully varietal, markedly fresher than the Guigal, superbly subtle oak, great length with some varietal black pepper noticeable to the late palate, yet the whole wine scarcely weightier than a good Cote de Nuits pinot noir. Very beautiful mature wine at a peak of perfection, gentle alcohol, natural acid, stellar with food. Four people rated this their top or second wine in the set, and more thought it French than any other. Will hold for some years. GK 03/18
Te Muna Road, Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ screwcap; this wine is modelled on the relatively full-bodied but scarcely-oaked pinot blancs of the Kaiserstuhl district of Germany; all BF and 11 months in older oak, no MLF; RS 2.5 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is both light, yet nearly floral, complex and interesting with subtlest older oak barrel-ferment and lees autolysis suggestions, very pure. Palate shows real pinot finesse, white stonefruits, beautiful ripeness, exquisitely subtle oak, absolutely optimising the variety. I think some years ago I murmured that McKenna’s handling of a Pinot Blanc more befitted chardonnay, but the approach here absolutely optimises the subtlety and beauty of pinot blanc. Length of palate, fruit ripeness, and the subtlety of the phenolics – just enough to provide a delicate structure to the wine, all contrast vividly with the some of the coarser chardonnays in the set. Hard to imagine how pinot blanc could be better: it will be a delight trying this with subtle food. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/19
Lemonstraw, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is both light, yet nearly floral, complex and interesting with subtlest older oak barrel-ferment and lees autolysis suggestions, very pure. Palate shows real pinot finesse, white stonefruits, beautiful ripeness, exquisitely subtle oak, absolutely optimising the variety. I think some years ago I murmured that McKenna’s handling of a Pinot Blanc more befitted chardonnay, but the approach here absolutely optimises the subtlety and beauty of pinot blanc. Length of palate, fruit ripeness, and the subtlety of the phenolics – just enough to provide a delicate structure to the wine, all contrast vividly with the some of the coarser chardonnays in the set. Hard to imagine how pinot blanc could be better: it will be a delight trying this with subtle food. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/19
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ screwcap; hand-harvested in a generous year (see text), 25 – 30% whole-bunch, wild-yeast fermentation; c. 12 months in French oak c. 30% new, not fined or filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Target Gulley, clearly older and lighter than the 2010 Block 3. What a great bouquet – here is a wine to immediately demonstrate that where the crop was appropriately handled in the vineyard, 2008 did not have to be a year of lighter wines brought about by the heavy crops of that season. But to make doubly sure, when the crop did exceed their preferred 6 – 6.5 t/ha = c.2.5 t/ac, winemaker Blair Walter increased the concentration in the wine by running off 8% of the juice immediately after pressing, to produce their Vin Gris. The resulting Cornish Point Pinot Noir is intensely floral, in fact the most floral of these top four wines, the fruit inclining more to black cherry. The palate contradicts that impression a little, revealing a certain coolness of character that the water-surrounded Cornish Point (the south river-like end of Lake Dunstan) frequently shows. The length of this boronia-saturated fruit is enchanting. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Target Gulley, clearly older and lighter than the 2010 Block 3. What a great bouquet – here is a wine to immediately demonstrate that where the crop was appropriately handled in the vineyard, 2008 did not have to be a year of lighter wines brought about by the heavy crops of that season. But to make doubly sure, when the crop did exceed their preferred 6 – 6.5 t/ha = c.2.5 t/ac, winemaker Blair Walter increased the concentration in the wine by running off 8% of the juice immediately after pressing, to produce their Vin Gris. The resulting Cornish Point Pinot Noir is intensely floral, in fact the most floral of these top four wines, the fruit inclining more to black cherry. The palate contradicts that impression a little, revealing a certain coolness of character that the water-surrounded Cornish Point (the south river-like end of Lake Dunstan) frequently shows. The length of this boronia-saturated fruit is enchanting. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; CS c.60%, Me c.25%, balance CF, Sy & Ma, handpicked @ c.1 t/ac; c.2.5 years in predominantly French & Hungarian oak c.30% new; c. 500 cases, not yet released, current vintage is 2002 @ $90; thus far, the vintage of the decade; www.temotu.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little older than the other 2005s. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, and notwithstanding the cepage, is remarkably reminiscent of St Emilion rather more than the Medoc, the merlot violets showing up delightfully. Below are red and black currants plus plum, and a suggestion of pipe tobacco, beguiling. Palate is firmer than the bouquet, crisp cassis bespeaking the cabernet and plum fruit, potentially cedary oak a little noticeable, long-flavoured and lingering well, suggesting good extract. In contrast to the bouquet, palate is more Pauillac in style, the way Grand Puy Lacoste used to be for example, when it was more oaky than recently. This is much the best Te Motu thus far, the oak having been too generous in earlier vintages. Cellar 5 – maybe 20 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, a little older than the other 2005s. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant, and notwithstanding the cepage, is remarkably reminiscent of St Emilion rather more than the Medoc, the merlot violets showing up delightfully. Below are red and black currants plus plum, and a suggestion of pipe tobacco, beguiling. Palate is firmer than the bouquet, crisp cassis bespeaking the cabernet and plum fruit, potentially cedary oak a little noticeable, long-flavoured and lingering well, suggesting good extract. In contrast to the bouquet, palate is more Pauillac in style, the way Grand Puy Lacoste used to be for example, when it was more oaky than recently. This is much the best Te Motu thus far, the oak having been too generous in earlier vintages. Cellar 5 – maybe 20 years. GK 06/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $73 [ 50 mm cork; Sy 30%, CS, Me, Ma, CF all about equal; selected barrels assembled; c. 18 months in French oak; 100 cases; previous vintage 2002 only; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, not as rich as the Church Road Merlot. A clever name this, harking back to the famous Mondavi / Rothschild Napa Valley Opus One cabernet, but clearly differentiated from it. And the wine represents a great step forward for Mills Reef, which thus far has tended to produce red wines appealing rather more to wine judges, but less harmonious at table. This wine, like the 2006 Elspeth Syrah, is a much more subtle creation. The floral and ethereal quality on bouquet is wonderful (if one is tolerant of the high alcohol), the cassis of the dominant syrah fraction melding insensibly with the cabernet, to give what seems a cabernet-dominant wine. I have suggested elsewhere that the concept "Hawkes Bay blend" could perhaps best be exemplified and made distinct by adding syrah to the traditional Bordeaux blending varieties. This wine is the most vivid illustration of such an approach so far. Palate is as fragrant as the bouquet, the whole wine closer to Te Mata's Coleraine in weight, style and acid balance than richer Gimblett Gravels examples. It is a little riper and oakier than the 2005 Coleraine, though. Notwithstanding the cepage, this is going to be an exciting wine to run in future 2005 Bordeaux versus Hawkes Bay red comparisons. Cellar 5 – 15 years or so. GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, not as rich as the Church Road Merlot. A clever name this, harking back to the famous Mondavi / Rothschild Napa Valley Opus One cabernet, but clearly differentiated from it. And the wine represents a great step forward for Mills Reef, which thus far has tended to produce red wines appealing rather more to wine judges, but less harmonious at table. This wine, like the 2006 Elspeth Syrah, is a much more subtle creation. The floral and ethereal quality on bouquet is wonderful (if one is tolerant of the high alcohol), the cassis of the dominant syrah fraction melding insensibly with the cabernet, to give what seems a cabernet-dominant wine. I have suggested elsewhere that the concept "Hawkes Bay blend" could perhaps best be exemplified and made distinct by adding syrah to the traditional Bordeaux blending varieties. This wine is the most vivid illustration of such an approach so far. Palate is as fragrant as the bouquet, the whole wine closer to Te Mata's Coleraine in weight, style and acid balance than richer Gimblett Gravels examples. It is a little riper and oakier than the 2005 Coleraine, though. Notwithstanding the cepage, this is going to be an exciting wine to run in future 2005 Bordeaux versus Hawkes Bay red comparisons. Cellar 5 – 15 years or so. GK 11/08
Southern Valleys, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; hillside plantings; some whole-bunch components, wild yeast ferments, 15 months in French oak 45% new; not entered in Shows; www.greywacke.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, just above halfway in depth. Bouquet is simply sensational, an intensely floral pinot noir, a notch less dark than the top two Otago wines. There is a suggestion of buddleia and lilac, but most florals in the rose sector. Fruit on palate is great, not as black cherry as the top two Otago wines, not quite as blackboy peaches as the Escarpment, just a beautiful mixed-cherry palate with slightly more oak than some. I have not seen all contenders, naturally, but in my view this is the most exciting pinot noir so far made in Marlborough. The district has traditionally been the volumetric cinderella area for the variety in New Zealand, having started on quite the wrong foot (wrong clone, wrong reasons, wrong places). This wine is a great tribute to that independent and understated spirit Kevin Judd, and I hope, the start of a remarkable line of wines. Despite the florals, there is the thought of Cote de Beaune here, a rich Volnay perhaps. There are no grands crus in Volnay, but if there were, this would match them. A lighthouse wine for Marlborough. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/12
Good pinot noir ruby, just above halfway in depth. Bouquet is simply sensational, an intensely floral pinot noir, a notch less dark than the top two Otago wines. There is a suggestion of buddleia and lilac, but most florals in the rose sector. Fruit on palate is great, not as black cherry as the top two Otago wines, not quite as blackboy peaches as the Escarpment, just a beautiful mixed-cherry palate with slightly more oak than some. I have not seen all contenders, naturally, but in my view this is the most exciting pinot noir so far made in Marlborough. The district has traditionally been the volumetric cinderella area for the variety in New Zealand, having started on quite the wrong foot (wrong clone, wrong reasons, wrong places). This wine is a great tribute to that independent and understated spirit Kevin Judd, and I hope, the start of a remarkable line of wines. Despite the florals, there is the thought of Cote de Beaune here, a rich Volnay perhaps. There are no grands crus in Volnay, but if there were, this would match them. A lighthouse wine for Marlborough. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/12
Bridge Pa Triangle 60% & Gimblett Gravels 40%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ cork; Me 76%, CS 24, hand-harvested @ c.6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac), inoculated ferments, cuvaison to about 3 weeks; 12 months in French oak 37% new; RS < 1 g/L; Parker: 87; www.ngatarawa.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, markedly older than the 2009 Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, in the middle of the second tier for concentration of colour. Bouquet is clearly into secondary development, but for the cassis side of cabernet that merely means a slightly browning kind of berry aromatic, just as if you are opening a bottle of black currants of identical age. Below the berry there is slightly lifted / aromatic oak, all fragrant and appealing. In mouth this Alwyn has the concentration so many previous Alwyns have lacked: it is great that the winery has now accepted that we must match Bordeaux cropping rates (especially at the asking price of $75), if we are to effectively challenge them on the tasting table. There is a fine-grained cedary elegance to this wine which is attractive. The oak is subtler on palate than was supposed on bouquet, but it is still to a max by Bordeaux standards. Aftertaste is long and lovely, though cedary. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, markedly older than the 2009 Villa Maria Cabernet / Merlot Reserve, in the middle of the second tier for concentration of colour. Bouquet is clearly into secondary development, but for the cassis side of cabernet that merely means a slightly browning kind of berry aromatic, just as if you are opening a bottle of black currants of identical age. Below the berry there is slightly lifted / aromatic oak, all fragrant and appealing. In mouth this Alwyn has the concentration so many previous Alwyns have lacked: it is great that the winery has now accepted that we must match Bordeaux cropping rates (especially at the asking price of $75), if we are to effectively challenge them on the tasting table. There is a fine-grained cedary elegance to this wine which is attractive. The oak is subtler on palate than was supposed on bouquet, but it is still to a max by Bordeaux standards. Aftertaste is long and lovely, though cedary. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $39 [ cork; hand-harvested 24 - 25º brix; 40% 6 - 10 hours skin contact, balance whole-bunch pressed; free-run juice BF in French (96%) and American oak (4%) all 100% new, then LA 11 months with weekly batonnage; c. 25% MLF; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
Colour is lemonstraw, very close to the 2000. The fruit is the triumph here, with golden queen peaches and custard pouring from the glass, plus barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters still a bit unintegrated. Palate is as rich as the best, and the depth of flavour is superb, but it needs another couple of years to gain the harmony and integration of the 2002 and 2000. Earlier this year, I thought this was the subtlest and best Clearview Reserve Chardonnay yet, but with this unprecedented opportunity to see the last 11 vintages side-by-side, I am not now quite sure it will surpass the elegance of the 2000 and 2002. But it is certainly as good as them. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/05
Colour is lemonstraw, very close to the 2000. The fruit is the triumph here, with golden queen peaches and custard pouring from the glass, plus barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters still a bit unintegrated. Palate is as rich as the best, and the depth of flavour is superb, but it needs another couple of years to gain the harmony and integration of the 2002 and 2000. Earlier this year, I thought this was the subtlest and best Clearview Reserve Chardonnay yet, but with this unprecedented opportunity to see the last 11 vintages side-by-side, I am not now quite sure it will surpass the elegance of the 2000 and 2002. But it is certainly as good as them. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 8.5%; $21 [ screwcap; Ri picked @ c.18 Brix and 3.5 t/ac; s/s; cold-settled, cool- and stop-fermented in s/s; pH 2.8, RS 30 g/L; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. John Forrest and his team are building up quite a reputation with various incarnations of riesling. This wine could not be more different from the 2005 Noble Riesling I enthused about last December, being subtle and fine to the point of Mosel or Saar delicacy. All the florals and character of the Black riesling are here too, but petite in comparison. Yet it is a delight the degree of physiological and flavour maturity the grapes show, given the Brix at harvest. It fits exactly into kabinett classification, and in its beautiful medium / dry delicacy is a New Zealand riesling to be very proud of. It will cellar deceptively well, 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 05/09
Pale lemongreen. John Forrest and his team are building up quite a reputation with various incarnations of riesling. This wine could not be more different from the 2005 Noble Riesling I enthused about last December, being subtle and fine to the point of Mosel or Saar delicacy. All the florals and character of the Black riesling are here too, but petite in comparison. Yet it is a delight the degree of physiological and flavour maturity the grapes show, given the Brix at harvest. It fits exactly into kabinett classification, and in its beautiful medium / dry delicacy is a New Zealand riesling to be very proud of. It will cellar deceptively well, 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 05/09
Woodthorpe Terraces, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $31 [ 45 mm supercritical cork (Diam); all BF in mostly older oak; nearly complete MLF; <6 months in barrel, with lees work; <2 g/L RS. Arguably the best viognier thus far made in New Zealand. Note the sweet florals on bouquet, reminiscent of yellow honeysuckle or wild-ginger blossom, then yellow fruits behind the florals. Palate accurately captures the suggestion of fresh apricots typifying the variety, plus the florals, and the wine has texture, mouthfeel, presence, and subtle oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon. Fresh out of the bottle, the wine is a little reluctant, so preferably aerate a little, and make sure it is not chilled, to reveal clear yellow floral and fruit notes, not white, fruit dominant over near-invisible oak, a lovely winey bouquet. Palate is saturated with pale yellow fruits, yellow nectarine grading through to apricots of reasonable ripeness, the wine feeling as if the grapes themselves were more tanniny than for example chardonnay (viognier can be quite phenolic). This impression is augmented by the wonderfully subtle oak. Persistence of flavour is remarkable, considering it is not a demonstrably 'strong' wine, length, texture and mouthfeel being delightful. Both reflect the wonderfully subtle oak, none new. Cellar 2 - 5 years ideally, viognier is not a grape for long cellaring, in contrast to chardonnay, the youthful fruit-related impressions being important to the winestyle. Tasting the wine alongside an equivalent-quality chardonnay (later) is wonderfully instructive. GK 10/16
Lemon. Fresh out of the bottle, the wine is a little reluctant, so preferably aerate a little, and make sure it is not chilled, to reveal clear yellow floral and fruit notes, not white, fruit dominant over near-invisible oak, a lovely winey bouquet. Palate is saturated with pale yellow fruits, yellow nectarine grading through to apricots of reasonable ripeness, the wine feeling as if the grapes themselves were more tanniny than for example chardonnay (viognier can be quite phenolic). This impression is augmented by the wonderfully subtle oak. Persistence of flavour is remarkable, considering it is not a demonstrably 'strong' wine, length, texture and mouthfeel being delightful. Both reflect the wonderfully subtle oak, none new. Cellar 2 - 5 years ideally, viognier is not a grape for long cellaring, in contrast to chardonnay, the youthful fruit-related impressions being important to the winestyle. Tasting the wine alongside an equivalent-quality chardonnay (later) is wonderfully instructive. GK 10/16
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; CS 100%; French oak, 9 months only; Halliday vintage rating Coonawarra 9 /10 for 2013; www.jimbarry.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is 'sweet', ripe, darkly berried red, ripened to a point where cassis is at risk of being lost, but still detectable. You can immediately see it is more cabernet than shiraz. The bouquet is remarkably pure, and delightfully subtle in its oaking. Palate is plump, much more clearly cassisy and cabernet now, and the subtlety of oaking is a delight. What a transformation there is in the Jim Barry wines, Armagh aside. This is a lovely wine, showing scarcely a hint of flowering mint (less than The Veto Shiraz) … and highlighting how coarse so many other South Australian reds are. Cellar 5 – 20 years. The only catch with these two Veto wines is, they are only sold to restaurants. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is 'sweet', ripe, darkly berried red, ripened to a point where cassis is at risk of being lost, but still detectable. You can immediately see it is more cabernet than shiraz. The bouquet is remarkably pure, and delightfully subtle in its oaking. Palate is plump, much more clearly cassisy and cabernet now, and the subtlety of oaking is a delight. What a transformation there is in the Jim Barry wines, Armagh aside. This is a lovely wine, showing scarcely a hint of flowering mint (less than The Veto Shiraz) … and highlighting how coarse so many other South Australian reds are. Cellar 5 – 20 years. The only catch with these two Veto wines is, they are only sold to restaurants. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $105 [ 50mm cork; Sy 100% mass-selection (Limmer) clone, hand-harvested @ 5.4 t/ha (2.2 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; no cold-soak, inoculated, c.11 days ferment, total cuvaison 20 days; MLF and 17 months in French oak 38% new; RS < 1 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest of the eight non-pinot wines. Bouquet here shows a wonderful coming-together and harmony of syrah fruit and cedary oak. The wine / year seems not quite as ripe as the 2014, cassis dominant rather than blueberry, more apparent black pepper, not as lush. Palate shows syrah ripened to a perfect cassis level of complexity, exhilarating spice, oak and balance, the wine at least as rich as the 2014, and all beautifully focussed. This is worthy of the northern Rhone. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest of the eight non-pinot wines. Bouquet here shows a wonderful coming-together and harmony of syrah fruit and cedary oak. The wine / year seems not quite as ripe as the 2014, cassis dominant rather than blueberry, more apparent black pepper, not as lush. Palate shows syrah ripened to a perfect cassis level of complexity, exhilarating spice, oak and balance, the wine at least as rich as the 2014, and all beautifully focussed. This is worthy of the northern Rhone. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $62 [ cork; CS 95%, Me 4, CF 1, hand-harvested @ c. 2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated and fermented in oak cuves; 21 months in French oak 84% new, fined and filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a magnificent young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend colour. Bouquet is likewise sumptuous, but heavily oak-dominant at this stage, with opulent vanillin overtones immediately begging the question, surely there is American oak in this. The winemaker says ‘none’, illustrating the high vanillin levels in some forests of French oak too. Below the new oak there is saturated cassis, with some blueberry and lots of bottled black doris plum suggestions, more Napa cabernet than Medoc. Palate follows perfectly, the blueberry notes raising a doubt about sur-maturité. This is going to be exciting wine in the years to come, though in an international rather more than Bordeaux style, once it has settled down in bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years, maybe longer. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a fully-ripe phase of cabernet sauvignon. In the event, it seemed a little over-ripe. GK 09/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a magnificent young Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend colour. Bouquet is likewise sumptuous, but heavily oak-dominant at this stage, with opulent vanillin overtones immediately begging the question, surely there is American oak in this. The winemaker says ‘none’, illustrating the high vanillin levels in some forests of French oak too. Below the new oak there is saturated cassis, with some blueberry and lots of bottled black doris plum suggestions, more Napa cabernet than Medoc. Palate follows perfectly, the blueberry notes raising a doubt about sur-maturité. This is going to be exciting wine in the years to come, though in an international rather more than Bordeaux style, once it has settled down in bottle. Cellar 10 – 20 years, maybe longer. This wine was used as part of a presentation on Bordeaux blends in New Zealand, for the Lincoln University Viticulture and Oenology degree course, to illustrate a fully-ripe phase of cabernet sauvignon. In the event, it seemed a little over-ripe. GK 09/08
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.8%; $35 [ supercritical ‘cork’; Mo 100%, hand-harvested; 3 weeks cuvaison; 12 months in French oak 30% new; no fining, minimal filtering; c.210 cases; sold out; www.jurassicridge.com ]
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet. In the blind tasting, this wine like the Stonyridge straight malbec causes confusion, because of its big richly omega plummy style, with complexity notes which don't fit neatly into the main classes represented – Bordeaux blends or syrah. The big fruit on bouquet is lifted by a little VA, and in mouth the texture is deliciously thick, with oak still to marry in. This is exciting montepulciano, free of the brett the original almost always shows. It is quite robust wine (to put it constructively), rather than a finessed one, but so are many from Abruzzi. There is some similarity with the malbecs of Cahors, in that. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 06/10
Rich ruby, carmine and velvet. In the blind tasting, this wine like the Stonyridge straight malbec causes confusion, because of its big richly omega plummy style, with complexity notes which don't fit neatly into the main classes represented – Bordeaux blends or syrah. The big fruit on bouquet is lifted by a little VA, and in mouth the texture is deliciously thick, with oak still to marry in. This is exciting montepulciano, free of the brett the original almost always shows. It is quite robust wine (to put it constructively), rather than a finessed one, but so are many from Abruzzi. There is some similarity with the malbecs of Cahors, in that. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 06/10
Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $48 [ Screwcap; oldest vines 15 years; all hand-harvested @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; all de-stemmed; 24 days cuvaison; c.12 months in French oak, 33% new; egg-white fining, minimal filtration; production 400 x 9-L cases; dry extract 27.4 g/L; Cooper, 2013: … dark, powerful and fruit-packed, with dense cherry and plum flavours. Weighty, savoury and supple, it shows lovely richness and harmony, *****; weight bottle and closure: 560 g; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Rich pinot noir ruby, well above midway in depth. Bouquet displays a deeper spectrum of floral notes, dark red roses, suggestions of port wine magnolia, violets, and boronia, than the Mt Difficulty, on darker fruits. Black cherry dominates, but the point of picking totally escapes incorporating any dark plum qualities. Oak is nearly as exciting as the Mt Difficulty. In mouth the continuity is again perfect, black cherry more than red, oak still to fully marry in, a more youthful spectrum of flavours, and tasting richer [ even though the dry extract is in fact less – it is very hard to assess total dry extract by taste ]. This is a younger wine than the Mt Difficulty, and will cellar for longer, 5 – 10 years. This is the finest Black Poplar wine so far, up to that vintage. Twelve people rated this their top or second wine, one only thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Rich pinot noir ruby, well above midway in depth. Bouquet displays a deeper spectrum of floral notes, dark red roses, suggestions of port wine magnolia, violets, and boronia, than the Mt Difficulty, on darker fruits. Black cherry dominates, but the point of picking totally escapes incorporating any dark plum qualities. Oak is nearly as exciting as the Mt Difficulty. In mouth the continuity is again perfect, black cherry more than red, oak still to fully marry in, a more youthful spectrum of flavours, and tasting richer [ even though the dry extract is in fact less – it is very hard to assess total dry extract by taste ]. This is a younger wine than the Mt Difficulty, and will cellar for longer, 5 – 10 years. This is the finest Black Poplar wine so far, up to that vintage. Twelve people rated this their top or second wine, one only thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $51 [ Cork, 45mm, ullage 29mm; weight bottle and cork, 615 g; release price c.$62; Amaranth signifies particularly suited to cellaring; Cooper, 2008: … dense and smooth, with sweet fruit delights of blackcurrants, plums, spices and liquorice, showing an almost liqueur-like intensity. Hugely concentrated, with buried tannins, its a compelling wine with a long future; open mid 2010+, *****; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Ruby, nearly carmine still, and velvet, far and away the deepest wine, extraordinary. Bouquet is amazing too, in a district where syrah is at its limits. There are dusky dianthus and darkest rose florals on tanniny cassis, and clear pepper, all black. Palate is wondrously rich, clear cassis and darkest plum, velvety grape tannins bolstered by invisible oak, the flavour fresh and youthful, still primary, again, extraordinary. The whole wine style is Hermitage, the only hint of qualification being a tell-tale thread of acid. Tasters liked this wine, six first places, four second, clearly the wine of the night, and almost total agreement it was syrah. In the best for the vintage comparison, the pinot didn't have a chance. This is one of Martinborough's greatest wines, so far. It will cellar another 20 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, nearly carmine still, and velvet, far and away the deepest wine, extraordinary. Bouquet is amazing too, in a district where syrah is at its limits. There are dusky dianthus and darkest rose florals on tanniny cassis, and clear pepper, all black. Palate is wondrously rich, clear cassis and darkest plum, velvety grape tannins bolstered by invisible oak, the flavour fresh and youthful, still primary, again, extraordinary. The whole wine style is Hermitage, the only hint of qualification being a tell-tale thread of acid. Tasters liked this wine, six first places, four second, clearly the wine of the night, and almost total agreement it was syrah. In the best for the vintage comparison, the pinot didn't have a chance. This is one of Martinborough's greatest wines, so far. It will cellar another 20 years. GK 05/19
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; 15 days cuvaison, cultured yeast; 10 months in French oak all 2-year or older; ‘Lifted floral aromas of violets and rose petals mingle with fresh cracked black pepper. Silver Medal Bragato’; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This wine is vibrantly floral and varietal syrah, with even a suggestion of carnation and wallflower on clear cassis and dark plums. It is faintly more zingy / aromatic on the black pepper than the Weeping Sands. In mouth that translates into very aromatic cassis with gorgeous round bottled black doris plummy fruit. It is plumper than the Weeping Sands, and equally long-flavoured. These top syrahs make an exciting offering from Waiheke. They show the variety has a great future on the Island, in a style comparable exactly with the Northern Rhone. They also closely match the fragrant wines from the Ngatarawa Triangle in Hawkes Bay, rather than the sometimes heavier Gimblett Gravels examples. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This wine is vibrantly floral and varietal syrah, with even a suggestion of carnation and wallflower on clear cassis and dark plums. It is faintly more zingy / aromatic on the black pepper than the Weeping Sands. In mouth that translates into very aromatic cassis with gorgeous round bottled black doris plummy fruit. It is plumper than the Weeping Sands, and equally long-flavoured. These top syrahs make an exciting offering from Waiheke. They show the variety has a great future on the Island, in a style comparable exactly with the Northern Rhone. They also closely match the fragrant wines from the Ngatarawa Triangle in Hawkes Bay, rather than the sometimes heavier Gimblett Gravels examples. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Bendigo district, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $68 [ screwcap; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Classic pinot noir burgundy colour in the sense of Rousseau, the third to lightest. One sniff, and wow ! Anybody who doubts the concept of florality in good red wine in general, and pinot noir in particular, needs to smell this. The volume of buddleia and cream / orange / pink rose perfume is staggering, straight out of Volnay. Then you notice it is slightly aromatic too, and the mind wanders to Chambolle-Musigny. Palate is pure red fruits pinot, just fully ripe, one of the most distinctive in the set. This wine is living proof of the old adage, never judge a burgundy by its colour, the wine showing good fruit, flesh and concentration, long and succulent almost, yet dry. This is great pinot noir too, a polar opposite to the Dry River, yet intriguingly, they can hold hands. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/16
Classic pinot noir burgundy colour in the sense of Rousseau, the third to lightest. One sniff, and wow ! Anybody who doubts the concept of florality in good red wine in general, and pinot noir in particular, needs to smell this. The volume of buddleia and cream / orange / pink rose perfume is staggering, straight out of Volnay. Then you notice it is slightly aromatic too, and the mind wanders to Chambolle-Musigny. Palate is pure red fruits pinot, just fully ripe, one of the most distinctive in the set. This wine is living proof of the old adage, never judge a burgundy by its colour, the wine showing good fruit, flesh and concentration, long and succulent almost, yet dry. This is great pinot noir too, a polar opposite to the Dry River, yet intriguingly, they can hold hands. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/16
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $63 [ screwcap; vine age up to 33 years, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentations; 12 months in French oak 23% new, followed by 4 months assemblage in s/s; not filtered; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Quite deep pinot noir ruby with a little garnet showing, near the top of the second quarter for depth. Initially opened, the bouquet is quiet. It opens up in glass with swirling (or decanting), to show complex mature pinot aromas with dusky rose florals, red grading to black fruits, and a little more emphasis on cedary oak elevation than the wines rated more highly. Palate confirms the last point, the wine being markedly more cedary than the Valli wines. Length of cherry fruit on palate is beautifully extended on the cedar. There is no hint of the 2012 cold-year stalkyness that affected Martinborough in this vintage. Sophisticated wine but with oak to a max, approaching full maturity, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Quite deep pinot noir ruby with a little garnet showing, near the top of the second quarter for depth. Initially opened, the bouquet is quiet. It opens up in glass with swirling (or decanting), to show complex mature pinot aromas with dusky rose florals, red grading to black fruits, and a little more emphasis on cedary oak elevation than the wines rated more highly. Palate confirms the last point, the wine being markedly more cedary than the Valli wines. Length of cherry fruit on palate is beautifully extended on the cedar. There is no hint of the 2012 cold-year stalkyness that affected Martinborough in this vintage. Sophisticated wine but with oak to a max, approaching full maturity, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $49 [ cork 49mm; vine-age c.55 years; all destemmed, up to 28 days cuvaison; 12 months in 600 L barrels, 10% new, c. 2,000 9-L cases; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 569 g; www.yannchave.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, pure, showing understated florals hinting at the other Chave's Saint-Joseph and its wallflowers but less explicit, on big cassisy and darkly plummy berry. Fruit richness in mouth is near-identical to the Matheson, with the flavours similar too. Subtle oak builds on the later palate, to reveal a wine of extraordinary depth and quality, for Crozes-Hermitage. It makes the lovely 2013 Xanadu Shiraz look a little simple. This wine is already quite soft, and I suspect will not cellar as long as some of these top wines, say 5 – 15 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, pure, showing understated florals hinting at the other Chave's Saint-Joseph and its wallflowers but less explicit, on big cassisy and darkly plummy berry. Fruit richness in mouth is near-identical to the Matheson, with the flavours similar too. Subtle oak builds on the later palate, to reveal a wine of extraordinary depth and quality, for Crozes-Hermitage. It makes the lovely 2013 Xanadu Shiraz look a little simple. This wine is already quite soft, and I suspect will not cellar as long as some of these top wines, say 5 – 15 years. GK 08/16
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $25 [ cork; Sh 100%; elevage 12 months in French hogsheads 22% new; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not as black as some recent Bin 128s have been, just above halfway in depth. And on bouquet, this is remarkable Australian shiraz, showing a concentration of fine berry characters which matches the Craggy Block 14, though all clearly a notch riper: boysenberry dominant with dark plum instead of cassis. But, the wine is light enough and 'sweet' enough to be nearly floral, with even suggestions of syrah. Oak is subtle, the French oak is so good, and the balance in mouth is both rich and attractive. It reminds me of other attractive years of this label such as 1996, but is a little less oaky, and thus softer. And thoughts of machine picking / mixed berry ripeness simply do not arise. So this is a terrific example of the label, a classic Australian expression of syrah as shiraz, but scarcely mucked up by winemaker artefact. The latter is a key factor in why I am scoring it as highly as Grange, despite that icon (or trophy) wine being 20 times more expensive. And the slightly lower alcohol also makes this Bin 128 a more civilised wine. Most people would get more pleasure out of a case of this, than a bottle of the flash stuff. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, not as black as some recent Bin 128s have been, just above halfway in depth. And on bouquet, this is remarkable Australian shiraz, showing a concentration of fine berry characters which matches the Craggy Block 14, though all clearly a notch riper: boysenberry dominant with dark plum instead of cassis. But, the wine is light enough and 'sweet' enough to be nearly floral, with even suggestions of syrah. Oak is subtle, the French oak is so good, and the balance in mouth is both rich and attractive. It reminds me of other attractive years of this label such as 1996, but is a little less oaky, and thus softer. And thoughts of machine picking / mixed berry ripeness simply do not arise. So this is a terrific example of the label, a classic Australian expression of syrah as shiraz, but scarcely mucked up by winemaker artefact. The latter is a key factor in why I am scoring it as highly as Grange, despite that icon (or trophy) wine being 20 times more expensive. And the slightly lower alcohol also makes this Bin 128 a more civilised wine. Most people would get more pleasure out of a case of this, than a bottle of the flash stuff. Cellar 5 – 20 years. VALUE GK 06/07
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 12.5%; $100 [ Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 12.5%; $c.100 – Cork, 46mm, ullage 20mm; weight bottle and cork, 569 g; release price c.$60; Robinson, 2010: Sweet, jewelly fruit - not especially burgundian but clean, fresh, lip smacking and a little tannin still perceptible on the finish. Well balanced with no excess of sweetness or acidity. Really quite crisp though sweetness is the overwhelming attribute. Not especially complex but it may develop complexity, 17; Cooper, 2003: The 2001 vintage is already deliciously approachable … intense for Pinot Noir. Fragrant and supple, with concentrated, beautifully ripe fruit characters of cherries, plums and spice, it impresses with elegance rather than power, and is a good drink-now or cellaring proposition, *****; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Colour is ruby and garnet, the lightest wine of the 12, just, a delightful and appropriate colour for pinot noir. Bouquet stands out in the 12, as being far and away the most varietal and complex in the set, and importantly, one with no caveats. There are clear red rose and cherry-pie (Heliotropium) florals, on red cherry fruit browning somewhat now, plus a clear aromatic piquancy pointing to the Cote de Nuits, very exciting. Palate shows good fruit weight, supple, one of the few not overloaded with tannin, the whole wine warmly varietal, and stimulating throughout. Aftertaste is long, gradually a little tannin appearing. It is great to see a wine from this era exactly fulfilling Neil’s hopes for his pinot noir, at a time when I was being hard on them. This wine is at a peak now, but no great hurry, will hold some years. Six tasters rated this their top wine of the set, and one second place. In the preferred variety of the vintage coupling, both the pinot noir and the syrah are remarkable wines, both could be gold-medal level, but in this assessment I have the pinot noir fractionally ahead. GK 05/19
Colour is ruby and garnet, the lightest wine of the 12, just, a delightful and appropriate colour for pinot noir. Bouquet stands out in the 12, as being far and away the most varietal and complex in the set, and importantly, one with no caveats. There are clear red rose and cherry-pie (Heliotropium) florals, on red cherry fruit browning somewhat now, plus a clear aromatic piquancy pointing to the Cote de Nuits, very exciting. Palate shows good fruit weight, supple, one of the few not overloaded with tannin, the whole wine warmly varietal, and stimulating throughout. Aftertaste is long, gradually a little tannin appearing. It is great to see a wine from this era exactly fulfilling Neil’s hopes for his pinot noir, at a time when I was being hard on them. This wine is at a peak now, but no great hurry, will hold some years. Six tasters rated this their top wine of the set, and one second place. In the preferred variety of the vintage coupling, both the pinot noir and the syrah are remarkable wines, both could be gold-medal level, but in this assessment I have the pinot noir fractionally ahead. GK 05/19
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; www.twopaddocks.com ]
Full pinot noir ruby, in the top quarter for depth. Decant this wine, to reveal a good volume of red grading to black cherry pinot noir. It needs three more years in bottle, to develop the best side of its bouquet. Palate is already promising, potentially vibrant quite dark red cherry fruit with an undertone of black cherries, oaking beautifully judged. Palate is nearly velvety, pure cherry flavours, remarkable. This will be a gold medal wine in two years, the score here is anticipatory. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Full pinot noir ruby, in the top quarter for depth. Decant this wine, to reveal a good volume of red grading to black cherry pinot noir. It needs three more years in bottle, to develop the best side of its bouquet. Palate is already promising, potentially vibrant quite dark red cherry fruit with an undertone of black cherries, oaking beautifully judged. Palate is nearly velvety, pure cherry flavours, remarkable. This will be a gold medal wine in two years, the score here is anticipatory. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $31 [ screwcap; Montpellier clone grown at 550 m asl, hand-picked @ c. 2.5 t/ac; whole-bunch pressed, 100% wild-yeast ferment, 100% BF in older French oak only, sometimes trace MLF but none desired; 6 months lees-autolysis and batonnage 3-weekly, 9 months total in oak, none younger than 4 years; RS 2.9 g/L. Parker 167: … the 2005 Viognier is a barrel-fermented, neutral wood-aged cuvee offering a crisp, elegant style with plenty of tropical fruit as well as more minerality than one normally finds in Australian Viognier. Well-delineated, medium-bodied, dry … 90; www.heggiesvineyard.com ]
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is a complex interaction of nearly floral and very fragrant fruit, with cherimoya, vanilla wafer and canned apricot aromas, plus almost baguette complexities. Palate has great fruit weight, with flavours extending from Lisbon lemon to apricot, plus beautiful extended lees-autolysis complexities and acid balance. This is a much more successful viognier than the latest Virgilius, the lees-autolysis here reminiscent of (good) vintage champagne, rather than old-fashioned Mosel. The weight of fruit / dry extract gives the wine an edge over most New Zealand contenders. Cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is a complex interaction of nearly floral and very fragrant fruit, with cherimoya, vanilla wafer and canned apricot aromas, plus almost baguette complexities. Palate has great fruit weight, with flavours extending from Lisbon lemon to apricot, plus beautiful extended lees-autolysis complexities and acid balance. This is a much more successful viognier than the latest Virgilius, the lees-autolysis here reminiscent of (good) vintage champagne, rather than old-fashioned Mosel. The weight of fruit / dry extract gives the wine an edge over most New Zealand contenders. Cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15.5%; $75 [ cork 50mm; Gr 80%, Sy 10, Mv 6, balance Ci, counoise, vaccarese, hand-picked from 15 different vineyards at 2.6 t/ha = fractionally over 1 t/ac; some whole-bunch components, light extraction, free-run and press-wine raised separately and blended later; elevation in concrete vat and then large old wood; production in 2010 3,250 9-L cases; imported by Truffle, Wellington; weight bottle and closure: 655 g; www.en.closmontolivet.com ]
Ruby and velvet, below midway. Bouquet is fragrant, red fruits again with some browning, an exciting silver-pine / cedary lift on the grenache component, a little fumey on the alcohol, seemingly grenache-dominated. Palate contradicts the bouquet impression, the wine seeming gentle in mouth, not quite as rich as the Mas Boislauzon, showing a more uniform grenache-led red fruits flavour marrying with older oak. The long aftertaste is lovely, seemingly pure grenache. The tannins in this wine are beautifully fine-grained, already. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Ruby and velvet, below midway. Bouquet is fragrant, red fruits again with some browning, an exciting silver-pine / cedary lift on the grenache component, a little fumey on the alcohol, seemingly grenache-dominated. Palate contradicts the bouquet impression, the wine seeming gentle in mouth, not quite as rich as the Mas Boislauzon, showing a more uniform grenache-led red fruits flavour marrying with older oak. The long aftertaste is lovely, seemingly pure grenache. The tannins in this wine are beautifully fine-grained, already. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ cork, 7 g/L; www.glovers-vineyard.co.nz ]
Glowing light gold. A mature riesling at the full honeyed peak of development. All the vanillin and citrus notes of youth can still be detected, but the nectar has passed on to golden honey, and soon a vanilla biscuit note will creep in. Palate is rich, fully developed and flavoured with amber honey and golden peach fruit, yet still fresh, with delightful acid. Being a 7 g / L wine, finish is now seemingly sweet on the great fruit. This developed wine foreshadows the wine style the drier 2005 will show. GK 01/06
Glowing light gold. A mature riesling at the full honeyed peak of development. All the vanillin and citrus notes of youth can still be detected, but the nectar has passed on to golden honey, and soon a vanilla biscuit note will creep in. Palate is rich, fully developed and flavoured with amber honey and golden peach fruit, yet still fresh, with delightful acid. Being a 7 g / L wine, finish is now seemingly sweet on the great fruit. This developed wine foreshadows the wine style the drier 2005 will show. GK 01/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $53 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields not above 2.5 t/ac; up to 30% whole-bunch; up to 10 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 27 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 11 months in French oak c. 29% new; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers: 'The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines'; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than the same year Calvert and Block 5 wines. In this blind tasting of 60 reds, half pinot noir, the result is nearly a total walkover for Felton Road. What a model this winery is, in setting the pace for pinot noir in southern New Zealand - like a latter-day Te Mata for cabernet / merlot. Bouquet is textbook New Zealand pinot noir, explicitly floral in the boronia and dark red roses category, on black and red cherry fruit, beautifully fragrant and clean. Palate follows perfectly, cherries through and through, yet still with the appropriate acid of some underpinning redfruits, showing no sur-maturité / excess plummyness, a little lighter than the Felton Calvert. The oaking is exquisite, gently shaping the wine yet in no way dominating. This is one of the most satisfying standard Felton pinots yet, a reference wine for the vintage which can be run in future Cote de Nuits tastings with confidence. Though slightly 'cooler' than the Felton and Craggy Calvert Vineyard wines, this standard Felton pinot illustrates beautifully what pinot noir without a leafy or stalky thread is like. As noted previously with respect to syrah, the dividing line between leafy florals and really sweet florals is subtle. Yet it is exactly this subtle quality which makes the great wines of Burgundy, the Northern Rhone, and yes, Bordeaux too, so exciting and 'refreshing' as Jancis Robinson would say, in comparison with their more burly competitors from warmer parts of the new world. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally lighter than the same year Calvert and Block 5 wines. In this blind tasting of 60 reds, half pinot noir, the result is nearly a total walkover for Felton Road. What a model this winery is, in setting the pace for pinot noir in southern New Zealand - like a latter-day Te Mata for cabernet / merlot. Bouquet is textbook New Zealand pinot noir, explicitly floral in the boronia and dark red roses category, on black and red cherry fruit, beautifully fragrant and clean. Palate follows perfectly, cherries through and through, yet still with the appropriate acid of some underpinning redfruits, showing no sur-maturité / excess plummyness, a little lighter than the Felton Calvert. The oaking is exquisite, gently shaping the wine yet in no way dominating. This is one of the most satisfying standard Felton pinots yet, a reference wine for the vintage which can be run in future Cote de Nuits tastings with confidence. Though slightly 'cooler' than the Felton and Craggy Calvert Vineyard wines, this standard Felton pinot illustrates beautifully what pinot noir without a leafy or stalky thread is like. As noted previously with respect to syrah, the dividing line between leafy florals and really sweet florals is subtle. Yet it is exactly this subtle quality which makes the great wines of Burgundy, the Northern Rhone, and yes, Bordeaux too, so exciting and 'refreshing' as Jancis Robinson would say, in comparison with their more burly competitors from warmer parts of the new world. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ supercritical 'cork'; Me > CS > Sy, all hand-picked, ratio not revealed, CS picked 22 days after Me; a small percentage of juice taken for rosé; extended cuvaison to 30 days for some parcels, using cultured yeast; press wine blended back to taste; 12 months in barrels and puncheons, 30% new, maybe some American, then 12 months in older large wood; website to be updated; Parker: 89; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, right in the middle of the second third for weight. Bouquet here is beautiful. When I assessed it at the blind stage, before knowledge of cepage or maker, I commented on its fine cassis qualities, so reminiscent of refined Medoc. In mouth it is not as big a wine as some in the 60, or the 2009 Selection from Unison. There is a key issue here, often lost on those brought up on Australian reds, that wine does not have to be big to be beautiful. Here there is grace and elegance and charm, lean and shapely. Ballerinas. Cassis is a valid descriptor for perfectly ripe syrah as well as cabernet sauvignon (recall Lafite Hermitagé), so this wine is a fine illustration of the Hawkes Bay blend concept. If you personally have to have a wine so rich as to be tactile velvety, make the score 18. Though the oak is still a little prominent, it is better balanced than the 2009 Selection, and in time will give considerable pleasure at table. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, right in the middle of the second third for weight. Bouquet here is beautiful. When I assessed it at the blind stage, before knowledge of cepage or maker, I commented on its fine cassis qualities, so reminiscent of refined Medoc. In mouth it is not as big a wine as some in the 60, or the 2009 Selection from Unison. There is a key issue here, often lost on those brought up on Australian reds, that wine does not have to be big to be beautiful. Here there is grace and elegance and charm, lean and shapely. Ballerinas. Cassis is a valid descriptor for perfectly ripe syrah as well as cabernet sauvignon (recall Lafite Hermitagé), so this wine is a fine illustration of the Hawkes Bay blend concept. If you personally have to have a wine so rich as to be tactile velvety, make the score 18. Though the oak is still a little prominent, it is better balanced than the 2009 Selection, and in time will give considerable pleasure at table. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/14
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $36 [ cork; based on 2008 fruit, PN 70%, Ch 30, all hand-picked; 100% MLF of base wine, no barrel component; 5 – 15% reserve wine added when laid down; 36 – 42 months en tirage; RS 7 g/L; www.nautilusestate.com ]
Pale lemonstraw. Bouquet is dramatically different from the Le Brun, a richer broader much more clearly autolysed wine – the difference between some recent bottlings of Louis Roederer on the one hand, and Bollinger, for example. Just smelling this wine is nearly enough, the quality of the autolysis is totally finest French baguette, some brioche, just wonderful. Behind that is beautiful pinot noir and chardonnay fruit, yet the wine is not 'fruity'. All these bouquet impressions combine in mouth, the wine being rich in the style of vintage champagne, yet again it is not 'fruity', the pinot noir adding lovely red fruits hints. Acid is clearly softer than the Le Brun and body is greater, and right through the palate there is this sensational baguette-quality yeast autolysis. Remarkable New Zealand bubbly, perhaps the best Nautilus yet. Needless to say, half the room preferred this one, showing how personal wine is. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Pale lemonstraw. Bouquet is dramatically different from the Le Brun, a richer broader much more clearly autolysed wine – the difference between some recent bottlings of Louis Roederer on the one hand, and Bollinger, for example. Just smelling this wine is nearly enough, the quality of the autolysis is totally finest French baguette, some brioche, just wonderful. Behind that is beautiful pinot noir and chardonnay fruit, yet the wine is not 'fruity'. All these bouquet impressions combine in mouth, the wine being rich in the style of vintage champagne, yet again it is not 'fruity', the pinot noir adding lovely red fruits hints. Acid is clearly softer than the Le Brun and body is greater, and right through the palate there is this sensational baguette-quality yeast autolysis. Remarkable New Zealand bubbly, perhaps the best Nautilus yet. Needless to say, half the room preferred this one, showing how personal wine is. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ supercritical 'cork'; Ch 100% based on 2011 fruit, all hand-picked from c.50 grand cru sites through the Cote de Blancs, including Le Mesnil; 40% of the wine from the assembled multi-vintage Reserve 'solera'; full MLF; c.2.5 years en tirage; dosage c.6.5 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
Elegant lemon green, in practical terms indistinguishable from the current year. The 2014-release batch in New Zealand can be recognised by the small and hard-to-read black back-label, advising: info@champagners.co.nz. Bouquet on this wine is also classic blanc de blancs methode champenoise, but still a little on the youthful side. There are clear suggestions of crust-of-baguette autolysis mingled with an impression of white grapes, again of beautiful purity. Palate is one notch firmer (younger) than the 2010-base wine, but otherwise of identical quality, except the autolysis at this stage shows crumb-of-baguette as well as crust. Again the aftertaste is long on fruit, yet the thought of sparkling chardonnay does not occur. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Elegant lemon green, in practical terms indistinguishable from the current year. The 2014-release batch in New Zealand can be recognised by the small and hard-to-read black back-label, advising: info@champagners.co.nz. Bouquet on this wine is also classic blanc de blancs methode champenoise, but still a little on the youthful side. There are clear suggestions of crust-of-baguette autolysis mingled with an impression of white grapes, again of beautiful purity. Palate is one notch firmer (younger) than the 2010-base wine, but otherwise of identical quality, except the autolysis at this stage shows crumb-of-baguette as well as crust. Again the aftertaste is long on fruit, yet the thought of sparkling chardonnay does not occur. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $115 [ cork; CS 57, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; the middle wine of the three tiers; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not a big colour, and a little age showing. Bouquet is immensely fragrant, and totally true to the Destiny Bay style, again with reminders of Ribera del Duero in its elevage component, but also very St Emilion premier grand cru, irrespective of cepage. Initially, one might think it light, misled by the colour. But it is on the palate that this wine scrambles up the ranking. Leaving aside the differences in oak-handling, it demonstrates greater fruit physiological maturity than either the 2007 Coleraine Cabernets / Merlot on the one hand, or the 2008 Obsidian Merlot / Cabernet on the other. Both years are great vintages in their respective districts. 2007 Mystae is not a big or rich wine, but it is already very beautiful. As the young vines age, and noting this is their second tier wine (below Magna Praemia), exciting wines can be anticipated from this ambitious / shoot-for-the-stars company. Time will tell whether they're ambitious pricing is sustainable. Cellar 5 – 25 years, deceptive, I suspect. GK 06/10
Ruby and velvet, not a big colour, and a little age showing. Bouquet is immensely fragrant, and totally true to the Destiny Bay style, again with reminders of Ribera del Duero in its elevage component, but also very St Emilion premier grand cru, irrespective of cepage. Initially, one might think it light, misled by the colour. But it is on the palate that this wine scrambles up the ranking. Leaving aside the differences in oak-handling, it demonstrates greater fruit physiological maturity than either the 2007 Coleraine Cabernets / Merlot on the one hand, or the 2008 Obsidian Merlot / Cabernet on the other. Both years are great vintages in their respective districts. 2007 Mystae is not a big or rich wine, but it is already very beautiful. As the young vines age, and noting this is their second tier wine (below Magna Praemia), exciting wines can be anticipated from this ambitious / shoot-for-the-stars company. Time will tell whether they're ambitious pricing is sustainable. Cellar 5 – 25 years, deceptive, I suspect. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; Me 65%, Ma 35; Capricorn Wines Estates subsidiary of Craggy Range; www.capricornwines.co.nz ]
An excellent ruby, carmine and velvet. In a Wellington-based blind tasting of 12 of some of the more eminent 2002 Hawkes Bay Blends, by 23 tasters, this wine was rated one of the top three. The reasons lie in its ripe but not over-ripe Bordeaux-like florals, its fruit complexity in which cassisy, berry and potentially tobacco-y qualities are dominant, and in its attractive mouthfeel, with ripe tannins, soft texture, well-balanced acid and light oak. It is the most complete wine in the set, at this early stage, and there are no technical failings. We can only look forward to seeing how it cellars under screwcap, and also hope that such a magnificent achievement for the price is repeated. Too often, wine companies launch a new wine with a splendid batch to establish the label, and quality thereafter never quite recaptures the original. Cellar 5 – 10 years, and at the price one would have to be very short-sighted not to cellar a case. VALUE GK 07/04
An excellent ruby, carmine and velvet. In a Wellington-based blind tasting of 12 of some of the more eminent 2002 Hawkes Bay Blends, by 23 tasters, this wine was rated one of the top three. The reasons lie in its ripe but not over-ripe Bordeaux-like florals, its fruit complexity in which cassisy, berry and potentially tobacco-y qualities are dominant, and in its attractive mouthfeel, with ripe tannins, soft texture, well-balanced acid and light oak. It is the most complete wine in the set, at this early stage, and there are no technical failings. We can only look forward to seeing how it cellars under screwcap, and also hope that such a magnificent achievement for the price is repeated. Too often, wine companies launch a new wine with a splendid batch to establish the label, and quality thereafter never quite recaptures the original. Cellar 5 – 10 years, and at the price one would have to be very short-sighted not to cellar a case. VALUE GK 07/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Me 73%, Ma 14, CS 13, all hand-harvested @ c.1.9 t/ac from vines 18 – 20 years old, and de-stemmed; some wild-yeast; cuvaison varies per variety, least for malbec, cabernet the longest 30 or more days; 18 months in French oak 50% new; RS <1 g/L; minimal filtration; around 500 cases (12); Parker: 92; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, at the head of the lightest third, in colour weight. Initial bouquet is most attractive, round red fruits reminding almost of a rich Pommard, pure and fragrant. In mouth the wine fills out and puts on weight, to become a fragrant St Emilion look-alike. The oak becomes more noticeable now, but the fruit richness is sufficient for it to marry up totally. It is not a big wine, but there is a charm to this that gains it marks, and makes it potentially more-ish. And it is fresh throughout, yet (just) avoids leafyness. The malbec is the weak link here. If cabernet franc had been used, the Saint-Emilion comparison might be near-perfect. Pretty interesting and attractive wine, which I would like to watch evolve the next few years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, at the head of the lightest third, in colour weight. Initial bouquet is most attractive, round red fruits reminding almost of a rich Pommard, pure and fragrant. In mouth the wine fills out and puts on weight, to become a fragrant St Emilion look-alike. The oak becomes more noticeable now, but the fruit richness is sufficient for it to marry up totally. It is not a big wine, but there is a charm to this that gains it marks, and makes it potentially more-ish. And it is fresh throughout, yet (just) avoids leafyness. The malbec is the weak link here. If cabernet franc had been used, the Saint-Emilion comparison might be near-perfect. Pretty interesting and attractive wine, which I would like to watch evolve the next few years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $99 [ laminated champagne cork; PN 60%, Ch 25; PM 15, c. 85% of the juice premier or grand cru vineyards; 5 – 10% of blend reserve wines fermented in oak, held in magnum under cork for 5 – 15 years; minimum 3 years en tirage; dosage 8 g/l; c.165,000 cases; www.champagne-bollinger.fr ]
Elegant lemonstraw, fractionally paler than the Pol Roger, surprisingly. First impressions on bouquet are of lovely 'sweet' notes almost hinting at strawberry character, as if pinot meunier were high (not so). Backing the fruit is rich mealy autolysis, all a shade more Vogel's Multigrain relative to the baguette of Pol Roger, but wondrously pure. On palate there is the lightest hint of older fragrant oak from the reserve wines, adding nuttyness to the mealy texture, but it is vanishingly subtle. This is not as bold as nv Bollinger used to be, but the fruit richness is wonderful, completely hiding the more sophisticated dosage around 8 g/L. Glorious wine, the real thing, cellar 5 – 20 years. Stelzer comments there has been a revolution at Bollinger in the last 14 years, the style fresher than previously, but no less substantial. He considers the current Special Cuvée the best ever. GK 11/15
Elegant lemonstraw, fractionally paler than the Pol Roger, surprisingly. First impressions on bouquet are of lovely 'sweet' notes almost hinting at strawberry character, as if pinot meunier were high (not so). Backing the fruit is rich mealy autolysis, all a shade more Vogel's Multigrain relative to the baguette of Pol Roger, but wondrously pure. On palate there is the lightest hint of older fragrant oak from the reserve wines, adding nuttyness to the mealy texture, but it is vanishingly subtle. This is not as bold as nv Bollinger used to be, but the fruit richness is wonderful, completely hiding the more sophisticated dosage around 8 g/L. Glorious wine, the real thing, cellar 5 – 20 years. Stelzer comments there has been a revolution at Bollinger in the last 14 years, the style fresher than previously, but no less substantial. He considers the current Special Cuvée the best ever. GK 11/15
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $25 [ cork; Maison Vauron; approx. Gr 85% and Sy 15; the standard wine; Parker 156: "One of the reference points for proving how good Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cairanne can be is the family estate of Alary … their 2003s, a challenging vintage outside Chateauneuf du Pape, are impressive. The 2003 Cairanne offers classic, dusty, loamy, earthy, and kirsch liqueur notes presented in a medium to full-bodied, ripe, nicely concentrated format with some noticeable tannin. 4-5 years. 88-90" ]
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, a fraction of the depth of the Estevenas, yet still a good colour. Bouquet is wonderful: it is hard to imagine how two wines from the same winery could better display the contrast between a syrah-dominant one (Estevenas) and a grenache-dominant one (this village Cairanne). Bouquet is more complex than the Cristia, the cinnamon edge on the grenache almost including nutmeg, and the syrah is detectable too, via a subliminal floral component. Palate is a perfect blend of grenache soft berry, and syrah and counoise complexity, with the cinnamon on the finish showing textbook varietal definition. Not quite as rich as the Cristia, though, and purists might notice a trace of brett, totally positive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, a fraction of the depth of the Estevenas, yet still a good colour. Bouquet is wonderful: it is hard to imagine how two wines from the same winery could better display the contrast between a syrah-dominant one (Estevenas) and a grenache-dominant one (this village Cairanne). Bouquet is more complex than the Cristia, the cinnamon edge on the grenache almost including nutmeg, and the syrah is detectable too, via a subliminal floral component. Palate is a perfect blend of grenache soft berry, and syrah and counoise complexity, with the cinnamon on the finish showing textbook varietal definition. Not quite as rich as the Cristia, though, and purists might notice a trace of brett, totally positive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ cork; DFB; Me 65%, CS 30, CF 5; 19 months in French oak 90% new; second wine of Blake Family Vineyard; www.alluviale.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet for this Alluviale shows a little more oak relative to the fruit, when compared with the 2005, but there is still very attractive floral, plummy and rich berry. Palate brings up the violets component of the bouquet, and the interplay of cassis and dark plums with the oak. This is not as rich as the $50 wines, but it is still gold-medal merlot / cabernet, in the New Zealand context, and delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet for this Alluviale shows a little more oak relative to the fruit, when compared with the 2005, but there is still very attractive floral, plummy and rich berry. Palate brings up the violets component of the bouquet, and the interplay of cassis and dark plums with the oak. This is not as rich as the $50 wines, but it is still gold-medal merlot / cabernet, in the New Zealand context, and delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
St Emilion Premier Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $306 [ cork; vineyard cepage Me 50%, CF 47, CS 3, average age 30 – 35 years, planted @ 7 – 8 000 vines / ha, and cropped @ c. 1.7 t/ac; www.chateau-angelus.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest. Bouquet is ample, plushly dark plummy in a bottled omega plum style rather more than black doris, but at this stage more international / Napa than most Bordeaux. Palate introduces some delicacy of fruit, yet a lot of oak with some chocolate, in a dramatic merlot-dominant winestyle. Freshly opened, it is as rich as the Cos, but in comparison lacks St Emilion typicity (though consistent with itself). In 10 years, it will be much more evocative, and may rate higher. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest. Bouquet is ample, plushly dark plummy in a bottled omega plum style rather more than black doris, but at this stage more international / Napa than most Bordeaux. Palate introduces some delicacy of fruit, yet a lot of oak with some chocolate, in a dramatic merlot-dominant winestyle. Freshly opened, it is as rich as the Cos, but in comparison lacks St Emilion typicity (though consistent with itself). In 10 years, it will be much more evocative, and may rate higher. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Cairanne, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $24 [ cork 50mm, ullage 17mm; original price c.$27; Gr c.100 years 85 - 90%, Sy 5-10, Mv 5; the domaine biodynamic, certification gained 2007; cropping rate at c.3.5 t/ha (1.4 t/ac) is significantly less than the regionally permitted 5.85 t/ha ( 2.4 t/ac); cuvaison 30 days with wild yeasts, elevation the Gr in vat, Sy and Mv in barrel; access to these grapes now lost; J.L-L, 2011: Smoky, latent, promising nose – it shows charm, and is thorough, measured, has the red plum air of Grenache, nice and round – very good now. The palate is charming, real good fruit in it as it rounds out well. Excellent, thorough fruit and STGT in nature. Great length. Menthol, lavender finish. Classy, authentic. 2017-18, ****; Wine Spectator, 2009: Dense but pure, with alluring black tea and mesquite aromas up front, followed by dark, macerated currant, fig and plum fruit. Hints of ganache and espresso frame the finish, which is supple and lengthy. To 2011, 400 cases, 91; www.domainelesaphillanthes.fr ]
This too was one of the red and fresher wines, ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is more floral and less aromatic than the Montirius Gigondas, but like it showing wonderful freshness, and no sign of the over-ripe / over-weight syndrome that diminishes too many 2007s. There are nearly red roses here, thoughts of pinot noir. Again, the grenache component sees no oak, and the wine is the better for it. Palate is beautifully fresh, the syrah aromatic and floral, speaking out far more than the cepage percentage would suggest. The oak handling on the syrah and mourvedre components is totally simpatico, the result food-friendly and attractive. This is ‘merely’ Cairanne, but cropped more conservatively than some Chateauneuf-du-Papes, by a great grower. The result is clearly better than many Chateauneuf-du-Papes, the whole wine both a delight, and great value. Five tasters had this as their top or second wine. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/19
This too was one of the red and fresher wines, ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Bouquet is more floral and less aromatic than the Montirius Gigondas, but like it showing wonderful freshness, and no sign of the over-ripe / over-weight syndrome that diminishes too many 2007s. There are nearly red roses here, thoughts of pinot noir. Again, the grenache component sees no oak, and the wine is the better for it. Palate is beautifully fresh, the syrah aromatic and floral, speaking out far more than the cepage percentage would suggest. The oak handling on the syrah and mourvedre components is totally simpatico, the result food-friendly and attractive. This is ‘merely’ Cairanne, but cropped more conservatively than some Chateauneuf-du-Papes, by a great grower. The result is clearly better than many Chateauneuf-du-Papes, the whole wine both a delight, and great value. Five tasters had this as their top or second wine. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/19
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $143 [ 49mm cork; planted 1920s, '30s, '50s; 100% de-stemming; 5 – 6 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentations; 25 – 33% new oak; Meadows, 2007: A slightly riper and more complex nose of warm earth, underbrush and spicy violet-laced aromas complement the rich, full and suave flavors that are velvety and mouth coating on the textured and seductive finish … accessible ... but the almost invisible structure lurks beneath the velvet and this will definitely be a solid cellar candidate: 89-91; D Schildknecht @ R. Parker, 2007: … offers lovely black fruit aromas with hints of anise and mint. A truly palate-staining intensity of vividly-fresh, tart but ripe black cherry and blackberry is underlain by firm, fine tannins (not precluding an emerging silkiness of texture) and augmented by bitter-herbal and stony notes. Although palpably dense and abundantly tannic, this outstanding village wine still comes off as juicy, sleek, invigorating and refined. Put it away for at least 5-7 years, 91-92; weight bottle and closure: 611 g; no website found. ]
Rich ruby and velvet, deep for Burgundy, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is deep, dark, infantile, and initially somewhat reserved. It opens up with air, and 18 hours later shows darkest red rose florals on all-black cherry fruit, fruit clearly dominant over good oak. In mouth the wine is still a baby, big fruit, rich tannins so much so the wine seems short on fruit (to casual inspection), but in fact the fruit richness is excellent. You just have to dissect it out from the tannins. The wine is not unduly oaky, just very powerful. In 10 years time this may well have overtaken the Maume. An exciting example of pinot noir, pushing the boundaries for ripeness and concentration, but just staying within bounds. Cellar 10 – 30 years. This was the most liked wine of the tasting, 10 people rating it their top or second wine. Intriguingly, seven also thought it could be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Rich ruby and velvet, deep for Burgundy, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is deep, dark, infantile, and initially somewhat reserved. It opens up with air, and 18 hours later shows darkest red rose florals on all-black cherry fruit, fruit clearly dominant over good oak. In mouth the wine is still a baby, big fruit, rich tannins so much so the wine seems short on fruit (to casual inspection), but in fact the fruit richness is excellent. You just have to dissect it out from the tannins. The wine is not unduly oaky, just very powerful. In 10 years time this may well have overtaken the Maume. An exciting example of pinot noir, pushing the boundaries for ripeness and concentration, but just staying within bounds. Cellar 10 – 30 years. This was the most liked wine of the tasting, 10 people rating it their top or second wine. Intriguingly, seven also thought it could be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Geelong, Victoria, Australia: 13.5%; $45
Good ruby, some velvet. Benefits from a splashy decanting, to reveal a voluminous bouquet in which carnations, cassis, black pepper and flowering mint-shrub combine beautifully. The whole thing smells uncannily like good Hermitage, but with this light floral Australian accent. Palate is much the driest of the Australasian wines, complex, slightly old-fashioned and fragrantly savoury from restrained oak and academic brett, in nett impression closer to the la Chapelle than any of the others, but more concentrated. This is a wine for winelovers, not technocrats. It shows Australian shiraz can have syrah-like complexity when not over-ripened, rather more than just sheer size. It will be marvellous with food, and cellar for 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Good ruby, some velvet. Benefits from a splashy decanting, to reveal a voluminous bouquet in which carnations, cassis, black pepper and flowering mint-shrub combine beautifully. The whole thing smells uncannily like good Hermitage, but with this light floral Australian accent. Palate is much the driest of the Australasian wines, complex, slightly old-fashioned and fragrantly savoury from restrained oak and academic brett, in nett impression closer to the la Chapelle than any of the others, but more concentrated. This is a wine for winelovers, not technocrats. It shows Australian shiraz can have syrah-like complexity when not over-ripened, rather more than just sheer size. It will be marvellous with food, and cellar for 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Clare Valley, South Australia: 14.5%; $40 [ 14 months in French & US oak ]
Older ruby. Here is another shiraz in the gloriously floral Australian Cote Rotie style – carnations and Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera), lightly aromatic, but not euc'y. It reminds of the Lehmann 2001, but is richer, and seemingly 'sweeter' on that fruit richness. This is great Australian shiraz, but in a particular style, so the advice offered with the Lehmann applies here, too. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Older ruby. Here is another shiraz in the gloriously floral Australian Cote Rotie style – carnations and Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera), lightly aromatic, but not euc'y. It reminds of the Lehmann 2001, but is richer, and seemingly 'sweeter' on that fruit richness. This is great Australian shiraz, but in a particular style, so the advice offered with the Lehmann applies here, too. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $146 [ cork, 54 mm; Gr 30%, Mv 30, Counoise 10, Sy 7 – 10, Ci 5, all other varieties 15 – 18; one unusual feature of the vinification at Ch de Beaucastel is the long-established use of a kind of must-pasteurisation, whereby the destemmed must is heated to 80° C for at most 60 seconds, then quickly cooled again. The goal is to inhibit enzymatic degradation of the fruit. Presumably by the same token, cultured-yeast fermentations are then needed. It is hard to establish the detail, the winery website is mute on the topic, but apparently it is used more for grenache than the other varieties (all 13 vars vinified separately), and not in all vintages. The individual varietal wines are then assembled to taste, and the young wine matured in large older wood for 12 – 18 months; some light fining, not filtered; J.L-L: great; mix of 1989 & 1990, ******; Robinson, 2011: [ her rating is important, since Chateauneuf-du-Pape does not appear to be her favourite winestyle, her marks invariably far, far lower than other reviewers ] Mourvedre was especially good in 2010, apparently … Appetising ... no heavy sweetness or alcohol. Really quite racy! Complex. Real lift ..., 18; Parker, 2012: This is a gorgeous wine ...bouquet garni, ... blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle ... full-bodied, rich, 95; typical production 2,000 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 872 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby, some development showing, the second lightest colour. Bouquet is fragrant in a slightly different way from the wines marked more highly, still attractive, but a slightly citrussy Spanish oak note coupled with a soft rabbit-guts note (as when cleaning a rabbit) which fits in perfectly happily with the earthy / spicy dark fruits side of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Palate is a mixture of red and black cherry and plum fruit, all faintly leathery, not quite the vibrant freshness of some of the wines marked more highly, but by the same token, all very supple and food-friendly. It is ‘smaller’ wine this year than Beaucastel normally is, the Clos des Papes seeming huge in comparison. Often it is the other way round. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Eight people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Ruby, some development showing, the second lightest colour. Bouquet is fragrant in a slightly different way from the wines marked more highly, still attractive, but a slightly citrussy Spanish oak note coupled with a soft rabbit-guts note (as when cleaning a rabbit) which fits in perfectly happily with the earthy / spicy dark fruits side of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Palate is a mixture of red and black cherry and plum fruit, all faintly leathery, not quite the vibrant freshness of some of the wines marked more highly, but by the same token, all very supple and food-friendly. It is ‘smaller’ wine this year than Beaucastel normally is, the Clos des Papes seeming huge in comparison. Often it is the other way round. Cellar 5 – 20 years. Eight people rated this their top or second wine. GK 06/17
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $95 [ cork, 49mm; Gr 70%, Sy 10, Mv 10, 10% others (all 13 AOC varieies grown); no destemming, mostly crushed; usually 12 – 15 months in 95% older, larger wood, 5% new smaller; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: ... a beautiful, fully mature red that offers lots of coffee bean, roasted herbs, garrigue and sweet, almost chocolaty fruit. Nicely balanced, medium-bodied and textured, it opens up well with air and is drinking a point, 90; Parker, 2000: ... a vivid nose of blackberries, cassis, spice box, and truffles ... superb texture ... sweet and well-integrated, 90; J.L-L, 2012: 1998 as it should be, ****(*); bottle weight 658g; www.beaurenard.fr ]
Ruby more than garnet, just below midway in depth. On bouquet this seems almost in contrast to most in the field, it being a relatively small wine, but it is exquisitely fragrant, beautifully fresh, and totally pure. As John Livingstone-Learmonth says, this wine exemplifies what Chateauneuf-du-Pape should smell like. It also has a freshness which is near-burgundian. It is no surprise when you find there is no de-stemming here. Flavours are gently spicy red fruits browning now, clear-cut grenache cinnamon spice, a little freshness hinting at stalks, but all too ‘sweet / fragrant’ to be called stalky, all lingering delightfully despite it not being a big wine. All these tiresome people who harp on about the 1998s being too ripe and too heavy and too tannic – there seems no end to their criticisms (and largely because in the first place they did not know enough about wine to keep the 1998s for their appropriate time, that is, until they had lost their tannins) – simply need to share a bottle of this over dinner. There is some crusting in the bottle, but there is still tannin to lose, so cellar 5 – 10 years. Those who liked this wine rated it highly, but tasters (in general) did not share my enthusiasm for it, perhaps because of its smaller size, no first or second places, but four least votes. GK 07/18
Ruby more than garnet, just below midway in depth. On bouquet this seems almost in contrast to most in the field, it being a relatively small wine, but it is exquisitely fragrant, beautifully fresh, and totally pure. As John Livingstone-Learmonth says, this wine exemplifies what Chateauneuf-du-Pape should smell like. It also has a freshness which is near-burgundian. It is no surprise when you find there is no de-stemming here. Flavours are gently spicy red fruits browning now, clear-cut grenache cinnamon spice, a little freshness hinting at stalks, but all too ‘sweet / fragrant’ to be called stalky, all lingering delightfully despite it not being a big wine. All these tiresome people who harp on about the 1998s being too ripe and too heavy and too tannic – there seems no end to their criticisms (and largely because in the first place they did not know enough about wine to keep the 1998s for their appropriate time, that is, until they had lost their tannins) – simply need to share a bottle of this over dinner. There is some crusting in the bottle, but there is still tannin to lose, so cellar 5 – 10 years. Those who liked this wine rated it highly, but tasters (in general) did not share my enthusiasm for it, perhaps because of its smaller size, no first or second places, but four least votes. GK 07/18
Haro, Rioja, Spain: – %; $168 [ 45mm cork; original cost c.$5, 1966 Ch Montrose at the same time $4.35, so relatively expensive, latterly related Bilbainas wines are 100% tempranillo from the Rioja Alta, but earlier is likely to have included graciano at least; aged in both large American oak and then American oak barrique or puncheon-sized barrels perhaps including a little new even back then, for an unknown time but probably exceeding four years. Then aged in bottle for much longer. It was seen as a burgundy-style, contrasting with the Vieja Reserva, and released latest 1960s. No tasting notes found from established writers. 1953 highly regarded in parts of Spain, but for Rioja Jan Read rates the vintage 3/10 in a classic sense, contrasting with 10/10 for 1952, but also noting that exceptions abound in the Spanish climatic milieu. Certainly the 1952 was lovely, but not so very different from the 1953. Characterising great old rioja is not easy, so it is worth quoting someone long-experienced in the wines of the region. Jan Read (1973) quoted the Spanish oenologist Don Victor de Zuniga as saying of Rioja wines: "independent of the conditions of the harvest and quality of the crop, they present quite distinct properties of nose, flavour, alcoholic content, colour and extract." Anyone who has drunk the wines will recognise and enjoy those qualities. A highly perceptive connoisseur like André Simon may differentiate between the bouquets of Lafite Margaux and Latour, describing them as being evocative of violets, wallflower and verbena; and such descriptions sometimes seem justified ... In the case of the Riojas, they do not seem helpful. Of the old Reservas, all that can honestly be said is that they are glorious and individual old wines, with a roundness and intensity of flavour, a characteristic acidity and a bouquet entirely sui generis and of the Rioja”; www.bodegasbilbainas.com ]
Also glowing ruby and garnet, if anything faintly more ruby than the 1966 Vina Pomal, well below midway in depth. With a little breathing, bouquet is rich, sweet, wonderful berry still, but so entwined with vanillin oak it is hard to know where one stops and the other starts – a tremendous volume of bouquet. Flavour is not quite as exciting as the bouquet, the wine being richer than the 1966, but not quite so vibrantly alive. It is as if all those years in barrel are finally catching up with the wine, as the fruit fades a little, and the oak is now becoming more noticeable. The intriguing thing is, you can hardly tell it is American or French oak after all these years: both have vanillin when all is said and done, it is just that Quercus alba has more. All that said though, the wine is wonderfully alive at 63 years of age, as shown by its expanding in the glass from decanting time through to presentation time, and then remaining unchanged for many hours, more than 24, thereafter. The fruit on the aftertaste is astonishing. I suspect this wine is approaching the limits of its plateau of maturity, but there is no hurry. Hopefully some Christchurch wine enthusiasts who remember Dick Maling will still hold the wine. This was clearly the favourite wine for the group, eight people rating it their first or second wine. Hardly anybody thought it Spanish, highlighting how the American oak factor melds away with time. GK 10/16
Also glowing ruby and garnet, if anything faintly more ruby than the 1966 Vina Pomal, well below midway in depth. With a little breathing, bouquet is rich, sweet, wonderful berry still, but so entwined with vanillin oak it is hard to know where one stops and the other starts – a tremendous volume of bouquet. Flavour is not quite as exciting as the bouquet, the wine being richer than the 1966, but not quite so vibrantly alive. It is as if all those years in barrel are finally catching up with the wine, as the fruit fades a little, and the oak is now becoming more noticeable. The intriguing thing is, you can hardly tell it is American or French oak after all these years: both have vanillin when all is said and done, it is just that Quercus alba has more. All that said though, the wine is wonderfully alive at 63 years of age, as shown by its expanding in the glass from decanting time through to presentation time, and then remaining unchanged for many hours, more than 24, thereafter. The fruit on the aftertaste is astonishing. I suspect this wine is approaching the limits of its plateau of maturity, but there is no hurry. Hopefully some Christchurch wine enthusiasts who remember Dick Maling will still hold the wine. This was clearly the favourite wine for the group, eight people rating it their first or second wine. Hardly anybody thought it Spanish, highlighting how the American oak factor melds away with time. GK 10/16
Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $73 [ supercritical Diam cork; PM 40%, PN 30, Ch 30, an unknown percentage grand cru vineyards, the current base wine 2012 vintage but up to 50% reserve wines spanning three vintages; little or no oak (except maybe in reserve wines); tirage 32 – 34 months, dosage 7 g/L; website superficial; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Conventional champagne colour, lighter than the 2004 Blanc de Blancs. The perfume is stunning on this wine. People get sniffy about pinot meunier, but when it is handled as Billecart-Salmon do, it has a fragrant florality to which is magical. The aroma combines the best side of pink roses (imagine a pink variant of the cream 'Peace' rose) with the pure natural best side of strawberry aroma, yet it is winey. Behind that is pinot noir-led near-cherry quality fruit, and great autolysis, really baguette-crust in quality. Palate is wonderfully flavoursome, because the perfume on bouquet expands and almost bursts in mouth, carrying the baguette and Vogels Multigrain autolysis flavours to every tastebud one owns. As a 'standard' champagne this really is special, aided by the sophisticated dosage of 7 g/L. Again, not a long keeper with the high ratio of meunier, say 3 – 8 years, so it might be best to enjoy that sensational flavour while it is fresh. GK 04/16
Conventional champagne colour, lighter than the 2004 Blanc de Blancs. The perfume is stunning on this wine. People get sniffy about pinot meunier, but when it is handled as Billecart-Salmon do, it has a fragrant florality to which is magical. The aroma combines the best side of pink roses (imagine a pink variant of the cream 'Peace' rose) with the pure natural best side of strawberry aroma, yet it is winey. Behind that is pinot noir-led near-cherry quality fruit, and great autolysis, really baguette-crust in quality. Palate is wonderfully flavoursome, because the perfume on bouquet expands and almost bursts in mouth, carrying the baguette and Vogels Multigrain autolysis flavours to every tastebud one owns. As a 'standard' champagne this really is special, aided by the sophisticated dosage of 7 g/L. Again, not a long keeper with the high ratio of meunier, say 3 – 8 years, so it might be best to enjoy that sensational flavour while it is fresh. GK 04/16
Ay, Champagne, France: – %; $628 [ traditional compound champagne cork; original price $7.75 (i.e. more than 1966 Ch Palmer, $6.35); Broadbent rating for vintage: ****, … a satisfactory harvest of firm, elegant wines; Wine Spectator – before their range. Detail so far back not clear, but probably as now pinot noir dominant and chardonnay, BF and MLF, base wine matured in all-old oak, c. 7 years en tirage, dosage may have been a little sweeter then than the c.8 g/L now; Broadbent, 2002: [ in 1997 ] ... very fine mousse, buttery, honeyed bouquet; medium-dryness and weight, lovely flavour, very good acidity ... [in 2001] a very good, rich 'old straw' nose; excellent flavour and acidity, ****; next bit not strictly relevant, but interesting, Robinson 2011, on the 1966 RD disgorged in 2011 (NB): A hint of mushrooms. Rich, even a little sweet now. An intellectual pleasure. Honeyed note on the end. Maybe the fruit is giving way to structure now but it is hugely impressive. Not that long but very beautiful. More than a hint of red burgundy about this wine, 18.5; www.champagne-bollinger.com ]
Straw, above midway, clearly in the lighter half of the colours, astonishing considering its age. It was initially hard to pinpoint the ratio of fruit versus autolysis in the wine due to TCA, other than to say it smells rich, high in pinot noir, and remarkably youthful in the 'strong' Bollinger style, for a 50-year-old sparkling. On palate, the richness of clearly aromatic pinot noir-dominant fruit is compelling. A perfect bottle of this would be an absolute delight. It is fractionally lighter than the warm-year 1982 Bollinger, but unbelievably, it is much fresher, with higher acid reflecting the difference between the two vintages. It is fresher than the 1976 RD, too, by far. Dosage seems about 6 g/L, now. Totally remarkable, in a bottle still retaining gentle pressure. Score initially had to be a guess – yet maybe not: a sample of the wine later left open to breathe shed its TCA completely. The group did not see the wine at all. GK 05/16
Straw, above midway, clearly in the lighter half of the colours, astonishing considering its age. It was initially hard to pinpoint the ratio of fruit versus autolysis in the wine due to TCA, other than to say it smells rich, high in pinot noir, and remarkably youthful in the 'strong' Bollinger style, for a 50-year-old sparkling. On palate, the richness of clearly aromatic pinot noir-dominant fruit is compelling. A perfect bottle of this would be an absolute delight. It is fractionally lighter than the warm-year 1982 Bollinger, but unbelievably, it is much fresher, with higher acid reflecting the difference between the two vintages. It is fresher than the 1976 RD, too, by far. Dosage seems about 6 g/L, now. Totally remarkable, in a bottle still retaining gentle pressure. Score initially had to be a guess – yet maybe not: a sample of the wine later left open to breathe shed its TCA completely. The group did not see the wine at all. GK 05/16
Beblenheim, Alsace, France: 13%; $59 [ cork; www.bott-geyl.com ]
Lemonstraw with a wash of gold, in the middle for depth. This is not an in-your-face gewurz, and initially one is a little underwhelmed. Put simply, the more you taste it, how the wine grows. Bouquet opens to beautiful and totally floral gewurztraminer, yellow honeysuckle again, but here the magic lift of the fragrant autumn-flowering wild ginger, with its spice and sweetly-haunting perfume and aroma. Below is ample lychee, and golden queen and other stonefruits, the fruit expanding in mouth to be more phenolic than the grand cru field blend, so the flavour is lengthened spectacularly, and lengthened further by a touch of noble botrytis plus 30 or more g/L residual sugar too. Recently I wrote of the richness of the 2009 Saint-Clair Reserve Gewurztraminer, but even the very best New Zealand aromatic whites simply cannot compete with the richness of fine Alsatian wines. This raises a profound scoring problem, for the thoughtful winewriter. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw with a wash of gold, in the middle for depth. This is not an in-your-face gewurz, and initially one is a little underwhelmed. Put simply, the more you taste it, how the wine grows. Bouquet opens to beautiful and totally floral gewurztraminer, yellow honeysuckle again, but here the magic lift of the fragrant autumn-flowering wild ginger, with its spice and sweetly-haunting perfume and aroma. Below is ample lychee, and golden queen and other stonefruits, the fruit expanding in mouth to be more phenolic than the grand cru field blend, so the flavour is lengthened spectacularly, and lengthened further by a touch of noble botrytis plus 30 or more g/L residual sugar too. Recently I wrote of the richness of the 2009 Saint-Clair Reserve Gewurztraminer, but even the very best New Zealand aromatic whites simply cannot compete with the richness of fine Alsatian wines. This raises a profound scoring problem, for the thoughtful winewriter. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $61 [ cork, 49mm; Gr 65 – 70% , Sy 25 – 30, Mv 0 – 5, average vine age around 50 years; Gr tending whole-bunch but Sy destemmed, extended cuvaison to 40 days; elevation now 60% in older 34 hectolitre-litre barrels, balance concrete vat; not fined or filtered; production up to c. 3,150 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L approves of this winery. Regrettably he does not report on the 2021, but rates the 2020 ****, and the 2022 as ****½. As a general statement for our label, he says: The Gigondas Tradition is good value, and very true, made from around 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre … from 2016 there has been less oak, the raising 60% large 34 hl barrel, the rest concrete vat. I expect garrigue, menthol tones in it, and it is rarely under ****; a Dutch wine-shop has located a Jeb Dunnuck review for the 2021: Blackberries, peppery herbs, violets and sappy flower notes define the 2021 Gigondas Tradition, a textbook Gigondas in the vintage that's medium-bodied, has a pretty, elegant mouthfeel, integrated acidity and a great finish. Based on 73% Grenache and 27% Syrah, aged in foudre and concrete, enjoy bottles through 2031, 90; Wine Private Services of France are a little more promotional for this exact wine: a deep red color ... captivating aromas of black cherries, blackberries, spices and subtle notes of garrigue. On the palate … a symphony of complex flavors, with powerful tannins and remarkable structure. Notes of dark fruits, black pepper, licorice and thyme blend harmoniously, leading to a long and robust finish, leaving an unforgettable impression. … embodies the very essence of the great wines of the Rhone valley …; weight bottle and closure 625 g; www.labouissiere.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, similar to the Espiers but faintly older in hue, as if more oak exposure, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is initially deeper, darker and quieter than the Espiers, with exquisite nearly floral dusky garrigue suggestions. There are dark cherries and plums, like the Boisrenard nearly a reminder of cassis, infused with cinnamon. The next day the bouquet is sensational, hinting at what will develop in cellar. Flavour is wonderfully rich and long, aromatic, perhaps a little bit more ‘modern’ than the Espiers … more hints of cooperage. Finish again is bone dry. This is not quite such a ‘pretty’ wine as the Espiers, but in mouth it is a bit more substantial. Two tasters had the Bouissiere as their top wine, and two as their second-favourite. A case of this would also repay the investment, since Gigondas wines are so good with food. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 04/24
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, similar to the Espiers but faintly older in hue, as if more oak exposure, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is initially deeper, darker and quieter than the Espiers, with exquisite nearly floral dusky garrigue suggestions. There are dark cherries and plums, like the Boisrenard nearly a reminder of cassis, infused with cinnamon. The next day the bouquet is sensational, hinting at what will develop in cellar. Flavour is wonderfully rich and long, aromatic, perhaps a little bit more ‘modern’ than the Espiers … more hints of cooperage. Finish again is bone dry. This is not quite such a ‘pretty’ wine as the Espiers, but in mouth it is a bit more substantial. Two tasters had the Bouissiere as their top wine, and two as their second-favourite. A case of this would also repay the investment, since Gigondas wines are so good with food. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 04/24
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $60 [ cork 44mm, ullage 22mm; original price c.$55; Cepage varies year to year, but Gr dominant, more Mv than the standard wine up to 25% and old-vine, dating to 1930s, the balance Sy; actual cepage in 1999 Gr 70%, Mv 30; up to 45% of the crop destemmed, extended cuvaisons to 42 days; 12 – 13 months in barrique-sized oak some new, the balance to 6 years, then 5 months in s/s vat; not fined or filtered; 375 – 500 x 9-litre cases (so fairly rare); J. L-L, 2002: ... there are animal, Mourvedre influences on the nose, but the fruit is clear, clear cherry. The palate is attractive, true and long. It offers good red cherry fruit, and this reflects a new, cleaner style than previously, not one that is overdone. The finish is dry from its oak, but it has enough guts for the oak. Esp good around 2007. To 2017, ****; R. Parker, 2000: ... displays abundant tannin and muscle in its formidably-endowed, backward personality. Dense and powerful, with copious quantities of blackberries, cassis, minerals, and toasty new oak, this 1999 is clearly a vin de garde. To 2017, 91 - 93. The following year he was not quite so impressed, [ paraphrased ]: full-bodied, good definition, vague notes of wood, to 2012, 89; www.labouissiere.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet shows stunning purity, in a fragrant, mellow, lightly aromatic southern Rhone wine style, with cedary complexity. Though fractionally less fragrant than its un-oaked sibling, this wine is an exception to my generalisations, being a grenache-led wine not impaired by new oak. Palate is saturated with flavour, tasting much fresher than age and colour would suggest, the high mourvedre darker fruits adding to the unusually good tannin structure. This was the second-favourite wine on the night, three first places, six second. It is fully mature, but with the high mourvedre, will hold easily – for 10-plus years. GK 10/19
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet shows stunning purity, in a fragrant, mellow, lightly aromatic southern Rhone wine style, with cedary complexity. Though fractionally less fragrant than its un-oaked sibling, this wine is an exception to my generalisations, being a grenache-led wine not impaired by new oak. Palate is saturated with flavour, tasting much fresher than age and colour would suggest, the high mourvedre darker fruits adding to the unusually good tannin structure. This was the second-favourite wine on the night, three first places, six second. It is fully mature, but with the high mourvedre, will hold easily – for 10-plus years. GK 10/19
Dijon area, Burgundy, France: 20%; $38 [ flanged cork 20mm, plastic-coated; the blackcurrant variety Black Burgundy is soaked in 20% neutral eau-de-vie for 10 weeks, then sweetened with cane sugar to 300 or more g/L. Cassis quality is a function of fruit quality, the eau-de-vie quality, and the ratio of berries to solution. This is a good one. Cassis is the key descriptor for perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon, implying vibrant freshness, in contrast to the duller prune / raisin qualities typically found in hot-climate cabernet. New Zealand particularly from Hawkes Bay north at best matches Bordeaux in the perfection of its climate for perfectly ripe but not over-ripe bordeaux blends; www.briottet.com ]
A rich older ruby and velvet. After the first five table wines, this 'wine' at wine-liqueur strength is a dramatic change. The quality of the bottled blackcurrants = cassis bouquet is breathtaking, and then the saturation of flavour, both the pure berry component and character, and the strength of the fruit / alcohol / sugar syrup palate, is wonderful. As in previous years, very few students had smelt or tasted cassis, so including this pivotal 'wine' provides a yardstick for life. The Briottet is awfully good. I asked the class having tasted this 'wine' to then go back and rinse out the mouth with wine 1, The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon, and the complementarity of flavours was all one could ask. Not really a cellar wine, but it keeps for some time. GK 09/14
A rich older ruby and velvet. After the first five table wines, this 'wine' at wine-liqueur strength is a dramatic change. The quality of the bottled blackcurrants = cassis bouquet is breathtaking, and then the saturation of flavour, both the pure berry component and character, and the strength of the fruit / alcohol / sugar syrup palate, is wonderful. As in previous years, very few students had smelt or tasted cassis, so including this pivotal 'wine' provides a yardstick for life. The Briottet is awfully good. I asked the class having tasted this 'wine' to then go back and rinse out the mouth with wine 1, The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon, and the complementarity of flavours was all one could ask. Not really a cellar wine, but it keeps for some time. GK 09/14
Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $160 [ cork 50mm; cepage typically 65%, Me 20, CF 15, cropped at c.5.2 t/ha (2.1 t/ac); 18 months in barrel, 50% new; R. Parker, 2014: Ripe, medium to full-bodied, fresh and precise, 93; www.calon-segur.fr ]
One of the deeper and more youthful wines. Bouquet shows a poise, complexity, typicity and charm which makes nonsense of so many UK winewriters doubting the 2003 vintage in Bordeaux. In Saint-Estephe, 2003 was stellar, if one takes only the evidence of the wines themselves. This Calon has arrived at a perfect point of first total integration and harmony, primary floral and berry characters grading to secondary, superb cassisy and black doris plum and berry mingled with cedary soft oak. Palate is equally beautiful, showing total harmony of all the flavour components, not the biggest wine, but a completeness, balance and softness which is enchanting. Classic modern claret, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 02/16
One of the deeper and more youthful wines. Bouquet shows a poise, complexity, typicity and charm which makes nonsense of so many UK winewriters doubting the 2003 vintage in Bordeaux. In Saint-Estephe, 2003 was stellar, if one takes only the evidence of the wines themselves. This Calon has arrived at a perfect point of first total integration and harmony, primary floral and berry characters grading to secondary, superb cassisy and black doris plum and berry mingled with cedary soft oak. Palate is equally beautiful, showing total harmony of all the flavour components, not the biggest wine, but a completeness, balance and softness which is enchanting. Classic modern claret, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 02/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $70 [ Gr 90%, Mv 5, white vars. 5 ]
Good ruby, not a fraction of the weight the winewriters would have one believe. To have this in a blind tasting was an exciting prospect, for it has had rave reviews in America, yet from the descriptors one would think the authors were tasting different wines. Wine Spectator speaks of it being dark and dense, with chocolate and tar, and a long core of fruit. Robert Parker, for whom smell is more important, speaks of gorgeously scented kirsch liqueur, plums, raspberries … and Provencal herbs. Our thoughts were the wine is at present dominated by sweet syrah, with a floral component ranging from carnations to violets (and yes, herbes de Provence) in a bouquet which would put many a Cote Rotie in shame. Below is crisp berry. Palate is likewise extraordinarily fragrant and crisp for the southern Rhone, blending syrah aromatics with grenache silky body and a touch of cinnamon, plus a hint of new oak. This will be wonderfully confusing wine in 10 years, with qualities spanning not only the north and south Rhone, but Burgundy as well. The last 5 years from Charvin have been superb, essential in any cellar. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/04
Good ruby, not a fraction of the weight the winewriters would have one believe. To have this in a blind tasting was an exciting prospect, for it has had rave reviews in America, yet from the descriptors one would think the authors were tasting different wines. Wine Spectator speaks of it being dark and dense, with chocolate and tar, and a long core of fruit. Robert Parker, for whom smell is more important, speaks of gorgeously scented kirsch liqueur, plums, raspberries … and Provencal herbs. Our thoughts were the wine is at present dominated by sweet syrah, with a floral component ranging from carnations to violets (and yes, herbes de Provence) in a bouquet which would put many a Cote Rotie in shame. Below is crisp berry. Palate is likewise extraordinarily fragrant and crisp for the southern Rhone, blending syrah aromatics with grenache silky body and a touch of cinnamon, plus a hint of new oak. This will be wonderfully confusing wine in 10 years, with qualities spanning not only the north and south Rhone, but Burgundy as well. The last 5 years from Charvin have been superb, essential in any cellar. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/04
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $151 [ cork 50mm; originally around $65; approx. Gr 90%, Mv 5, odds including whites 5; elevation includes six months only in large old wood, no new oak, held in concrete otherwise till bottling; Parker comments in general: Charvin … fashions Chateauneuf du Pape that comes closest to the style of Rayas. There is … a wonderfully sweet, deep, concentrated mid-palate, and layers of flavour that unfold on the palate. Great burgundy should possess a similar texture and purity, but it rarely does; Parker, 2010: Fully mature, Charvin’s 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is a beauty, with an almost Burgundian, ethereal complexity of sweet cedar, spice box, black raspberries, cherries, and garrigue. Fleshy, but at the same time remarkably elegant and pure, this wine has hit a magical point where it should last for another 5-7 years. Absolutely top-notch now: 94: weight bottle and closure: 673 g; ; www.domaine-charvin.com ]
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is immensely fragrant and lifted by spicy grenache, but sadly some of the lift is due to the nutmeg of 4-EG, from brett. So we need to check more carefully. Varietal quality in the grenache-dominant red fruits browning now is still good, the bouquet being almost enchanting. In mouth the wine is rich, both juicy, and savoury from the nutmeg, so the palate structure is not yet too obviously adversely impacted by brett. Right now it shows the best of both worlds, wonderful fruit and length, plus wonderful complexity from both grapes and fermentation characters, oak being near-invisible. The fourth most-favoured wine on the night, it will be glorious with food. Techno-freaks will (of course) reject the wine, in the single-factor way technical people do. Sad, really. So the message I suspect is, best not to cellar this for too much longer: to misquote the car people, brett never sleeps. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/16
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is immensely fragrant and lifted by spicy grenache, but sadly some of the lift is due to the nutmeg of 4-EG, from brett. So we need to check more carefully. Varietal quality in the grenache-dominant red fruits browning now is still good, the bouquet being almost enchanting. In mouth the wine is rich, both juicy, and savoury from the nutmeg, so the palate structure is not yet too obviously adversely impacted by brett. Right now it shows the best of both worlds, wonderful fruit and length, plus wonderful complexity from both grapes and fermentation characters, oak being near-invisible. The fourth most-favoured wine on the night, it will be glorious with food. Techno-freaks will (of course) reject the wine, in the single-factor way technical people do. Sad, really. So the message I suspect is, best not to cellar this for too much longer: to misquote the car people, brett never sleeps. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $65 [ cork; original price; approx. Gr 90%, Mv 5, odds inc whites 5; elevation includes six months only in large old wood, no new oak, held in concrete otherwise till bottling; Parker comments in general: Charvin … fashions Chateauneuf du Pape that comes closest to the style of Rayas. There is … a wonderfully sweet, deep, concentrated mid-palate, and layers of flavour that unfold on the palate. Great burgundy should possess a similar texture and purity, but it rarely does; Parker 6/10: Fully mature, Charvin’s 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is a beauty, with an almost Burgundian, ethereal complexity of sweet cedar, spice box, black raspberries, cherries, and garrigue. Fleshy, but at the same time remarkably elegant and pure, this wine has hit a magical point where it should last for another 5-7 years. Absolutely top-notch now. 94; Wine Spectator 9/07: Shows this domaine's typical racy red fruit profile – raspberry and macerated cherry – but there's also a layer of black fruit underneath, with alluring spice box and sweet earth. The nice tangy acidity is still riding high on the finish. Really blossoms in the glass. 95; www.domaine-charvin.com ]
Elegant ruby and garnet, below the middle in depth. Bouquet epitomises the Southern Rhone, being fragrant with ripe red fruits and cinnamon spice, plus slightest brett savoury notes. Palate is supple, like the Vieux Telegraphe perfectly balanced to the oak, grape tannins rather than oak and slightly furry, lovely. The length of flavour is very appealing. A taster would have to be obsessive about brett to object to this level – it simply makes the wine wonderfully savoury and food-friendly. It is not quite as rich as the Vieux Telegraphe, cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 04/12
Elegant ruby and garnet, below the middle in depth. Bouquet epitomises the Southern Rhone, being fragrant with ripe red fruits and cinnamon spice, plus slightest brett savoury notes. Palate is supple, like the Vieux Telegraphe perfectly balanced to the oak, grape tannins rather than oak and slightly furry, lovely. The length of flavour is very appealing. A taster would have to be obsessive about brett to object to this level – it simply makes the wine wonderfully savoury and food-friendly. It is not quite as rich as the Vieux Telegraphe, cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 04/12
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $45 [ cork; formerly the Tete de Cuvée label; 1 year in 1-year old 600 L barrels, because 'Syrah is easily over-run by too much oak' – Yann Chave, quoted by Livingstone-Learmonth; Wine Spectator: A buttery hint to the black cherry, plum and floral notes. Round, soft easy finish shows a dash of toast. A touch more flesh than the regular cuvée. To '08. 89. On Jancis Robinson's website, Julia Harding MW is now co-writer. These are her notes: Sweet, spicy pepper and very pure black fruit. Soft rounded sweet dark fruit. Very smooth and rich, already easy to drink. Combined with the softness there is also a finesse that comes from strong but fine bone structure. To 2015 17.5; imported and distributed by Maison Vauron, Auckland ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. The high point of this wine is the superb floral complexity on bouquet, bespeaking true syrah at optimal ripeness in a climate temperate enough to retain the floral components. This is even more accurately syrah than le Sol, for in addition to violets, boronia and deepest red roses on bouquet, there is the sweet lifted light perfume of wallflower / dianthus – very beautiful. Palate is crisp, almost identical to the Block 14 but not quite as rich, the oak subtler and slightly older. This is close to the superb 2003, perhaps fractionally lighter. It is one of the best Crozes-Hermitage I have tasted in 35 years of cellaring them. It needs three years to soften, but it already shows all the varietal character and style of all but the most substantial Hermitage wines, at a fraction of the price. Every winemaker in New Zealand who aspires to make true syrah-styled wines should invest in a case of this, and focus on the bouquet particularly – over the next 12 years ! Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. The high point of this wine is the superb floral complexity on bouquet, bespeaking true syrah at optimal ripeness in a climate temperate enough to retain the floral components. This is even more accurately syrah than le Sol, for in addition to violets, boronia and deepest red roses on bouquet, there is the sweet lifted light perfume of wallflower / dianthus – very beautiful. Palate is crisp, almost identical to the Block 14 but not quite as rich, the oak subtler and slightly older. This is close to the superb 2003, perhaps fractionally lighter. It is one of the best Crozes-Hermitage I have tasted in 35 years of cellaring them. It needs three years to soften, but it already shows all the varietal character and style of all but the most substantial Hermitage wines, at a fraction of the price. Every winemaker in New Zealand who aspires to make true syrah-styled wines should invest in a case of this, and focus on the bouquet particularly – over the next 12 years ! Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 04/07
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $38 [ cork; Maison Vauron; Sy 100%; 14% of alcohol is extraordinary ripeness for Crozes. Yann is the son of Bernard Chave, and has taken over the winery totally as from 2002 vintage, bringing a new and more modern approach to vineyard and winery practice – e.g. de-stemming. They are based in Crozes-Hermitage. Yann is nephew / cousin to father and son Gerard & Jean-Louis Chave, who make arguably the definitive wine of Hermitage. For Rhone wines, Gauntley’s of Nottingham are one of the leading UK wine merchants. Their comment on this wine is: “2003 Crozes Hermitage Tete de Cuvee £10.75: Yann has made an outstanding Crozes Hermitage. It possesses more elegance than the du Colombier, but is no less concentrated and deep … impenetrable colour and overwhelming bouquet of crushed fruits and spice with a touch of oak. Absolutely delicious, a real star. Drink from 2006-12. This top selection of Crozes could possibly be the finest in the appellation and recognition is long overdue.” ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Hermitage. I think this is the best Crozes-Hermitage I have ever tasted, almost indistinguishable on bouquet and flavour from the Hermitage proper. The main difference is the bouquet is more open and forthcoming in its florals, cassis and dark plum, and the palate is a little softer. Initially, it seemed the better wine, but with air the Hermitage inched ahead slightly on its aromatic depths, and firmer acid balance, all more cellarworthy. This is a rich, soft, beautifully balanced syrah, which will cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Hermitage. I think this is the best Crozes-Hermitage I have ever tasted, almost indistinguishable on bouquet and flavour from the Hermitage proper. The main difference is the bouquet is more open and forthcoming in its florals, cassis and dark plum, and the palate is a little softer. Initially, it seemed the better wine, but with air the Hermitage inched ahead slightly on its aromatic depths, and firmer acid balance, all more cellarworthy. This is a rich, soft, beautifully balanced syrah, which will cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $367 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100%; 18 months in small oak, 10 – 20% new (in the era covered), balance 1 – 5 years; J.L-L: Very attractive indeed, *****; website not functional yet, good information at the Europvin website; www.domainejlchave.fr ]
Maturing ruby and some velvet, in the middle of the Northern Rhones for depth of colour. Bouquet is complex maturing syrah, not exactly obviously floral or spicy any longer, more a still-aromatic bouquet gathering harmony and complexity on browning cassisy berry and subtly integrated new oak. The overlap between the 2001 Chave and the 2004 Lafite is intriguing, both showing very finegrain cassisy berry melded with subtle and complex cedary oak, but the Lafite stronger and more clearly cassisy in mouth. Palate is taut and nervy, real cassis here, and richer than you first suppose, black pepper building on the later palate and aftertaste. Classical Northern Rhone syrah, not as big as some vintages. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 02/16
Maturing ruby and some velvet, in the middle of the Northern Rhones for depth of colour. Bouquet is complex maturing syrah, not exactly obviously floral or spicy any longer, more a still-aromatic bouquet gathering harmony and complexity on browning cassisy berry and subtly integrated new oak. The overlap between the 2001 Chave and the 2004 Lafite is intriguing, both showing very finegrain cassisy berry melded with subtle and complex cedary oak, but the Lafite stronger and more clearly cassisy in mouth. Palate is taut and nervy, real cassis here, and richer than you first suppose, black pepper building on the later palate and aftertaste. Classical Northern Rhone syrah, not as big as some vintages. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 02/16
St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $1,025 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$720; cepage for this one from the consultant winemaker Me 54%, CF 45, CS 1; cropping rate c.1.8 t / ac; 18 months in oak usually 100% new; Robinson 2007: supple fruit on the front palate but no great intensity … a rather green puny little thing … not one of Cheval’s most glorious vintages 17 ++; Parker 2009: Lush, textured, and opulent with superb purity, medium to full body, savory flavors, and sweet, sexy tannins. 95; tiresome website; www.chateau-cheval-blanc.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not on the scale of the 2007 Hawkes Bay reds in size or hue, below midway in density. The quality of bouquet in this wine is exquisite, showing a remarkable floral mostly roses lift on berries which are redder than the top New Zealand wines: red currants, cherries, red plums. Palate is long, excitingly fine and fresh, with exactly the elegance most of our producers have typically failed to achieve in their high-cabernet franc wines. Cabernet franc is almost like pinot noir (or syrah), a variety whose beauty is compromised or lost with excess oak. It is therefore hard to explain how this wine can be so beautifully varietal, supple and fine-grain, with 18 months in 100% new oak, according to the consultant winemaker and speaker Kees van Leeuwen. Perhaps like the Guigal grands crus, there are qualities of oak available to some French producers which we can only dream about in New Zealand. Though total body is light against the Church Road, palate length, beauty, complexity and pleasure are similar in a delicate way. This wine gloriously meets the classic prescription for claret-styles to be refreshing with food, a concept so many Australian reds so signally fail to achieve. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, not on the scale of the 2007 Hawkes Bay reds in size or hue, below midway in density. The quality of bouquet in this wine is exquisite, showing a remarkable floral mostly roses lift on berries which are redder than the top New Zealand wines: red currants, cherries, red plums. Palate is long, excitingly fine and fresh, with exactly the elegance most of our producers have typically failed to achieve in their high-cabernet franc wines. Cabernet franc is almost like pinot noir (or syrah), a variety whose beauty is compromised or lost with excess oak. It is therefore hard to explain how this wine can be so beautifully varietal, supple and fine-grain, with 18 months in 100% new oak, according to the consultant winemaker and speaker Kees van Leeuwen. Perhaps like the Guigal grands crus, there are qualities of oak available to some French producers which we can only dream about in New Zealand. Though total body is light against the Church Road, palate length, beauty, complexity and pleasure are similar in a delicate way. This wine gloriously meets the classic prescription for claret-styles to be refreshing with food, a concept so many Australian reds so signally fail to achieve. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $346 [ cork, 49mm; New Zealand release price $79; winemaking as above; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 90; J.L-L, 2016: The bouquet has a smoky air, curvy raspberry and blueberry, a hint of damp forest. It is harmonious, spiced, like an en finesse Grenache from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The palate starts on fleshy, spiced plum fruit, has a southern fat, elegantly served with toffee-like tannins on the finish. It is supple, a little undecided. It has very good, stealthy length. It isn’t an evident wine, has mystery, with hidden corners. It has been withdrawn in the past, and still is: it is southern with northern influences around it, 2032 – 34, ****(*); RP@R. Parker, 2001: The big, classic 1998 Cornas reveals hard tannin, medium to full body, a dense ruby/purple color, and a muscular, backstrapping, husky style that requires 5-6 years of cellaring. It will last for 16-18 years, but it does not have much fat, glycerin or sweetness, 90; no domaine website, easiest background info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, midway in depth. Surprisingly for what is regarded as a hot year, this 1998 is beautifully syrah-floral, not as fragrant and dianthus-dominant as the 1995, but still wallflowers and dusky red roses. Below is sweet cassis browning now, and attractive bottled plums both red and darker. Palate follows perfectly, but with the attraction that the florals permeate the entire palate, like fine Cote de Nuits, but naturally here with much more tannin backbone, and still nearly black pepper spice. I was staggered at the varietal accuracy of this wine, considering the reputation of the vintage. Accordingly, at the stage of creating a presentation sequence to best reveal the nature of syrah the grape, as well as Clape the interpreter, I therefore placed this 1998 as wine number one. It illustrated the nature of syrah at near-maturity very well, as well as introducing the scope of the tasting. As always, it is psychologically near-impossible for wine number one (in a blind line-up of 12 wines) to be rated the top wine, but one person rated 1998 their second-favourite in the set. On its plateau of maturity, will hold for 10 years at least. GK 09/18
Ruby and garnet, still some velvet, midway in depth. Surprisingly for what is regarded as a hot year, this 1998 is beautifully syrah-floral, not as fragrant and dianthus-dominant as the 1995, but still wallflowers and dusky red roses. Below is sweet cassis browning now, and attractive bottled plums both red and darker. Palate follows perfectly, but with the attraction that the florals permeate the entire palate, like fine Cote de Nuits, but naturally here with much more tannin backbone, and still nearly black pepper spice. I was staggered at the varietal accuracy of this wine, considering the reputation of the vintage. Accordingly, at the stage of creating a presentation sequence to best reveal the nature of syrah the grape, as well as Clape the interpreter, I therefore placed this 1998 as wine number one. It illustrated the nature of syrah at near-maturity very well, as well as introducing the scope of the tasting. As always, it is psychologically near-impossible for wine number one (in a blind line-up of 12 wines) to be rated the top wine, but one person rated 1998 their second-favourite in the set. On its plateau of maturity, will hold for 10 years at least. GK 09/18
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: – %; $484 [ cork, 46mm; winemaking as above; Broadbent vintage rating for the year *****, excellent; J.L-L, 2001: Has a good fungal aroma, showing decomposing matter with spiced black fruit. Good fullness and richness come through on the palate, then the typical mineral edge of Cornas and the dryness of the vintage take it along to a reserved ending. Shows well the earthy intensity of aged Syrah from a drier vintage. 2007-10, *****; RP@R. Parker, 1997: A huge, tannic, backward 1983, this wine continues to offer evidence of considerable longevity. ... a bouquet of blackcurrant fruit, pepper, and licorice, this enormously structured wine has outstanding depth and firm, abundant tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2010. Last tasted 11/95, 90; no domaine website, easiest info on the Europvin website, ref. above. ]
Garnet and ruby, the lightest wine, nearly an old burgundy colour. Bouquet too is nearly ‘sweet’ in a burgundian sense, not really floral in a definable way, yet very fragrant, clear browning cassis hinting at the forest-floor notes of Burgundy, yet tauter than a fine pinot noir of the same age would be. On palate that tautness immediately shatters the burgundy analogy, there being a tannin backbone more akin to the Medoc than Burgundy, yet with beautiful mature browning cassisy berry. Wellington’s most acute / experienced taster of European reds commented specifically on the ‘impeccable balance’ in this wine, at full maturity. My thought was, that I couldn't wait to see this Clape 1983 against Jaboulet’s 1983 Hermitage La Chapelle, the latter a wine which promised so much young, but when last tasted appeared to be succumbing to the tannins of that hot summer. This 1983 Clape is in contrast like velvet. Four first places, and interestingly, four least places. Nobody in between. Fully mature, enjoy it while it is still so vital and beautiful, over the next few years. GK 09/18
Garnet and ruby, the lightest wine, nearly an old burgundy colour. Bouquet too is nearly ‘sweet’ in a burgundian sense, not really floral in a definable way, yet very fragrant, clear browning cassis hinting at the forest-floor notes of Burgundy, yet tauter than a fine pinot noir of the same age would be. On palate that tautness immediately shatters the burgundy analogy, there being a tannin backbone more akin to the Medoc than Burgundy, yet with beautiful mature browning cassisy berry. Wellington’s most acute / experienced taster of European reds commented specifically on the ‘impeccable balance’ in this wine, at full maturity. My thought was, that I couldn't wait to see this Clape 1983 against Jaboulet’s 1983 Hermitage La Chapelle, the latter a wine which promised so much young, but when last tasted appeared to be succumbing to the tannins of that hot summer. This 1983 Clape is in contrast like velvet. Four first places, and interestingly, four least places. Nobody in between. Fully mature, enjoy it while it is still so vital and beautiful, over the next few years. GK 09/18
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $58 [ cork, 50 mm; Gr 100% in 2010 (usually 95%, vaccarese 2 – 5, Ci 0 – 2); Les Safres (formerly Tradition) is the first or standard grade of our three Caillou wines, illustrating the concept of producing a hierarchy of qualities; all destemmed, cuvaison 30 days; 15 – 18 months in large barrels none new; fined, filtered, organic; J.L-L: genuine, unfussy, local, ***(*); Robinson, 2012: Big and bold and velvety without any excess, 17; Dunnuck @ Parker, 2014: plenty of peppery herbs, leather, licorice and darker-styled fruit … fabulous richness and texture, 94; typical production 915 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 657 g; www.closducaillou.com ]
Ruby, some development showing, just below midway in depth. The first thing to say is, this bottle is specifically different from the previous bottle reported on, the earlier one being faintly reductive and needing splashy decanting. This one is perfect from the outset. It displays textbook garrigue aromatics on all-red fruits which will with time be definitive grenache, raspberry and cinnamon, even a hint of silver pine essential oil, enchanting. Palate is pure berry, grenache of a quality, suppleness and charm I have never encountered in grenache from Australia. As an affordable Chateauneuf-du-Pape at release ($50), the least of the three in the Clos du Caillou hierarchy in this tasting, this wine is another candidate for the thought ‘most representative / typical Chateauneuf’ in the set, despite the mono-cepage approach. Cellar 5 – 20 years. One person rated it their second wine. GK 06/17
Ruby, some development showing, just below midway in depth. The first thing to say is, this bottle is specifically different from the previous bottle reported on, the earlier one being faintly reductive and needing splashy decanting. This one is perfect from the outset. It displays textbook garrigue aromatics on all-red fruits which will with time be definitive grenache, raspberry and cinnamon, even a hint of silver pine essential oil, enchanting. Palate is pure berry, grenache of a quality, suppleness and charm I have never encountered in grenache from Australia. As an affordable Chateauneuf-du-Pape at release ($50), the least of the three in the Clos du Caillou hierarchy in this tasting, this wine is another candidate for the thought ‘most representative / typical Chateauneuf’ in the set, despite the mono-cepage approach. Cellar 5 – 20 years. One person rated it their second wine. GK 06/17
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ all s/s, 2 months LA; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. A vibrant young sauvignon bouquet, redolent of red capsicums and black passionfruit, and totally free of armpit. Vibrant is a euphemism for trace VA, which most people mark up at this level. Palate is fresh, wonderfully mild on low phenolics, and full of flavour already. For a six-month old wine to have so much flavour, the bottling sulphur must be very low. Not quite as finely tuned as the Peregrine or Isabel maybe, but another classic Cloudy Bay and Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/04
Lemongreen. A vibrant young sauvignon bouquet, redolent of red capsicums and black passionfruit, and totally free of armpit. Vibrant is a euphemism for trace VA, which most people mark up at this level. Palate is fresh, wonderfully mild on low phenolics, and full of flavour already. For a six-month old wine to have so much flavour, the bottling sulphur must be very low. Not quite as finely tuned as the Peregrine or Isabel maybe, but another classic Cloudy Bay and Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 10/04
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $425 [ Cork 50 mm, ullage 15 mm; landed cost $360; one of the long-standing top wines of Pomerol, in the same family (Nicolas) since 1871; Me 80%, CF 20, traditionally planted at 6,000 vines / ha but new plantings 7,500, average vine age 35 years, cropped at c. 35 – 40 hl/ha, averaged as 4.9 t/ha = 2 t/ac; viticulture tending organic / lutte raisonée; machine and hand sorting of the grapes / berries; cuvaison to 30 days in temperature-controlled s/s, malolactic in vat, elevation to 18 months in barrel, the percentage new oak varying with year from 55% to 80%; fined but not filtered; Brook, 2007: The 2000 has seductive oaky aromas, but plums and vanilla penetrate the sheen of new barriques; its luxurious and silky, dense but persistent; Robinson, 2010: Looks quite evolved. Very attractive freshness on the nose. Great finesse even if not that much richness. Very correct but just a little austere. Should last very well. Long. Lovely silky texture. Quite marked acidity but it's well integrated, to 2020, 17.5; RP @ WA, 2010: a lot to be said for this 2000. An elegant, gentle style that is never a blockbuster … an unbelievably expressive nose of sweet kirsch liqueur intermixed with raspberries, incense, toast, and licorice. Full-bodied yet ethereal in the sense that it seems to combine power along with eloquence and delicacy, this is a beautifully pure wine that has just hit its plateau of full maturity, although ideally I think it would benefit strongly from another 4-5 years of bottle age and drink well for two to three decades, to 2044, 96; production averages 5,400 x 9-litre cases grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 600 g; www.la-conseillante.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, midway in depth. This wine fulfilled its goal superbly, namely to show a high-merlot wine ripened to perfection, the berry qualities still fresh and fragrant and clearly floral, nearly violets, certainly dark roses and lilac, on beautiful darkly plummy berry without the aromatics of the cabernet-led wines. In its subtlety of oak and high merlot La Conseillante invited comparison with the Ch Palmer, but as soon as you do that, the aromatics of Palmer's cabernet component intrude, though scarcely noticeable before. Interesting. One of the questions for the group, in the data tabulation phase before the wines are revealed, was: is this wine merlot-led ? Six thought so for La Conseillante. Palate is entirely compatible with the bouquet, beautiful fresh blueberry and bottled black doris berryfruit, lovely softness, subtlest oak, the wine not quite as rich as I hoped. Nonetheless it very much shows the beautiful side of Pomerol, not over-ripened. No votes for first or second place, perhaps the wine a little understated in the company. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Ruby and some velvet, midway in depth. This wine fulfilled its goal superbly, namely to show a high-merlot wine ripened to perfection, the berry qualities still fresh and fragrant and clearly floral, nearly violets, certainly dark roses and lilac, on beautiful darkly plummy berry without the aromatics of the cabernet-led wines. In its subtlety of oak and high merlot La Conseillante invited comparison with the Ch Palmer, but as soon as you do that, the aromatics of Palmer's cabernet component intrude, though scarcely noticeable before. Interesting. One of the questions for the group, in the data tabulation phase before the wines are revealed, was: is this wine merlot-led ? Six thought so for La Conseillante. Palate is entirely compatible with the bouquet, beautiful fresh blueberry and bottled black doris berryfruit, lovely softness, subtlest oak, the wine not quite as rich as I hoped. Nonetheless it very much shows the beautiful side of Pomerol, not over-ripened. No votes for first or second place, perhaps the wine a little understated in the company. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ Me 90%, CS 7, Ma 3; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as dense as the Villa wine. Here is another merlot to check the marvellous bouquet of violets these wines can show, when ripened in a climate that is not too hot. New Zealand (and Hawkes Bay in particular) has a wonderful climatic advantage with respect to merlot, matched only by Chile in the southern hemisphere. Below the florals is perfect purity, and great plummy rather than cassisy berry. Palate is rich, soft, full, beautiful merlot, and showing a subtlety of oak handling not always thus far apparent in the Cornerstone wines. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as dense as the Villa wine. Here is another merlot to check the marvellous bouquet of violets these wines can show, when ripened in a climate that is not too hot. New Zealand (and Hawkes Bay in particular) has a wonderful climatic advantage with respect to merlot, matched only by Chile in the southern hemisphere. Below the florals is perfect purity, and great plummy rather than cassisy berry. Palate is rich, soft, full, beautiful merlot, and showing a subtlety of oak handling not always thus far apparent in the Cornerstone wines. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; 100% Sy, vines planted 1991; 100% de-stemmed, s/s fermentation & cuvaison 21 – 30 days; 12 – 16 months in French oak 25% new; R. Parker: 1998 Les Eygats … peppery, charcoal, earth, and truffle aromas with abundant quantities of blackberry and cassis fruit. It tastes more like a Cote Rotie than a Cornas, but the oak is well-integrated, the acidity low, and the tannin noticeable, but well-integrated. Rich and complex, this 1998 should evolve nicely for 12-15 years. 90; J. Robinson: Dark crimson. Modern fruity wine with some Syrah rigour in its structure. Well mannered. Attractive to drink now. Not intense but good balance. Dry (not sweet), firm, no-compromises finish. 16.5 ]
Ruby and velvet, fresh and good for the year. Bouquet is quiet, but rich and ripe, inclining to the new world in style. There seems to be a clear barrel-ferment suggestion, on fruit which is plummy more than cassis, but still clearly syrah. It is a little too ripe for explicit florals, but there is black peppercorn. Palate is wonderful though, by far the richest of the 1998 wines, classically syrah, the oak new but balanced, the acid balance excellent. The winestyle tiptoes towards best Australian, but stays rooted in the Rhone: no hint of boysenberry here. Cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 03/08
Ruby and velvet, fresh and good for the year. Bouquet is quiet, but rich and ripe, inclining to the new world in style. There seems to be a clear barrel-ferment suggestion, on fruit which is plummy more than cassis, but still clearly syrah. It is a little too ripe for explicit florals, but there is black peppercorn. Palate is wonderful though, by far the richest of the 1998 wines, classically syrah, the oak new but balanced, the acid balance excellent. The winestyle tiptoes towards best Australian, but stays rooted in the Rhone: no hint of boysenberry here. Cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 03/08
Barsac Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; Se 75%, SB 23, Muscadelle 2, planted @ 5500 – 7500 vines / ha, average age then 30 or so years, typically yielding little more than 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); BF and 16 – 18 – 24 months in oak with 50% new each year at the time; www.chateaucoutet.com ]
Medium gold, a lovely colour. This wine stood out from the others by virtue of its total integration, and the dominance of fruit and botrytis over other factors such as oak and VA. The nett impression on bouquet was of golden queen peach tart and creme brulée, yet fresh throughout. In mouth the flavour was far from the richest, but the yellow peach flavours dominate attractively, the oak in particular being secondary. This is a welcome contrast with some of the others. The harmony and length make this the most food-friendly of the wines. It is fully mature, long flavours on fruit though already perhaps drying a little. It will hold for some years, drying as it goes. GK 08/11
Medium gold, a lovely colour. This wine stood out from the others by virtue of its total integration, and the dominance of fruit and botrytis over other factors such as oak and VA. The nett impression on bouquet was of golden queen peach tart and creme brulée, yet fresh throughout. In mouth the flavour was far from the richest, but the yellow peach flavours dominate attractively, the oak in particular being secondary. This is a welcome contrast with some of the others. The harmony and length make this the most food-friendly of the wines. It is fully mature, long flavours on fruit though already perhaps drying a little. It will hold for some years, drying as it goes. GK 08/11
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $40 [ cork; Eurowine; Gr 70%, Sy 10, Mv 10, Ci 5, Muscardin 5; 24 months in old oak; production a few thousand cases only. Parker 156: "Complex aromas of flowers, incense, ground pepper, raspberries, and cherries emerge from the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape … dense, full-bodied, firm tannin, loads of freshness, superb concentration, and an earthy, powerful yet elegant finish. The Grangeons are potential new superstars from Chateauneuf du Pape, and this is representative of the sensational wines that have emerged from their vineyards over the last three years. This wine is a structured, tannic, somewhat backward effort that goes against the tendency of this vintage to produce fleshy, opulent, succulent Chateauneufs for early consumption. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age, and consume it over the following 12-15. 90-92" ]
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet. This is a totally different wine from the Alary Estevenas, the bouquet showing the sweet raspberry and cinnamon of grenache dominant, in a wine of exceptional purity, but quite spirity. Palate builds body and richness into the berry, more depth and complexity than mere raspberry, the cinnamon expanding to become a most attractive spicy and sustaining finish. Acid balance is attractive, and oak is low, yet the wine has a structure and complexity suggesting ripe stalks, maybe. The best of old and new worlds. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet. This is a totally different wine from the Alary Estevenas, the bouquet showing the sweet raspberry and cinnamon of grenache dominant, in a wine of exceptional purity, but quite spirity. Palate builds body and richness into the berry, more depth and complexity than mere raspberry, the cinnamon expanding to become a most attractive spicy and sustaining finish. Acid balance is attractive, and oak is low, yet the wine has a structure and complexity suggesting ripe stalks, maybe. The best of old and new worlds. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/05
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $92 [ cork; hand-picked from sites above Chavanay, all BF on low-solids in older oak 2 – 5 years, 100% MLF plus LA, batonnage and 9 months in barrel, c.2150 cases; July offer $69 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
The most clearly lemon hue in the set. Bouquet is much the freshest in the nine, much cooler than the 2009 Petite Cote, Lisbon lemon blossom more than yellow honeysuckle, a hint of jasmine, clear fresh apricots at a yellow-only stage of ripeness. Palate is lighter and fresher than the 2009 Petite Cote, and much less oaky than Les Chaillets. This 2011 and the 2009 Petite Cote pretty well span the desirable varietal characters of viognier. A little cooler than this, and the wine grades into the more anonymous best New Zealand renderings of the variety. But even then the actual palate here is so much more saturated with apricots, the apparent richness and texture augmented by the MLF fermentation so many of our wineries are reluctant to deploy (honourable exceptions Villa Maria and Church Road). Cellar 2 – 4 years. These two wines are essential study wines for any local winemaker wishing to make worthwhile viognier in New Zealand. GK 06/13
The most clearly lemon hue in the set. Bouquet is much the freshest in the nine, much cooler than the 2009 Petite Cote, Lisbon lemon blossom more than yellow honeysuckle, a hint of jasmine, clear fresh apricots at a yellow-only stage of ripeness. Palate is lighter and fresher than the 2009 Petite Cote, and much less oaky than Les Chaillets. This 2011 and the 2009 Petite Cote pretty well span the desirable varietal characters of viognier. A little cooler than this, and the wine grades into the more anonymous best New Zealand renderings of the variety. But even then the actual palate here is so much more saturated with apricots, the apparent richness and texture augmented by the MLF fermentation so many of our wineries are reluctant to deploy (honourable exceptions Villa Maria and Church Road). Cellar 2 – 4 years. These two wines are essential study wines for any local winemaker wishing to make worthwhile viognier in New Zealand. GK 06/13
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $125 [ cork; made from older vines (sometimes labelled Vieilles Vignes) all hand-picked with a little sur-maturité from steeper slopes above Chavanay, low-solids juice wild-yeast-fermented and 100% MLF in barrel, with up to 30% new oak, plus 10 months lees autolysis and batonnage in barrel; 1580 cases; July offer $99 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw, the second most lemon. Bouquet here is a youthful fresher face of the 2009, but not the depth of varietal expression. The apricots here are only yellow ripe, the honeysuckle blossom is joined by Lisbon lemon blossom, and like the 2009 Chaillets the oak is much more noticeable than the Petite Cote, with a percentage new. Palate is much fresher than the 2009, again less ripe apricots, but a fresher and more youthful wine which some would prefer, beautiful acid balance, high-quality oak, but again the oak a little noticeable. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 06/13
Lemonstraw, the second most lemon. Bouquet here is a youthful fresher face of the 2009, but not the depth of varietal expression. The apricots here are only yellow ripe, the honeysuckle blossom is joined by Lisbon lemon blossom, and like the 2009 Chaillets the oak is much more noticeable than the Petite Cote, with a percentage new. Palate is much fresher than the 2009, again less ripe apricots, but a fresher and more youthful wine which some would prefer, beautiful acid balance, high-quality oak, but again the oak a little noticeable. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 06/13
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.5%; $125 [ Cork 55mm; Sy 100% hand-picked from vines planted at 8 – 10,000 vines / ha, on darker schist soils of the The Côte Brune vineyards of Les Roziers and Les Rochains; some whole-bunch, wild-yeast fermentations; cuvaison c.21 days; MLF and c.18 months in barrel, around 50% new; 875 cases; no UK reviews found, no Parker; Raynolds in Tanzer, 2012: Highly perfumed scents of cherry-cola, blackberry, vanilla and Asian spices. Weighty but focused dark fruit liqueur and spice flavors show striking clarity and concentration, with soft tannins building on the back half. The spicy quality lingers on the long, sweet finish, 91-93; Molesworth in Wine Spectator, 2013: This is packed with boysenberry, blackberry and loganberry fruit that races along, while graphite, iron and smoldering mesquite notes fill in through the finish. Displays the grip and drive of the vintage. Best from 2016 through 2025. 800 cases made, 95; www.cuilleron.com ]
Good ruby, quite fresh, towards the lighter end. This wine too needs the jug to jug pouring five times, and again the blossoming is a pleasure to behold. Suddenly there are midnight-deep darkest rose florals, plus carnations, dianthus and cracked black peppercorns, all bespeaking syrah picked at pinpoint ripeness for complexity. Palate is velvety, spectacularly riper than the Jamet, a tactile fruit quality, clear cassis and suggestions of bottled black doris plums and blueberry. Several winemakers marked this wine down for brett. I have examined it as closely as sensory evaluation allows, and have a sneaking suspicion they are confusing the dusky florality with the fragrant 4-EG phase of brett metabolism by-products. I'm more than happy to have this wine in my cellar: it epitomises Cote Rotie with no viognier, yet highly fragrant, more appropriately ripened than the Jamet. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Good ruby, quite fresh, towards the lighter end. This wine too needs the jug to jug pouring five times, and again the blossoming is a pleasure to behold. Suddenly there are midnight-deep darkest rose florals, plus carnations, dianthus and cracked black peppercorns, all bespeaking syrah picked at pinpoint ripeness for complexity. Palate is velvety, spectacularly riper than the Jamet, a tactile fruit quality, clear cassis and suggestions of bottled black doris plums and blueberry. Several winemakers marked this wine down for brett. I have examined it as closely as sensory evaluation allows, and have a sneaking suspicion they are confusing the dusky florality with the fragrant 4-EG phase of brett metabolism by-products. I'm more than happy to have this wine in my cellar: it epitomises Cote Rotie with no viognier, yet highly fragrant, more appropriately ripened than the Jamet. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $147 [ 55mm cork; Sy 100% hand-picked @ c. 5.8 t/ha (2.3 t/ac) from vines planted at 8 – 10,000 vines / ha, on darker schist soils; some whole-bunch, cuvaison c.21 days; MLF and c.18 months in barrel; 900 cases; July offer @ Glengarry $115; www.cuilleron.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. The contrast between Bassenon and Terres Sombres is both subtle yet profound. All the dark red fruits are there, and blueberry too, in a wine of stunning purity and subtle oaking, but the difference lies in the florals. Here is dusky deepest red roses and wallflower, and subtlest black pepper, with none of the lighter notes pointing to viognier. On palate the fruit richness and ripeness is slightly greater and the cassis is a little more apparent, all with slightly more new oak. The differences are very subtle, and again this is not a big wine, but both are simply beautiful. It is lighter than the top 2010 New Zealand syrahs seen alongside, but more fragrant, floral and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. The contrast between Bassenon and Terres Sombres is both subtle yet profound. All the dark red fruits are there, and blueberry too, in a wine of stunning purity and subtle oaking, but the difference lies in the florals. Here is dusky deepest red roses and wallflower, and subtlest black pepper, with none of the lighter notes pointing to viognier. On palate the fruit richness and ripeness is slightly greater and the cassis is a little more apparent, all with slightly more new oak. The differences are very subtle, and again this is not a big wine, but both are simply beautiful. It is lighter than the top 2010 New Zealand syrahs seen alongside, but more fragrant, floral and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $48 [ cork 50 mm; Gr 65 – 75%, Sy 25 – 35, organic, hand-picked at 4.55 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; not destemmed, elevation in concrete vat, plus a percentage 6 months in barriques age unsure; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 636 g; http://p.cartoux.free.fr ]
Ruby, some velvet, fractionally older than some, above midway in depth. This wine is definitive: it simply cries out Southern Rhone Valley, with its beautiful floral and garrigue lift on fragrant mostly red fruits, subtlest oak complexity, and wonderful typicité. As with nearly all these wines, there is more spirit than one would wish, with food, but this is one of the subtler ones. The flavours simply continue the beauties of the bouquet. It is not one of the bigger wines, but the aromatic quality and length of the flavour, and the gentleness and lack of weight in some ways make it the most enchanting of all the more highly-rated wines. This wine shows both the excitement of the vintage to perfection, and the merits of not de-stemming. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, some velvet, fractionally older than some, above midway in depth. This wine is definitive: it simply cries out Southern Rhone Valley, with its beautiful floral and garrigue lift on fragrant mostly red fruits, subtlest oak complexity, and wonderful typicité. As with nearly all these wines, there is more spirit than one would wish, with food, but this is one of the subtler ones. The flavours simply continue the beauties of the bouquet. It is not one of the bigger wines, but the aromatic quality and length of the flavour, and the gentleness and lack of weight in some ways make it the most enchanting of all the more highly-rated wines. This wine shows both the excitement of the vintage to perfection, and the merits of not de-stemming. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $53 [ cork, 50mm; proprietor Philippe Cartoux farms 9.5 ha organically, in three appellations, 3 ha in Gigondas. There are three Gigondas, the Tradition wine, then two individual vineyard wines at a higher price. Les Grames is the middle-ranking of the three, a new addition to the range, cepage Gr 65%, Sy 35, planted at 5,400 vines per ha, and cropped at 35 hl/ha = 4.55 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac. Vinification includes fruit perhaps 80% de-stemmed, three days cold soak, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, elevation 70% in concrete, 30% in barriques some newish for 12 months, then fined but not filtered; J.L-L regards the proprietor as ‘switched-on’, and Les Grames as offering clear fruit and unfussy drinking; I felt we had to have this label, since the 2016 combined great quality with good value; production now c.4,500 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2022: fair depth red robe; the bouquet has an aroma that mixes green olives, raspberry, dried herbs, holds OK. The palate has a spearmint tone, moves with some vigour, a collection of small red fruits, redcurrants included, invigorating it. It can expand the finish with a little more time, is a steady quality Gigondas, the length sound. 14.5°. 55,000 b. From mid-2023. 2034-35, ***½; no US reviews of the 2021 found, so another UK wine-merchant for this vintage: Dark and glossy. Gorgeous raspberry and damson flavours, bright, fresh and youthful. Mildest rasp of tannins. Powerful, artisanal, and with years to go. Now-2028; weight bottle and closure 623 g; http://p.cartoux.free.fr ]
Ruby, carmine suggestions and some velvet, but only medium weight, in the middle for depth. Right from pouring, this is one of the most fragrant wines in the set, absolutely epitomising what is so enchanting in good southern Rhone Valley reds, but is now so hard to find in many Cotes du Rhone. There are red rose florals, hints of garrigue, wonderful red more than black fruits, light cinnamon spice, all saliva-inducing. Flavour is not as rich and deep as some, but in terms of elegance of flavour, true-ness to type, and matching with food, this wine epitomises the magic of Gigondas. Finish is bone dry. The quality (and price) here is such that purchase by the case is essential. Leave the case sealed for 10 years, the wine being a slightly lighter edition as fits with the reputation of the 2021 vintage ... but it is still pretty classic in terms of dry extract, compared with many New Zealand reds. Perhaps because it is somewhat lighter on palate than the other top wines, Les Grames had no top ratings, but six people rated it their second-favourite. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/24
Ruby, carmine suggestions and some velvet, but only medium weight, in the middle for depth. Right from pouring, this is one of the most fragrant wines in the set, absolutely epitomising what is so enchanting in good southern Rhone Valley reds, but is now so hard to find in many Cotes du Rhone. There are red rose florals, hints of garrigue, wonderful red more than black fruits, light cinnamon spice, all saliva-inducing. Flavour is not as rich and deep as some, but in terms of elegance of flavour, true-ness to type, and matching with food, this wine epitomises the magic of Gigondas. Finish is bone dry. The quality (and price) here is such that purchase by the case is essential. Leave the case sealed for 10 years, the wine being a slightly lighter edition as fits with the reputation of the 2021 vintage ... but it is still pretty classic in terms of dry extract, compared with many New Zealand reds. Perhaps because it is somewhat lighter on palate than the other top wines, Les Grames had no top ratings, but six people rated it their second-favourite. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/24
Chablis, France: 12.5%; $133 [ cork; alcohol given surely notional; no website found ]
Good lemon, scarcely separable from the Felton 2010 Chardonnay, or maybe a little lighter. Grand cru chablis is always (hopefully) a treat, whenever you bump into it, and in organising the Felton Road tastings, convener Alistair Morris included this wine to see how it illuminated the Felton chardonnays. The answer can only be: brilliantly. It is quieter than either of the Feltons, not so beautifully floral, but none of the grey fog (sulphur-related) of yesteryear chablis. On bouquet there is just a suggestion of English white flowers, on pale stonefruit. Palate is fresh, a little more mineral yet gentler than the Feltons (and other cool-climate New Zealand chardonnays) and less oak influenced if at all (maybe large old oak vessels), bone dry, with an enticing mouthfeel and length. If the Felton had even less new oak than the current 15%, which exacerbates the high acid, the styles would overlap delightfully. And indeed, there are some Chablis proprietors using some new oak. Lovely wine, eminently drinkable, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Good lemon, scarcely separable from the Felton 2010 Chardonnay, or maybe a little lighter. Grand cru chablis is always (hopefully) a treat, whenever you bump into it, and in organising the Felton Road tastings, convener Alistair Morris included this wine to see how it illuminated the Felton chardonnays. The answer can only be: brilliantly. It is quieter than either of the Feltons, not so beautifully floral, but none of the grey fog (sulphur-related) of yesteryear chablis. On bouquet there is just a suggestion of English white flowers, on pale stonefruit. Palate is fresh, a little more mineral yet gentler than the Feltons (and other cool-climate New Zealand chardonnays) and less oak influenced if at all (maybe large old oak vessels), bone dry, with an enticing mouthfeel and length. If the Felton had even less new oak than the current 15%, which exacerbates the high acid, the styles would overlap delightfully. And indeed, there are some Chablis proprietors using some new oak. Lovely wine, eminently drinkable, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Vertus, Champagne, France: 12%; $98 [ compound champagne cork; Ch 100%; understood to be 5 years en tirage, then some years binned before release; minimal info on website; www.champagne-serge-gallois.fr ]
Full straw, deeper than either Condrieu. Bouquet is exquisitely pure, understated though a little developed, showing complex crust-of-baguette and brioche lees autolysis characters, with an intriguing hint of an aromatic as if there were trace barrel-ferment or pinot noir, or both. I understand the wine is chardonnay 100%. Flavour is crisp, fresh, with again an elegant depth of baguette-crust flavours from the extended lees autolysis and presumably a full MLF component. There are complex flavours wrapped around the chardonnay core, including lovely mealy fresh qualities of cashew … and again the thought, is there maybe a trace of barrel-ferment. Acid balance and the finish are long and firm, tapering infinitely. Cropping rate / dry extract is good, residual sweetness / dosage unknown but likely to be 4 – 6 g/L. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. This is an attractive and characterful blanc de blancs, available from WineSeeker, Wellington. GK 07/19
Full straw, deeper than either Condrieu. Bouquet is exquisitely pure, understated though a little developed, showing complex crust-of-baguette and brioche lees autolysis characters, with an intriguing hint of an aromatic as if there were trace barrel-ferment or pinot noir, or both. I understand the wine is chardonnay 100%. Flavour is crisp, fresh, with again an elegant depth of baguette-crust flavours from the extended lees autolysis and presumably a full MLF component. There are complex flavours wrapped around the chardonnay core, including lovely mealy fresh qualities of cashew … and again the thought, is there maybe a trace of barrel-ferment. Acid balance and the finish are long and firm, tapering infinitely. Cropping rate / dry extract is good, residual sweetness / dosage unknown but likely to be 4 – 6 g/L. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. This is an attractive and characterful blanc de blancs, available from WineSeeker, Wellington. GK 07/19
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $ – [ Compound cork 40mm; original price $55; PN 80%, Ch 20, all grand cru vineyards; 30% reserve wines in the blend; all s/s fermented, a little oak in reserve wines; MLF; two years en tirage; dosage 7 g/L; this bottle disgorged c.2013; imported by Maison Vauron, Auckland; www.champagne-gatinois.com ]
Straw with a faint now-orange flush, reflecting some age (the wine has always had a flush). Bouquet immediately makes clear why, the red fruits of a pinot noir-dominant base wine, clear red and black cherry thoughts, even faintly aromatic, complexed by wonderful autolysis, again of total baguette quality. Palate is neat and taut, again pinot noir mainly, elegant dosage around 7 g/L, and noticeably richer fruit / greater dry extract than the other two. This is where the all-grand-cru fruit quality becomes self-evident, the wine nearly succulent. The quality of autolysis to the aftertaste is of reference quality, a little more ‘wholemeal’ than the Dumangin, subtle hazelnut more than cashew. Delightful having high pinot noir and high pinot meunier wines alongside each other. Fully mature now … some might feel the wine a little old, and the score a little high, but I like mature wines. GK 06/20
Straw with a faint now-orange flush, reflecting some age (the wine has always had a flush). Bouquet immediately makes clear why, the red fruits of a pinot noir-dominant base wine, clear red and black cherry thoughts, even faintly aromatic, complexed by wonderful autolysis, again of total baguette quality. Palate is neat and taut, again pinot noir mainly, elegant dosage around 7 g/L, and noticeably richer fruit / greater dry extract than the other two. This is where the all-grand-cru fruit quality becomes self-evident, the wine nearly succulent. The quality of autolysis to the aftertaste is of reference quality, a little more ‘wholemeal’ than the Dumangin, subtle hazelnut more than cashew. Delightful having high pinot noir and high pinot meunier wines alongside each other. Fully mature now … some might feel the wine a little old, and the score a little high, but I like mature wines. GK 06/20
Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $84 [ cork 49mm; new oak 30%; www.geantetpansiot.com ]
Classic pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is nearly as floral as the Goulots, wonderful red and black cherry pinot fruit, with slightly more new oak apparent. There is a purity to the fruit and oak here reminiscent of some top Individual Vineyard Mt Difficulty wines, but the savoury play of fruit on palate is longer and more complex. This too is squeaky-clean modern wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/15
Classic pinot noir ruby, right in the middle for depth. Bouquet is nearly as floral as the Goulots, wonderful red and black cherry pinot fruit, with slightly more new oak apparent. There is a purity to the fruit and oak here reminiscent of some top Individual Vineyard Mt Difficulty wines, but the savoury play of fruit on palate is longer and more complex. This too is squeaky-clean modern wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/15
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Medoc, France: – %; $126 [ Cork, 53mm, ullage 10mm; CS 70%, Me 25, CF 5; purchase price $18.25; 20 – 22 months in barrel; production around 13,500 x 9-litre cases; Parker feels the chateau’s standing and reputation faded as the previous owner grew old, some vintages including this one suffering markedly: the chateau sold in 1978, and has not looked back since; Broadbent, 1978: Stalky, hard, immature but good. Should develop stylishly. **(*); Broadbent, 1992: I buy it every year. … undoubtedly stylish. Perfect now, ****; RP@WA, 1980: An acceptable wine for certain, but this Grand-Puy-Lacoste is surprisingly jammy, overripe, with a scent of fresh tea. Soft, flabby, and loosely knit on the palate, this wine is now fully mature. Drink up! 72; weight bottle and closure: 548 g; www.chateau-grand-puy-lacoste.com ]
Ruby and garnet, above midway in depth. This wine too conveyed its charms and quality immediately from opening. There is a crystalline purity about the fading cassis and exquisite cedary oak in this wine which is enchanting. It smells a smaller and less complex wine than the Poyferre, yet you can smell it over and over again. Palate reveals perfect balance, harmony and softness of a high-cabernet wine at full maturity, with beautifully clean and new oak, the flavour not weighty at all, yet of great length. How often Grand-Puy-Lacoste captures the subtlety and delicacy of great claret, in maturity, even though it is so understated the wine can be rather dismissed by the big-noters. Three tasters rated it their top wine, and five their second-favourite. Like the Poyferre, too exciting a wine on bouquet to be thought merlot-led. Fully mature. Note the Parker view, 40 years prior. GK 10/20
Ruby and garnet, above midway in depth. This wine too conveyed its charms and quality immediately from opening. There is a crystalline purity about the fading cassis and exquisite cedary oak in this wine which is enchanting. It smells a smaller and less complex wine than the Poyferre, yet you can smell it over and over again. Palate reveals perfect balance, harmony and softness of a high-cabernet wine at full maturity, with beautifully clean and new oak, the flavour not weighty at all, yet of great length. How often Grand-Puy-Lacoste captures the subtlety and delicacy of great claret, in maturity, even though it is so understated the wine can be rather dismissed by the big-noters. Three tasters rated it their top wine, and five their second-favourite. Like the Poyferre, too exciting a wine on bouquet to be thought merlot-led. Fully mature. Note the Parker view, 40 years prior. GK 10/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $31 [ cork, 49 mm; proprietor Marc Besnardeau own 46 hectares in several appellations, 10 ha in Cairanne. They make no fewer than five Cairannes. Viticulture is organic. Maximilien is usually Gr 50%, Mv 35 and Sy 15, sometimes a litttle Ca, the Gr c.40 years old, the others younger. Vinification includes all de-stemmed, wild-yeast ferments, cuvaison to three weeks, elevation half in s/s, half in concrete, for 11 months, except the Mv in newish 300s for 3 or 4 months; not fined or filtered; approx 1,300 x 9-litre cases; Richard Hemming MW @ JR, 2017: Fresh and juicy raspberry scent topped with leather and spice notes. Mint and black cherry on the palate – there's a really delicious range of flavour here, in a soft and drinkable package. Sophisticated, easy-drinking – delicious, 17; weight bottle and cork 602 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.grands-bois.com ]
Saturated ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and most sensational of all these colours. Bouquet is extraordinary, totally pure, midnight deep florals and dusky fruit, with a saturation of fruit even in the bouquet that is simply wonderful. There seems to be the most subtle new oak just adding a hint of vanilla to the cinnamon and other spices of grenache. Flavour follows perfectly, a benchmark definition of what a high-mourvedre wine should taste like, the darkest yet fresh plummy fruit, velvety tannins, great length. This is a wine to totally disprove the nonsense written by so many half-baked winewriters, that mourvedre smells and tastes of farmyard. The wine does not have a strong tannin structure, being mostly vat raised, yet the grape tannins incline you to believe it is a 25-year cellar prospect. The cropping rate and dry extract in this wine, the number of grapes per bottle, selling for $NZ31, make nearly all New Zealand reds look like a rip-off. Not mainstream Cotes-du-Rhone, but a sensational wine. One first place, one second, in the group tasting. Buy as much as you can afford, and cellar for 10 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Saturated ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest and most sensational of all these colours. Bouquet is extraordinary, totally pure, midnight deep florals and dusky fruit, with a saturation of fruit even in the bouquet that is simply wonderful. There seems to be the most subtle new oak just adding a hint of vanilla to the cinnamon and other spices of grenache. Flavour follows perfectly, a benchmark definition of what a high-mourvedre wine should taste like, the darkest yet fresh plummy fruit, velvety tannins, great length. This is a wine to totally disprove the nonsense written by so many half-baked winewriters, that mourvedre smells and tastes of farmyard. The wine does not have a strong tannin structure, being mostly vat raised, yet the grape tannins incline you to believe it is a 25-year cellar prospect. The cropping rate and dry extract in this wine, the number of grapes per bottle, selling for $NZ31, make nearly all New Zealand reds look like a rip-off. Not mainstream Cotes-du-Rhone, but a sensational wine. One first place, one second, in the group tasting. Buy as much as you can afford, and cellar for 10 – 25 years. Available from Maison Vauron and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $30 [ cork 50 mm, Gr 50%, Mv 35, Sy 10-15, Ca 0-5, organic; elevation in concrete vat, plus puncheons age unsure; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 604 g; www.grands-bois.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. This wine needs double decanting, to reveal a deep, sensuous, dusky bouquet with mourvedre and syrah in the forefront. There is a lovely garrigue lift on the dark berry, almost a hint of cassis even, then dark omega bottled plums. Alcohol is extraordinarily well concealed, but a little is noticeable. New oak is not apparent. Palate is saturated with skin-tannin flavours rather than old cooperage, and both the depth of berry, and the quality of the mourvedre component, are a delight. This will need maybe 10 years, to crust in bottle, when a totally different, lighter, more lissome wine will emerge. At the price, a case of 12 is the minimum to consider, then don't touch it for 10 years. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. This wine needs double decanting, to reveal a deep, sensuous, dusky bouquet with mourvedre and syrah in the forefront. There is a lovely garrigue lift on the dark berry, almost a hint of cassis even, then dark omega bottled plums. Alcohol is extraordinarily well concealed, but a little is noticeable. New oak is not apparent. Palate is saturated with skin-tannin flavours rather than old cooperage, and both the depth of berry, and the quality of the mourvedre component, are a delight. This will need maybe 10 years, to crust in bottle, when a totally different, lighter, more lissome wine will emerge. At the price, a case of 12 is the minimum to consider, then don't touch it for 10 years. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $30 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 50%, Mv 35%, the balance Sy and sometime a little Ca, hand-picked, all de-stemmed; all raised in concrete vats; Jeb Dunnuck, 2016: ... another rock solid release from this estate ... terrific ripeness in its black fruits, licorice, pepper and earthy/underbrush-like aromas and flavors. These give way to a medium to full-bodied, textured, beautifully concentrated and charming southern Rhone ... , 91; Wine Spectator, 2016: A wonderfully pure display of fresh plum and violet aromas and flavors, with light white pepper and lavender nuances through the finish ... silky structure ... a great effort for the vintage, 91; bottle weight 615 g; www.grands-bois.com ]
This is sensational wine, the colour dense ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest wine on the table. This depth of colour reflects the unusually high percentage of mourvedre in the cepage, 35%. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, not the most evocative in the set, but showing a dusky florality on darkest red fruits, with a hint of best prunes, perfectly moist and ripe, totally pure. There are undertones of garrigue aromatics enlivening the bouquet. Palate is wonderfully rich yet fine-grained, showing superb tannins from the mourvedre, and a smoothness suggesting some big wood elevation, though none is admitted to. It is a little tannic now, but give it five years. This wine is a great example of excellence from the Southern Rhone Valley in a cooler year. In a hotter year it could easily have become too burly. One first place, one second. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar for 5 – 20 years. It is not however the most attractive of the wines today: it demands cellaring. GK 04/18
This is sensational wine, the colour dense ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the deepest wine on the table. This depth of colour reflects the unusually high percentage of mourvedre in the cepage, 35%. Bouquet is deep, dark and mysterious, not the most evocative in the set, but showing a dusky florality on darkest red fruits, with a hint of best prunes, perfectly moist and ripe, totally pure. There are undertones of garrigue aromatics enlivening the bouquet. Palate is wonderfully rich yet fine-grained, showing superb tannins from the mourvedre, and a smoothness suggesting some big wood elevation, though none is admitted to. It is a little tannic now, but give it five years. This wine is a great example of excellence from the Southern Rhone Valley in a cooler year. In a hotter year it could easily have become too burly. One first place, one second. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar for 5 – 20 years. It is not however the most attractive of the wines today: it demands cellaring. GK 04/18
Vosne-Romanee Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $351
Classic pinot noir ruby. An understated bouquet, showing rich florals of red roses and boronia, red and black cherry fruit, and a complex oak-related savoury char quality a bit like roasted stuffed chicken. Palate is clearly the greatest dry extract and weight of the sub-set, fresh cherry flavours, taut tannins, quite aromatic with almost an herbes de Provence savoury quality getting close to good Cote Rotie. Gets better and better as it breathes. Cellar 10 – 20 years, easily. GK 09/04
Classic pinot noir ruby. An understated bouquet, showing rich florals of red roses and boronia, red and black cherry fruit, and a complex oak-related savoury char quality a bit like roasted stuffed chicken. Palate is clearly the greatest dry extract and weight of the sub-set, fresh cherry flavours, taut tannins, quite aromatic with almost an herbes de Provence savoury quality getting close to good Cote Rotie. Gets better and better as it breathes. Cellar 10 – 20 years, easily. GK 09/04
Sauternes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 54mm cork; Se 65%, SB 35; average age of vines 25 years, planted at 6,600 vines / ha, average yield just over 1.8 t/ha = 0.75 t/ac; barrel-fermented and up to 30 months small oak, sometimes all new; average production 11,000 cases per annum: New owners since 2006; BBR: Guiraud is a very ambitious property with aspirations to produce a wine that will one day rival d`Yquem. The wines are astonishingly rich, especially in light of the high proportion of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, and are undoubtedly amongst the finest wines being produced in Sauternes today; Robinson, 2011 (in her third tier, with Coutet, Doisy-Védrines, Rayne Vigneau): Darker than most. Very heady with lots of glucose richness. Heavy and satisfying with great weight. Some creme brulée element. Edgy. Well done but with a dangerous edge. Still quite chewy. One of the fatter 2001s. QGV, 17.5; Parker, 2004: A medium gold color is accompanied by notes of caramelized oranges, citrus, honeysuckle, creme brulee, and smoke. Full-bodied and opulent, with tremendous intensity, good acidity, and a persistent finish that lasts nearly a minute, this large-scaled, thick, heady Guiraud is one of the finest examples from this estate that I have ever tasted; www.chateauguiraud.fr ]
Medium gold, faintly above midway. This was one of the very-together wines right from opening. It smells of stonefruits, orange marmalade and anzac biscuits, pure and enticing. In mouth there is not the body to go with the volume of bouquet, yet the marmalade and now recognisable botrytis flavours continue, and expand. The aromatics make one think of sauvignon blanc, which turns out to be correct. There is a lovely hint of pale toffee too, and a long flavour even though it isn't one of the richest wines. It is quite a contrasting winestyle to the heavier de Malle, but one ends up making them similarly. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/14
Medium gold, faintly above midway. This was one of the very-together wines right from opening. It smells of stonefruits, orange marmalade and anzac biscuits, pure and enticing. In mouth there is not the body to go with the volume of bouquet, yet the marmalade and now recognisable botrytis flavours continue, and expand. The aromatics make one think of sauvignon blanc, which turns out to be correct. There is a lovely hint of pale toffee too, and a long flavour even though it isn't one of the richest wines. It is quite a contrasting winestyle to the heavier de Malle, but one ends up making them similarly. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 07/14
Margaux Third Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $152 [ Cork, 50mm, ullage 15mm; $112 landed; CS 61%, Me 39, cropped at 5.45 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac; elevation 16 – 18 months in 50% new oak; average production 9,150 x 9-litre cases; I particularly wanted to secure d’Issan for 2010, since in the years prior Jancis Robinson had been admitting to a soft spot for this chateau, little known to me; consulting oenologist the late Jacques Boissenot. SS@Decanter, 2011: Fine fragrant nose, perfect extraction, already beautifully textured, great future, probably the best d'Issan yet. Drink 2016-35, 18; NM@WA, 2012: ... an intense bouquet of blackcurrant, a hint of crème de cassis and blueberry. This really captures the essence of Margaux: floral and feminine. The palate is soft and caressing on the entry with light but tensile tannins encasing the mineral-rich black fruit. It is very well balanced, nicely focused with a lingering hint of black pepper on the finish. Harmonious and long, this is a superlative d'Issan, 94; L.P-B@WA, 2020: ... opens with baked blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and stewed plums scents with hints of bouquet garni and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bright and refreshing with just enough chewy, textured black fruits and an earthy finish. Drink 2020-2038, 93; informative website; weight bottle and closure: 551 g; www.chateau-issan.com ]
Beautifully fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, but not as big a wine as some, the third to lightest colour. The bouquet is in one sense light too, but what it lacks in gravitas it makes up for in exquisite florality, beauty and charm. This really is violets and dusky roses, uncanny, on sweetly fragrant cassisy berry, so delicate. You feel this fragrant wine offers a window into Jancis Robinson's tasting soul, she several times in recent years having enthused about the style of Ch d’Issan. In flavour there is, like the Leoville Barton, perfectly-focussed cassisy berry plus darkest bottled black doris plums, but all lighter and more elegant, more feminine as used to be said, than the Leoville Barton. This is an exquisitely understated somewhat smaller-scale Médoc which is nonetheless perfectly formed – a pleasure to smell and taste. If beauty be any criterion for assessment, it has to be a gold medal wine by New World marking standards. One top place, no second. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 09/20
Beautifully fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, but not as big a wine as some, the third to lightest colour. The bouquet is in one sense light too, but what it lacks in gravitas it makes up for in exquisite florality, beauty and charm. This really is violets and dusky roses, uncanny, on sweetly fragrant cassisy berry, so delicate. You feel this fragrant wine offers a window into Jancis Robinson's tasting soul, she several times in recent years having enthused about the style of Ch d’Issan. In flavour there is, like the Leoville Barton, perfectly-focussed cassisy berry plus darkest bottled black doris plums, but all lighter and more elegant, more feminine as used to be said, than the Leoville Barton. This is an exquisitely understated somewhat smaller-scale Médoc which is nonetheless perfectly formed – a pleasure to smell and taste. If beauty be any criterion for assessment, it has to be a gold medal wine by New World marking standards. One top place, no second. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 09/20
Meursault, Burgundy, France: 13%; $87 [ supercritical 'cork'; hand-harvested; BF, LA, MLF in 15 – 30% new French oak, for 15 months; rated one of the best of the unclassified vineyards of Meursault by Clive Coates, the vineyard being close by Les Genevrieres; www.louisjadot.com ]
Perfect lemon, faintly lighter than the Villa. Bouquet is marvellous in a different way from the Villa Maria wine, showing the much sought-after but rarely achieved English white flowers floral component of cool climate chardonnay, on a mealy white nectarine base. Flavours in mouth develop with air, to acquire the classical oatmeal quality so prized in meursault, freshened by citrus and white nectarine fruit, and only the subtlest oak. Acid balance is perfect. Though a little small in scale, this is beautiful understated wine epitomising modern meursault – especially once breathed. It is sensational with food, simply on the lack of new oak, which in lesser wines becomes so aggressive with food. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Perfect lemon, faintly lighter than the Villa. Bouquet is marvellous in a different way from the Villa Maria wine, showing the much sought-after but rarely achieved English white flowers floral component of cool climate chardonnay, on a mealy white nectarine base. Flavours in mouth develop with air, to acquire the classical oatmeal quality so prized in meursault, freshened by citrus and white nectarine fruit, and only the subtlest oak. Acid balance is perfect. Though a little small in scale, this is beautiful understated wine epitomising modern meursault – especially once breathed. It is sensational with food, simply on the lack of new oak, which in lesser wines becomes so aggressive with food. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Mosel Valley, Germany: 8.5%; $ – [ cork, was $30; second bottle available; Broadbent rates 2001 ***** for Germany; some use of big old wood; for the winery vintage commenced 22 October, their average yield this year being 7.5 t/ha = 3 t/ac; this wine emerged as desirable, from comparative tastings of the German 2001s I presented in August 2003; the owners describe the 2001 vintage (at the time) thus: The so-called "golden October" (warmest for hundred years!) helped us to harvest one of the very best vintages of the past 30 years. … The 2001 vintage is beautifully balanced with expressive exotic aromas of passion-fruit, peach and blackcurrant combined with a lively ripe acidity. … We compare 2001 with vintage 1990 or even with 1975 - "Riesling-legends"; www.kesselstatt.com ]
Lemonstraw, above midway in depth, but more developed than I hoped. Bouquet is the highlight of this wine, that extraordinary perfectly floral complexity that good German riesling so excels at, seeming hints of botrytis even at kabinett level, some deepening of the floral notes to embrace honeysuckle aromas as well as white flowers, with suggestions of nectar or pale honey. Palate is delightfully pure with a lot of flavour, just a little terpene aromatics yet enough sweetness to wrap up the phenolics until the very end, when there is not quite the finesse of the Felton Block 1. Hard to judge, because the German is the dryer of the two. Has another five years or so in it, but not as long-lived as some Mosel wines, or the Felton Bock 1 or the Howard Park. Clearly the most-favoured example of riesling the grape on the night, with six first-place rankings, and likewise six correctly locating it in Germany. GK 03/14
Lemonstraw, above midway in depth, but more developed than I hoped. Bouquet is the highlight of this wine, that extraordinary perfectly floral complexity that good German riesling so excels at, seeming hints of botrytis even at kabinett level, some deepening of the floral notes to embrace honeysuckle aromas as well as white flowers, with suggestions of nectar or pale honey. Palate is delightfully pure with a lot of flavour, just a little terpene aromatics yet enough sweetness to wrap up the phenolics until the very end, when there is not quite the finesse of the Felton Block 1. Hard to judge, because the German is the dryer of the two. Has another five years or so in it, but not as long-lived as some Mosel wines, or the Felton Bock 1 or the Howard Park. Clearly the most-favoured example of riesling the grape on the night, with six first-place rankings, and likewise six correctly locating it in Germany. GK 03/14
Vougeot Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; a €125 = $NZ199 bottle; the Labet & Dechelette wines are the only ones to be completely made within the Clos; this wine also has a high % of whole-bunch, and c.50% new oak; no website found ]
A fine medium pinot noir ruby, less oak-affected than many, just above midway in depth. Right from the start, this wine was fresh, open, and appealing on bouquet and palate. It was one of the really floral wines, pure red roses, quite deep, on red more than black cherry fruit. Palate is fresher again, clear-cut red to black cherry fruit, and much less oak than most of the 2005s. Even so, at this stage there is a spicy component on the oak which is slightly disconcerting, making the wine savoury in its red-fruit way. This wine too was much more communicative after 24 hours, and much more what one might expect from Clos de Vougeot, relative to the astonishingly deep rich hundred-year-old wine. A charmer, cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/15
A fine medium pinot noir ruby, less oak-affected than many, just above midway in depth. Right from the start, this wine was fresh, open, and appealing on bouquet and palate. It was one of the really floral wines, pure red roses, quite deep, on red more than black cherry fruit. Palate is fresher again, clear-cut red to black cherry fruit, and much less oak than most of the 2005s. Even so, at this stage there is a spicy component on the oak which is slightly disconcerting, making the wine savoury in its red-fruit way. This wine too was much more communicative after 24 hours, and much more what one might expect from Clos de Vougeot, relative to the astonishingly deep rich hundred-year-old wine. A charmer, cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 09/15
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: – %; $40 [ cork; Me 90%, CF 10; considered Second Growth level by RP; Parker: a powerful, opulent, fleshy style … which can be majestic, sometimes one of the two or three greatest wines of the district. The 1982: a super wine with fabulous power, richness, opulence, concentration and length. The most concentrated and full-bodied since the 1961, though not quite as rich. To 2015 93. Broadbent: Fragrant. Deep fruit, dry, powerful, fig-like, good length, very tannic. To 2015. ****. GK in 1985 thought it: Very Good, deep and chunky. ]
Ruby and garnet, one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is beautifully floral, fading violets and deep dusky roses, on darkest plums, cedar and dark tobacco. Palate extends the dark tobacco component into the rich plum, with an almost syrah-like suggestion from the deep florals. Lovely rich wine of an obviously warmer year, at a peak, fruit dominant to oak. It is probably about to develop some leathery notes, marking the start of older age. Will cellar for some years, but may be best in the next five or so. GK 09/08
Ruby and garnet, one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is beautifully floral, fading violets and deep dusky roses, on darkest plums, cedar and dark tobacco. Palate extends the dark tobacco component into the rich plum, with an almost syrah-like suggestion from the deep florals. Lovely rich wine of an obviously warmer year, at a peak, fruit dominant to oak. It is probably about to develop some leathery notes, marking the start of older age. Will cellar for some years, but may be best in the next five or so. GK 09/08
Barossa Valley, South Australia: 14%; $24 [ 12 months in US & French oak; www.peterlehmannwines.com.au ]
Ruby, relatively light. This wine has a great bouquet, showing a much lighter and more floral side of Australian shiraz which is reminiscent of Cote Rotie, with an Australian accent. It combines the beautiful florals of carnations / dianthus with light Australian flowering mint, to give a piquant bouquet in exactly the same style as the 1966 Tahbilk Shiraz, or the 1996 McRae's Wood. Palate optimises the floral style, with sweet fruit and ripe stalks yet to integrate, subtle oak, and a lightness that belies good fruit richness. This is a particular kind of Australian shiraz which not everybody enjoys, so try one before buying a case. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/04
Ruby, relatively light. This wine has a great bouquet, showing a much lighter and more floral side of Australian shiraz which is reminiscent of Cote Rotie, with an Australian accent. It combines the beautiful florals of carnations / dianthus with light Australian flowering mint, to give a piquant bouquet in exactly the same style as the 1966 Tahbilk Shiraz, or the 1996 McRae's Wood. Palate optimises the floral style, with sweet fruit and ripe stalks yet to integrate, subtle oak, and a lightness that belies good fruit richness. This is a particular kind of Australian shiraz which not everybody enjoys, so try one before buying a case. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/04
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, FRance: 11%; $14.40 [ alcohol nominal, from negociant supplementary label; CS 65%, Me 18, CF 14, PV 3; 85 ha, 30 000 cases. This is a wine to fire the imagination of any wine-lover, for two eminent Bordeaux appraisers vary wildly in their estimation of it. Broadbent (1980): Lovely rich stylish nose; a dry wine, fullish, fine, elegant. **** . And in 2002: A gentlemanly classic. Now mature; typical cedary nose, very good balance and flavour. ****. Parker (1991): This wine has always enjoyed a considerable reputation. But the emperor has no clothes. It is lean, angular, and light for the vintage. 77 ]
Ruby and garnet. This is the second richest of the wines, with cassis and redfruits melding into cedary oak, some tobacco, a hint of leather. Palate is as rich as the Latour, but more mellow, less bouquetted and cassisy. At a peak of late maturity, beautiful balance both in itself and with food. Could be held for a few more years, and like the Latour will survive longer, but drying all the while. GK 03/05
Ruby and garnet. This is the second richest of the wines, with cassis and redfruits melding into cedary oak, some tobacco, a hint of leather. Palate is as rich as the Latour, but more mellow, less bouquetted and cassisy. At a peak of late maturity, beautiful balance both in itself and with food. Could be held for a few more years, and like the Latour will survive longer, but drying all the while. GK 03/05
Saint-Julien 2nd Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $190 [ Cork 50mm; CS 72%, Me 20, CF 8; Leoville-Barton is regarded as the archetypal Englishman's claret by some, to cellar every year almost irrespective, by others as a little old-fashioned. Either way, its pricing has traditionally been conservative; Leoville-Barton is now said to be the only classed growth from the 1855 classification that remains in the same family ownership; the vineyard is planted 9,000 vines / ha, the wine is usually aged 20 months in 50% new oak, production is c. 20,000 cases. Second wine, La Reserve de Leoville Barton. Harding, 2013: Lovely cedary black fruit aromas. Almost the first time I have written fragrant in this tasting. Some oak sweetness on the palate but it's fresh too and the tannins are fine and resolved, still with some density, 17; Parker, Aug 2014: A spectacular success, the opaque plum-colored 2003 Leoville Barton is still on the young side of its plateau of maturity. It exhibits a striking bouquet of forest floor and black currants as well as a full-bodied, exuberant, youthful style, an opaque plum/ruby color, a lot of complexity, and striking depth and richness. This is a profound, stunning effort from Anthony Barton and his team. Bravo! It should continue to provide immense pleasure for 20-30 years, 96; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby and velvet, one of the fresher ones, below midway in depth. This wine too communicates as classical claret, aromatic, vibrant, not showing any hot-year flatness, more youthful than the Las Cases. Again one or two noted trace-level brett (which has been not infrequent in this wine, over the years). This wine was set as number one in the blind sequence, being high-cabernet to introduce that side of the claret equation. Flavours in mouth are cassis-led, ample berryfruit, not the beauty or complexity of the Montrose, more a straightforward good high-cabernet claret, the oak still not quite knit. In a warm year one might expect a little sleight-of-hand with tartaric adjustments, but compared with so many warmer-country wines, the thought scarcely arises in these 2003s. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, one of the fresher ones, below midway in depth. This wine too communicates as classical claret, aromatic, vibrant, not showing any hot-year flatness, more youthful than the Las Cases. Again one or two noted trace-level brett (which has been not infrequent in this wine, over the years). This wine was set as number one in the blind sequence, being high-cabernet to introduce that side of the claret equation. Flavours in mouth are cassis-led, ample berryfruit, not the beauty or complexity of the Montrose, more a straightforward good high-cabernet claret, the oak still not quite knit. In a warm year one might expect a little sleight-of-hand with tartaric adjustments, but compared with so many warmer-country wines, the thought scarcely arises in these 2003s. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/14
St Julien, Bordeaux, France: – %; $258 [ cork 53mm; CS 67%, Me 17, CF 13, PV 3; is Las Cases the first of the super-seconds, seems to be the question nowadays. Parker considers the 1975 ‘as profound as most of the Medoc’s first-growths'. Robinson, 2011 (Harding in fact): A good vintage compared with the early 1970s. Paler garnet and some brick at the rim but still quite a bit of red at the core. The first really developed nose of this line up – liquorice and undergrowth and bloody and a touch of mint. Very bloody. Much juicier than I expected after the nose, high acidity, resolved tannins but a slightly lean finish. Acid starting to stick out. More old-fashioned style, 16.5; Coates, 1995: Full colour, still immature. Fresh nose. Still youthful. Very cabernet. Good new wood. This is one of the few wines to have real breed. Full, good oak. Concentrated and balanced. Not too austere. I prefer this to La Mission. Very well balanced. Complex finish. Very fine, 19; Parker, 1996: This is one of the great successes of the vintage. However, those with modern day tastes for soft, easy-going, supple wines may not enjoy the 1975 Leoville Las-Cases. Why? It is a tannic, backward, old style wine cut from the mold of such vintages as 1948 and 1928. The color is a dark ruby/garnet with a hint of amber at the edge. The nose offers up distinctive mineral, lead pencil, sweet, blackcurrant scents with flinty overtones. Full-bodied, thick, and concentrated, as well as atypically muscular and powerful, this should prove to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. There are sensational levels of richness and intensity. While the vintage's tough tannin level ensures another 20-35 years of longevity, the wine may dry out by that time. I thought this wine would be at its peak by the mid-nineties, but it still needs another 5-8 years of cellaring. It is a very impressive, albeit backward and hard wine, 92; www.domaines-delon.com ]
Ruby and garnet, a similar hue to the Lafite, but greater depth, about midway in weight. Freshly opened, there was a shadow of congestion, needing a little air. As it opened up, fruit became apparent, with cedary oak apparent throughout. In mouth this is the richest of the Bordeaux, there still being apparent fruit texture and weight on tongue, the browning berry laced all through with cedary oak, all beautifully fine-grained. The nett impression is of a first-growth quality wine, at 40 years of age. It certainly won't improve, but there is no hurry in a cool cellar. Top wine for two tasters. GK 03/15
Ruby and garnet, a similar hue to the Lafite, but greater depth, about midway in weight. Freshly opened, there was a shadow of congestion, needing a little air. As it opened up, fruit became apparent, with cedary oak apparent throughout. In mouth this is the richest of the Bordeaux, there still being apparent fruit texture and weight on tongue, the browning berry laced all through with cedary oak, all beautifully fine-grained. The nett impression is of a first-growth quality wine, at 40 years of age. It certainly won't improve, but there is no hurry in a cool cellar. Top wine for two tasters. GK 03/15
Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: – %; $713 [ 51mm cork; 1976 a hot dry year with high tannins, but welcome after 3 poor years, a 3-star year for Broadbent; arguably the top estate in the Cote de Beaune, from a top-notch negociant; very low yields; extended cuvaison; significant new oak; not filtered; www.domaine-leroy.com ]
Really rosy garnet, the lightest wine. This one needed an hour or two after decanting, and only a swirl or two, to reveal a gentle sweet floral pale-roses bouquet which was totally non-aromatic, and thus totally Cote de Beaune. But the more you smelt it, the better it became, with heliotrope emerging and then more specifically the vanillin of new oak. In flavour immediately the new oak comes forward, which suggests that for a Corton, the fruit is already drying very slightly. But nonetheless this is lovely red-fruits pinot noir of great purity and charm, like the Volnay-Santenots unequivocally Burgundy. And like that wine, but even more-so, it is at the end of its plateau of maturity, even drying a little. Top wine for one. GK 10/14
Really rosy garnet, the lightest wine. This one needed an hour or two after decanting, and only a swirl or two, to reveal a gentle sweet floral pale-roses bouquet which was totally non-aromatic, and thus totally Cote de Beaune. But the more you smelt it, the better it became, with heliotrope emerging and then more specifically the vanillin of new oak. In flavour immediately the new oak comes forward, which suggests that for a Corton, the fruit is already drying very slightly. But nonetheless this is lovely red-fruits pinot noir of great purity and charm, like the Volnay-Santenots unequivocally Burgundy. And like that wine, but even more-so, it is at the end of its plateau of maturity, even drying a little. Top wine for one. GK 10/14
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $ – [ Single bottle; original price as magnum, $16.10; a modest year for red burgundy; no info, no reviews, but Lichine was well regarded for his burgundy selections at that stage, as can be judged from his access to Louis Trapet, and also Henri Jayer (Linden Wilkie of The Fine Wine Experience, Hong Kong, tells me). Will be pale and frail now – but the wine has always been delicious; successor website bears no relation to activities of Lichine himself at the time of this wine; www.alexislichine.com ]
Limpid rosy garnet and ruby, full rosé in depth, the lightest of the reds. Bouquet is strikingly floral in an autumnal way, extraordinarily so for its age, on red cherry fruit naturally browning now, intensely fragrant. And total purity. Flavour is a little shorter than the bouquet promises, the berry clearly browning, and fading / drying a little, sweet new very subtle oak just noticeable to the tail. Twenty-four hours later the wine was magnificent, expanded somehow, seemingly sweeter but not richer than the Pomal Especial, neither quite as harmonious as the exquisite 1978 Les Cedres. It would still be wonderful in a light main course setting. One vote for wine of the night, one second, but also one least, and clearly burgundy to nearly all tasters. The wine starting to retreat in magnum – 750s would be lesser, now. Simply a joy to drink. GK 03/20
Limpid rosy garnet and ruby, full rosé in depth, the lightest of the reds. Bouquet is strikingly floral in an autumnal way, extraordinarily so for its age, on red cherry fruit naturally browning now, intensely fragrant. And total purity. Flavour is a little shorter than the bouquet promises, the berry clearly browning, and fading / drying a little, sweet new very subtle oak just noticeable to the tail. Twenty-four hours later the wine was magnificent, expanded somehow, seemingly sweeter but not richer than the Pomal Especial, neither quite as harmonious as the exquisite 1978 Les Cedres. It would still be wonderful in a light main course setting. One vote for wine of the night, one second, but also one least, and clearly burgundy to nearly all tasters. The wine starting to retreat in magnum – 750s would be lesser, now. Simply a joy to drink. GK 03/20
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $147 [ cork; price en primeur landed; cepage typically CS 73%, Me 15, CF 10, PV 2; planted to 9,000 vines / ha, average age 32 years; typically 15 – 17 days cuvaison, 15 months in French oak 60% new; JR: 17; RP: 91; WS: 93; www.lynchbages.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is reserved initially, but opens to fine cassis and dark plum dominant over oak, the fragrance growing and the wine seeming very promising indeed. Palate is only slightly less as yet, still firm through youth, but showing perfect ripeness, with even a suggestion of blackberry to the cassis. Oak and acid firm the wine, with just a little modern toast on the oak adding richness to the flavour, and a suggestion of dark chocolate. This is going to be a lovely bottle in years to come, in a more modern Pauillac style. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is reserved initially, but opens to fine cassis and dark plum dominant over oak, the fragrance growing and the wine seeming very promising indeed. Palate is only slightly less as yet, still firm through youth, but showing perfect ripeness, with even a suggestion of blackberry to the cassis. Oak and acid firm the wine, with just a little modern toast on the oak adding richness to the flavour, and a suggestion of dark chocolate. This is going to be a lovely bottle in years to come, in a more modern Pauillac style. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Sauternes / Preignac Deuxieme Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14.5%; $ – [ 49mm cork; Se 70%, SB 27; Mu 3; average age of vines 35 years, planted at 6,200 vines / ha, average yield just over 3.1 t/ha = 1.25 t/ac; barrel-fermented and 18-plus months small oak, one third new; average production around 4,000 cases; BBR: Since the mid 80s Ch de Malle has been producing wonderful wines which display considerable intensity as well as marvellous purity of fruit; Robinson, 2002: Rich, broad and very, very full. Relatively low in acidity and faintly raisiny, but no shortage of botrytis. Big build. Very rich and creamy, 17.5; Parker, 2003: A superb Sauternes, de Malle's moderately sweet 2001 displays a light gold color with some green tints. Honeyed citrus along with tropical fruit, peach, creme caramel, and smoked hazelnut aromas jump from the glass of this layered, full-bodied, gorgeously pure and well-delineated wine. Moderately sweet, with impressive acidity as well as depth, it will be drinkable between 2007-2020, 90 – 94; www.chateau-de-malle.fr ]
Colour is tending to old gold, clearly the deepest wine of the 12. Freshly opened, this one needed a breath of air. It opened to a darker wine altogether, pure, mild, the golden queen peaches here in fact rather more dried peaches, and the sweetness complexity notes grading to best malt toffee, rather than lighter caramel. Flavours continue this theme, less new oak, a more integrated and harmonious wine already, thoughts of fruitcake with as many raisins as paler sultanas, nearly glacé figs, wonderfully smooth, and one of the richer ones. This is already well together, but should cellar 10 – 20 years, since it is so rich. GK 07/14
Colour is tending to old gold, clearly the deepest wine of the 12. Freshly opened, this one needed a breath of air. It opened to a darker wine altogether, pure, mild, the golden queen peaches here in fact rather more dried peaches, and the sweetness complexity notes grading to best malt toffee, rather than lighter caramel. Flavours continue this theme, less new oak, a more integrated and harmonious wine already, thoughts of fruitcake with as many raisins as paler sultanas, nearly glacé figs, wonderfully smooth, and one of the richer ones. This is already well together, but should cellar 10 – 20 years, since it is so rich. GK 07/14
Avirey-Lingey, Champagne, France: 12%; $75 [ standard champagne cork; cepage of the vintage wine PN 100%, average vine age for the PN 50 years; full MLF; c.5 – 6 years en tirage; dosage 6 g/L; www.champagne-serge-mathieu.fr ]
Straw, right in the middle for freshness. Bouquet is both gorgeous and interesting. It shows the subtle aromatics of a 100% pinot noir wine, and you think you can just, maybe, smell red cherries in lovely pure autolysis. Palate continues the interest, great autolysis, clear cherry flavours now when compared with the blanc de blancs wine, yet still totally a white wine, and a dosage which seems even drier than the Angeline, given as 6 g/L. This is marvellous both in itself, and as a study wine. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/15
Straw, right in the middle for freshness. Bouquet is both gorgeous and interesting. It shows the subtle aromatics of a 100% pinot noir wine, and you think you can just, maybe, smell red cherries in lovely pure autolysis. Palate continues the interest, great autolysis, clear cherry flavours now when compared with the blanc de blancs wine, yet still totally a white wine, and a dosage which seems even drier than the Angeline, given as 6 g/L. This is marvellous both in itself, and as a study wine. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/15
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $117 [ 49mm cork; 30-year vines; destalking but no crushing; cuvaison 3 – 4 weeks; up to 22 months in barrel, but no detail known for this wine; the discriminating Kermit Lynch in San Francisco is a great supporter of Domaine Maume, noting their emphasis on perpetuating only the traditional clone massale, with vines averaging 50 years age. He comments on this wine: Maume’s premier cru bottling is a real gem. It is a blend of two parcels ... right in the saddle of grand cru country – below Mazis-Chambertin and Clos de Bèze, next to Chapelle-Chambertin. There are only a few barrels; Meadows, 2007: (a blend of 85 year old vines in Les Cherbaudes and 50 year old vines in La Perrière). Deeper and more complex aromas that blend earth, stone and mostly blue fruit aromas with lovely violet and rose petal hints complement the rich, full and notably sweet flavors that possess excellent dry extract which confers a textured and sappy mouth feel on the balanced and wonderfully long finish. There is real punch to the black cherry finish and the old vine intensity adds another dimension. Recommended, 90-92; weight bottle and closure: 599 g; no working website found. ]
Rosy ruby and garnet, surprisingly light for Gevrey-Chambertin, the lightest wine. Bouquet is highly varietal, and one of the exciting wines, red roses and vanillin, red cherry, very sophisticated cedary oak. Flavours in mouth build astonishingly on the colour and bouquet – never did a wine so clearly exemplify the maxim: never judge a burgundy by its colour. At the tasting the wine looked a little too oaky, or under-fruited as one perceptive taster put it, but 18 hours later the all-red fruits have intensified dramatically, giving a glimpse into its future development in bottle. Lovely pure modern highly varietal wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. My enthusiasm for the wine was not widely endorsed by this group of pinot noir-oriented winemakers, three only ranking it their top or second wine. Only one wondered if it might be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Rosy ruby and garnet, surprisingly light for Gevrey-Chambertin, the lightest wine. Bouquet is highly varietal, and one of the exciting wines, red roses and vanillin, red cherry, very sophisticated cedary oak. Flavours in mouth build astonishingly on the colour and bouquet – never did a wine so clearly exemplify the maxim: never judge a burgundy by its colour. At the tasting the wine looked a little too oaky, or under-fruited as one perceptive taster put it, but 18 hours later the all-red fruits have intensified dramatically, giving a glimpse into its future development in bottle. Lovely pure modern highly varietal wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. My enthusiasm for the wine was not widely endorsed by this group of pinot noir-oriented winemakers, three only ranking it their top or second wine. Only one wondered if it might be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14.2%; $36 [ screwcap, Gw 100% hand-picked mostly from the Patutahi vineyard, table-sorted; whole-bunch pressed low-solids juice, cultured yeast, s/s and stop-fermented; 3 months LA, no oak at all; pH 3.47, RS 17 g/L; background on www.montana.co.nz, leads to detail @; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com//tastingnotes.php? ]
Lemon, another great colour for gewurztraminer. This is an intriguing wine, highly sophisticated, giving the impression of having all the complexity and winemaking inputs of the Waimea gewurztraminer, but all mellowed out so the wine is deliberately not so dramatically varietal. Bouquet is gentle yellow florals and lychee, but smells rich, leading into a palate which is as rich as the Waimea but much milder, and likewise clearly milder against the more zingy Babich. Even so, the flavours last wonderfully in a very mouthfilling way, and the body and gentleness would make it a superb food wine, appropriately matched. Some previous "P"s have shown more VA than I care for, but this one is fine. In the sense that wine is for food, I think I have to mark this at the gold-medal level, for though it is not as exciting as the top two wines, texturally it is superb. Finish is long and pretty well medium, sweeter than the other two. Montana could do more with their fabulous Gisborne gewurz resources than they have so far, their approach being 'diluted' by the high residual sugars. More reliance on flavour is needed. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Lemon, another great colour for gewurztraminer. This is an intriguing wine, highly sophisticated, giving the impression of having all the complexity and winemaking inputs of the Waimea gewurztraminer, but all mellowed out so the wine is deliberately not so dramatically varietal. Bouquet is gentle yellow florals and lychee, but smells rich, leading into a palate which is as rich as the Waimea but much milder, and likewise clearly milder against the more zingy Babich. Even so, the flavours last wonderfully in a very mouthfilling way, and the body and gentleness would make it a superb food wine, appropriately matched. Some previous "P"s have shown more VA than I care for, but this one is fine. In the sense that wine is for food, I think I have to mark this at the gold-medal level, for though it is not as exciting as the top two wines, texturally it is superb. Finish is long and pretty well medium, sweeter than the other two. Montana could do more with their fabulous Gisborne gewurz resources than they have so far, their approach being 'diluted' by the high residual sugars. More reliance on flavour is needed. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $40 [ cork, 45 mm; Gr 50%, Sy 40 from a cooler elevated site, Ca 10, 40% whole-bunches retained; cuvaison to 21 days; elevation 12 – 14 months, 70% in large wood, 30% in older small wood, including newish 228s; fined, filtration if needed; this wine honours the founder, Seraphin Sabon; production up to 580 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 601 g; access to the website on far right, obscure; www.clos-montolivet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, above midway in depth. As with several other wines in this set, the initial impression on bouquet is of garrigue aromatics entwined with syrah florals, carnations, wallflowers, all simply beautiful, on darkly plummy fruits with cassis notes. There is even a touch of sweet black pepper, adding to the syrah impression [ later confirmed ]. Palate is both light yet deep, illustrating a lovely concentration of fruit, without heaviness. The syrah impression continues, but with cinnamon spicing too from grenache, on elegant grape tannins. This is simply wonderful Cotes-du-Rhone, lower alcohol than many, with far more Cote Rotie quality than many Cote Roties at three times the price, to cellar 8 – 20 years. Wines like this and Guigal’s Cotes du Rhone incline one to the belief that it is hard to achieve really ‘winey’ Southern Rhone wines, without at least a significant proportion of the wine being raised in large wood. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, above midway in depth. As with several other wines in this set, the initial impression on bouquet is of garrigue aromatics entwined with syrah florals, carnations, wallflowers, all simply beautiful, on darkly plummy fruits with cassis notes. There is even a touch of sweet black pepper, adding to the syrah impression [ later confirmed ]. Palate is both light yet deep, illustrating a lovely concentration of fruit, without heaviness. The syrah impression continues, but with cinnamon spicing too from grenache, on elegant grape tannins. This is simply wonderful Cotes-du-Rhone, lower alcohol than many, with far more Cote Rotie quality than many Cote Roties at three times the price, to cellar 8 – 20 years. Wines like this and Guigal’s Cotes du Rhone incline one to the belief that it is hard to achieve really ‘winey’ Southern Rhone wines, without at least a significant proportion of the wine being raised in large wood. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $24 [ Gr 60%, Sy 25, Ci 10, Ca 5; no new oak at all ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, the kind of colour one imagined (from reading) that the Charvin would be. This is a big wine, and like the Charvin, syrah is dominant at this stage: carnation florals, cassis berry, even a hint of black peppercorn, plus all the aromatic complexity hoped for in good southern Rhone. Palate is rich, dark and plummy, with finegrain tannins reflecting grapes more than oak. The Mourchon is a richer wine than the Charvin, perhaps not the ultimate finesse, but heaps of flavour. Rhone-styled wines without obvious oak are at best just so infinitely more complex and sensual than Australia's spirity, oaky offerings in the same nominal style. Cellar 10 – 20 years, despite what the pundits say. GK 10/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, the kind of colour one imagined (from reading) that the Charvin would be. This is a big wine, and like the Charvin, syrah is dominant at this stage: carnation florals, cassis berry, even a hint of black peppercorn, plus all the aromatic complexity hoped for in good southern Rhone. Palate is rich, dark and plummy, with finegrain tannins reflecting grapes more than oak. The Mourchon is a richer wine than the Charvin, perhaps not the ultimate finesse, but heaps of flavour. Rhone-styled wines without obvious oak are at best just so infinitely more complex and sensual than Australia's spirity, oaky offerings in the same nominal style. Cellar 10 – 20 years, despite what the pundits say. GK 10/04
Costieres de Nimes, Languedoc, France: 14.5%; $26 [ cork; Maison Vauron; Sy dominant & Gr; Costieres de Nimes is easternmost Languedoc, and often bundled along with the ‘good address’ of the Rhone Valley (being just west of the river). Gauntley’s report the winery is so well regarded, the wines are allocated (which dispels some notions about the appellation !), and report on this wine: “£6.33 80% Syrah the rest Grenache. 10% of the 2003 was aged in barrique. Very intense, cherry/cassis, hint of toasty oak on nose. Gorgeous concentration, silky ripe tannins, black in colour with great depth of fruit flavours. Serious wine, lovely. 2007-2010.” Parker 156: “The opaque dark purple-tinged 2003 Costieres de Nimes Terre d’Argence reveals its Syrah component in both the aromatics and flavors. Opulent, rich, full-bodied, moderately tannic, and impeccably well-balanced, it coats the palate. 2006 – 12 91”.; www.mourguesdugres.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, marginally the deepest of 14 wines. This is another wine which initially opened, is withdrawn and huddled up. Nothing to object to, but just a powerful wine needing air. Decanted, there is a big bouquet of cassis, black pepper and other spices, and a clear cedar component reminiscent of Grand-Puy-Lacoste at times. Palate is rich and fine-grained but very firm and tannic, the latter exacerbated by high alcohol. The whole style of the wine is like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with syrah dominant, but the spice of grenache is undeniable. This is exciting wine, which as it stands, grows on you. It will well reward cellaring, 10 – 25 years. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, marginally the deepest of 14 wines. This is another wine which initially opened, is withdrawn and huddled up. Nothing to object to, but just a powerful wine needing air. Decanted, there is a big bouquet of cassis, black pepper and other spices, and a clear cedar component reminiscent of Grand-Puy-Lacoste at times. Palate is rich and fine-grained but very firm and tannic, the latter exacerbated by high alcohol. The whole style of the wine is like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with syrah dominant, but the spice of grenache is undeniable. This is exciting wine, which as it stands, grows on you. It will well reward cellaring, 10 – 25 years. GK 10/05
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $66 [ cork, 50mm; this year Gr 49%, Sy 22, Mv 15, Ci 7, balance other AOC varietals; relatively modern winery practice, fruit destemmed, cuvaison 20 – 24 days, the wine one third to new oak, one third to old oak, one third in vats, then assembled in vat, elevation 12 – 18 months depending on vintage; R. Parker notes that historically, La Nerthe is the most famous winery in the district, with wine made continuously since the 16th century; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: ... aging spectacularly ... mature notes of cured meats, Provencal garrigue, dried spices and sweet fruit ... loaded with charm .. a point, 92; J.L-L, 2008: ... beef stock, prune-plum, with leathery and violet airs ..., ****; bottle weight 665g; www.chateaulanerthe.fr ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. This is the first of the wines in my ranking to give a clear hint on bouquet that it is the wine of a hotter year. There is a furryness of the tannins you can ‘smell’. It is not unattractive, blending attractively with the cinnamon of grenache. Again there are red fruits browning now, and very long flavours extended on those furry tannins, which again you can taste: they seem more grape tannins than oak, given the attractively light and fresh aftertaste. This seems a particularly pure wine for the times, which will soften delightfully in cellar 5 – 15 years. The bottle shows only light crusting, which correlates with the tannin observations. One second place. GK 07/18
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. This is the first of the wines in my ranking to give a clear hint on bouquet that it is the wine of a hotter year. There is a furryness of the tannins you can ‘smell’. It is not unattractive, blending attractively with the cinnamon of grenache. Again there are red fruits browning now, and very long flavours extended on those furry tannins, which again you can taste: they seem more grape tannins than oak, given the attractively light and fresh aftertaste. This seems a particularly pure wine for the times, which will soften delightfully in cellar 5 – 15 years. The bottle shows only light crusting, which correlates with the tannin observations. One second place. GK 07/18
Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $242 [ cork; vineyard cepage CS 58%, Me 42, average age 30 – 35 years, planted @ 8 000 vines / ha, and cropped @ c. 2 t/ac; www.pape-clement.com ]
Ruby, velvet, and some carmine, clearly the densest of the eight August Bordeaux. Bouquet is dark pure cassis berry, a lot of new oak and a little char obscuring the dark cassis to a degree, but the whole bouquet cabernet-aromatic, and enticing. Palate is reasonably rich, the richest of these eight wines, potentially cedary oak noticeable, with intense skinsy and cassisy berry, blackberry and dark plum matching it well. In this wine everything is ripe, and there is some concentration. Classic Medoc-styled Bordeaux. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/07
Ruby, velvet, and some carmine, clearly the densest of the eight August Bordeaux. Bouquet is dark pure cassis berry, a lot of new oak and a little char obscuring the dark cassis to a degree, but the whole bouquet cabernet-aromatic, and enticing. Palate is reasonably rich, the richest of these eight wines, potentially cedary oak noticeable, with intense skinsy and cassisy berry, blackberry and dark plum matching it well. In this wine everything is ripe, and there is some concentration. Classic Medoc-styled Bordeaux. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/07
Graves-Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $145 [ cork; CS 60%, Me 40, average age 30 years, planted to 7700 vines / ha; hand-picked @ 25 hL/ha (1.3 t/ac) in 2003 (against an average of 39 (2 t/ac); hand-destemmed and sorted 100%; 20 – 35 days cuvaison in oak cuves, MLF, LA and batonnage then c. 18 – 20 months in 70 – 100% new oak “so that the touch of wood is as delicate and discreet as possible”; Pape-Clement ‘has the longest continuous history of any in Bordeaux, having been first planted in 1300’ (Peppercorn); Parker: Complex smoke, shavings, sweet plums, black cherry liqueur, blackberries, and a hint of espresso are followed by an opulent, full-bodied savory expansive wine ... 94; Robinson: ...dark, spicy and rich. Flattering. Seems sweet … Pretty good, but a bit inky. Pinched tannins. 17; other related estates @ www.bernard-magrez.com; www.pape-clement.com ]
Deep ruby and velvet, old for age, the deepest of the first flight. This is the finest and most complex bouquet in the first bracket, with true Bordeaux vinosity, complexity, and charm (and a whisper of brett). Cassis and plum meld into a vinosity which scarcely reveals which variety is dominant, but it is aromatic. In terms of appeal, there is almost an overlap with fine Cote de Nuits, too. Oak is new, lightly toasty, and in the background. Palate is fresh, rich and supple, aromatic and charming, all qualities not so apparent in some of these wines. Aftertaste is elegant berry and oak, beautifully integrated as in a 10-year old wine. Already delicious, or cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Deep ruby and velvet, old for age, the deepest of the first flight. This is the finest and most complex bouquet in the first bracket, with true Bordeaux vinosity, complexity, and charm (and a whisper of brett). Cassis and plum meld into a vinosity which scarcely reveals which variety is dominant, but it is aromatic. In terms of appeal, there is almost an overlap with fine Cote de Nuits, too. Oak is new, lightly toasty, and in the background. Palate is fresh, rich and supple, aromatic and charming, all qualities not so apparent in some of these wines. Aftertaste is elegant berry and oak, beautifully integrated as in a 10-year old wine. Already delicious, or cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France: – %; $58 [ cork; Me 55%, CF 25, CS 20; RP considers it the equivalent of a Medoc Fourth or Fifth Growth (in 1991); Parker: the largest vineyard amongst the Premier Grands Crus, improving in quality since 1979. The 1982 the finest Pavie Parker had tasted up to 1991, an emerging bouquet of grilled nuts, fruitcake, super-concentrated red and black fruits, full-bodied, great structure, superb extraction and flavour, and a long heady finish. To 2010. 92. Broadbent: High-toned, herbaceous, cress and fruit nose, spicy, slightly sweet, good body, chewy, vanilla pods and fruit, good length To 2010. **** [I have to say, this is one of the few occasions where my personal mentor has presented a confusing tasting note !] GK in 1985 thought the wine: Powerful, tannic, a marvellous St Emilion for the turn of the century. ]
Ruby and garnet, one of the deeper ones. Bouquet is classically claret, one of those St. Emilions which can be confused with a Margaux any day, as the high percentage cabernet sauvignon in the cepage would suggest. Like the Gruaud, some new oak is apparent, even from that era in Pavie’s life, yet the cassisy fruit wraps itself around the oak beautifully, to give a long, classical but slightly acid flavour – no sur-maturité here. Cellar 5 – 10 years for this one, too. GK 09/08
Ruby and garnet, one of the deeper ones. Bouquet is classically claret, one of those St. Emilions which can be confused with a Margaux any day, as the high percentage cabernet sauvignon in the cepage would suggest. Like the Gruaud, some new oak is apparent, even from that era in Pavie’s life, yet the cassisy fruit wraps itself around the oak beautifully, to give a long, classical but slightly acid flavour – no sur-maturité here. Cellar 5 – 10 years for this one, too. GK 09/08
Barossa Valley, South Australia: 13.5%; $20 [ Saltram group; www.beringerblass.com.au ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. This is a remarkable bouquet for a big Australian red, for it smells explicitly of intense cassis, of beautifully ripe varietal fruit, instead of oak. These days in Australia, with increasingly sophisticated fermentation techniques designed to optimise the approachability and hence early drinking of red wines, it is becoming harder to tell cabernet from shiraz, so intent are winemakers on providing big juicy fruitbomb wines where 'plummy' is a common descriptor. In mouth the wine tastes as good as it smells, every bit as cassisy, the oaking seems genuine and not too prominent, and the tannins are not excessive for the size of the wine. The cabernet is however firmer than the Shiraz, which traditionally, is appropriate. Some say these big juicy numbers fall to bits once the tannins crust in the bottle, especially when they are added tannins. Sure, it may crust, but I suspect the wine will remain clearly varietal throughout, and in some ways more food-friendly as it lightens up. It should cellar well, say 10 – 15 years. A wine to buy by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. This is a remarkable bouquet for a big Australian red, for it smells explicitly of intense cassis, of beautifully ripe varietal fruit, instead of oak. These days in Australia, with increasingly sophisticated fermentation techniques designed to optimise the approachability and hence early drinking of red wines, it is becoming harder to tell cabernet from shiraz, so intent are winemakers on providing big juicy fruitbomb wines where 'plummy' is a common descriptor. In mouth the wine tastes as good as it smells, every bit as cassisy, the oaking seems genuine and not too prominent, and the tannins are not excessive for the size of the wine. The cabernet is however firmer than the Shiraz, which traditionally, is appropriate. Some say these big juicy numbers fall to bits once the tannins crust in the bottle, especially when they are added tannins. Sure, it may crust, but I suspect the wine will remain clearly varietal throughout, and in some ways more food-friendly as it lightens up. It should cellar well, say 10 – 15 years. A wine to buy by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Barossa Valley, South Australia: 14%; $20 [ Saltram group; US & French oak; www.beringerblass.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the 02 Pepperjack Cabernet. Initially opened, the wine is faintly reductive, but that quickly breathes off. Pouring it off into a decanter or jug is the answer. Below is beautifully ripe shiraz with hints of florals and even black peppercorns, in a big soft Barossa Valley red chockfull of fruit. Palate is even more spicy and aromatic, blueberry, boysenberry and dark plum, illustrating Aussie shiraz very well indeed. Often it is hard to tell the difference between cabernet and shiraz in Australia's too-warm and all-dominating climate, but this 02 Pepperjack Shiraz and its matching 02 Cabernet are as good an illustration of the difference between the two as one is likely to find, irrespective of price. This wine is a little fresher, lighter, and less serious than the Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz, and like it, it is not crippled with oak. Though obviously designed for instant gratification, and getting a bit close to the fruitbomb style, it has this great (and at best, aromatic) fruit of the 2002 vintage in South Australia, and should cellar for 5 – 15 years. Another to buy by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the 02 Pepperjack Cabernet. Initially opened, the wine is faintly reductive, but that quickly breathes off. Pouring it off into a decanter or jug is the answer. Below is beautifully ripe shiraz with hints of florals and even black peppercorns, in a big soft Barossa Valley red chockfull of fruit. Palate is even more spicy and aromatic, blueberry, boysenberry and dark plum, illustrating Aussie shiraz very well indeed. Often it is hard to tell the difference between cabernet and shiraz in Australia's too-warm and all-dominating climate, but this 02 Pepperjack Shiraz and its matching 02 Cabernet are as good an illustration of the difference between the two as one is likely to find, irrespective of price. This wine is a little fresher, lighter, and less serious than the Saltram Mamre Brook Shiraz, and like it, it is not crippled with oak. Though obviously designed for instant gratification, and getting a bit close to the fruitbomb style, it has this great (and at best, aromatic) fruit of the 2002 vintage in South Australia, and should cellar for 5 – 15 years. Another to buy by the case. VALUE GK 09/04
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $6,421 [ cork 54mm; Me 95, CF 5, but finished wine often virtually no CF, average vine age 35, planted c.6,500 vines / ha, cropped at 4.7 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; 20 – 28 day cuvaison, reports vary on the ratio of new oak, 100% now but perhaps not then; c.20 months in barrel; fined, no filtration; production up to 2,500 cases (then); part of the Moueix group; Robinson, 2004: Very, very deep ruby, but it looks slightly more evolved than the 1989. Very heady, rich, opulent, almost burnt character. Big, round, and meaty. Broad, velvety, and sweet. Very Californian in its build, but long and rich and seductive. Sweet and long. Almost medicinal. Very, very long. Lots of pleasure. So ripe, but underneath there are lots of tannins, although I don't think this will be one of the longest-living vintages, 20 [ 18.5 in 2010 ]; Parker, 2009: The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement!, 100; www.moueix.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just above midway in depth, markedly more garnet with a hint of amber edging, relative to the Pichon, reflecting the thinner-skinned merlot dominance. Bouquet is immediately a much warmer even hotter-climate wine, lacking florality and subtlety, though maybe there is a hint of heliotrope – but then you decide that is oak vanillin, not grape / floral vanilla. Like the Angelus, it is certainly rich. Palate is velvety rich, a huge wine, but also with huge furry tannins. This is not the fine side of Bordeaux at all, it is a hot year / hot climate winestyle. Parker's rating of this wine 100 points illustrates his predilection for bigger burlier wines, rather more than illuminating the style of a supposedly archetypal Bordeaux wine. I have written at some length before about the enormous contribution Parker has made to moving wine writing from the subjective waffle phase of yesteryear, to the (at best) more objective, analytical and careful winewriting of today. Therefore I can say, that (if this bottle is representative, and Wellington is a very equable climate for cellaring wine) a hundred-point rating for this wine is simply misleading, as best exemplified by the current wine-searcher value (on today's writing) of $NZ6,390. Tasting and re-tasting the wine, and hoping for a late blooming with 24 hours (and more) in the glass, does not change the nett impression, sadly: this is wonderfully big rich furry-tanniny wine, but it is over-ripe and hence lacks florality and complexity. It is not a 100-point wine, as seen in this bottle. Merlot can be so much more beautiful, floral and multidimensional than this, when not over-ripened. Nonetheless it will give enormous pleasure to people accustomed to bigger and warmer-climate winestyles. It will cellar for many years. One top, one second-place, votes. GK 10/15
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just above midway in depth, markedly more garnet with a hint of amber edging, relative to the Pichon, reflecting the thinner-skinned merlot dominance. Bouquet is immediately a much warmer even hotter-climate wine, lacking florality and subtlety, though maybe there is a hint of heliotrope – but then you decide that is oak vanillin, not grape / floral vanilla. Like the Angelus, it is certainly rich. Palate is velvety rich, a huge wine, but also with huge furry tannins. This is not the fine side of Bordeaux at all, it is a hot year / hot climate winestyle. Parker's rating of this wine 100 points illustrates his predilection for bigger burlier wines, rather more than illuminating the style of a supposedly archetypal Bordeaux wine. I have written at some length before about the enormous contribution Parker has made to moving wine writing from the subjective waffle phase of yesteryear, to the (at best) more objective, analytical and careful winewriting of today. Therefore I can say, that (if this bottle is representative, and Wellington is a very equable climate for cellaring wine) a hundred-point rating for this wine is simply misleading, as best exemplified by the current wine-searcher value (on today's writing) of $NZ6,390. Tasting and re-tasting the wine, and hoping for a late blooming with 24 hours (and more) in the glass, does not change the nett impression, sadly: this is wonderfully big rich furry-tanniny wine, but it is over-ripe and hence lacks florality and complexity. It is not a 100-point wine, as seen in this bottle. Merlot can be so much more beautiful, floral and multidimensional than this, when not over-ripened. Nonetheless it will give enormous pleasure to people accustomed to bigger and warmer-climate winestyles. It will cellar for many years. One top, one second-place, votes. GK 10/15
Pauillac Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; CS 45%, Me 35, CF 12, PV 8; up to 24 days cuvaison; up to 20 months in French oak; no filtration ]
Ruby and velvet, the second lightest. This wine is simply classic west bank claret on bouquet, very fragrant indeed, both cassisy cabernet and plummy merlot jostling for prominence, plus beautifully dark tobacco and cedary oak all building complexity. Palate is not quite as rich as the top two, the cabernets increasing in prominence now, but still all beautifully ripe and balanced. There is no hint of the leafyness this chateau sometimes displays, given its higher percentage of petite verdot. Model classical claret, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Ruby and velvet, the second lightest. This wine is simply classic west bank claret on bouquet, very fragrant indeed, both cassisy cabernet and plummy merlot jostling for prominence, plus beautifully dark tobacco and cedary oak all building complexity. Palate is not quite as rich as the top two, the cabernets increasing in prominence now, but still all beautifully ripe and balanced. There is no hint of the leafyness this chateau sometimes displays, given its higher percentage of petite verdot. Model classical claret, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Pauillac Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $387 [ Cork 50 mm, ullage 18 mm; landed cost $147; leaving aside the first-growths, Pichon-Longueville has risen to the top of the pack in Pauillac, as the only candidate for the top six most certain Super-Seconds. Pichon-Lalande used to be the favourite, but has been overtaken; this turnaround started with the 1987 sale of Longueville to the insurance company AXA. Results for wine quality have been dramatic, the first step being to cease machine-harvesting. Cepage this wine CS 70%, Me 25, CF 5, average vine age 30 years, planted at 9,000 vines per hectare, cropped at a nominal 45 hl / ha = 5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac, but in recent years less than 40 = 5.2 = 2.1; cuvaison up to 25 days in temperature-controlled s/s vats, followed by elevation in barrel for 15 months, the new oak already increased to 80% by the 2000 vintage. Some of the MLF fermentation is completed in barrel; Brook, 2007: The 2000 pulls out all the stops. There is ultra-ripe blackcurrant and plum fruit on the nose, while the palate is extremely voluptuous, yet supported by big, ripe tannins. This is a remarkable and hedonistic wine; JR @ JR, 2010: Warm, integrated nose. Dense and beautifully balanced. Pure Pauillac without recourse to pastiche. Much riper than Pichon Lalande but not overripe. Already broachable but with potential too. Good stuff!, 18; N. Martin, 2016 @ WA: The 2000 Château Pichon Baron is just getting better and better and better … wow. ... an incredibly precise, mineral-driven bouquet with intense black fruit infused with cedar and graphite scents. It just reeks of Pauillac in an almost uncompromising, yet compelling manner. The palate is structured, stylish and effortless, extraordinarily pure and unerringly youthful. … from 2025 onward, 97; production averages 26,660 x 9-litre cases of the grand vin; weight bottle and closure: 602 g; website not straightforward; www.pichonbaron.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, above midway in depth. An intriguing bouquet, much in the style of Las Cases but more lifted, with almost a piquant faintest flowering-mint suggestion, quite distinctive, on attractive medium-weight berry complexed by cedary oak. On palate these zingy aromatics carry right on, making the wine dance on the tongue, a beautiful example of a high-cabernet blend, saturated with perfectly ripe cassisy berry, but not the slightest bit heavy. This wine shows all the beauty and appeal-with-food of a classic bordeaux blend. It is not a powerful Baron, however. The lifted / fragrant aromatics appealed to one taster, one first place. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Ruby and some velvet, above midway in depth. An intriguing bouquet, much in the style of Las Cases but more lifted, with almost a piquant faintest flowering-mint suggestion, quite distinctive, on attractive medium-weight berry complexed by cedary oak. On palate these zingy aromatics carry right on, making the wine dance on the tongue, a beautiful example of a high-cabernet blend, saturated with perfectly ripe cassisy berry, but not the slightest bit heavy. This wine shows all the beauty and appeal-with-food of a classic bordeaux blend. It is not a powerful Baron, however. The lifted / fragrant aromatics appealed to one taster, one first place. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/20
Pauillac 5th Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $196 [ Cork 49mm; CS 65%, Me 35; minor varieties are used in the second wine; The two Pichons jostle for supremacy between themselves, but neither quite achieves the glamour of the so-called super-seconds such as Palmer, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Leoville Las Cases; Baron has traditionally been the bigger and riper of the two, perhaps due to Lalande having a higher percentage of petit verdot, which is harder to ripen. Some consider that at its best, Lalande is the finer. The vineyard is planted @ 9,000 vines / ha, average age 30 years. Cuvaison extends to 30 days some years, and elevage in the better years is 18 months with up to 80% new oak. Production is 18,000 cases per year. The second wine is Les Tourelles de Longueville. Robinson, 2008: Much deeper than Pichon Lalande. The sexual stereotyping of the Pichons is alive and well in 2003. This is quite savoury and beefy on the nose. With good compact fruit, this wine seemed relatively concentrated when tasted immediately after Pichon Lalande. Pretty impressive! Lots of impact here though no excessive heat or ripeness. Still quite a charge of fine tannins but there seems to be quite enough fruit to hold the wine while the tannins subside. And there’s even some freshness on the finish, 17.5; Parker's 2014 note is intriguing, virtually identical to the more detailed forecast he made in 2004. You have to hand it to this guy, he has probably now tasted more wines than Michael Broadbent, and with his famed memory, he paints compelling word pictures of wine. Here for interest are his two assessments, 10 years apart. Parker, Aug 2014: A brilliant effort, this 2003 displays a vigorous, intact, deep blue/purple color as well as notes of scorched earth, barbecue spices, incense, creme de cassis and cedarwood. Long, lush, medium to full-bodied, round and generous, this opulent Pauillac can be drunk now and over the next 5-8 years, 94; and Parker, 2004: Reminiscent of Pichon Baron’s triumphant 1990, the 2003 is powerful and alcoholic (13.4%) for a cru classe Bordeaux, with a high pH of 3.85, and low acidity. Made from 31 hectoliters per hectare [ 4 t/ha, 1.6 t/ac ] , this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot exhibits an inky/purple color along with a big, thick, juicy nose of soy sauce, blackberries, creme de cassis, minerals, and flowers. Full-bodied and powerful, with terrific fruit purity as well as depth, this beauty should become increasingly delineated as it evolves in barrel. The finish lasts for 45+ seconds. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2025, 92-94; www.pichonlongueville.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a trace of garnet, just below midway in depth. In one sense this is more classic claret, beautifully fragrant, a great depth of berry, a lot of cedary oak in comparison with the top three wines, so much so I used it as a stepping-stone wine before the Pavie, to more gently introduce that wine. A couple of tasters (winemakers) noted trace brett, but not to detract. Palate quality is led by cedary oak, but the fruit richness is so good, it would be unreasonable to object to the level. The fruit / oak interaction makes the wine long and lingering in flavour. A more robust wine, maybe, some tannins to lose, and a suggestion of the new world in the oak handling. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, a trace of garnet, just below midway in depth. In one sense this is more classic claret, beautifully fragrant, a great depth of berry, a lot of cedary oak in comparison with the top three wines, so much so I used it as a stepping-stone wine before the Pavie, to more gently introduce that wine. A couple of tasters (winemakers) noted trace brett, but not to detract. Palate quality is led by cedary oak, but the fruit richness is so good, it would be unreasonable to object to the level. The fruit / oak interaction makes the wine long and lingering in flavour. A more robust wine, maybe, some tannins to lose, and a suggestion of the new world in the oak handling. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/14
Margaux Fourth Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $83 [ cork; price en primeur landed; CS 56%, Me 34, PV & CF 10, planted to 8000 vines / ha, average vine age 32 years; 3 – 4 week cuvaison in wood; 18 months in French oak 60% new; JR: 16.5; RP 92; WS: 92; no website found ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Initially poured this was quiet and pure. It gradually opened to reveal the most floral bouquet of the top wines, a midnight-deep dark rose and violets aroma, on cassis and rich pure berry, the oak very much in the background. Palate is both leaner and silkier than the more highly rated wines, yet still wonderfully concentrated with another black cherry-like berry in the cassis adding magic to the flavour. New oak becomes apparent in mouth, and the richness grows and grows. Deceptive wine, potentially as long-lived and beautiful as the 1966 Prieure-Lichine still is today, back when the chateau was more highly regarded than later in the last century. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. Initially poured this was quiet and pure. It gradually opened to reveal the most floral bouquet of the top wines, a midnight-deep dark rose and violets aroma, on cassis and rich pure berry, the oak very much in the background. Palate is both leaner and silkier than the more highly rated wines, yet still wonderfully concentrated with another black cherry-like berry in the cassis adding magic to the flavour. New oak becomes apparent in mouth, and the richness grows and grows. Deceptive wine, potentially as long-lived and beautiful as the 1966 Prieure-Lichine still is today, back when the chateau was more highly regarded than later in the last century. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/10
Bommes, Sauternes AOC, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $83 [ cork; price / 750 ml, original landed EP price $77; Se 80%, SB 18, Mu 2; BF and 12 – 14 months in barrel 30% new; greatly improved since 1986, introduction of second wine, new oak etc; Parker – making better and better wines; Wine Spectator 2004: strong tropical fruits and honey. Full-bodied with apricots, botrytis and spice … 95; Parker 146 (in 2003): a big, sweet, honeyed Sauternes with loads of fruit, but not a great deal of complexity. Light gold-colored and full-bodied, with plenty of pineapple, honeysuckle, and marmalade notes as well as a hint of caramel, there is a lot going on in this young but promising 2001. To 2020. 90 – 92 ]
Light gold, about half way in colour depth and development. Initially opened, the oak is a bit disorganised on this wine, making the VA seem a little prominent. A few vigorous swirls of the glass, however, and it settles to classic golden peach, grapefruit marmalade, raisins and botrytis sauternes, with aromatic oak and some VA making the marmalade deliciously piquant. Palate shows good concentration, complex quite strong flavours as for bouquet, and excellent fresh acid, balancing the sweetness superbly. Flavoursome wine for cellaring 10 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Light gold, about half way in colour depth and development. Initially opened, the oak is a bit disorganised on this wine, making the VA seem a little prominent. A few vigorous swirls of the glass, however, and it settles to classic golden peach, grapefruit marmalade, raisins and botrytis sauternes, with aromatic oak and some VA making the marmalade deliciously piquant. Palate shows good concentration, complex quite strong flavours as for bouquet, and excellent fresh acid, balancing the sweetness superbly. Flavoursome wine for cellaring 10 – 20 years. GK 04/06
Sudpfalz, Germany: 12.5%; $50 [ cork; the Rebholz family have been winemakers since at least 1632, with a focus on riesling; there tends to be long skin contact for the whites, up to 24 hours; the whites are mostly all-stainless steel; viticulture is organic on calcareous sediments; for the website, the more detailed parts are in German; www.oekonomierat-rebholz.com ]
Lemon. Bouquet is delightful, nearly floral and linden blossom, clear freshcut hay with species such as sweet vernal, a thread of mineral. Palate is even better, redolent of riesling aromas and citrusy flavours, long, dry, an elegant terpene backbone but not phenolic, long acid, the real thing. There is nearly a suggestion of English primroses in the floral component too, a rare, elusive and highly desirable attribute. Aftertaste is long, elegant, definitive riesling. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/17
Lemon. Bouquet is delightful, nearly floral and linden blossom, clear freshcut hay with species such as sweet vernal, a thread of mineral. Palate is even better, redolent of riesling aromas and citrusy flavours, long, dry, an elegant terpene backbone but not phenolic, long acid, the real thing. There is nearly a suggestion of English primroses in the floral component too, a rare, elusive and highly desirable attribute. Aftertaste is long, elegant, definitive riesling. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/17
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $504 [ cork; up to 22 months in 100% new French oak; Rousseau owns 1.4 ha, 9.2% of the vineyard; making approx 500 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, the second-lightest wine. The last several vintages, I have rated Clos de Beze my top of the Rousseau set, but this year it is closer to Saint-Jacques in being quite new-oaky, though demonstrably richer. It does not seem quite as rich as the Clos de la Roche, and is clearly less rich and concentrated than the Chambertin. Total style is classic fragrant red-fruits Rousseau, and as the oak marries in, I imagine it will outpoint the Saint-Jacques in 10 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years, at least. GK 11/08
Pinot noir ruby, the second-lightest wine. The last several vintages, I have rated Clos de Beze my top of the Rousseau set, but this year it is closer to Saint-Jacques in being quite new-oaky, though demonstrably richer. It does not seem quite as rich as the Clos de la Roche, and is clearly less rich and concentrated than the Chambertin. Total style is classic fragrant red-fruits Rousseau, and as the oak marries in, I imagine it will outpoint the Saint-Jacques in 10 years. Cellar 10 – 25 years, at least. GK 11/08
Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $314 [ cork; up to 22 months in 100% new French oak; Rousseau owns 2.2 ha, 33% of the vineyard; making approx 725 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, lighter than the Chambertin. This is the most perfectly and explicitly floral of the Rousseaus, showing red rose, boronia and Lisbon lemon blossom notes with a hint of something more aromatic still, like thyme. Palate is crisper, oakier and tighter than the top four wines, not as rich as the Clos de Beze, over-oaked relative to the Mazy, but at this stage so beautifully floral that pulls it up in the ranking. It will harmonise in cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Pinot noir ruby, lighter than the Chambertin. This is the most perfectly and explicitly floral of the Rousseaus, showing red rose, boronia and Lisbon lemon blossom notes with a hint of something more aromatic still, like thyme. Palate is crisper, oakier and tighter than the top four wines, not as rich as the Clos de Beze, over-oaked relative to the Mazy, but at this stage so beautifully floral that pulls it up in the ranking. It will harmonise in cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $288 [ cork; up to 22 months usually in one third new French oak; Rousseau owns 1.1 ha, 32% of the vineyard, making approx 350 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. On bouquet, this wine is confuseable with best Martinborough, there being a distinct pennyroyal / slightly minty note in the aromatic and floral red-fruits bouquet. As one tastes it however, it is richer, and a Lisbon lemon floral quality creeps in too, aromatic, seductive, distracting from the red and black fruits and quite high new oak. The differences between these wines are awfully subtle. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. On bouquet, this wine is confuseable with best Martinborough, there being a distinct pennyroyal / slightly minty note in the aromatic and floral red-fruits bouquet. As one tastes it however, it is richer, and a Lisbon lemon floral quality creeps in too, aromatic, seductive, distracting from the red and black fruits and quite high new oak. The differences between these wines are awfully subtle. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/08
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $83 [ cork, 50mm; original price c.$30; Gr c.65%, Sy c.15, Mv c.15, some Ci; hand-harvested, average yield 3.75 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; cuvaison in s/s, some whole-bunches; elevation c. 12 months, more than 50% of the wine in concrete vat and large wood, less than half in 1 – 4 year barriques; usually no fining or filtering; tending organic wine; no Valbelle in 1999; J. L-L, 2011: There is a gentle curve of red fruit on the bouquet, which has a grainy depth; that brings in more black fruit beyond, which has good heart, carries licorice with it. Salty, fine fruit lead to the palate – this is fresh, runs straight and true, the freshness is sparkling. It ends on an accomplished length, thanks to a really tasty herbal-floral flourish. The tannins are a bit gritty still. To 2025. [ Earlier comment: Good richness within ], ****(*); R. Parker, 2000: (1999 is 70% Gr, 25% Sy, and 5% Ci) ... sweet aromas of blackberry fruit, roasted meats, and cassis. Chewy, powerful, full-bodied, superbly concentrated, pure, and well-balanced ... to 2014, 90 – 92 ; www.saintcosme.com ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, below midway in depth. This bouquet stands out in the set, showing a slightly garrigue-influenced florality and charm on red fruits which in style tiptoes towards the Cote de Nuits. There are suggestions of whole-bunch freshness, fragrance and complexity – all exceptionally beautiful. Palate is not quite as rich as some, but the quality of flavour makes up for that. The red fruits plus spice of grenache dominate, but it is easy to imagine some black pepper aromatics from syrah, too. Being the standard cuvée of Saint Cosme Gigondas, there is no new oak, but nonetheless reasonably young oak notes do lengthen the palate. This is totally pure wine, fresh to a remarkable degree reflecting the whole bunch component, a southern Rhone wine to show to those who dismiss Chateauneuf-du-Pape and its related winestyles as either too alcoholic, too strong / heavy, or too bretty. This Saint Cosme is exemplary. Four people rated it their top or second wine – fair enough: it defines modern Gigondas. Fully mature now, but will hold 10 years at least. GK 03/19
Glowing garnet and ruby, below midway in depth. This bouquet stands out in the set, showing a slightly garrigue-influenced florality and charm on red fruits which in style tiptoes towards the Cote de Nuits. There are suggestions of whole-bunch freshness, fragrance and complexity – all exceptionally beautiful. Palate is not quite as rich as some, but the quality of flavour makes up for that. The red fruits plus spice of grenache dominate, but it is easy to imagine some black pepper aromatics from syrah, too. Being the standard cuvée of Saint Cosme Gigondas, there is no new oak, but nonetheless reasonably young oak notes do lengthen the palate. This is totally pure wine, fresh to a remarkable degree reflecting the whole bunch component, a southern Rhone wine to show to those who dismiss Chateauneuf-du-Pape and its related winestyles as either too alcoholic, too strong / heavy, or too bretty. This Saint Cosme is exemplary. Four people rated it their top or second wine – fair enough: it defines modern Gigondas. Fully mature now, but will hold 10 years at least. GK 03/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $50 [ cork, 50 mm; certified organic wine; Gr 80% >75 years age, Mv 15, Sy & Ci 5 mostly de-stemmed, co-fermented; extended cuvaisons sometimes to 6 weeks; elevation c.12 months in large oak; not fined or filtered; production c.1,000 x 9-litre cases; Philippe Cambie consults; weight bottle and cork 635 g; www.domainesaintdamien.com ]
Bright ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the deepest 10, for colour. Bouquet is wonderfully fragrant, with delicate lifted nearly floral garrigue aromatics, much more fragrant than the Soumade Rasteau. Fruit shows both red and spicy grenache, and darker syrah and mourvedre, wonderfully complex and grapey. Palate introduces the subtlest newish oak to saturated dark berry flavours, even some cassis, no hint of heaviness, a delight. The length and delicacy of the aftertaste is revelatory, with less apparent newish oak than Les Souteyrades. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Bright ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the deepest 10, for colour. Bouquet is wonderfully fragrant, with delicate lifted nearly floral garrigue aromatics, much more fragrant than the Soumade Rasteau. Fruit shows both red and spicy grenache, and darker syrah and mourvedre, wonderfully complex and grapey. Palate introduces the subtlest newish oak to saturated dark berry flavours, even some cassis, no hint of heaviness, a delight. The length and delicacy of the aftertaste is revelatory, with less apparent newish oak than Les Souteyrades. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $47 [ cork, 50 mm; certified organic wine; Gr 80%, 70 years age, Mv 20, co-fermented; extended cuvaisons sometimes to 7 weeks; elevation c.12 months in large oak; not fined or filtered; production c.1,100 x 9-litre cases; Philippe Cambie consults; weight bottle and cork 625 g; www.domainesaintdamien.com ]
Ruby, just a wash of carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine has a florality and piquancy that immediately appeals, everything light and in proportion, some florals, some garrigue, then red fruits grading to black, slightly aromatic, all beautifully melded. As soon as you taste it, there is a lightness of touch, yet a quality of flavour, which makes you ask: is this Gigondas ? Even though the alcohol is higher than one would wish, several of the Gigondas in this tasting beautifully illustrate the concept: all the aroma and flavour of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but not as rich. Aftertaste is gorgeous on berry and garrigue, with subtlest newish oak. This wine wears its 20% mourvedre very lightly, but that should make it particularly long-lived. It is subtler than the Espiers. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Ruby, just a wash of carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. The bouquet on this wine has a florality and piquancy that immediately appeals, everything light and in proportion, some florals, some garrigue, then red fruits grading to black, slightly aromatic, all beautifully melded. As soon as you taste it, there is a lightness of touch, yet a quality of flavour, which makes you ask: is this Gigondas ? Even though the alcohol is higher than one would wish, several of the Gigondas in this tasting beautifully illustrate the concept: all the aroma and flavour of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but not as rich. Aftertaste is gorgeous on berry and garrigue, with subtlest newish oak. This wine wears its 20% mourvedre very lightly, but that should make it particularly long-lived. It is subtler than the Espiers. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $59 [ cork, 50mm; this vintage Gr 85%, Sy 5, Mv 5, Ci 5; elevation now 10 months in concrete vat (puncheons formerly); not fined or filtered, certified organic; production up to 2,750 x 9-litre cases; J.L-L, 2016: The bouquet is neat, carries attractive black berry and black cherry fruit ... and a note of licorice and tarriness. The palate ... stylish black fruit ... mild tannins ... It will show well quite soon, 2027-28, ***(*); J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2016: [ barrel sample ] The stunning 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape is a wine to buy a case of as it has beautiful concentration and depth, as well as the elegance, purity and finesse that’s the hallmark of the estate, 91 – 93+; bottle weight 614g; www.st-prefert.fr ]
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth, fractionally deeper than its sister wine, as you would expect with less barrel exposure. One sniff in the blind line-up, and (due to the way the wines were sequenced) this was the first wine to express the thought: a year of perfect ripeness. Here are fragrant red fruits but with a smattering of aromatic dark grapes too, in a wine of excellent fruit maturity and total purity. Though the understanding is for a concrete-raised wine, you would swear there is trace new oak complexity here too. Flavours in mouth are soft, long, supple, complex, again illustrating grenache to perfection, but spiced with blending varieties, and all sweetly-fruited to the finish. This wine has to be the outstanding value of the tasting, $59 for a fully-ranking Chateauneuf-du-Pape being a gift on today's prices. Anybody who doesn't buy a case of this wine simply doesn't like Southern Rhone Valley wine all that much. A wonderful wine, totally pure, to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Ruby, some velvet, midway in depth, fractionally deeper than its sister wine, as you would expect with less barrel exposure. One sniff in the blind line-up, and (due to the way the wines were sequenced) this was the first wine to express the thought: a year of perfect ripeness. Here are fragrant red fruits but with a smattering of aromatic dark grapes too, in a wine of excellent fruit maturity and total purity. Though the understanding is for a concrete-raised wine, you would swear there is trace new oak complexity here too. Flavours in mouth are soft, long, supple, complex, again illustrating grenache to perfection, but spiced with blending varieties, and all sweetly-fruited to the finish. This wine has to be the outstanding value of the tasting, $59 for a fully-ranking Chateauneuf-du-Pape being a gift on today's prices. Anybody who doesn't buy a case of this wine simply doesn't like Southern Rhone Valley wine all that much. A wonderful wine, totally pure, to cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Tuscany, Central Italy: 12.6%; $1,174 [ cork; CS 85%, CF 15; the following information is summarised from robertparker.com and the Sassicaia website. First plantings of Bordeaux varietals 1944. From 1948 to 1967, the wine remained experimental and private, the first commercial release being 1968. It soon became known as the first of the so-called super-Tuscans. It then had to be labelled Vino da Tavola, due to its non-conforming cepage. It was upgraded to DoC Bolgheri Sassicaia in 1994. This is both the first and the only single-vineyard DoC in Italy farmed by a single producer. Sassicaia comes mainly from 48 hectares between 100 and 300 m asl, Tenuta San Guido's oldest and best vineyards. Planting density then 3,600 to 5,500 plants per hectare. Fermentation then in s/s, temperature controlled to max 30-31°, cuvaison c.12 days. Elevation 22 months in 60% French barriques, 40% Yugoslavian, c.60% of the wood new. Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 84; J. Robinson, 2010 [ Note: JR has marked 1985 Sassicaia 20 points, admitting to having become "lost" in the wine. ] Quite a light vintage - made without agronomists or vine management, we were reminded. First bottle pretty oxidised nose. Second bottle apparently lightly oxidised but then it blossomed. But very sweet and rich and slightly high in VA. But sleek and there is much more meat to it than most red bordeaux 1978. Very lively. Flirtatious. Quite high in acidity. But lovely stuff!, 18.5; unfortunately the Parker website now does not show the earlier reviews of Sassicaia, a new approach I deplore. The only review is from a recent vertical reported on by Monica Larner, 2017: ... the 1978 Sassicaia is another surprise ... The wine delivers a remarkable sense of integrity and fullness with dark fruit, pressed rose and lavender, canned fruit, savory spice, barbecue spice and a sharp touch of sour cherry that grabs your attention at the end. The intensity of the bouquet underlines the warm Tuscan growing conditions and the ease in which optimal ripeness can be achieved in this sun-kissed territory. The fine tannins are folded neatly within the wine's streamlined texture. The 1978 vintage shows strong signs of life, through to 2022, 90; present-day production c.16,650 x 9-litre cases; www.tenutasanguido.com/eng/sassicaia.html ]
Ruby more than garnet, clearly the deepest and most youthful wine. And bouquet matches the colour impression exactly, clearly bigger and riper than any of the Bordeaux, but at the same time, not so complex, fragrant, and nearly floral as the best of them. The high cabernet sauvignon comes across as clear cassis, bigger and riper than the other wines but still exciting, with quite big oak. In mouth the impression of size on bouquet is instantly confirmed, nearly a suggestion of Australian ripeness, almost too much sunshine and new oak, but it was not apparent if there had been a tartaric acid adjustment, the finish being gentle and attractive. The wine is remarkably in-style for the grapes, but seemed more modern in every respect, bigger, riper, just a little burly. This confusion of impressions resulted in the wine being top-rated by only one taster, but no less than eight had it as their second-favourite wine. In a Bordeaux-themed tasting, that is an interesting and thoughtful response. 1978 Sassicaia will cellar for another 20 years, at least, corks willing. GK 10/18
Ruby more than garnet, clearly the deepest and most youthful wine. And bouquet matches the colour impression exactly, clearly bigger and riper than any of the Bordeaux, but at the same time, not so complex, fragrant, and nearly floral as the best of them. The high cabernet sauvignon comes across as clear cassis, bigger and riper than the other wines but still exciting, with quite big oak. In mouth the impression of size on bouquet is instantly confirmed, nearly a suggestion of Australian ripeness, almost too much sunshine and new oak, but it was not apparent if there had been a tartaric acid adjustment, the finish being gentle and attractive. The wine is remarkably in-style for the grapes, but seemed more modern in every respect, bigger, riper, just a little burly. This confusion of impressions resulted in the wine being top-rated by only one taster, but no less than eight had it as their second-favourite wine. In a Bordeaux-themed tasting, that is an interesting and thoughtful response. 1978 Sassicaia will cellar for another 20 years, at least, corks willing. GK 10/18
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $40 [ TE ]
Good ruby. A remarkable bouquet, astonishingly burgundian in a Cote de Nuits fragrant sense. It is deeply floral, with attractive berryfruit and spices. Already a remarkable degree of complexity in the smallfruits / oak interaction, yet the wine youthful. Exciting wine, complex and very dry. Cellar 10 –15 years. GK 01/01
Good ruby. A remarkable bouquet, astonishingly burgundian in a Cote de Nuits fragrant sense. It is deeply floral, with attractive berryfruit and spices. Already a remarkable degree of complexity in the smallfruits / oak interaction, yet the wine youthful. Exciting wine, complex and very dry. Cellar 10 –15 years. GK 01/01
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $50 [ cork, 55mm; Gr 70%, 60+ years, Sy 15, 40 years, Mv 15, 40 years; one half of the crop destemmed; viticulture tending organic; the website implies all the wine 12 months in second- and third-year barrels, then 10 months in foudre; Joe Czerwinski @ RP notes that the whole-bunch component is raised in concrete, not all in oak of various kinds, as the website implies; not fined or filtered; pH not given, but stated by the makers to be: ‘astonishingly low … which will give the wine: an unprecedented destiny; JR: 17.5; J. Suckling: 92; JC @ RP: 91-93; available from Caro’s, Auckland; www.tardieu-laurent.fr ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful colour, just above midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is really singing, again dark berries nearly hinting at cassis, much dark plum, a lot of herbes / garrigue aromatic lift, and fragrant near-cedary newish oak. This bouquet has real zing. In mouth the fruit richness is nearly as deep as the Rasteau, astonishing freshness and flavour, not quite as rich as the top three but in some ways fresher and more uplifting. This wine shows benchmark-quality garrigue complexity, beautiful. It captures the qualities described for the vintage superbly. Two first-places. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 04/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a beautiful colour, just above midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine is really singing, again dark berries nearly hinting at cassis, much dark plum, a lot of herbes / garrigue aromatic lift, and fragrant near-cedary newish oak. This bouquet has real zing. In mouth the fruit richness is nearly as deep as the Rasteau, astonishing freshness and flavour, not quite as rich as the top three but in some ways fresher and more uplifting. This wine shows benchmark-quality garrigue complexity, beautiful. It captures the qualities described for the vintage superbly. Two first-places. Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 04/19
Havelock North Hills and Tukituki Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $76 [ cork 49mm; price to $110 in some locations; Sy 100% from the closely-allied Limmer and MS clones, planted at an average 4,165 vines per hectare in two sites, one south of Havelock North, one in the Tukituki Valley. Both sites are hillsides, and have a calcareous component in the SPMs, adding great interest to the range of soil types represented in our tasting. One site the vines are 6 years age, the other 15 +, all hand-picked at an average 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; no whole-bunches retained, but all whole-berry, with mostly wild-yeast ferments, supplemented by cultured; three to eight days cold-soak, 20 days on-skins / cuvaison in total, MLF in barrel the following spring; 10 months in French oak 60% new pre-assembly, then a further 10 months post-assembly; sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 28.4 g/L; production 290 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 990g; no reviews local or overseas found, so winemaker’s profile: For all its ripeness, the wine has retained a vibrancy and great complexity on the nose. The palate is plush with typical violet, spice, black cherry and subtle white pepper notes. Supple chalky tannins provide a structure that promise time in bottle will be rewarded. Reference to white pepper interesting, this character usually being seen as indicating sub-optimal ripeness; https://teawangaestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is highly floral on this wine, with a lighter component linking exactly to the dianthus / carnations and wallflowers spectrum of florals which typifies fine syrah. Below is aromatic cassis, beautifully pure dark berries, and cedary oak. There are reminders of Cote Rotie here. Palate reveals a good sensation of berry flesh, and quite good richness, with somewhat lighter fruit flavours, not as darkly cassisy as the Hermitage. This will become a very pretty wine in cellar, as the berry and oak marry up, with reminders of a richer year of Te Mata Bullnose. Tasters were not as keen on this wine as I was, one second place. It will cellar for 10 – 20 years. GK 11/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is highly floral on this wine, with a lighter component linking exactly to the dianthus / carnations and wallflowers spectrum of florals which typifies fine syrah. Below is aromatic cassis, beautifully pure dark berries, and cedary oak. There are reminders of Cote Rotie here. Palate reveals a good sensation of berry flesh, and quite good richness, with somewhat lighter fruit flavours, not as darkly cassisy as the Hermitage. This will become a very pretty wine in cellar, as the berry and oak marry up, with reminders of a richer year of Te Mata Bullnose. Tasters were not as keen on this wine as I was, one second place. It will cellar for 10 – 20 years. GK 11/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $53 [ cork 45mm; originally $50; Gr 95%, Sy 5, hand-harvested from 35-year-old vines; part of the crop spends up to 6 months in old oak casks; otherwise elevation in concrete or s/s for c.24 months: Parker observes (summarised): Readers looking for a Vacqueyras made in the image of the renowned Chateauneuf-du-Pape from Ch Rayas should seek out … this wine … the proprietor is Bernard Reynaud, brother of the late Jacques Reynaud of Ch Rayas … the selection is severe, only one third of the crop is bottled as this wine … yields are amongst the lowest in the appellation … resulting in a powerful rich concentrated style of Vacqueyras that ages well. Parker, 10/00: The flamboyant bouquet offers a fabulous expression of Grenache harvested at sur-maturité that has not been compromised by aging in new oak. The flavors are all fruit, glycerin, and kirsch liqueur. Made from 100% Grenache, the wine exhibits a layered texture, low acidity ... a superb example of Vacqueyras ... P.S. I bought two cases: 90; weight bottle and closure: 577 g; not much info at: www.chateaurayas.fr/domainedestours.htm, a bit more at; www.chateauneuf.dk/vacqueyras/en/vacen11.htm ]
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, a perfect mature Southern Rhone wine colour. Bouquet on this wine is simply heavenly, almost perfection in grenache, red fruits browning now, but the term 'red fruits' seems almost inadequate for what you smell here, all lifted by complex cedary / silver pine essential oils characteristic of maturing grenache. Little or no brett. Palate is succulent, only word for it, illustrating dramatically that grenache at its purest and most sympathetically handled, with little or no new oak, is like a kind of 'more exciting' / more spirity pinot noir. Dramatically good wine, by far the best bottle of this vintage of des Tours I have tasted. Not favoured so much by the group however, two only tasters rating it their second favourite. Fully mature now, but will hold some years. GK 08/16
Rosy ruby, garnet and velvet, a perfect mature Southern Rhone wine colour. Bouquet on this wine is simply heavenly, almost perfection in grenache, red fruits browning now, but the term 'red fruits' seems almost inadequate for what you smell here, all lifted by complex cedary / silver pine essential oils characteristic of maturing grenache. Little or no brett. Palate is succulent, only word for it, illustrating dramatically that grenache at its purest and most sympathetically handled, with little or no new oak, is like a kind of 'more exciting' / more spirity pinot noir. Dramatically good wine, by far the best bottle of this vintage of des Tours I have tasted. Not favoured so much by the group however, two only tasters rating it their second favourite. Fully mature now, but will hold some years. GK 08/16
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $421 [ cork 50mm, then Me 90%, CF 10; vines average 6,200 / ha; time in barrel c.20 months, 40% new; 2050 cases; skimpy website; www.moueix.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the older, in the middle for weight. Bouquet here is reminiscent of the Petrus 1990, big, fragrant, but all tending just a little hotter-climate / over-ripened in style, scarcely any florals, more leathery (+ve, almost), browning plummy fruits, subtle cedary oak. Palate is velvety rich, quite elegant, still some tannins to resolve, much richer than the Prieuré but not the varietal precision, interesting. A wine like this makes you reflect on winewriters from hotter climates. If they have never been exposed to the multidimensional beauty of grapes and wines grown in a temperate viticultural climate, wines that is, with a clear floral component, then it is understandable that over-ripe wines will be marked up. Taken as a whole, this wine just scrapes into gold-medal ranking, on its harmony and balance. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the older, in the middle for weight. Bouquet here is reminiscent of the Petrus 1990, big, fragrant, but all tending just a little hotter-climate / over-ripened in style, scarcely any florals, more leathery (+ve, almost), browning plummy fruits, subtle cedary oak. Palate is velvety rich, quite elegant, still some tannins to resolve, much richer than the Prieuré but not the varietal precision, interesting. A wine like this makes you reflect on winewriters from hotter climates. If they have never been exposed to the multidimensional beauty of grapes and wines grown in a temperate viticultural climate, wines that is, with a clear floral component, then it is understandable that over-ripe wines will be marked up. Taken as a whole, this wine just scrapes into gold-medal ranking, on its harmony and balance. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Pomerol (highly-rated), Bordeaux,, France: – %; $1,336 [ cork 54 mm, ullage 18 mm; original price c.$62; cepage then approx. Me 90, CF 10; planted at c.6,200 vines / ha, average age of vines c.28 years, cropped at c.39 hl/ha (5.05 t/ha = 2 t/ac); typically 20 – 24 months in barrel, 33 – 50% new; Parker in 1991 noted that since 1953 Ch Trotanoy has been owned by the merchant firm Moueix ... but that in the later '70s the style lightened. Parker queried whether the fining and filtration that the firm was then committed to had lightened the wine. He felt that though other Pomerols had overtaken it in the last two decades, it still rated as a Medoc second-growth. He also noted that (happily) the 1982 was an exception to his doubts for the wines of the 1970s and 1980s. Broadbent, 2002: ... very distinctive, full of flesh, fruit and of course tannic, ****; Parker, 1991: ... even more fascinating and dazzling than I initially thought ... the finest wine made at this estate since the 1961 ... a profound bouquet of rich berry fruit, licorice, coffee, mineral, and spicy oak. Massive and huge on the palate, with superb balance and phenomenal concentration and richness, it is much more evolved and forward than Petrus ... to 2008, 97; Parker, 2000: ... close to full maturity ... abundant sweet black cherry fruit, smoky, mineral, earth, and dried herb aromas. Fleshy, spicy, and full-bodied, with the vintage's tell-tale succulence, high glycerin, and low acidity giving the wine a fat, plush personality, this 1982 should drink well for another decade, 95; W. Kelley, 2022: Today, the 1982 Trotanoy is showing brilliantly, bursting from the glass with rich aromas of sweet berries, cigar wrapper, black truffle, petals and confit orange. Full-bodied, supple and sensual, its ample core of fruit framed by melting tannins, it's one of the most seamless, viscerally appealing wines of the vintage that remains comparatively underrated given its extraordinary quality, 97; weight bottle and closure 549 g; www.moueix.com/pomerol/trotanoy ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, just below midway in weight of colour, the second to least in redness. The bouquet subtle alongside the Medocs, lacking the aromatics of cabernet sauvignon, instead a fading salmon-hued roses quality on red fruits browning now, some pipe tobacco, and oak of a rare subtlety and finesse … like the Cos. Palate is richer and suppler than the Montrose, almost velvety, but (my quirk) lacking the aromatics and therefore the interest of cabernet sauvignon-informed clarets. As for La Lagune, I thought this the finest Trotanoy in some years. In terms of both quality of palate, and to highlight the contrast between cabernet sauvignon-led clarets and merlot-led clarets, I placed this wine between the Gruaud-Larose and Cos d'Estournel, in the latter half of the tasting. This worked well, nine tasters identifying it as a merlot-led wine. Top wine for one, second favourite for two. At perfect maturity now, maybe shortening-up just a little. A hint of tannin fur on the aftertaste. GK 11/23
Glowing garnet and ruby, just below midway in weight of colour, the second to least in redness. The bouquet subtle alongside the Medocs, lacking the aromatics of cabernet sauvignon, instead a fading salmon-hued roses quality on red fruits browning now, some pipe tobacco, and oak of a rare subtlety and finesse … like the Cos. Palate is richer and suppler than the Montrose, almost velvety, but (my quirk) lacking the aromatics and therefore the interest of cabernet sauvignon-informed clarets. As for La Lagune, I thought this the finest Trotanoy in some years. In terms of both quality of palate, and to highlight the contrast between cabernet sauvignon-led clarets and merlot-led clarets, I placed this wine between the Gruaud-Larose and Cos d'Estournel, in the latter half of the tasting. This worked well, nine tasters identifying it as a merlot-led wine. Top wine for one, second favourite for two. At perfect maturity now, maybe shortening-up just a little. A hint of tannin fur on the aftertaste. GK 11/23
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $ – [ cork 49mm; Gr 70%, Sy 15, Mv 10, Ci 5; big old wood only, then, for c.22 months. This is a rare (and sole) bottle: John Livingstone-Learmonth, the latterday authority on the Rhone Valley, records that in 1978 the Bruniers made 225,000 litres of the grand vin, but bottled only 7,500 for their own label. The rest was sold in bulk to Jaboulet, Chapoutier, and other negociants. This bottle bought at Kermit Lynch's (San Francisco) in 1981. He pioneered Vieux Telegraphe in America, and remains a, perhaps the, pre-eminent importer of French wine there. Because the domaine bottling is so rare, it is not even scheduled currently by wine-searcher.com, hard though that is to believe. The last lot I can find sold at auction for £175.
Livingstone-Learmonth last tasted this wine in 2012, at the vineyard with the Bruniers, when he rated it 6-stars, a rating he rarely gives. His notes (in his distinctive / eclectic style) mention: The bouquet now is enormously wide, with a deep, lingering black fruit presence. Quelle jeunesse … This is extraordinary, Grand Vin … a complete meal in its own right; he also records Daniel Brunier saying: “it is a vintage of Anthology – nothing was done; no destemming, only a light crush, fermented in a closed foudre … so no intervention here, just the heart of the maker, made in innocence".
Parker is of the view that the 1978 is the last of the great Vieux Telegraphes – he bought four cases of it: in one review he refers to it as: The colossal 1978 remains the reference point wine for Vieux Telegraphe, although the 1998 may challenge it; in 2003 his FIFTH note on it maintains a score of 94 and says: One of the great classics of Chateauneuf du Pape is the 1978 made by Henri Brunier. This wine, which has given me immense pleasure, offers a sensational smorgasbord of aromas, including compost, pepper, black fruits, smoked meats, Vaucluse truffles, licorice, and incense. The aromatics easily merit a perfect 100-point score. In the mouth, this huge wine is massive, thick, and unctuous, with the concentration of a dry vintage port. An amazing effort, it remains the quintessential classic Vieux-Telegraphe, that perhaps only the 1998 will come close to rivaling. The 1978 has been fully mature for over a decade, but the color remains a dark plum/purple with little signs of evolution. Drink it over the next decade. An amazing wine!
Jancis Robinson rated it 19 in 2009, saying: This was a stunning bottle. Very very dark crimson. Sleek and polished and sweet and spicy. Wonderfully flattering texture and fully evolved enveloping bouquet. Just gorgeous. Very long. Great wine that survived in an open decanter for 24 hours (until I finished it). In all her years tasting, she has rated only four Chateauneufs higher, and two of them are Beaucastel's Homage a Jacques Perrin, which is more a $500 bottle (current). So with luck, cork willing, this should be a benchmark experience; www.brunier.fr ]
Good near-velvety ruby, some garnet, well above midway. Bouquet is simply astonishing, being youthful (along with one other) in the company of mostly much more mellow and fragrant wines. The depth of grenache-based but deeply aromatic (mourvedre ?) berry and fruit is astonishing. It does not have the beautiful burgundian quality of bouquet Les Cedres shows, the fruit being altogether more, dare I say it, primary. In mouth the wine is darkly and freshly plummy, more tannic than the bouquet would suggest (the mourvedre again), with a perfume reminding of pink pine (manool – bespeaking the grenache) emerging. As Harry Waugh used to say, it has tannin to lose (and aplenty) before it becomes as beautiful as Les Cedres, but it is mightily impressive. One first place. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/14
Livingstone-Learmonth last tasted this wine in 2012, at the vineyard with the Bruniers, when he rated it 6-stars, a rating he rarely gives. His notes (in his distinctive / eclectic style) mention: The bouquet now is enormously wide, with a deep, lingering black fruit presence. Quelle jeunesse … This is extraordinary, Grand Vin … a complete meal in its own right; he also records Daniel Brunier saying: “it is a vintage of Anthology – nothing was done; no destemming, only a light crush, fermented in a closed foudre … so no intervention here, just the heart of the maker, made in innocence".
Parker is of the view that the 1978 is the last of the great Vieux Telegraphes – he bought four cases of it: in one review he refers to it as: The colossal 1978 remains the reference point wine for Vieux Telegraphe, although the 1998 may challenge it; in 2003 his FIFTH note on it maintains a score of 94 and says: One of the great classics of Chateauneuf du Pape is the 1978 made by Henri Brunier. This wine, which has given me immense pleasure, offers a sensational smorgasbord of aromas, including compost, pepper, black fruits, smoked meats, Vaucluse truffles, licorice, and incense. The aromatics easily merit a perfect 100-point score. In the mouth, this huge wine is massive, thick, and unctuous, with the concentration of a dry vintage port. An amazing effort, it remains the quintessential classic Vieux-Telegraphe, that perhaps only the 1998 will come close to rivaling. The 1978 has been fully mature for over a decade, but the color remains a dark plum/purple with little signs of evolution. Drink it over the next decade. An amazing wine!
Jancis Robinson rated it 19 in 2009, saying: This was a stunning bottle. Very very dark crimson. Sleek and polished and sweet and spicy. Wonderfully flattering texture and fully evolved enveloping bouquet. Just gorgeous. Very long. Great wine that survived in an open decanter for 24 hours (until I finished it). In all her years tasting, she has rated only four Chateauneufs higher, and two of them are Beaucastel's Homage a Jacques Perrin, which is more a $500 bottle (current). So with luck, cork willing, this should be a benchmark experience; www.brunier.fr ]
Good near-velvety ruby, some garnet, well above midway. Bouquet is simply astonishing, being youthful (along with one other) in the company of mostly much more mellow and fragrant wines. The depth of grenache-based but deeply aromatic (mourvedre ?) berry and fruit is astonishing. It does not have the beautiful burgundian quality of bouquet Les Cedres shows, the fruit being altogether more, dare I say it, primary. In mouth the wine is darkly and freshly plummy, more tannic than the bouquet would suggest (the mourvedre again), with a perfume reminding of pink pine (manool – bespeaking the grenache) emerging. As Harry Waugh used to say, it has tannin to lose (and aplenty) before it becomes as beautiful as Les Cedres, but it is mightily impressive. One first place. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/14
Pisa district, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ screwcap; main clones UCD 5, Abel, Dijon 777, planted at c.4,500 vines/ha, average age not given; all hand-picked @ an average of 5.8 t/ha (2.3 t/ac), c.15% whole-bunch, cold soak 4 – 6 days, all wild-yeast ferments, then c.19 days cuvaison; most of the wine c.10 months in French oak c.20% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS nil; dry extract not given; production 4,200 cases; www.mountedward.co.nz ]
Quite big pinot noir ruby, nearly a wash of carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. One sniff of this, and there is a deep dusky kind of florality quite in contrast to the Greystone. There is no buddleia in this, it is all deeper and more mysterious darkest red roses and violets, Gevrey-Chambertin, extraordinarily sensuous. Flavours and textures in mouth are nearly as definitively black cherry as the Cornish Point, the wine showing just a little less polish and mellowing in elevation. But when you reflect that this wine is less than half the price of the Cornish, it is a pretty wonderful example of fine Otago pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 2): 4 first places, 1 second, 2 least. GK 11/15
Quite big pinot noir ruby, nearly a wash of carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. One sniff of this, and there is a deep dusky kind of florality quite in contrast to the Greystone. There is no buddleia in this, it is all deeper and more mysterious darkest red roses and violets, Gevrey-Chambertin, extraordinarily sensuous. Flavours and textures in mouth are nearly as definitively black cherry as the Cornish Point, the wine showing just a little less polish and mellowing in elevation. But when you reflect that this wine is less than half the price of the Cornish, it is a pretty wonderful example of fine Otago pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 2): 4 first places, 1 second, 2 least. GK 11/15
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $61 [ 50mm cork; a ripe and warm year, 96 and ready for Parker; Sy 100; 90% Beaume vineyard, 10 Peleat; 21 days cuvaison, 16 months in new and 1-year 600-litre barrels; Parker, 2006: Closed and backward, the 2003 Hermitage’s saturated ruby/purple hue is followed by a smoky perfume of licorice, white flowers, and creme de cassis. With firm tannin, freshness, medium body, and a spicy finish, it is more tannic and backward than the Tete de Cuvee, with more potential complexity. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 15, 90; www.yannchave.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is rich, dark and exotic on this wine, yet within the bounds of syrah, not shiraz. It is wonderfully pure and fragrant, but not exactly floral – a function of the hot season it seems safe to say. Instead there is this deep translucent berry and dark fruit aroma, more aromatic than bottled black doris plums, more bottled omega. Additionally there is exotic note to it reminiscent of canned blueberries or even guavas. In mouth it is velvety rich, with surprisingly low oak and no new oak apparent at all, contra the general understanding. Grape tannins are soft and furry, and acid balance is slightly on the soft side, so with the low apparent oak it may not cellar ideally for the longest term. But though it may lack a little typicité, it is a gentle giant of a wine, and surprisingly fresh for its style. It is engaging now, and should be lovely over the next 5 – 15 years. Top wine for three people. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet is rich, dark and exotic on this wine, yet within the bounds of syrah, not shiraz. It is wonderfully pure and fragrant, but not exactly floral – a function of the hot season it seems safe to say. Instead there is this deep translucent berry and dark fruit aroma, more aromatic than bottled black doris plums, more bottled omega. Additionally there is exotic note to it reminiscent of canned blueberries or even guavas. In mouth it is velvety rich, with surprisingly low oak and no new oak apparent at all, contra the general understanding. Grape tannins are soft and furry, and acid balance is slightly on the soft side, so with the low apparent oak it may not cellar ideally for the longest term. But though it may lack a little typicité, it is a gentle giant of a wine, and surprisingly fresh for its style. It is engaging now, and should be lovely over the next 5 – 15 years. Top wine for three people. GK 09/14
Wintzenheim, Alsace, France: 14.5%; $109 [ cork; no website found ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is in a late harvest rich style, with botrytis, oak contact and light VA all introducing an almost sauternes-like fullness and complexity to great lychee and golden queen peach fruit. And florals are not missing either, with wild ginger and almost citronella complexities. Palate is wonderfully rich and flavoursome, extending all the bouquet qualities into a bigger and bolder wine with all the flavours (and more) of the Ihumatao wine. Due to the extra sweetness (full medium) and botrytis, it lacks the pinpoint varietal focus and delicacy of that wine. VA roughens the finish a little. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 08/06
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is in a late harvest rich style, with botrytis, oak contact and light VA all introducing an almost sauternes-like fullness and complexity to great lychee and golden queen peach fruit. And florals are not missing either, with wild ginger and almost citronella complexities. Palate is wonderfully rich and flavoursome, extending all the bouquet qualities into a bigger and bolder wine with all the flavours (and more) of the Ihumatao wine. Due to the extra sweetness (full medium) and botrytis, it lacks the pinpoint varietal focus and delicacy of that wine. VA roughens the finish a little. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 08/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ cork; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 3.5 t/ac, hand-harvested, 95% destemmed; 17 months in French oak 40% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, lovely. Bouquet is a great presentation of very ripe New Zealand syrah, deeply floral in a violets and lilac sense, beautiful cassis, dark plum and blueberry, smelling soft and enticing, yet clearly syrah more than shiraz. On palate one is surprised by the level of tannin and oak, which the bouquet gives little hint of, but there is the fruit there for it to marry up. It is a lighter wine than le Sol, but still as big as most of the big ones. This really needs to lose some tannin, at the moment, for in the richness it is potentially velvety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, lovely. Bouquet is a great presentation of very ripe New Zealand syrah, deeply floral in a violets and lilac sense, beautiful cassis, dark plum and blueberry, smelling soft and enticing, yet clearly syrah more than shiraz. On palate one is surprised by the level of tannin and oak, which the bouquet gives little hint of, but there is the fruit there for it to marry up. It is a lighter wine than le Sol, but still as big as most of the big ones. This really needs to lose some tannin, at the moment, for in the richness it is potentially velvety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; extended cuvaison followed by 18 months in French oak; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, much the same weight as the Clonakilla, but older. What a transformation here ! This wine has been through a relatively ugly patch, bearing no relation to the 2002 (so it seemed), yet suddenly, here it is, born again, fresh, floral, fragrant, all red fruits. Palate is delightfully succulent, more red cherry than cassis, some plum, subtle oak. Not explicitly varietal, but potentially delicious. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, much the same weight as the Clonakilla, but older. What a transformation here ! This wine has been through a relatively ugly patch, bearing no relation to the 2002 (so it seemed), yet suddenly, here it is, born again, fresh, floral, fragrant, all red fruits. Palate is delightfully succulent, more red cherry than cassis, some plum, subtle oak. Not explicitly varietal, but potentially delicious. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $23 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-picked @ c. 4 t/ac; de-stemmed; wild yeast fermentation; 15 months in French oak with nil new (NB); subsidiary of Craggy Range; www.wildrockwine.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about midway in depth. In some ways this is the benchmark wine of the set, showing superb varietal character in a plump, fully ripe wine. There are attractive dark florals, cassis and darkest plums through bouquet and palate, with wonderful fruit richness and spicy peppercorn developing on the late palate. The magical thing about this wine is the display of great varietal fruit character against superbly clean oak, but none of it new. A study wine for many winemakers, I think. Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is merely a commercial red – as the marks show, it is one of the top syrahs in the country. The soft yet dry finish is very attractive, showing beautiful tannins. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about midway in depth. In some ways this is the benchmark wine of the set, showing superb varietal character in a plump, fully ripe wine. There are attractive dark florals, cassis and darkest plums through bouquet and palate, with wonderful fruit richness and spicy peppercorn developing on the late palate. The magical thing about this wine is the display of great varietal fruit character against superbly clean oak, but none of it new. A study wine for many winemakers, I think. Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is merely a commercial red – as the marks show, it is one of the top syrahs in the country. The soft yet dry finish is very attractive, showing beautiful tannins. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 05/06
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $582 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet shows good freshness and nearly floral notes, port-wine magnolia, on cassisy, plummy and nearly blackberry fruit. The vanillin of still-new oak is noticeable too. Palate reveals good berry richer than expected from the vintage, and the same mix of berry flavours as bouquet, in an appealing cleaner / lower toast oak regime. It seems not quite as rich as the 2012, yet tastes markedly younger. One person had this as their second wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 91 years. GK 10/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the third deepest wine. Bouquet shows good freshness and nearly floral notes, port-wine magnolia, on cassisy, plummy and nearly blackberry fruit. The vanillin of still-new oak is noticeable too. Palate reveals good berry richer than expected from the vintage, and the same mix of berry flavours as bouquet, in an appealing cleaner / lower toast oak regime. It seems not quite as rich as the 2012, yet tastes markedly younger. One person had this as their second wine. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 91 years. GK 10/18
Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $ – [ 49mm cork; c.50 ml ullage; 1969 in general a 5-star vintage: 'superb, not unlike 1949' Broadbent says; noting that this wine is now 45 years old, Spurrier characterises Clos de la Roche as: The largest Grand Cru, and generally accepted to be the finest … a powerful wine with great depth and elegance … intense fruit; the vineyard named for the limestone outcrop in the vineyard; hand-harvested, some whole bunch usually, and cuvaison in open wooden vats 18 – 20 days; 12 – 18 months in barrels understood to be about 1/3 new; www.drouhin.com ]
Garnet and ruby, the second to lightest. Initially opened, and for a number of hours thereafter, including through the tasting, there was some deterioration of bouquet, more oxidation (or maderisation) than anything, as fits with 50 ml ullage loss. The next day it had freshened and sweetened unbelievably, so much so that one could see its former beauty clearly now even in old age, even faded rose-florals. Conversely in palate, it was right from the outset exquisite. The intensity, richness and concentration of pinpoint-perfect red and black cherry fruit, and the subtlety of the oak and new-oak component is absolutely benchmark. In terms of dry extract, I've not had a Drouhin Clos de la Roche as rich as this since the 1969 vintage, though over the years I have not tasted as many as I would wish, sadly. It seems the wine of another era. Had the bottle been in perfect condition for its age, it would have been the top wine of the entire tasting, by far. Few burgundies are so exquisitely floral, gently aromatic, yet astonishingly rich and perfectly Cote de Nuits as this. The de Vogue Musigny is bigger, but today's bottle otherwise lacking, and the Bonnes Mares is a little lighter, in terms of dry extract. The last bottle of the case, sadly again, and at the 45-year point, corks as a closure are becoming erratic. Perhaps best finished GK 10/14
Garnet and ruby, the second to lightest. Initially opened, and for a number of hours thereafter, including through the tasting, there was some deterioration of bouquet, more oxidation (or maderisation) than anything, as fits with 50 ml ullage loss. The next day it had freshened and sweetened unbelievably, so much so that one could see its former beauty clearly now even in old age, even faded rose-florals. Conversely in palate, it was right from the outset exquisite. The intensity, richness and concentration of pinpoint-perfect red and black cherry fruit, and the subtlety of the oak and new-oak component is absolutely benchmark. In terms of dry extract, I've not had a Drouhin Clos de la Roche as rich as this since the 1969 vintage, though over the years I have not tasted as many as I would wish, sadly. It seems the wine of another era. Had the bottle been in perfect condition for its age, it would have been the top wine of the entire tasting, by far. Few burgundies are so exquisitely floral, gently aromatic, yet astonishingly rich and perfectly Cote de Nuits as this. The de Vogue Musigny is bigger, but today's bottle otherwise lacking, and the Bonnes Mares is a little lighter, in terms of dry extract. The last bottle of the case, sadly again, and at the 45-year point, corks as a closure are becoming erratic. Perhaps best finished GK 10/14
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ cork; CS 38%, Me 30, CF 14, PV 12, Ma 6, all hand-harvested; all de-stemmed, cultured yeast, up to 21 days cuvaison; MLF and c.13 months in all-French oak 30% new; 395 cases; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the 2008 Larose. Bouquet needs a little air to show its best, then revealing fragrant dark plums, some cassis, hints of florals, and subtle oak, all very pure. Palate is a little less, now rather much oak concealing fair richness, and total acid up a little. Even though the fruit flavour and maturity is good, the wine is tending hard and youthful at this stage. It is riper and firmer than the Weeping Sands 2007 Cabernet / Merlot, and clearly intended for the long haul in cellar. Cellar 10 – 20 + years, though it might be on the lean and fragrant side by then. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the 2008 Larose. Bouquet needs a little air to show its best, then revealing fragrant dark plums, some cassis, hints of florals, and subtle oak, all very pure. Palate is a little less, now rather much oak concealing fair richness, and total acid up a little. Even though the fruit flavour and maturity is good, the wine is tending hard and youthful at this stage. It is riper and firmer than the Weeping Sands 2007 Cabernet / Merlot, and clearly intended for the long haul in cellar. Cellar 10 – 20 + years, though it might be on the lean and fragrant side by then. GK 06/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; 2005 a low-crop year; not much wine info on website; www.feltonroad.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. The standard wine has the clear floral components it is becoming famous for, but this year there is also a subtle aromatic lift, whether thyme or some kind of mint it is hard to say. In mouth, there is plump dark cherry and nearly dark plum fruit, a little oakier than some, but attractively balanced and finishing long. The aromatic note seems more noticeable on this occasion – I am puzzled by this. Great to see a number of the Otago wines being presented at 13.5% alcohol this year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. The standard wine has the clear floral components it is becoming famous for, but this year there is also a subtle aromatic lift, whether thyme or some kind of mint it is hard to say. In mouth, there is plump dark cherry and nearly dark plum fruit, a little oakier than some, but attractively balanced and finishing long. The aromatic note seems more noticeable on this occasion – I am puzzled by this. Great to see a number of the Otago wines being presented at 13.5% alcohol this year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $67 [ screwcap; Sh 100%; a barrel selection from the oldest shiraz blocks; partial BF in French and US oak 30% new, and 20 months in barrel; not filtered; www.darenberg.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is classically rich McLaren Vale shiraz, a little euc'y sadly, but much more restrained than in earlier years. The fruit is not so over-ripe, there still being a good component of blueberry and dark plum, and the oak is a lot more subtle, and with a higher percentage of French these days, rising to 100% in a few years. No American oak has been bought since 2005. Richness on palate is markedly greater than the other d'Arenberg shirazes, though the oak does increase somewhat in mouth. This should cellar well and soften, over 10 – 25 years. GK 07/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is classically rich McLaren Vale shiraz, a little euc'y sadly, but much more restrained than in earlier years. The fruit is not so over-ripe, there still being a good component of blueberry and dark plum, and the oak is a lot more subtle, and with a higher percentage of French these days, rising to 100% in a few years. No American oak has been bought since 2005. Richness on palate is markedly greater than the other d'Arenberg shirazes, though the oak does increase somewhat in mouth. This should cellar well and soften, over 10 – 25 years. GK 07/10
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $76 [ cork; PN 45%, Ch 30; PM 25; some reserve wines in blend; RS 10 g/L; 625 000 cases; www.mumm.com or www.adwnz.com ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet on this bubbly is intriguingly different, with a buttered toast quality combining the yeast autolysis and MLF component, on attractive fruit. Palate adds pale button mushrooms onto the buttered toast, with very beautiful complex flavours including cherry fruit. But as always with fine bubbly, though rich it is not fruity as such. Aftertaste is slightly more acid and phenolic than some, but the dosage covers it. Attractive. GK 11/05
Lemonstraw. Bouquet on this bubbly is intriguingly different, with a buttered toast quality combining the yeast autolysis and MLF component, on attractive fruit. Palate adds pale button mushrooms onto the buttered toast, with very beautiful complex flavours including cherry fruit. But as always with fine bubbly, though rich it is not fruity as such. Aftertaste is slightly more acid and phenolic than some, but the dosage covers it. Attractive. GK 11/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; SB 95%, Se 5, harvested in 6 picks to optimise flavour complexity, mostly cool night harvest, averaging 4 t/ac; all s/s ferments, some LA in tank; pH 3.29, RS 2.6 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet, ripe and mild, black passionfruit more than red capsicum, faintest sweet basil, all a little milder than the Astrolabe Voyage. Essential flavours are very similar, so this is a good Marlborough sauvignon for those who find many of them too sharp. It is drier than the commercial average, though. Cellar 2 – 8 years, to taste. GK 04/09
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet, ripe and mild, black passionfruit more than red capsicum, faintest sweet basil, all a little milder than the Astrolabe Voyage. Essential flavours are very similar, so this is a good Marlborough sauvignon for those who find many of them too sharp. It is drier than the commercial average, though. Cellar 2 – 8 years, to taste. GK 04/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $22 [ 18 months in oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This bouquet simply smells gorgeously plump, with richest, ripest, darkest plums plus some subsidiary cassis. Palate is less oaky and firm than many of the top wines, that making up for it being perhaps slightly less rich. It is still wonderfully full-bodied, redolent of cassisy plums and fragrant oak, and clearly suggesting Bordeaux in style. Considering this wine is just over $20 per bottle, it is a dramatic illustration of just how much progress the New Zealand red wine industry has achieved in the 20 short years since 1982 Te Mata Coleraine. Cellar 8 – 15 years. VALUE GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This bouquet simply smells gorgeously plump, with richest, ripest, darkest plums plus some subsidiary cassis. Palate is less oaky and firm than many of the top wines, that making up for it being perhaps slightly less rich. It is still wonderfully full-bodied, redolent of cassisy plums and fragrant oak, and clearly suggesting Bordeaux in style. Considering this wine is just over $20 per bottle, it is a dramatic illustration of just how much progress the New Zealand red wine industry has achieved in the 20 short years since 1982 Te Mata Coleraine. Cellar 8 – 15 years. VALUE GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels & other districts, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; details probably much as for 2006, Sy 100% hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 15 days cuvaison; c. 18 months in French and American oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This syrah opens a little quietly, just a shadow of reduction, needing a splashy decanting. It opens out to a classic Hawkes Bay example of the grape, not as rich as the Te Mata Bullnose, and a little oakier and more acid, but with cassis and blueberry fruits on palate. At the price the Villa Maria Cellar Selection wines have sometimes been promoted lately, this will be a classy yet affordable introduction to syrah. It will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This syrah opens a little quietly, just a shadow of reduction, needing a splashy decanting. It opens out to a classic Hawkes Bay example of the grape, not as rich as the Te Mata Bullnose, and a little oakier and more acid, but with cassis and blueberry fruits on palate. At the price the Villa Maria Cellar Selection wines have sometimes been promoted lately, this will be a classy yet affordable introduction to syrah. It will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Awatere Valley mostly, some Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.3%; $19 [ screwcap, all s/s; RS 4.1 g/L; www.tinpothut.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon colour. Bouquet is muffled at first – the whole wine benefits greatly from a splashy decanting. It then opens to reveal one of the classical Marlborough styles of sauvignon, with the elderflower character the English like so particularly. Palate is rich, combining black passionfruit and red capsicums with good texture. I suspect some careful lees-autolysis has gone into this, leaving behind a shadow of the component that shows to a fault in the unbreathed Pegasus Bay example. The long aftertaste is gorgeous, ripe, sauvignon ‘dry’, beautiful gentle acid, great food wine. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Elegant lemon colour. Bouquet is muffled at first – the whole wine benefits greatly from a splashy decanting. It then opens to reveal one of the classical Marlborough styles of sauvignon, with the elderflower character the English like so particularly. Palate is rich, combining black passionfruit and red capsicums with good texture. I suspect some careful lees-autolysis has gone into this, leaving behind a shadow of the component that shows to a fault in the unbreathed Pegasus Bay example. The long aftertaste is gorgeous, ripe, sauvignon ‘dry’, beautiful gentle acid, great food wine. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $133 [ cork, 55mm; Sy 100%; hand-picked from young vines as well as the main vineyards for La Chapelle, at <3 t/ha (1.2 t/ac); destemmed, details of production much as for La Chapelle, above; this is essentially the wines not making the now severely-tightened cut for La Chapelle proper, including younger and higher-cropping vines; production c.1,000 cases; no UK-based comment, Robert Parker, 2012: The 2010 Hermitage La Petite Chapelle is a better wine than nearly every Hermitage La Chapelle made under the final years of the Jaboulet family’s ownership (for example, 1993-2005). ... notes of camphor, tar, pepper, beef blood, black currant jam and hints of new saddle leather as well as earth. This supple, rich, full, authoritative beauty should drink well for 15-20 years, 92; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense quite different from La Chapelle proper, with a clearly more-ripe component to it which darkens the wine, just a hint of sur-maturité, but nowhere near as ripe as the Huchet. The label reveals it is more alcoholic too, that fitting in with the fruit of the younger vines being deployed in this wine. Palate shows a big dark flavour, lacking the florality and aromatic berry focus of the senior wine, instead more oaky. It was placed fifth in the lineup, and despite these reservations, it was the first to clearly state: I am Hermitage. The middle and later palate show a suggestion of burly almost ‘flat’ flavours, and older oak, relative to the La Chapelle. But the whole flavour is big, strong, and shows good concentration, totally syrah, and Hermitage. Three rated it their top wine, and one their second favourite, but it was the only wine to be thought not Rhone Valley by any of the tasters. Odd. Comparison of La Chapelle proper and this ‘second wine’, vintage for vintage, conveys volumes about the subtlety of the French approach to winemaking, and how they perceive wine quality. It is critically important that New Zealand winemakers, wine judges and wine-writers make these comparisons, but how many do ? Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 11/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense quite different from La Chapelle proper, with a clearly more-ripe component to it which darkens the wine, just a hint of sur-maturité, but nowhere near as ripe as the Huchet. The label reveals it is more alcoholic too, that fitting in with the fruit of the younger vines being deployed in this wine. Palate shows a big dark flavour, lacking the florality and aromatic berry focus of the senior wine, instead more oaky. It was placed fifth in the lineup, and despite these reservations, it was the first to clearly state: I am Hermitage. The middle and later palate show a suggestion of burly almost ‘flat’ flavours, and older oak, relative to the La Chapelle. But the whole flavour is big, strong, and shows good concentration, totally syrah, and Hermitage. Three rated it their top wine, and one their second favourite, but it was the only wine to be thought not Rhone Valley by any of the tasters. Odd. Comparison of La Chapelle proper and this ‘second wine’, vintage for vintage, conveys volumes about the subtlety of the French approach to winemaking, and how they perceive wine quality. It is critically important that New Zealand winemakers, wine judges and wine-writers make these comparisons, but how many do ? Cellar 15 – 30 years. GK 11/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 100% BF in French oak 15% new; 100% MLF, 12 months LA and some stirring in barrel, plus 5 months assembled in tank; pH 3.42, RS nil; www.feltonroad.co.nz ]
Light lemonstraw. Well, if there are hints of Meursault about the standard Felton Chardonnay, this wine is straight out of Chablis. The degree of pale acacia florals through bouquet and palate is exciting, and though the actual fruit component is understated, it is not weak. The oaking is so simpatico to the delicate fruit, this wine must be the closest to grand cru chablis we have ever achieved in New Zealand. If the Villa Maria Reserve Taylors was easy to overlook, this neat almost petite wine is even more so. But its balance is just perfect, the way the acid has been handled is superb, and the wine is almost silky. An exciting wine for Otago, therefore, which one could drink all night. And the similarity between the Astrolabe from Marlborough and this even purer Felton wine is exhilarating. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Light lemonstraw. Well, if there are hints of Meursault about the standard Felton Chardonnay, this wine is straight out of Chablis. The degree of pale acacia florals through bouquet and palate is exciting, and though the actual fruit component is understated, it is not weak. The oaking is so simpatico to the delicate fruit, this wine must be the closest to grand cru chablis we have ever achieved in New Zealand. If the Villa Maria Reserve Taylors was easy to overlook, this neat almost petite wine is even more so. But its balance is just perfect, the way the acid has been handled is superb, and the wine is almost silky. An exciting wine for Otago, therefore, which one could drink all night. And the similarity between the Astrolabe from Marlborough and this even purer Felton wine is exhilarating. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Bendigo & Gibbston districts, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $28 [ screwcap; if similar to 2008, is hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed; 85% s/s-fermented, 15 BF in older oak, then total blend 3 months LA and stirring; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
Lemon. Australian wine people are known to say that you can always recognise a pinot gris, because the wine smells and tastes of absolutely nothing. This reflects I guess the impossibility of their climate, when it comes to subtle varieties. They need to smell a pinot gris such as this Gibbston Valley example or the Babich. In one sense this is even more floral, pure and varietal than the Babich, though it does not have the vendage tardive notes. It is floral in an English white-flowers sense, more pale stonefruit than pearflesh (notwithstanding its greater ripeness at picking), with attractive texture and beautifully-handled phenolics. It is a little richer than the Babich, and despite my thoughts on over-ripeness / high alcohol in pinot gris, it is beautifully varietal. It is comparable with the 2007 Villa Maria Taylors Pass wine in that respect. Finish is off-dry. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Lemon. Australian wine people are known to say that you can always recognise a pinot gris, because the wine smells and tastes of absolutely nothing. This reflects I guess the impossibility of their climate, when it comes to subtle varieties. They need to smell a pinot gris such as this Gibbston Valley example or the Babich. In one sense this is even more floral, pure and varietal than the Babich, though it does not have the vendage tardive notes. It is floral in an English white-flowers sense, more pale stonefruit than pearflesh (notwithstanding its greater ripeness at picking), with attractive texture and beautifully-handled phenolics. It is a little richer than the Babich, and despite my thoughts on over-ripeness / high alcohol in pinot gris, it is beautifully varietal. It is comparable with the 2007 Villa Maria Taylors Pass wine in that respect. Finish is off-dry. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $404 [ Cork, 53mm; Sy 100; price given is wine-searcher average for that vintage of the wine; general elevation etc see Intro; the reputation of the 1982 is almost the reverse of the 1983, everyone now wanting it; Robinson, 2006: Ripe, mellow, slightly overripe strawberry aroma. Rich, broad, sweet, fruity palate. Very winning. But with excellent grip (not dry tannins) on the finish. Sufficient acidity. Good balance. This vintage seems just exactly right now. Not brilliantly long but very pretty with a suggestion of treacle toffee. Firm tannins sneak in on the finish. Acidity sneaked in over time, 17.5; Parker, 2000: The 1982 is a wonderful surprise. It has always been delicious. It has put on weight yet retains its exotic, over-the-top style. Fully mature, but capable of lasting another decade or more, the 1982 La Chapelle possesses a dark garnet color with an amber edge. The glorious nose of Asian spices, roasted espresso, creamy cassis fruit, and hints of Peking duck lathered with hoisin sauce gives this wine, with its notes of prunes, plums, and cassis, an exotic yet compelling allure. Among all the vintages of the eighties and nineties, the 1982 is my favorite for current drinking. Sumptuous and full-bodied, with a creamy texture and sweet tannin, it is a dazzling La Chapelle for consuming over the next decade, 92; www.jaboulet.com ]
This is clearly a mature wine in appearance, lighter garnet and ruby, the colour midway in depth. Bouquet is very particular, showing perfectly the bush-honey aromatic complexity that both Les Jumelles and La Chapelle have had since day one in this vintage, on mellow browning berry aromas in which there is a suggestion of a rich old Cote de Nuits wine. There are nearly some floral notes. Palate is supple and harmonious, more tannin backbone than any pinot noir would show, with a clear suggestion of pepper in the grape tannins. You feel the new oak component was less, then. People either liked this wine very much, two top places, or found it not appealing at all, a little too much outside their experience, with several least-liked votes. Fully mature to fading a little now: it was never a big wine, even in its youth. GK 09/14
This is clearly a mature wine in appearance, lighter garnet and ruby, the colour midway in depth. Bouquet is very particular, showing perfectly the bush-honey aromatic complexity that both Les Jumelles and La Chapelle have had since day one in this vintage, on mellow browning berry aromas in which there is a suggestion of a rich old Cote de Nuits wine. There are nearly some floral notes. Palate is supple and harmonious, more tannin backbone than any pinot noir would show, with a clear suggestion of pepper in the grape tannins. You feel the new oak component was less, then. People either liked this wine very much, two top places, or found it not appealing at all, a little too much outside their experience, with several least-liked votes. Fully mature to fading a little now: it was never a big wine, even in its youth. GK 09/14
Wairau Valley & Kaikoura coast, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; s/s ferments with commercial yeast; pH 3.1; RS 12 g/L; www.saintclair.co.nz ]
Good rich lemon, not as deep as the Muddy Unplugged. Like that wine, this one is starting to show a little development, but in a pure non-botrytised sweet-vernal and vanillin somewhat Mosel style, clearly varietal. Palate shows good body, plenty of appley flavour, medium-dry, quite acid, and good length without undue phenolics. Attractive wine with good cellar potential 3 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Good rich lemon, not as deep as the Muddy Unplugged. Like that wine, this one is starting to show a little development, but in a pure non-botrytised sweet-vernal and vanillin somewhat Mosel style, clearly varietal. Palate shows good body, plenty of appley flavour, medium-dry, quite acid, and good length without undue phenolics. Attractive wine with good cellar potential 3 – 8 years. GK 04/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $43 [ screwcap; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big ruby, a touch of carmine and velvet, clearly the darkest wine in the tasting, dubious for pinot noir. Bouquet is intensely rich and varietal, but in a cooler-year style than the French wines. The florals are obvious buddleia and violets, in black cherries and blackboy peaches, all quite lifted and aromatic but not minty – just intensely floral. Fruit on palate is as good as the grand cru wines, rich, long and succulent, the clear-cut varietal character made aromatic by more new oak than the grands crus or the Greenhough. This is a New Zealand pinot which will cellar for 10 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Big ruby, a touch of carmine and velvet, clearly the darkest wine in the tasting, dubious for pinot noir. Bouquet is intensely rich and varietal, but in a cooler-year style than the French wines. The florals are obvious buddleia and violets, in black cherries and blackboy peaches, all quite lifted and aromatic but not minty – just intensely floral. Fruit on palate is as good as the grand cru wines, rich, long and succulent, the clear-cut varietal character made aromatic by more new oak than the grands crus or the Greenhough. This is a New Zealand pinot which will cellar for 10 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 11.5%; $ – [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ c. 2.5 t/ac; whole-bunch pressed; cool fermentation in s/s, 4 months LA; pH 2.95, RS 14 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Pale lemongreen. Craggy are well-known for building wines which really need time in cellar. I have commented adversely on the premature release of some of their whites, since so many people seem to be pathologically unable to cellar wine these days. I therefore wish I could say this 2006 wine is just being released, but sadly that is not the case. Even today, it is still tightly in bud, only slightly softened when compared with for example, the 2008 Astrolabe Discovery. Palate is Ballarat apple, vanillin, still seeming pretty dry, just starting to communicate. Riesling really needs patience, to show its best. Cellar 3 – 12 perhaps 15 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemongreen. Craggy are well-known for building wines which really need time in cellar. I have commented adversely on the premature release of some of their whites, since so many people seem to be pathologically unable to cellar wine these days. I therefore wish I could say this 2006 wine is just being released, but sadly that is not the case. Even today, it is still tightly in bud, only slightly softened when compared with for example, the 2008 Astrolabe Discovery. Palate is Ballarat apple, vanillin, still seeming pretty dry, just starting to communicate. Riesling really needs patience, to show its best. Cellar 3 – 12 perhaps 15 years. GK 04/09
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $89 [ 54mm cork; hand-picked from 40 – 60 year vines at < 4.5 t/ha (1.8 t/ac); de-stemmed, cuvaison to 4 weeks; elevage usually 12 months in barrel, 20% new; Parker: 92+, Robinson: 16.5+; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine among the Jaboulets. There was a question-mark over this particular bottle in the tasting, that perhaps it showed trace oxidation. Leaving that aside however, the concentration of fruit is colossal for Crozes-Hermitage. There is dense nearly cassisy berry and darkest plum, with hessian oak. The flavours are more aromatic than the bouquet suggested, with traces of cassis in the dark plum, plus new oak and suggestions of black pepper. The fruit flavours are a bit stolid alongside the more exciting Hermitage expressions of syrah, but it is rich and ripe and astonishingly good Crozes with lovely fruit sweetness to the finish. This wine and the 2010 Villa Syrah Reserve have a lot to say to each other. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine among the Jaboulets. There was a question-mark over this particular bottle in the tasting, that perhaps it showed trace oxidation. Leaving that aside however, the concentration of fruit is colossal for Crozes-Hermitage. There is dense nearly cassisy berry and darkest plum, with hessian oak. The flavours are more aromatic than the bouquet suggested, with traces of cassis in the dark plum, plus new oak and suggestions of black pepper. The fruit flavours are a bit stolid alongside the more exciting Hermitage expressions of syrah, but it is rich and ripe and astonishingly good Crozes with lovely fruit sweetness to the finish. This wine and the 2010 Villa Syrah Reserve have a lot to say to each other. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.4%; $31 [ screwcap ]
Red cherry pinot, somewhat lighter and older than most, but attractive. Bouquet is the triumph on this wine, with superb florals defining pinot noir: buddleia, boronia, and dark roses, some daphne too. Below is cherry fruit. Palate is crisp and fresh, a little more acid and leaner than the Felton, but dramatically pure and varietal. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/06
Red cherry pinot, somewhat lighter and older than most, but attractive. Bouquet is the triumph on this wine, with superb florals defining pinot noir: buddleia, boronia, and dark roses, some daphne too. Below is cherry fruit. Palate is crisp and fresh, a little more acid and leaner than the Felton, but dramatically pure and varietal. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/06
Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; 12 months in French oak 33% new; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Beautiful pinot noir ruby, an ideal maximum depth of colour. This is understated wine, the bouquet not having built up much yet. But already one can see deep florals reminiscent of violets and dark buddleia, on appealing black cherry fruit. It is in the mouth that this wine really comes into its own, with a richness of highly varietal fruit which is layered on the tongue, in oak a little more subtle than the 2003. This will be marvellous pinot in 12 months time, probably scoring more highly. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Beautiful pinot noir ruby, an ideal maximum depth of colour. This is understated wine, the bouquet not having built up much yet. But already one can see deep florals reminiscent of violets and dark buddleia, on appealing black cherry fruit. It is in the mouth that this wine really comes into its own, with a richness of highly varietal fruit which is layered on the tongue, in oak a little more subtle than the 2003. This will be marvellous pinot in 12 months time, probably scoring more highly. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; 15% whole bunch; 15 months in French oak, 33% new; www.pyramidvalley.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Muddy Water. Bouquet has more complexity than the Muddy Water, fragrant with flowers indicating a riper level of physiological maturity, the boronia florals and red fruits grading to black cherry. There is a suggestion of slightly gamey dark mushrooms which reminds of Cotes du Rhone, but the florals take one back to burgundy / pinot noir. Palate is long and satisfying, subtly oaked, great freshness. There is 15% whole cluster in this fermentation, and the stem component has added freshness, with any trace of leafyness totally burgundian. Intriguing wine partly because on checking I find my relative ranking of these Calvert wines differs from previously, indicating what fun it will be to try the three wines as a set, over the coming years. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Muddy Water. Bouquet has more complexity than the Muddy Water, fragrant with flowers indicating a riper level of physiological maturity, the boronia florals and red fruits grading to black cherry. There is a suggestion of slightly gamey dark mushrooms which reminds of Cotes du Rhone, but the florals take one back to burgundy / pinot noir. Palate is long and satisfying, subtly oaked, great freshness. There is 15% whole cluster in this fermentation, and the stem component has added freshness, with any trace of leafyness totally burgundian. Intriguing wine partly because on checking I find my relative ranking of these Calvert wines differs from previously, indicating what fun it will be to try the three wines as a set, over the coming years. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.2%; $35 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 30% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, in the middle for depth of hue. The floral components on the bouquet of this wine are delightfully varietal, including violets as well as roses and boronia. Below is great cherry fruit, black more than red, leading into fine-grain but quite noticeable tannins. This wine makes a great pairing with the '08 Ata Rangi, allegedly to compare and contrast the two principal pinot noir regions, but in fact the styling of these two wines is amazingly similar this year. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/10
Good pinot noir ruby, in the middle for depth of hue. The floral components on the bouquet of this wine are delightfully varietal, including violets as well as roses and boronia. Below is great cherry fruit, black more than red, leading into fine-grain but quite noticeable tannins. This wine makes a great pairing with the '08 Ata Rangi, allegedly to compare and contrast the two principal pinot noir regions, but in fact the styling of these two wines is amazingly similar this year. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-picked; s/s ferment; pH 2.84, RS 15 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Palest lemongreen. Bouquet is nearly as explicitly varietal as the Craggy Glasnevin, clearly lime-zest and cooking apples again, just a hint of cinnamon-like spice, as if there is a little more skin influence. Palate is totally extraordinary. It tastes dramatically riesling, and in effect, totally dry, with low phenolics. Alongside the known-to-be-dry Craggy Rapaura, the Escarpment tastes drier and finer. Yet on examination of the numbers, the latter is 15 g/L residual sugar, normally a clear medium-dry to medium. This remarkable sensory contradiction is a function of the phenomenally low pH on this wine, 2.84, which suggests it should cellar for 10 – 20 years. It is a wine to buy by the case, and study for years to come. It will score higher, later. GK 10/07
Palest lemongreen. Bouquet is nearly as explicitly varietal as the Craggy Glasnevin, clearly lime-zest and cooking apples again, just a hint of cinnamon-like spice, as if there is a little more skin influence. Palate is totally extraordinary. It tastes dramatically riesling, and in effect, totally dry, with low phenolics. Alongside the known-to-be-dry Craggy Rapaura, the Escarpment tastes drier and finer. Yet on examination of the numbers, the latter is 15 g/L residual sugar, normally a clear medium-dry to medium. This remarkable sensory contradiction is a function of the phenomenally low pH on this wine, 2.84, which suggests it should cellar for 10 – 20 years. It is a wine to buy by the case, and study for years to come. It will score higher, later. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $29 [ screwcap; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Black Barn Merlot, less rich than the top three. This bouquet is more in the regular Hawkes Bay blended style, a bit more oak, but behind it is clear crisp cassisy berry, not a big wine but fine and subtle. Palate simply fills out the bouquet, firm long cassis and dark plum fruit lengthened further by clean aromatic oak. Styling is a little drier than the top wines, due to the oak component, but total flavours are great. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Black Barn Merlot, less rich than the top three. This bouquet is more in the regular Hawkes Bay blended style, a bit more oak, but behind it is clear crisp cassisy berry, not a big wine but fine and subtle. Palate simply fills out the bouquet, firm long cassis and dark plum fruit lengthened further by clean aromatic oak. Styling is a little drier than the top wines, due to the oak component, but total flavours are great. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 15%; $42 [ screwcap; Sh 65%, Gr 25, Mv 5% and Vi 5; Halliday rates Barossa Valley 7 /10 in 2005; www.henschke.com.au ]
Ruby, some velvet. Bouquet is sensational, fragrant in the style of Cote Rotie, explicitly showing the rare and sought-after carnations / dianthus / wallflower floral complexity of shiraz ripened to a syrah level of complexity. Anyone who doubts red wines can be floral should check this Henschke out – it will cost much less than comparable Cote Rotie. The red florals are augmented by honeysuckle complexities from the 5% viognier, perfectly done. Berry characters range from cassis to loganberry to some boysenberry, once aired. Don't expect the freshly-opened bottle to show all these characters, however. Come back to a glass the next day, when it will foreshadow 10 years down the track. Alcohol aside, palate is Cote Rotie syrah in weight, beautifully balanced, delicate by Australian standards (despite the grenache component), a little raw in youth. This is the new style of shiraz from both Australia and Henschke, more syrah in approach, and glorious it is too. It is a wine to cellar alongside Guigal Cote Rotie Brune & Blonde, and the Te Mata syrahs, and then delight in 5, 10 and 15 years later. GK 02/08
Ruby, some velvet. Bouquet is sensational, fragrant in the style of Cote Rotie, explicitly showing the rare and sought-after carnations / dianthus / wallflower floral complexity of shiraz ripened to a syrah level of complexity. Anyone who doubts red wines can be floral should check this Henschke out – it will cost much less than comparable Cote Rotie. The red florals are augmented by honeysuckle complexities from the 5% viognier, perfectly done. Berry characters range from cassis to loganberry to some boysenberry, once aired. Don't expect the freshly-opened bottle to show all these characters, however. Come back to a glass the next day, when it will foreshadow 10 years down the track. Alcohol aside, palate is Cote Rotie syrah in weight, beautifully balanced, delicate by Australian standards (despite the grenache component), a little raw in youth. This is the new style of shiraz from both Australia and Henschke, more syrah in approach, and glorious it is too. It is a wine to cellar alongside Guigal Cote Rotie Brune & Blonde, and the Te Mata syrahs, and then delight in 5, 10 and 15 years later. GK 02/08
Wanaka, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13%; $95 [ supercritical cork; 40% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 35% new, balance 1 – 4 years; this bottling comes from within the old vines crop from Tinker's Field, which is central to the now widely-recognised photo-views of the Rippon vineyards adjoining Lake Wanaka. Tinker's Field contains the oldest (up to 28 years) pinot noir vines on the Rippon blocks, and hence some of the oldest pinot noir vines in Central Otago. The average vine age is c. 22 years; www.rippon.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, in the middle. This is a wonderfully fragrant wine, even thoughts of violets in rose aromas, on attractive redfruits. Palate is crisp and cherry-crunchy, vibrant redfruits, firmer and lighter than the average of the Otago 2007s as befits its Wanaka origins, just a hint of stalk to marry in over the next 12 months and add to its really burgundian and marvellously low-alcohol complexity. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, in the middle. This is a wonderfully fragrant wine, even thoughts of violets in rose aromas, on attractive redfruits. Palate is crisp and cherry-crunchy, vibrant redfruits, firmer and lighter than the average of the Otago 2007s as befits its Wanaka origins, just a hint of stalk to marry in over the next 12 months and add to its really burgundian and marvellously low-alcohol complexity. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $122 [ Cork, 49mm, 10mm ullage; release price c.$55; Spectator rating for year 91; typically Sy 96%, Vi 4, average vine age 35 years, said to be cropped at the same rate as d’Ampuis, namely 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac, but often seems as if the rate a little higher; c. 25 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 35 – 50% new, plus some in larger barrels; J. Livingstone-Learmonth, no date: … fairly weighted bouquet, closed for now; red fruits, berries all tightly packed. Discreet depth here, tannins are OK. Power on finish, quite a lot in here. 2011-14, ***; Parker, 1999: The 1995 Côte Rôtie Brune et Blonde is the stuff of legends and is every bit as compelling as readers might expect, 90; Wine Spectator, 1999: Full-bodied and balanced, focusing on mineral, plum, blackberry, game and leather, the complexity grows as all these flavors cascade to a long, elegant finish in this lovely Rhône red. Drink now through 2010. 26,665 cases made, 90; weight bottle and closure: 533 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and garnet, appreciably older, below midway in depth. Zingy florals are to the forefront in this wine, with dianthus / carnation notes and wallflower leading lilac suggestions. This is the kind of bouquet which sharpens the appetite. Behind the florals are red and black cherry suggestions, cassis again, and lovely aromatics, all the fruit qualities dominating the oak. Palate is neat, taut, and lovely, not as rich as the 2010, 1999, or 1998, but surprisingly good for a somewhat passed-over year. The length of fruit, and its balance with the oak, is attractive, as is the flavour. Two tasters rated the 1995 their second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/20
Ruby and garnet, appreciably older, below midway in depth. Zingy florals are to the forefront in this wine, with dianthus / carnation notes and wallflower leading lilac suggestions. This is the kind of bouquet which sharpens the appetite. Behind the florals are red and black cherry suggestions, cassis again, and lovely aromatics, all the fruit qualities dominating the oak. Palate is neat, taut, and lovely, not as rich as the 2010, 1999, or 1998, but surprisingly good for a somewhat passed-over year. The length of fruit, and its balance with the oak, is attractive, as is the flavour. Two tasters rated the 1995 their second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 10/20
Ngatarawa Triangle 86%, Gimblett Gravels 14, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and concrete vessels, up to 4 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration; c. 14 months in burgundy barrels c. 42% new; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very deep and dense and exciting, one of the darkest wines in the syrah flights. This year's Church Road Syrah shows greater ripeness and more oak than the wonderful wines of the previous two vintages, meaning that the floral component and ultimate syrah quality has diminished a little. Palate is darkly plummy, but still retaining good cracked black peppercorn notes, giving a big mouthful of flavour, more obvious and less subtle than New Zealand's (often) benchmark syrah, Te Mata Bullnose. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, very deep and dense and exciting, one of the darkest wines in the syrah flights. This year's Church Road Syrah shows greater ripeness and more oak than the wonderful wines of the previous two vintages, meaning that the floral component and ultimate syrah quality has diminished a little. Palate is darkly plummy, but still retaining good cracked black peppercorn notes, giving a big mouthful of flavour, more obvious and less subtle than New Zealand's (often) benchmark syrah, Te Mata Bullnose. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $310 [ cork; clones 113, 114, 115 and others, 40 – 45 years, harvested @ 0.9 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, 5 days cold soak, wild yeast, 16 days cuvaison, 18 months French oak 100% new, no fining or filtration; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, some velvet, much the lightest of the top wines. Initially opened, all this wine smells of is fragrant new oak, and while there is palpable fruit on palate, the immediate flavour is oak too. With air the wine opened considerably, and the following day there were better indications of what it might be like in eight years or so. There is a slight floral component (though the hot year has diminished this, and it's hard to separate from the fragrant vanillin oak), and the palate now shows clear red and black cherry fruit of great concentration and absolute purity. But great pinot is about the beauty and floral dimensions of its bouquet as much as anything, and this Chambertin simply misses the boat on that score. It is a warm-year wine which is always going to be shaped by its evident new oak. This gives it some characters in common with classically-styled Pauillacs. Overseas comment on the wine included the view that the 100% new oak was invisible, which puzzled many. Thus, as an exposition of pinot noir varietal character, this wine at this stage did not speak to me as eloquently as the wines rated more highly. Michele Bettane however thought it: not far from perfection. With hindsight, having now seen the '03 Rousseaus, a wine such as their grand cru '03 Ruchottes-Chambertin, which shows a more sensitive approach to oak influence (25% new), would have matched the new world wines better. Normally I would suggest Clos de la Roche with its similar oak handling, but in '03 the Rousseau is a bit bretty, which might have de-railed the debate. For the Chambertin, as a rich burgundy reflecting its year, this Rousseau will cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 01/07
Pinot noir ruby, some velvet, much the lightest of the top wines. Initially opened, all this wine smells of is fragrant new oak, and while there is palpable fruit on palate, the immediate flavour is oak too. With air the wine opened considerably, and the following day there were better indications of what it might be like in eight years or so. There is a slight floral component (though the hot year has diminished this, and it's hard to separate from the fragrant vanillin oak), and the palate now shows clear red and black cherry fruit of great concentration and absolute purity. But great pinot is about the beauty and floral dimensions of its bouquet as much as anything, and this Chambertin simply misses the boat on that score. It is a warm-year wine which is always going to be shaped by its evident new oak. This gives it some characters in common with classically-styled Pauillacs. Overseas comment on the wine included the view that the 100% new oak was invisible, which puzzled many. Thus, as an exposition of pinot noir varietal character, this wine at this stage did not speak to me as eloquently as the wines rated more highly. Michele Bettane however thought it: not far from perfection. With hindsight, having now seen the '03 Rousseaus, a wine such as their grand cru '03 Ruchottes-Chambertin, which shows a more sensitive approach to oak influence (25% new), would have matched the new world wines better. Normally I would suggest Clos de la Roche with its similar oak handling, but in '03 the Rousseau is a bit bretty, which might have de-railed the debate. For the Chambertin, as a rich burgundy reflecting its year, this Rousseau will cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $30 [ cork; www.teawa.com ]
Excellent ruby, carmine and velvet, of considerable depth. Bouquet is very ripe, too ripe for florality or obvious cassis complexity, but showing great plummy depths mingled with rather high oak. Palate confirms the oak and the over-ripeness, with just a hint of canned prunes, introducing Napa Valley-like qualities to the fruit profile. The long aftertaste is oakier than ideal, maybe, but this is interesting big rich wine in a somewhat different style from mainstream Hawkes Bay. The indulgent high rating for a wine not quite in my preferred style is for settled down, in three years time or more. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/10
Excellent ruby, carmine and velvet, of considerable depth. Bouquet is very ripe, too ripe for florality or obvious cassis complexity, but showing great plummy depths mingled with rather high oak. Palate confirms the oak and the over-ripeness, with just a hint of canned prunes, introducing Napa Valley-like qualities to the fruit profile. The long aftertaste is oakier than ideal, maybe, but this is interesting big rich wine in a somewhat different style from mainstream Hawkes Bay. The indulgent high rating for a wine not quite in my preferred style is for settled down, in three years time or more. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/10
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $179 [ Cork 55mm; hand-picked from young vines as well as the main vineyards at <3 t/ha (1.2 t/ac); destemmed, details of production essentially as for La Chapelle, above; essentially the wines not making the now severely-tightened cut for La Chapelle proper, including younger and higher-cropping vines; production c.1000 cases; neither Livingstone-Learmonth or Robinson has had the 2010, but the latter approves of the 2009 and 2011, 17 and 16.5 respectively; Raynolds in Tanzer, 2012: Glass-staining ruby. A complex, floral-dominated bouquet offers violet, lavender and dark fruit preserves. Lush, palate-coating cherry and blackcurrant flavors possess impressive heft and pick up a peppery quality on the back half. The floral quality comes back strong on the finish, which clings with excellent energy and tenacity, 91-93; Parker, 2012: The 2010 Hermitage La Petite Chapelle is a better wine than nearly every Hermitage La Chapelle made under the final years of the Jaboulet family’s ownership (for example, 1993-2005). The 2010 was aged in barrel and represents one-third of the Hermitage crop (another one-third was eliminated and the final one-third went into La Chapelle). Its deep purple color is followed by notes of camphor, tar, pepper, beef blood, black currant jam and hints of new saddle leather as well as earth. This supple, rich, full, authoritative beauty should drink well for 15-20 years, 92; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby and velvet, fractionally lighter and older in hue than La Chapelle proper, just below midway in depth. I placed this wine first in the blind tasting, because it seemed so representative of 'concept syrah', riper phase. In every way it is a less elegant and less refined version of La Chapelle. Bouquet is clean, rich and ripe, not quite the floral complexity but fragrant berry, dry cassis grading to dark plum. Palate is rich, aromatic, coarser tannins than La Chapelle proper (or Homage), more oaky, a bit leathery and spirity as well. On its own you would say it was great syrah, Hermitage style. Yet as soon as you have the grand vin alongside, the difference is obvious. You have to applaud the selection process for these two bottlings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Ruby and velvet, fractionally lighter and older in hue than La Chapelle proper, just below midway in depth. I placed this wine first in the blind tasting, because it seemed so representative of 'concept syrah', riper phase. In every way it is a less elegant and less refined version of La Chapelle. Bouquet is clean, rich and ripe, not quite the floral complexity but fragrant berry, dry cassis grading to dark plum. Palate is rich, aromatic, coarser tannins than La Chapelle proper (or Homage), more oaky, a bit leathery and spirity as well. On its own you would say it was great syrah, Hermitage style. Yet as soon as you have the grand vin alongside, the difference is obvious. You have to applaud the selection process for these two bottlings. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/14
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; Sy 97.6%, Vi 2.4, all hand-picked @ c.7.8 t/ha (3.1 t/ac) from a hill-slope site with limestone; syrah all de-stemmed, 2 days cold-soak, c.10 days ferment, total cuvaison from 28 to 34 days; MLF and 9 months in French oak 40% new no American oak; RS 3 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; [note date should be 6/13, technical hitch]; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the dark end of the syrah colours. Bouquet is another wine remarkably close to the Cuillerons in style, clear wallflower and violets florality, clear cassis berry and dark plummy fruit, subtle oak. Palate is berry-dominant, not quite as supple or as richly-fruited as the Te Awanga wine, but highly varietal and attractive. Some winewriters have objected to the not-bone-dry finish, and from a European standpoint that is understandable. For such glorious varietal expression on bouquet, however, and such finesse in oak-handling, one can forgive a lot. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, towards the dark end of the syrah colours. Bouquet is another wine remarkably close to the Cuillerons in style, clear wallflower and violets florality, clear cassis berry and dark plummy fruit, subtle oak. Palate is berry-dominant, not quite as supple or as richly-fruited as the Te Awanga wine, but highly varietal and attractive. Some winewriters have objected to the not-bone-dry finish, and from a European standpoint that is understandable. For such glorious varietal expression on bouquet, however, and such finesse in oak-handling, one can forgive a lot. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 9.5%; $26 [ screwcap; vines planted 1994; stop-fermented @ 40 g/L; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Lemon-green to lemon. Bouquet is vanillin and citrus complexed from lees enrichment, in many ways bringing this wine closer still to Germany – Mosel again. The rich palate is sweeter than most here, but fresh and vibrant on the acid / residual sweetness balance, and low pH. Apparent sweetness is between kabinett and spaetlese. Again, the cellaring potential is great, 10 – 15 years, since the phenolics are so well handled in these top rieslings. Should score higher in three years. GK 06/11
Lemon-green to lemon. Bouquet is vanillin and citrus complexed from lees enrichment, in many ways bringing this wine closer still to Germany – Mosel again. The rich palate is sweeter than most here, but fresh and vibrant on the acid / residual sweetness balance, and low pH. Apparent sweetness is between kabinett and spaetlese. Again, the cellaring potential is great, 10 – 15 years, since the phenolics are so well handled in these top rieslings. Should score higher in three years. GK 06/11
Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $541 [ cork, 49mm; CS 100%; as for Grange, ferment completed in new American oak, then 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads; Penfolds website: The 1990 vintage in South Australia has been lauded as one of the best for many years; NOSE: Intensely scented, the rich bouquet offers coffee-like Cabernet aromas with blackcurrant and mulberry overtones, lifted by vanillin American oak and barrel ferment characters which add a smoky complexity; PALATE: This magnificent full-bodied wine shows concentrated Cabernet fruit and complementary oak characters in perfect harmony. The palate has layers of intensely flavoured, 'sweet' blackcurrant-like varietal fruit, with hints of dark chocolate, superbly balanced; Halliday, 1999: An infinitely seductive mix of sweet cassis, plum and mulberry fruit aromas, yet not the slightest hint of over-ripeness. The supple silky palate has great balance and length, with all the flavours promised by the bouquet, yet not at all over-done. A sheer privilege and pleasure to taste (and better still, to drink), *****; Wine Spectator: Dark and inviting, with a supple core of wild berry, mint and currant flavors that are rich and elegant, finishing with a long, smooth aftertaste, 92; www.penfolds.com ]
Rich ruby, velvet and some garnet, fresher than the 1990 Grange, above midway in depth. Bouquet is dramatically cabernet-varietal, but slightly edgy, showing just a whisper of sautéed red capsicum in the cassisy qualities. Comparison with both Bins 90A and 920 highlights the perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon went into those wines in 1990. Nonetheless the volume of bouquet, and the apparent ratio of berry to oak on bouquet, is impressive. On palate again there are great cabernet flavours, but just the piquancy of trace methoxypyrazine freshens things up in one sense, but also robs the wine of the perfection of ripeness shown by the two rare-Bin wines. On palate too the oak becomes more apparent, in the all-too-familiar Penfolds style, and that heightens the perception of trace capsicum. Length of flavour is remarkable, and one can only wonder yet again at the manner in which cabernet sauvignon harmonises cedary oak in a way shiraz can never do. The relationship between the 1990 and 1967 Bin 707 wines is crystal clear – both are dramatically varietal despite the elevation. Altogether, three tasters rated this a favourite wine, one top, two second. As always in a New Zealand tasting group, some participants did not see the hint of green at all. Cellar for 15 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Rich ruby, velvet and some garnet, fresher than the 1990 Grange, above midway in depth. Bouquet is dramatically cabernet-varietal, but slightly edgy, showing just a whisper of sautéed red capsicum in the cassisy qualities. Comparison with both Bins 90A and 920 highlights the perfectly ripe cabernet sauvignon went into those wines in 1990. Nonetheless the volume of bouquet, and the apparent ratio of berry to oak on bouquet, is impressive. On palate again there are great cabernet flavours, but just the piquancy of trace methoxypyrazine freshens things up in one sense, but also robs the wine of the perfection of ripeness shown by the two rare-Bin wines. On palate too the oak becomes more apparent, in the all-too-familiar Penfolds style, and that heightens the perception of trace capsicum. Length of flavour is remarkable, and one can only wonder yet again at the manner in which cabernet sauvignon harmonises cedary oak in a way shiraz can never do. The relationship between the 1990 and 1967 Bin 707 wines is crystal clear – both are dramatically varietal despite the elevation. Altogether, three tasters rated this a favourite wine, one top, two second. As always in a New Zealand tasting group, some participants did not see the hint of green at all. Cellar for 15 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: – %; $55 [ screwcap; if same as regular, all hand-picked; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 10 – 11 months in 35% new French oak; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is forthcoming and intriguing, with both clear floral qualities in the red roses category, plus a piquant note reminiscent of fragrant malt whiskey, on red and black cherries. Palate takes the cherries and adds blueberry, with quite aromatic oak. There is the richness for this to marry up into a most interesting wine, maybe a little unusual, which may score higher in two years. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is forthcoming and intriguing, with both clear floral qualities in the red roses category, plus a piquant note reminiscent of fragrant malt whiskey, on red and black cherries. Palate takes the cherries and adds blueberry, with quite aromatic oak. There is the richness for this to marry up into a most interesting wine, maybe a little unusual, which may score higher in two years. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $72 [ cork; hand-harvested CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 20 + years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, closely matching the Mudbrick Velvet. Bouquet is very fragrant, clear violets on plummy berry, appealing. It is not quite so gloriously cassisy as the Miro, nor so opulently rich as the Velvet or Stonyridge Larose, and it is a little more oaky than either, more Medoc alongside the Velvet's east-bank. Palate shows complex berry of considerable length, cassis, dark plum and even a blueberry note of good richness, mingled with firmer oak than the top Waiheke wines. It is not quite so perfectly ripe as the top two Waiheke wines, but still looks good and potentially cedary, at a lower classed growth level. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, closely matching the Mudbrick Velvet. Bouquet is very fragrant, clear violets on plummy berry, appealing. It is not quite so gloriously cassisy as the Miro, nor so opulently rich as the Velvet or Stonyridge Larose, and it is a little more oaky than either, more Medoc alongside the Velvet's east-bank. Palate shows complex berry of considerable length, cassis, dark plum and even a blueberry note of good richness, mingled with firmer oak than the top Waiheke wines. It is not quite so perfectly ripe as the top two Waiheke wines, but still looks good and potentially cedary, at a lower classed growth level. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $50 [ screwcap; machine-harvested; all de-stemmed; some cold soak; some BF in new oak; > 3 weeks cuvaison; 14 months in new French oak; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, one of the richest. Bouquet is quiet on this wine, just a hint of violets in deepest bottled plums, the whole wine very rich and pure. Palate is quite a revelation, syrah ripened almost beyond the wallflowers and cassis stage to blueberry, huge fruit, soft and velvety texture, some reminders of subtler years of Penfold's famous RWT. I initially marked it down a little on the lack of bouquet and explicit varietal complexity, but for those to whom bouquet is lesser and palate all-important, this is a marvellous wine. It seems a quite different wine from the bottle reported on last year, which at the time I thought was sealed with ProCork. Kate Radburnd advises however that the whole bottling was screwcap, so that was an error. This therefore is an astonishing example of the degree to which New Zealand syrah comes together after a couple of years in bottle. The earlier remarks on oak would therefore seem to be wrong too. It would be good if this wine heralds a less oaky approach to the Pask Declaration range. The wine is slightly more acid than the Mudbrick Reserve. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, one of the richest. Bouquet is quiet on this wine, just a hint of violets in deepest bottled plums, the whole wine very rich and pure. Palate is quite a revelation, syrah ripened almost beyond the wallflowers and cassis stage to blueberry, huge fruit, soft and velvety texture, some reminders of subtler years of Penfold's famous RWT. I initially marked it down a little on the lack of bouquet and explicit varietal complexity, but for those to whom bouquet is lesser and palate all-important, this is a marvellous wine. It seems a quite different wine from the bottle reported on last year, which at the time I thought was sealed with ProCork. Kate Radburnd advises however that the whole bottling was screwcap, so that was an error. This therefore is an astonishing example of the degree to which New Zealand syrah comes together after a couple of years in bottle. The earlier remarks on oak would therefore seem to be wrong too. It would be good if this wine heralds a less oaky approach to the Pask Declaration range. The wine is slightly more acid than the Mudbrick Reserve. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $82 [ screwcap; DFB; Prima Donna is a barrel selection made in favourable years from special batches; clone 10/5, vine age 22 years; 100% de-stemmed, 7 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 28 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 50% new; no fining, coarse filtration; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, youngest and brightest. Freshly poured, the wine shows a lot of oak including toasty notes, and excess alcohol, raising doubts as to whether there will be the fruit to absorb the components. Such fruit as one can see is darkly cherried, with some bottled black doris suggestions. Floral and particularly lighter fraction florals are less apparent, initially. In mouth however the freshness of primary fruit is marvellous. Later with more air, the wine expands considerably, the fruit developing good deep floral and velvety qualities in the darkest rose and violets spectrum on bouquet, and increased length to fully match the oak on palate. The finish at this stage is still oak-dominant, but the fruit and acid balance to oak looks good. Like the Littorai, this is pinot noir in a bold new-world heroic style, but the key requirements for fine pinot noir are there: florals, fresh cherry-related fruit, appropriate dry extract and great mouthfeel. This will score higher in 3 – 5 years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest, youngest and brightest. Freshly poured, the wine shows a lot of oak including toasty notes, and excess alcohol, raising doubts as to whether there will be the fruit to absorb the components. Such fruit as one can see is darkly cherried, with some bottled black doris suggestions. Floral and particularly lighter fraction florals are less apparent, initially. In mouth however the freshness of primary fruit is marvellous. Later with more air, the wine expands considerably, the fruit developing good deep floral and velvety qualities in the darkest rose and violets spectrum on bouquet, and increased length to fully match the oak on palate. The finish at this stage is still oak-dominant, but the fruit and acid balance to oak looks good. Like the Littorai, this is pinot noir in a bold new-world heroic style, but the key requirements for fine pinot noir are there: florals, fresh cherry-related fruit, appropriate dry extract and great mouthfeel. This will score higher in 3 – 5 years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/07
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 11.5%; $22 [ screwcap; dry vintage, hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed, inoculated yeast, s/s ferment; pH 2.9, RS 25 g/L; not on website; www.waimeabrands.com ]
Lemon. Freshly opened, the wine is a bit closed – it needs a good swirling in the glass. Bouquet is clearly varietal in a more new world style, not quite the acacia floral complexity of the two top wines, more some holy grass / linalool fragrance, with suggestions of freesia. Palate is a little richer and slightly more phenolic than the Riverby, but not quite so fresh, with probably much less botrytis influence. It is 'riesling dry' and should therefore be a fine food wine, for those rare foods that 'go' with riesling. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Lemon. Freshly opened, the wine is a bit closed – it needs a good swirling in the glass. Bouquet is clearly varietal in a more new world style, not quite the acacia floral complexity of the two top wines, more some holy grass / linalool fragrance, with suggestions of freesia. Palate is a little richer and slightly more phenolic than the Riverby, but not quite so fresh, with probably much less botrytis influence. It is 'riesling dry' and should therefore be a fine food wine, for those rare foods that 'go' with riesling. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.3%; $31 [ screwcap; clones mendoza and B95, hand-picked; 100% BF in French oak % new not stated, 40% MLF; 11 or so months in barrel; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Lemon-straw, more straw than ideal for the age. This wine presents a Waipara-based match for the 2010 Felton Road wine. It is similarly a carefully ripened, highly floral and subtle approach to cool-climate chardonnay. The whole wine is exceptionally fragrant, with even more acacia blossom notes, fresh, fractionally stronger in both its fruit flavours and its oak than the Felton, seemingly not quite as bone dry, and a little more forward. But alongside so many more burly interpretations of the grape, this wine too asks for grand cru chablis for comparison – though a producer using new oak. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 06/11
Lemon-straw, more straw than ideal for the age. This wine presents a Waipara-based match for the 2010 Felton Road wine. It is similarly a carefully ripened, highly floral and subtle approach to cool-climate chardonnay. The whole wine is exceptionally fragrant, with even more acacia blossom notes, fresh, fractionally stronger in both its fruit flavours and its oak than the Felton, seemingly not quite as bone dry, and a little more forward. But alongside so many more burly interpretations of the grape, this wine too asks for grand cru chablis for comparison – though a producer using new oak. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 06/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 100% BF with some solids and wild yeast in French oak 15% new, other barrels to 11 years; 100% MLF, c.11 months LA with minimal stirring; www.feltonroad.co.nz ]
Good lemon. This wine has the most marvellous bouquet. There are white English flowers, and subtle acacia blossom, leading into fragrant white stonefruits on palate. This dry wine is rich enough to be food-friendly, but so subtle in its oaking as to be matchable with whitebait or flounder. Total acid is on the high side, but few chablis are as good as this. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Good lemon. This wine has the most marvellous bouquet. There are white English flowers, and subtle acacia blossom, leading into fragrant white stonefruits on palate. This dry wine is rich enough to be food-friendly, but so subtle in its oaking as to be matchable with whitebait or flounder. Total acid is on the high side, but few chablis are as good as this. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $71 [ cork; no substantive info about the wine on website; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good young colour. Apart from a first corked bottle, bouquet is redolent of cool-climate syrah at its most beautiful, clear wallflower and black pepper, equally clear cassisy berry with a cool-climate vivacity that is exactly best individual-vineyard St Joseph, say. Palate is firm, dry and youthful, slightly cooler than the bouquet suggests, and hence firmer than many Hawkes Bay wines. There is a trace of white pepper on the palate, adding complexity, but reinforcing the coolness. Oaking is particularly fine. The Northern Rhone analogy really is very apt. This is a greatly superior wine in terms of varietal precision than Dry River's much-touted pinot noir, and is well worth seeking out. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good young colour. Apart from a first corked bottle, bouquet is redolent of cool-climate syrah at its most beautiful, clear wallflower and black pepper, equally clear cassisy berry with a cool-climate vivacity that is exactly best individual-vineyard St Joseph, say. Palate is firm, dry and youthful, slightly cooler than the bouquet suggests, and hence firmer than many Hawkes Bay wines. There is a trace of white pepper on the palate, adding complexity, but reinforcing the coolness. Oaking is particularly fine. The Northern Rhone analogy really is very apt. This is a greatly superior wine in terms of varietal precision than Dry River's much-touted pinot noir, and is well worth seeking out. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ screwcap; winery price, nearer $70 in retailers; hand-harvested, 25 – 30% whole-bunch, wild-yeast fermentation; c. 12 months in French oak c. 30% new, not fined or filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, not as deep as the Block 3. At this stage the bouquet is showing vanilla from the oak, so it is hard to separate that pseudo-floral note from grape florals. The balance of ripeness is nicely middling red to black fruits, distinctly cooler and more fragrant than the Bannockburn wine. Palate in contrast seems much darker, yet at the same time with that fresh hint the Cornish point wines show. This should marry up into just as lovely a wine as the 2008. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Good pinot noir ruby, not as deep as the Block 3. At this stage the bouquet is showing vanilla from the oak, so it is hard to separate that pseudo-floral note from grape florals. The balance of ripeness is nicely middling red to black fruits, distinctly cooler and more fragrant than the Bannockburn wine. Palate in contrast seems much darker, yet at the same time with that fresh hint the Cornish point wines show. This should marry up into just as lovely a wine as the 2008. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 43%, CS 43, CF 14; French oak; second wine of Blake Family Vineyard; www.alluviale.com ]
Ruby and velvet, in the lightest three. Bouquet is softer and a little older than most in the set, with fragrant and plummy merlot dominating. In flavour the style is totally St Emilion, softish and round, yet with a touch of cassis in the plummy fruit. This is a perfect illustration of a second wine, in the classed Bordeaux sense. Where the Blake Family Vineyard grand vin is of clear upper classed growth standard, this is lesser classed growth / cru bourgeois exceptionnel, by analogy. This will give a lot of pleasure at table, over the next 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Ruby and velvet, in the lightest three. Bouquet is softer and a little older than most in the set, with fragrant and plummy merlot dominating. In flavour the style is totally St Emilion, softish and round, yet with a touch of cassis in the plummy fruit. This is a perfect illustration of a second wine, in the classed Bordeaux sense. Where the Blake Family Vineyard grand vin is of clear upper classed growth standard, this is lesser classed growth / cru bourgeois exceptionnel, by analogy. This will give a lot of pleasure at table, over the next 5 – 15 years. GK 05/07
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $157 [ cork; hand-harvested; up to 7 days cold soak; 10 months in French oak 50% new, 7 months in French oak one year old; not fined or filtered; 1200 bottles only; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, surprisingly fresh, fractionally deeper than the standard wine, one of the deepest in the tasting. Bouquet is more darkly pinot than the standard Peregrine wine, and it is harder to retrieve the all-important florals at this stage due to both a measure of sur-maturité, and the fragrant oak. There is an opulent richness and ripeness of almost jammy black cherries and blackish plums to it. It is pure, and not too alcoholic, but there are almost vintage port and dark fruitcake aroma suggestions. Palate is richer, riper, oakier and softer than the standard wine. Presumably the cropping rate for designated patches of vines for this wine was lower. Oak aside, the flavours have much in common, so some of the descriptors for the standard wine can be read into this wine as well. There is a delightful aromatic lift which I can't quite place, oak presumably, in the velvety black more than red fruit, showing the same effect as mixed peel in fruitcake. There is no doubt it is impressive wine, which despite its richness finishes lightly. But the over-ripeness has taken some of the magic out of it, and other wines here say more about the beauty of pinot noir. For future editions of this prestige label, more care to avoid sur-maturité would be good. A 50/50 blend of the plump, soft (but oaky) Pinnacle with the leaner, more fragrant, more acid (but oaky) Marie Zelie, is really something !
It will be well worth cellaring both the Pinnacle and the standard wine, and seeing how they look in five and ten and more years. If the experience with the Felton wines is any guide, the less-oaked version may well end up being the more beautiful. This should cellar to 15 years, and will be worth trying for longer, though acid is a little soft. As with the Martinborough Marie Zelie, and along with Remington Norman in his address to the Syrah Symposium, one must deplore the presumption in putting $100 + pinot noirs in impossibly heavy (and over-packaged) bottles onto a market as youthful as New Zealand's pinot one. We do not want or need the Californian Screaming Eagle syndrome here, though regrettably, affluent customers will rush to pander to it. The Martinborough one has sold out, for example. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, surprisingly fresh, fractionally deeper than the standard wine, one of the deepest in the tasting. Bouquet is more darkly pinot than the standard Peregrine wine, and it is harder to retrieve the all-important florals at this stage due to both a measure of sur-maturité, and the fragrant oak. There is an opulent richness and ripeness of almost jammy black cherries and blackish plums to it. It is pure, and not too alcoholic, but there are almost vintage port and dark fruitcake aroma suggestions. Palate is richer, riper, oakier and softer than the standard wine. Presumably the cropping rate for designated patches of vines for this wine was lower. Oak aside, the flavours have much in common, so some of the descriptors for the standard wine can be read into this wine as well. There is a delightful aromatic lift which I can't quite place, oak presumably, in the velvety black more than red fruit, showing the same effect as mixed peel in fruitcake. There is no doubt it is impressive wine, which despite its richness finishes lightly. But the over-ripeness has taken some of the magic out of it, and other wines here say more about the beauty of pinot noir. For future editions of this prestige label, more care to avoid sur-maturité would be good. A 50/50 blend of the plump, soft (but oaky) Pinnacle with the leaner, more fragrant, more acid (but oaky) Marie Zelie, is really something !
It will be well worth cellaring both the Pinnacle and the standard wine, and seeing how they look in five and ten and more years. If the experience with the Felton wines is any guide, the less-oaked version may well end up being the more beautiful. This should cellar to 15 years, and will be worth trying for longer, though acid is a little soft. As with the Martinborough Marie Zelie, and along with Remington Norman in his address to the Syrah Symposium, one must deplore the presumption in putting $100 + pinot noirs in impossibly heavy (and over-packaged) bottles onto a market as youthful as New Zealand's pinot one. We do not want or need the Californian Screaming Eagle syndrome here, though regrettably, affluent customers will rush to pander to it. The Martinborough one has sold out, for example. GK 01/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $28 [ screwcap; Ross and Barbara Lawson have been growing grapes in Marlborough since 1980. The move to their own winery started in 1992. Winemakers are Marcus Wright and deputy Rebecca Wiffen. They are particularly noted for their aromatic varieties, but other wines now share the limelight. This is the mid-priced pinot in the range. It is made from mainly burgundian clones of pinot noir, all grown on older soils, and tending to low crops. It is hand-picked, all de-stemmed, extended macerations, about a third wild yeast ferments, 9 months in oak with 25% new, RS <1 g/L, dry extract not available; www.lawsonsdryhills.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally more youthful than the Greystone, just above midway. Bouquet is surprisingly close in style to the Greystone, the floral component similarly grading right through to boronia, though a touch more aromatic presumably from the slightly more apparent oak. Palate is plump, black cherry to a greater degree than the Greystone, lovely freshness, richness and balance, the oak continuing slightly more apparent, finishing dry. Attractive wine, and such a contrast with Marlborough 10 years ago. This affordable wine is therefore an 'on-guard' warning to producers in other districts, who are accustomed to higher prices than $28 for their pinots. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/14
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally more youthful than the Greystone, just above midway. Bouquet is surprisingly close in style to the Greystone, the floral component similarly grading right through to boronia, though a touch more aromatic presumably from the slightly more apparent oak. Palate is plump, black cherry to a greater degree than the Greystone, lovely freshness, richness and balance, the oak continuing slightly more apparent, finishing dry. Attractive wine, and such a contrast with Marlborough 10 years ago. This affordable wine is therefore an 'on-guard' warning to producers in other districts, who are accustomed to higher prices than $28 for their pinots. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/14
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $34 [ cork, 45mm; New Zealand purchase price c.$21; Sy 49%, Gr 48, Mv 3; production c.291,600 x 9-litre cases; details in Introductory sections; J.L-L, 2013: Supple, soaked cherries, abundant aroma with light dashes of prairie dust and powder. It is wide, and offers plenty of impact. The palate starts on a smoky, spice-herbs angle, a big roll of black fruit that mixes prune and blackberry. Its richness is sustained, with spice back on the agenda as it ends, with snaps of licorice also there. This gives a real bundle of flavour. The finish is fresh, racy, and it will be a little more gentle in 2014. Very deep. “We include Lirac in this, so see no need to issue a Lirac on its own,” Philippe Guigal. 14°. 2020-22, ****; RP@RP, 2012: Guigal is known throughout the Rhone Valley for paying the highest price for generic Cotes du Rhone, and that in large part explains the quality of this wine year in and year out. It enjoys an extended upbringing in foudre and stainless steel tanks and is always a dense ruby/purple-colored wine with lots of blue and black fruits intermixed with notions of kirsch, licorice, lavender and spice. Supple and surprisingly intense, this delicious effort can age for 4-5 years, 89; weight bottle and closure: 574 g; www.guigal.com ]
Good ruby and velvet, the third richest wine, lovely. On the night the wine was muffled / obscured on bouquet by light TCA, noted by only five tasters. The instant you tasted it however, the astonishing fresh aromatic complexity of the berry, with nearly cassisy depths, was a revelation. This wine shows a high-syrah Cotes du Rhone at perfect ripeness, neither over-ripe with boysenberry / Australian notes, nor a bit pinched with a hint of stalks bespeaking under-ripeness. Balance of berry to oak is a delight, with wonderful concentration, and good acid balance too. This is the perfect example of a young Guigal Cotes du Rhone to cellar for decades, even if, with the syrah dominant, it never quite matches the 1983. No top rankings due to impairment (on the night): I had the advantage of seeing it well-breathed. A perfect bottle would score higher. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 03/21
Good ruby and velvet, the third richest wine, lovely. On the night the wine was muffled / obscured on bouquet by light TCA, noted by only five tasters. The instant you tasted it however, the astonishing fresh aromatic complexity of the berry, with nearly cassisy depths, was a revelation. This wine shows a high-syrah Cotes du Rhone at perfect ripeness, neither over-ripe with boysenberry / Australian notes, nor a bit pinched with a hint of stalks bespeaking under-ripeness. Balance of berry to oak is a delight, with wonderful concentration, and good acid balance too. This is the perfect example of a young Guigal Cotes du Rhone to cellar for decades, even if, with the syrah dominant, it never quite matches the 1983. No top rankings due to impairment (on the night): I had the advantage of seeing it well-breathed. A perfect bottle would score higher. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 03/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, 94% of it hand-picked @ c.4.35 t/ha (1.75 t/ac), all de-stemmed; up to 42 days cuvaison; 17 months in French oak 60% new; 420 cases (of 12); Parker: 89; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another glorious colour, in the top half dozen for concentration. Initially poured there were some barrel characters interfering. With air at the blind stage at first it seemed like an aromatic / oaky take on merlot. In mouth however, it immediately became much more aromatic and syrah-like, with both cassis and black pepper. The similarity to 2010 La Chapelle is remarkable (particularly in fruit weight), but the Villa is much more oaky, to its detriment. In terms of balance, the 2011 edition of this wine is closer to the elegant model 2010 La Chapelle provides, but it is not as rich. Size or beauty, again. Cellar 5 – 20 years, to mellow. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another glorious colour, in the top half dozen for concentration. Initially poured there were some barrel characters interfering. With air at the blind stage at first it seemed like an aromatic / oaky take on merlot. In mouth however, it immediately became much more aromatic and syrah-like, with both cassis and black pepper. The similarity to 2010 La Chapelle is remarkable (particularly in fruit weight), but the Villa is much more oaky, to its detriment. In terms of balance, the 2011 edition of this wine is closer to the elegant model 2010 La Chapelle provides, but it is not as rich. Size or beauty, again. Cellar 5 – 20 years, to mellow. GK 06/14
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.3%; $65 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from fruit cropped at @ ± 3.6 t/ha = 1.4 t/ac; all de-stemmed; RS nil; 220 cases; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Dark pinot noir ruby, the deepest in this batch of pinots. Bouquet is immediately deeper and darker, with boronia and violets florals reminiscent more of the Cote de Nuits than the Cote de Beaune, quieter but deeper than the 2009 Brodie. Palate is plump and rich, black cherry more than red, subtle oak, the whole wine showing the charm of the 2009 vintage in Central Otago. Perhaps it is even a little over-ripe, there being a suggestion of bottled black doris plums. Weight on palate suggests some good lees work here. This is the best Forrest pinot noir I have seen, worth cellaring 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Dark pinot noir ruby, the deepest in this batch of pinots. Bouquet is immediately deeper and darker, with boronia and violets florals reminiscent more of the Cote de Nuits than the Cote de Beaune, quieter but deeper than the 2009 Brodie. Palate is plump and rich, black cherry more than red, subtle oak, the whole wine showing the charm of the 2009 vintage in Central Otago. Perhaps it is even a little over-ripe, there being a suggestion of bottled black doris plums. Weight on palate suggests some good lees work here. This is the best Forrest pinot noir I have seen, worth cellaring 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $39 [ cork; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon green, only a little deeper than the 2005 Sauvignon. This wine is beautifully clean, but still expands with air. There is good but very understated chardonnay varietal character, with suggestions of future golden mendoza peachy complexity, in fragrant oak. Palate has good fruit weight, very understated flavour, oak yet to assimilate and not excessive, and firm acid. Like the Sauvignon, there is a slight mineral undertone, rather than explicit lees autolysis. This too looks to be one of McCallum’s better chardonnays, and there is promise of good development to come. It is quite austere now, but may make a five-star rating in a couple of years. It should cellar for 10 years or more. GK 08/05
Elegant lemon green, only a little deeper than the 2005 Sauvignon. This wine is beautifully clean, but still expands with air. There is good but very understated chardonnay varietal character, with suggestions of future golden mendoza peachy complexity, in fragrant oak. Palate has good fruit weight, very understated flavour, oak yet to assimilate and not excessive, and firm acid. Like the Sauvignon, there is a slight mineral undertone, rather than explicit lees autolysis. This too looks to be one of McCallum’s better chardonnays, and there is promise of good development to come. It is quite austere now, but may make a five-star rating in a couple of years. It should cellar for 10 years or more. GK 08/05
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $29 [ screwcap; thought to be nil whole bunch; part of the wine is raised in French oak some new, and some stays in stainless steel to retain freshness; RS 3.8 g/L; www.mudhouse.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened the bouquet is quietly plummy, seeming a little overripe. Decanted it opens up to be deeply and sensuously floral in the violets and boronia spectrum, on black cherry fruit, with a touch of vanilla – as in cherry-pie flowers. Palate is explicitly varietal fully-ripe pinot noir, black cherry rather than red, not seriously oaked, possibly not bone dry [confirmed], maybe a wine for the shorter term therefore. But as a $30 wine, it is a great introduction to pinot noir, and has been marked perhaps too generously, considering the more serious wines all around. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened the bouquet is quietly plummy, seeming a little overripe. Decanted it opens up to be deeply and sensuously floral in the violets and boronia spectrum, on black cherry fruit, with a touch of vanilla – as in cherry-pie flowers. Palate is explicitly varietal fully-ripe pinot noir, black cherry rather than red, not seriously oaked, possibly not bone dry [confirmed], maybe a wine for the shorter term therefore. But as a $30 wine, it is a great introduction to pinot noir, and has been marked perhaps too generously, considering the more serious wines all around. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $23 [ screwcap; the website data for this wine provides the all-to-rare discrimination between harvest analysis and wine analysis – great; oak mostly US 41% new, second & third-use 59%; RS 2./3 g/L; Halliday rates McLaren Vale 8 /10 in 2005, website notes good natural acid retained in the grapes, good cellar potential; www.tapestrywines.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Bouquet is soft rich round shiraz in the boysenberry and dark plummy style, showing fragrant nearly cedary oak, and acceptably subtle mint / eucalyptus. Palate is rich and over-ripe (in the syrah context), boysenberry more than black plums with suggestions of prunes and chocolate, but all soft, ample, generously flavoured and not too oaky or aggressive. Note this is the standard label, which is much more true to the grape than the 'Reserve' Vincent version – which is over-oaked, as 'reserve' wines all too commonly are. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Bouquet is soft rich round shiraz in the boysenberry and dark plummy style, showing fragrant nearly cedary oak, and acceptably subtle mint / eucalyptus. Palate is rich and over-ripe (in the syrah context), boysenberry more than black plums with suggestions of prunes and chocolate, but all soft, ample, generously flavoured and not too oaky or aggressive. Note this is the standard label, which is much more true to the grape than the 'Reserve' Vincent version – which is over-oaked, as 'reserve' wines all too commonly are. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-picked; no info; www.tarrasvineyards.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, there is noticeable oak, but with air that marries away to reveal a deeply floral dark roses to boronia and black cherry bouquet, very much pinot noir in a dark phase. In mouth, one could argue the wine is too dark for classical pinot, yet I imagine this oak-influenced approach with nearly a hint of darkest chocolate will be popular. And in cellar it may lighten up and become much more fragrant, so it has the benefit of the doubt. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Initially opened, there is noticeable oak, but with air that marries away to reveal a deeply floral dark roses to boronia and black cherry bouquet, very much pinot noir in a dark phase. In mouth, one could argue the wine is too dark for classical pinot, yet I imagine this oak-influenced approach with nearly a hint of darkest chocolate will be popular. And in cellar it may lighten up and become much more fragrant, so it has the benefit of the doubt. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $128 [ second-year oak ]
Pinot noir ruby. Red and black cherries and vanilla florals in cedary oak – in every detail this is so like the Chambertin proper, it seems unnecessary to repeat the detail. It is just not so rich, and therefore seems a little new-oaky. The hint of char on the oak reminds of some Central Otago wines. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Pinot noir ruby. Red and black cherries and vanilla florals in cedary oak – in every detail this is so like the Chambertin proper, it seems unnecessary to repeat the detail. It is just not so rich, and therefore seems a little new-oaky. The hint of char on the oak reminds of some Central Otago wines. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $21 [ screwcap; 100% BF in French oak none younger than 3 years, plus 2.5 months LA; nil MLF, RS 2 g/L; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is fresh, fragrant and unequivocally viognier – mock-orange blossom and fresh Otago apricots, piquant and superbly varietal. Palate is delightful too, the barrel fermentation superbly done and the alcohol well concealed, cherimoya and pale apricot fruits with the citrus blossom thought continuing, dry but lingering finish. This wine is fresh and fragrant all through, beautifully subtly oaked, and showing all the finesse of New Zealand's temperate climate. This should be a gold medal wine after a few months in bottle. Cellar 1 – 3 years. VALUE GK 08/07
Lemon. Bouquet is fresh, fragrant and unequivocally viognier – mock-orange blossom and fresh Otago apricots, piquant and superbly varietal. Palate is delightful too, the barrel fermentation superbly done and the alcohol well concealed, cherimoya and pale apricot fruits with the citrus blossom thought continuing, dry but lingering finish. This wine is fresh and fragrant all through, beautifully subtly oaked, and showing all the finesse of New Zealand's temperate climate. This should be a gold medal wine after a few months in bottle. Cellar 1 – 3 years. VALUE GK 08/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; hand-picked; all wild-yeast fermentation and MLF too; 14 months in French oak 30% new; unfined and unfiltered; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is quietly expressive of all that appeals in pinot noir, and particularly on bouquet the soft sensuous dark red roses and florality is excellent. The transition to palate is seamless too, the mix of redfruits freshness and black cherry depth elegant, the oaking careful. Finish is long, even though the whole wine is understated. This is lovely pinot, just needing a little more flesh, which it may well develop with a little more time in bottle. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is quietly expressive of all that appeals in pinot noir, and particularly on bouquet the soft sensuous dark red roses and florality is excellent. The transition to palate is seamless too, the mix of redfruits freshness and black cherry depth elegant, the oaking careful. Finish is long, even though the whole wine is understated. This is lovely pinot, just needing a little more flesh, which it may well develop with a little more time in bottle. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $42 [ screwcap; all hand-picked; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 10 – 11 months in 35% new French oak; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is redolent of pinot noir, sweetly floral mostly roses, plus a hint of spice (+ve) and thyme, on red more than black cherry fruit. Palate is all red fruits, not as rich or complex as some, but still long-flavoured and very varietal. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is redolent of pinot noir, sweetly floral mostly roses, plus a hint of spice (+ve) and thyme, on red more than black cherry fruit. Palate is all red fruits, not as rich or complex as some, but still long-flavoured and very varietal. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; price was $60 ± 5 at release; hand-harvested @ c. 2.5 t/ac; some whole-bunch, up to 8 days cold soak, up to 23 days cuvaison; c.15 months in French oak some new; not fined or filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Mature pinot noir ruby, some garnet. Bouquet is fully mature, yet still floral in a browning way, on cherry fruit likewise browning and cedary from oak. The nett result is burgundian at a premier cru level, where new oak is used. Palate is rich, black cherry dominating with some plummy suggestions, the oak a little prominent and introducing the thought of chocolate. Though mature, there is still good fruit, so no hurry. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 09/10
Mature pinot noir ruby, some garnet. Bouquet is fully mature, yet still floral in a browning way, on cherry fruit likewise browning and cedary from oak. The nett result is burgundian at a premier cru level, where new oak is used. Palate is rich, black cherry dominating with some plummy suggestions, the oak a little prominent and introducing the thought of chocolate. Though mature, there is still good fruit, so no hurry. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 09/10
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-picked from the hillside la Collina vineyard, whole-bunch pressed; 100% oak-fermented in very old barrels, plus lees autolysis and batonnage 5 months, no MLF; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Good lemon. Freshly opened this viognier is a little raw. With air the bouquet almost has a 'wow !' factor, with nearly perfumed (+ve) florals reminiscent of wild-ginger blossom, mock-orange blossom and citrus florals. Below is both lychee and the full range of apricot characters, from fresh and bitey to riper and canned. Palate is gorgeous, totally pure, the weight of fruit excellent, expanded by barrel-ferment in old oak, but showing virtually no sign of that. There is a freshness combined with mellowness and ripeness, on perfect acid and phenolic balance and a near-dry finish, drier than the TW, which make this enchanting. Like the Villa Omahu, I suspect this will be much better in a year, mellower, even more exciting. It may not be quite as finessed as the Vidal, but it has more varietal character. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Good lemon. Freshly opened this viognier is a little raw. With air the bouquet almost has a 'wow !' factor, with nearly perfumed (+ve) florals reminiscent of wild-ginger blossom, mock-orange blossom and citrus florals. Below is both lychee and the full range of apricot characters, from fresh and bitey to riper and canned. Palate is gorgeous, totally pure, the weight of fruit excellent, expanded by barrel-ferment in old oak, but showing virtually no sign of that. There is a freshness combined with mellowness and ripeness, on perfect acid and phenolic balance and a near-dry finish, drier than the TW, which make this enchanting. Like the Villa Omahu, I suspect this will be much better in a year, mellower, even more exciting. It may not be quite as finessed as the Vidal, but it has more varietal character. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Cromwell Basin 80%, Gibbston 20, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 10 months in French oak, c.35% new; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. This is another wine with the sweet vanillin character of the cherry-pie flower, plus roses, on real red cherry fruit. The volume of bouquet is terrific. Palate deepens the cherry analogy to include some black cherry. There is a thought of fawn mushrooms, subtle oak, and a remarkably burgundian structure. The fatness on palate is a delight, off-setting the hint of stalk which adds freshness (but just takes it out of gold medal). Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. This is another wine with the sweet vanillin character of the cherry-pie flower, plus roses, on real red cherry fruit. The volume of bouquet is terrific. Palate deepens the cherry analogy to include some black cherry. There is a thought of fawn mushrooms, subtle oak, and a remarkably burgundian structure. The fatness on palate is a delight, off-setting the hint of stalk which adds freshness (but just takes it out of gold medal). Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $43 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 5 – 10% whole-bunch fermentation; 11 months in French oak 40% new; no fining, medium filter; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. This is classic Otago pinot noir, right from the start showing rich red and black cherry fruit, opening to a wonderfully floral bouquet, clearly dark roses and boronia. Palate is attractively oaked, fresh, with great mouthfeel and length. There is just a hint of austerity below, though. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. This is classic Otago pinot noir, right from the start showing rich red and black cherry fruit, opening to a wonderfully floral bouquet, clearly dark roses and boronia. Palate is attractively oaked, fresh, with great mouthfeel and length. There is just a hint of austerity below, though. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ screwcap; SB 100% cropped @ 3.4 t/ac, machine-picked; 2 months LA, RS 3 g/L; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is as clean as the Highfield, but not quite so intensely varietal. Black passionfruit again dominates, but there is a suggestion of under-ripe peach too, and more evident red capsicum. Palate is fresher than the Highfield, in fact quite acid, and therefore seems drier, whereas the numbers are probably similar [ 1 gram more ]. Aftertaste is excellent, very varietal, though a little flinty on the acid – perhaps a little much for some tastes. Cellar 5 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/07
Lemongreen. Bouquet is as clean as the Highfield, but not quite so intensely varietal. Black passionfruit again dominates, but there is a suggestion of under-ripe peach too, and more evident red capsicum. Palate is fresher than the Highfield, in fact quite acid, and therefore seems drier, whereas the numbers are probably similar [ 1 gram more ]. Aftertaste is excellent, very varietal, though a little flinty on the acid – perhaps a little much for some tastes. Cellar 5 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 03/07
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.8%; $133 [ cork; CS 75%, CF 12.5, Me 12.5; Halliday rates Eden Valley 9 /10 in 2002; www.henschke.com.au ]
Ruby, some age showing, clearly richer than the Abbot's Prayer. Bouquet is classically cabernet sauvignon, and remarkably Bordeaux-like. It shows great cassis-influenced berry character, almost cedary oak, and fragrant Brettanomyces at about the level of Ch. Leoville Barton. Palate is exactly pro rata, almost the delicacy of a rich-year Bordeaux, richer than the Abbot's Merlot, the high alcohol seemingly well-hidden, great complexity of browning berry, tobacco and leathery oak. This wine too has virtually no trace of euc, and can be run in Bordeaux tastings. The brett level is excessive for techno-winemakers, but most people will love it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Ruby, some age showing, clearly richer than the Abbot's Prayer. Bouquet is classically cabernet sauvignon, and remarkably Bordeaux-like. It shows great cassis-influenced berry character, almost cedary oak, and fragrant Brettanomyces at about the level of Ch. Leoville Barton. Palate is exactly pro rata, almost the delicacy of a rich-year Bordeaux, richer than the Abbot's Merlot, the high alcohol seemingly well-hidden, great complexity of browning berry, tobacco and leathery oak. This wine too has virtually no trace of euc, and can be run in Bordeaux tastings. The brett level is excessive for techno-winemakers, but most people will love it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ supercritical cork; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-picked, co-fermented; de-stemmed but whole berry; 14 months in French & American oak some new; attention to oxygen in elevage; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep but not as deep as some, a great colour. Bouquet is fresh cassis, violets and black pepper florals, highly varietal in a cooler-climate presentation than some Gimblett Gravels syrahs. Palate is richer than the bouquet suggests, quite a lot of oak as well as this floral berry. Rumour is, there is no Homage 2005, so all the Homage premium material went into this. The wine is still rather disorganised / closed, and could well be scoring more highly in another 18 months. It could be worth watching this wine closely to see how it settles down, to purchase in quantity if appropriate. The style is clearly northern Rhone, St Joseph maybe or even Hermitage proper, and the alcohol is superb. Cellar up to 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep but not as deep as some, a great colour. Bouquet is fresh cassis, violets and black pepper florals, highly varietal in a cooler-climate presentation than some Gimblett Gravels syrahs. Palate is richer than the bouquet suggests, quite a lot of oak as well as this floral berry. Rumour is, there is no Homage 2005, so all the Homage premium material went into this. The wine is still rather disorganised / closed, and could well be scoring more highly in another 18 months. It could be worth watching this wine closely to see how it settles down, to purchase in quantity if appropriate. The style is clearly northern Rhone, St Joseph maybe or even Hermitage proper, and the alcohol is superb. Cellar up to 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $62 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation, and cuvaison extending to 32 days; 16 months in French oak 33% new, with lees stirring; total production 260 cases; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great. Bouquet is so rich it smells of the most concentrated dark bottled plums, enlivened by cassis and a hint of black pepper, plus rather much oak. Palate is infantile, more cassis, bottled black doris plum fruit, and black pepper now, but the oak is still obtrusive. Don't even touch a bottle of this for another five years. By 2015 it should be rich and mellow wine, perhaps then ranking gold-medal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, great. Bouquet is so rich it smells of the most concentrated dark bottled plums, enlivened by cassis and a hint of black pepper, plus rather much oak. Palate is infantile, more cassis, bottled black doris plum fruit, and black pepper now, but the oak is still obtrusive. Don't even touch a bottle of this for another five years. By 2015 it should be rich and mellow wine, perhaps then ranking gold-medal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $23 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ < 0.5 t/ac; de-stemmed, s/s ferment; 14 months in French oak 15% new; www.wildrockwine.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as dark as the Corbans Private Bin. Bouquet is deep, dark and complex, with some dusky rose florals, clear cassis, cracked black peppercorn and bottled black doris plums, plus subtle older oak. There may be a touch of brett, adding savoury complexity and excitement. Palate is rich, soft like the Vidal Reserve but the oak older, no vanilla wafer. This is remarkable quality for the affordable price it is offered at, and will cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as dark as the Corbans Private Bin. Bouquet is deep, dark and complex, with some dusky rose florals, clear cassis, cracked black peppercorn and bottled black doris plums, plus subtle older oak. There may be a touch of brett, adding savoury complexity and excitement. Palate is rich, soft like the Vidal Reserve but the oak older, no vanilla wafer. This is remarkable quality for the affordable price it is offered at, and will cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 16 months in French oak some new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good lively colour. Bouquet is deep, quite rich, but very youthful and unformed as yet. There is rich cassis and dark berry fruit, and suggestions of cracked peppercorn spice plus floral subtleties to come. Palate likewise is not giving much as yet, riper than most Bullnoses to date, teetering towards over-ripe, just a hint of blackberry-like fruit as well as the cassis, but there is black pepper on the finish. Oaking is subtle. Total style is northern Rhone in a hot year, a little fleshier than classic St Joseph or Hermitage – tying in with the suggestion of blackberry. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good lively colour. Bouquet is deep, quite rich, but very youthful and unformed as yet. There is rich cassis and dark berry fruit, and suggestions of cracked peppercorn spice plus floral subtleties to come. Palate likewise is not giving much as yet, riper than most Bullnoses to date, teetering towards over-ripe, just a hint of blackberry-like fruit as well as the cassis, but there is black pepper on the finish. Oaking is subtle. Total style is northern Rhone in a hot year, a little fleshier than classic St Joseph or Hermitage – tying in with the suggestion of blackberry. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $29 [ screwcap; DFB; a very young vineyard, 2001 start, young proprietors but access to old vines. James Halliday says: "The winery approach is based on lees ageing, little racking, no fining or filtration, and no new American oak." This wine from (relatively) younger vines, 12 months in older French and US oak, none new. Parker scores round 90 for previous vintages; www.teusner.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, some carmine, the lightest of the dense Australian wines. Bouquet is nearly floral, perhaps the faintest mint (+ve) but not euc'y, on intense blackberry and cassis, with undertones of boysenberry. Palate shows a lovely ratio of berry dominant to oak, ripe rich and round in mouth, no acridity, dry to the finish. This is clear-cut Australian shiraz with some syrah qualities, rich but not massive, slightly one-dimensional, subtle in its oaking. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, some carmine, the lightest of the dense Australian wines. Bouquet is nearly floral, perhaps the faintest mint (+ve) but not euc'y, on intense blackberry and cassis, with undertones of boysenberry. Palate shows a lovely ratio of berry dominant to oak, ripe rich and round in mouth, no acridity, dry to the finish. This is clear-cut Australian shiraz with some syrah qualities, rich but not massive, slightly one-dimensional, subtle in its oaking. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; hand-harvested; 16 months in new and older French oak;; www.temata.co.nz ]
Rich ruby. What a volume of bouquet, intense cassis browning a little, likewise a wallflower florality also browning, dark bottled plums, good oak complexity, a wine at full maturity. Palate is soft, rich and complete, more oak than many Northern Rhones, but subtle by Australasian standards. In 2002 Bullnose is more Hermitage than its usual Cote Rotie styling. One or two people have mentioned light brett in this wine, but it is academic, it is not increasing, and it is invisible alongside the 1989 Gruaud-Larose. Far too much comment is made about this fragrant little yeast, the smell and flavour of which in moderation most people love. Cellar another 5 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Rich ruby. What a volume of bouquet, intense cassis browning a little, likewise a wallflower florality also browning, dark bottled plums, good oak complexity, a wine at full maturity. Palate is soft, rich and complete, more oak than many Northern Rhones, but subtle by Australasian standards. In 2002 Bullnose is more Hermitage than its usual Cote Rotie styling. One or two people have mentioned light brett in this wine, but it is academic, it is not increasing, and it is invisible alongside the 1989 Gruaud-Larose. Far too much comment is made about this fragrant little yeast, the smell and flavour of which in moderation most people love. Cellar another 5 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; clones 5 and 6, 7 years old, harvested @ c.6 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; up to 24% whole bunch, c. 9 days cold soak, c. 21 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 30% new; not fined or filtered; www.feltonroad.com ]
Mature ruby, a little garnet. One sniff, and this is dramatically Otago pinot noir, deeply boronia floral, black cherries rather than red, perhaps a little bottled black doris plums, but enticing. It seemed positively adolescent and ebullient alongside the 1983 La Chapelle. Palate is on the burly side of pinot noir, the oak now melded-in but you can taste it was more previously, the long palate richly fruity, the aftertaste a wee bit furry on the oak tannins. Absolutely at its peak, but no hurry at all, a lovely bottle – generally thought to be the wine of the night. GK 08/11
Mature ruby, a little garnet. One sniff, and this is dramatically Otago pinot noir, deeply boronia floral, black cherries rather than red, perhaps a little bottled black doris plums, but enticing. It seemed positively adolescent and ebullient alongside the 1983 La Chapelle. Palate is on the burly side of pinot noir, the oak now melded-in but you can taste it was more previously, the long palate richly fruity, the aftertaste a wee bit furry on the oak tannins. Absolutely at its peak, but no hurry at all, a lovely bottle – generally thought to be the wine of the night. GK 08/11
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ cork; 16 months in French oak 40% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the same weight exactly as the Cuilleron Cote Rotie, but fresher. This reference-quality New Zealand syrah was put into the subsequent blind assessment for calibration. The degree to which the bouquet matches the Cuilleron Cote Rotie is uncanny. There is not quite the dianthus perfume, and the blueberry quality is different in detail, but the similarity of wallflower and cassis is a delight. In mouth, the main difference is the percentage of new oak is more noticeable in the new world wine, but the fruit quality, weight and style are all extraordinarily close. The achieved ripeness in Bullnose is a little greater, which fits in with the greater blueberry dimension, a fruit quality which comes in just above cassis in the ripening curve. Lovely wine to cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the same weight exactly as the Cuilleron Cote Rotie, but fresher. This reference-quality New Zealand syrah was put into the subsequent blind assessment for calibration. The degree to which the bouquet matches the Cuilleron Cote Rotie is uncanny. There is not quite the dianthus perfume, and the blueberry quality is different in detail, but the similarity of wallflower and cassis is a delight. In mouth, the main difference is the percentage of new oak is more noticeable in the new world wine, but the fruit quality, weight and style are all extraordinarily close. The achieved ripeness in Bullnose is a little greater, which fits in with the greater blueberry dimension, a fruit quality which comes in just above cassis in the ripening curve. Lovely wine to cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak 35 – 40% new; pH 3.67, RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is beautifully floral in the manner which Bullnose is becoming famous for, a precise Cote Rotie look-alike in the style of the best Cuilleron wines. There are suggestions of wallflowers as well as red roses, but scarcely any cracked black peppercorn, in cassis and red plum. Palate changes that, a peppery note now, less body than hoped, certainly not the tactile richness of the 2009 Bullnose, but still a highly varietal and pretty reading of syrah, which will be great with food. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/12
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is beautifully floral in the manner which Bullnose is becoming famous for, a precise Cote Rotie look-alike in the style of the best Cuilleron wines. There are suggestions of wallflowers as well as red roses, but scarcely any cracked black peppercorn, in cassis and red plum. Palate changes that, a peppery note now, less body than hoped, certainly not the tactile richness of the 2009 Bullnose, but still a highly varietal and pretty reading of syrah, which will be great with food. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/12
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $213 [ cork; Ch 50, PN 45, PM 5; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com ]
Lemonstraw, midway. On bouquet, this is very straight good champagne, no grape dominant, attractive autolysis, fragrant all through. Palate is beautifully balanced pinot noir and chardonnay, fresh acid, slight citric and baguette crust components, just a hint of phenolics on the tail (if one were ultra-critical). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Lemonstraw, midway. On bouquet, this is very straight good champagne, no grape dominant, attractive autolysis, fragrant all through. Palate is beautifully balanced pinot noir and chardonnay, fresh acid, slight citric and baguette crust components, just a hint of phenolics on the tail (if one were ultra-critical). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked from Block 2 of The Elms Vineyard near the winery, clone mendoza, average vine age 17 years; whole-bunch pressed, not cold settled; 100% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 26° followed by wild-MLF ferment in the spring; 12 months in French oak 14% new plus older oak to 11 years, occasional batonnage to expedite yeast fermentation finishing, and again in the spring for the MLF; selection and blending of final wine followed by 5 months assembled in tank; pH 3.30, RS <2g/l; not sterile-filtered; not entered in Shows; www.feltonroad.co.nz ]
Lemon, a lovely pure colour. In some ways this is the most beautiful bouquet of all, in that it captures the rare and elusive delicate acacia floral notes scarcely recognised in Australasian wine circles, but much praised in Europe. Behind the florals there is stalky and citrusy pale stonefruit, wonderfully pure, absolutely grand cru Chablis. Palate is a slight shock, total acid higher relative to the field, but the floral / white nectarine / chalky flavours are sustained beautifully on lees-autolysis and subtle oak. It would be so easy for the oak to be spiky at this total acid, but that side of the wine is excellent. Winemaker Blair Walter has given a lot of thought to his new oak ratios, and it shows. Chardonnay is still the hidden potential in Otago, but it stands to reason that a fine pinot district must produce good chardonnay too. I wonder whether winemakers will consider more direct intervention to ease the acid slightly in their chardonnays, even though the pH is fine. Funny business, taste. Cellar 4 – 10 years. GK 03/12
Lemon, a lovely pure colour. In some ways this is the most beautiful bouquet of all, in that it captures the rare and elusive delicate acacia floral notes scarcely recognised in Australasian wine circles, but much praised in Europe. Behind the florals there is stalky and citrusy pale stonefruit, wonderfully pure, absolutely grand cru Chablis. Palate is a slight shock, total acid higher relative to the field, but the floral / white nectarine / chalky flavours are sustained beautifully on lees-autolysis and subtle oak. It would be so easy for the oak to be spiky at this total acid, but that side of the wine is excellent. Winemaker Blair Walter has given a lot of thought to his new oak ratios, and it shows. Chardonnay is still the hidden potential in Otago, but it stands to reason that a fine pinot district must produce good chardonnay too. I wonder whether winemakers will consider more direct intervention to ease the acid slightly in their chardonnays, even though the pH is fine. Funny business, taste. Cellar 4 – 10 years. GK 03/12
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; three wines from different sites but made similarly by Grant Taylor, to illustrate district variation; hand-picked, 25% whole bunch; French oak 30 – 40 % new; not on website; www.valliwine.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is similar to other top Otago wines, but not quite so fragrant and eloquent, the oak a little more noticeable. Palate opens the wine up well, with long-flavoured and rich black cherry fruit, good acid balance, the oak now seeming in good balance. This may just need another year in bottle, to move into the top rank. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is similar to other top Otago wines, but not quite so fragrant and eloquent, the oak a little more noticeable. Palate opens the wine up well, with long-flavoured and rich black cherry fruit, good acid balance, the oak now seeming in good balance. This may just need another year in bottle, to move into the top rank. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.8%; $90 [ cork; CS 48%, Me 22, PV 16, Sy 8, CF 4, tannat, kolor and Vi 2 in total, all hand-picked; c.16 months in French and American oak 100% new; www.expatrius.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little lighter than the Passage Rock Cabernet Reserve. This is more a style wine, with the oak-handling and elevation to the fore in rich berryfruit. Vanillin American oak of high quality adds to the fragrance, but also introduces a Napa Valley-like quality, which will confuse in future blind tastings. The flavours are exciting, yet another 2010 Waiheke premium red showing perfect fruit ripeness, yet no over-ripeness. I would prefer less winemaker influence and more emphasis on fruit and site: the oak level will be debated in years to come, but meanwhile it will win it medals and many people will like the oak. Cellar 5 – 15 + years, perhaps longer. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little lighter than the Passage Rock Cabernet Reserve. This is more a style wine, with the oak-handling and elevation to the fore in rich berryfruit. Vanillin American oak of high quality adds to the fragrance, but also introduces a Napa Valley-like quality, which will confuse in future blind tastings. The flavours are exciting, yet another 2010 Waiheke premium red showing perfect fruit ripeness, yet no over-ripeness. I would prefer less winemaker influence and more emphasis on fruit and site: the oak level will be debated in years to come, but meanwhile it will win it medals and many people will like the oak. Cellar 5 – 15 + years, perhaps longer. GK 10/12
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ supercritical cork; mainly clone Abel, significant percentage whole-bunch; 12 months in French oak, 50% new; dry extract 29 g/L, RS <1 g/L; c.500 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Classical pinot ruby, close in weight to the Block 5 but faintly older. First presented, the bouquet was so dramatically Cote de Nuits pinot noir as to be startling, with roses and boronia pouring from the glass, really amazing. Later the slightest hint of the pennyroyal aromatic appeared. On palate, there is good fruit and varietal character, but not quite the pinpoint perfection of ripeness the top two wines show. There is a trace of stalk, perhaps reflecting winemaker Larry McKenna's interest in the classical whole-bunch approach to maceration. The whole wine is slightly firmer than the top two, and provides a fascinating comparison with them. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/13
Classical pinot ruby, close in weight to the Block 5 but faintly older. First presented, the bouquet was so dramatically Cote de Nuits pinot noir as to be startling, with roses and boronia pouring from the glass, really amazing. Later the slightest hint of the pennyroyal aromatic appeared. On palate, there is good fruit and varietal character, but not quite the pinpoint perfection of ripeness the top two wines show. There is a trace of stalk, perhaps reflecting winemaker Larry McKenna's interest in the classical whole-bunch approach to maceration. The whole wine is slightly firmer than the top two, and provides a fascinating comparison with them. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/13
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: – %; $55 [ screwcap; if same as regular, all hand-picked; c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 10 – 11 months in 35% new French oak; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is classic redfruits pinot noir in a Volnay --> Pommard style, suggestions of pink rose florals, clear red cherry, subtlest oak. Palate is quite rich, attractive red cherry, good tannin balance and subtle oak confirmed, lingering well. There is an understated simplicity about this wine that is very attractive. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is classic redfruits pinot noir in a Volnay --> Pommard style, suggestions of pink rose florals, clear red cherry, subtlest oak. Palate is quite rich, attractive red cherry, good tannin balance and subtle oak confirmed, lingering well. There is an understated simplicity about this wine that is very attractive. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $40 [ Stelvin Lux; Peregrine Winery produced its first wine in the 1998 vintage, yet it quickly became one of the most highly-regarded Otago producers. It reflects the passion of Lindsay McLachlan and Greg Hay. The Peregrine-owned vineyards are organic. Winemaker is Nadine Cross. They have three tiers of pinot noir, one (The Pinnacle) a trophy wine. This wine comprises 60% Bendigo fruit, 27% Pisa, 13% Gibbston, all hand-harvested. There is a 5% whole bunch component. It spends 10 months in French oak, understood to be c.35% new. RS <1 g/L, dry extract not available; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, youthful, midway in depth. In some ways this is the most perfect pinot noir bouquet in the set, since it shows the precise aromatic quality that lifts the Cote de Nuits wines above those of the Cote de Beaune. I associate this factor with the boronia floral concept. But there is rose and daphne too, and a hint of vanilla (from new oak). Fruit quality is red more than black cherry. In mouth despite smelling vanilla, the floral complexity permeates the palate, a key factor in great burgundy wine styles, and the quality of fresh red grading to black cherry is delightful. This is potentially a beautiful wine. If it had a little more concentration, and the tannin structure of the Ata Rangi, it could well be the top wine here. At the $40 mark, it provides a great introduction to the concept of pinot noir florality, beauty and complexity. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/14
Pinot noir ruby, youthful, midway in depth. In some ways this is the most perfect pinot noir bouquet in the set, since it shows the precise aromatic quality that lifts the Cote de Nuits wines above those of the Cote de Beaune. I associate this factor with the boronia floral concept. But there is rose and daphne too, and a hint of vanilla (from new oak). Fruit quality is red more than black cherry. In mouth despite smelling vanilla, the floral complexity permeates the palate, a key factor in great burgundy wine styles, and the quality of fresh red grading to black cherry is delightful. This is potentially a beautiful wine. If it had a little more concentration, and the tannin structure of the Ata Rangi, it could well be the top wine here. At the $40 mark, it provides a great introduction to the concept of pinot noir florality, beauty and complexity. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/14
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $79 [ cork; Vi 100% on granite hillsides; hand-harvested; cold-settled, wild-yeast fermentation peaking @ 21 C; full MLF; 30% only in French oak; excellent info on website; www.chapoutier.com ]
Lemon with a flush of straw, appropriate, immediately contrasting with the white Hermitage wines. Bouquet is terrific, pinpoint varietal viognier with yellow honeysuckle florals arising from clear-cut apricots ripened to full orange in colour. There is even a hint of freshest dried apricots. Palate initially is a bit of a shock after this sultry introduction. It is full of flavour, but very phenolic, making the wine very firm. Yet on the good side, it is not over-oaked as the Guigal Condrieus so often are, and the fruit richness is such that the flavours last and last. Gradually the mouth accommodates quite happily to the phenolic load. Yet alongside the beautiful 2006 Condrieu la Petite Cote from Yves Cuilleron, it does seem heavy-handed. It would therefore be harder to match with food. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 07/08
Lemon with a flush of straw, appropriate, immediately contrasting with the white Hermitage wines. Bouquet is terrific, pinpoint varietal viognier with yellow honeysuckle florals arising from clear-cut apricots ripened to full orange in colour. There is even a hint of freshest dried apricots. Palate initially is a bit of a shock after this sultry introduction. It is full of flavour, but very phenolic, making the wine very firm. Yet on the good side, it is not over-oaked as the Guigal Condrieus so often are, and the fruit richness is such that the flavours last and last. Gradually the mouth accommodates quite happily to the phenolic load. Yet alongside the beautiful 2006 Condrieu la Petite Cote from Yves Cuilleron, it does seem heavy-handed. It would therefore be harder to match with food. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 07/08
Flagey-Echezeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $277 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; plots within the famous walled ex-monastery vineyard, now divided between c. 80 owners and the label therefore variable; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, MLF and up to 18 months in French oak up to 100% new; www.drouhin.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, about in the middle for weight, quite oak-influenced. The quality of the wines jumped at this point. In particular the all-important floral component of the pinot bouquet deepened, this wine adding boronia complexity to roses and total charm. The berry component is not lacking either, with red cherry, some blackboy, and suggestions of black cherry. Though not as oaky as the Gevreys, palate is more oaky than expected from the bouquet, and not quite as rich as the bouquet suggests. The nett impression is classic pinot noir, youthful as yet, a very good Clos Vougeot. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Pinot noir ruby, about in the middle for weight, quite oak-influenced. The quality of the wines jumped at this point. In particular the all-important floral component of the pinot bouquet deepened, this wine adding boronia complexity to roses and total charm. The berry component is not lacking either, with red cherry, some blackboy, and suggestions of black cherry. Though not as oaky as the Gevreys, palate is more oaky than expected from the bouquet, and not quite as rich as the bouquet suggests. The nett impression is classic pinot noir, youthful as yet, a very good Clos Vougeot. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $30 [ screwcap; vines up to 25 years age; wild yeast fermentation, 50% BF in seasoned French oak, balance s/s, BF fraction 9 months LA and batonnage; no MLF; www.yalumba.com ]
Brilliant lemon, a superb colour. This is the freshest and most vividly viognier bouquet in the tasting, with pure varietal character shining through the superbly clean bouquet. Winemaker influences are invisible – the grape rules. Mock orange blossom and apricots both fresh and canned pour from the glass. Palate simply expands the bouquet, with both the smells and flavours of the variety, plus the necessary body. Oak is superbly subtle, just firming the wine a little. The only criticism could be the degree of acid adjustment, hardening the finish a little much. New Zealand and Australian wines are very acid, by world standards, and it can become tiring. This Eden Valley label of Yalumba is the most clearly varietal, reliable, and affordable Australasian version of viognier you can buy, at the moment. If you want to know what the grape tastes like, in technical near-perfection, try it. Cellar a few years only, less than five. GK 11/05
Brilliant lemon, a superb colour. This is the freshest and most vividly viognier bouquet in the tasting, with pure varietal character shining through the superbly clean bouquet. Winemaker influences are invisible – the grape rules. Mock orange blossom and apricots both fresh and canned pour from the glass. Palate simply expands the bouquet, with both the smells and flavours of the variety, plus the necessary body. Oak is superbly subtle, just firming the wine a little. The only criticism could be the degree of acid adjustment, hardening the finish a little much. New Zealand and Australian wines are very acid, by world standards, and it can become tiring. This Eden Valley label of Yalumba is the most clearly varietal, reliable, and affordable Australasian version of viognier you can buy, at the moment. If you want to know what the grape tastes like, in technical near-perfection, try it. Cellar a few years only, less than five. GK 11/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $85 [ cork; hand-picked; 100% de-stemmed; 5 days cold-soak and 14 days making 19 days cuvaison , 10 months in French oak c.37% new; www.olssens.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is both floral and highly varietal, with sweet vanillin on mixed cherry and plum aromas. Palate is rich, but shifts towards the plummy spectrum, a touch of almond and a little plum stone austerity in the phenolics, at this stage. Needs cellaring, and may well rate more highly after three years. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is both floral and highly varietal, with sweet vanillin on mixed cherry and plum aromas. Palate is rich, but shifts towards the plummy spectrum, a touch of almond and a little plum stone austerity in the phenolics, at this stage. Needs cellaring, and may well rate more highly after three years. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ cork; Sy 90%, Mv 6, Gr 2, Ci 1, Vi 1, hand-picked, organic vineyard; 12 months in all-French oak, none new; website has no wine detail later than 2008 vintage, and detail is meagre; 200 cases; www.stonyridge.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the richer colours. Bouquet is explicitly floral, with rose aromas and faintest pennyroyal, on red and black fruits with a touch of spice / black pepper and light oak. There is a dark suggestion of something else maybe detracting, in the same way malbec detracts from cabernet / merlot blends. The wine is neither unduly big or heavy. Palate is clearly Hermitage syrah in weight, cassis berry is like Hermitage too, showing fractionally cool ripeness by temperate climate syrah standards, so the wine is slightly fresh alongside some Gimblett Gravels wines. Both this attribute and the dark character alluded to could be the Southern Rhone grapes not achieving perfect ripeness, like the malbec in Luna Negra. I imagine this intriguing and immaculately clean wine sitting alongside Bilancia's La Collina most informatively – in fact I look forward to it, and must provide for that. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the richer colours. Bouquet is explicitly floral, with rose aromas and faintest pennyroyal, on red and black fruits with a touch of spice / black pepper and light oak. There is a dark suggestion of something else maybe detracting, in the same way malbec detracts from cabernet / merlot blends. The wine is neither unduly big or heavy. Palate is clearly Hermitage syrah in weight, cassis berry is like Hermitage too, showing fractionally cool ripeness by temperate climate syrah standards, so the wine is slightly fresh alongside some Gimblett Gravels wines. Both this attribute and the dark character alluded to could be the Southern Rhone grapes not achieving perfect ripeness, like the malbec in Luna Negra. I imagine this intriguing and immaculately clean wine sitting alongside Bilancia's La Collina most informatively – in fact I look forward to it, and must provide for that. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ screwcap; small % whole bunch; 9 months in French oak, 32% new; several gold medals; this review as seen in the > $35 set; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, the second deepest. Bouquet is quieter than the top wines, all in the darkest red roses to boronia on dark cherry sector, less vibrant and floral than the Mt Difficulty or the Greywacke. Palate is quite big, a little on the sturdy side as yet, not quite the perfect black cherry pitch of the Difficulty, just a hint of dark plum. But there is also a trace of stalk adding complexity. It seems not as supple as the Black Poplar, yet there is less oak. This wine illustrates perfectly the whole concept of Otago pinot noir, the wine darker and more ample than Martinborough, Nelson and Waipara pinots, but still in no way heavy. As suggested in the Introduction to both tastings, the Grasshopper Pinot Noir was the one to beat. It achieved that task admirably, and ended up in the top few for both tastings. Pretty exciting for a $31 wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Big pinot noir ruby, the second deepest. Bouquet is quieter than the top wines, all in the darkest red roses to boronia on dark cherry sector, less vibrant and floral than the Mt Difficulty or the Greywacke. Palate is quite big, a little on the sturdy side as yet, not quite the perfect black cherry pitch of the Difficulty, just a hint of dark plum. But there is also a trace of stalk adding complexity. It seems not as supple as the Black Poplar, yet there is less oak. This wine illustrates perfectly the whole concept of Otago pinot noir, the wine darker and more ample than Martinborough, Nelson and Waipara pinots, but still in no way heavy. As suggested in the Introduction to both tastings, the Grasshopper Pinot Noir was the one to beat. It achieved that task admirably, and ended up in the top few for both tastings. Pretty exciting for a $31 wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Kumeu River, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; clone 15 predominates but a mix, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel usually 20% new but varies; 2010 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay, though 2013 in the wings may challenge; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, an elegant colour. Bouquet is complex, trace reduction battling with acacia florals and lisbon lemon aromas, the former just stealing a little beauty from the latter. The current fad for reductive suggestions (noble sulphides – what a contradiction in terms) in chardonnay is to be deplored. Palate shows good citrusy and stonefruit chardonnay with reasonable body and subtle oak. It is richer than the Estate wine, and shows every chance of becoming as elegant in maturity as the 2006 is now. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw, an elegant colour. Bouquet is complex, trace reduction battling with acacia florals and lisbon lemon aromas, the former just stealing a little beauty from the latter. The current fad for reductive suggestions (noble sulphides – what a contradiction in terms) in chardonnay is to be deplored. Palate shows good citrusy and stonefruit chardonnay with reasonable body and subtle oak. It is richer than the Estate wine, and shows every chance of becoming as elegant in maturity as the 2006 is now. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top vessels, 15 days cuvaison; c. 15 months in French and American oak 60% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than Bullnose, but less dense than the Reserve. Bouquet combines everything that is fragrant and berry-rich about syrah, is explicitly varietal, and beautifully ripe in a Cote Rotie / temperate-climate style, subtly oaked. It is not as rich as the Villa Reserve wine. I have reviewed this wine more fully in comparison with its straight Syrah Cellar Selection sibling, in the syrah report dated 19 May 2008 on this site. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than Bullnose, but less dense than the Reserve. Bouquet combines everything that is fragrant and berry-rich about syrah, is explicitly varietal, and beautifully ripe in a Cote Rotie / temperate-climate style, subtly oaked. It is not as rich as the Villa Reserve wine. I have reviewed this wine more fully in comparison with its straight Syrah Cellar Selection sibling, in the syrah report dated 19 May 2008 on this site. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale & Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $69 [ cork; 15 months in large old oak; Robinson: Meaty liquorice notes. Touch of mintiness. Very sweet black fruit, sweet ripe, softened tannins. Broad, rich, warm. Soft and mouthfilling. Rich and sweet but very well balanced. 17 +; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older than the 2004 Bin 128, towards the deeper end of the colour range in the tasting. This year St Henri is uncannily like the Bin 128, but a little fresher and more aromatic, particularly in the oak handling. St Henri is alleged to be raised only in big old wood, but this year there is in fact quite noticeable new oak, at about a normal level by French standards, though delicate by Australian norms. Presumably some of the big oak vessels have been renewed / replaced recently. Fruit is almost syrah-like in its near florals, fragrant aromatic boysenberry a little crisper than the 128, a suggestion of added acid. This is a lovely fresh St Henri – a far cry from its stale casky image of 20 and 30 years ago. If only the alcohols were civilised in these wines, instead of the monstrous 14.5% Penfolds now routinely indulge in. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Ruby and velvet, a little older than the 2004 Bin 128, towards the deeper end of the colour range in the tasting. This year St Henri is uncannily like the Bin 128, but a little fresher and more aromatic, particularly in the oak handling. St Henri is alleged to be raised only in big old wood, but this year there is in fact quite noticeable new oak, at about a normal level by French standards, though delicate by Australian norms. Presumably some of the big oak vessels have been renewed / replaced recently. Fruit is almost syrah-like in its near florals, fragrant aromatic boysenberry a little crisper than the 128, a suggestion of added acid. This is a lovely fresh St Henri – a far cry from its stale casky image of 20 and 30 years ago. If only the alcohols were civilised in these wines, instead of the monstrous 14.5% Penfolds now routinely indulge in. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Roy's Hill, SW of Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $95 [ screwcap; Sy & Vi hand-harvested; Sy fermented on Vi skins, % Vi hard to quantify; no whole-bunch, wild yeast ferment, c.20 days cuvaison; MLF and 20 months in French oak mostly new; website currently unavailable; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in weight. Bouquet is on the floral and fragrant side, with flowers and cassisy berry all melded together so it is hard to isolate single aromas. The cassis is fleshed out with bottled black doris fruit qualities too. Florality and berry are greater than the oak, so the wine is a real charmer on bouquet. Palate introduces blueberry to the equation, the oak now cedary and growing in mouth, not quite the apparent fruit richness of Homage but confused by the acid being slightly higher. Suggestions of Cote Rotie here, as is often the case with Bullnose, but 2009 La Collina is an appreciably richer wine than 2009 Bullnose. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 07/12
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, well above midway in weight. Bouquet is on the floral and fragrant side, with flowers and cassisy berry all melded together so it is hard to isolate single aromas. The cassis is fleshed out with bottled black doris fruit qualities too. Florality and berry are greater than the oak, so the wine is a real charmer on bouquet. Palate introduces blueberry to the equation, the oak now cedary and growing in mouth, not quite the apparent fruit richness of Homage but confused by the acid being slightly higher. Suggestions of Cote Rotie here, as is often the case with Bullnose, but 2009 La Collina is an appreciably richer wine than 2009 Bullnose. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 07/12
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $291 [ cork, 49mm; Sy 100%; estimated purchase price c.$230; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, just below midway in depth. Like the 1991 and 1999 in the second flight, this is one of the fresher wines bespeaking a temperate year, with the wine showing an appropriate cassis level of ripeness browning now, plus a good depth of darkly plummy berry. Oak is somewhat less noticeable in this wine, making it an attractive example of maturing syrah. Palate is firm, not generous, but the browning cassisy berry continues, and is attractively balanced by less toasty oak than too many of these wines show. Nett flavour reminds of the 2006 with an imagined further 10 years down the track, perhaps a little tanniny. This wine did not speak to tasters on the day, no positive votes, one least. Cellar another 10 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 90. GK 10/18
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, just below midway in depth. Like the 1991 and 1999 in the second flight, this is one of the fresher wines bespeaking a temperate year, with the wine showing an appropriate cassis level of ripeness browning now, plus a good depth of darkly plummy berry. Oak is somewhat less noticeable in this wine, making it an attractive example of maturing syrah. Palate is firm, not generous, but the browning cassisy berry continues, and is attractively balanced by less toasty oak than too many of these wines show. Nett flavour reminds of the 2006 with an imagined further 10 years down the track, perhaps a little tanniny. This wine did not speak to tasters on the day, no positive votes, one least. Cellar another 10 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 90. GK 10/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ 24+ degrees Brix, all de-stemmed; mostly wild yeast, warm-fermented in concrete open-top vessels, c. 30 days cuvaison; c. 18 months in French oak 30% new; RS <1g/L; www.esk.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not so much lighter than the Esk Reserve, but brighter, implying less new oak exposure. To first sniff, there is no doubt this is fine syrah. Nothing is overt, but there are gentle floral notes, beautiful cassis, clear dark plums. With less new oak than the Reserve, the fruit qualities in some ways are clearer, though quieter. Palate has the freshness of blackcurrants, a beautiful saturation of flavour, all lingering on grape tannins. Finish is a little short, as yet, but like the Cognoscenti Syrah, it will fill out, I am sure. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not so much lighter than the Esk Reserve, but brighter, implying less new oak exposure. To first sniff, there is no doubt this is fine syrah. Nothing is overt, but there are gentle floral notes, beautiful cassis, clear dark plums. With less new oak than the Reserve, the fruit qualities in some ways are clearer, though quieter. Palate has the freshness of blackcurrants, a beautiful saturation of flavour, all lingering on grape tannins. Finish is a little short, as yet, but like the Cognoscenti Syrah, it will fill out, I am sure. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 93%, Ma 7, hand-harvested @ c. 6.5 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac; vinified @ Mangere; 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation; up to 28 days cuvaison in s/s, MLF in barrel; c. 20 months in 100% French oak 3 years air-dried and 75% new; coarse filter only; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, remarkably fresh for the year, and rich and dark, the third deepest Hawkes Bay blend. Bouquet is rich and dark too, tending oaky as so many Reserve wines are, but nonetheless exciting. If it weren't so oaky, one could imagine violets here, as befits merlot, but I guess the floral impression is more vanillin from the oak. Berry richness is great in mouth, the fruit is surprisingly cassisy as if there were a percentage of cabernet sauvignon [confusion with the malbec ?], lots of dark plums, some spice from the oak. The oak clearly lets the wine down at this stage, if any kind of Bordeaux analogy be the goal, but the new world loves this approach. A serious wine from a very good year, to cellar 5 – 10 years, perhaps longer if that oak marries away. GK 06/12
Ruby and velvet, remarkably fresh for the year, and rich and dark, the third deepest Hawkes Bay blend. Bouquet is rich and dark too, tending oaky as so many Reserve wines are, but nonetheless exciting. If it weren't so oaky, one could imagine violets here, as befits merlot, but I guess the floral impression is more vanillin from the oak. Berry richness is great in mouth, the fruit is surprisingly cassisy as if there were a percentage of cabernet sauvignon [confusion with the malbec ?], lots of dark plums, some spice from the oak. The oak clearly lets the wine down at this stage, if any kind of Bordeaux analogy be the goal, but the new world loves this approach. A serious wine from a very good year, to cellar 5 – 10 years, perhaps longer if that oak marries away. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ supercritical 'cork'; CS > Me, all hand-picked, ratio not revealed, CS picked 18 days after Me; a small percentage of juice taken for rosé; extended cuvaison to 35 days for some parcels, using cultured yeast; press wine blended back to taste; elevation for unstated months all small oak (barriques), implication still some American, 40% new French though; website to be updated; Parker: 89; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, below midway, in the middle third, for weight. The wine benefits from a good decanting, to become fragrant, elegant and sophisticated: how good it is to have the Unison wines freed from their former reductive shackles. On bouquet both cassisy berry and good oak are apparent, so one tastes the wine with interest to see which dominates. And yes, as commented for Helmsman, this too is an oaky wine, to a fault. It does not have the fruit weight of 2009 Tom, but the quantum of oak seems about the same, hence it tastes oakier than that wine. Being a 2009, it is richer than the two 2010 Helmsmans, but those wines show better balance. Too oaky for gold, therefore. Let's hope this 2009 is evolutionary in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Ruby and velvet, below midway, in the middle third, for weight. The wine benefits from a good decanting, to become fragrant, elegant and sophisticated: how good it is to have the Unison wines freed from their former reductive shackles. On bouquet both cassisy berry and good oak are apparent, so one tastes the wine with interest to see which dominates. And yes, as commented for Helmsman, this too is an oaky wine, to a fault. It does not have the fruit weight of 2009 Tom, but the quantum of oak seems about the same, hence it tastes oakier than that wine. Being a 2009, it is richer than the two 2010 Helmsmans, but those wines show better balance. Too oaky for gold, therefore. Let's hope this 2009 is evolutionary in style. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/14
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 14.1%; $65 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 5 and 22, up to 23 years, harvested c 2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed; 6 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 20 days cuvaison; 10 months French oak 40% new; not fined or filtered; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a wash of velvet, lighter than many of Moutere-based pinots from Neudorf. Like the '03 Rousseau Chambertin, this is a markedly oak-affected pinot noir bouquet, in a rich fragrant seemingly spirity wine reminding of some top Chateauneuf du Papes, more red fruits than black. Palate is velvety, fragrant oak, good length and succulence, firmed by the oak. There are reminders of the Mondavi Reserve Pinot styles of a few years ago too, in a positive sense. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/07
Good pinot noir ruby, a wash of velvet, lighter than many of Moutere-based pinots from Neudorf. Like the '03 Rousseau Chambertin, this is a markedly oak-affected pinot noir bouquet, in a rich fragrant seemingly spirity wine reminding of some top Chateauneuf du Papes, more red fruits than black. Palate is velvety, fragrant oak, good length and succulence, firmed by the oak. There are reminders of the Mondavi Reserve Pinot styles of a few years ago too, in a positive sense. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $28 [ screwcap; Me 86%, CF 14, mostly machine-harvested @ 7.5 t/ha (3 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in s/s; 13 months in 28% new French oak; fined and filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, slightly deeper and not quite as fresh as 2011 Sophia. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant on bottled black doris plums, seemingly not as floral as 2011 Sophia but it is hard to tease out the grape florals from the oak vanillin. In its ratio of berry to oak, this wine is much more classically Bordeaux than the Villa Reserve in this bracket. In mouth, the wine is softer and richer than 2011 Sophia, more apparent plummy fruit, less flowers, and less new oak. Many would prefer it for the latter detail. This is lovely affordable highly varietal wine in a Pomerol styling to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, slightly deeper and not quite as fresh as 2011 Sophia. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant on bottled black doris plums, seemingly not as floral as 2011 Sophia but it is hard to tease out the grape florals from the oak vanillin. In its ratio of berry to oak, this wine is much more classically Bordeaux than the Villa Reserve in this bracket. In mouth, the wine is softer and richer than 2011 Sophia, more apparent plummy fruit, less flowers, and less new oak. Many would prefer it for the latter detail. This is lovely affordable highly varietal wine in a Pomerol styling to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $420 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; purchase price c.$295; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Vibrant ruby and velvet, in the top quarter for depth / richness. This is another wine which reminds of the 2010 in freshness of berry character, nearly varietal florals and suggestions of black pepper, clear cassis and darkest plum, fragrant with almost a cool hint making you think: check this on palate. Palate is again one of the smaller wines, but there is good varietal vibrancy on palate, not too much masked by oak. Palate weight and length are more like the 2012, lingering attractively on berry flavours. Fruit / oak balance works well, here. The 2006 recorded three second-place votes. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Vibrant ruby and velvet, in the top quarter for depth / richness. This is another wine which reminds of the 2010 in freshness of berry character, nearly varietal florals and suggestions of black pepper, clear cassis and darkest plum, fragrant with almost a cool hint making you think: check this on palate. Palate is again one of the smaller wines, but there is good varietal vibrancy on palate, not too much masked by oak. Palate weight and length are more like the 2012, lingering attractively on berry flavours. Fruit / oak balance works well, here. The 2006 recorded three second-place votes. Cellar 10 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $162 [ cork; hand-picked from young vines as well as the main 40 – 60 year vines at mostly <3 t/ha (1.2 t/ac); website not forthcoming as to elevage, beyond 15 – 18 months in barrel; essentially the wines not making the now severely-tightened cut for La Chapelle proper, including younger and higher-cropping vines; Parker: 92, Robinson: 17; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, scarcely lighter than the 2010 Petite Chapelle. On bouquet this is a very different wine from the 2010 Petite, immediately deeper, darker, less aromatic and more darkly plummy. In mouth there is greater fruit richness and eveness of ripening, blueberry as well as cassis, and solid grape tannins making the wine seem hard at this stage. They are however riper tannins than the 2010, and the whole wine is just a bit burly alongside it, lacking its poise and exact varietal definition. I can well imagine that Americans and Australians would rate this much higher than the 2010, whereas those from Britain, France and New Zealand might rate the 2010 higher. Once this 2009 loses some tannins, as it will once it crusts in 10 – 15 years, the resulting line is going to be lovely. Oh, for the subtlety of oak handling here, vis-a-vis some of the New Zealand wines such as the 2010 Villa Syrah Reserve. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, scarcely lighter than the 2010 Petite Chapelle. On bouquet this is a very different wine from the 2010 Petite, immediately deeper, darker, less aromatic and more darkly plummy. In mouth there is greater fruit richness and eveness of ripening, blueberry as well as cassis, and solid grape tannins making the wine seem hard at this stage. They are however riper tannins than the 2010, and the whole wine is just a bit burly alongside it, lacking its poise and exact varietal definition. I can well imagine that Americans and Australians would rate this much higher than the 2010, whereas those from Britain, France and New Zealand might rate the 2010 higher. Once this 2009 loses some tannins, as it will once it crusts in 10 – 15 years, the resulting line is going to be lovely. Oh, for the subtlety of oak handling here, vis-a-vis some of the New Zealand wines such as the 2010 Villa Syrah Reserve. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/14
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Me 90.5%, CF 4.5, CS 4, hand-picked from 7 year old vines @ just under 2.5 t/ac; 18 months in French oak 75% new; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about the same weight as the Black Barn Merlot, but naturally not as vivid. This is a bigger, richer, riper and oakier wine than the Black Barn, but being two years older, it communicates better. Even so, there is a robustness about it which did not suit me for the varietal exposition at Lincoln, where I wanted to display the essential florality of fine temperate-climate merlot. But that said, this merlot still displays a quality Australia can only dream off, in such a subtle variety. The plummyness of the fruit is a notch riper than the Black Barn, probably explaining the lesser floral component. Oak is a little high. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about the same weight as the Black Barn Merlot, but naturally not as vivid. This is a bigger, richer, riper and oakier wine than the Black Barn, but being two years older, it communicates better. Even so, there is a robustness about it which did not suit me for the varietal exposition at Lincoln, where I wanted to display the essential florality of fine temperate-climate merlot. But that said, this merlot still displays a quality Australia can only dream off, in such a subtle variety. The plummyness of the fruit is a notch riper than the Black Barn, probably explaining the lesser floral component. Oak is a little high. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Colmar, Alsace, France: 13.5%; $38 [ cork; Cuvée Caroline series wines are off-dry. ]
Light gold, a little worrying for an ’04. But bouquet makes one overlook the colour, for here is a most beautiful demonstration of explicit gewurztraminer varietal character: lychee, citronella, root ginger, yellow nectarines and peaches, plus a gorgeous yellow floral honeysuckle quality – absolutely dreamy. Palate is exactly the same, more medium than ‘dry’ in sweetness, a little sweeter than the Cloudy Bay, pure straight intense slightly raisiny gewurztraminer. The only worry is the wine is so forward. Cellar for 2 – 5 years only, probably. GK 08/06
Light gold, a little worrying for an ’04. But bouquet makes one overlook the colour, for here is a most beautiful demonstration of explicit gewurztraminer varietal character: lychee, citronella, root ginger, yellow nectarines and peaches, plus a gorgeous yellow floral honeysuckle quality – absolutely dreamy. Palate is exactly the same, more medium than ‘dry’ in sweetness, a little sweeter than the Cloudy Bay, pure straight intense slightly raisiny gewurztraminer. The only worry is the wine is so forward. Cellar for 2 – 5 years only, probably. GK 08/06
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $535 [ cork; Sy 100%; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the three grand cru Cote Roties. This is the most demonstrative of the three grand cru Cote Roties, with the clear aromatic cassis of straight syrah seeming more concentrated. But there is also a subtle leather and venison complexity note bespeaking some brett. Palate is the firmest of the three grands crus Cote Roties, but is somewhat cluttered by the elevage elements, so it does not illuminate syrah the variety as well as for example the pure village Hermitage. As a total wine it is pretty good though, and it's cellaring should not be curtailed, 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the three grand cru Cote Roties. This is the most demonstrative of the three grand cru Cote Roties, with the clear aromatic cassis of straight syrah seeming more concentrated. But there is also a subtle leather and venison complexity note bespeaking some brett. Palate is the firmest of the three grands crus Cote Roties, but is somewhat cluttered by the elevage elements, so it does not illuminate syrah the variety as well as for example the pure village Hermitage. As a total wine it is pretty good though, and it's cellaring should not be curtailed, 5 – 15 + years. GK 10/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ cork; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-picked @ c.1.2 t/ac; MLF and 18 months in French oak some new; 300 cases, WWA Certified; ‘Our Syrah is reminiscent of a Northern Rhone, fermented with 3% Viognier that shows perfumed floral notes with some gamey and sweet oak aromas. It has ripe and rich fruit on the palate with some peppery nuances. This wine is complex, powerful with great length. Gold Medal, International Wine Challenge, London’; www.kennedypointvineyard.com ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Initially opened, the wine smells a bit much of toasted barrels. All it needs is a breath of air, to open up to an aromatic, cassisy and dark plum syrah with some black pepper and a little brett. Palate softens the wine desirably, a better acid balance than some, some blackberry as well as plummy fruit appearing with air. The tannin backbone is firm, and this wine will benefit from time in bottle to further marry up. Vin de garde therefore, which will probably always benefit from decanting. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Initially opened, the wine smells a bit much of toasted barrels. All it needs is a breath of air, to open up to an aromatic, cassisy and dark plum syrah with some black pepper and a little brett. Palate softens the wine desirably, a better acid balance than some, some blackberry as well as plummy fruit appearing with air. The tannin backbone is firm, and this wine will benefit from time in bottle to further marry up. Vin de garde therefore, which will probably always benefit from decanting. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $65 [ supercritical ‘cork’; Sy 90% in two equal picks, one late, CS 10, all hand-harvested @ c.1.2 t/ac; all de-stemmed but not crushed, cold soak up to 14 days and cuvaison up to 35 days; cultured yeast, MLF and 12 months in barrel French 95% and 50% new, older American 5; sterile-filtered; 25 cases, release date Sept. 2009, the proprietor Steve Poletti offers an en primeur programme; website not up yet; ‘Reserve Syrah built for the long haul. Our best Syrah to date.’; www.awaroawines.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, older and lighter than the standard 2008 Syrah, presumably reflecting longer in oak [ later, more the new oak, it seems ]. Bouquet is fragrant with almost carnation-like florals, a honeyed note, black pepper, and a hint of leaf, all on cassis, plum and oak. Palate is rather different, all the above elements showing plus a stalky note, which in the blind line-up I surmised might indicate the Waiheke syrah known to have mourvedre in it. Both in the Barossa Valley and Spain, mourvedre can easily show stalky notes in less than ideal vintages, and ripening it properly in New Zealand seems a big ask. Later the interesting detail emerges that rather than mourvedre, this wine contains 10% of cabernet sauvignon. The cassis components of the two grapes should marry seamlessly, and this will certainly be very fragrant wine in five or so years. Whether or not it loses that subtle stalky note is going to be the issue. It contrasts vividly with the opulent tannin ripeness in the overly alcoholic standard syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, older and lighter than the standard 2008 Syrah, presumably reflecting longer in oak [ later, more the new oak, it seems ]. Bouquet is fragrant with almost carnation-like florals, a honeyed note, black pepper, and a hint of leaf, all on cassis, plum and oak. Palate is rather different, all the above elements showing plus a stalky note, which in the blind line-up I surmised might indicate the Waiheke syrah known to have mourvedre in it. Both in the Barossa Valley and Spain, mourvedre can easily show stalky notes in less than ideal vintages, and ripening it properly in New Zealand seems a big ask. Later the interesting detail emerges that rather than mourvedre, this wine contains 10% of cabernet sauvignon. The cassis components of the two grapes should marry seamlessly, and this will certainly be very fragrant wine in five or so years. Whether or not it loses that subtle stalky note is going to be the issue. It contrasts vividly with the opulent tannin ripeness in the overly alcoholic standard syrah. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/09
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Syrah 100%, hand-picked; c.30 days cuvaison; c.10 months in barrel, much more French oak than previously, now predominant, c. 70% new; sterile-filtered; not in catalogue; August 2009 release; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Bouquet is pure fragrant cassis, blueberry and black pepper, with lighter fractions suggesting wallflowers and bush honey. The volume of bouquet is great. Palate is cassis and black pepper, fragrant aromatic oak with both a higher ratio of French oak than the 2005, and a subtler handling of oak in general. Fruit ripeness is succulent and good, acid balance is appropriate, but there is still a hint of brett persisting. This wine is a great step forward from the 2007 Reserve. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, nearly carmine. Bouquet is pure fragrant cassis, blueberry and black pepper, with lighter fractions suggesting wallflowers and bush honey. The volume of bouquet is great. Palate is cassis and black pepper, fragrant aromatic oak with both a higher ratio of French oak than the 2005, and a subtler handling of oak in general. Fruit ripeness is succulent and good, acid balance is appropriate, but there is still a hint of brett persisting. This wine is a great step forward from the 2007 Reserve. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ screwcap; Ch 100%, mendoza dominant and clone 15 and 95, hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed; 100% BF in French and 20% American oak 35% new, some wild-yeast ferments, plus 100% MLF, LA and batonnage; pH 3.45, RS 3.5 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Attractive lemon. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, lifted a little by trace VA, in a paler style which does suggest Marlborough. There are white florals and white stonefruits, on vanillin oak which hints at the odd American barrel [ confirmed ]. Flavours are cool chardonnay, thoughts of Chablis again, but much longer in mouth than one would initially think, bespeaking a conservative cropping rate. This is attractive chardonnay which should cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 04/09
Attractive lemon. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, lifted a little by trace VA, in a paler style which does suggest Marlborough. There are white florals and white stonefruits, on vanillin oak which hints at the odd American barrel [ confirmed ]. Flavours are cool chardonnay, thoughts of Chablis again, but much longer in mouth than one would initially think, bespeaking a conservative cropping rate. This is attractive chardonnay which should cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 04/09
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.7%; $115 [ cork; CS 57%, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested @ average 1.7 t/ac; 10 – 15 months in French and American oak about equal, 60% new; Mystae alludes to the name given to students entering the schools of philosophy of the great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle; in style it lies between the Medoc-oriented Magna Praemia, and Destinae conceived as more right bank (though the cepage confuses the issue); 398 cases, WWA Certified, offered 1 Nov 2008 to Patron Club members @ $70 (en primeur, in effect), this offer continues until release date 1 August 2009, when RRP will be $115. At that date, the 2007 en primeur campaign opens – volumes for the 2007 vintage are maybe half those for 2006, so the possibility arises only subscribers will secure the 2007 wines; ‘Dark, dense and luscious with racy plum and notes of coffee, chocolate and spice; smooth, fresh and supple with balance and good length; elegant and complex;’; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, lighter and a little older than most. Bouquet is extraordinary on this wine, showing a complexly fragrant cedar / oak / dark tobacco and fruit interaction which immediately reminds of Rioja or Ribera del Duero. There are some reminders of Pauillac too, particularly earlier incarnations of wines like Grand-Puy-Lacoste from a lighter fragrant year, and many 1998 Medocs. Though not a big wine, the volume of bouquet, backed by cassis and red / black berry is marvellous. Palate is equally complex, fragrant oak melding with medium-weight fruit, no acrid edges, acid balance better than many but still a little fresher than ideal or the 2005 Mystae. The elevation of this wine has been extraordinary, the way the oak has softened into the fruit. It makes the 2006 Villa Maria Merlot Omahu Single Vineyard wine look hard and youthful and clearly new-world, even though it scores nearly as well in its style. Exciting wine, with exciting use of a measure of new American oak – though to a maximum. A little forward for long cellaring, but 5 – 10 years or so. GK 06/09
Ruby, lighter and a little older than most. Bouquet is extraordinary on this wine, showing a complexly fragrant cedar / oak / dark tobacco and fruit interaction which immediately reminds of Rioja or Ribera del Duero. There are some reminders of Pauillac too, particularly earlier incarnations of wines like Grand-Puy-Lacoste from a lighter fragrant year, and many 1998 Medocs. Though not a big wine, the volume of bouquet, backed by cassis and red / black berry is marvellous. Palate is equally complex, fragrant oak melding with medium-weight fruit, no acrid edges, acid balance better than many but still a little fresher than ideal or the 2005 Mystae. The elevation of this wine has been extraordinary, the way the oak has softened into the fruit. It makes the 2006 Villa Maria Merlot Omahu Single Vineyard wine look hard and youthful and clearly new-world, even though it scores nearly as well in its style. Exciting wine, with exciting use of a measure of new American oak – though to a maximum. A little forward for long cellaring, but 5 – 10 years or so. GK 06/09
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; 100% PG hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed; 100% s/s ferment plus 5 months LA with weekly stirring, no MLF at all; pH 3.57, RS 10 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Excellent lemon. Bouquet is so sweet and clean and truly New Zealand pinot gris varietal on this wine, you have to pause and wonder: yes, perhaps nearly all the other pinot gris are touched up with gewurztraminer, to show that rose-petal character. It therefore seemed imperative to check with the winemaker George Geris, and confirm that the details set out above were exactly accurate. Labelling regulations do allow quite a bit of give and take, and as is evident with other pinot gris in this batch, winemakers do like to augment complexity. So, this 100% varietal Villa Maria wine tiptoes towards the Alsatian benchmark for pinot gris, showing an improvement on the standard New Zealand white pear-flesh, and moving towards pale yellow florals and stonefruits. Palate is rich in body, a little phenolic in texture, a little sweeter than 'riesling dry', but understated, so though lovely pure wine, it is hard to score it to the top. It should cellar well, and may be softer, more complex and even more varietal in a year or so. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Excellent lemon. Bouquet is so sweet and clean and truly New Zealand pinot gris varietal on this wine, you have to pause and wonder: yes, perhaps nearly all the other pinot gris are touched up with gewurztraminer, to show that rose-petal character. It therefore seemed imperative to check with the winemaker George Geris, and confirm that the details set out above were exactly accurate. Labelling regulations do allow quite a bit of give and take, and as is evident with other pinot gris in this batch, winemakers do like to augment complexity. So, this 100% varietal Villa Maria wine tiptoes towards the Alsatian benchmark for pinot gris, showing an improvement on the standard New Zealand white pear-flesh, and moving towards pale yellow florals and stonefruits. Palate is rich in body, a little phenolic in texture, a little sweeter than 'riesling dry', but understated, so though lovely pure wine, it is hard to score it to the top. It should cellar well, and may be softer, more complex and even more varietal in a year or so. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; 18 months in French oak; part of Sacred Hill group, but not on that website, no dedicated website; www.hawkesbaywines.com/gunnestate ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the top wines, and older than most of the ‘04s. Bouquet is a rich mix of berry and oak characters, with dark plum and more charry / dark chocolate oak complexities. Palate is very flavourful, not as rich as the Esk Reserve, but long with the cassis / cabernet component more prominent in this claret-styled red. The oak is relatively subtle despite the bouquet, and there is a hint of stalks shifting it a little towards the Medoc in character. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as dense as the top wines, and older than most of the ‘04s. Bouquet is a rich mix of berry and oak characters, with dark plum and more charry / dark chocolate oak complexities. Palate is very flavourful, not as rich as the Esk Reserve, but long with the cassis / cabernet component more prominent in this claret-styled red. The oak is relatively subtle despite the bouquet, and there is a hint of stalks shifting it a little towards the Medoc in character. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ c.2.5 t/ac, all de-stemmed; cold soak, wild yeast initially, cuvaison up to 25 days; MLF and c.20 months in French oak 24% new; RS nil; minimal filtration; Catalogue: Showing typical pepper, spice, black fruits and floral notes this wine is well-balanced with fine acidity, exhibiting supple tannins and a long, concentrated finish. This wine is expected to age gracefully and develop complexities over the next 10 years at least; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet here is a little more traditional, the oak being an equal part of the volume, whereas my top wines have allowed the beauty of the grape to speak more eloquently. Even so there is some rose-like florality in good cassis, and ripe black pepper on both bouquet and palate. The ratio of fruit is still very good in mouth, the whole wine rich and not too dominated by oak, and in the blind tasting the wine is still clearly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet here is a little more traditional, the oak being an equal part of the volume, whereas my top wines have allowed the beauty of the grape to speak more eloquently. Even so there is some rose-like florality in good cassis, and ripe black pepper on both bouquet and palate. The ratio of fruit is still very good in mouth, the whole wine rich and not too dominated by oak, and in the blind tasting the wine is still clearly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $45 [ cork; hand-harvested @ c. 2 tonnes / acre; cuvaison in the order of 5 weeks, MLF in tank; 13 months in French oak 50% new; c. 375 cases; Catalogue: … heightened dark berry aromas. These aromas are not overtly peppery, a sign of perfect maturity. The palate is full-bodied with fine soft tannins that are truly ripe and provide to the wine a beautiful texture. The wine has great finesse with good intensity and a long generous finish; Awards: Gold, Top 100, Sydney International Wine Awards 2009; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is ripe and ‘fat’, showing rich plummy and cassisy fruit made aromatic by quite a lot of oak. In the blind tasting, I wondered whether it might be a Pask Declaration, in the way the mind wanders on some wines. The fruit in mouth is terrific, in keeping with the bouquet, but not immediately varietal. This is one of those wry occasions where I have marked the lesser ‘Reserve’ wine more highly than the premium one, because it is more explicitly varietal. This wine is more sophisticated, but has lost something in greater ripeness and more oak handling and alcohol. Like the Esk Reserve, this view may well change with evolution in bottle, so cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is ripe and ‘fat’, showing rich plummy and cassisy fruit made aromatic by quite a lot of oak. In the blind tasting, I wondered whether it might be a Pask Declaration, in the way the mind wanders on some wines. The fruit in mouth is terrific, in keeping with the bouquet, but not immediately varietal. This is one of those wry occasions where I have marked the lesser ‘Reserve’ wine more highly than the premium one, because it is more explicitly varietal. This wine is more sophisticated, but has lost something in greater ripeness and more oak handling and alcohol. Like the Esk Reserve, this view may well change with evolution in bottle, so cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; Me 46%, CS 46, Ma 8, hand-picked, all de-stemmed; cuvaison varies from var. to var. up to 35 days; 20 months in ‘predominantly’ French oak 64% new; RS nil; minimal filtration; Catalogue: Perfumed blackcurrant, coffee tobacco and spice lead into a ripe but balanced palate with well-defined acidity and fine-grained tannins; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. This is another among the Bordeaux blends which in its florality, its dark roses grading into wallflower, can be confused with syrah. In addition, there is the attractive aroma of cassis, dark bottled plums and oak making this exciting wine on bouquet. Palate shows more new oak than some of the other top wines, partly accounting for the excitement on bouquet, but there is a good berry fruit as well. The cassis of the cabernet fraction is more apparent on palate, and the wine is not as saturated and plump as, say, the Craggy Range pair, but it is going to marry up into an worthwhile and aromatic blend. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. This is another among the Bordeaux blends which in its florality, its dark roses grading into wallflower, can be confused with syrah. In addition, there is the attractive aroma of cassis, dark bottled plums and oak making this exciting wine on bouquet. Palate shows more new oak than some of the other top wines, partly accounting for the excitement on bouquet, but there is a good berry fruit as well. The cassis of the cabernet fraction is more apparent on palate, and the wine is not as saturated and plump as, say, the Craggy Range pair, but it is going to marry up into an worthwhile and aromatic blend. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; hand picked, 100% de-stemmed without crushing, extended cuvaison followed by 18 months in French oak, less new than 2007; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter and fresher than even the Hospices wine, and a similar weight. Bouquet is close to the best Guigals here, but purer, displaying a cassis-led aromatic profile with less blueberries than the denser Deerstalker 2007. It is still very youthful, with wallflower florals and vanillin from oak still to marry in. Palate is the lightest of the three Deerstalkers, but precision is in one sense the greatest, due to restraint with the oak. It was exciting to hear winemaker / CEO Tony Bish comment that they are more and more treating syrah as pinot noir, to respect the fruit more – a thought which has long been close to my heart. The close rapport between this fresh Deerstalkers and the St Joseph Hospices wine is an eye-opener. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter and fresher than even the Hospices wine, and a similar weight. Bouquet is close to the best Guigals here, but purer, displaying a cassis-led aromatic profile with less blueberries than the denser Deerstalker 2007. It is still very youthful, with wallflower florals and vanillin from oak still to marry in. Palate is the lightest of the three Deerstalkers, but precision is in one sense the greatest, due to restraint with the oak. It was exciting to hear winemaker / CEO Tony Bish comment that they are more and more treating syrah as pinot noir, to respect the fruit more – a thought which has long been close to my heart. The close rapport between this fresh Deerstalkers and the St Joseph Hospices wine is an eye-opener. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/10
Tutaekuri Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, co-fermented even though Vi then super-ripe; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 15 months in French oak 25% new; superb website; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and some velvet, above midway for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, comparable only with the Bullnose, but lighter and sweeter with a deeply floral perfume hinting at wild ginger blossom and (the best side of) Christmas lilies. It is no surprise to find there is viognier in this wine. Palate is succulent, less tannin and oak than Bullnose, Cote Rotie to Bullnose's Hermitage, earlier maturing, wonderfully varietal, minutely leafy on this occasion. Though I must admit that in this blind tasting, even Bullnose looked Cote Rotie to Le Sol’s Hermitage. Such comparisons highlight how good these wines are, in international terms. Already reported on 10/05. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and some velvet, above midway for depth of colour. Bouquet on this wine is sensational, comparable only with the Bullnose, but lighter and sweeter with a deeply floral perfume hinting at wild ginger blossom and (the best side of) Christmas lilies. It is no surprise to find there is viognier in this wine. Palate is succulent, less tannin and oak than Bullnose, Cote Rotie to Bullnose's Hermitage, earlier maturing, wonderfully varietal, minutely leafy on this occasion. Though I must admit that in this blind tasting, even Bullnose looked Cote Rotie to Le Sol’s Hermitage. Such comparisons highlight how good these wines are, in international terms. Already reported on 10/05. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; DFB; Me , CS, Ma, all de-stemmed; inoculated ferments; 12 months in mostly French oak, some new; RS nil; Catalogue: full bodied, complex and very age worthy, potentially the best yet under this label; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour. This is another wine to show nearly violets floral complexity and lovely cassis, in a good depth of fresh berry. The ratio of berryfruit to oak is excellent. Palate is cassis and plums, and again at this stage one would think cabernet sauvignon the dominant variety, beautiful ripeness, gentle acid and tannins all beautifully balanced. The Black Label wines from Esk Valley are not as concentrated as the Reserves naturally enough, but they are made with similar care. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour. This is another wine to show nearly violets floral complexity and lovely cassis, in a good depth of fresh berry. The ratio of berryfruit to oak is excellent. Palate is cassis and plums, and again at this stage one would think cabernet sauvignon the dominant variety, beautiful ripeness, gentle acid and tannins all beautifully balanced. The Black Label wines from Esk Valley are not as concentrated as the Reserves naturally enough, but they are made with similar care. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 90%, CS 5, Ma 5, all de-stemmed; 11 months in mostly French oak, some new; RS nil; Catalogue: a full bodied and serious red wine … a small addition of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon have provided structure and complexity to the final blend. Cellar with confidence till at least 2015; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, nearly some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is delightful, another face of real merlot, a suggestion of violets in a clear dusky floral dimension, gorgeous bottled black doris plums, light oak. Palate is still a little hessian on a new French oak component, but the ratio of fruit to oak is potentially delightful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, nearly some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is delightful, another face of real merlot, a suggestion of violets in a clear dusky floral dimension, gorgeous bottled black doris plums, light oak. Palate is still a little hessian on a new French oak component, but the ratio of fruit to oak is potentially delightful. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ cork; hand-picked and sorted; 5% whole-bunch; wild yeast fermentation; 16 months in French oak 35% new; no filtration; RS nil; 975 cases; website a holding page only; a wine for which re-assessment requested; www.prophetsrock.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very floral at the buddleia grading to red roses spectrum, a touch of cherry-pie too from the vanillin of new oak, on red-fruits pinot noir. Palate is red fruits dominant, quite fleshy, not the 'authority' of the Moutere, but totally international class pinot noir with full fragrance, but no stalks. This is another special wine for Otago, being so fragrant yet without leaf. Presumably the perspex character detected in the previous sample was cork-related, yet it is encountered from time to time – there is a suggestion in one in this batch. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very floral at the buddleia grading to red roses spectrum, a touch of cherry-pie too from the vanillin of new oak, on red-fruits pinot noir. Palate is red fruits dominant, quite fleshy, not the 'authority' of the Moutere, but totally international class pinot noir with full fragrance, but no stalks. This is another special wine for Otago, being so fragrant yet without leaf. Presumably the perspex character detected in the previous sample was cork-related, yet it is encountered from time to time – there is a suggestion in one in this batch. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 11/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $68 [ screwcap; an ideal flowering and plenty of moisture through the mid-season produced large crops, requiring close management; later summer and harvest again ideal, but still a large rather than ideal crop, leading again to production of Vin Gris; the wines understated; www.feltonroad.com ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby, perfectly the middle wine for depth of colour. Bouquet is totally sweet and charming in this example of the Felton approach. The freshness of the red cherry / berry is almost saliva-inducing, and there is a lovely red roses florality. Everything smells totally in harmony here. Flavours don't disappoint, perhaps a smaller example of the Felton style but the ripeness is pinpoint for pinot noir complexity. The tannins are critically riper than the 2008 standard wine, which it otherwise resembles. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Perfect pinot noir ruby, perfectly the middle wine for depth of colour. Bouquet is totally sweet and charming in this example of the Felton approach. The freshness of the red cherry / berry is almost saliva-inducing, and there is a lovely red roses florality. Everything smells totally in harmony here. Flavours don't disappoint, perhaps a smaller example of the Felton style but the ripeness is pinpoint for pinot noir complexity. The tannins are critically riper than the 2008 standard wine, which it otherwise resembles. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Roy's Hill, SW of Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; 19 months in French oak 50% new; website lacking in info; www.cypresswines.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet is subtle and charming on this wine, elusive florals hinting at violets, thoughts of beeswax like the Homage, hints of white and black pepper, again Cote Rotie. Palate continues the gentle Cote Rotie theme, deceptively rich fruit, more fragrant than the Hermitage-like Church Road, a lovely interpretation of syrah along Bullnose lines but richer, though slightly more acid. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/12
Ruby and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet is subtle and charming on this wine, elusive florals hinting at violets, thoughts of beeswax like the Homage, hints of white and black pepper, again Cote Rotie. Palate continues the gentle Cote Rotie theme, deceptively rich fruit, more fragrant than the Hermitage-like Church Road, a lovely interpretation of syrah along Bullnose lines but richer, though slightly more acid. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ cork; cuvaison > 14 days; MLF in barrel; 12 months in French oak 20% new; no specific info on hard-to-use website; www.teawa.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older than some of the 2004s, in the middle for colour depth. Immediate impressions on bouquet are of varietal black peppercorn in cassisy berry, lovely. Palate adds blueberry flavours to the cassis, and in the mouth dark rose florals emanate from the wine too. Palate is very dry and spicy, and might seem austere, but it is in fact reasonably rich in terms of dry extract and needs to mellow in cellar. This wine too is remarkably European, somewhere between Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage in style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Ruby and velvet, a little older than some of the 2004s, in the middle for colour depth. Immediate impressions on bouquet are of varietal black peppercorn in cassisy berry, lovely. Palate adds blueberry flavours to the cassis, and in the mouth dark rose florals emanate from the wine too. Palate is very dry and spicy, and might seem austere, but it is in fact reasonably rich in terms of dry extract and needs to mellow in cellar. This wine too is remarkably European, somewhere between Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage in style. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ supercritical cork = Diam 45mm; 100% clone mendoza typically harvested at 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac); BF with wild yeasts in French oak 20% new, 10 months LA and batonnage, typically without MLF; RS 1.3 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Glowing lemon, a really lovely colour. Bouquet is enchanting, at a perfect point of maturity revealing mendoza-clone chardonnay at its best, almost white / light yellow florals on golden queen peach fruit, exquisite subtlety of barrel ferment, lees autolysis and cashew suggestions, some oak, a charmer. Palate is entirely in kilter, elegant varietal fruit and beautiful lees work married-up into a long balanced chardonnay flavour, just fractionally leaner than would be ideal. At a peak of perfection now, but will hold another 3 – 8 years. GK 07/16
Glowing lemon, a really lovely colour. Bouquet is enchanting, at a perfect point of maturity revealing mendoza-clone chardonnay at its best, almost white / light yellow florals on golden queen peach fruit, exquisite subtlety of barrel ferment, lees autolysis and cashew suggestions, some oak, a charmer. Palate is entirely in kilter, elegant varietal fruit and beautiful lees work married-up into a long balanced chardonnay flavour, just fractionally leaner than would be ideal. At a peak of perfection now, but will hold another 3 – 8 years. GK 07/16
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; 100% Sy, Rochains the top wine, vines up to 35 years age; all de-stemmed; up to 24 months in sometimes all-new oak, 90% French, 10% American; not filtered; R. Parker: 1998 Les Rochains … reveals spicy new oak in the nose along with intense black currant and cassis fruit, good spice, and a supple texture with medium body and moderate tannin. It should drink well for 10-14 years. 90 ]
Ruby, some velvet. This was the dark horse in the set, opening very quietly, with a little brett and decay showing on bouquet. Yet as it aired, and one tasted back and forth through the wines assessing their relative qualities, this one crept up the ranking. The soft charm of its (in the fullness of time) almost floral bouquet and near-burgundian fruit is appealing, while clear cassis and black pepper spice developed on both bouquet and palate, as it took up air. It is a much richer wine than the Tardieu-Laurent Cornas, and (as with all these) would be ideal with food. Decant it well prior to use, 12 hours or so. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Ruby, some velvet. This was the dark horse in the set, opening very quietly, with a little brett and decay showing on bouquet. Yet as it aired, and one tasted back and forth through the wines assessing their relative qualities, this one crept up the ranking. The soft charm of its (in the fullness of time) almost floral bouquet and near-burgundian fruit is appealing, while clear cassis and black pepper spice developed on both bouquet and palate, as it took up air. It is a much richer wine than the Tardieu-Laurent Cornas, and (as with all these) would be ideal with food. Decant it well prior to use, 12 hours or so. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Parkburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; hand harvested; 21 – 30 days cuvaison; 12 months minimum in French barriques 60% new; minimal fining and filtration; www.mitrerocks.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the set, tending inappropriately deep for pinot noir. Initially opened, the wine seems huge, oaky, and rawly youthful, too boisterous. With a good deal of air it smooths out remarkably, into a deep dense pinot noir riding the fine line between darkly varietal and over-ripe, confuseable with merlot in a blind tasting. In mouth the fruit richness is remarkable, some saignée I assume on the colour and taste, and at this stage it is noticeably oaky. It is the kind of pinot I was rude about a few years ago, but seeing how some of the big 2002s have matured, perhaps I should be more tolerant. Below, the flavours are black cherry, and in five years, I suspect an oak-influenced florality will emerge. If you hanker for a Central Otago pinot which might cellar for 20 years, and still be worthwhile, this is one of the wines most likely to achieve that. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 09/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest colour in the set, tending inappropriately deep for pinot noir. Initially opened, the wine seems huge, oaky, and rawly youthful, too boisterous. With a good deal of air it smooths out remarkably, into a deep dense pinot noir riding the fine line between darkly varietal and over-ripe, confuseable with merlot in a blind tasting. In mouth the fruit richness is remarkable, some saignée I assume on the colour and taste, and at this stage it is noticeably oaky. It is the kind of pinot I was rude about a few years ago, but seeing how some of the big 2002s have matured, perhaps I should be more tolerant. Below, the flavours are black cherry, and in five years, I suspect an oak-influenced florality will emerge. If you hanker for a Central Otago pinot which might cellar for 20 years, and still be worthwhile, this is one of the wines most likely to achieve that. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 09/10
Clevedon, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ cork; Me 61%, Ca 14, CS 14, CF 7, Ma 4, hand-harvested @ c. 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; 22 months in French oak 57% new; egg white fined, lightly filtered; will not be released for some time, price indicative; www.puririhills.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, darker and faintly older than the Pope. Needs some air, for the bouquet to show a deeper, denser, darker, oakier wine than the 2010 Pope – which is counterintuitive relative to the ratio of new oak in the two wines. That's wine. One would like to think the cassis note in this wine is a little more detectable than in 2010 Pope, reflecting the greater cabernet sauvignon percentage, but that may be a vanity. In mouth, there is succulent cassisy and plummy fruit, and greater apparent richness than the Pope, but at this stage the oak is quite intrusive. Clearly 2010 was miraculously warm and ripe year in the Auckland district, and this wine reflects that. It is great to have New Zealand bordeaux blends with the more burly yesteryear variety carmenere in the blend. Oak fans and big-wine fans will rate this higher than the more elegant 2010 Pope. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/12
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, darker and faintly older than the Pope. Needs some air, for the bouquet to show a deeper, denser, darker, oakier wine than the 2010 Pope – which is counterintuitive relative to the ratio of new oak in the two wines. That's wine. One would like to think the cassis note in this wine is a little more detectable than in 2010 Pope, reflecting the greater cabernet sauvignon percentage, but that may be a vanity. In mouth, there is succulent cassisy and plummy fruit, and greater apparent richness than the Pope, but at this stage the oak is quite intrusive. Clearly 2010 was miraculously warm and ripe year in the Auckland district, and this wine reflects that. It is great to have New Zealand bordeaux blends with the more burly yesteryear variety carmenere in the blend. Oak fans and big-wine fans will rate this higher than the more elegant 2010 Pope. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/12
Barossa & Eden Valleys, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $56 [ Screwcap; not on Langton's list, Halliday rates the 2014 vintage 7, for Barossa Valley, 8 for Eden; the interest in including this wine is Duval's previous time with Penfolds, at one stage as chief winemaker in the Grange programme; he makes two shirazes, the top-level Eligo the latest (2013) which Halliday rates 97, then this more accessible wine, aiming for elegance, which Halliday also likes a great deal: Halliday, 2016: From old vineyards in Krondorf, Marananga and Eden Valley, open-fermented with submerged cap (header board), matured for 15 months in French oak (35% new). Succulent, rich and powerful, with predominantly black fruits and some spice. The hallmarks are its supple mouthfeel and effortless balance. Drink by 2044, 96; Perrotti-Brown at Parker, 2016: ... the 2014 Entity Shiraz reveals crushed blackberries and blackcurrants on the nose with hints of dried Provence herbs, garrigue, eucalypt and black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivered mouth-filling black fruits and peppery flavors with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with a spicy lift, 92; oak all hogsheads, great website; bottle weight 544 g; www.johnduvalwines.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. This wine is immediately more Australian, clear mint aromatics, on cassisy grading to dark bottled plum fruit, again escaping boysenberry. Oak is a little more apparent than the wines ranked more highly, but in mouth the wine is smooth and velvety, with quite a free-run quality to it, not tannic on oak, so it is fragrant subtle oak. Length of flavour is good, but the mint and oak combine a little to linger on palate, drying the finish. Not quite euc’y, though. One person rated this top, one second, none least, none Penfolds, and one thought it could be New Zealand. This wine style is a long way from Penfolds, which may explain why Duval went out on his own. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. This wine is immediately more Australian, clear mint aromatics, on cassisy grading to dark bottled plum fruit, again escaping boysenberry. Oak is a little more apparent than the wines ranked more highly, but in mouth the wine is smooth and velvety, with quite a free-run quality to it, not tannic on oak, so it is fragrant subtle oak. Length of flavour is good, but the mint and oak combine a little to linger on palate, drying the finish. Not quite euc’y, though. One person rated this top, one second, none least, none Penfolds, and one thought it could be New Zealand. This wine style is a long way from Penfolds, which may explain why Duval went out on his own. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/17
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $46 [ screwcap – Stelvin Lux; www.saintclair.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, in the top quarter for depth of colour, getting too deep. Bouquet is very distinctive, very powerful, screaming dark purple buddleia one might say, quite penetrating but still attractive. There are even reminders of the carnation and wallflower attributes of Cote Rotie, too. You wouldn't be at all surprised to learn there are some 'wild' syrah vines in the pinot block. But in mouth it comes back into line, just, some reminders of the Dry River wine but total acid higher, black cherry fruit, oak at a max but OK. This is totally new generation Marlborough pinot noir, highlighting yet again what potential the district has climatically, now that pinot noir is being grown on appropriate soils. Don't touch this for three years, to give it a chance to marry up and quieten, and even then it is going to be more new world than old. A good bedmate (in the cellar) for the Dry River wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Big pinot noir ruby, in the top quarter for depth of colour, getting too deep. Bouquet is very distinctive, very powerful, screaming dark purple buddleia one might say, quite penetrating but still attractive. There are even reminders of the carnation and wallflower attributes of Cote Rotie, too. You wouldn't be at all surprised to learn there are some 'wild' syrah vines in the pinot block. But in mouth it comes back into line, just, some reminders of the Dry River wine but total acid higher, black cherry fruit, oak at a max but OK. This is totally new generation Marlborough pinot noir, highlighting yet again what potential the district has climatically, now that pinot noir is being grown on appropriate soils. Don't touch this for three years, to give it a chance to marry up and quieten, and even then it is going to be more new world than old. A good bedmate (in the cellar) for the Dry River wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $72 [ cork – superb 55 mm costing c.$2 each; hand-harvested CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; de-stemmed, extended cuvaison; average vine age 20 + years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a notch less dense than the top wines, about midway in depth, more a match for the Cheval Blanc, but the hue fresher. Bouquet stands apart from the New Zealand wines mentioned so far in this tasting, in that it is more subtle, more restrained, more integrated, perhaps less oaky, and more Medoc-like. The actual quality of the cabernet-influenced bouquet reminds me of some lesser Margaux classed growths. Palate does not quite match the bouquet, however – there is often this worry in the Te Mata claret styles, that in pursuing elegance they lose sight of the old American truism, that a good big one will always beat a smaller good one. So here there is not quite the richness of ripe berry, and there is the slightest undertone of leaf, as characterises many fine Medocs in sub-optimal years. But, 2007 was a fine year in Hawkes Bay, and 2007 Coleraine doesn't quite show that. The quality of oak is good, though, adding to the resemblance to Bordeaux. In terms of finesse, Coleraine is at best unmatched in New Zealand, and this leads to high praise from visiting European wine critics habituated to standard Bordeaux – which is the unashamed model for both Coleraine and Awatea. But this wine in a great Hawke's Bay year is not quite as ripe as the Cheval Blanc in a fairly standard year. So, the tide has come in around Coleraine, and if it is to regain its place as New Zealand's top Bordeaux blend, rather than resting on its laurels, it needs to be both riper and richer. Hopefully cropping rate will be the place to start, in correcting this. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a notch less dense than the top wines, about midway in depth, more a match for the Cheval Blanc, but the hue fresher. Bouquet stands apart from the New Zealand wines mentioned so far in this tasting, in that it is more subtle, more restrained, more integrated, perhaps less oaky, and more Medoc-like. The actual quality of the cabernet-influenced bouquet reminds me of some lesser Margaux classed growths. Palate does not quite match the bouquet, however – there is often this worry in the Te Mata claret styles, that in pursuing elegance they lose sight of the old American truism, that a good big one will always beat a smaller good one. So here there is not quite the richness of ripe berry, and there is the slightest undertone of leaf, as characterises many fine Medocs in sub-optimal years. But, 2007 was a fine year in Hawkes Bay, and 2007 Coleraine doesn't quite show that. The quality of oak is good, though, adding to the resemblance to Bordeaux. In terms of finesse, Coleraine is at best unmatched in New Zealand, and this leads to high praise from visiting European wine critics habituated to standard Bordeaux – which is the unashamed model for both Coleraine and Awatea. But this wine in a great Hawke's Bay year is not quite as ripe as the Cheval Blanc in a fairly standard year. So, the tide has come in around Coleraine, and if it is to regain its place as New Zealand's top Bordeaux blend, rather than resting on its laurels, it needs to be both riper and richer. Hopefully cropping rate will be the place to start, in correcting this. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ screwcap; fruit mostly Fairhall zone of Wairau Plains, mostly machine-picked, at roughly 9 – 10 t/ha = 3.6 – 4 t/ac; no SO2 at press, no skin contact, only the lightest pressings used, all juice cold-settled then to s/s; cultured ’champagne’ yeast fermentations, no MLF, then assembled in s/s with some lees for some months; RS 3.5 – 4 g/L, total dry extract 20.3 g/L; sterile-filtered to bottle; www.greywacke.com ]
Greeny lemon, the palest wine. Initially opened, there is a hint of reduction which quickly dissipates with air, so we can call it mineral, on ripe gooseberry (English) sauvignon blanc, smelling quite rich. Palate brings up red capsicum, sweet basil, and a palate weight more in accord with market-leading stainless sauvignons such as Astrolabe, rather than the usual run of Marlborough wines. Palate length is good, the flavours now beautifully pure, no interference from the mineral note on bouquet. This should cellar beautifully, for those who like mature sauvignon flavours, but in conventional terms it is at a peak now. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/17
Greeny lemon, the palest wine. Initially opened, there is a hint of reduction which quickly dissipates with air, so we can call it mineral, on ripe gooseberry (English) sauvignon blanc, smelling quite rich. Palate brings up red capsicum, sweet basil, and a palate weight more in accord with market-leading stainless sauvignons such as Astrolabe, rather than the usual run of Marlborough wines. Palate length is good, the flavours now beautifully pure, no interference from the mineral note on bouquet. This should cellar beautifully, for those who like mature sauvignon flavours, but in conventional terms it is at a peak now. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/17
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $48 [ cork; hand-harvested at well under 1 t/ac; no oak or MLF; RS around 10 g/L; informative / stimulating / remarkable website; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Pale straw. Bouquet is overtly varietal pinot gris, not quite the primrose florals I find in top-notch Alsatian examples of the variety, rather more wild ginger blossom, white nectarine and a little cinnamon / nutmeg. It treads a fine line between being very varietal, and making one wonder – will this taste phenolic ? Palate is intriguing, confirming there are indeed signs of the phenolics for which this variety is noted (and which can easily get out of hand), but the richness of the wine is sufficient to carry them. If there were any doubt, the careful residual sweetness also helps to balance the wine, without being obtrusive. Pinot gris is arguably the wine for which Dry River is most famous, and this is a good example. It is just a little bolder and more extractive than ideal. Proprietor Neil McCallum noted in discussion that a 1986 bottle opened recently had been a pleasure, showing that this variety, appropriately vinified from a grand cru cropping rate, can have a long and useful life in cellar – in New Zealand as much as Alsace. Cellar 5 – 15 years, keeping an eye on the balance. The phenolics should mellow, and the wine may score higher. GK 03/08
Pale straw. Bouquet is overtly varietal pinot gris, not quite the primrose florals I find in top-notch Alsatian examples of the variety, rather more wild ginger blossom, white nectarine and a little cinnamon / nutmeg. It treads a fine line between being very varietal, and making one wonder – will this taste phenolic ? Palate is intriguing, confirming there are indeed signs of the phenolics for which this variety is noted (and which can easily get out of hand), but the richness of the wine is sufficient to carry them. If there were any doubt, the careful residual sweetness also helps to balance the wine, without being obtrusive. Pinot gris is arguably the wine for which Dry River is most famous, and this is a good example. It is just a little bolder and more extractive than ideal. Proprietor Neil McCallum noted in discussion that a 1986 bottle opened recently had been a pleasure, showing that this variety, appropriately vinified from a grand cru cropping rate, can have a long and useful life in cellar – in New Zealand as much as Alsace. Cellar 5 – 15 years, keeping an eye on the balance. The phenolics should mellow, and the wine may score higher. GK 03/08
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap; SB 100% cropped at 3 – 4 t/ac; no winemaking detail on website; RS < 2 g/L; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. This is straight sauvignon again, close to the Astrolabe achievement but not quite so magical or sweetly complex on bouquet. It is however free of the spurious odours so regrettably marked up in a recent mistaken phase of New Zealand sauvignon judging. Palate is black passionfruit, red capsicum and some sweet basil, clean, long flavoured and drier than many Marlborough examples of the grape. This attractive wine will cellar up to 10 years, if older sauvignons are enjoyed. GK 11/08
Pale lemongreen. This is straight sauvignon again, close to the Astrolabe achievement but not quite so magical or sweetly complex on bouquet. It is however free of the spurious odours so regrettably marked up in a recent mistaken phase of New Zealand sauvignon judging. Palate is black passionfruit, red capsicum and some sweet basil, clean, long flavoured and drier than many Marlborough examples of the grape. This attractive wine will cellar up to 10 years, if older sauvignons are enjoyed. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ cork; Me 82%, CS 8, Sy 7, Ma 3, hand-picked from mostly 10-year old vines; cuvaison approx 30 days; 16 months in French oak c.40% new; RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; lightly fined and filtered; Robinson: 16+; www.sacredhill.com ]
[[ 24 July 2014: Winemaker Tony Bish has asked me to reassess 2011 Brokenstone, since the analytical data (supplied) indicates I have misinterpreted the wine. I have now done this, using 2011 Helmsman alongside. The score is essentially unchanged but I have rewritten the notes, to more accurately reflect the nature of the wine. ]] Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight. Bouquet is fragrant and even floral, with an aromatic lift perhaps from the syrah blending component. Below there is good plummy fruit. In mouth the wine appeals as a Pomerol winestyle, a classic exposition of a merlot-dominant wine, fleshy and plummy, a little richer than 2011 Helmsman. There is nearly a hint of darker florals on the palate, careful balance, and lovely length finishing on fruit. Being a 2011, it is not as rich as the best Hawkes Bay blends of 2009 and some 2010s, but it is already appealing. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/14
[[ 24 July 2014: Winemaker Tony Bish has asked me to reassess 2011 Brokenstone, since the analytical data (supplied) indicates I have misinterpreted the wine. I have now done this, using 2011 Helmsman alongside. The score is essentially unchanged but I have rewritten the notes, to more accurately reflect the nature of the wine. ]] Ruby, some carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight. Bouquet is fragrant and even floral, with an aromatic lift perhaps from the syrah blending component. Below there is good plummy fruit. In mouth the wine appeals as a Pomerol winestyle, a classic exposition of a merlot-dominant wine, fleshy and plummy, a little richer than 2011 Helmsman. There is nearly a hint of darker florals on the palate, careful balance, and lovely length finishing on fruit. Being a 2011, it is not as rich as the best Hawkes Bay blends of 2009 and some 2010s, but it is already appealing. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/14
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $173 [ screwcap; only magnums available; www.twopaddocks.com ]
Light pinot noir ruby, some age showing, well below midway. Bouquet is complex and very burgundian, floral clearly, red fruits centred on red cherry, and an exciting piquant lift to the wine again taking it to Cote de Nuits rather than the Cote de Beaune, but also hinting at trace brett. Flavours in mouth are richer than the colour suggests, some mellowing into secondary characters, the fruit and cedary oak harmonising, light in style yet concentrated too. It tastes closest in style to the Rippon, a little plumper, and shows similar analogies, just slightly more oaky to the finish. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/16
Light pinot noir ruby, some age showing, well below midway. Bouquet is complex and very burgundian, floral clearly, red fruits centred on red cherry, and an exciting piquant lift to the wine again taking it to Cote de Nuits rather than the Cote de Beaune, but also hinting at trace brett. Flavours in mouth are richer than the colour suggests, some mellowing into secondary characters, the fruit and cedary oak harmonising, light in style yet concentrated too. It tastes closest in style to the Rippon, a little plumper, and shows similar analogies, just slightly more oaky to the finish. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/16
Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia: 13%; $41 [ screwcap; much of the fruit ex Graveyard vineyard; all French oak, 25% new; Halliday vintage rating Hunter Valley 8 /10 for 2013; www.brokenwoodwines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, well below midway in depth. Given decanting, this wine is quite a thrill. It shows off the distinctive 'Hunter Valley burgundy' style well, even at this early stage. The style is in one sense riper than South Australia, but at its best it is subtler and more syrah-like too, with blueberry almost the dominant berry note. Palate is complex, only faintly aromatic, sophisticated oak, forming a fine complement to the Barry Veto Shiraz from South Australia. As the wine lingers in mouth, a fragrant aromatic component develops a little, but only to the level of flowering mint, not euc'y. This is remarkable wine, and bears very favourable comparison with the winery's premium Graveyard Shiraz. In essence, you are getting three quarters of the quality of the top wine, for a fifth the price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby and velvet, well below midway in depth. Given decanting, this wine is quite a thrill. It shows off the distinctive 'Hunter Valley burgundy' style well, even at this early stage. The style is in one sense riper than South Australia, but at its best it is subtler and more syrah-like too, with blueberry almost the dominant berry note. Palate is complex, only faintly aromatic, sophisticated oak, forming a fine complement to the Barry Veto Shiraz from South Australia. As the wine lingers in mouth, a fragrant aromatic component develops a little, but only to the level of flowering mint, not euc'y. This is remarkable wine, and bears very favourable comparison with the winery's premium Graveyard Shiraz. In essence, you are getting three quarters of the quality of the top wine, for a fifth the price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ screwcap; virtually unknown at retail, mainly sold to the mail-order list; several clones hand-harvested at a more steady yield c. 1.8 t/ac; up to 24% whole-bunch; up to 9 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 22 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 13 months in French oak c. 37% new, then 2 months in 3-year-old oak; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers: The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the Felton pinots. This wine teams up with the Villa Maria Taylor's in showing a lighter more fragrant expression of the variety, a little cooler, still with boronia complexity but a little more roses and buddleia in the florals. In mouth however it is a riper and more complete wine than the Villa or the Pyramid Calvert, showing silky red cherry pinot with freshness but no stalk. It is a little understated at the moment, and fresher than the standard Felton, but this could end up the most Musigny-like of the Felton '07s. It may therefore score more highly in 3 years. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the Felton pinots. This wine teams up with the Villa Maria Taylor's in showing a lighter more fragrant expression of the variety, a little cooler, still with boronia complexity but a little more roses and buddleia in the florals. In mouth however it is a riper and more complete wine than the Villa or the Pyramid Calvert, showing silky red cherry pinot with freshness but no stalk. It is a little understated at the moment, and fresher than the standard Felton, but this could end up the most Musigny-like of the Felton '07s. It may therefore score more highly in 3 years. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $182 [ Vinolok glass stopper; vines 98 years old, now biodynamic; Sh 100%, all matured in hogsheads, 87% French, 13 American, 32% new; Halliday vintage rating Eden Valley 8 /10 for 2012; www.henschke.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Henschke wines have changed considerably over the last 20 years. Their approach to oak now seems much subtler, less overtly American [confirmed], better integrated, the oak woven into the wine as if there is a barrel-fermented component, rather than standing out to the side and shouting. Once decanted and breathed, bouquet on this Edelstone shows a complex nearly roast chestnut integration of soft 'brown' oak and ripe shiraz, the latter ripened through mulberry to boysenberry but still retaining some subtlety, plus faint mint as in The McRae wine. Palate highlights the oak comments, thinking back to the 90s, the integration of cedary oak being nearly velvety already. This is a much more sophisticated wine than Armagh, very much subtler yet nearly as rich. It is not as subtle in its oaking as the Brokenwood Graveyard wine, or The McRae Wood, but shows less mint than the latter. But when all is said and done, there is still too much oak for gold medal, as soon as you think of syrah and Trinity Hill Homage, or La Chapelle. Cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Ruby and velvet, midway in depth. Henschke wines have changed considerably over the last 20 years. Their approach to oak now seems much subtler, less overtly American [confirmed], better integrated, the oak woven into the wine as if there is a barrel-fermented component, rather than standing out to the side and shouting. Once decanted and breathed, bouquet on this Edelstone shows a complex nearly roast chestnut integration of soft 'brown' oak and ripe shiraz, the latter ripened through mulberry to boysenberry but still retaining some subtlety, plus faint mint as in The McRae wine. Palate highlights the oak comments, thinking back to the 90s, the integration of cedary oak being nearly velvety already. This is a much more sophisticated wine than Armagh, very much subtler yet nearly as rich. It is not as subtle in its oaking as the Brokenwood Graveyard wine, or The McRae Wood, but shows less mint than the latter. But when all is said and done, there is still too much oak for gold medal, as soon as you think of syrah and Trinity Hill Homage, or La Chapelle. Cellar 5 – 25 years, maybe longer. GK 06/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; a more diverse range of clones than Target Gulley, the oldest (on own roots) 15 years at harvest; earlier vintages have been cropped at c. 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; up to 10 days cold-soak, up to 10 days fermentation, up to 10 days maceration, giving a longer cuvaison than target Gulley, with a smaller whole-bunch component; 16 months in French oak, some new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a little brighter than the Target Gulley. Initially on bouquet one can hardly tell the Pipeclay and Target Gulley Mt Difficulty wines apart, such is the depth of wonderful violets, roses and boronia florality, backed by good cherry fruit. Yet in another sense, for this wine you would never pick it as from Central Otago, for it shows the kind of vivid red-fruits florality sometimes found in Martinborough, plus an entwining of fine oak. Palate however is considerably cooler than the Target and Long Gulley wines, the balance of flavour clearly more to red fruits, and there is not quite the depth of tannin ripeness. This is the most acid of the three Single Vineyard wines in 2009, there is a little stalk, but it is beautifully fine-grain. The nett impression is Pipeclay this year does not show quite the grand cru cropping rate pinot needs to achieve perfect ripeness and body. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Pinot noir ruby, a little brighter than the Target Gulley. Initially on bouquet one can hardly tell the Pipeclay and Target Gulley Mt Difficulty wines apart, such is the depth of wonderful violets, roses and boronia florality, backed by good cherry fruit. Yet in another sense, for this wine you would never pick it as from Central Otago, for it shows the kind of vivid red-fruits florality sometimes found in Martinborough, plus an entwining of fine oak. Palate however is considerably cooler than the Target and Long Gulley wines, the balance of flavour clearly more to red fruits, and there is not quite the depth of tannin ripeness. This is the most acid of the three Single Vineyard wines in 2009, there is a little stalk, but it is beautifully fine-grain. The nett impression is Pipeclay this year does not show quite the grand cru cropping rate pinot needs to achieve perfect ripeness and body. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Douro, Portugal: 20.5%; $207 [ cork, 46mm; original price $25.70; cepage touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta roriz, tinta barroca, percentages not given; Robinson, 2002: Crimson, healthy colour and autumnal undergrowth perfume. Clean and lively, finely etched. Good mid-palate fruit still. Refreshing. Drier than most. Quite long but with no tannin evidence, 17, Parker, 1989: Croft never seems to get much publicity since the wines, while always very good, sometimes even excellent, never quite reach the superb level of the top houses in Oporto. … Both the 1975 and 1977 are rich, creamy, intense ports that should be fully mature within 10-12 years, relatively soon for a port, 88; www.croftport.com ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, just below midway in depth. Bouquet does not quite have the red fruits character of the most highly rated wines, but it is still attractively fragrant, with thoughts of dried peaches as well as sultanas and browning red fruits, plus a hint of cinnamon and oak, even a little nougat and maybe caramel. Palate is a little older too, the sultana suggestions darkening to currants and even raisins / cooked prunes, the oak not quite as integrated, but the total flavour long. Two people rated this their top wine, and eight their second-favourite, a result I would not have anticipated. Though not a big wine, nonetheless it shows the strength of the 1977 port vintage. GK 05/18
Glowing garnet and ruby, just below midway in depth. Bouquet does not quite have the red fruits character of the most highly rated wines, but it is still attractively fragrant, with thoughts of dried peaches as well as sultanas and browning red fruits, plus a hint of cinnamon and oak, even a little nougat and maybe caramel. Palate is a little older too, the sultana suggestions darkening to currants and even raisins / cooked prunes, the oak not quite as integrated, but the total flavour long. Two people rated this their top wine, and eight their second-favourite, a result I would not have anticipated. Though not a big wine, nonetheless it shows the strength of the 1977 port vintage. GK 05/18
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $44 [ screwcap; cropped at c. 1.6 t/ac; up to 30% whole bunch; 8 – 9 days cold soak, mostly wild-yeast fermentations; c. 2 weeks cuvaison; 11 months in barrel on lees, MLF in spring in barrel; filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little lighter than the Pipeclay Terrace. Bouquet on this Mt Difficulty is initially a little more obscure than the other two, but breathed there are the same boronia and cherry qualities, plus it is a little more aromatic with the faintest thought of cracked black peppercorn. Palate is therefore a little firmer and crisper than the Pipeclay, closer to the Long Gully in style, again Cote de Nuits in styling. It is in fact hard to say which is better. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Good pinot noir ruby, a little lighter than the Pipeclay Terrace. Bouquet on this Mt Difficulty is initially a little more obscure than the other two, but breathed there are the same boronia and cherry qualities, plus it is a little more aromatic with the faintest thought of cracked black peppercorn. Palate is therefore a little firmer and crisper than the Pipeclay, closer to the Long Gully in style, again Cote de Nuits in styling. It is in fact hard to say which is better. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; $40 @ winery; www.feltonroad.com ]
Attractive full pinot ruby, fractionally the deepest of the three Felton pinots. These Feltons were assessed in a rigorously blind tasting of 21 New Zealand pinots. When the top three wines turn out to be from the same maker, that tells you several things. The straight Felton Pinot might not be quite as complex as the Block 5, due to less oak input, but as a consequence one can see the superb varietal and floral qualities of the fruit even more clearly: violets, boronia, buddleia. Of all New Zealand pinot noir producers, Blair Walter at Felton seems to have most clearly grasped the notion that great pinot is about sweet enticing floral components on bouquet, to be followed up by crisp aromatic and tactile red or preferably black cherry fruit. Oak must play a supporting role to these basics, and not dominate. This wine illustrates those factors to perfection. So buy the basic Felton for its great expression of ripe but not over-ripe pinot noir varietal quality, more vividly expressed than in the more complex Block 5. This wine is fractionally more acid than the two Block wines, which will augment its bouquet development in bottle, but detracts slightly from the palate. Cellar 5 – 10 years. This too should develop like the 1999 straight Felton, and will then compete with many a Cote de Nuits wine. GK 11/05
Attractive full pinot ruby, fractionally the deepest of the three Felton pinots. These Feltons were assessed in a rigorously blind tasting of 21 New Zealand pinots. When the top three wines turn out to be from the same maker, that tells you several things. The straight Felton Pinot might not be quite as complex as the Block 5, due to less oak input, but as a consequence one can see the superb varietal and floral qualities of the fruit even more clearly: violets, boronia, buddleia. Of all New Zealand pinot noir producers, Blair Walter at Felton seems to have most clearly grasped the notion that great pinot is about sweet enticing floral components on bouquet, to be followed up by crisp aromatic and tactile red or preferably black cherry fruit. Oak must play a supporting role to these basics, and not dominate. This wine illustrates those factors to perfection. So buy the basic Felton for its great expression of ripe but not over-ripe pinot noir varietal quality, more vividly expressed than in the more complex Block 5. This wine is fractionally more acid than the two Block wines, which will augment its bouquet development in bottle, but detracts slightly from the palate. Cellar 5 – 10 years. This too should develop like the 1999 straight Felton, and will then compete with many a Cote de Nuits wine. GK 11/05
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $47 [ cork; DFB; the Glaetzers have been in the Barossa Valley since 1888. Both father Colin and son Ben are Roseworthy graduates. Those two generations include five winemakers / oenologists. Colin has a long history in South Australian winemaking, being the creator of the now-famous Barossa Valley Estates E & E Shiraz Black Pepper; this wine 60-year shiraz cropped @ 2 t/ac, open-vat fermentation; 14 months in 70% new French oak, balance second and third year US; RS 1.2 g/L; Parker 167: " … a Vacqueyras on steroids … a dense ruby/purple hue, beautiful, attractive notes of pepper, spice box, black-berries, and currants, and amazing richness as well as surprising elegance and definition. Cellar 10-15 years, 91 – 93"; www.glaetzer.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, midway for depth. This wine shows an intriguing mint component to the bouquet, reminiscent of Martinborough pennyroyal, on intense berry notes which include cassis and bottled black doris plums. Palate is very juicy, some blueberry coming in, the finish not quite bone-dry (like the Mamre), the oaking subtle. This wine appealed greatly to some tasters, but is not as classical as some of the drier ones. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, midway for depth. This wine shows an intriguing mint component to the bouquet, reminiscent of Martinborough pennyroyal, on intense berry notes which include cassis and bottled black doris plums. Palate is very juicy, some blueberry coming in, the finish not quite bone-dry (like the Mamre), the oaking subtle. This wine appealed greatly to some tasters, but is not as classical as some of the drier ones. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 12/07
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $31 [ screwcap; hand-harvested clone 95, whole-bunch pressed with only the free-run used, BF in French oak c. 30% new, wild yeast ferment, some MLF; c.11 months in oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Lemon with a wash of green, the palest of the later wines. Bouquet flirts with slightly reductive lees autolysis and barrel work, but thankfully does not go too far. Fruit qualities are undeveloped as yet, at present incipient white nectarine, some suggestions of near-baguette autolysis quality, the wine showing remarkable richness, so much so you suspect it has trace sweetness. But I doubt it, knowing Gordon Russell, again this is just fruit concentration and glycerol. It is richer than the 2014 Elston. Oak is yet to harmonise. Cellar 5 – 15 years, and it will hold much longer. GK 06/16
Lemon with a wash of green, the palest of the later wines. Bouquet flirts with slightly reductive lees autolysis and barrel work, but thankfully does not go too far. Fruit qualities are undeveloped as yet, at present incipient white nectarine, some suggestions of near-baguette autolysis quality, the wine showing remarkable richness, so much so you suspect it has trace sweetness. But I doubt it, knowing Gordon Russell, again this is just fruit concentration and glycerol. It is richer than the 2014 Elston. Oak is yet to harmonise. Cellar 5 – 15 years, and it will hold much longer. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $93 [ 50mm cork; DFB; Me 61%, CS 20, CF 19, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison not given, cultured-yeast; 19 months in French oak c.42% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, a wash of carmine and velvet, the second lightest wine. Bouquet is subtle in the extreme, but very beautiful, seemingly cabernet franc-led, with red fruits to the fore. The quality of oak in this wine is breathtaking. In mouth the wine is so young, it is in one sense hard to be sure of its potential. From the bouquet you wonder if this is a wine modelled on the often-delicate but very beautiful Ch Cheval Blanc. One thing is certain, though: this wine suffers from the Coleraine syndrome. It needs greater richness / dry extract to take its rightful place amongst the Bordeaux classed growths. It is beautiful as far as it goes, in a Merlot / Cabernet franc style. Great to see the petit verdot has been dropped from Sophia, since the goal is a premium Saint-Emilion winestyle. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, a wash of carmine and velvet, the second lightest wine. Bouquet is subtle in the extreme, but very beautiful, seemingly cabernet franc-led, with red fruits to the fore. The quality of oak in this wine is breathtaking. In mouth the wine is so young, it is in one sense hard to be sure of its potential. From the bouquet you wonder if this is a wine modelled on the often-delicate but very beautiful Ch Cheval Blanc. One thing is certain, though: this wine suffers from the Coleraine syndrome. It needs greater richness / dry extract to take its rightful place amongst the Bordeaux classed growths. It is beautiful as far as it goes, in a Merlot / Cabernet franc style. Great to see the petit verdot has been dropped from Sophia, since the goal is a premium Saint-Emilion winestyle. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.2%; $47 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 100% de-stemmed, 6 – 8 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation, 3 – 4 weeks cuvaison, MLF and 9 months in French oak 45% new, some lees but no stirring; dry extract 26.8 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Rich pinot noir ruby, the deepest wine in the tasting, not far from the Clos de la Roche but older in hue. The manner in which this pinot slots in with the richest Rousseaus is devastating, with deep dusky florals and black more than red cherry fruit. It is closest to the Clos de la Roche in style, with the same dominance of fruit over new oak. This is wonderfully good pinot noir, big yet explicitly varietal, whether new world or old. If one could only believe that overseas wine writers totally based their reviews on blind assessment, this would be ranked up there with grands crus from the Cote de Nuits, particularly those from producers inclining to more opulent wines such as Girardin. Since all the fruit was picked at the same time, and divided equally, why does this Calvert seem richer than the other two ? [ NB: the numbers for the Felton Road do not support this assumption. ] Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Rich pinot noir ruby, the deepest wine in the tasting, not far from the Clos de la Roche but older in hue. The manner in which this pinot slots in with the richest Rousseaus is devastating, with deep dusky florals and black more than red cherry fruit. It is closest to the Clos de la Roche in style, with the same dominance of fruit over new oak. This is wonderfully good pinot noir, big yet explicitly varietal, whether new world or old. If one could only believe that overseas wine writers totally based their reviews on blind assessment, this would be ranked up there with grands crus from the Cote de Nuits, particularly those from producers inclining to more opulent wines such as Girardin. Since all the fruit was picked at the same time, and divided equally, why does this Calvert seem richer than the other two ? [ NB: the numbers for the Felton Road do not support this assumption. ] Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14%; $128 [ screwcap; cepage in 2013 CS 92%, CF 4, PV 4, hand-picked, the cabernet picked 19 March at 7.85 t/ha = 3.2 t/ac; c.14 days cuvaison with cultured yeasts; MLF and c.28 months in French small oak, 15% new, balance young; 2013 regarded as a copybook vintage by the makers, and rated 9/10 by Halliday; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 534 g; www.mosswood.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a big wine, midway in depth, clearly lighter than The Gimblett. Bouquet is light, clean, pure, lovely cassis but leaning to red fruits more than black, subtle oak, and no euc'y taints – glory be. It does not quite match The Gimblett with its limpid cassisy purity, this wine being equally cassisy and varietal, but faintly more aromatic. Both show a beautiful dominance of berry over oak. Palate shows a deceptive richness of berry, with high quality oak lending a vanillin and cedary flavour to the cassis on palate now. Scarcely a thought of acid adjustment intrudes. As the wine rests in mouth, the oak grows, but not to become obtrusive. Those who like more cedary / oaky wines would rate the Moss Wood higher than The Gimblett. It is on the aftertaste that the pure fruit quality of the Trinity ultimately wins through. This is subtly-tailored Australian cabernet showing restraint and elegance, but alongside better Hawkes Bay or Bordeaux examples, also a certain simplicity and a lack of concentration – which would correlate with the given cropping rate. When considering West Australian cabernet, therefore, which has such a reputation for finer more complex cabernets than South Australia, say, the implication is that both these other districts are more temperate, in viticultural terms, allowing greater varietal expression / complexity, in good seasons. This is an Australian cabernet which can be run in New Zealand / Bordeaux blind comparisons, since even Medocs may occasionally show trace mint aromatics. Interesting that Halliday reviews this wine at 97 points, Jan. 2016. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a big wine, midway in depth, clearly lighter than The Gimblett. Bouquet is light, clean, pure, lovely cassis but leaning to red fruits more than black, subtle oak, and no euc'y taints – glory be. It does not quite match The Gimblett with its limpid cassisy purity, this wine being equally cassisy and varietal, but faintly more aromatic. Both show a beautiful dominance of berry over oak. Palate shows a deceptive richness of berry, with high quality oak lending a vanillin and cedary flavour to the cassis on palate now. Scarcely a thought of acid adjustment intrudes. As the wine rests in mouth, the oak grows, but not to become obtrusive. Those who like more cedary / oaky wines would rate the Moss Wood higher than The Gimblett. It is on the aftertaste that the pure fruit quality of the Trinity ultimately wins through. This is subtly-tailored Australian cabernet showing restraint and elegance, but alongside better Hawkes Bay or Bordeaux examples, also a certain simplicity and a lack of concentration – which would correlate with the given cropping rate. When considering West Australian cabernet, therefore, which has such a reputation for finer more complex cabernets than South Australia, say, the implication is that both these other districts are more temperate, in viticultural terms, allowing greater varietal expression / complexity, in good seasons. This is an Australian cabernet which can be run in New Zealand / Bordeaux blind comparisons, since even Medocs may occasionally show trace mint aromatics. Interesting that Halliday reviews this wine at 97 points, Jan. 2016. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $237 [ cork; Sy 93%, Vi 7; a blend of 6 vineyards, average vine age 50 years; 38 months in new French oak; Parker: This is staggering wine and as profound as most of the single vineyard Cote Roties are in some other vintages … a deep ruby/purple color and an extraordinary nose of smoky bacon fat and roasted meats, tapenade, black raspberry, cherry, and cassis. The intense aromatics are followed by equally thick, unctuous flavors with huge body, a voluptuous texture, and yet wonderful freshness, purity, and length. 96; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby in some velvet, a little older than the Brune & Blonde, the second lightest in the set. This wine is closer in total style and achievements to the grand cru Cote Roties rather than the Brune & Blonde, showing a fully ripe and rich berry quality with a roti suggestion like la Landonne, and similarly much more oak influence. Bouquet is obviously floral, plentifully red-fruited in a slightly browning cassis and cherry way, but there is also some savoury brett complexity and a hint of bacon. Most recent vintages of d'Ampuis have shown brett, so one wonders if the more affected barrels are culled from the grands crus, to end up in this label. It is certainly richer than the Brune & Blonde, but not as pure and explicitly varietal. Palate is soft, rich, forward, clearly in a warmer-year style but no hint of Australian characters, just a little brown. It will be a superb food wine, and only technically astute dinner guests will wrinkle their noses at the brett component. Perhaps they need to be advised to leave their labs behind, and concentrate on matching the wine with the food. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Ruby in some velvet, a little older than the Brune & Blonde, the second lightest in the set. This wine is closer in total style and achievements to the grand cru Cote Roties rather than the Brune & Blonde, showing a fully ripe and rich berry quality with a roti suggestion like la Landonne, and similarly much more oak influence. Bouquet is obviously floral, plentifully red-fruited in a slightly browning cassis and cherry way, but there is also some savoury brett complexity and a hint of bacon. Most recent vintages of d'Ampuis have shown brett, so one wonders if the more affected barrels are culled from the grands crus, to end up in this label. It is certainly richer than the Brune & Blonde, but not as pure and explicitly varietal. Palate is soft, rich, forward, clearly in a warmer-year style but no hint of Australian characters, just a little brown. It will be a superb food wine, and only technically astute dinner guests will wrinkle their noses at the brett component. Perhaps they need to be advised to leave their labs behind, and concentrate on matching the wine with the food. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.8%; $ – [ screwcap; original price $34; 18 months in 95% French barriques, balance American; M Cooper, 2005: The powerful, splendidly ripe 2002 … delicious in its youth, it's an enticingly fragrant, muscular wine, with densely packed blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, deliciously rich and rounded: *****; weight bottle and closure: 579 g; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, the second lightest wine in colour. Bouquet is fresh, fragrant, lightly aromatic with a hint of pennyroyal, and nearly wallfower-floral, immediately suggesting syrah and a Cote Rotie winestyle. Palate weight is lovely, plenty of blueberry and plum fruit, great freshness relative to its age, none of the over-ripeness and undue weight of the Australian wines, yet the flavours linger beautifully and are wonderfully food-friendly. This is an attractive New Zealand syrah at full maturity, the ratio of oak slightly new-world relative to most Cote Rotie / Hermitage yardsticks, but pretty good. Cellar 3 – 8 years. This wine was well-liked, two rating it their top or second wine, and it was recognised as syrah by quite a number. GK 09/16
Ruby and garnet, some velvet, the second lightest wine in colour. Bouquet is fresh, fragrant, lightly aromatic with a hint of pennyroyal, and nearly wallfower-floral, immediately suggesting syrah and a Cote Rotie winestyle. Palate weight is lovely, plenty of blueberry and plum fruit, great freshness relative to its age, none of the over-ripeness and undue weight of the Australian wines, yet the flavours linger beautifully and are wonderfully food-friendly. This is an attractive New Zealand syrah at full maturity, the ratio of oak slightly new-world relative to most Cote Rotie / Hermitage yardsticks, but pretty good. Cellar 3 – 8 years. This wine was well-liked, two rating it their top or second wine, and it was recognised as syrah by quite a number. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ cork 50mm; release price $85; Sy 100% cropped @ c. 2.75 t/ac; hand-harvested, 95% de-stemmed; fermented in open oak cuves with wild yeast; 21 months in 65% new French oak, no fining, minimal filtration; Neal Martin @ R Parker, 2008: This is relatively austere and conservative on the nose compared to the 2005 and the 2006 with notes of plum, smoke and sandalwood. A medium-bodied palate with good acidity, comparatively linear to ensuing vintages but still with good delineation, touches of cedar, white pepper and black olives. Good length. Very fine. Drink now-2015: 91; M Cooper, 2007: … dense blackcurrant and spice flavours, and bold tannins. In its youth it is less strikingly fragrant, ripe and harmonious than the 2002, but has the power and structure to age well: ****; weight bottle and closure: 972 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, midway in colour, so redder and deeper than the 2004 Homage. The clear stylistic difference between Le Sol and Homage evident in the 2010s was apparently already there in 2004. This is much more a pure new-world varietal expression of syrah, still clearly cassisy and aromatic, clear black pepper possibly even with some white, leading to a berry-rich palate nearly as pleasing as the 2004 Homage, but not as soft and complex / old-world. Depth of fruit likewise is comparable with the 2004 Homage, but perhaps the tannins show a little more in the later palate – there is not quite the softness. This Le Sol was clearly seen as the wine of the night, 11 tasters rating it their top or second-favourite wine. No hurry here, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/16
Ruby, some velvet, midway in colour, so redder and deeper than the 2004 Homage. The clear stylistic difference between Le Sol and Homage evident in the 2010s was apparently already there in 2004. This is much more a pure new-world varietal expression of syrah, still clearly cassisy and aromatic, clear black pepper possibly even with some white, leading to a berry-rich palate nearly as pleasing as the 2004 Homage, but not as soft and complex / old-world. Depth of fruit likewise is comparable with the 2004 Homage, but perhaps the tannins show a little more in the later palate – there is not quite the softness. This Le Sol was clearly seen as the wine of the night, 11 tasters rating it their top or second-favourite wine. No hurry here, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/16
Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $63 [ screwcap; Sh 100%; French and American oak; Halliday vintage rating Clare Valley 7 /10 for 2013; www.jimbarry.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the three deepest. Bouquet on The McRae epitomises the descriptor Australian flowering mint (the shrub Prostanthera), and in more temperate years has done so from the outset (first vintage 1992). It is an acceptable aromatic complexity, analogous to the garrigue character in good chateauneuf-du-pape. Bouquet shows a richness of berry and an elegance of both ripening and oaking which again is a revelation, in terms of the last 50 years of Australian reds. It is not quite so exquisitely pure as the Veto, but the level of aromatics here is acceptable complexity, on cassis, mulberry and darkly plummy berry. In mouth the wine clearly has had a more 'serious' elevation in barrel, cedary oak complexing the fruit relative to The Veto, but the nett result is sophisticated South Australian shiraz, to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the three deepest. Bouquet on The McRae epitomises the descriptor Australian flowering mint (the shrub Prostanthera), and in more temperate years has done so from the outset (first vintage 1992). It is an acceptable aromatic complexity, analogous to the garrigue character in good chateauneuf-du-pape. Bouquet shows a richness of berry and an elegance of both ripening and oaking which again is a revelation, in terms of the last 50 years of Australian reds. It is not quite so exquisitely pure as the Veto, but the level of aromatics here is acceptable complexity, on cassis, mulberry and darkly plummy berry. In mouth the wine clearly has had a more 'serious' elevation in barrel, cedary oak complexing the fruit relative to The Veto, but the nett result is sophisticated South Australian shiraz, to cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 06/16
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; 23-year old vines, hand-harvested, wild-yeast fermented, 18 days cuvaison, 11 months in French oak 30% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 28 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, in the second quarter for depth. This wine has a big bouquet, big fragrant red cherry fruit in more distinctive oak than any of the wines marked more highly. The oak is quite spicy, almost a nutmeg suggestion. One would not want it any stronger. Palate shows a beautiful fruit / oak interaction, reminding of the Villa Maria wine but less subtle (at this early stage). They make a fascinating side-by-side comparison, being so different. I imagine a floral dimension will emerge, as the oak integrates: there is certainly potential here. Cellar 3 – 10 years, with interest. GK 06/17
Good pinot noir ruby, in the second quarter for depth. This wine has a big bouquet, big fragrant red cherry fruit in more distinctive oak than any of the wines marked more highly. The oak is quite spicy, almost a nutmeg suggestion. One would not want it any stronger. Palate shows a beautiful fruit / oak interaction, reminding of the Villa Maria wine but less subtle (at this early stage). They make a fascinating side-by-side comparison, being so different. I imagine a floral dimension will emerge, as the oak integrates: there is certainly potential here. Cellar 3 – 10 years, with interest. GK 06/17
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; all hand-picked; few % whole-bunch in the ferments; typically 10 months in French oak 30 – 35% new; some filtering; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little age showing, in the second quarter for depth. Bouquet is clear-cut pinot noir, fragrant but not clearly floral, lovely vibrant red cherry fruit, subtle oak. Palate shows more oak and a hint of spice, elegant and highly varietal cherry fruit, long, dry, the fruit sustained right through the cedary finish. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Good pinot noir ruby, a little age showing, in the second quarter for depth. Bouquet is clear-cut pinot noir, fragrant but not clearly floral, lovely vibrant red cherry fruit, subtle oak. Palate shows more oak and a hint of spice, elegant and highly varietal cherry fruit, long, dry, the fruit sustained right through the cedary finish. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Murrumbateman, Canberra ACT, Australia: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; cost $A45; no detail on website; www.clonakilla.com.au ]
Second pre-tasting wine, courtesy Geoff Wilson. Brilliant lemon green. Bouquet is immediately sweetly varietal, both floral and stonefruits, one of the yellow honeysuckles, lifted with fresh-cut apricots rather more yellow than orange in colour, plus some new oak just subservient. There is no hint of euc'y taint. Palate is remarkable, richer than the Guigal, less phenolic, a pure fresh rather than canned apricots flavour, plus citrus. The oak component is quite new, but restrained, and the finish is dry and long-flavoured. Very few New Zealand viogniers have matched this over the years, an occasional Passage Rock, Church Road, and in particular the 2014 Te Mata Viognier Zara (which is quite exceptional). This is light years ahead of the over-worked Virgilius. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 07/16
Second pre-tasting wine, courtesy Geoff Wilson. Brilliant lemon green. Bouquet is immediately sweetly varietal, both floral and stonefruits, one of the yellow honeysuckles, lifted with fresh-cut apricots rather more yellow than orange in colour, plus some new oak just subservient. There is no hint of euc'y taint. Palate is remarkable, richer than the Guigal, less phenolic, a pure fresh rather than canned apricots flavour, plus citrus. The oak component is quite new, but restrained, and the finish is dry and long-flavoured. Very few New Zealand viogniers have matched this over the years, an occasional Passage Rock, Church Road, and in particular the 2014 Te Mata Viognier Zara (which is quite exceptional). This is light years ahead of the over-worked Virgilius. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 07/16
Cromwell Basin and Wanaka, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; main clones Dijon 115, UCD 5, Dijon 667, 10/5, planted at an average of c.2,500 vines/ha, average age c.15 years; all hand-picked in the range 4 t/ha (1.6 t/ac) – 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac); c.25% whole-bunch this year, cold soak 7 days, a mix of wild- and cultured-yeast ferments, c.21 days cuvaison; c.10 months in French oak c.25% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS <1 g/L: dry extract not given; production 3,000 cases; www.maudewines.com ]
Fresh pinot noir ruby, clearly below midway in depth. This wine sums up the four top wines, in the sense it is not as definitive in any of its characters as they are, but it is fragrant, and floral with a suggestion of boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruits. Texture in mouth is silky / sensuous, very gentle, not showing quite the tannin structure of the wines rated more highly, but still a lovely glass of pinot noir. This wine too is wonderfully affordable, offering a quality which only a few years ago was priced more in the $60 bracket. Those who are confident that all Otago pinots are 'obvious', and can be recognised blind, might be tripped up by this one. Cellar 5 – 12 years. Group View (Flight 2): 3 first places, 1 second, 3 least. GK 11/15
Fresh pinot noir ruby, clearly below midway in depth. This wine sums up the four top wines, in the sense it is not as definitive in any of its characters as they are, but it is fragrant, and floral with a suggestion of boronia, on red grading to black cherry fruits. Texture in mouth is silky / sensuous, very gentle, not showing quite the tannin structure of the wines rated more highly, but still a lovely glass of pinot noir. This wine too is wonderfully affordable, offering a quality which only a few years ago was priced more in the $60 bracket. Those who are confident that all Otago pinots are 'obvious', and can be recognised blind, might be tripped up by this one. Cellar 5 – 12 years. Group View (Flight 2): 3 first places, 1 second, 3 least. GK 11/15
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; RunRig is made from shiraz vines more than 100 years old. It is the flagship wine of famous winery and vineyard Torbreck, which visionary Dave Powell built from scratch. His goal was to match the wines of the Rhone Valley. The winery is a fond favourite for Mike Parker, who has followed RunRig in particular from inception 1995, till Powell's ousting in 2013; www.torbreck.com ]
Ruby and velvet, youthful, the middle of the three syrahs for depth. Unlike the Petaluma in the cabernets, RunRig shows quite a strong mint aromatic nearly grading to euc, somewhat obscuring big berryfruit which is at an interesting point of ripeness (for South Australian shiraz) of blueberry, rather than boysenberry. The wine smells big and rich but not unduly oaky. Palate is gentle, gorgeous ripe blueberry and cassis, much more subtle than Grange, less oaky than Le Sol, the harmony on palate being a delight. For those not sensitive to eucy characters in red wine, this would be a gold medal wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/17
Ruby and velvet, youthful, the middle of the three syrahs for depth. Unlike the Petaluma in the cabernets, RunRig shows quite a strong mint aromatic nearly grading to euc, somewhat obscuring big berryfruit which is at an interesting point of ripeness (for South Australian shiraz) of blueberry, rather than boysenberry. The wine smells big and rich but not unduly oaky. Palate is gentle, gorgeous ripe blueberry and cassis, much more subtle than Grange, less oaky than Le Sol, the harmony on palate being a delight. For those not sensitive to eucy characters in red wine, this would be a gold medal wine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/17
Carneros, California, USA: 14.5%; $57 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$40; Sy 100%, all de-stemmed; 7 days cold-soak, 17 days cuvaison; 13 months in 100% French oak 40% new; Saintsbury is famed for its pinot noirs, but proprietors wished to explore cool-climate syrah and 'have a little fun … Fruit bombs they are not'; WA / Parker, 2009: Bacon fat, meat, tapenade, black cherry, and black currant notes jump from the glass ... However, in the mouth, some tart acidity gives the wine a clipped, compact texture and mouthfeel. 3-4 years. 87; www.saintsbury.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper and fresher even than the Craggy Gimblett Gravels. Bouquet is a rich, dense slightly spirity expression of cassisy syrah, showing clean floral complexity and some spice and cracked peppercorn notes, plus an aromatic smoky lift from some brett. Palate is fresher than some, and the acid tastes natural, so perhaps this is the magic of syrah grown in a region famous for its pinot noir. Total complexity is excellent – what a pleasure to see two supple yet rich syrahs from America, one of them totally free of the winemaking faults characterising so many American reds, both restrained in their oaking and thus optimising syrah the variety. We need to keep thinking about differentiating our syrah from shiraz, so there are lessons in these two wines. Intriguing (and understandable) that neither of these 'real' syrahs from America rate highly in the Wine Advocate scheme of things – the bigger-is-better syndrome, I guess. Also intriguing how consistent Parker is in denoting brett by 'bacon fat and tapenade' – it is this consistency of taste expression irrespective of the views that makes him (strictly, not necessarily his now many contributing authors) a great taster and reference-point. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deeper and fresher even than the Craggy Gimblett Gravels. Bouquet is a rich, dense slightly spirity expression of cassisy syrah, showing clean floral complexity and some spice and cracked peppercorn notes, plus an aromatic smoky lift from some brett. Palate is fresher than some, and the acid tastes natural, so perhaps this is the magic of syrah grown in a region famous for its pinot noir. Total complexity is excellent – what a pleasure to see two supple yet rich syrahs from America, one of them totally free of the winemaking faults characterising so many American reds, both restrained in their oaking and thus optimising syrah the variety. We need to keep thinking about differentiating our syrah from shiraz, so there are lessons in these two wines. Intriguing (and understandable) that neither of these 'real' syrahs from America rate highly in the Wine Advocate scheme of things – the bigger-is-better syndrome, I guess. Also intriguing how consistent Parker is in denoting brett by 'bacon fat and tapenade' – it is this consistency of taste expression irrespective of the views that makes him (strictly, not necessarily his now many contributing authors) a great taster and reference-point. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ cork 45mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from on average c.10-year old vines planted at c.2,500 vines / ha and cropped @ 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; 2 days cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 24 days with no whole bunch component; cultured-yeast; MLF in tank; 18 months in French oak c.33% new; RS nil g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production 140 x 9-L cases; not exactly released yet but available on request at the winery; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Paul Mooney; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth of colour. This is one of the 'different' wines, in a positive sense, but it is still absolutely within the style parameters for Crozes-Hermitage most closely, or some Hermitages. It particularly reminded me of Yann Chave's top Crozes, Le Rouvre. Bouquet is fragrant and pure, nearly floral, but also a hint of leaf, and of beeswax. The latter is perfectly legitimate in Northern Rhone syrah. Palate follows appropriately, very different from both the top wines in this tasting, and from 2010 Huchet, which was a richer and more massive wine. There is a fresh nervy quality to the berry here, some cassis, clear omega plum flavours, careful oak, and other berries too, blueberry and even guava (canned). Oak balance is good. This is going to be an exciting wine to include in blind tastings, preferably with French syrahs. It will create havoc. Tasters liked its style, it being the second most favoured wine, on the night (from first-place rankings). It is also one of the richer wines, in terms of dry extract. I'm slightly worried by the hint of leaf, and did not mark it quite as high as the group. But it would be fun to be proved wrong in the years to come. In the Regional Wines tasting, six people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, right in the middle for depth of colour. This is one of the 'different' wines, in a positive sense, but it is still absolutely within the style parameters for Crozes-Hermitage most closely, or some Hermitages. It particularly reminded me of Yann Chave's top Crozes, Le Rouvre. Bouquet is fragrant and pure, nearly floral, but also a hint of leaf, and of beeswax. The latter is perfectly legitimate in Northern Rhone syrah. Palate follows appropriately, very different from both the top wines in this tasting, and from 2010 Huchet, which was a richer and more massive wine. There is a fresh nervy quality to the berry here, some cassis, clear omega plum flavours, careful oak, and other berries too, blueberry and even guava (canned). Oak balance is good. This is going to be an exciting wine to include in blind tastings, preferably with French syrahs. It will create havoc. Tasters liked its style, it being the second most favoured wine, on the night (from first-place rankings). It is also one of the richer wines, in terms of dry extract. I'm slightly worried by the hint of leaf, and did not mark it quite as high as the group. But it would be fun to be proved wrong in the years to come. In the Regional Wines tasting, six people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $53 [ Screwcap; rated Excellent in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the third-level group of 65 wines; Halliday rates the 2012 vintage 9, for the McLaren Vale district; why two Wirra Wirra wines ? Simply that this is their top wine, whereas the Catapult wine was the cheapest in the Regional portfolio that seemed suited to our goals – interesting to see if we can taste the difference; shiraz 100%, selected old-vine plantings, implication is hand-picked, multiple individual ferments reflecting the individual vineyard blocks, some with cold soak prior; fermentation and MLF completed in all-French oak 30% new, then 19 months elevation in barrel; Halliday, 2014: Wirra Wirra nailed the great vintage with this wine, its crimson colour introducing a fabulously expressive bouquet and medium-bodied palate reflecting all that is great about McLaren Vale shiraz in a top vintage. No matter what fruit quality you enjoy, you will find it in this wine, so complex is the flavour rainbow; the same can be said of the influence of terroir, with dark chocolate and licorice undertones, oak operating to yet further enhance all of these characters. Drink by 2045, 97; Perrotti-Brown at Parker, 2015: Medium to deep garnet/purple, the 2012 Shiraz RSW reveals fragrant spiced mulberries, underbrush, Chinese five spice and blackberry compote notes dotted with anise and vanilla. Full-bodied, plush and velvety in the mouth, this expressive red finishes long. Drink 2015 - 2023, 92; named for Robert S Wigley, who established Wirra Wirra in 1894; bottle weight 719 g; www.wirrawirra.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is both floral and aromatic, lifted by attractive flowering mint (Prostanthera) characters, but no hint of euc. This wine too is nearly floral in a dusky way, and like the Lloyd Reserve the berry character is concentrated around the darkest bottled plum analogy, with hints of black-pepper. Palate is rich but more oaky than the wines rated more highly, but it is good oak. It is great to see the backing-off in ripening in these Australian shirazes, so many of the wines now stopping well short of clumsy boysenberry levels of ripeness. Nobody rated this the top wine, two second, two least, nobody thought it Penfolds, and two thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is both floral and aromatic, lifted by attractive flowering mint (Prostanthera) characters, but no hint of euc. This wine too is nearly floral in a dusky way, and like the Lloyd Reserve the berry character is concentrated around the darkest bottled plum analogy, with hints of black-pepper. Palate is rich but more oaky than the wines rated more highly, but it is good oak. It is great to see the backing-off in ripening in these Australian shirazes, so many of the wines now stopping well short of clumsy boysenberry levels of ripeness. Nobody rated this the top wine, two second, two least, nobody thought it Penfolds, and two thought it New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $22 [ screwcap; Me 87%, CS 7, CF 6, hand-picked at c. 2.75 t/ac; elevage c.12 months in French oak some new but some wine stays in s/s; RS 1.5 g/L; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight of colour. This is an enchanting wine. Blind it has a fresh berry character and less oak influence than the McDonald Merlot, instead smelling of blueberries – rich and saliva-inducing. In mouth the blueberry continues, and one pretty confidently identifies the wine as syrah, blind. But once revealed, I'm happy to enthuse about the wine as a merlot-dominant Pomerol-styled blend, with a wonderful presence of fruit and perfect ripeness. It is not quite so fat as the McDonald, and total acid seems a little higher, but it should cellar well. With merlot such a devalued concept thanks to Australian commercial-label efforts with this variety (so totally unsuited to their climate) but also because of many poor New Zealand ones too, these are two affordable merlots to rejoice in. The subtlety of the oak handling highlights the varietal character beautifully. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top third for weight of colour. This is an enchanting wine. Blind it has a fresh berry character and less oak influence than the McDonald Merlot, instead smelling of blueberries – rich and saliva-inducing. In mouth the blueberry continues, and one pretty confidently identifies the wine as syrah, blind. But once revealed, I'm happy to enthuse about the wine as a merlot-dominant Pomerol-styled blend, with a wonderful presence of fruit and perfect ripeness. It is not quite so fat as the McDonald, and total acid seems a little higher, but it should cellar well. With merlot such a devalued concept thanks to Australian commercial-label efforts with this variety (so totally unsuited to their climate) but also because of many poor New Zealand ones too, these are two affordable merlots to rejoice in. The subtlety of the oak handling highlights the varietal character beautifully. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.4%; $60 [ cork; DFB; CS 81%, Me 14, CF 5; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in oak cuves; 21 months in 100% new French oak; release date 1 June ’06; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, denser and more oak-influenced than the Gimblett Merlot. Initially poured, bouquet on this wine is slightly aggressive and disorganised, the oak more apparent than real. Decanted and aerated it quickly opens up, to be more complex than the Gimblett Merlot, more Medoc to the Merlot's Pomerol. The wine needs considerably more time in bottle to marry up. It shows enhanced aromatic spice both from the percentage of cabernet, the longer time in more (100%) new oak, and higher VA than either the Gimblett Merlot or Sophia. Notwithstanding all the cabernet, the violets of merlot are apparent in this bouquet too, and the cassis of perfectly ripe cabernet, plus potential cigar box from new oak. By perfectly ripe, I mean all the cassis and plums complexity of a fine Medoc in a good year, with no thought of leafy or stalky undertones. Palate shows great richness of fruit, clearly more oak than the Gimblett Merlot, yet the wine is light on the finish, inviting another sip. Only the perceptible VA lets it down a bit. Though tending oaky, this wine will make an interesting Medoc running-mate for future Bordeaux 2003 and 2005 tastings. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, denser and more oak-influenced than the Gimblett Merlot. Initially poured, bouquet on this wine is slightly aggressive and disorganised, the oak more apparent than real. Decanted and aerated it quickly opens up, to be more complex than the Gimblett Merlot, more Medoc to the Merlot's Pomerol. The wine needs considerably more time in bottle to marry up. It shows enhanced aromatic spice both from the percentage of cabernet, the longer time in more (100%) new oak, and higher VA than either the Gimblett Merlot or Sophia. Notwithstanding all the cabernet, the violets of merlot are apparent in this bouquet too, and the cassis of perfectly ripe cabernet, plus potential cigar box from new oak. By perfectly ripe, I mean all the cassis and plums complexity of a fine Medoc in a good year, with no thought of leafy or stalky undertones. Palate shows great richness of fruit, clearly more oak than the Gimblett Merlot, yet the wine is light on the finish, inviting another sip. Only the perceptible VA lets it down a bit. Though tending oaky, this wine will make an interesting Medoc running-mate for future Bordeaux 2003 and 2005 tastings. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/06
Yountville, Napa Valley, California: 15%; $450 [ cork, 50mm; DFB; original price $NZ348; CS 93%, PV 7, CF 4, hand-picked, the sunny side of rows picked a few days before the shaded sides; a warm dry season, low rain, no heat spikes July - Sept; hand-sorted and optical scanner-sorted; 20 months in barrel, all-French oak 40% new; egg-white fining only; in a 2017 comparative tasting of the Napa Valley 2013s for Decanter magazine, Dominus is one of the five-only 100-point wines, ahead of Screaming Eagle ($NZ3,670); Jefford, 2016: ... brooding, quiescent scent ... and floral notes, too ... On the palate ... a wine of singular depth, power and concentration: an essence of its place. Everything in it is dark: earth, mushroom, truffle, black fruits. There are magnificent tannins, low acids, bitter plant extracts and sweet resins, all adding up to a magnificently complex whole ... you feel as if a bottle has somehow been compressed into a single glass ... astonishing young wine, 99; Parker, 2015: 2013 Dominus is ... one of the most profound wines Christian Moueix has yet made ... very low yields ... notes of cedar wood, forest floor, loamy soil and oodles of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit ... super-pure and intense, this wine has low acidity, but ripe, noticeable tannins. This is a 30- to 40-year wine, 100; 3,500 x 9-litre cases produced; weight bottle and closure: 589 g; www.dominusestate.com ]
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest, older-looking than some. This wine stood out in the tasting for several reasons. It was so different it had to be positioned as wine 12 in the sequence, to not interfere with other wines. The bouquet smells first and foremost of alcohol, saturated with quite different fruit aromas to the other wines. There is no fresh aromatic berry component at all, but instead aromas evocative of cooked blueberries, canned guavas, glacé figs, and 8 – 10-year-old bottled black doris plums. Those who have old bottled fruit in their pantry will know they are perfectly enjoyable, but all the gloriously vibrant and fresh red-fruit characters are lost over the years, to be replaced by browning and softer fruity aromas and flavours. Good cassis / fresh bottled blackcurrants aroma is a key component of fine temperate-climate cabernet, and fine Bordeaux, but on that attribute this wine simply misses the boat, through considerable sur-maturité. In flavour and mouthfeel terms, it is most closely allied with the Church Road Tom, velvety rich and soft but no fresh red fruits at all, a large quantity of oak to give tannin backbone, but on the swallow it all finishes with an alcohol burn, a hint of prunes and tar, and oak. Just compare this impression with the Babich 100-Years: they are light years apart, even though Dominus is richer. It is almost inconceivable this Dominus could come from Bordeaux: 2003 Ch Pavie (from Saint-Emilion, and severely castigated as a young wine by Jancis Robinson, for being hopelessly over-ripe) is delicate in comparison. So therefore you would assume only hot-climate tasters, that is, those habituated to hot-climate wines, would rate this Dominus 100 points. Parker is well known and well-understood to like this kind of big wine; Decanter’s new Californian taster William Kelley would appear to be falling into the same trap; but how do we explain the views of the vastly experienced and eminently down-to-earth Andrew Jefford, from England ? Note his words: dark / earth / black / bitter (I am being selective) … and he ends up with 99. Perhaps he was on location. So … interesting, an experience since it is obviously an enormously serious wine … but ultimately a disappointment, in the fresh vibrant company of the day. A bit like Grange, a monument of a wine, not to be dissected. Cellar 15 – 50 years. Two people rated Dominus their top wine, two their second favourite, and four thought it Californian. GK 06/17
Ruby and velvet, the third deepest, older-looking than some. This wine stood out in the tasting for several reasons. It was so different it had to be positioned as wine 12 in the sequence, to not interfere with other wines. The bouquet smells first and foremost of alcohol, saturated with quite different fruit aromas to the other wines. There is no fresh aromatic berry component at all, but instead aromas evocative of cooked blueberries, canned guavas, glacé figs, and 8 – 10-year-old bottled black doris plums. Those who have old bottled fruit in their pantry will know they are perfectly enjoyable, but all the gloriously vibrant and fresh red-fruit characters are lost over the years, to be replaced by browning and softer fruity aromas and flavours. Good cassis / fresh bottled blackcurrants aroma is a key component of fine temperate-climate cabernet, and fine Bordeaux, but on that attribute this wine simply misses the boat, through considerable sur-maturité. In flavour and mouthfeel terms, it is most closely allied with the Church Road Tom, velvety rich and soft but no fresh red fruits at all, a large quantity of oak to give tannin backbone, but on the swallow it all finishes with an alcohol burn, a hint of prunes and tar, and oak. Just compare this impression with the Babich 100-Years: they are light years apart, even though Dominus is richer. It is almost inconceivable this Dominus could come from Bordeaux: 2003 Ch Pavie (from Saint-Emilion, and severely castigated as a young wine by Jancis Robinson, for being hopelessly over-ripe) is delicate in comparison. So therefore you would assume only hot-climate tasters, that is, those habituated to hot-climate wines, would rate this Dominus 100 points. Parker is well known and well-understood to like this kind of big wine; Decanter’s new Californian taster William Kelley would appear to be falling into the same trap; but how do we explain the views of the vastly experienced and eminently down-to-earth Andrew Jefford, from England ? Note his words: dark / earth / black / bitter (I am being selective) … and he ends up with 99. Perhaps he was on location. So … interesting, an experience since it is obviously an enormously serious wine … but ultimately a disappointment, in the fresh vibrant company of the day. A bit like Grange, a monument of a wine, not to be dissected. Cellar 15 – 50 years. Two people rated Dominus their top wine, two their second favourite, and four thought it Californian. GK 06/17
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $131 [ cork; Cuilleron makes four Condrieus, all with 100% MLF, like Guigal: the standard cuvee including younger vine material La Petite Cote, all hand-picked from sites above Chavanay, all BF on low-solids in older oak 2 – 5 years, 100% MLF plus LA, batonnage and 9 months in barrel, c. 1300 cases; the Les Chaillets label totalling around 1500 cases, made from older vines (sometimes labelled Vieilles Vignes) on steeper slopes above Chavanay, all hand-harvested with a little sur-maturité, low-solids juice wild-yeast-fermented and 100% MLF in barrel, with up to 30% new oak, plus 10 months lees autolysis and batonnage; the extremely rare Vertige from the top lieu-dit in Condrieu (about 125 cases depending on the year), from even older vines on a steep granite slope, all barrel-fermented with a much higher percentage new, plus MLF, LA and batonnage, in barrel up to 18 months; and if conditions permit, in some years a botrytised late-harvest Les Ayguets from sites above Chavanay, hand-harvested in up to 8 tranches through to December, similar fermentation to Chaillets, usually 100 – 110 g/L RS, up to 400 cases (of 500 ml bottles) – a cellar wine in Cuilleron’s view; Cuilleron is imported into NZ by The Wine Importer (who has ’07 Les Ayguets, $125, but not Vertige), and latterly Glengarry; www.isasite.net/Cuilleron ]
Deeper lemon, faintly brassy. This seems the new-oakiest of the wines on bouquet, more at a Guigal level, but it is well-supported by vigorous apricot fruit and toasty barrel-ferment characters. It is not quite as immaculately pure as the Vertige or the better New Zealand wines, but only the carping would mention that at all. Palate is much more varietal and flavoursome than the Vidal Reserve or the Craggy, explicitly ripe apricot varietal, though not quite the body of the Vertige. It is an equally convincing demonstration of the character of fully ripe but not over-ripe viognier in a bone-dry presentation, with body and texture enhanced by appropriate MLF and lees-autolysis. This wine too rewards close familiarity. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 02/09
Deeper lemon, faintly brassy. This seems the new-oakiest of the wines on bouquet, more at a Guigal level, but it is well-supported by vigorous apricot fruit and toasty barrel-ferment characters. It is not quite as immaculately pure as the Vertige or the better New Zealand wines, but only the carping would mention that at all. Palate is much more varietal and flavoursome than the Vidal Reserve or the Craggy, explicitly ripe apricot varietal, though not quite the body of the Vertige. It is an equally convincing demonstration of the character of fully ripe but not over-ripe viognier in a bone-dry presentation, with body and texture enhanced by appropriate MLF and lees-autolysis. This wine too rewards close familiarity. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 02/09
Roy's Hill slopes, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $121 [ screwcap; original price $120; Sy fermented on 8% viognier skins, therefore hard to establish a percentage of Vi; hand-picked @ 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 10 days with 100% whole-bunches retained, 15 months in French oak 75% new; Campbell for Decanter, 2015: Syrah that has been built for the long-haul. Fermenting on whole clusters has provided a firm, tannic structure that is balanced by sweet berry fruits and ripe plum. It has the potential to develop great complexity. Heroic!, 96; Cooper, 2016: ... a memorable wine, arguably the country's greatest Syrah. ... beautifully fragrant, ripe, plummy, spicy bouquet. Powerful but not tough, it has layers of plum, spice, nut and slight liquorice flavours, good tannin backbone, and striking concentration and complexity. A memorable mouthful, it should break into full stride 2018+, *****; production 100 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 700 g; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly much older than most, below midway in depth. This wine both smells different, and it does not smell of whole-bunch fermentation in the way one has come to think of it, in New Zealand, from other syrahs adopting this approach. The aroma is both light and floral, but not as piquantly dianthus as the Yann Chave, or as sweetly roses as the Bullnose. The whole bouquet is enchanting, but lighter in the sense of almost red fruits rather than black, meaning cassis, and there is some white pepper as well as black. In short, a puzzle ! In mouth the wine is clearer: in some ways a balance akin to the Chave, and like the Chave you feel it is the older oak you can taste, not the new. Length of flavour and cassisy / darkly plummy berry is good, but there is a suggestion of stalk. On balance there is a quality in the flavour akin more to Cote Rotie charm than Hermitage power. This is a real study wine, with its so-different 100% whole bunch fermentation. Four tasters rated the Bilancia their second wine, but no first places, suggesting I am not alone in finding the wine hard to characterise. Interestingly, three thought it French. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Ruby and velvet, clearly much older than most, below midway in depth. This wine both smells different, and it does not smell of whole-bunch fermentation in the way one has come to think of it, in New Zealand, from other syrahs adopting this approach. The aroma is both light and floral, but not as piquantly dianthus as the Yann Chave, or as sweetly roses as the Bullnose. The whole bouquet is enchanting, but lighter in the sense of almost red fruits rather than black, meaning cassis, and there is some white pepper as well as black. In short, a puzzle ! In mouth the wine is clearer: in some ways a balance akin to the Chave, and like the Chave you feel it is the older oak you can taste, not the new. Length of flavour and cassisy / darkly plummy berry is good, but there is a suggestion of stalk. On balance there is a quality in the flavour akin more to Cote Rotie charm than Hermitage power. This is a real study wine, with its so-different 100% whole bunch fermentation. Four tasters rated the Bilancia their second wine, but no first places, suggesting I am not alone in finding the wine hard to characterise. Interestingly, three thought it French. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Te Muna Valley, Martinborough district, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ screwcap; hand-picked @ 5.3 t/ha = 2.1 t/ac, 90% de-stemmed, 10% whole-bunch, some fermented in French oak cuves, balance s/s, wild yeast ferments; 10 months on lees in French oak 25% new; no fining, light filtering; RS nil; great website; www.craggyrange.com ]
A perfect pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is classic Martinborough pinot noir, fragrant, more red fruits than black (whereas Otago wines may be darker fruits dominant, generalising), nearly floral, nearly aromatic and hinting at the Cote de Nuits, compared with the other more Cote de Beaune-like wines in the tasting, totally pure, modern and high-tech. Palate shows fair richness, good ripeness, red cherry fruit dominant, beautifully subtle oak, admirable balance. It is not the richest wine here, but it has an elegance, charm and varietal precision which earns it high marks. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/16
A perfect pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is classic Martinborough pinot noir, fragrant, more red fruits than black (whereas Otago wines may be darker fruits dominant, generalising), nearly floral, nearly aromatic and hinting at the Cote de Nuits, compared with the other more Cote de Beaune-like wines in the tasting, totally pure, modern and high-tech. Palate shows fair richness, good ripeness, red cherry fruit dominant, beautifully subtle oak, admirable balance. It is not the richest wine here, but it has an elegance, charm and varietal precision which earns it high marks. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/16
Moutere Hills, Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $80 [ Screwcap; clones 10/5, 5 and 22, up to 29 years, harvested @ c.2.75 t/ha = 1.1 t/ac (poor flowering / set); 100% de-stemmed; wild yeast fermentation, c.26 days cuvaison including cold-soak; 12 months French oak c.30% new; minimal fining and filtration; dry extract 26.6 g/L; production 112 x 9-L cases; Cooper, 2012: The superb 2009 vintage is finely scented and highly complex, with full youthful colour and deep strawberry and spice flavours. Very sweet-fruited, with gentle acidity and tannins, it is deliciously savoury, ripe and rounded, with great presence, *****; weight bottle and closure: 719 g; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Mt Difficulty, but still below midway in the 12. Bouquet is exquisitely varietal, in the set, a more 'nervy' kind of pinot noir than the Mt Difficulty, Vosne-Romanée maybe to the latter's Gevrey-Chambertin. There is nearly a hint of buddleia, in total roses florals, and red cherry more than black cherry fruit. Palate continues the nervy theme, not quite the plumpness of the Black Poplar, total acid fractionally higher than the Target Gully, and if you are supremely finicky, just a hint of leafyness. Nonetheless a lovely pinot noir, as the Home Block so often is for the Finns. Cellar 3 – 8 years. Five people rated this their top or second wine, none thought it French, and none thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Good pinot noir ruby, a little deeper than the Mt Difficulty, but still below midway in the 12. Bouquet is exquisitely varietal, in the set, a more 'nervy' kind of pinot noir than the Mt Difficulty, Vosne-Romanée maybe to the latter's Gevrey-Chambertin. There is nearly a hint of buddleia, in total roses florals, and red cherry more than black cherry fruit. Palate continues the nervy theme, not quite the plumpness of the Black Poplar, total acid fractionally higher than the Target Gully, and if you are supremely finicky, just a hint of leafyness. Nonetheless a lovely pinot noir, as the Home Block so often is for the Finns. Cellar 3 – 8 years. Five people rated this their top or second wine, none thought it French, and none thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $30 [ cork, 50 mm; Sy 40%, Gr 30, Mv 10, Ca 10, clairette (white) 10%, the Sy and clairette co-fermented; some whole-bunch, cuvaison usually 4 weeks; the greater part of the 2010 was raised in concrete vats, the balance in 1 – 4 years-old larger barrels; J.L-L: Soaked black cherries, cassis liqueur – the bouquet is wide and abundant ... also shows black olives ... plenty of gourmand black fruit ... tannins are ripe, ***(*); Parker, 2012: lovely notes of marmalade, honeysuckle, white peaches, cassis and black cherries ... full-bodied, luscious, supple-textured, 90; typical production up to 5,000 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 590 g; www.saintcosme.com ]
Surprisingly fresh deep ruby, the second deepest colour. Why a Cotes du Rhone, in a Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting, you may ask. The goal here was to see if a carefully selected Cotes du Rhone could offer much of the substance and charm of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, at one-half to one-quarter the price. The fact that in the blind ranking exercise before the wines are revealed, no less than five tasters had this as their top or second wine of the 12, and not one person in 22 tasters voted it a Cotes du Rhone, in answer to a direct question on that matter, illustrates what can be achieved, with some research / effort. Bouquet is rich, dry, not exactly fragrant in a garrigue sense, more darkly plummy with cinnamon and nutmeg overtones. Richness and texture are astonishing for a Cotes du Rhone, but Les Deux Albion has for years now offered stellar value in the appellation. It is one of the gems in Paul Mitchell’s (The Wine Importer, Kumeu) lineup. The wine is plummy, softly furry dry tannins, not a lot of oak, the carignan maybe adding to the tannin structure but the clairette invisible. In contradistinction to the shortsighted / consumerist views of American wine review websites, cellar this wine 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Surprisingly fresh deep ruby, the second deepest colour. Why a Cotes du Rhone, in a Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting, you may ask. The goal here was to see if a carefully selected Cotes du Rhone could offer much of the substance and charm of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, at one-half to one-quarter the price. The fact that in the blind ranking exercise before the wines are revealed, no less than five tasters had this as their top or second wine of the 12, and not one person in 22 tasters voted it a Cotes du Rhone, in answer to a direct question on that matter, illustrates what can be achieved, with some research / effort. Bouquet is rich, dry, not exactly fragrant in a garrigue sense, more darkly plummy with cinnamon and nutmeg overtones. Richness and texture are astonishing for a Cotes du Rhone, but Les Deux Albion has for years now offered stellar value in the appellation. It is one of the gems in Paul Mitchell’s (The Wine Importer, Kumeu) lineup. The wine is plummy, softly furry dry tannins, not a lot of oak, the carignan maybe adding to the tannin structure but the clairette invisible. In contradistinction to the shortsighted / consumerist views of American wine review websites, cellar this wine 5 – 20 years. GK 06/17
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; cropped at c. 1.8 t/ac; c.10% whole bunch; 8 – 9 days cold soak, mostly wild-yeast fermentations; c. 3-4 weeks cuvaison; 11 months in barrel on lees, MLF in spring in barrel; filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is not quite focussed as yet, a little oak or similar initially detracting from the fruit. With further sniffing the wine opens to attractive red and black cherry pinot, with a darkly floral component too. In mouth, the initial impression is very youthful, but the palate shows good mixed cherry fruit, careful oak, and good length. Best put aside for a year or two, to marry up. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is not quite focussed as yet, a little oak or similar initially detracting from the fruit. With further sniffing the wine opens to attractive red and black cherry pinot, with a darkly floral component too. In mouth, the initial impression is very youthful, but the palate shows good mixed cherry fruit, careful oak, and good length. Best put aside for a year or two, to marry up. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia: 14%; $115 [ screwcap; c.NZ120; vines 11 – 27 years old; co-fermented with 3.5% viognier; 9 days cold-soak and 21 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 35% new; no back vintage info on website, poor considering price of the Reserves; imported into New Zealand by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 823 g; www.yering.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Initially opened there is a slight hard edge, reminiscent of either a saline note (unlikely in the Yarra Valley), or less-conditioned oak, which lets the bouquet down. Below that is a bigger wine than the Langi, but less fragrant, more oaky, not so explicitly varietal in the sense of syrah, more Australian therefore, all very tight and youthful. All these factors may change considerably, with appropriate time in cellar. Flavour is riper than cassis, more dark plum, with great richness and length. It is a bigger and more oaky wine than those marked more highly. It will I suspect look much more impressive in five years, and even more syrah-like (since it avoids boysenberry), once it is married up, and softened a little. Score has an anticipatory component, therefore. Cellar 10 – 25 years plus. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly above midway in depth. Initially opened there is a slight hard edge, reminiscent of either a saline note (unlikely in the Yarra Valley), or less-conditioned oak, which lets the bouquet down. Below that is a bigger wine than the Langi, but less fragrant, more oaky, not so explicitly varietal in the sense of syrah, more Australian therefore, all very tight and youthful. All these factors may change considerably, with appropriate time in cellar. Flavour is riper than cassis, more dark plum, with great richness and length. It is a bigger and more oaky wine than those marked more highly. It will I suspect look much more impressive in five years, and even more syrah-like (since it avoids boysenberry), once it is married up, and softened a little. Score has an anticipatory component, therefore. Cellar 10 – 25 years plus. GK 08/16
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 50mm; CS 56%, Me 30, CF 14, hand-picked from c.25-year old vines; 18 months in French oak c.75% new; RS dry; released; no other info, the winery not responding to correspondence; www.temata.co.nz ]
Fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is where this wine wins points, showing a silky slightly aromatic florality reminiscent of fine Saint-Emilions (the high-cabernet ones) or even better years of Ch Pichon-Lalande (even though the cepage doesn't quite fit), when the cabernet franc is speaking. Quality of bouquet is a feature of the good Coleraines, and it owes much to the care they take with cabernet franc. This is one of the three wines in the bracket to have a significant component of this beautiful grape – beautiful when it is appropriately ripe. The purity and perfume of the bouquet is sensational. In mouth Coleraine is not one of the richer wines, and in a careful comparative tasting to international standards, loses points for that. But then it gains points for its beautiful fragrant red-fruits berry character, and the quality of its cedary French oak. This is a Coleraine where all the components are ripe, only just you might say, for the acid is slightly noticeable, but in so many years, by modern standards Coleraine is distinctly on the pinched side. Even in 2013, palate weight is less than the wines marked more highly. Cellar 10 – 25 years.
Since my April article reviewing Coleraine 2013, correspondents have advised me of reviews for this wine being circulated in Australasia, marking the wine 100 points. Such a ranking and opinion is both ludicrous, and infinitely sad. Firstly, it simply advertises to the informed world (at least) that the reviewer is not sufficiently familiar with the fine wines of the world. Secondly it reinforces the notion prevalent in more sophisticated parts of the world, that Australian and New Zealand wine assessment, with its endless scoring of 94, 96 and 98 point wines, is both parochial and pathetic, a laughing stock. Such an assessment makes it harder for antipodean persons actually striving to mark to international standards. Thirdly, too many wine marketers, whether in wineries or as merchants, are without principle when it comes to the peddling of such reviews. They care not for the veracity, integrity, or factual worth of the views offered. Marketers are concerned only with moving stock, with throughput, and money at the end of the day. The nett result is, less-informed wine consumers are totally mislead, misinformed, and in short, fleeced.
How can all this be ? On the one hand, many of these reviews may be made in all sincerity by the blinkered authors. But ... in the simplest terms, for a cabernet / merlot wine (from anywhere) to be marked 100 points or near-to, it must be a wine of outstanding beauty of aroma and flavour, and be of such a flavour subtlety, intensity, ripeness and concentration that it compares in absolute quality with the best classed growths of the benchmark district for cabernet / merlot (and related) wines, Bordeaux, and will cellar for a timespan comparable with wines from that district. Note that wines from outside Bordeaux are not excluded by this description. One of the greatest bordeaux-blends I have ever tasted was a Napa Valley wine, 1964 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon.
In the earlier article, I used the well-regarded cru bourgeois Ch Paveil de Luze as a measuring-stick for the New Zealand cabernet / merlot wines. The 2010 of that wine is a sheer delight, in my view the best the chateau has produced. It sets an immediate, affordable, and available (Peter Maude Fine Wines) standard for New Zealand cabernet / merlot producers to aspire to, and being a cru bourgeois, strive to surpass. In the article, I commented a key failing of 2013 Coleraine was the lack of palate weight, or concentration, in the sense of dry extract as discussed in the introduction to the present article, and stated: 'Dry extract data would settle the issue'. Hill Labs now report that the dry extract for 2013 Coleraine, by the winery’s own assessment the best Coleraine they have ever made, is 27.1 g/L. My yardstick wine, 2010 Ch Paveil de Luze, measures 28.5 g/L. In taste terms, or informed taste terms maybe, that is a big difference. So there is no comparison.
For the present discussion, if 2013 Coleraine is not as rich and concentrated as a good cru bourgeois, let alone some of the truly fine classed growths where dry extract may reach or surpass 30 g/L, and perfection can in reality be talked about, it is simply nonsense to rate 2013 Coleraine at 100 points. And I am sure the proprietors would agree (secretly). But they must laugh to themselves. GK 05/15
Fresh ruby, carmine and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is where this wine wins points, showing a silky slightly aromatic florality reminiscent of fine Saint-Emilions (the high-cabernet ones) or even better years of Ch Pichon-Lalande (even though the cepage doesn't quite fit), when the cabernet franc is speaking. Quality of bouquet is a feature of the good Coleraines, and it owes much to the care they take with cabernet franc. This is one of the three wines in the bracket to have a significant component of this beautiful grape – beautiful when it is appropriately ripe. The purity and perfume of the bouquet is sensational. In mouth Coleraine is not one of the richer wines, and in a careful comparative tasting to international standards, loses points for that. But then it gains points for its beautiful fragrant red-fruits berry character, and the quality of its cedary French oak. This is a Coleraine where all the components are ripe, only just you might say, for the acid is slightly noticeable, but in so many years, by modern standards Coleraine is distinctly on the pinched side. Even in 2013, palate weight is less than the wines marked more highly. Cellar 10 – 25 years.
Since my April article reviewing Coleraine 2013, correspondents have advised me of reviews for this wine being circulated in Australasia, marking the wine 100 points. Such a ranking and opinion is both ludicrous, and infinitely sad. Firstly, it simply advertises to the informed world (at least) that the reviewer is not sufficiently familiar with the fine wines of the world. Secondly it reinforces the notion prevalent in more sophisticated parts of the world, that Australian and New Zealand wine assessment, with its endless scoring of 94, 96 and 98 point wines, is both parochial and pathetic, a laughing stock. Such an assessment makes it harder for antipodean persons actually striving to mark to international standards. Thirdly, too many wine marketers, whether in wineries or as merchants, are without principle when it comes to the peddling of such reviews. They care not for the veracity, integrity, or factual worth of the views offered. Marketers are concerned only with moving stock, with throughput, and money at the end of the day. The nett result is, less-informed wine consumers are totally mislead, misinformed, and in short, fleeced.
How can all this be ? On the one hand, many of these reviews may be made in all sincerity by the blinkered authors. But ... in the simplest terms, for a cabernet / merlot wine (from anywhere) to be marked 100 points or near-to, it must be a wine of outstanding beauty of aroma and flavour, and be of such a flavour subtlety, intensity, ripeness and concentration that it compares in absolute quality with the best classed growths of the benchmark district for cabernet / merlot (and related) wines, Bordeaux, and will cellar for a timespan comparable with wines from that district. Note that wines from outside Bordeaux are not excluded by this description. One of the greatest bordeaux-blends I have ever tasted was a Napa Valley wine, 1964 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon.
In the earlier article, I used the well-regarded cru bourgeois Ch Paveil de Luze as a measuring-stick for the New Zealand cabernet / merlot wines. The 2010 of that wine is a sheer delight, in my view the best the chateau has produced. It sets an immediate, affordable, and available (Peter Maude Fine Wines) standard for New Zealand cabernet / merlot producers to aspire to, and being a cru bourgeois, strive to surpass. In the article, I commented a key failing of 2013 Coleraine was the lack of palate weight, or concentration, in the sense of dry extract as discussed in the introduction to the present article, and stated: 'Dry extract data would settle the issue'. Hill Labs now report that the dry extract for 2013 Coleraine, by the winery’s own assessment the best Coleraine they have ever made, is 27.1 g/L. My yardstick wine, 2010 Ch Paveil de Luze, measures 28.5 g/L. In taste terms, or informed taste terms maybe, that is a big difference. So there is no comparison.
For the present discussion, if 2013 Coleraine is not as rich and concentrated as a good cru bourgeois, let alone some of the truly fine classed growths where dry extract may reach or surpass 30 g/L, and perfection can in reality be talked about, it is simply nonsense to rate 2013 Coleraine at 100 points. And I am sure the proprietors would agree (secretly). But they must laugh to themselves. GK 05/15
Saint-Estephe Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $182 [ cork, actual cepage this year CS 58%, Me 38 (higher than usual), CF 3, PV 1, cropped @ 4.2 t/ha (1.7 t/ac) in 2002 (against an average of 5 (2.6 t/ac); average vine age 35 years, planted @ 8 – 10 000 vines / ha; 3 weeks cuvaison, 18 months in French oak usually 80% new; J Robinson, 2012: Savoury, actually rather interesting nose – most unusual for a 2002! Some vitality here. Really silky texture and great freshness, without austerity, of fruit. A very superior 2002 – though it is clearly crisper than most vintages of Cos. Some concentration and persistence: 17; R Parker, 2003: A brilliant effort for the vintage, the 2002 Cos d’Estournel is ... an outstanding expression of Bordeaux elegance married with surprising power, yet never going over the top. Complex aromatics include scents of smoke, licorice, red as well as black currants, vanilla, spice box, and Asian spices. The wine is medium-bodied, with great purity and elegance, a superb mouthfeel and texture, and a long, rich finish. It is not a huge blockbuster, but clearly administrator Jean-Guillaume Prats fully exploited his vineyard’s potential and did not try and overdo it, as some of his colleagues did. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2022: 92 – 94; weight bottle and closure: 617 g; www.estournel.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, older than some, midway in depth. Bouquet has that distinguishing characteristic of good temperate-climate red wines, showing both lightness and strength, with great volume. There is a floral violets and dark roses note, but also a countervailing lightly smoky bacon suggestion which is drying, and puts the wine into the Clarendon Astralis camp momentarily: namely, is there a light brett component ? Palate is glorious, all the velvet of perfectly ripe dark berryfruit not over-oaked, showing reasonable concentration and a weight a little less than the Brokenstone. It is not a big wine, but the supple velvety length of flavour and the aftertaste are a joy, berry dominant over oak, with no hint of drying brett here – yet. Top or second wine for three tasters, and clearly seen as cabernet / merlot dominant and Bordeaux by over half the group. Nicely mature now, and will cellar for at least 10 years more. GK 09/16
Ruby, garnet and velvet, older than some, midway in depth. Bouquet has that distinguishing characteristic of good temperate-climate red wines, showing both lightness and strength, with great volume. There is a floral violets and dark roses note, but also a countervailing lightly smoky bacon suggestion which is drying, and puts the wine into the Clarendon Astralis camp momentarily: namely, is there a light brett component ? Palate is glorious, all the velvet of perfectly ripe dark berryfruit not over-oaked, showing reasonable concentration and a weight a little less than the Brokenstone. It is not a big wine, but the supple velvety length of flavour and the aftertaste are a joy, berry dominant over oak, with no hint of drying brett here – yet. Top or second wine for three tasters, and clearly seen as cabernet / merlot dominant and Bordeaux by over half the group. Nicely mature now, and will cellar for at least 10 years more. GK 09/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields not above 2.1 t/ac; up to 28% whole-bunch; up to 10 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 22 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 13 months in French oak c. 26% new; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers: The 2007 Pinot Noirs are wines of unmatched concentration and rich complexity without losing any purity or finesse. They combine the ripeness of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s adding a certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we see them as landmark wines; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby, slightly darker than the standard wine. Felton Road continues its winning streak with this wonderfully aromatic Cornish Point vineyard wine. On both bouquet and palate, this richly fragrant pinot is a little more assertive than the standard wine, with an intriguing hint of syrah, whether due to fractionally more new oak or a mix of physiological ripenesses in the fruit was not clear in the tasting. There certainly are dark cherry and almost plummy notes, yet the palate is extended on more phenolics than the others. It would be tough to describe this character as slightly stalky, given the ripeness and richness, but the thought does occur. This is the kind of teaser these Feltons pose, and makes one wish to own a case of each variant, to study over the years. Cellar 5 – 12 years, to soften. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby, slightly darker than the standard wine. Felton Road continues its winning streak with this wonderfully aromatic Cornish Point vineyard wine. On both bouquet and palate, this richly fragrant pinot is a little more assertive than the standard wine, with an intriguing hint of syrah, whether due to fractionally more new oak or a mix of physiological ripenesses in the fruit was not clear in the tasting. There certainly are dark cherry and almost plummy notes, yet the palate is extended on more phenolics than the others. It would be tough to describe this character as slightly stalky, given the ripeness and richness, but the thought does occur. This is the kind of teaser these Feltons pose, and makes one wish to own a case of each variant, to study over the years. Cellar 5 – 12 years, to soften. GK 03/09
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ Cork, 45mm, ullage 23mm; weight bottle and cork, 541 g; release price c.$55; Robinson, 2009: Manages to be both peppery and ripe with true leathery notes on the nose. Lively, appetising. The ultimate food wine? Extremely fresh. Not desperately persistent but very neat and drinking beautifully now, 17.5; Cooper, 2003: The tautly structured 2001 vintage needs another two or three years to unfold ... with rich, black-pepper and plum aromas and flavours, it’s very fresh and vibrant, with a firm backbone of tannin and a long, spicy finish. A distinctly cool-climate style, it’s well worth cellaring to at least 2005, ****(½); www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Lovely ruby and velvet, very much younger than the 2001 Pinot Noir, above midway in depth. Bouquet is extraordinary among the syrahs, showing clear varietal definition at a nearly perfect level of physiological maturity, quiet florals hinting at wallflowers and pink roses, dark berry which is nearly cassis-like, and beautiful peppery spice which is much more black then white. Oak is invisible on bouquet. Palate is attractive but not quite so perfect, some red fruits in the cassis, just a hint of white pepper in the black, but the whole wine supple and refreshing, total Cote Rotie in style, but of a slightly cool year. Tasters liked this wine, three first places, three second, but some confusion as to whether pinot noir or syrah, syrah winning. In the better variety for the year, a close second to the 2001 Pinot Noir, but both beautiful wines. Will cellar 5 – 10 years yet. GK 05/19
Lovely ruby and velvet, very much younger than the 2001 Pinot Noir, above midway in depth. Bouquet is extraordinary among the syrahs, showing clear varietal definition at a nearly perfect level of physiological maturity, quiet florals hinting at wallflowers and pink roses, dark berry which is nearly cassis-like, and beautiful peppery spice which is much more black then white. Oak is invisible on bouquet. Palate is attractive but not quite so perfect, some red fruits in the cassis, just a hint of white pepper in the black, but the whole wine supple and refreshing, total Cote Rotie in style, but of a slightly cool year. Tasters liked this wine, three first places, three second, but some confusion as to whether pinot noir or syrah, syrah winning. In the better variety for the year, a close second to the 2001 Pinot Noir, but both beautiful wines. Will cellar 5 – 10 years yet. GK 05/19
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $112 [ screwcap; 50% hand-picked, balance machine from local vineyards, clone mendoza (known as gin gin), average vine age 37 years; not whole-bunch pressed, not cold settled; 20% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 20°, no MLF; 11 months in French oak 100% new, batonnage fortnightly; pH 3.35, RS <2g/l; not sterile-filtered; not entered in Shows; $AU90; www.leeuwinestate.com.au ]
Lemongreen, the palest and most classical colour all. Bouquet however is behind the pace in this company, being simpler and more fruit-based, even hints of some [ untoward ? ] exotic fruit like feijoa in citrus and limey notes. A certain simplicity of elevation is also apparent relative to the cool-climate chardonnay wines. On palate, this translates into rich stonefruit and golden queen peach accurately reflecting the mendoza clone, but total acid is spiky in the Australian style presumably reflecting added tartaric, and the flavours lack the mealy complexity that long lees elevation coupled with malolactic conversion bring to both great white burgundy and New Zealand's best chardonnays. Despite the apparent oak, actual fruit richness is excellent, though, and the length of the finish is amongst the best. The Leeuwin wine is widely regarded as the Australian benchmark for chardonnay (though Penfolds seek to displace it), so naturally enough it is lavishly praised over there, and rarely subject to either critical scrutiny or comparative evaluation against world-standard chardonnays. Cellar 4 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Lemongreen, the palest and most classical colour all. Bouquet however is behind the pace in this company, being simpler and more fruit-based, even hints of some [ untoward ? ] exotic fruit like feijoa in citrus and limey notes. A certain simplicity of elevation is also apparent relative to the cool-climate chardonnay wines. On palate, this translates into rich stonefruit and golden queen peach accurately reflecting the mendoza clone, but total acid is spiky in the Australian style presumably reflecting added tartaric, and the flavours lack the mealy complexity that long lees elevation coupled with malolactic conversion bring to both great white burgundy and New Zealand's best chardonnays. Despite the apparent oak, actual fruit richness is excellent, though, and the length of the finish is amongst the best. The Leeuwin wine is widely regarded as the Australian benchmark for chardonnay (though Penfolds seek to displace it), so naturally enough it is lavishly praised over there, and rarely subject to either critical scrutiny or comparative evaluation against world-standard chardonnays. Cellar 4 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 99%, Vi 1, co-fermented, all hand-picked @ low cropping level from a hill-slope site with limestone; c.12 months in French oak c. 60% new; RS 2 g/L; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Dense carmine, ruby and velvet, one of the deepest wines. After the Bilancia, this is very straight up-and-down syrah, big, rich, powerful. The bouquet misses out a bit on florality, instead a faint estery lift, moving straight to darkest cassis and even more bottled black doris plum, so you wonder if it was ripened a little too much, perhaps to the dimpling stage. Palate however is most impressive, rich and darkly velvety, again not quite the freshness of cassis, but richly dark aromatic plums and oak, still retaining some black pepper. The wine is so rich, you would have to be a very acute and analytical taster to recognise the trace residual in the specs. The glorious thing about this wine, in the New Zealand context, is that it is over-ripe by Cote Rotie standards, but there is no suggestion of the 'common' boysenberry suite of flavours which so characterise Australian 'syrah', typically so over-ripened as to be merely shiraz. Interesting wine to follow, and see how that richness / residual sugar balance ends up, over 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Dense carmine, ruby and velvet, one of the deepest wines. After the Bilancia, this is very straight up-and-down syrah, big, rich, powerful. The bouquet misses out a bit on florality, instead a faint estery lift, moving straight to darkest cassis and even more bottled black doris plum, so you wonder if it was ripened a little too much, perhaps to the dimpling stage. Palate however is most impressive, rich and darkly velvety, again not quite the freshness of cassis, but richly dark aromatic plums and oak, still retaining some black pepper. The wine is so rich, you would have to be a very acute and analytical taster to recognise the trace residual in the specs. The glorious thing about this wine, in the New Zealand context, is that it is over-ripe by Cote Rotie standards, but there is no suggestion of the 'common' boysenberry suite of flavours which so characterise Australian 'syrah', typically so over-ripened as to be merely shiraz. Interesting wine to follow, and see how that richness / residual sugar balance ends up, over 5 – 20 years. GK 07/16
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $78 [ cork, 55mm; CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; dry warmer year, well-regarded, GDD 1452, harvest mid-April; release price $72; Cowley, 2017: fruity, ripe supple; Neal Martin @ R. Parker, 2009: ... a lot of intense cedar-infused Cabernet fruit ... The palate is full-bodied with fully ripe tannins, good grip, cedar, blackberry, pain grille, sous-bois coming through. Great persistency towards the viscous finish. Superb, 95; Chan, 2011: A majestic, massive wine ... densely concentrated black fruits with hints of minerals, liquorice and spicy oak. The palate combines great richness and concentration of fruit with immense extraction in extraordinary balance and style ... 10-15+ years, 19.5+; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. This vintage of Coleraine stands out for its vivid florals, violets and nearly lilac (i.e., hints of pinot noir), as if merlot were dominant (not so). Below is fresh cassis and plums both black and a suggestion of red. All the bouquet qualities point to it being picked a little earlier than the vintages marked more highly, so one tastes nervously in case there are suggestions of under-ripeness or stalkyness in the tannins. The flavour certainly is fresher than particularly the 1998 or 2009, and yes, the acid is a bit high to mark 18.5. Close though. Length of flavour is good, and as always in the case of Te Mata, oak is well in balance to the slightly lighter style. Acid balance is fresher than even the 2013, making the 2007 an exciting highly fragrant contrast with the riper years, yet it achieves appropriate harmony, in its slightly cooler style. Cellar 10 – 25 years. The 2007 achieved the distinction of being nobody's absolute favourite, over both nights – the only wine in this category. This seemed further evidence for the notion that the floral qualities some seek in red wine are very much a learned perception. Or maybe I am being too tolerant of the fresh acid balance. Yet in some parts of the viticultural world, red wines simply do not show this wonderful floral quality which I so value, and tasters in such districts may not even seek them. This wine was not totally lacking support, three tasters on night one, and two the second night, rating it second. I thought the bottles identical. GK 08/17
Ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. This vintage of Coleraine stands out for its vivid florals, violets and nearly lilac (i.e., hints of pinot noir), as if merlot were dominant (not so). Below is fresh cassis and plums both black and a suggestion of red. All the bouquet qualities point to it being picked a little earlier than the vintages marked more highly, so one tastes nervously in case there are suggestions of under-ripeness or stalkyness in the tannins. The flavour certainly is fresher than particularly the 1998 or 2009, and yes, the acid is a bit high to mark 18.5. Close though. Length of flavour is good, and as always in the case of Te Mata, oak is well in balance to the slightly lighter style. Acid balance is fresher than even the 2013, making the 2007 an exciting highly fragrant contrast with the riper years, yet it achieves appropriate harmony, in its slightly cooler style. Cellar 10 – 25 years. The 2007 achieved the distinction of being nobody's absolute favourite, over both nights – the only wine in this category. This seemed further evidence for the notion that the floral qualities some seek in red wine are very much a learned perception. Or maybe I am being too tolerant of the fresh acid balance. Yet in some parts of the viticultural world, red wines simply do not show this wonderful floral quality which I so value, and tasters in such districts may not even seek them. This wine was not totally lacking support, three tasters on night one, and two the second night, rating it second. I thought the bottles identical. GK 08/17
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 12 months in French oak, 25% new; www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway. Bouquet is sweet, ripe and intensely varietal, showing the full suite of floral components from buddleia through deep rose aromas to some boronia. Like the 2008 Martinborough, there is no pennyroyal this year, which is great. Palate is firmer than the Martinborough Vineyard wine, some oak to marry away, on excellent red and black cherry fruit. This is the best Ata Rangi pinot noir for some years, and a wine which will cellar happily to epitomise the Martinborough district style. It will complement the more silky Martinborough Vineyard '08 admirably, and be longer-lived – they would make a great pair to tuck away for future comparisons. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Good pinot noir ruby, above midway. Bouquet is sweet, ripe and intensely varietal, showing the full suite of floral components from buddleia through deep rose aromas to some boronia. Like the 2008 Martinborough, there is no pennyroyal this year, which is great. Palate is firmer than the Martinborough Vineyard wine, some oak to marry away, on excellent red and black cherry fruit. This is the best Ata Rangi pinot noir for some years, and a wine which will cellar happily to epitomise the Martinborough district style. It will complement the more silky Martinborough Vineyard '08 admirably, and be longer-lived – they would make a great pair to tuck away for future comparisons. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 02/10
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ cork; Sy 100%, the oldest planted 1990, and now including the floral / fragrant clone 470, hand-harvested, de-stemmed; 16 months in French oak c. 33% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. One sniff and the bouquet is floral and aromatic in the style of fine subtle versions of Cote Rotie, striking that perfect equipoise between excess florality bespeaking under-ripeness, and the no florals of over-ripeness. This 2006 might be fractionally cooler than the 2005, with both florals of the dianthus / pinks kind, and the white pepper grading to black pepper ratio a little more apparent, plus red fruits more than black. Palate ripens the profile, with more black pepper now, good cassis berry, and some black doris plum, finishing on attractive acid. This is another fine elegant Bullnose, in its subtlety pursuing a totally French path to grape-ripening and thus wine beauty, rather than the more heavy-handed over-ripe Australian one. Alongside Penfolds Bin 128, a subtler Australian shiraz of very good quality in the current 2005 release, the Bullnose is more like pinot noir, so fine and floral is it. That is not to say it is better, or worse – just it is dramatically and climatically a very different expression of the one grape syrah / shiraz. It is still a little raw as yet, give it another year or two to marry up, and cellar to 12 years or thereabouts. This 2006 Bullnose rates among the top six New Zealand syrahs of the vintage, but in its subtle and fragrant Cote Rotie styling, it is easily underestimated. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. One sniff and the bouquet is floral and aromatic in the style of fine subtle versions of Cote Rotie, striking that perfect equipoise between excess florality bespeaking under-ripeness, and the no florals of over-ripeness. This 2006 might be fractionally cooler than the 2005, with both florals of the dianthus / pinks kind, and the white pepper grading to black pepper ratio a little more apparent, plus red fruits more than black. Palate ripens the profile, with more black pepper now, good cassis berry, and some black doris plum, finishing on attractive acid. This is another fine elegant Bullnose, in its subtlety pursuing a totally French path to grape-ripening and thus wine beauty, rather than the more heavy-handed over-ripe Australian one. Alongside Penfolds Bin 128, a subtler Australian shiraz of very good quality in the current 2005 release, the Bullnose is more like pinot noir, so fine and floral is it. That is not to say it is better, or worse – just it is dramatically and climatically a very different expression of the one grape syrah / shiraz. It is still a little raw as yet, give it another year or two to marry up, and cellar to 12 years or thereabouts. This 2006 Bullnose rates among the top six New Zealand syrahs of the vintage, but in its subtle and fragrant Cote Rotie styling, it is easily underestimated. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/08
Ngatarawa Triangle, Gimblett Gravels and Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ cork; 2007 wine not on website – some of the Pernod-Ricard websites have become time-consuming and vexing to use, compared with 5 years ago; www.corbans.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is unknit at this stage, youthful cassis with a slight phenolic edge to it, hard to pin down. In mouth, the oak is at a maximum for the fruit, and the 'edge' is I think just oak yet to marry in. Cassisy berry is rich, with plummy depths and a hint of dark chocolate. This should cellar well, 10 – 20 years, though remaining oaky. GK 06/10
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is unknit at this stage, youthful cassis with a slight phenolic edge to it, hard to pin down. In mouth, the oak is at a maximum for the fruit, and the 'edge' is I think just oak yet to marry in. Cassisy berry is rich, with plummy depths and a hint of dark chocolate. This should cellar well, 10 – 20 years, though remaining oaky. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 86%, CS 8, Ma 6, hand-harvested @ c. 2.75 t/ac; vinified @ Mangere; 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation; c. 22 months in French and American oak 61% new; Catalogue: a dense nose with considerable depth, featuring small red and black berries, floral violet, vanillin and cedar-briary spice notes. This wine is highly seductive as great Merlot should be; the palate is highly refined with textural tannins and creamy supportive oak, and features tightness, balance and length. Optimum cellaring 2010-2017; Awards: 5 Stars @ Winestate 2008, Gold @ Hawke’s Bay A&P 2008, Trophy for NZ Red Bordeaux Varietals Over £10 @ Decanter World Wine Awards UK 2008; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, older than 2005 Tom. Bouquet changes greatly with breathing, becoming sweet and floral and showing good technical purity, with a wonderful interplay between musk-rose and dark tobacco notes, plus cedary oak. In mouth the berryfruit is marrying into the oak, quite a lot of development (who said red wines don’t develop under screwcap ?), total east-bank Bordeaux in acid balance and gentleness. This wine now sits alongside the 2005 Church Road Cabernet Sauvignon Cuve handsomely, and shows the softer east-bank side of the Bordeaux equation relative to the Church Road’s Medoc. It has come forward a good deal since my last review in 2007, and I like it more. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet, older than 2005 Tom. Bouquet changes greatly with breathing, becoming sweet and floral and showing good technical purity, with a wonderful interplay between musk-rose and dark tobacco notes, plus cedary oak. In mouth the berryfruit is marrying into the oak, quite a lot of development (who said red wines don’t develop under screwcap ?), total east-bank Bordeaux in acid balance and gentleness. This wine now sits alongside the 2005 Church Road Cabernet Sauvignon Cuve handsomely, and shows the softer east-bank side of the Bordeaux equation relative to the Church Road’s Medoc. It has come forward a good deal since my last review in 2007, and I like it more. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ cork; in my 2004 reviews of the 2002 Otago pinots, I contrasted this later-released wine with the 2002s, saying this: … is classical New Zealand pinot noir, beautifully subtly oaked … some florals plus red and black cherry fruit … about as big as pinot needs to be. I am therefore itching to see how it stacks up now, alongside some of the wines which then seemed on the ample side. Cooper 2004, ****: the 2001 vintage is maturing into a very graceful, savoury, supple wine with excellent richness and harmony. Robinson 2005, 18: Very solid, not as obviously sweet as many 2002s, with some real depth; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Perfect maturing pinot noir ruby, close to but slightly deeper than the Mt Difficulty. Bouquet progressively improves with air to show some of the red and black cherry qualities of the Feltons, but a little more oak like the Neudorf. Pinot noir is such a beautiful variety, the utmost restraint really is essential in its oaking. Palate reveals delightful pinot noir fruit with the florality which was masked on bouquet by oak now peeping out shyly around the oak, plus lovely lingering fruit flavours in which the oak is well-assimilated. At full maturity now, will hold several years. GK 10/12
Perfect maturing pinot noir ruby, close to but slightly deeper than the Mt Difficulty. Bouquet progressively improves with air to show some of the red and black cherry qualities of the Feltons, but a little more oak like the Neudorf. Pinot noir is such a beautiful variety, the utmost restraint really is essential in its oaking. Palate reveals delightful pinot noir fruit with the florality which was masked on bouquet by oak now peeping out shyly around the oak, plus lovely lingering fruit flavours in which the oak is well-assimilated. At full maturity now, will hold several years. GK 10/12
Aloxe-Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France: 13.5%; $250 [ cork; c. 11 months in barrel; bottle courtesy Andrew Swann; www.vins-chanson.com ]
Wonderful glowing lemon. Bouquet shows trace reduction, at about the maximum permissible for elegance, complexity, and being appropriately interpreted as 'mineral'. This level is a good deal less than the unwise faddists and wrong-headed wine judges who currently endorse chardonnay so reductive as to be unpleasant on bouquet and palate, and the moreso with food, this blinkered approach being justified within the oxymoron concept of 'noble sulphides'. Below lies mealy chardonnay fruit in an obvious Meursault styling, with impressive volume and purity. In mouth the wine is both rich with tactile body, yet still a little hard in youth, with a degree of pale penetrating grapefruity fruit and fine acid that is most impressive. Tasted later with the 1986 chardonnays, it confirms exactly how good the top Australian wines of the time were. Has the body to cellar many years, if you like older chardonnay, and the trace reduction will assist longevity. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Not part of the set tasting. GK 09/15
Wonderful glowing lemon. Bouquet shows trace reduction, at about the maximum permissible for elegance, complexity, and being appropriately interpreted as 'mineral'. This level is a good deal less than the unwise faddists and wrong-headed wine judges who currently endorse chardonnay so reductive as to be unpleasant on bouquet and palate, and the moreso with food, this blinkered approach being justified within the oxymoron concept of 'noble sulphides'. Below lies mealy chardonnay fruit in an obvious Meursault styling, with impressive volume and purity. In mouth the wine is both rich with tactile body, yet still a little hard in youth, with a degree of pale penetrating grapefruity fruit and fine acid that is most impressive. Tasted later with the 1986 chardonnays, it confirms exactly how good the top Australian wines of the time were. Has the body to cellar many years, if you like older chardonnay, and the trace reduction will assist longevity. Cellar 10 – 25 years. Not part of the set tasting. GK 09/15
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13%; $89 [ cork; DFB; CS c.60%, Me c.25%, balance CF, Sy c.5% & Ma, hand-picked @ c.1 t/ac; c.11 days cuvaison, inoculated; MLF and c.30 months in French c.70%, Hungarian c.20% and balance American oak, c.30% new; sterile-filtered; c.500 cases, just released; ‘Just released, everything you expect from a fantastic vintage.’; www.temotu.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, close to 2005 Mystae. Bouquet is tightly integrated red more than black bottled plums, cassis and berry, with fragrant oak and a better balance of berry to oak than the 2004 and previous vintages. Palate is ripe and integrated, the long elevage seeming to condense angular oak tannins to leave just the aroma and flavour, without so many phenolics. Flavours are red currants, cassis and bottled plums, with this intensely fragrant oak. I think this is the best Te Motu yet. Worth mentioning that the style parameters for this wine were set rather more in the 1960s than in the 2000s, when wines such as 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon here, and 1966 Grand Puy Lacoste in Bordeaux, had much longer elevages than is common nowadays. There is a need therefore to look past the apparent oak, and check out the actual fruit balance on the later palate. Then the wine measures up, though it may not be a style familiar to younger tasters. The diversity of ‘claret’ interpretations developing amongst the top cabernet / merlot winemakers of Waiheke, ranging from conventional new world (Mudbrick, Isola, Passage Rock) through classical Bordeaux (Te Motu, Goldwater) to more modern Bordeaux-influenced European (Stonyridge, though Larose not in the tasting, Destiny Bay, though Magna Praemia not in the tasting) is exciting. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Ruby and velvet, close to 2005 Mystae. Bouquet is tightly integrated red more than black bottled plums, cassis and berry, with fragrant oak and a better balance of berry to oak than the 2004 and previous vintages. Palate is ripe and integrated, the long elevage seeming to condense angular oak tannins to leave just the aroma and flavour, without so many phenolics. Flavours are red currants, cassis and bottled plums, with this intensely fragrant oak. I think this is the best Te Motu yet. Worth mentioning that the style parameters for this wine were set rather more in the 1960s than in the 2000s, when wines such as 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon here, and 1966 Grand Puy Lacoste in Bordeaux, had much longer elevages than is common nowadays. There is a need therefore to look past the apparent oak, and check out the actual fruit balance on the later palate. Then the wine measures up, though it may not be a style familiar to younger tasters. The diversity of ‘claret’ interpretations developing amongst the top cabernet / merlot winemakers of Waiheke, ranging from conventional new world (Mudbrick, Isola, Passage Rock) through classical Bordeaux (Te Motu, Goldwater) to more modern Bordeaux-influenced European (Stonyridge, though Larose not in the tasting, Destiny Bay, though Magna Praemia not in the tasting) is exciting. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $364 [ cork; Ch 100%; c. 5% base wine aged in new oak; en tirage c.10 years; no vintage info or detail on website; current vintage price in NZ c.$200; www.taittinger.com ]
Lemonstraw, the second palest. This is one of the fragrant wines, immediately suggesting high-chardonnay, showing clear-cut baguette-crust autolysis but with a slight lanolin suggestion noted by several tasters. In flavour you wonder if there is trace aldehyde, then the thought of trace oak displaces it. This shows some of the acid of the year, in a lighter palate more like the Dom Perignon, but drier. The lingering flavours are lovely, on a dosage perhaps 9 g/L. This will cellar for some years. GK 11/14
Lemonstraw, the second palest. This is one of the fragrant wines, immediately suggesting high-chardonnay, showing clear-cut baguette-crust autolysis but with a slight lanolin suggestion noted by several tasters. In flavour you wonder if there is trace aldehyde, then the thought of trace oak displaces it. This shows some of the acid of the year, in a lighter palate more like the Dom Perignon, but drier. The lingering flavours are lovely, on a dosage perhaps 9 g/L. This will cellar for some years. GK 11/14
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $825 [ cork 49mm; cepage this year CS 53%, Me 47, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.20 months, 45% new, light toast; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby, garnet and some velvet, the lightest of the seven wines. Bouquet is a little more old-fashioned than the 2005, and not so warm and rich, all showing secondary and some tertiary qualities of bouquet evolution: browning cassis, tobacco, faint leather, cedar. Palate shows the same elegance of fruit / oak interaction as the younger wines, namely great restraint, but not quite the same pinpoint ripeness. Maybe there are trace less-ripe grape tannins here. There might be the subtlest wild yeast complexity too. This is more advanced than I hoped, but it is pretty classic claret, still with some tannins to lose. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, garnet and some velvet, the lightest of the seven wines. Bouquet is a little more old-fashioned than the 2005, and not so warm and rich, all showing secondary and some tertiary qualities of bouquet evolution: browning cassis, tobacco, faint leather, cedar. Palate shows the same elegance of fruit / oak interaction as the younger wines, namely great restraint, but not quite the same pinpoint ripeness. Maybe there are trace less-ripe grape tannins here. There might be the subtlest wild yeast complexity too. This is more advanced than I hoped, but it is pretty classic claret, still with some tannins to lose. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 11/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $115 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Me 62%, CS 19, CF 18, PV 1, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison not given, cultured-yeast; 19 months in French oak 42% new; not fined, filtered; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet has a deep dusky merlot authority to it which is most attractive, the florals not quite as evident as the younger vintage of Sophia, but the complexity greater. Some signs of secondary bouquet characters are just starting to appear, on an amalgam of dark bottled plums and cedar. Flavour is also showing some increase in complexity, hints of darkest tobacco in the fragrant berry, lovely cedar, with attractive length and persistence. The cropping rate is higher here than for the 2016, and it does not taste quite as rich, however. Dry extract is a hard measure to taste for, it has to be said. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Ruby and velvet, above midway in depth. Bouquet has a deep dusky merlot authority to it which is most attractive, the florals not quite as evident as the younger vintage of Sophia, but the complexity greater. Some signs of secondary bouquet characters are just starting to appear, on an amalgam of dark bottled plums and cedar. Flavour is also showing some increase in complexity, hints of darkest tobacco in the fragrant berry, lovely cedar, with attractive length and persistence. The cropping rate is higher here than for the 2016, and it does not taste quite as rich, however. Dry extract is a hard measure to taste for, it has to be said. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/18
Rheingau, Germany: – %; $17.10 [ cork, 47mm; the von Schonborn estate in the Rheingau amounts to 50 ha, is planted 91% to riesling, the balance pinot noir and pinot blanc, with annual production totalling around 25,500 9-litre cases. Brook notes that the Schlossgarten vineyard is 18 ha, and its sandy-loess (and calcareous) soils result in light fresh wines. Schloss Schonborn is the largest owner. Brook comments further that though von Schonborn is one of the best-known estates in the Rheingau, quality was inconsistent until 1995. None of my usual sources has a word on our exact wine, but Wine Spectator surprises by at least having a note for a 1971 von Schonborn Beerenauslese (but not this one). Because any reasonably recent assessments of the vintage are rare, it is provided to indicate some of the descriptors that occurred to Bruce Sanderson in 1999. [ In the event, providing this description turned out to be more than relevant, for the sweeter wines. ] 1971 von Schonborn Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen Riesling Beerenauslese: From a great vintage. Its complex bouquet of caramel, mineral and a nutty, sherry-like note introduce a fresh, elegant and harmonious beerenauslese, with intense flavors of nectarine, honey, forest floor and nuts, all focused by mouthwatering acidity. The flavors linger with a burnt caramel note, 97; www.weingut-schloss-schoenborn.de ]
Full gold, grading to old gold, the lightest of the beerenauslesen and trockenbeerenauslesen. First sniff and one can only think of toffee more than honey, but wonderfully pure fragrant toffee. There are suggestions of fragrant black tea too, and dried peaches. Flavours in mouth immediately reveal the more golden flavour spectrum of the Rheingau rieslings (relative to the Mosel Valley wines), the botrytis component more apparent than most of these wines, sweet with hints of fine golden syrup as well as aromatic riesling, a soft rich wine with a little oak shaping it and drying the finish, acid slightly lower. Perhaps a little past its peak, but still charming, no hurry. Three second places, but also two least. GK 11/17
Full gold, grading to old gold, the lightest of the beerenauslesen and trockenbeerenauslesen. First sniff and one can only think of toffee more than honey, but wonderfully pure fragrant toffee. There are suggestions of fragrant black tea too, and dried peaches. Flavours in mouth immediately reveal the more golden flavour spectrum of the Rheingau rieslings (relative to the Mosel Valley wines), the botrytis component more apparent than most of these wines, sweet with hints of fine golden syrup as well as aromatic riesling, a soft rich wine with a little oak shaping it and drying the finish, acid slightly lower. Perhaps a little past its peak, but still charming, no hurry. Three second places, but also two least. GK 11/17
Epernay, Champagne, France: 12%; $87 [ cork; Ch ‘dominant’, PN & PM; some reserve wines in blend; RS 11.5 g/L; 250 000 cases; www.adwnz.com ]
More lemon than lemonstraw. Bouquet is lighter on this one, showing subtle autolysis, slightly citric very white fruits, very pure. Palate is stunningly pure, the autolysis expanding to baguette crust of delightful flavour, the fruit white cherry in style, the MLF component invisible. Just so eminently drinkable, fresh, delicious. GK 11/05
More lemon than lemonstraw. Bouquet is lighter on this one, showing subtle autolysis, slightly citric very white fruits, very pure. Palate is stunningly pure, the autolysis expanding to baguette crust of delightful flavour, the fruit white cherry in style, the MLF component invisible. Just so eminently drinkable, fresh, delicious. GK 11/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ supercritical cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2, 100% de-stemmed; fermented on c. 2% viognier skins; MLF and 18 months in 100% new French oak coopered in Burgundy; particular attention to the H2S-forming propensities of syrah; grown on the NW slopes of Roy's Hill, adjacent to but not part of the Gimblett Gravels; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about midway for depth. Decanted and given a little time to breathe, this wine is explicitly varietal and complex syrah, with much of the magic of pinot noir, plus the spicy depths and darkness of syrah. Bouquet is cassis through and through, not as ripe as the plummy depths of le Sol, but more floral and fragrant, dianthus and buddleia particularly – and thus inclining more to Cote Rotie than Hermitage in style. Palate is intensely aromatic and if one is hypercritical, very slightly stalky, not achieving the perfect equipoise the Vidal shows, but lingering nonetheless on the wonderfully aromatic syrah berry. In terms of ripeness and depth, this 2004 is a great improvement on the 2002, and indicates an exciting future for Warren Gibson's hillside syrah vineyard. With greater vine age, greater depth on palate and a little more berry ripeness should follow, offering the tantalising possibility in Hawkes Bay's warmest years of wines a little more complex than the hotter Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, about midway for depth. Decanted and given a little time to breathe, this wine is explicitly varietal and complex syrah, with much of the magic of pinot noir, plus the spicy depths and darkness of syrah. Bouquet is cassis through and through, not as ripe as the plummy depths of le Sol, but more floral and fragrant, dianthus and buddleia particularly – and thus inclining more to Cote Rotie than Hermitage in style. Palate is intensely aromatic and if one is hypercritical, very slightly stalky, not achieving the perfect equipoise the Vidal shows, but lingering nonetheless on the wonderfully aromatic syrah berry. In terms of ripeness and depth, this 2004 is a great improvement on the 2002, and indicates an exciting future for Warren Gibson's hillside syrah vineyard. With greater vine age, greater depth on palate and a little more berry ripeness should follow, offering the tantalising possibility in Hawkes Bay's warmest years of wines a little more complex than the hotter Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; Sy 100% hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac), mostly Limmer clone, some vines propagated from Jaboulet's la Chapelle vineyard on the hill of Hermitage, vine ages 1994 and 2001; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; MLF commenced in tank, completed in barrel, c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; this wine is the largest volume yet made of Homage, nearly 600 cases; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, between the 2009 and the 2013 in hue and depth. Bouquet shows more florals than the 2009, and more black pepper, which you would expect in the cooler year, with similarly cassisy berry and fragrant oak. Palate has great purity of flavour, cassis, some plums, quite oaky, acid slightly apparent, still hard and youthful. It is not quite as rich a wine as the 2009, in some ways being closer to the 2013, but firmer and more aromatic. This wine cries out for comparison with Northern Rhone 'originals'. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, between the 2009 and the 2013 in hue and depth. Bouquet shows more florals than the 2009, and more black pepper, which you would expect in the cooler year, with similarly cassisy berry and fragrant oak. Palate has great purity of flavour, cassis, some plums, quite oaky, acid slightly apparent, still hard and youthful. It is not quite as rich a wine as the 2009, in some ways being closer to the 2013, but firmer and more aromatic. This wine cries out for comparison with Northern Rhone 'originals'. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $77 [ cork; Me 49%, CS 43, CF 8, hand-harvested from vines of average age 21 years; 100% de-stemmed; 20 months in French oak probably around 75% new; this 2006 vintage marks 25 years of Coleraine; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, the richest / deepest of the 2006 New Zealand reds. Bouquet is a little more open and giving than Awatea, with somewhat softer and plusher cassis and black doris qualities, on potentially cedary oak. This wine shows exemplary purity, and is clearly of classed growth quality – in an understated way. Palate continues the trend, a little richer than Awatea, the merlot more evident, as is the new oak, with long lingering rich cassisy berry flavours to the aftertaste. I don't have the '05 alongside, but I imagine the 2006 to be fractionally lighter and fresher. It will be great to see them alongside each other, in later tastings. This 2006 can be cellared with great confidence, given on the one hand the performance of the 1982 and 1983 both still vital, and on the other the predilection of both winemaker Peter Cowley, and proprietor John Buck for the Bordeaux winestyle. Alongside Penfolds 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407, Coleraine is not quite so concentrated, but it is finer and more elegant, with the natural acid of temperate climate viticulture really showing through on the palate. Alongside the remarkable 2005 Penfolds Bin 389 cabernet-dominant, it is not in that sumptuous league. [ But then neither is it 14.5% alcohol, so many – English winewriters, for example – would rate Coleraine more highly for that. ] Keep the Coleraine for at least five years before opening one, and cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/08
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, the richest / deepest of the 2006 New Zealand reds. Bouquet is a little more open and giving than Awatea, with somewhat softer and plusher cassis and black doris qualities, on potentially cedary oak. This wine shows exemplary purity, and is clearly of classed growth quality – in an understated way. Palate continues the trend, a little richer than Awatea, the merlot more evident, as is the new oak, with long lingering rich cassisy berry flavours to the aftertaste. I don't have the '05 alongside, but I imagine the 2006 to be fractionally lighter and fresher. It will be great to see them alongside each other, in later tastings. This 2006 can be cellared with great confidence, given on the one hand the performance of the 1982 and 1983 both still vital, and on the other the predilection of both winemaker Peter Cowley, and proprietor John Buck for the Bordeaux winestyle. Alongside Penfolds 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407, Coleraine is not quite so concentrated, but it is finer and more elegant, with the natural acid of temperate climate viticulture really showing through on the palate. Alongside the remarkable 2005 Penfolds Bin 389 cabernet-dominant, it is not in that sumptuous league. [ But then neither is it 14.5% alcohol, so many – English winewriters, for example – would rate Coleraine more highly for that. ] Keep the Coleraine for at least five years before opening one, and cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/08
Hawkes Bay (three districts), New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; mostly hand-picked; cepage not revealed – see text; 14 months in all-new oak, French 85%, balance American; RS ‘dry’; www.crossroadswinery.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a very promising colour. One sniff, and you start to think, jeez … this is better than any Talisman I can recall. There is lovely ripe berry fruit of fine richness, potentially cedary oak, and spicy undertones adding interest. In mouth the richness is impressive, but the ripeness reflects some sur-maturité of some components, as so desired in Australia and America, leading to some chocolatey flavours which degrade its complexity and freshness. The oak handling is interesting, there being quite a lot of it, but the fruit richness is greater than most Talismans and covers the oak fairly well. This looks like the best Talisman yet, but it is in more a Robert Parker style than a Jancis Robinson one. As to the cepage, Crossroads play this silly game of 'not telling' every year, merely saying: "The composition varies each vintage". So, one assumes merlot and syrah dominant, some cabernets, malbec and minor varieties adding complexity. In this interpretation of the Hawke's Bay blend, which I think can legitimately include syrah to help create a district winestyle, the balance is closer to a Napa blend than a Bordeaux one. Given our climate, I would prefer it somewhat cooler and fresher, to optimise this remarkable vintage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a very promising colour. One sniff, and you start to think, jeez … this is better than any Talisman I can recall. There is lovely ripe berry fruit of fine richness, potentially cedary oak, and spicy undertones adding interest. In mouth the richness is impressive, but the ripeness reflects some sur-maturité of some components, as so desired in Australia and America, leading to some chocolatey flavours which degrade its complexity and freshness. The oak handling is interesting, there being quite a lot of it, but the fruit richness is greater than most Talismans and covers the oak fairly well. This looks like the best Talisman yet, but it is in more a Robert Parker style than a Jancis Robinson one. As to the cepage, Crossroads play this silly game of 'not telling' every year, merely saying: "The composition varies each vintage". So, one assumes merlot and syrah dominant, some cabernets, malbec and minor varieties adding complexity. In this interpretation of the Hawke's Bay blend, which I think can legitimately include syrah to help create a district winestyle, the balance is closer to a Napa blend than a Bordeaux one. Given our climate, I would prefer it somewhat cooler and fresher, to optimise this remarkable vintage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Roy's Hill slopes, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ screwcap; Sy fermented on 8% viognier skins, so hard to establish a percentage of Vi; hand-picked @ 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 10 days with 100% whole-bunches retained, 15 months in French oak 75% new; production 100 x 9-L cases; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, one of the lighter wines. This is another wine still at the formative stage, and for the same reason as Airavata – a high percentage of whole-bunch. It is not floral yet, exactly, but the melding of aromatic fragrance built on dark cassisy black pepper promises exciting things. Freshly opened it seems less together, but by the end of the tasting it had much more to say, and the following day there was quite rich dark berry on bouquet and palate, but with a clear stalk suggestion also. It is not green stalk, it is more in the style of winemaker Warren Gibson's current mentor, the Jamets of Cote Rotie. You get the feeling you are tasting a chrysalis, and wondering what the butterfly will be like. This is an important wine to follow, with its radical approach to the whole-bunch component – 100%. I have taken steps to provide for that, in future Library Tastings designed to follow the evolution of this wonderful 2013 vintage in Hawkes Bay. The impressions from this tasting make me look forward to them even more. Cellar 5 – 15 years, but these high whole-bunch wines are an unknown quantity in New Zealand, so I may revise that, later. GK 07/16
Ruby and velvet, one of the lighter wines. This is another wine still at the formative stage, and for the same reason as Airavata – a high percentage of whole-bunch. It is not floral yet, exactly, but the melding of aromatic fragrance built on dark cassisy black pepper promises exciting things. Freshly opened it seems less together, but by the end of the tasting it had much more to say, and the following day there was quite rich dark berry on bouquet and palate, but with a clear stalk suggestion also. It is not green stalk, it is more in the style of winemaker Warren Gibson's current mentor, the Jamets of Cote Rotie. You get the feeling you are tasting a chrysalis, and wondering what the butterfly will be like. This is an important wine to follow, with its radical approach to the whole-bunch component – 100%. I have taken steps to provide for that, in future Library Tastings designed to follow the evolution of this wonderful 2013 vintage in Hawkes Bay. The impressions from this tasting make me look forward to them even more. Cellar 5 – 15 years, but these high whole-bunch wines are an unknown quantity in New Zealand, so I may revise that, later. GK 07/16
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $871 [ Cork, 49 mm; Sy 100%, average vine age 35 years, typically cropped at 35 hl/ha = 4.55 t/ha = 1.85 t/ac, but the crop reduced in 2003; Parker rating for year 96; NZ price at purchase $575; up to 28 days cuvaison, 42 months in 100% new barrels, all 228-litre (though J.L-L says 30 – 36, unexplained); contributing vineyards Les Bessards 30%, Greffieux 30%, Murands 20%, Hermite 20%, total holding 2.2 ha, first year 2001; the name Ex Voto usually means a promise made to the gods, so in the Guigal case this may refer to their long-standing desire to secure land on the Hill of Hermitage; J.L-L, 2006: dark to very dark robe. Has a peppery, rich-toned nose that carries very ripe fruit; there is a blend of violet and very ripe blackcurrant. The palate holds pebbly, intense fruit with a peppery plunge in it. A big, dark, earthy wine with licorice in the flavour and evident tannins. From 2010. 2028-2032, ****(*); Parker, 2007: The good news continues as the 2003 Hermitage Ex-Voto may even be the richest of all these wines. Only 4,000 bottles [ 333 cases ] were produced. It is the most alcoholic of all the wines at 15%, but its off-the-chart richness, full-bodied, powerful, and amazing creme de cassis flavors along with truffle, crushed rocks, and acacia flowers, are utterly profound. This is one of the great Hermitages and it should last for 50-100 years. Just amazing. 100; Wine Spectator, 2007: Exotic, with a gorgeous, mocha-infused fig aroma and rich, flashy flavors of spice, blackberry confiture and licorice. Additional notes of spice cake, incense and loam fill out the finish. This is loaded with structure, but the tannins are silky. A beauty. Drink now through 2027, 97; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly not as fresh as 2003 La Landonne, though both are straight syrah. With wines at this price level ($575 at purchase) one is looking for perfection. Thus to first sniff, a slight unease, is there a hint of baked character, and there do not seem to be the florals. A cassis berry character is apparent, but when you compare it with the La Landonne, it is browning a little, lacking the dramatic fresh blackcurrant aromatics. And the oak is much more obvious, almost to a fault. Guigal say this wine receives the same 42 months in 100% new oak as the other three grand crus, but I simply don't believe them. Perhaps it sees two lots of new barrels, to make it more ‘manly’ – as Saintsbury would have said. Flavours and textures are every bit as rich as La Landonne, with cassis more prominent now, all just a bit browner. Unlike La Landonne, it finishes on oak, not berry. It is still however much more subtle in this respect than Penfolds Grange, recently reported on. A hard wine to score: it may look much more harmonious in 10 years. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Three people rated this their top wine in the set, two their second. GK 05/17
Ruby and velvet, clearly not as fresh as 2003 La Landonne, though both are straight syrah. With wines at this price level ($575 at purchase) one is looking for perfection. Thus to first sniff, a slight unease, is there a hint of baked character, and there do not seem to be the florals. A cassis berry character is apparent, but when you compare it with the La Landonne, it is browning a little, lacking the dramatic fresh blackcurrant aromatics. And the oak is much more obvious, almost to a fault. Guigal say this wine receives the same 42 months in 100% new oak as the other three grand crus, but I simply don't believe them. Perhaps it sees two lots of new barrels, to make it more ‘manly’ – as Saintsbury would have said. Flavours and textures are every bit as rich as La Landonne, with cassis more prominent now, all just a bit browner. Unlike La Landonne, it finishes on oak, not berry. It is still however much more subtle in this respect than Penfolds Grange, recently reported on. A hard wine to score: it may look much more harmonious in 10 years. Cellar 10 – 30 years. Three people rated this their top wine in the set, two their second. GK 05/17
Beechworth, Victoria, Australia: 13.5%; $ – [ cork, 50mm; Halliday rates the 2001 Beechworth vintage 8/10. Vineyard at c.400m, with c.800mm rainfall. First chardonnay planted 1982. All hand-picked, light crushing then pressing, wild-yeast fermentations, malolactic fermentation, then long ageing on lees in French oak, c.30% new. Wine Spectator, 2004: Aristocratic and appealing for the slightly earthy notes that weave through the fine-tuned pear flavors, finishing with persistence, 91. J. Oliver, 2004: My pick as Australia's finest chardonnay, extraordinarily structured and complete, expressing a heritage more Burgundian than Australian, 91; www.giaconda.com.au ]
Gold with a wash of old gold, clearly above midway in depth. Right from opening, this is a very big wine, with rich fruit and even more lees work and elevation complexity, presenting complex mealy and nutty qualities on bouquet. There is also just a hint of heavyness, reminiscent of the heavy fusel alcohol notes Australian reds used to show. This component could be interpreted more positively as a hint of walnut. In mouth bouquet and flavour meld into a sensationally mealy and nutty, very rich and dry wine, the size and savour of a great Corton-Charlemagne at full maturity, the weight of dried stone fruit, oatmeal and brazil nut flavours quite saturating the tongue and the senses. And there is a long sautéed button-mushrooms note creeping in to the late finish, which delights. It is appreciably richer than the Lafon Meursault, and purer than the particular bottle in the tasting, yet somehow the whole wine does not quite achieve the magical complexity and appeal of the Meursault. There is a hint of heavyness / early ageing in this Giaconda. Even so, with the right food it would be remarkable. The dry extract must be c.30 + grams per litre, 'unknown' in white wine. Three first-places, two second places, but also three least places. Nobody thought it French (which surprised me). GK 08/18
Gold with a wash of old gold, clearly above midway in depth. Right from opening, this is a very big wine, with rich fruit and even more lees work and elevation complexity, presenting complex mealy and nutty qualities on bouquet. There is also just a hint of heavyness, reminiscent of the heavy fusel alcohol notes Australian reds used to show. This component could be interpreted more positively as a hint of walnut. In mouth bouquet and flavour meld into a sensationally mealy and nutty, very rich and dry wine, the size and savour of a great Corton-Charlemagne at full maturity, the weight of dried stone fruit, oatmeal and brazil nut flavours quite saturating the tongue and the senses. And there is a long sautéed button-mushrooms note creeping in to the late finish, which delights. It is appreciably richer than the Lafon Meursault, and purer than the particular bottle in the tasting, yet somehow the whole wine does not quite achieve the magical complexity and appeal of the Meursault. There is a hint of heavyness / early ageing in this Giaconda. Even so, with the right food it would be remarkable. The dry extract must be c.30 + grams per litre, 'unknown' in white wine. Three first-places, two second places, but also three least places. Nobody thought it French (which surprised me). GK 08/18
Margaux Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $46 [ cork 49mm; CS 65%, Me 30; CF 5; c.12 months (depending on vintage) in French oak, 30% new; www.chateaupaveildeluze.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. Bouquet illustrates the concept of cassis, tobacco and cedar as found in fine cabernet / merlot blends beautifully, though being a little older than the 2013s in the evaluation sets, the berry notes are browning a little now. Palate is berry-dominant, with an integration of fruit and and cedary oak which is enchanting. Not a big or powerful wine, but the neatness of the wine, and the complexity of flavour, epitomising the cabernet-led complex Medoc blended winestyle, is a delight. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Dense ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. Bouquet illustrates the concept of cassis, tobacco and cedar as found in fine cabernet / merlot blends beautifully, though being a little older than the 2013s in the evaluation sets, the berry notes are browning a little now. Palate is berry-dominant, with an integration of fruit and and cedary oak which is enchanting. Not a big or powerful wine, but the neatness of the wine, and the complexity of flavour, epitomising the cabernet-led complex Medoc blended winestyle, is a delight. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; cropped at c. 1.8 t/ac from 5 vineyards and a range of ages, the oldest 18 years; c.10% whole bunch; 8 – 9 days cold soak, mostly wild-yeast fermentations; c. 3-4 weeks cuvaison; 11 months in barrel on lees, MLF in spring in barrel; filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Perfect pinot noir ruby. The bouquet on this wine is astonishing. I am sure there are many readers who have muttered to themselves: this talk about violets in wine is pure affectation and claptrap. For them, then, this wine has the most dramatic violets bouquet I have ever smelt, even thinking back to the great 1966 Ch Palmer on release / in its vibrant infancy. On bouquet alone, it has to be gold-medal ranking. The palate at this point is not quite gold-medal, beautiful but tending petite alongside those wines rated more highly. Remarkable wine, all the same, illustrating to perfection Matt Dicey's preoccupation with delicacy and finesse in his red wines, contrasting so vividly with the too many burly dark pinots elsewhere in New Zealand. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Perfect pinot noir ruby. The bouquet on this wine is astonishing. I am sure there are many readers who have muttered to themselves: this talk about violets in wine is pure affectation and claptrap. For them, then, this wine has the most dramatic violets bouquet I have ever smelt, even thinking back to the great 1966 Ch Palmer on release / in its vibrant infancy. On bouquet alone, it has to be gold-medal ranking. The palate at this point is not quite gold-medal, beautiful but tending petite alongside those wines rated more highly. Remarkable wine, all the same, illustrating to perfection Matt Dicey's preoccupation with delicacy and finesse in his red wines, contrasting so vividly with the too many burly dark pinots elsewhere in New Zealand. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 90%, CS 5, Ma 5; 11 months in mostly French oak, some new; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, not as dark as the Te Mata or Thornbury '07s. It is all very well enthusing about expensive labels, but for a wine such as this Black Label Merlot, this is where varietal quality meets the people. The depth of violets florals and specific merlot varietal suppleness and charm on the bouquet of this wine is all one could hope. Palate is saturated with ripe fruit, yet without a hint of over-ripeness. This is fine Bordeaux styling through and through, both on bouquet and the silky natural-acid palate, something the Aussies almost never achieve with merlot. This wine is a little less oaked than Awatea, so the cedary component is not so apparent, making the velvety and plummy fruit even more obvious. Not a big wine (and therefore more food-friendly), but as with these other top wines, very beautiful and potentially a charmer. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, not as dark as the Te Mata or Thornbury '07s. It is all very well enthusing about expensive labels, but for a wine such as this Black Label Merlot, this is where varietal quality meets the people. The depth of violets florals and specific merlot varietal suppleness and charm on the bouquet of this wine is all one could hope. Palate is saturated with ripe fruit, yet without a hint of over-ripeness. This is fine Bordeaux styling through and through, both on bouquet and the silky natural-acid palate, something the Aussies almost never achieve with merlot. This wine is a little less oaked than Awatea, so the cedary component is not so apparent, making the velvety and plummy fruit even more obvious. Not a big wine (and therefore more food-friendly), but as with these other top wines, very beautiful and potentially a charmer. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 03/09
Gimblett Gravels predominantly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed; up to 30 days cuvaison; MLF and c. 18 months in French and American oak c. 40% new, on light lees; minimal filtration; RS nil; Catalogue: densely packed with ripe blueberry, red plum and peppery spice aromas, underpinned by an aromatic violet lift. The palate is medium bodied in style with a juicy texture, finishing with silky rich tannins. A wine styled for approachability but that will benefit from some bottle age. Optimum Cellaring 2010-2014 Awards: Trophy & Gold – Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2009; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as dense as the Reserve. Bouquet is much more floral and fragrant than the Reserve, at the blind stage making one wonder about viognier in the wine. The floral component includes carnations, on clear cassis and bottled black doris plum. Again there is a suggestion of hessian in the French oak, but the berry is much more dominant in this wine. Palate is beautifully varietal, bursting fresh cassis, lots of complex berry flavours, good length and depth, plus black pepper to spice the wine. It is just a little more acid than some of the top wines, but attractively so – some of the ’07 syrahs are quite soft. This will be one to look out for, on promotion. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as dense as the Reserve. Bouquet is much more floral and fragrant than the Reserve, at the blind stage making one wonder about viognier in the wine. The floral component includes carnations, on clear cassis and bottled black doris plum. Again there is a suggestion of hessian in the French oak, but the berry is much more dominant in this wine. Palate is beautifully varietal, bursting fresh cassis, lots of complex berry flavours, good length and depth, plus black pepper to spice the wine. It is just a little more acid than some of the top wines, but attractively so – some of the ’07 syrahs are quite soft. This will be one to look out for, on promotion. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Bay View dissected coastal terrace, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ screwcap; DFB; original price $160; (all figures estimates) Ma 45%, Me 35, CF 20, hand-harvested; all vars co-fermented as one batch; 100% new French oak c. 18 months; RS nil; perhaps 250 cases; the 1-hectare NNW-facing The Terraces vineyard was until recently pretty well unique in New Zealand, being planted on man-made terraces in a natural semi-amphitheatre reminiscent more of some famous Northern Rhone vineyard sites than broad-acre New Zealand plantings. Underlying soil parent materials are young sedimentaries including limestone and volcanic ash. Vineyard practice is special too, the cropping rate being of the order of 1 tonne per acre, all the constituent varieties are harvested on the one day, and co-fermented. The site was created in the 1940s, but lapsed into pine plantation. It was re-planted to vines in 1989; no overseas reviews; Cooper, 2017: … the flavours are highly concentrated, youthful, plummy and spicy, with fine-grained tannins and a deliciously smooth, rich finish. A powerful very harmonious red, with a wow factor, it should flourish for many years, *****; dry extract not measured; maximum production is c.300 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 746 g; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. This is a hard wine to report on, it being in two parts. Whereas some others in the tasting have enchanting bouquets, and then the palate falls away, this is the reverse. Initial bouquet is raw and edgy, quite strong, showing all the hard tannins and lack of charm young malbec is famous for. There are no sweet florals here, and little enchantment of cassis. But it is beautifully pure, the oak seems appropriate (just), and maybe there is dark plummy fruit behind. The flavour however is quite different: immediately there is a generosity of bottled omega plum fruit, firm cedary oak, and considerable length and breadth. You therefore wonder if the lack of bouquet merely reflects its infantile state, and it shouldn't be tasted for 10 years. The palate richness is very good indeed, though there is no dry extract rating available for the wine, I would not be surprised if it achieves 30g / litre. On balance the palate is exciting, but will the whole wine end up being beautiful, or just rich and sustaining like best Argentinian malbec ? I must admit the later palate and aftertaste is totally berry-dominant, delightful, boding well. One taster rated it their top wine, and three their second favourite. Cellar 10 – 40 + years. GK 06/17
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. This is a hard wine to report on, it being in two parts. Whereas some others in the tasting have enchanting bouquets, and then the palate falls away, this is the reverse. Initial bouquet is raw and edgy, quite strong, showing all the hard tannins and lack of charm young malbec is famous for. There are no sweet florals here, and little enchantment of cassis. But it is beautifully pure, the oak seems appropriate (just), and maybe there is dark plummy fruit behind. The flavour however is quite different: immediately there is a generosity of bottled omega plum fruit, firm cedary oak, and considerable length and breadth. You therefore wonder if the lack of bouquet merely reflects its infantile state, and it shouldn't be tasted for 10 years. The palate richness is very good indeed, though there is no dry extract rating available for the wine, I would not be surprised if it achieves 30g / litre. On balance the palate is exciting, but will the whole wine end up being beautiful, or just rich and sustaining like best Argentinian malbec ? I must admit the later palate and aftertaste is totally berry-dominant, delightful, boding well. One taster rated it their top wine, and three their second favourite. Cellar 10 – 40 + years. GK 06/17
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $57 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 14 months in French oak 32% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Rich ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Peregrine. Bouquet is freshly fragrant and varietal, much more elegant, precise and varietal than the earlier hefty Villa Maria Reserve pinots, gold medals notwithstanding. Like the Peregrine, the floral range extends from the cooler buddleia fragrance through dark roses and violets to boronia, on black and red cherry fruit. Palate might not be quite as concentrated as the Peregrine, but the ripeness is nearly equal. Though not showing quite the magic of the Nautilus Top 10 wine, this is one of the best Marlborough pinot noirs yet, and it is great to see Villa Maria, who have worked so hard with the variety in Marlborough, achieving that. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Rich ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Peregrine. Bouquet is freshly fragrant and varietal, much more elegant, precise and varietal than the earlier hefty Villa Maria Reserve pinots, gold medals notwithstanding. Like the Peregrine, the floral range extends from the cooler buddleia fragrance through dark roses and violets to boronia, on black and red cherry fruit. Palate might not be quite as concentrated as the Peregrine, but the ripeness is nearly equal. Though not showing quite the magic of the Nautilus Top 10 wine, this is one of the best Marlborough pinot noirs yet, and it is great to see Villa Maria, who have worked so hard with the variety in Marlborough, achieving that. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; Sh 100%; French and American oak; Halliday vintage rating Clare Valley 7 /10 for 2013; www.jimbarry.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the three deepest. Bouquet is darkly plummy and blueberry, much finer than the Yalumba Patchwork, beautiful rich berry with the faintest flowering mint complexity lifting it, analogous to Otago thyme or southern Rhone garrigue aroma. Oaking is subtle. Palate is wonderfully rich yet subtle, bespeaking a sea-change in attitudes to oak among Australian winemakers, since the time when so many New Zealanders simply walked away from the predominance of heavy, oaky, clumsy Australian reds. This is a revelation. Fruit is ripened to a warm-year Gimblett Gravels point, nearly floral, just retaining suggestions of cassis, rather more darkly plummy, subtly oaked, attractive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. The only catch with these two Veto wines is, they are only sold to restaurants. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the three deepest. Bouquet is darkly plummy and blueberry, much finer than the Yalumba Patchwork, beautiful rich berry with the faintest flowering mint complexity lifting it, analogous to Otago thyme or southern Rhone garrigue aroma. Oaking is subtle. Palate is wonderfully rich yet subtle, bespeaking a sea-change in attitudes to oak among Australian winemakers, since the time when so many New Zealanders simply walked away from the predominance of heavy, oaky, clumsy Australian reds. This is a revelation. Fruit is ripened to a warm-year Gimblett Gravels point, nearly floral, just retaining suggestions of cassis, rather more darkly plummy, subtly oaked, attractive. Cellar 5 – 20 years. The only catch with these two Veto wines is, they are only sold to restaurants. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels 85%, Roy's Hill 15%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $107 [ cork, 50 mm; DFB; original price $130; Sy 98.7%, fermented on skins only of Vi 1.3%, hand-picked from on average c.11-year old vines planted at c.3,000 vines / ha and cropped @ 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 28 days (though one batch 56 days) with 30% whole bunches retained (this approach only in the ripest years), mostly cultured-yeast; MLF started in tank and completed in barrel; 12 months in French oak c.53% new; RS 0.23 g/L; sterile-filtered; Robinson, 2016: Tasted blind. Black and quite luscious-looking. Tarry and flattering on the nose. Edgy and racy. Cool finish. Not quite the follow-through but stringily interesting. Good life to it. Just a bit dead on the end. 2018 - 2024, 16.5; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2016: ... youthfully muted blackberry, cassis and red currant notes with a cracked black pepper, sandalwood, dried herb and soil laced undercurrent. Light to medium-bodied, it is wonderfully elegant and light-footed in the mouth with soft, rounded tannins and great freshness, finishing long and pepper-laced. 2016 - 2022, 91; production 556 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 1,045 g; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. Initially opened, and right through the tasting, the bouquet was reluctant on this bottle of Homage. It smelt much less varietal than La Collina. 24 hours later it had blossomed: a clear dusky pinks / dianthus and carnations florality on dark cassis, and black pepper. It also smells of malbec, at this stage. Palate is another matter altogether: right from the outset, rich darkly plummy fruit, aromatic black pepper, a suggestion of black olives and nutmeg as has characterised Homage for several years, which until this tasting I had assumed was part of the whole-bunch component approach. But the Bilancia is 100% whole bunch, and does not show this character at all. As so often in wine tasting, back to the drawing board. Fruit richness and ripeness seems greater than La Collina, and on palate the wine is much more of a piece. Some might say, one-dimensional. I suspect it is just in a very awkward phase. I acknowledge that it is a cop-out to score Homage and La Collina the same on this occasion, but they are such different wines, each with detracting points. That is how they seem today, noting that on reflection I suspect the bouquet on this bottle may be slightly ‘scalped’. Future tastings of the two will be full of interest. Curiously, four people rated Homage their second wine, but just as for La Collina, nobody was captivated, no first places. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth. Initially opened, and right through the tasting, the bouquet was reluctant on this bottle of Homage. It smelt much less varietal than La Collina. 24 hours later it had blossomed: a clear dusky pinks / dianthus and carnations florality on dark cassis, and black pepper. It also smells of malbec, at this stage. Palate is another matter altogether: right from the outset, rich darkly plummy fruit, aromatic black pepper, a suggestion of black olives and nutmeg as has characterised Homage for several years, which until this tasting I had assumed was part of the whole-bunch component approach. But the Bilancia is 100% whole bunch, and does not show this character at all. As so often in wine tasting, back to the drawing board. Fruit richness and ripeness seems greater than La Collina, and on palate the wine is much more of a piece. Some might say, one-dimensional. I suspect it is just in a very awkward phase. I acknowledge that it is a cop-out to score Homage and La Collina the same on this occasion, but they are such different wines, each with detracting points. That is how they seem today, noting that on reflection I suspect the bouquet on this bottle may be slightly ‘scalped’. Future tastings of the two will be full of interest. Curiously, four people rated Homage their second wine, but just as for La Collina, nobody was captivated, no first places. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 06/17
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $84 [ screwcap; Abel clone c.40%, assorted Dijon clones 40, UCD 5 15, planted at varying densities 2,800 – 4,400 vines/ha, average age c.23 years; all hand-picked @ c.4.1 t/ha (1.6 t/ac), 30% whole-bunch (depending on fruit-ripeness and year etc), pre-ferment cold soak 5 – 10 days, then 15 – 20 days cuvaison with 100% wild yeast; c.15 months in French oak c.35% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS 0.5 g/L; dry extract 30.7 g/L; production c.2,500 cases; the Ata Rangi website is one of the better winery sites in New Zealand, with a good deal of info for the last 9 or so vintages. All vintages would be better, given the reputation of the company; www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally above midway in depth. As so often with the Ata Rangi pinot noirs, bouquet is floral and fragrant but let down by pennyroyal, making it too aromatic in classical terms. Otherwise, the wine smells vividly of cherry fruit, all a notch darker than the two Aroha wines. In mouth the wine is bolder than the top two Craggys, slightly more extractive and clearly more oaky, but still well within bounds. Fruit richness is perhaps greater than the Craggy 2013. The nett result is a wine that tastes 'strong' by Cote de Nuits standards, but will mellow appropriately in cellar over a longer interval than 2013 Aroha, say 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Good pinot noir ruby, fractionally above midway in depth. As so often with the Ata Rangi pinot noirs, bouquet is floral and fragrant but let down by pennyroyal, making it too aromatic in classical terms. Otherwise, the wine smells vividly of cherry fruit, all a notch darker than the two Aroha wines. In mouth the wine is bolder than the top two Craggys, slightly more extractive and clearly more oaky, but still well within bounds. Fruit richness is perhaps greater than the Craggy 2013. The nett result is a wine that tastes 'strong' by Cote de Nuits standards, but will mellow appropriately in cellar over a longer interval than 2013 Aroha, say 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 7.5 years; a complex season, cool in spring, poor fruit set, crop 25% down; later summer and autumn ideal ripening conditions for the reduced crop, initially thought to be wines of unmatched concentration and complexity without losing any purity or finesse. Recent evaluations suggest possibly some over-ripeness in some labels; first year for Cornish Point label proper; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby with some development, one of the deeper ones. This too is a highly floral pinot noir, but inclining to the boronia spectrum with its hint of citrus oil more than roses. Below is rich cherry fruit darker in hue than the 2010. Flavours are firmer and less supple than the 2010, there is similar richness but a higher tannin loading, and not all the tannins are perfectly ripe. In a way this is more dramatic pinot noir. In discussing the wines briefly before the tasting, winemaker Blair Walter was less happy with the 2007s, mentioning recent bottles had shown over-ripe and even porty suggestions. This bottle was quite at variance with that assessment. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Good pinot noir ruby with some development, one of the deeper ones. This too is a highly floral pinot noir, but inclining to the boronia spectrum with its hint of citrus oil more than roses. Below is rich cherry fruit darker in hue than the 2010. Flavours are firmer and less supple than the 2010, there is similar richness but a higher tannin loading, and not all the tannins are perfectly ripe. In a way this is more dramatic pinot noir. In discussing the wines briefly before the tasting, winemaker Blair Walter was less happy with the 2007s, mentioning recent bottles had shown over-ripe and even porty suggestions. This bottle was quite at variance with that assessment. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/14
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, below midway in depth, more the weight of traditional burgundy. Bouquet combines the red cherry and raspberry suggestions of nebbiolo with herbes and oak, and a suggestion of crushed almonds. Palate is softish, round, yet the furry tannins are still all-pervasive. In some ways this is the least demanding / most rewarding of these cru nebbiolos, but it is by no means weak. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Ruby, below midway in depth, more the weight of traditional burgundy. Bouquet combines the red cherry and raspberry suggestions of nebbiolo with herbes and oak, and a suggestion of crushed almonds. Palate is softish, round, yet the furry tannins are still all-pervasive. In some ways this is the least demanding / most rewarding of these cru nebbiolos, but it is by no means weak. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $85 [ screwcap; 25-year old vines, hand-harvested from the Barton vineyard in Martinborough proper; wild-yeast fermented in wooden cuves, 24 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 40% new; RS <1 g/L, dry extract 27.3 g/L, not filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Attractive pinot noir ruby, just below midway in depth. Like Kupe, once opened this wine needs decanting, to open up and breathe. It then reveals light sweet florals, hard to characterise as to flower but attractive, some buddleia, on red fruits. Palate once breathed is transformed, total red fruits harmony, attractive flavours all Cotes de Beaune, affording a remarkable comparison with the Neudorf Moutere, the pinched quality apparent on the freshly opened wine now completely gone. Length of flavour is attractive, real pinot noir, though not quite as long as Kupe. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/19
Attractive pinot noir ruby, just below midway in depth. Like Kupe, once opened this wine needs decanting, to open up and breathe. It then reveals light sweet florals, hard to characterise as to flower but attractive, some buddleia, on red fruits. Palate once breathed is transformed, total red fruits harmony, attractive flavours all Cotes de Beaune, affording a remarkable comparison with the Neudorf Moutere, the pinched quality apparent on the freshly opened wine now completely gone. Length of flavour is attractive, real pinot noir, though not quite as long as Kupe. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $48 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 90%, MV 7, balance Ca, hand-harvested, organic and biodynamic; vineyard planted 1921; Jeb Dunnuck @ Robert Parker, 2016: the star of the lineup ... Full-bodied, pure, polished and even finesse-oriented, it has fabulous notes of black raspberries, garrigue and flowers. It will keep for 10-12 years, 91 - 93 +; the website is thus far a 1-page statement to the effect they are organic and biodynamic; bottle weight 588 g; www.domainelesaphillanthes.fr ]
Ruby, a beautiful limpid colour, below midway being so grenache dominant. Bouquet epitomises fine quality grenache at its most sophisticated, nearly roses floral, supple red fruits lightly cedary, as if some oak somewhere in the elevation, total purity. Palate is soft, warm and exciting, a wine to gladden any pinot noir fan … though being grenache, it is a little more tannic. The flavours show red fruits and cinnamon, totally varietal. This is to all intents of Chateauneuf-du-Pape style and quality, though not as rich as some. Five first places, a wine to buy. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/18
Ruby, a beautiful limpid colour, below midway being so grenache dominant. Bouquet epitomises fine quality grenache at its most sophisticated, nearly roses floral, supple red fruits lightly cedary, as if some oak somewhere in the elevation, total purity. Palate is soft, warm and exciting, a wine to gladden any pinot noir fan … though being grenache, it is a little more tannic. The flavours show red fruits and cinnamon, totally varietal. This is to all intents of Chateauneuf-du-Pape style and quality, though not as rich as some. Five first places, a wine to buy. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/18
Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $254 [ cork 49mm; much of this vineyard planted in 1920s; 100% de-stemming; 50% new oak; Robinson has not had the 2005, close-by vintages average c.17+; Meadows, 2007: A completely different nose that is more animale in character with more earth and crushed herbs as well that can also be found on the deep and exceptionally rich flavors that offer outstanding volume and sève on the palate drenching finish that goes on and on. This too is deceptively structured though the muscled, even robust finish does more than hint at the cellar potential, from 2015, 90-92; no website found ]
Lovely pinot noir ruby, a little development, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is highly varietal, deeply aromatic, absolutely Gevrey-Chambertin, still youthful, initially a hint of marzipan. Like the Lignier, the florals are hard to discern in the oak, but after 24 hours this wine too had much more to say. Aromas of darkest roses, suggestions of boronia as in some Otago pinot noirs, and rather more black than red cherry appear, plus new oak. Palate is much lighter than you would expect, but not weak, just a fresher expression of black cherry fruit than expected from bouquet. This is a rich concentrated darkly varietal and highly typical Gevrey-Chambertin, which once it loses some tannin will be exciting. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/15
Lovely pinot noir ruby, a little development, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is highly varietal, deeply aromatic, absolutely Gevrey-Chambertin, still youthful, initially a hint of marzipan. Like the Lignier, the florals are hard to discern in the oak, but after 24 hours this wine too had much more to say. Aromas of darkest roses, suggestions of boronia as in some Otago pinot noirs, and rather more black than red cherry appear, plus new oak. Palate is much lighter than you would expect, but not weak, just a fresher expression of black cherry fruit than expected from bouquet. This is a rich concentrated darkly varietal and highly typical Gevrey-Chambertin, which once it loses some tannin will be exciting. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 09/15
Haro, Rioja, Spain: – %; $378 [ Spare; original cost c.$3.75, 1966 Ch Montrose at the same time $4.35, so relatively expensive; vintage comment follows; latterly related Bilbainas wines are 100% tempranillo from the Rioja Alta, but earlier they were likely to have included graciano at least; aged in both large American oak and then American oak barrique or puncheon-sized barrels perhaps including a little new even back then, for an unknown time but probably exceeding four years. Then aged in bottle for much longer. It was seen as a burgundy-style, contrasting with the Vieja Reserva in claret bottles, and released latest 1960s. No tasting notes found from established writers. 1953 highly regarded in parts of Spain, but for Rioja Jan Read rates the vintage 3/10 in a classic sense, contrasting with 10/10 for 1952, but also noting that exceptions abound in the Spanish climatic milieu. Certainly the 1952 was a lovely wine, but in my experience not so very different from the 1953. Characterising great old rioja is not easy, so it is worth quoting someone long-experienced in the wines of the region. Jan Read, 1973 quoted the Spanish oenologist Don Victor de Zuniga as saying of Rioja wines: ‘independent of the conditions of the harvest and quality of the crop, they present quite distinct properties of nose, flavour, alcoholic content, colour and extract.’ Read went on to say: ‘Anyone who has drunk the wines will recognise and enjoy those qualities. A highly perceptive connoisseur like André Simon may differentiate between the bouquets of Lafite Margaux and Latour, describing them as being evocative of violets, wallflower and verbena; and such descriptions sometimes seem justified ... In the case of the Riojas, they do not seem helpful. Of the old Reservas, all that can honestly be said is that they are glorious and individual old wines, with a roundness and intensity of flavour, a characteristic acidity and a bouquet entirely sui generis and of the Rioja’; www.bodegasbilbainas.com ]
Garnet and ruby, a hint of amber to the rim, yet remarkably rich. Like the 1970 Ducru, in the middle for depth. This old Pomal freshened wonderfully with air, the berry expanding to overtake vanillin oak, which initially dominated. The wine clearly shows the characteristic citrussy complexity factor for tempranillo raised in old American oak, reminiscent of the days when Jamaican grapefruit were shipped in slatted wooden bushel boxes. Once one of the grapefruit developed blue-mould, there was this very distinctive, slightly piquant yet sweet, citrussy smell through the whole box, utterly characteristic of traditional Rioja. As with blue cheeses, this aroma is far from unpleasant. The quality and purity of fragrant, supple, red-fruited berry on bouquet and palate is amazing, even though the fruit is browning now, a hint of raisins, at 67 years of age. Once breathed, the fruit / oak balance is good, the wine a little richer but drier than the Chambertin. Two first-place votes, one second. Twelve tasters correctly located this wine in the Rioja, while five thought it Southern Rhone Valley. Remarkable wine, in remarkable condition, just starting to dry, but will hold for some years yet … if the 47mm corks hang on. This wine was much better 24 hours later. GK 03/20
Garnet and ruby, a hint of amber to the rim, yet remarkably rich. Like the 1970 Ducru, in the middle for depth. This old Pomal freshened wonderfully with air, the berry expanding to overtake vanillin oak, which initially dominated. The wine clearly shows the characteristic citrussy complexity factor for tempranillo raised in old American oak, reminiscent of the days when Jamaican grapefruit were shipped in slatted wooden bushel boxes. Once one of the grapefruit developed blue-mould, there was this very distinctive, slightly piquant yet sweet, citrussy smell through the whole box, utterly characteristic of traditional Rioja. As with blue cheeses, this aroma is far from unpleasant. The quality and purity of fragrant, supple, red-fruited berry on bouquet and palate is amazing, even though the fruit is browning now, a hint of raisins, at 67 years of age. Once breathed, the fruit / oak balance is good, the wine a little richer but drier than the Chambertin. Two first-place votes, one second. Twelve tasters correctly located this wine in the Rioja, while five thought it Southern Rhone Valley. Remarkable wine, in remarkable condition, just starting to dry, but will hold for some years yet … if the 47mm corks hang on. This wine was much better 24 hours later. GK 03/20
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $69 [ cork; Gr 75%, Mv 11, Sy 11, Va, Co, Ci 3, average age 45 – 50 years, viticulture tending to organic; up to one-third of the ferment whole-bunch Gr, cuvaison up to 35 days; elevation approx 50% in foudre, 30% in 600s, 20% in concrete for up 18 months; not fined, filtered; production averages 3,540 x 9-litre cases; www.bosquetdespapes.com ]
Ruby, nearly pinot weight, in the lightest ten for depth of colour. This is quite a different wine from the field, partly the vintage, a light and pretty wine, very fragrant, showing floral and aromatic garrigue complexity on all red fruits. On bouquet you’d think it would be 100% grenache. Palate is soft, gentle, all red fruits and lightest cinnamon, plus a suspicion of refreshing leafyness. The tannin structure suggests big old oak [ later confirmed ], yet the wine is beautifully fresh. This lovely understated wine would be great with food, even with the given alcohol. In a sense it is ready almost now, but it will also cellar 5 – 12, maybe 15 years. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Ruby, nearly pinot weight, in the lightest ten for depth of colour. This is quite a different wine from the field, partly the vintage, a light and pretty wine, very fragrant, showing floral and aromatic garrigue complexity on all red fruits. On bouquet you’d think it would be 100% grenache. Palate is soft, gentle, all red fruits and lightest cinnamon, plus a suspicion of refreshing leafyness. The tannin structure suggests big old oak [ later confirmed ], yet the wine is beautifully fresh. This lovely understated wine would be great with food, even with the given alcohol. In a sense it is ready almost now, but it will also cellar 5 – 12, maybe 15 years. A Glengarry wine. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $53 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 65-70%, Sy 25-30, Mv 0-5, 60% in newish oak, 40% vat, J.L-L: ... fantastically true, *****; JC @ RP: supple, full-bodied, 92+; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland; www.labouissiere.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet just, another bright appealing colour, just below midway in depth. Bouquet here is an archetypal southern Rhone blend, clear raspberry-led grenache deepened by the blending varieties, some garrigue, just a trace of stalk, the alcohol all seemingly well-hidden. Palate shows the complexing of grenache flavour by syrah, beautifully fresh, with an attractive tannin structure from older oak. The oak is hardly tasteable, in the attractive medium richness and length. This shows great district typicité, but it is not quite as exciting as the top wines, more just a reliable example of one the better wines of the southern Rhone Valley, in a good year. No first- or second-places. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet just, another bright appealing colour, just below midway in depth. Bouquet here is an archetypal southern Rhone blend, clear raspberry-led grenache deepened by the blending varieties, some garrigue, just a trace of stalk, the alcohol all seemingly well-hidden. Palate shows the complexing of grenache flavour by syrah, beautifully fresh, with an attractive tannin structure from older oak. The oak is hardly tasteable, in the attractive medium richness and length. This shows great district typicité, but it is not quite as exciting as the top wines, more just a reliable example of one the better wines of the southern Rhone Valley, in a good year. No first- or second-places. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 04/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $49 [ cork 50 mm, Sy c.50%, Gr > 50 years old c.40, Mv 8-10, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison, 30 days plus; elevation 35% in vats, increasingly in barrels of various sizes, age unsure; available from Maison Vauron, Auckland, and retailers supplied by them; weight bottle and cork, 595 g; www.labouissiere.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, midway in depth. This wine benefits from double decanting, to reveal a subdued but highly typical bouquet, some florals, light garrigue complexity, a mix of red and darker fruits, and light oak, probably from bigger cooperage, but some of it not too old. Palate is dry, rich, seemingly significant syrah and mourvedre along with grenache, some oak tannins shaping, the flavour long. This will cellar very well, and in eight or so years be more fragrant than it is today. La Bouissiere make attractive wines. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, midway in depth. This wine benefits from double decanting, to reveal a subdued but highly typical bouquet, some florals, light garrigue complexity, a mix of red and darker fruits, and light oak, probably from bigger cooperage, but some of it not too old. Palate is dry, rich, seemingly significant syrah and mourvedre along with grenache, some oak tannins shaping, the flavour long. This will cellar very well, and in eight or so years be more fragrant than it is today. La Bouissiere make attractive wines. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/19
Sauternes AOC, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $55 [ cork; price / 750 ml, EP $50; Se 63%, SB 25, Mu 12; s/s fermentation, aged in oak 12 months 20% new; recent improvements including introduction of second wine. Parker regards as somewhat dull, ages well, rarely exciting. Wine Spectator 2004: Intense caramel, toffee and spice … full bodied, medium sweet, very spicy, long finish dried pineapple and almond. Wild ! Very concentrated. 94; Parker 140 (in 2002): 88 – 90 ]
Full gold, the deepest of the wines. This one smells very rich and sweet, but more one-dimensional than the Rabaud-Promis, more the golden peaches, a hint of golden syrup, sultana fruitcake, faint lanolin, good botrytis. Palate is oily rich, as rich as some Australian semillon stickies, with raisiny and oaky complexities, and almost a best glacé figs depth of flavour, perhaps slightly toffee'd. Finish is very long, dried apricots, rich, lingering attractively to the aftertaste. Being so forward, this will probably be at its best in the first 5 – 10 years, but will hold longer. GK 04/06
Full gold, the deepest of the wines. This one smells very rich and sweet, but more one-dimensional than the Rabaud-Promis, more the golden peaches, a hint of golden syrup, sultana fruitcake, faint lanolin, good botrytis. Palate is oily rich, as rich as some Australian semillon stickies, with raisiny and oaky complexities, and almost a best glacé figs depth of flavour, perhaps slightly toffee'd. Finish is very long, dried apricots, rich, lingering attractively to the aftertaste. Being so forward, this will probably be at its best in the first 5 – 10 years, but will hold longer. GK 04/06
Fronsac, Bordeaux, France: 15%; $40 [ cork (50 mm); Me 92%, CS 8, cropped at c. 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac, planted at up to 7000 vines / ha, av. vine age 30 – 35 years, underlying limestones; cuvaison to 28 days; 18 months in oak up to 50% new; an up-and-coming Fronsac winery; www.chateauchadenne.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, the deepest of the French batch. Bouquet is clearly reputable bordeaux at a cru bourgeois level, a lovely richness of clean fruit, plum mostly which fits the cepage, some new oak. Palate shows very good ripeness without being cocoa-y, good richness without being heavy, a robust young wine with a lot of grape tannins even more than oak, but still tasting good – the tannins should condense naturally in cellar. A good illustration of the year, and showing a richness and ripeness of fruit implying a conservative cropping rate some New Zealand winemakers could study with benefit. The alcohol is high, very modern, but surprisingly well-hidden. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, the deepest of the French batch. Bouquet is clearly reputable bordeaux at a cru bourgeois level, a lovely richness of clean fruit, plum mostly which fits the cepage, some new oak. Palate shows very good ripeness without being cocoa-y, good richness without being heavy, a robust young wine with a lot of grape tannins even more than oak, but still tasting good – the tannins should condense naturally in cellar. A good illustration of the year, and showing a richness and ripeness of fruit implying a conservative cropping rate some New Zealand winemakers could study with benefit. The alcohol is high, very modern, but surprisingly well-hidden. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 06/12
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 11%; $16.10 [ cork; no info, but Lichine was quite well regarded for his burgundy selections at that stage. Will be very frail now – it was never more than delicious ! ]
Palest garnet and ruby, the lightest colour in the tasting, but healthy. Bouquet is quite dramatic in the set, the boronia and roses-related magic of the spicy Cote de Nuits very apparent even though there is an aged component too, with clear browning cherry, roast chestnut, and forest floor (one taster insisted – agreed !) complexities, wonderfully organic in an autumnal (+ve) way, no faults, real burgundy. Palate is a little less, the oak and tannins more apparent than the bouquet would suggest, for the fruit while rich is fully mature, the freshness fading a little. It stood very well though, the flavour still beautifully appropriate to the variety, and lingering long. The other half of the magnum, immediately sub-bottled against argon, was an absolute delight with rare fillet, and in comparison with 1979 Jaboulet Cote Rotie les Jumelles, two days later. A pretty good showing for a 40-year-old burgundy, but bottles need finishing very soon, considering this is a magnum. GK 03/10
Palest garnet and ruby, the lightest colour in the tasting, but healthy. Bouquet is quite dramatic in the set, the boronia and roses-related magic of the spicy Cote de Nuits very apparent even though there is an aged component too, with clear browning cherry, roast chestnut, and forest floor (one taster insisted – agreed !) complexities, wonderfully organic in an autumnal (+ve) way, no faults, real burgundy. Palate is a little less, the oak and tannins more apparent than the bouquet would suggest, for the fruit while rich is fully mature, the freshness fading a little. It stood very well though, the flavour still beautifully appropriate to the variety, and lingering long. The other half of the magnum, immediately sub-bottled against argon, was an absolute delight with rare fillet, and in comparison with 1979 Jaboulet Cote Rotie les Jumelles, two days later. A pretty good showing for a 40-year-old burgundy, but bottles need finishing very soon, considering this is a magnum. GK 03/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $160 [ cork, 49mm; purchase price $65; approx. Gr 85%, Sy 10, others 5; whole bunches lightly crushed; elevation up to 18 months in concrete, some reports mention big old wood, no new oak; the magical thing about Domaine Charvin is, there are no luxury cuvees, the standard wine is ‘it’, and affordable; not filtered; R. Parker comments in general: Charvin … fashions Chateauneuf du Pape that comes closest to the style of Rayas. There is … a wonderfully sweet, deep, concentrated mid-palate, and layers of flavour that unfold on the palate. Great burgundy should possess a similar texture and purity, but it rarely does; J. Dunnuck @ R. Parker, 2015: Charvin made a sensational Chateauneuf du Pape in 1998 ... perfumed notes of pepper, black cherries, garrigue and leather ... a beautiful wine to enjoy over the coming 4-5 years, although it will hold nicely for longer, 96; Parker, 2010: ... magical ... Absolutely top-notch, 94: bottle weight 671g; www.domaine-charvin.com ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is complex in a more traditional / classical Chateauneuf-du-Pape style here: fragrant red fruits browning now, clear cinnamon spice from grenache, but also some savoury complexity from brett. The whole bouquet is piquant and appetite-stimulating. Palate is firmer than expected, clearly significant whole-bunches / stalks, still a quite strong tannin structure relative to the medium weight of the wine. You feel there is some new oak in the fragrant flavours on palate, but it may simply be the grape tannins, in what is after all, a warmer viticultural zone. Though not a big wine, the palate is long and pleasing. As with nearly all these wines, it would be great with food. Only light crusting in bottle. A well-regarded wine, four first places. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/18
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is complex in a more traditional / classical Chateauneuf-du-Pape style here: fragrant red fruits browning now, clear cinnamon spice from grenache, but also some savoury complexity from brett. The whole bouquet is piquant and appetite-stimulating. Palate is firmer than expected, clearly significant whole-bunches / stalks, still a quite strong tannin structure relative to the medium weight of the wine. You feel there is some new oak in the fragrant flavours on palate, but it may simply be the grape tannins, in what is after all, a warmer viticultural zone. Though not a big wine, the palate is long and pleasing. As with nearly all these wines, it would be great with food. Only light crusting in bottle. A well-regarded wine, four first places. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/18
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ 100% BF in French oak 10% new, 100% wild yeast, 100% MLF, c. 17 months LA in barrel; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Medium lemon, a super colour. A huge bouquet, in the distinctive style which Te Koko has made all its own: something like a red capsicum, basil, chicken and citrus zest quiche. If one likes it, there is every shade of capsicum and passion fruit and mango, all made aromatic by barrel fermentation and charry from oak, with brie (+ve) suggestions from MLF, and further baguettey complexities from long lees autolysis. There is a savoury bouquet garni quality too. If one doesn't like it, there are strong aromatics redolent of hypoid oil, and aggressive oak – all this just on bouquet. Either way, the palate is extraordinarily rich for sauvignon, long, tactile from the 100% MLF, complex with flavours beyond description which linger on sauvignon acid and oak, finishing on black passionfruit. It is oaky, though. It has taken me a while to come round to the extroverted Te Koko style, but also, this latest release is less indulgent than some earlier ones, and better for that. A food wine par excellence, worth trying with all sorts of un-winey but savoury things – like quiche ! Cellar to 10 years, maybe longer. GK 09/04
Medium lemon, a super colour. A huge bouquet, in the distinctive style which Te Koko has made all its own: something like a red capsicum, basil, chicken and citrus zest quiche. If one likes it, there is every shade of capsicum and passion fruit and mango, all made aromatic by barrel fermentation and charry from oak, with brie (+ve) suggestions from MLF, and further baguettey complexities from long lees autolysis. There is a savoury bouquet garni quality too. If one doesn't like it, there are strong aromatics redolent of hypoid oil, and aggressive oak – all this just on bouquet. Either way, the palate is extraordinarily rich for sauvignon, long, tactile from the 100% MLF, complex with flavours beyond description which linger on sauvignon acid and oak, finishing on black passionfruit. It is oaky, though. It has taken me a while to come round to the extroverted Te Koko style, but also, this latest release is less indulgent than some earlier ones, and better for that. A food wine par excellence, worth trying with all sorts of un-winey but savoury things – like quiche ! Cellar to 10 years, maybe longer. GK 09/04
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $160 [ cork; Me 80%, CF 20, typically cropped @ 2.3 t/ac; s/s fermentation and up to 30 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 85% new; Robinson 15.5 in 2007, and as a close reader of Jancis Robinson I have to say the words for her sample bear absolutely no relation to the wine we tasted – surely la Conseillante would 'assemble', 17 in 2006, sounding just like ours, and 16 in 2002, Parker 89 in 2004; www.la-conseillante.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a similar weight to the 2005 Coleraine but older. Bouquet on this wine was quite stunning in its flight, being clearly the cleanest, freshest and most modern of the Bordeaux wines, and exhibiting sensational florality, everything merlot should be. In mouth that impression didn't quite endure, the wine being a little leaner and crisper than fine Bordeaux, more the palate weight of the Coleraine, with a little acid showing. Because of the crispness, thoughts of cassis and the Medoc arose too. This is a good example of food-friendly, refreshing and varietal merlot, contrasting vividly with the heavier wines found elsewhere in the five flights. Total style of this wine reminded me very much of the 1966 Bordeaux the previous evening, casting my mind back to when they were young wines. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, a similar weight to the 2005 Coleraine but older. Bouquet on this wine was quite stunning in its flight, being clearly the cleanest, freshest and most modern of the Bordeaux wines, and exhibiting sensational florality, everything merlot should be. In mouth that impression didn't quite endure, the wine being a little leaner and crisper than fine Bordeaux, more the palate weight of the Coleraine, with a little acid showing. Because of the crispness, thoughts of cassis and the Medoc arose too. This is a good example of food-friendly, refreshing and varietal merlot, contrasting vividly with the heavier wines found elsewhere in the five flights. Total style of this wine reminded me very much of the 1966 Bordeaux the previous evening, casting my mind back to when they were young wines. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $164 [ cork; hand-picked from a top lieu-dit in Condrieu, from even older vines on a steep granite slope, all barrel-fermented with a much higher percentage new, plus MLF, LA and batonnage, in barrel up to 18 months; c.340 cases; July offer $125 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw, deepening a little, in the middle for freshness of hue. On bouquet this is immediately a deeper richer much more serious wine, until one realises that this is more the vanillin of new oak speaking, and to an extent it is displacing the honeysuckle and apricots of the actual variety. In mouth the quality of the fully-ripe apricots fruit is remarkable, but there is a lot of high-quality oak too. The acid balance is softening slightly, and you feel the wine is absolutely at a peak. It is a richer wine than the Petite Cote, the quality of the lees-autolysis and MLF augmentation is very good indeed, so many will automatically rate this wine much higher. That is understandable. In this report, I am simply rating wines with more explicit varietal quality higher. At a peak, will hold on the barrel-work but lose freshness. Hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Lemonstraw, deepening a little, in the middle for freshness of hue. On bouquet this is immediately a deeper richer much more serious wine, until one realises that this is more the vanillin of new oak speaking, and to an extent it is displacing the honeysuckle and apricots of the actual variety. In mouth the quality of the fully-ripe apricots fruit is remarkable, but there is a lot of high-quality oak too. The acid balance is softening slightly, and you feel the wine is absolutely at a peak. It is a richer wine than the Petite Cote, the quality of the lees-autolysis and MLF augmentation is very good indeed, so many will automatically rate this wine much higher. That is understandable. In this report, I am simply rating wines with more explicit varietal quality higher. At a peak, will hold on the barrel-work but lose freshness. Hold a year or two. GK 06/13
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $170 [ cork; hand-picked from a top lieu-dit in Condrieu, from even older vines on a steep granite slope, all barrel-fermented with a much higher percentage new, plus MLF, LA and batonnage, in barrel up to 18 months; c.330 cases; July offer $125 @ Glengarry; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw, hard to separate in hue from the 2009. This is far and away the best 2010 of the group, the only one to smell ripe and varietally explicit with no detractions. The oak is very apparent here, the year has made a big difference to the 2009, but there are clear ripe apricots behind it. There are yellow honeysuckle notes, as well as vanilla from oak. Palate likewise is the only 2010 to reflect the vintages accurately, a little cooler and more aromatic than the 2009, apricots not so orange, but the quality and amount of oak again prominent. This is fresher than the 2009 but not quite so varietally exact, so they are about equal, just climatic variants on elegant winemaking. Cellar a couple of years. GK 06/13
Lemonstraw, hard to separate in hue from the 2009. This is far and away the best 2010 of the group, the only one to smell ripe and varietally explicit with no detractions. The oak is very apparent here, the year has made a big difference to the 2009, but there are clear ripe apricots behind it. There are yellow honeysuckle notes, as well as vanilla from oak. Palate likewise is the only 2010 to reflect the vintages accurately, a little cooler and more aromatic than the 2009, apricots not so orange, but the quality and amount of oak again prominent. This is fresher than the 2009 but not quite so varietally exact, so they are about equal, just climatic variants on elegant winemaking. Cellar a couple of years. GK 06/13
Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $225 [ cork 50mm, ullage 8mm; original price c.$95; Jasper Morris (paraphrased), 2010: A tiny domaine with cult status, and the quality to match. The key to quality here is the raw material, from vines which naturally produce small berries through control of vigour: “I want just as many berries as my neighbour, but berries half the size” says Claude. No late-picking. No whole-bunches. Cuvaison c.14 days. Our wine 60% new oak, balance one-year-old, all Francois Freres. Average vine age c.50 years, generalised assessment (Morris again) for this wine: “a very solid, rich example of village Gevrey-Chambertin, attractive young but built to last.”; Wine Spectator, 2002: "A wine to lay down: dense and thick-textured, with blackberry, raspberry and toasted notes. Firmly structured, full-bodied, it needs time to soften. Best from 2002 through 2008”, 90; Pierre Rovani @ Parker, 2001: [ cropped at 4.3 t/ha = 1.75 t/ac ] “To Claude Dugat, 1999 is 'between very good and great'. The medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Gevrey-Chambertin reveals lovely red cherry, sweet oak aromas. This pure, lush, medium-bodied wine is velvety-textured and filled with violets and candied cherries. It is plush, opulent, and reveals sweet, supple tannins in its fresh, long finish. 2001 - 2007", 90; weight bottle, no closure 602 g; no website found. ]
Ruby and garnet, clearly the deepest wine. Bouquet is intriguing, big, rich, yet not explicitly varietal, with noticeable oak. There is a touch of the Penfolds about this wine, yet in a densely pinot noir way. It is not exactly floral, yet it is fragrant, intense, and hints at the aromatic quality that makes good Cote de Nuits wines so exciting. Palate follows perfectly, a good concentration of darker fruits, black cherries only, framed by quality oak, the wine big and dry, yet holding a lot in reserve. Astonishing for a village wine, but perhaps the sturdy rather than floral character of the wine reflects that. This is just embarking on its plateau of maturity, with 10 – 20 years in hand. Three first places, two second places, and surprisingly, two least places. Origin for this wine was clearer, France 15, New Zealand three. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, clearly the deepest wine. Bouquet is intriguing, big, rich, yet not explicitly varietal, with noticeable oak. There is a touch of the Penfolds about this wine, yet in a densely pinot noir way. It is not exactly floral, yet it is fragrant, intense, and hints at the aromatic quality that makes good Cote de Nuits wines so exciting. Palate follows perfectly, a good concentration of darker fruits, black cherries only, framed by quality oak, the wine big and dry, yet holding a lot in reserve. Astonishing for a village wine, but perhaps the sturdy rather than floral character of the wine reflects that. This is just embarking on its plateau of maturity, with 10 – 20 years in hand. Three first places, two second places, and surprisingly, two least places. Origin for this wine was clearer, France 15, New Zealand three. GK 09/19
Lalande de Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $105 [ Cork 50 mm, ullage 15 mm; landed cost $72; this is the standard wine, not Le Plus which at a cropping rate of 20 hl/ha = 2.6 t/ha = 1 t/ac is in effect a garagiste wine from the same estate, owned by the de Bouards of Ch Angelus since 1998; Michel Rolland consults; cepage for the 2000 Me 80%, CF 15, CS 5, being re-planted to 8,500 vines per hectare, cropped at 45 hl/ha = 5.9 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; manual harvesting and sorting, cuvaison in s/s up to 35 days, malolactic in barrel subsequently, elevation for the 2000 was 21 months in barriques, 75% new; no fining or filtration; de Bouard considers that while the wine: isn’t as fine as a great Pomerol, it is better than about half of the Pomerols produced; Brook, 2007: La Fleur de Bouard is impressive. The 2000 has remained very closed on the nose, but is rich and full-bodied, with flavours of plums and chocolate, and some spicy overtones; RP @ WA, 2002: (repetition not a mistake !) The 2000 La Fleur de Bouard is impressive. This textured, rich, bigger than life Lalande de Pomerol exhibits a saturated opaque purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of blackberries, cassis, toasty new oak, licorice, and a hint of tapenade. Expressive and sumptuous, with impeccable purity, this wine is brilliant. It will have 10-12 years of aging potential. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2013, 90-92; production averages 8,750 x 9-litre cases of the main wine; weight bottle and closure: 556 g; superb website; www.lafleurdebouard.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine in the batch, and with Las Cases, clearly the youngest wine. La Bouard was positioned alongside the Masseto, to illustrate properly-ripened merlot still retaining some darkest rose florals in a dusky way, even though the Bouard is riper than the very floral La Conseillante. The depth of blackberry and bottled black doris plummy fruit on bouquet is a delight, and being a less prestigious wine than Angelus from the same owner, it is less oaked. This makes it a delightfully useful wine to demonstrate appropriate merlot character. Palate is fresh, rich and ample, a perfect illustration of what merlot should be and so often is not. But here again, like Angelus, the softness and richness is enhanced by completing fermentation in barrel. Oak does become a little apparent on the finish, lovely cedary flavours lengthening the palate. This wine clearly does not have the detail and complexity of La Conseillante and the Medocs rated more highly, and could be considered a little burly, but the quality of the merlot is textbook in its straightforward slightly oaky way. You want to mark it gold medal. Two people rated the Bouard as their top wine, and seven thought it merlot dominant. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the second-deepest wine in the batch, and with Las Cases, clearly the youngest wine. La Bouard was positioned alongside the Masseto, to illustrate properly-ripened merlot still retaining some darkest rose florals in a dusky way, even though the Bouard is riper than the very floral La Conseillante. The depth of blackberry and bottled black doris plummy fruit on bouquet is a delight, and being a less prestigious wine than Angelus from the same owner, it is less oaked. This makes it a delightfully useful wine to demonstrate appropriate merlot character. Palate is fresh, rich and ample, a perfect illustration of what merlot should be and so often is not. But here again, like Angelus, the softness and richness is enhanced by completing fermentation in barrel. Oak does become a little apparent on the finish, lovely cedary flavours lengthening the palate. This wine clearly does not have the detail and complexity of La Conseillante and the Medocs rated more highly, and could be considered a little burly, but the quality of the merlot is textbook in its straightforward slightly oaky way. You want to mark it gold medal. Two people rated the Bouard as their top wine, and seven thought it merlot dominant. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 11/20
Franken, Germany: 13.5%; $ – [ cork 50mm; €80, say $NZ130; 4-7 days cold soak @ 10°C; all wild-yeast fermentations, whole bunch avoided in general, stems don't ripen fully; cuvaison 18 – 21 days; press wine incorporated; wines at this level matured on lees up to 18 months in French and German 225s, up to 50% new; some large older oak too; www.weingut-rudolf-fuerst.de ]
[ GG denotes Grosses Gewächs (great growth), a designation used to designate top-level dry wines from selected sites . ] Pinot noir ruby, below midway in the German pinots, lighter than the lightest New Zealand wine. Bouquet is a delight, a total expression of tea-roses florality on red and even black cherry fruit, with a remarkable volume of roses florality. It is closest to the Greystone in the New Zealand set, but deeper and more sensual. Flavours likewise are deeper, richer and riper than the Greystone, but also there is a curious hint of that weakness reminiscent of the earlier spatburgunders, which the best New Zealand (and Oregon, from limited experience) pinots avoid. Dry extract in this German wine is exemplary, eclipsing nearly all the New Zealand wines, likely to be over 30 g/L – we really need to take note of this. Leaving aside colour, the closest analogy in the New Zealand wines is the 2014 Maude where I see I recorded 'very gentle, not showing the tannin structure…'. This is a lovely pinot noir, in truth a gold medal pinot noir by New Zealand standards, so we can be thankful that it is an 80-euro wine in Germany. Jamie Goode (UK) quotes Furst as saying: My interest in Pinot Noir is to have silkiness, not strong tannins … Pinot Noir and Riesling are both varieties that have to dance on the tongue. and for the pinot noir: It is important not to find the oak in your mouth: if the wine has oak then it is a big mistake. That observation is so relevant to some producers in New Zealand. Incidentally Goode rated the 2005 of this wine 93 / 100. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/15
[ GG denotes Grosses Gewächs (great growth), a designation used to designate top-level dry wines from selected sites . ] Pinot noir ruby, below midway in the German pinots, lighter than the lightest New Zealand wine. Bouquet is a delight, a total expression of tea-roses florality on red and even black cherry fruit, with a remarkable volume of roses florality. It is closest to the Greystone in the New Zealand set, but deeper and more sensual. Flavours likewise are deeper, richer and riper than the Greystone, but also there is a curious hint of that weakness reminiscent of the earlier spatburgunders, which the best New Zealand (and Oregon, from limited experience) pinots avoid. Dry extract in this German wine is exemplary, eclipsing nearly all the New Zealand wines, likely to be over 30 g/L – we really need to take note of this. Leaving aside colour, the closest analogy in the New Zealand wines is the 2014 Maude where I see I recorded 'very gentle, not showing the tannin structure…'. This is a lovely pinot noir, in truth a gold medal pinot noir by New Zealand standards, so we can be thankful that it is an 80-euro wine in Germany. Jamie Goode (UK) quotes Furst as saying: My interest in Pinot Noir is to have silkiness, not strong tannins … Pinot Noir and Riesling are both varieties that have to dance on the tongue. and for the pinot noir: It is important not to find the oak in your mouth: if the wine has oak then it is a big mistake. That observation is so relevant to some producers in New Zealand. Incidentally Goode rated the 2005 of this wine 93 / 100. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/15
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $50 [ cork 50mm, Gr 75-80%, Sy 15-20, 5% Mv & Ci, all hand-picked; no de-stemming; elevation 18 + months in concrete vat, not fined or filtered; available from WineSeeker, Wellington; weight bottle and cork, 639 g; www.domaine-la-garrigue.fr ]
Ruby, the second to lightest wine. There is nothing light about the bouquet, however. Like the Espiers, this wine beautifully sums up the most fragrant, nearly floral, side of garrigue complexity, salvia and lavender florals, on red fruits. The bouquet has great zing, partly alcohol-driven. There is even a hint of the beautiful manool fragrance found in New Zealand pink pine, which I associate with grenache. Palate is remarkably fine-grained, grenache dominant, furry tannins but also with a hint of vanilla in mouth … making one wonder if a fraction of the wine sees new oak – even if none is admitted to. Though a little bigger, this is closest in style to the Espiers Gigondas, both exhilarating wines which almost make you salivate. It will be marvellous at table, though (as is so common now) it would be better if the alcohol were lower. Only that factor kept me out of gold medal level. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Ruby, the second to lightest wine. There is nothing light about the bouquet, however. Like the Espiers, this wine beautifully sums up the most fragrant, nearly floral, side of garrigue complexity, salvia and lavender florals, on red fruits. The bouquet has great zing, partly alcohol-driven. There is even a hint of the beautiful manool fragrance found in New Zealand pink pine, which I associate with grenache. Palate is remarkably fine-grained, grenache dominant, furry tannins but also with a hint of vanilla in mouth … making one wonder if a fraction of the wine sees new oak – even if none is admitted to. Though a little bigger, this is closest in style to the Espiers Gigondas, both exhilarating wines which almost make you salivate. It will be marvellous at table, though (as is so common now) it would be better if the alcohol were lower. Only that factor kept me out of gold medal level. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 05/19
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $55 [ traditional compound champagne cork; PN 80%, Ch 20, all grand cru vineyards; 30% reserve wines in the blend; all s/s fermented, only trace oak in reserve wines; MLF; two year en tirage; dosage 7 g/L; www.champagne-gatinois.com ]
Faintly orange-flushed straw, tiptoeing towards the hue of the Billecart-Salmon Rosés. Bouquet is a little different from the Billecarts, not so perfumed, instead more obviously pinot noir-dominant with a depth of mealy baguette and Vogel's Multigrain yeast autolysis complexity which is enchanting. Palate is rich and in one sense 'stronger' than the Billecarts, again a more sturdy pinot noir-based wine with slightly higher phenolics. Dosage tastes more around the 5 g/L mark, on account of the firmer red-grape base of the wine, and the interaction between perception of phenolics and perception of sweetness. Interesting, and on re-inspection you can see the specs are correct. The Gatinois meshes in well with some other wines in this bracket. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/16
Faintly orange-flushed straw, tiptoeing towards the hue of the Billecart-Salmon Rosés. Bouquet is a little different from the Billecarts, not so perfumed, instead more obviously pinot noir-dominant with a depth of mealy baguette and Vogel's Multigrain yeast autolysis complexity which is enchanting. Palate is rich and in one sense 'stronger' than the Billecarts, again a more sturdy pinot noir-based wine with slightly higher phenolics. Dosage tastes more around the 5 g/L mark, on account of the firmer red-grape base of the wine, and the interaction between perception of phenolics and perception of sweetness. Interesting, and on re-inspection you can see the specs are correct. The Gatinois meshes in well with some other wines in this bracket. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/16
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $128 [ cork 50mm, ullage 22mm; original price c.$75; one of the younger Chateauneuf wineries, starting in 1974, this their top wine; Gr 90%, average age 100 years, Sy 10. 100% destemming, long cuvaison to 35 days in some vintages; the Gr vat-aged, the Sy 14 months in French oak 10% (sometimes more) new; production 500 x 9-L cases; J.L-L, 2007: The bouquet is knit together – has a gourmand nature, being ample and thorough, based on black berries or cherries that are ripe ... somewhat “post modern”. Holds a ripe cast of black fruit on the palate, black stone fruits … Ends quite roundly, with its tannins ripe and largely infused. There is plenty of power here – is a muscular wine with a smooth coating delivered in the modern style, to 2029, ***(*); JD@RP, 2016: ... classic, Provencal notes of dried herbs, sweet black cherries, black licorice and crushed rock. Big, full-bodied, beautifully textured and mouth-filling, to 2026, 94; www.domainegiraud.fr ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the older colours, midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different on this, the wine clearly much riper than the top two, the alcohol showing a little more. Yet it gets away with it. There is a lot of fruit, darkest plum, a hint of moist prunes (in the most subtle, appealing way), trace vanillin from a hint of newish oak, yet it doesn't have the over-ripe baked jam-tart character so many 2007s have. The palate is simply staggering, a wonderful fleshy richness which must be well above 30 g/L in dry extract, and now yes, there is a suggestion of over-ripeness, just a hint as in the dark cherries in a Black Forest gateau, yet the wine still seems fresh. Hence its high mark. Tannin balance is a little firmer than the top wines: this is a really big wine ... as if it were designated Vieilles Vignes. Tasters liked this wine, with three first places, and one second. It will cellar for many years, on its richness, 10 – 20 or more. GK 10/19
Ruby, garnet and velvet, one of the older colours, midway in depth. Bouquet is quite different on this, the wine clearly much riper than the top two, the alcohol showing a little more. Yet it gets away with it. There is a lot of fruit, darkest plum, a hint of moist prunes (in the most subtle, appealing way), trace vanillin from a hint of newish oak, yet it doesn't have the over-ripe baked jam-tart character so many 2007s have. The palate is simply staggering, a wonderful fleshy richness which must be well above 30 g/L in dry extract, and now yes, there is a suggestion of over-ripeness, just a hint as in the dark cherries in a Black Forest gateau, yet the wine still seems fresh. Hence its high mark. Tannin balance is a little firmer than the top wines: this is a really big wine ... as if it were designated Vieilles Vignes. Tasters liked this wine, with three first places, and one second. It will cellar for many years, on its richness, 10 – 20 or more. GK 10/19
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $230 [ cork, 45mm; wine-searcher price seems improbable, original price c.$45; typically Sy 100% c.30 years age and hand-harvested, some to 100% whole-bunch fermentations, depending on season; cuvaison to 21 days, then 12 months in unspecified barrels 10% new, some filtering; production c.750 x 9-litre cases, a hard-to-secure wine, even though ‘only’ a barrel selection; J.L-L, no date: Quiet, understated bouquet, smoky and floral; very wholesome attack, a lot of berried flavour and a long finish. Nice cool texture, good. Serious red Crozes here. 2023-25, ****(*); JD@RP, 2002: The exceptional, backward 1999 Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude is a tour de force. The bouquet is dominated by blackberry and cassis intermixed with licorice, lavender, fennel, and a touch of new oak. Full-bodied, ripe, moderately tannic, and concentrated, it will be at its finest between 2003-2015, 90; website address but no content yet, good fact-sheet at: www.europvin.com/9-advanced-search/99-alain-graillot/fact_sheets.html?; weight bottle and closure: 559 g; www.domainegraillot.com ]
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, midway in both depth and redness. This is extraordinary wine, displaying a pinpoint precision of cassis-like syrah varietal character which is most unusual. As with most reds from Crozes-Hermitage, it is not as floral and fragrant as good Cote Rotie or Hermitage, but the berry and fruit flavours are exemplary. It is richer than the Guigal Hermitage, and just as beautifully oaked. It is a most unusual, and very demonstrative, Northern Rhone. A pity that the La Guiraude label is so scarce. Two tasters had this as their top wine, and two their second-favourite. It is just coming up to peak maturity, with 10 – 15 years ahead of it. A far cry from the average Crozes-Hermitage. GK 11/19
Ruby, some garnet and velvet, midway in both depth and redness. This is extraordinary wine, displaying a pinpoint precision of cassis-like syrah varietal character which is most unusual. As with most reds from Crozes-Hermitage, it is not as floral and fragrant as good Cote Rotie or Hermitage, but the berry and fruit flavours are exemplary. It is richer than the Guigal Hermitage, and just as beautifully oaked. It is a most unusual, and very demonstrative, Northern Rhone. A pity that the La Guiraude label is so scarce. Two tasters had this as their top wine, and two their second-favourite. It is just coming up to peak maturity, with 10 – 15 years ahead of it. A far cry from the average Crozes-Hermitage. GK 11/19
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $44 [ cork 50mm, ullage 17mm, original price c.$65; this is their standard Chateauneuf, in a hierarchy then of four, three in this tasting including the top one [later: not achieved – TCA]; according to Leve, Domaine Giraud was the first property in the district to experiment with new French oak, in 1986. Information is sketchy about this standard wine, but understood to be Gr 70%, Sy 20, Mv 10; elevation 18 months mostly in vat 80%, and some barrels, no new oak mentioned, production c.3,600 x 9-litre cases; JR@JR, 2008: Very rich and headily floral on the nose with rather tight dry tannins. Perhaps just slightly too ambitious? Certainly not relaxed! Very dry finish, to 2015, 16; RP@RP, 2009: dense, full-bodied wine ... with notes of graphite, blackberries, and cassis. With a sumptuous, layered, full-bodied texture, sweet, velvety tannins, and zesty freshness as well as acidity ... to 2023, 91; www.vignobles-alain-jaume.com ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly the youngest and freshest colour, the third deepest. This is another wine where the syrah component really shines on bouquet, a lovely florality and near-cassisy berry, equally good freshness and charm, plus garrigue savoury complexity, and total purity. Palate is most unusual, light in one sense, almost big pinot noir except for the tannin structure, and magnificent freshness: another wine with no hint of the 2007 over-ripeness malaise. Yet again, the magic of little or no new oak cries out for recognition here: grenache so often simply cannot take much oak, if beauty in the wine, freshness, and suitability for food matching are the criteria. And this wine is given as 15%, showing yet again the magical ability of grenache to hide alcohol. I thought this ‘standard’ wine clearly more pleasurable as a food wine than the more expensive Les Origines, and particularly the Vieilles Vignes [tasted separately]. Two tasters rated this their top wine. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/19
Ruby and velvet, clearly the youngest and freshest colour, the third deepest. This is another wine where the syrah component really shines on bouquet, a lovely florality and near-cassisy berry, equally good freshness and charm, plus garrigue savoury complexity, and total purity. Palate is most unusual, light in one sense, almost big pinot noir except for the tannin structure, and magnificent freshness: another wine with no hint of the 2007 over-ripeness malaise. Yet again, the magic of little or no new oak cries out for recognition here: grenache so often simply cannot take much oak, if beauty in the wine, freshness, and suitability for food matching are the criteria. And this wine is given as 15%, showing yet again the magical ability of grenache to hide alcohol. I thought this ‘standard’ wine clearly more pleasurable as a food wine than the more expensive Les Origines, and particularly the Vieilles Vignes [tasted separately]. Two tasters rated this their top wine. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 10/19
Clare Valley, Australia: 12%; $ – [ cork – regrettably there is no second bottle available, but a moment's reflection will I am sure indicate I can't always achieve that – particular 30 years later; 4th vintage, 650 cases; vineyard at 460m; 1984 was a cool year in South Australia, with for some varieties elegant wines emerging; Julia Harding in Jancis Robinson, 2009: Ripe pineapple nose but not as tropical as that sounds and a touch of honey. Lovely rich intense toasty palate and still so lovely and fresh, 18.5; Lisa Perrotti-Brown, in Robert Parker, 2011: Pale to medium straw in color, the 1984 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling has intense evolved Riesling notes, going a little honeyed over scents of orange blossom, lemon marmalade, some chalk, hay and blanched almonds. Very crisp, light to medium bodied and dry, it gives layers of expressive toasty / chalky flavors, finishing long, 92; website lacks back info; www.grosset.com.au ]
Light gold, the second deepest colour. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and clearly honeyed, rather than nectary. There is a suggestion of vanilla (wine) biscuit complexity creeping in now, at the 30-year point, but it seems more appropriate to think of this as flavour development rather than oxidation. Palate is quite big, bolder in its flavours than the younger Grosset, slightly more phenolics maybe, but the lovely bouquet plus some residual covers that. Length of flavour is good, and in a cooler year, the acid seems natural and fine-grain. It is not as angular as the seemingly drier 2002. This wine bridged the jump to the markedly older 1962 very well. Fully mature now, reasonably enough. GK 03/14
Light gold, the second deepest colour. Bouquet is wonderfully pure and clearly honeyed, rather than nectary. There is a suggestion of vanilla (wine) biscuit complexity creeping in now, at the 30-year point, but it seems more appropriate to think of this as flavour development rather than oxidation. Palate is quite big, bolder in its flavours than the younger Grosset, slightly more phenolics maybe, but the lovely bouquet plus some residual covers that. Length of flavour is good, and in a cooler year, the acid seems natural and fine-grain. It is not as angular as the seemingly drier 2002. This wine bridged the jump to the markedly older 1962 very well. Fully mature now, reasonably enough. GK 03/14
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Medoc, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $170 [ cork, 54mm; original price around $75; CS 64%, Me 24, CF 9, PV 3, cropped at c.7.2 t/ha = 2.9 t/ac; elevation 16 – 20 months, with then around 33% new oak; production of the grand vin varies round 25,000 x 9-litre cases; Broadbent, 2002: … rich now mature appearance, and ripe spicy bouquet. It had surprising grip and tannin, ***(*); Wine Spectator, 2010: fabulous aromas of crushed red fruits, with leather, tar, tobacco and mint. Full-bodied, offering supersoft and silky tannins, as well as a beautiful polish. Open and luscious, with amazing richness of fruit and decadence at the same time. Drink now, 94; RP@RP, 2003: Somewhat of a letdown when tasted side by side with the 1990, the dark garnet-colored 1989 Gruaud-Larose offers up notes of cedar, tobacco leaf, red and black currants, and some hints of compost. The nose smells sweet, on the palate it is relatively ripe and sweet, but then the wine seems to have plenty of tannin and toughness without that incredible sweet, chewy mid-palate the 1990 possesses, 89; weight bottle and closure: 536 g; www.gruaud-larose.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, clearly the reddest wine, and the third deepest. At the tasting, this wine was somewhat affected by TCA. It responded well to the Gladwrap® treatment, opening up over several days to reveal beautiful, surprisingly fresh, cassisy berry, with subtle cedary oak. Palate richness and ripeness increased too, to be one of the more substantial wines in the set, with attractive berry, though not comparing with the Pichon Baron. It was the subtlety of the oak handling that made the most impression on me. A good bottle would be lovely wine, probably scoring more highly. Despite the TCA, its Bordeaux qualities shone through, only two tasters thinking it might be a New Zealand wine. With its youthful appearance, it should cellar for 10 – 15 years more. GK 11/19
Ruby, some velvet, clearly the reddest wine, and the third deepest. At the tasting, this wine was somewhat affected by TCA. It responded well to the Gladwrap® treatment, opening up over several days to reveal beautiful, surprisingly fresh, cassisy berry, with subtle cedary oak. Palate richness and ripeness increased too, to be one of the more substantial wines in the set, with attractive berry, though not comparing with the Pichon Baron. It was the subtlety of the oak handling that made the most impression on me. A good bottle would be lovely wine, probably scoring more highly. Despite the TCA, its Bordeaux qualities shone through, only two tasters thinking it might be a New Zealand wine. With its youthful appearance, it should cellar for 10 – 15 years more. GK 11/19
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $219 [ 52mm cork; indicative cepage some years later: CS 64%, Me 24, CF 9, PV 3; Broadbent (1980) rates the vintage *** (on a scale of five): A good vintage overshadowed, not surprisingly, by the incomparable 1961. Cold and rainy conditions to the end of May. Flowering mid-June in good weather, very hot summer with some rain, September hot and sunny, tempered by welcome showers to swell the berries. Late harvest under good conditions, 9 October. A firm well-coloured vintage. With some of the leanness of 1966, thrown into the shade not only by the 1961s, but to some extent by the '64s. … Positive, fruity, but many showing some over-acidity. For Gruaud-Larose: Eleven fairly consistent notes. A good, chunky, flavoury wine, attractive when young. Has maintained considerable depth of colour; lovely sweet nose which develops well; fullish, rich, complete, dry finish with a twist of acidity. Last tasted 1977 ***; Robinson, nil; Robert Parker, 1989: A surprisingly big, darkly colored wine that continues to perform admirably, the 1962 Gruaud-Larose remains concentrated for the vintage, with deep, black curranty, cedary, and herbaceous flavors, full body, and a satiny finish. This intensely fruity wine has drunk well and been fully mature for over two decades. It has yet to exhibit signs of cracking up – a testament to how long well-balanced Bordeaux can last at its apogee. Anticipated maturity: Now-2000. 87; www.gruaud-larose.com ]
Ruby and garnet, the colour quite extraordinary, showing more red than most of the wines, only the 1967 Ch Haut-Brion being fresher. Bouquet is classic mature claret, clear-cut cassis browning now, clear cedary oak more noticeable than the Tahbilk, all fragrant and enticing. Palate follows perfectly, except the oak is just starting to gain the upper hand, as the fruit fades. The balance is not therefore quite so perfect as the Tahbilk, the nett impression being of a slightly tannic wine, but still amazingly 'youthful' for 54 years of age. And the purity of berry flavour is a delight, whereas the trace of essential oil lets the Tahbilk down very slightly. Three people rated it their top or second wine, but whether it was French or Spanish was a moot point. This presumably reflected some doubt about the relatively high new oak. The wine is fully mature, with nothing to gain by holding it longer. GK 10/16
Ruby and garnet, the colour quite extraordinary, showing more red than most of the wines, only the 1967 Ch Haut-Brion being fresher. Bouquet is classic mature claret, clear-cut cassis browning now, clear cedary oak more noticeable than the Tahbilk, all fragrant and enticing. Palate follows perfectly, except the oak is just starting to gain the upper hand, as the fruit fades. The balance is not therefore quite so perfect as the Tahbilk, the nett impression being of a slightly tannic wine, but still amazingly 'youthful' for 54 years of age. And the purity of berry flavour is a delight, whereas the trace of essential oil lets the Tahbilk down very slightly. Three people rated it their top or second wine, but whether it was French or Spanish was a moot point. This presumably reflected some doubt about the relatively high new oak. The wine is fully mature, with nothing to gain by holding it longer. GK 10/16
Sauternes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $80 [ cork; Se 65%, SB 35, planted @ 6600 vines / ha, average age 35 – 40 years; hand-picked via up to 6 harvests; BF 3 – 9 weeks, and 18 – 24 months in oak with up to 100% new each year; Parker: [ no specific notes, but a score ] 94; Robinson: ... very big and sweet - massive unctuosity. … a coconut streak that slightly worries me but this would be deeply satisfying as a sweet drink. Fresh, clean on the finish. Long, a bit heavy. 17; www.chateau.guiraud.fr ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is deeper and richer than the Coutet, with a darker more yellow floral component, on nearly over-ripe grapefruit and fruit salad, all a bit heavier than the Coutet. Palate continues in the same style, the fruits all a little darker, rock melon, golden peaches, and slightly over-cooked marmalade, acid marginal, the finish slightly toffee’d. A weightier wine than the Coutet, yet broader and more developed as well, and hence a shorter term cellar prospect, 5 – 15 years. It will still provide much pleasure. GK 07/06
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is deeper and richer than the Coutet, with a darker more yellow floral component, on nearly over-ripe grapefruit and fruit salad, all a bit heavier than the Coutet. Palate continues in the same style, the fruits all a little darker, rock melon, golden peaches, and slightly over-cooked marmalade, acid marginal, the finish slightly toffee’d. A weightier wine than the Coutet, yet broader and more developed as well, and hence a shorter term cellar prospect, 5 – 15 years. It will still provide much pleasure. GK 07/06
Pauillac Fifth Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $89 [ cork 50mm; CS 65 – 70%, Me 25, CF 5 – 10; original cost en primeur c.$66; both Ch Batailley and Ch Haut Batailley belong to the wider Borie family. The branch owning Haut-Batailley also owns Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Vineyard is planted at 10,000 vines per hectare. Fermentation in s/s, cuvaison 16 – 20 days, malolactic in tank; elevation similarly 16 - 20 months in oak 30 - 60% new, varying with vintage. Second wine La Tour L’Aspic. 2005 is regarded as a strong year for the chateau; J. Robinson, 2009: Light nose but all in balance. Very opulent start – tea leaves – all texture rather than flavour at the moment but a very flattering texture. Needs quite a time to knit but the tannins are very well hidden, 17; Jeff Leve, 2011: With aromas of cassis, tobacco, blackberry and earth, this medium/full bodied wine is already starting to show well. Made in a lighter, bright, finessed style, the wine ends with juicy black and red plums in the finish, 89; R. Parker, 2007 & '8: One of the finest Haut-Batailleys I have tasted in many years, Xavier Borie has ratcheted up the quality at this estate. Always one of the most St.-Julien-like of the Pauillacs, the 2005 exhibits a sweet bouquet of mulberries, black currants, licorice, tar, and flowers, medium to full body, and an elegant, pure personality with a luscious texture as well as a silky finish (atypical for this vintage). To 2024, 90 – 92, later 89; website via; www.grand-puy-lacoste.fr ]
Attractive ruby and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense the most complete in the set, or the most 'ideal', in the sense there is harmony and elegance speaking of cassis and other berry, brown tobacco, delicate cedary thoughts from oak, and a general restrained bordeaux-style 'fruitiness' and appeal. Palate follows with beautiful poise and again harmony, a medium-weight cassis-led wine epitomising the flavours of lovely bordeaux, such as Ducru-Beaucaillou and the like, but smaller-scale. This is already drinking beautifully, and will hold this form for 10 – 15 years. Top wine for one, in the group. GK 06/15
Attractive ruby and velvet, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is in one sense the most complete in the set, or the most 'ideal', in the sense there is harmony and elegance speaking of cassis and other berry, brown tobacco, delicate cedary thoughts from oak, and a general restrained bordeaux-style 'fruitiness' and appeal. Palate follows with beautiful poise and again harmony, a medium-weight cassis-led wine epitomising the flavours of lovely bordeaux, such as Ducru-Beaucaillou and the like, but smaller-scale. This is already drinking beautifully, and will hold this form for 10 – 15 years. Top wine for one, in the group. GK 06/15
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $65 [ cork 49mm, ullage 12mm; original price c.$65; Gr 100% (NB), most of it >60 years age, 80% destemmed; cuvaison up to 28 days, then elevation c.12 months c. two-thirds in large wood, one third in puncheons, 20% + new; not filtered; production this label c. 1,050 x 9-litre cases; R. Parker, 2000: ... exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color in addition to a sweet nose of kirsch, black raspberries, smoke, and spice. It is full-bodied, with outstanding intensity, considerable depth for a 1999, and a large, glycerin-imbued, well-balanced finish with light to moderate tannin. This is a brilliant effort from one of the Rhone's most accomplished young winemakers. To 2016, 90 – 92; J. Dunnuck@ R. Parker, 2014: ... a fresh, lively feel with plenty of violets, mint and floral qualities to go with exotic spices, fruit cake and mature fruit. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s drinking spectacularly, but will continue to evolve gracefully ..., 93; www.lajanasse.com ]
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. This wine is nearly a contradiction to what one imagines, 100% grenache which is really fragrant, nearly floral in a pink hedge-roses way, with the bouquet showing exactly the red fruits (raspberry in youth) of grenache, though browning now. It shows that with great care, grenache can on occasion benefit from oak, even new oak, but here it is nearly invisible, just the lightest cedar touch, with gentle tannins. It is wonderful to have a straight grenache in any Southern Rhone tasting, since it highlights how the darker syrah and mourvedre contribute to perceived complexity in other wines. Here the mono-cepage is not really noticeable until the finish, where the wine simplifies a little, like the similar Chapoutier Chateauneufs. An interesting wine at full maturity, which appealed to tasters, two top places, three second. Cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 10/19
Garnet and ruby, some velvet, midway in depth. This wine is nearly a contradiction to what one imagines, 100% grenache which is really fragrant, nearly floral in a pink hedge-roses way, with the bouquet showing exactly the red fruits (raspberry in youth) of grenache, though browning now. It shows that with great care, grenache can on occasion benefit from oak, even new oak, but here it is nearly invisible, just the lightest cedar touch, with gentle tannins. It is wonderful to have a straight grenache in any Southern Rhone tasting, since it highlights how the darker syrah and mourvedre contribute to perceived complexity in other wines. Here the mono-cepage is not really noticeable until the finish, where the wine simplifies a little, like the similar Chapoutier Chateauneufs. An interesting wine at full maturity, which appealed to tasters, two top places, three second. Cellar 5 – 15 years more. GK 10/19
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $1,050 [ cork; optimal en primeur landed in NZ price $1050, retail up to $1950; CS 89%, Me 10.5, PV 0.5%, average vine age 40 years; 100% new French barriques for 18-20 months; 25000 cases; Parker 4/08: While the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050+. 96 +; WS 3/08: Delivers blackberry, dried porcini, tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate, cigar box, currant, berry and mineral. The finish is long, with a coffee, almost meaty, aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. Best after 2013. 98; www.lafite.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, clearly the freshest and most youthful of the Bordeaux, close in hue to the Mills Reef, the lightest of all the wines. Bouquet is fine-grained and fragrant, with much vanillin oak overt at this stage, cassisy berry below. Palate is cassis and oak, TA slightly higher than the Mouton, some chocolatey undertones from toast, just a hint of leanness like Trinity's The Gimblett, but more petite. Aftertaste is a little unusual, just a hint of radish in the berry / new oak amalgam – a passing phase, I'm sure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, clearly the freshest and most youthful of the Bordeaux, close in hue to the Mills Reef, the lightest of all the wines. Bouquet is fine-grained and fragrant, with much vanillin oak overt at this stage, cassisy berry below. Palate is cassis and oak, TA slightly higher than the Mouton, some chocolatey undertones from toast, just a hint of leanness like Trinity's The Gimblett, but more petite. Aftertaste is a little unusual, just a hint of radish in the berry / new oak amalgam – a passing phase, I'm sure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Meursault, Burgundy, France: 12.8%; $250 [ cork, 50mm; vineyard is 2.1 ha, not officially ranked as a cru, but highly regarded; vines planted from 1950 onwards; wine-making these days may provide an indication of previous practice, but see also the notes for Lafon Charmes: cold-settled juice with low solids, wild yeast fermentations, full MLF, lees stirring in barrel, time in barrel 18 – 22 months depending on the cru; Morris (2010): A monopoly of Domaine des Comtes de Lafon, whose back garden this is. Clos de la Barre has particularly stony soil, imparting a mineral aspect to the wine and good acidity. The vines here flower before other vineyards but ripen later, giving an extra 10 days hang time; the result is a wine capable of long keeping; Broadbent (2002) describes this exact wine in 2000 as being: Pale for its age, still lemon-tinged; sweet, crusty (bread), lovely bouquet; medium-sweet, delicious flavour and excellent acidity, ****; www.comtes-lafon.fr ]
Hue is old gold, but the depth of colour is below midway, the hue not as fresh as the top three wines. The wine opened just a little muffled or muted, a 'woodyness' from the cork which gradually cleared. Two only of 22 tasters commented on slight TCA. But beyond those factors, the great aspect of this wine was the classical mealy / oatmeal / cashew richness of the 'fruit' component, but being Meursault it is not 'fruity' as such, just the impression of substance, richness, and depth. But if you look, there are suggestions of dried stonefruit / dried peaches, and an enchanting hint of beeswax. Palate shows all these things, plus thoughts of nougat and marzipan, both bone dry. It is this saturation of enhanced mealy flavours and textures which makes great Meursault and some Corton-Charlemagnes so unique in the world of wine. Like the Bannockburn, there is now a hint of tannin in the long, rich finish, but only the less enthused would mention a trace of bitterness. This bottle is not quite perfect, the cork could have been better, and is I think responsible for the less-than-sparkling purity, but the nett balance of flavours and the wonderful richness and texture are a delight. Three first-place votes, two second, and two thought it French. Also three least-of-the-12 votes, from those tasters for whom the flaws outweighed the positives. But that is part of the diversity of wine appreciation, particularly when it comes to older wines. GK 8/18 GK 08/18
Hue is old gold, but the depth of colour is below midway, the hue not as fresh as the top three wines. The wine opened just a little muffled or muted, a 'woodyness' from the cork which gradually cleared. Two only of 22 tasters commented on slight TCA. But beyond those factors, the great aspect of this wine was the classical mealy / oatmeal / cashew richness of the 'fruit' component, but being Meursault it is not 'fruity' as such, just the impression of substance, richness, and depth. But if you look, there are suggestions of dried stonefruit / dried peaches, and an enchanting hint of beeswax. Palate shows all these things, plus thoughts of nougat and marzipan, both bone dry. It is this saturation of enhanced mealy flavours and textures which makes great Meursault and some Corton-Charlemagnes so unique in the world of wine. Like the Bannockburn, there is now a hint of tannin in the long, rich finish, but only the less enthused would mention a trace of bitterness. This bottle is not quite perfect, the cork could have been better, and is I think responsible for the less-than-sparkling purity, but the nett balance of flavours and the wonderful richness and texture are a delight. Three first-place votes, two second, and two thought it French. Also three least-of-the-12 votes, from those tasters for whom the flaws outweighed the positives. But that is part of the diversity of wine appreciation, particularly when it comes to older wines. GK 8/18 GK 08/18
St Julien Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $130 [ cork; price en primeur landed; cepage typically CS 70%, Me 20, CF 10, planted to 9,000 vines / ha, average age 32 years; typically 15 – 21 days cuvaison, 20 months in French oak 50% new; JR: 17.5; RP: 90; WS: 92; website allegedly also covers Langoa, but is derisory; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is much more modern on this wine, dark plum as much as cassis, toasty oak with a thought of chocolate, all much more fragrant than some of the 2005s. There is an intriguing red rose floral threaded through the bouquet too. Palate is quite different, just a suggestion of the darker cherries of Black Forest gateau, yet lingering beautifully on red fruits, with lovely ripeness, finesse and length on gentle oak. Distinctive and attractive claret, fractionally richer than the Grand-Puy. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. Bouquet is much more modern on this wine, dark plum as much as cassis, toasty oak with a thought of chocolate, all much more fragrant than some of the 2005s. There is an intriguing red rose floral threaded through the bouquet too. Palate is quite different, just a suggestion of the darker cherries of Black Forest gateau, yet lingering beautifully on red fruits, with lovely ripeness, finesse and length on gentle oak. Distinctive and attractive claret, fractionally richer than the Grand-Puy. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 08/10
Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, New Zealand: 13%; $123 [ cork; obscure website, PR more than info; www.larochewines.com ]
Good rich lemon. Initially opened, bouquet is surprisingly mute. The wine benefits from a splashy decanting. It opens to a classical chablis bouquet, a mineral crushed limestone and intangible white flowers pure chardonnay bouquet, scarcely touched by oak. The moment it is in mouth, the wine snaps into focus, gorgeous flesh and sapidity, perfect acid balance but not aggressive like so many New Zealand, a long rich floral and white stonefruits palate with this crushed limestone minerality that very good chablis has. Needs several years to blossom, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Good rich lemon. Initially opened, bouquet is surprisingly mute. The wine benefits from a splashy decanting. It opens to a classical chablis bouquet, a mineral crushed limestone and intangible white flowers pure chardonnay bouquet, scarcely touched by oak. The moment it is in mouth, the wine snaps into focus, gorgeous flesh and sapidity, perfect acid balance but not aggressive like so many New Zealand, a long rich floral and white stonefruits palate with this crushed limestone minerality that very good chablis has. Needs several years to blossom, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/08
Chigny-Les-Roses, Champagne, France: 12%; $80 [ standard champagne cork; cepage varies round PM 60, PN 20%, Ch 20, all premier cru grapes, average vine age 50 years; full MLF; 4 years en tirage; may still all be hand-riddled; dosage 8 g/L; waffly website, Kermit Lynch much better, more information in Stelzer; www.champagne-jlassalle.com ]
Lemon straw, the second freshest. On the bouquet of this wine immediately you can see the softer faintly strawberry (best side) perfume of pinot meunier, contrasting vividly with the more aromatic hints of red fruits in the Mathieu Millésime. Yet both wines have such exemplary baguette autolysis, in another sense you can hardly tell them apart. Palate is notably softer, partly meunier, partly an infusion of brioche-like flavours from the autolysis, partly the higher dosage than the Mathieu, 8 – 9 g/L maybe. This is gorgeous too. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 10/15
Lemon straw, the second freshest. On the bouquet of this wine immediately you can see the softer faintly strawberry (best side) perfume of pinot meunier, contrasting vividly with the more aromatic hints of red fruits in the Mathieu Millésime. Yet both wines have such exemplary baguette autolysis, in another sense you can hardly tell them apart. Palate is notably softer, partly meunier, partly an infusion of brioche-like flavours from the autolysis, partly the higher dosage than the Mathieu, 8 – 9 g/L maybe. This is gorgeous too. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 10/15
Pomerol, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $149 [ cork 50mm, Me 90%, CF 10; vines average 6,500 / ha; time in barrel c.20 months, 33% new; 2500 cases; skimpy website; www.moueix.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second lightest wine. At the tasting this was too TCA-affected to come to grips with. After 24 hours of my 'often-works TCA-dissipating treatment' (pour wine onto a sheet of 'gladwrap' in a basin-shaped glass vessel, no cover, stir every couple of hours) it revealed a lovely fragrant merlot-led wine, with sensuous dark plummy fruit and subtle oak. Palate is medium-rich, smooth and round. I suspect it would have been more floral and fresher than the Trotanoy, in a good bottle, but the above treatment does flatten the wine somewhat. Score has to be an estimate, to at least put the wine in context. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, garnet and velvet, the second lightest wine. At the tasting this was too TCA-affected to come to grips with. After 24 hours of my 'often-works TCA-dissipating treatment' (pour wine onto a sheet of 'gladwrap' in a basin-shaped glass vessel, no cover, stir every couple of hours) it revealed a lovely fragrant merlot-led wine, with sensuous dark plummy fruit and subtle oak. Palate is medium-rich, smooth and round. I suspect it would have been more floral and fresher than the Trotanoy, in a good bottle, but the above treatment does flatten the wine somewhat. Score has to be an estimate, to at least put the wine in context. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/15
Avize, Champagne, France: 12.5%; $ – [ traditional compound champagne cork; bought at the same time as the 1980 Lechere. This wine was famous at that time, since in 1982, Champagne Lechere won a competition amongst 49 major wineries to be the 'House Champagne' on the legendary luxury train, Orient Express. It was Lechere's Tete de Cuvée, a Blanc de Blancs, 60% grands crus Oger and le-Mesnil-Sur-Oger, 10% grand cru from Avize, 30% premiers crus from the Vertus district. No making details known, but MLF assumed, and the complexity of the wine suggested trace oak. No reviews found, and no valuations on wine-searcher, presumably because non-vintage. The Lechere label appears to have lapsed ]
Full straw and light tan, the deepest-coloured wine. Bouquet however is not the oldest or most biscuitty in the set, by far, instead showing rich fruit with clear Vogel's Multigrain and cashew autolysis plus lovely depth, almost a suggestion of fruit cake, the wine nearly smelling 'succulent' in its richness. Palate shows a great depth of oatmeal and cashew autolysis on a remarkably rich chardonnay base, as rich or richer than the 1982 Bollinger but less aromatic. A wine at full maturity, fresher than the 1976 Bollinger RD, I loved it, but only fair to say it was a bit old for some tasters. And like the Bollinger but less so, you suspect a touch of oak in the wine, newer here than in the Bollinger. Dosage is more with the sweeter wines in the bracket, maybe 9 – 10 g/l. It seems there are not many bottles of this left in the world now. In the middle, by the group ranking. GK 05/16
Full straw and light tan, the deepest-coloured wine. Bouquet however is not the oldest or most biscuitty in the set, by far, instead showing rich fruit with clear Vogel's Multigrain and cashew autolysis plus lovely depth, almost a suggestion of fruit cake, the wine nearly smelling 'succulent' in its richness. Palate shows a great depth of oatmeal and cashew autolysis on a remarkably rich chardonnay base, as rich or richer than the 1982 Bollinger but less aromatic. A wine at full maturity, fresher than the 1976 Bollinger RD, I loved it, but only fair to say it was a bit old for some tasters. And like the Bollinger but less so, you suspect a touch of oak in the wine, newer here than in the Bollinger. Dosage is more with the sweeter wines in the bracket, maybe 9 – 10 g/l. It seems there are not many bottles of this left in the world now. In the middle, by the group ranking. GK 05/16
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $90 [ cork; CS 72%, Me 20, CF 8, planted to 9000 vines / ha, average vine age 30 years; 2 – 3 weeks cuvaison in wood; 20 months in French oak 50% new; Parker: ... formidably powerful, a promising nose of creme de cassis, smoke, liquorice and perhaps even truffle. It is layered and rich ... 95; Robinson: ... not much nose ... lots of very ripe merlot ... could do with a bit more structure ... not the usual magic. 16.5; website scarcely functional as yet; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is classical Bordeaux, a little old-fashioned maybe (brett was mentioned), but showing a lot of style. It is more obviously a hot year wine than the Montrose, the cassis and plum slightly raisiny / over-ripe / sur-maturité, but the oak though noticeable at this stage, is not charry. It will become cedary with age. Just a slight worry the oak may outlive the fruit, so maybe cellar 10 – 25 years only. GK 10/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is classical Bordeaux, a little old-fashioned maybe (brett was mentioned), but showing a lot of style. It is more obviously a hot year wine than the Montrose, the cassis and plum slightly raisiny / over-ripe / sur-maturité, but the oak though noticeable at this stage, is not charry. It will become cedary with age. Just a slight worry the oak may outlive the fruit, so maybe cellar 10 – 25 years only. GK 10/06
St Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $128 [ cork; vineyard cepage CS 72%, Me 20, CF 8, average age 30 – 35 years, planted @ 9 000 vines / ha, and cropped @ c. 2.5 t/ac; www.leoville-barton.com ]
Ruby and velvet, in the middle for weight. Bouquet is classic cabernet claret, clear cassis, cedary oak, a little brett, trace VA, good volume. Palate is classic too, fairly rich though a little leaner than the top three wines, attractive and complex near-velvety flavours with the promise of cigar box complexity to come. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 12/07
Ruby and velvet, in the middle for weight. Bouquet is classic cabernet claret, clear cassis, cedary oak, a little brett, trace VA, good volume. Palate is classic too, fairly rich though a little leaner than the top three wines, attractive and complex near-velvety flavours with the promise of cigar box complexity to come. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 12/07
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $696 [ cork, 53mm; cepage then approx. CS 50%, Me 35, CF 10, PV 5 planted at 10,000 vines / ha; from the start of the Mentzelopoulos era in 1977, Prof Emile Peynaud was appointed as consultant; cuvaison in oak vats; 18 – 24 months in barrel, not clear when 100% new oak adopted, depending on the vintage; Broadbent, 2002: a dozen notes from the autumn of 1981, fragrance frequently reiterated. Also flavoury, but the raw '79 tannin hard to get away from: ***; R. Parker, 1993: This is a classic Margaux in the sense of its elegance and fragrance. A perfumed bouquet of blackcurrants, minerals, flowers, and smoky oak is persistent. This medium-bodied, rich, elegant wine is one of the less powerful examples of the Mentzelopoulos/Pontallier regime, but it is still concentrated and deep. Fully mature, it is delicious to drink and should continue to evolve gracefully for another 15-20 years: 92; Coates, 2002: Quite oaky, certainly concentrated, and almost a little dense on the nose. But very good ripe, rich fruit underneath. Full-bodied, rich, classy, vigorous and opulent. This is certainly a very lovely example. Excellent fruit. Still with bags of life ahead of it. Fine grip. Lovely finish. Complex and classy. Very fine indeed: 19; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
Ruby and garnet, one of the fresher wines, and the third deepest colour. Right from opening this wine was wonderfully aromatic and nearly floral (still), berry-rich with clear browning cassis and dark tobacco, all shaped by fragrant cedary oak. Flavours in mouth are clearly sweeter, riper, and richer than the other Bordeaux wines, and the least old too, lovely fruit lingering on the tongue. There are no obvious stalks in this wine, just attractive, fragrant, rounded and mature claret flavours. And unlike the 2016 Bordeaux of the previous night, the wine smells of berries and cedary oak, not artefact. Fully late-mature in 2019, in a cool climate cellar, so best enjoyed now while still at or near its recent peak. The wine’s intrinsic merits did not shine through to the group, however, two-only second places. It is hard to taste for dry extract in older wines, but this is clearly the richest wine in the set. GK 08/19
Ruby and garnet, one of the fresher wines, and the third deepest colour. Right from opening this wine was wonderfully aromatic and nearly floral (still), berry-rich with clear browning cassis and dark tobacco, all shaped by fragrant cedary oak. Flavours in mouth are clearly sweeter, riper, and richer than the other Bordeaux wines, and the least old too, lovely fruit lingering on the tongue. There are no obvious stalks in this wine, just attractive, fragrant, rounded and mature claret flavours. And unlike the 2016 Bordeaux of the previous night, the wine smells of berries and cedary oak, not artefact. Fully late-mature in 2019, in a cool climate cellar, so best enjoyed now while still at or near its recent peak. The wine’s intrinsic merits did not shine through to the group, however, two-only second places. It is hard to taste for dry extract in older wines, but this is clearly the richest wine in the set. GK 08/19
Margaux First Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $1,396 [ NB: 1983; cork 53 mm, ullage 23 mm; original price c.$210; cepage then approx. CS 75, Me 20, CF 5, planted at 10,000 vines / ha, average age of vines c.30 years, cropped at c.45 hl/ha (5.85 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac); typically 22 – 28 months in barrel, % new then probably already 100%, given the new ownership in 1977, with Emile Peynaud as consultant; Parker in 1991, on the wine in general: The style of the rejuvenated wine at Margaux is one of opulent richness, a deep, multidimensional bouquet with a fragrance of ripe blackcurrants, spicy vanillin oakiness, and violets. The wine is now considerably fuller in color, richness, body and tannin ...; Broadbent, 2002: I referred to the '83 as feminine and the '82 as masculine, the latter having more power and less elegance ... and ... the wine of the vintage. Could it be just a coincidence that this was the much-admired Paul Pontallier's first vintage at Margaux? ... the unbeatable Margaux fragrance soaring out of the glass, sweet, soft and rich. It fills the mouth with flavour, and seems to last forever, *****; Parker, 1991: The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes achieved perfect maturity in 1983, and the result is an astonishingly rich, concentrated, atypically powerful and tannic Margaux. ... the aromas exude ripe cassis fruit, violets and vanillin oakiness, and the flavours are extremely deep and long on the palate with a clean, incredibly long finish. This will certainly be a monumental wine, 96; no Parker 2000 report (since not an '82), though worryingly, in 2002 he reports many TCA-affected bottles of the 1983: Parker 2002: ... reached full maturity far faster than I would have guessed ... a gorgeous nose of smoked herbs, damp earth, mushrooms and sweet creme de cassis intermixed with vanilla and violets. The wine is medium to full-bodied, deep, rich, and powerful, with sweet tannins and loads of fruit concentration, 96?; likewise no W. Kelley 2022 review, so Jane Anson, 2018: Gorgeous as ever, even if the 1982 is standing up a little more strongly today. This is still full of tannins, rich and textured fruit and lilting freshness, fragrant, concentrated and generous, 98; Ch Margaux website, last tasted October, 2018: Today, the 1983 is certainly one of the most classic Château Margaux of the last forty years; weight bottle and closure 549 g; www.chateau-margaux.com ]
Ruby and garnet, the deepest colour in weight, and the reddest in hue. An element of disappointment here. At the time of decanting, sampling and sequencing of the wines, this one seemed pure but reserved, hard to assess, just needing air to unfurl. But by the time of the tasting, three hours and 24 km distant, this blossoming failed to occur. Instead a shadow of doubt arose. Conferring quietly with Phil Brodie, the Te Mata winemaker who came down to Wellington for this tasting, we felt the wine was 'scalped' / diminished by subliminal TCA, but not clearly enough to be worth mentioning. Even so, one could still detect cassis-like berry, and exquisite oak on bouquet, but no florals or complexity. Palate emphasised the tannin side of blackcurrants, rich fruit, beautiful oak, but not singing. In the outcome, three tasters ranked it their top wine, and two their second favourite. Once revealed, several more-experienced tasters commented there has been a consistent track record of far too many TCA-affected bottles of 1983 Ch Margaux. Frustrating, because you can see the wonderful building blocks in the wine, but the subtlety and magic vanished. Many years left … for good bottles. GK 11/23
Ruby and garnet, the deepest colour in weight, and the reddest in hue. An element of disappointment here. At the time of decanting, sampling and sequencing of the wines, this one seemed pure but reserved, hard to assess, just needing air to unfurl. But by the time of the tasting, three hours and 24 km distant, this blossoming failed to occur. Instead a shadow of doubt arose. Conferring quietly with Phil Brodie, the Te Mata winemaker who came down to Wellington for this tasting, we felt the wine was 'scalped' / diminished by subliminal TCA, but not clearly enough to be worth mentioning. Even so, one could still detect cassis-like berry, and exquisite oak on bouquet, but no florals or complexity. Palate emphasised the tannin side of blackcurrants, rich fruit, beautiful oak, but not singing. In the outcome, three tasters ranked it their top wine, and two their second favourite. Once revealed, several more-experienced tasters commented there has been a consistent track record of far too many TCA-affected bottles of 1983 Ch Margaux. Frustrating, because you can see the wonderful building blocks in the wine, but the subtlety and magic vanished. Many years left … for good bottles. GK 11/23
Estremadura, Portugal: 14%; $64 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$45; Sy 94%, Vi 6%, hand-harvested and sorted at 1.25 t./ac, all de-stemmed; Jurassic limestones in 675 mm rainfall zone; 10 days cuvaison; 18 months in all-French oak 30% new; Chapoutier consult to Monte d'Oiro; WA / Squires, 2010: ...character and complexity, showing some Syrah-ish gamey notes, and possessing a bright, succulent finish. It remains lush and velvety ... 91; http://www.quintadomontedoiro.com/fichatecnica_reserva.pdf ]
Ruby and velvet, older than some, about halfway in depth. Bouquet is immediately that of syrah in a warmer climate than the top wines, the wine showing a soft richness of fruit predominantly in the bottled dark plums phase. There are suggestions of sultry dark florals too, so it's still a lot cooler in style than syrah taken through to the boysenberry shiraz norms of Australia. Rod Easthope, maker of Craggy Range Le Sol, accurately picked up the viognier in this wine, at the blind stage – impressive. Palate is a little more acid than some, and tasting added, which aggravates the high tannins at this stage, so the wine isn't as charming right now – more like Le Sol, but for slightly different reasons. It is however completely clean, and will cellar well and mellow into one of the better wines of this tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, older than some, about halfway in depth. Bouquet is immediately that of syrah in a warmer climate than the top wines, the wine showing a soft richness of fruit predominantly in the bottled dark plums phase. There are suggestions of sultry dark florals too, so it's still a lot cooler in style than syrah taken through to the boysenberry shiraz norms of Australia. Rod Easthope, maker of Craggy Range Le Sol, accurately picked up the viognier in this wine, at the blind stage – impressive. Palate is a little more acid than some, and tasting added, which aggravates the high tannins at this stage, so the wine isn't as charming right now – more like Le Sol, but for slightly different reasons. It is however completely clean, and will cellar well and mellow into one of the better wines of this tasting. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 01/10
St Estephe, Bordeaux, France: – %; $182 [ cork 54mm; CS 65%, Me 25, CF 10; as always (if possible), must have my touchstone chateau in the set; Robinson, 2005: This was very impressive – although note the suggested drinking bracket, 2008 - 2018. This is a very long haul wine, but definitely one of the more successful candidates from this extremely tannic vintage. The wine looks fully mature and has a thoroughly exciting complex nose with just the right amount of lift. Lots of richness on the nose and great extract but very dry, dense chewy tannins – still! But the fruit density suggests this will make a great drink – eventually, 18; Coates, 1995: medium-full colour, mature. Somewhat austere and charmless on the nose. Typically full, muscular and tannic. Then there is reasonable grip and richness underneath, so the finish is not astringent. But not really much class or generosity, 15; Parker, 1996: Still backward, although the color is beginning to exhibit amber/rust at the edge, this large-scaled, muscular, charmless Montrose is structured enough to be admired, but I wonder if there is enough fruit to hold for another 10 years? Full-bodied, with earthy, dusty, red and black fruit aromas, this tannic, behemoth needs another 2-3 years of cellaring. The jury is still out on this one, 87; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
Ruby and garnet, slightly redder than the Las Cases, but below midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine right from decanting was quite beautiful, an amalgam of fragrant berry with nearly floral notes in a browning way, great purity, the berry slightly dominant relative to the Las Cases. Taste confirmed the less apparent oak than the Las Cases, but it is slightly smaller wine. The balance of fruit to oak is perfection: there is a delicacy and balance to this wine which in one sense eclipses the Las Cases … yet because it is smaller there is a reluctance to score it as highly. Saint-Estephe is so often patronised by wine snobs, but here is real beauty of a rare quality. At a (late) peak, exquisite, but unwise to hold the wine much longer. Top wine for one. GK 03/15
Ruby and garnet, slightly redder than the Las Cases, but below midway in depth. Bouquet on this wine right from decanting was quite beautiful, an amalgam of fragrant berry with nearly floral notes in a browning way, great purity, the berry slightly dominant relative to the Las Cases. Taste confirmed the less apparent oak than the Las Cases, but it is slightly smaller wine. The balance of fruit to oak is perfection: there is a delicacy and balance to this wine which in one sense eclipses the Las Cases … yet because it is smaller there is a reluctance to score it as highly. Saint-Estephe is so often patronised by wine snobs, but here is real beauty of a rare quality. At a (late) peak, exquisite, but unwise to hold the wine much longer. Top wine for one. GK 03/15
Second-Growth, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux:, France: – %; $324 [ cork 54mm, ullage 28mm, original cost $18.10; cepage around CS 65%, Me 25, CF 10; 22 – 24 months in barrel, % new then not clear, but this was during the phase of making Montrose 'lighter / more accessible', so maybe not high; Like the Tahbilk, included for sentimental reasons … but it has also emerged as one of the better 1975s; NM@RP, 2017: … an elegant bouquet with a floral bent, well defined, light but focused with black cherries and cranberry infused with loamy scents. The palate has a little chewiness on the entry, nicely balanced and precise (within the context of winemaking in this period), fresh and composed towards the finish that gives off a touch of volatility. That said, this magnum was far superior to the 1976 …, 89; Robinson, 2005: This was very impressive – although note the suggested drinking bracket, 2008 - 2018. This is a very long haul wine, but definitely one of the more successful candidates from this extremely tannic vintage. The wine looks fully mature and has a thoroughly exciting complex nose with just the right amount of lift. Lots of richness on the nose and great extract but very dry, dense chewy tannins – still! But the fruit density suggests this will make a great drink – eventually, 18; Parker, 1996: Still backward, although the color is beginning to exhibit amber/rust at the edge, this large-scaled, muscular, charmless Montrose is structured enough to be admired, but I wonder if there is enough fruit to hold for another 10 years? Full-bodied, with earthy, dusty, red and black fruit aromas, this tannic, behemoth needs another 2-3 years of cellaring. The jury is still out on this one, 87; weight bottle and closure 579 g; www.chateau-montrose.com ]
A similar ruby and garnet hue as in the Las Cases, one of the more ruby wines, but in terms of richness of colour, more in the middle. On bouquet this wine is fractionally more browning cassis-dominant, the oak nearly as fine as the Las Cases, but the balance a little less fruit-forward, a little more brown tobacco and oak complexity. No VA. Palate is classic older-style bordeaux, just a little leaner than Las Cases, a trace of the acid and tannin of the year, yet all wonderfully light and refreshing on the tongue. It would be perfect with lamb. Like the Las Cases, tasters were certain this was bordeaux, five rating it the top wine, and six their second-favourite. The score reflects my liking for these light and elegant, complex, fully-mature clarets of yester-year: some would find it a bit small for near-gold medal level marking. GK 03/25
A similar ruby and garnet hue as in the Las Cases, one of the more ruby wines, but in terms of richness of colour, more in the middle. On bouquet this wine is fractionally more browning cassis-dominant, the oak nearly as fine as the Las Cases, but the balance a little less fruit-forward, a little more brown tobacco and oak complexity. No VA. Palate is classic older-style bordeaux, just a little leaner than Las Cases, a trace of the acid and tannin of the year, yet all wonderfully light and refreshing on the tongue. It would be perfect with lamb. Like the Las Cases, tasters were certain this was bordeaux, five rating it the top wine, and six their second-favourite. The score reflects my liking for these light and elegant, complex, fully-mature clarets of yester-year: some would find it a bit small for near-gold medal level marking. GK 03/25
Pauillac, Bordeaux, France: 12.5%; $701 [ cork 50mm; cepage this year CS 73%, Me 14, CF 11, PV 2 according to J. Robinson; 19 – 22 months in oak, usually 100% new; R. Parker, 2014: delicious notes of cedarwood, Christmas fruitcake, blackcurrants and toast, 90; www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com ]
The deepest colour of all 13 wines, by far, and one of the youngest. But one sniff of the bouquet, and there is this huge bombastic overstatement about new oak and depth of char of the oak ... which is both distracting and tiresome ... but when you go back and check, there is pretty stunning fruit to back it up. In mouth the richness is astonishing, so to a degree you have to eat your words about the bouquet. The quality of the cabernet-led cassisy berryfruit is sensational, with perfect ripeness and great length. And in contrast with the style of a typical Penfolds Bin 707, which at first thought is the equivalent loud statement about cabernet from Australia, the oak here is so much softer and more beguiling on the Mouton palate. But even so, it needs years for the oak to harmonise, when tasted alongside the absolute beauty right now of the 2003 Calon-Segur. All in all, a remarkable wine, when one reflects this is a less-favoured year. Cellar 30 – 50 years. GK 02/16
The deepest colour of all 13 wines, by far, and one of the youngest. But one sniff of the bouquet, and there is this huge bombastic overstatement about new oak and depth of char of the oak ... which is both distracting and tiresome ... but when you go back and check, there is pretty stunning fruit to back it up. In mouth the richness is astonishing, so to a degree you have to eat your words about the bouquet. The quality of the cabernet-led cassisy berryfruit is sensational, with perfect ripeness and great length. And in contrast with the style of a typical Penfolds Bin 707, which at first thought is the equivalent loud statement about cabernet from Australia, the oak here is so much softer and more beguiling on the Mouton palate. But even so, it needs years for the oak to harmonise, when tasted alongside the absolute beauty right now of the 2003 Calon-Segur. All in all, a remarkable wine, when one reflects this is a less-favoured year. Cellar 30 – 50 years. GK 02/16
Barsac, Sauternes AOC, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $70 [ cork; price / 750 ml, EP $62; Se 86%, SB 10, Mu 4; 24 months in barrel 30% new; Wine Spectator 2004: very ripe, sweet and sour limes, lemon and maple syrup. Full-bodied, sweet and tangy, very well done. 93; Parker 140 (in 2002): 84 – 86 ]
Full gold, one of the deepest three. Bouquet is immediately raisiny ripe, slightly over-evaporated marmalade, oaky, creme brulee and VA, all blending into a classic rich ripe sauternes bolder than the top two. Palate has a great flavour, lots of dried apricots and botrytis, and really aromatic on the new oak. In some ways this is the loveliest flavour of the set, but in the aftertaste the VA is higher than most of the others, roughing up the back of the throat a little. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/06
Full gold, one of the deepest three. Bouquet is immediately raisiny ripe, slightly over-evaporated marmalade, oaky, creme brulee and VA, all blending into a classic rich ripe sauternes bolder than the top two. Palate has a great flavour, lots of dried apricots and botrytis, and really aromatic on the new oak. In some ways this is the loveliest flavour of the set, but in the aftertaste the VA is higher than most of the others, roughing up the back of the throat a little. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/06
Margaux Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $46 [ cork 49mm; CS 65%, Me 30; CF 5; c.12 months (depending on vintage) in French oak, 30% new; www.chateaupaveildeluze.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some age showing. Bouquet is harmonious and beautifully complex smallish bordeaux, with an integration of florality, berry and oak which is delightful. It smells as if it is cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with an attractive cassisy lift in the fruit. It opens up in the glass to show the exact amalgam of ripe berry, brown tobacco and cedar which characterises elegant Bordeaux, yet the wine is not heavy. Palate weight and style are delightful, not as 'serious' as the 2009 Clerc Milon, but not so oaky either, and therefore much more food-friendly. This is model cru bourgeois such as Te Kahu is aiming at, making a marvellous comparison. Often it is hard to agree with winery enthusiasms on their websites, but the chateau says: 'The first vintage produced with our talented consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. A new standard has been achieved', and I can only agree. This 2010 is of Fifth Growth quality. The ripeness is definitive, better than 2013 Coleraine, but in the glass the whole wine does not seem quite so 'sophisticated' / complex as Coleraine. Great value, a Peter Maude (Auckland) wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/15
Ruby and velvet, some age showing. Bouquet is harmonious and beautifully complex smallish bordeaux, with an integration of florality, berry and oak which is delightful. It smells as if it is cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with an attractive cassisy lift in the fruit. It opens up in the glass to show the exact amalgam of ripe berry, brown tobacco and cedar which characterises elegant Bordeaux, yet the wine is not heavy. Palate weight and style are delightful, not as 'serious' as the 2009 Clerc Milon, but not so oaky either, and therefore much more food-friendly. This is model cru bourgeois such as Te Kahu is aiming at, making a marvellous comparison. Often it is hard to agree with winery enthusiasms on their websites, but the chateau says: 'The first vintage produced with our talented consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. A new standard has been achieved', and I can only agree. This 2010 is of Fifth Growth quality. The ripeness is definitive, better than 2013 Coleraine, but in the glass the whole wine does not seem quite so 'sophisticated' / complex as Coleraine. Great value, a Peter Maude (Auckland) wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/15
St Emilion Premier Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $370 [ cork; Me 60%, CF 30, CS 10; average age vines 40 + years; cuvaison up to 5 weeks, 18 – 22 months in new oak; Advocate 98, Spectator 96; www.chateaupavie.com ]
Ruby and velvet, rich alongside the Lynch-Bages, but not unduly deep, above midway. Bouquet is old-world, ripe and rich and a hint of brett, with deep plummy fruit which is lifted by trace VA, but not so over-ripe as to lose some floral depths and Bordeaux typicity. Palate is not quite so rewarding at this stage, the alcohol showing now, the berry including some blackberry sur maturité on the dark plum – a step towards the Caymus. But in contrast to that wine, it tastes like Bordeaux, in an unsubtle over-ripe way, with dark tobacco complexities, potentially cedary oak (though with some trendy chocolate component too), and good length. As a first taste of this vintage of Pavie, it does not seem at all as deviant or contentious as the Parker / Robinson debate suggested. Cellar 5 – 20 + years, for it is rich. GK 11/06
Ruby and velvet, rich alongside the Lynch-Bages, but not unduly deep, above midway. Bouquet is old-world, ripe and rich and a hint of brett, with deep plummy fruit which is lifted by trace VA, but not so over-ripe as to lose some floral depths and Bordeaux typicity. Palate is not quite so rewarding at this stage, the alcohol showing now, the berry including some blackberry sur maturité on the dark plum – a step towards the Caymus. But in contrast to that wine, it tastes like Bordeaux, in an unsubtle over-ripe way, with dark tobacco complexities, potentially cedary oak (though with some trendy chocolate component too), and good length. As a first taste of this vintage of Pavie, it does not seem at all as deviant or contentious as the Parker / Robinson debate suggested. Cellar 5 – 20 + years, for it is rich. GK 11/06
Pauillac Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $336 [ cork; cepage then approx. CS 50%, Me 35, PV 8, CF 7, planted at 9,000 vines / ha; 18 – 20 months in barrel, 50% new; Wine Spectator vintage rating for the year, 87, Structured, fleshy and complex; Broadbent, 2002: [ initially] a good, rich, fruity, spicy wine. [ later ] Like almost all the 1978s, now failing to a certain extent, to live up to expectations … cedary; correct; sweet mid-palate, but not rich or convincing enough … At best, ****; Coates, 2000: very lovely nose. Splendid succulent fruit. Good weight and grip. Still fresh. Fullish body. Very classy fruit. Excellent structure. Rich. Very elegant. Very long. Very intense. Very fine, 19; R. Parker, 1997: An excellent 1978 (one of the top wines of the vintage), Pichon-Lalande's offering displays an aromatic profile consisting of roasted herbs, chocolate, cedar, tobacco, and ripe curranty fruit. Medium-bodied, with low acidity, some tannin, and a round, attractive personality, this wine has reached its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for another decade. Anticipated maturity: Now-2007, 92; website not functional at time of writing; www.pichon-lalande.com ]
Ruby and garnet, close in hue to the Las Cases but less rich, just above midway in depth. The volume of bouquet nearly matches Las Cases and Latour, clearly one of the top three bordeaux sensu stricto in the tasting, very fragrant. On very close examination, you wonder if there is slightly more tobacco, and less cassis-related aromas, with oak similar to the Las Cases. Flavour is rich but slightly fresher than the top wines, just a hint of less-than-perfect ripeness in the grapes, not quite so cassisy, but it would be mean-spirited to say that it is stalky. It epitomises what is now called ‘the classic claret style’ – which to many people now means under-ripe, but to others, simply refreshing. Four people rated Ch Pichon-Lalande the top wine of the evening. It is now fully mature, but should hold this form for some years. GK 10/18
Ruby and garnet, close in hue to the Las Cases but less rich, just above midway in depth. The volume of bouquet nearly matches Las Cases and Latour, clearly one of the top three bordeaux sensu stricto in the tasting, very fragrant. On very close examination, you wonder if there is slightly more tobacco, and less cassis-related aromas, with oak similar to the Las Cases. Flavour is rich but slightly fresher than the top wines, just a hint of less-than-perfect ripeness in the grapes, not quite so cassisy, but it would be mean-spirited to say that it is stalky. It epitomises what is now called ‘the classic claret style’ – which to many people now means under-ripe, but to others, simply refreshing. Four people rated Ch Pichon-Lalande the top wine of the evening. It is now fully mature, but should hold this form for some years. GK 10/18
Pauillac Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork 52mm; then was CS 45%, Me 35, CF 12, PV 8; time in barrel 18 – 24 months; later 50% new oak; Parker felt that Pichon-Lalande was very successful in this era, the wines supple, fruity and smooth; for the 1978 he says: among the deepest and richest wines produced at the chateau in the seventies … telltale vanillin, spicy, blackcurrant, cedar scents … deep velvety texture 93; no entry in Robinson, Tanzer, Wine Spectator; www.pichon-lalande.com ]
Good ruby, some garnet, surprising depth, the third deepest of the 12. This wine is a little different, there being a great volume of bouquet, and a richness of mature fruit in cedary oak which almost shares something with the Vieux-Telegraphe. The difference is, the volume of bouquet here is three times as great, browning cassis, slightly leathery cedar, dark tobacco. Palate does not follow on quite so perfectly, as for all these Bordeaux bar the Margaux, in mouth there is the reminder the vintage was good but not great, just a hint of stalk and acid, but in an impressive volume of browning berry. It is a bigger wine than the other Bordeaux (Margaux excepted), and will hold this general impression for another few years. It did not appeal as much to the group as I had hoped. GK 04/14
Good ruby, some garnet, surprising depth, the third deepest of the 12. This wine is a little different, there being a great volume of bouquet, and a richness of mature fruit in cedary oak which almost shares something with the Vieux-Telegraphe. The difference is, the volume of bouquet here is three times as great, browning cassis, slightly leathery cedar, dark tobacco. Palate does not follow on quite so perfectly, as for all these Bordeaux bar the Margaux, in mouth there is the reminder the vintage was good but not great, just a hint of stalk and acid, but in an impressive volume of browning berry. It is a bigger wine than the other Bordeaux (Margaux excepted), and will hold this general impression for another few years. It did not appeal as much to the group as I had hoped. GK 04/14
Sauternes / Bommes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $ – [ 49mm cork; Se 80%, SB 18; Mu 2; average age of vines 40 years, planted at 6,600 vines / ha, average yield just under 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; fermentation not specified, 15 months small oak, 33% new; average production around 3,000 cases; BBR: [ imply ] a lapsed estate slowly improving; Robinson: no notes; Tanzer: no notes; Parker, 2003: This is a big, sweet, honeyed Sauternes with loads of fruit, but not a great deal of complexity. Light gold-colored and full-bodied, with plenty of pineapple, honeysuckle, and marmalade notes as well as a hint of caramel, there is a lot going on in this young but promising 2001. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. 90 – 92; www.rabaud-promis.com ]
Colour is tending to old gold, with the de Malle one of the two clearly darker wines. This one smells a little darker even than the de Malle, dried peaches more than golden queen, a clear high-quality caramel note, all quite rich and integrated but clearly more developed. The palate is strange in a way, though darker in one sense there is almost a lightness to the wine too. Flavours include canned golden peaches, anzac biscuits, hazelnut suggestions, golden-syrup and glycerol, all really raisiny and finishing slightly tanniny. This wine too is showing quite a measure of development. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/14
Colour is tending to old gold, with the de Malle one of the two clearly darker wines. This one smells a little darker even than the de Malle, dried peaches more than golden queen, a clear high-quality caramel note, all quite rich and integrated but clearly more developed. The palate is strange in a way, though darker in one sense there is almost a lightness to the wine too. Flavours include canned golden peaches, anzac biscuits, hazelnut suggestions, golden-syrup and glycerol, all really raisiny and finishing slightly tanniny. This wine too is showing quite a measure of development. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/14
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested, cropping rate never exceeds 5 t/ha (2 t/ac); 24 – 26 days cuvaison, 50% or more whole-bunch; 18 months in French oak, 10% new; RP 92, ST 90 +, J.L-L 3/6 stars; www.domainerostaing.com ]
Quite fresh ruby and some velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is to first impression the only totally modern wine in the set, being attractive in colour and free of faults, instead redolent of sweet wallflower aromas, a hint of violets, and clear cassis. Flavours in mouth are not quite so modern, just a trace of nutmeggy brett complexity adding the sweet and savoury notes that make these wines so good with food. At this level, the brett is academic. Fruit on palate is unaffected, the cassis and red plum flavours delightful, oak is totally in the background, and the nett impression shows great typicité. Still some cellar potential here despite the modest year, say 3 – 12 years. Lovely wine. GK 05/13
Quite fresh ruby and some velvet, in the middle for depth. Bouquet is to first impression the only totally modern wine in the set, being attractive in colour and free of faults, instead redolent of sweet wallflower aromas, a hint of violets, and clear cassis. Flavours in mouth are not quite so modern, just a trace of nutmeggy brett complexity adding the sweet and savoury notes that make these wines so good with food. At this level, the brett is academic. Fruit on palate is unaffected, the cassis and red plum flavours delightful, oak is totally in the background, and the nett impression shows great typicité. Still some cellar potential here despite the modest year, say 3 – 12 years. Lovely wine. GK 05/13
Sauternes Premier Cru, Bordeaux, France: – %; $ – [ cork; Se 80%, SB 18, Muscadelle 2, planted to 7500 vines / ha, cropped @ c. 15 hL/ha (0.75 t/ac), average vine age c.30 years; BF and 26 – 32 months in French oak, more than half new; www.lafite.com ]
The lightest of the six, slightly brassy pale gold. Bouquet is understated in the company, seemingly a high semillon wine [ yes, 80% ], an attractive floral and riesling-like suggestion like linalool, rich botrytis. Palate starts off well, again with crème brulée and peachy fruit, the new oak a little more apparent than the Coutet, but still well within bounds, VA hovering around the average threshold. The wine finishes a little more abruptly than the Coutet, oak replacing the fruit. Will hold for some years. GK 08/11
The lightest of the six, slightly brassy pale gold. Bouquet is understated in the company, seemingly a high semillon wine [ yes, 80% ], an attractive floral and riesling-like suggestion like linalool, rich botrytis. Palate starts off well, again with crème brulée and peachy fruit, the new oak a little more apparent than the Coutet, but still well within bounds, VA hovering around the average threshold. The wine finishes a little more abruptly than the Coutet, oak replacing the fruit. Will hold for some years. GK 08/11
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $546 [ cork; up to 22 months in 100% new French oak; Rousseau owns 2.1 ha, 16.7% of this pre-eminent vineyard; making approx 725 cases; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby. This is by far the oakiest of the Rousseaus, and at this stage it is interfering with varietal expression. At the moment it does not seem as fine as the oak in either The Pinnacle or Clos de Beze. On palate the same suggestion of coarseness shows through, on good cherry fruit showing both red and black ripeness levels. Fruit richness, ripeness and length of flavour is greater than the Ruchottes, so like Excelsior this wine needs putting aside for 5 – 8 years or so to harmonise. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/10
Pinot noir ruby. This is by far the oakiest of the Rousseaus, and at this stage it is interfering with varietal expression. At the moment it does not seem as fine as the oak in either The Pinnacle or Clos de Beze. On palate the same suggestion of coarseness shows through, on good cherry fruit showing both red and black ripeness levels. Fruit richness, ripeness and length of flavour is greater than the Ruchottes, so like Excelsior this wine needs putting aside for 5 – 8 years or so to harmonise. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 11/10
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $87 [ cork 44mm; originally around $30; Gr 80%, Syrah 15, Ci 5, average age 45 years, hand-harvested, average yield 3.75 t/ha = 1.5 t/ac; cuvaison in s/s; elevation 75% s/s, 25% in 4-years old barrels for 12 months; no fining or filtering (in general); R Parker, 1999: The wine's deep purple color is accompanied by sweet black raspberry, cherry, and berry flavors intermixed with licorice, tar, and vague peppery notes. Full-bodied and chewy, with a viscous texture, this big, husky, moderately tannic Gigondas is mouth-filling as well as ageworthy. Anticipated maturity 2002-2016: 90 – 91; weight bottle and closure: 630 g; www.saintcosme.com ]
Ruby, garnet and and velvet, a little older than some, below midway in depth. Bouquet is really exciting on this wine, showing a dianthus / wallflower lift from the syrah blending component which is wonderful. Below that are the red fruits of grenache, as for all the wines browning now, and great varietal purity, scarcely affected by oak. Little or no brett. Palate continues the syrah excitement, you can taste it in the grenache, which is quite an achievement in a hotter year such as 1998. The syrah component must have been picked relatively early, to retain such dianthus florals – wonderful. In mouth the whole wine has the complexity of flavour from blending varieties that Les Cailloux shows, relative to for example the single-variety des Tours, but it is not quite so concentrated. Classic Gigondas which appealed to the group, being the third most-favoured wine. Beautifully mature now, but still some cellar potential 3 – 8 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, garnet and and velvet, a little older than some, below midway in depth. Bouquet is really exciting on this wine, showing a dianthus / wallflower lift from the syrah blending component which is wonderful. Below that are the red fruits of grenache, as for all the wines browning now, and great varietal purity, scarcely affected by oak. Little or no brett. Palate continues the syrah excitement, you can taste it in the grenache, which is quite an achievement in a hotter year such as 1998. The syrah component must have been picked relatively early, to retain such dianthus florals – wonderful. In mouth the whole wine has the complexity of flavour from blending varieties that Les Cailloux shows, relative to for example the single-variety des Tours, but it is not quite so concentrated. Classic Gigondas which appealed to the group, being the third most-favoured wine. Beautifully mature now, but still some cellar potential 3 – 8 years. GK 08/16
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $27 [ cork, 46 mm; certified organic wine; Sy 80 – 85%, Gr & Ci c.15, sometimes some Vi; extended cuvaison to 42 days; elevation 6 months in concrete; not fined or filtered; production usually just under 1,000 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 461 g; the website given is so far just a holding page: some information elsewhere on the web; www.domainesaintdamien.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest wine. Bouquet is one of the deeper ones too, not quite the lift of garrigue and florality, smelling more of darker fruits, mourvedre and syrah. In flavour the saturation of dark fruits on the tongue is amazing, the wine velvety and nearly aromatic, with this weight and richness, but not heavyness, that characterises the 2016s. The label doesn't admit to any mourvedre [ later, nor J.L-L ], but it smells and tastes as if there is some, the tannin structure being velvety, rich and long-flavoured. It is fractionally more exciting than the Soumade Rasteau, and shows incredible depth and complexity for Cotes du Rhone. Extraordinary value; there must be a foudre component in this wine, surely ? Not according to the website, thus making a nonsense of the conclusion just drawn from Seraphin. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the fourth deepest wine. Bouquet is one of the deeper ones too, not quite the lift of garrigue and florality, smelling more of darker fruits, mourvedre and syrah. In flavour the saturation of dark fruits on the tongue is amazing, the wine velvety and nearly aromatic, with this weight and richness, but not heavyness, that characterises the 2016s. The label doesn't admit to any mourvedre [ later, nor J.L-L ], but it smells and tastes as if there is some, the tannin structure being velvety, rich and long-flavoured. It is fractionally more exciting than the Soumade Rasteau, and shows incredible depth and complexity for Cotes du Rhone. Extraordinary value; there must be a foudre component in this wine, surely ? Not according to the website, thus making a nonsense of the conclusion just drawn from Seraphin. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. Available from Truffle Imports, Wellington. GK 07/19
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $75 [ cork, 50 mm; a vineyard under this name has existed since the 1920s. In 2002 the estate was bought by Isabel Ferrando, who immediately enlisted the advice of Rhone Valley consultant Philippe Cambie. Cepage this wine Gr 85%, Mv, Sy and Ci each 5%; no info on cuvaison, elevation the grenache 10 months in concrete vat; some of the the Sy and Mv in 600s, the concrete elevation contrasting with the oak-matured Favier wine; not fined or filtered; J.L-L, 2017: (vat sample) The bouquet is thick with mulled black berries, blueberries, prune, notes of laurel adding a lighter touch. The palate is full, potentially expressive, holds elegant, rich matter backed by well ripened tannins ... This is genuine, tasty, natural Châteauneuf with no forcing in its style, to 2041, ****; JC@RP, 2018: "I believe in using stems," Ferrando said. "It gives a sensation of freshness and menthol." Loaded with scents of roses and exotic spices, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is a super entry-level effort. It's 85% Grenache ... the balance Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah .... Full-bodied, velvety and long, it delivers opulent black raspberry fruit framed by silky tannins, to 2030, 94; production up to 2,750 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and cork 616 g; one of the Worth Cellaring set; www.st-prefert.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little above midway in depth. This wine benefits greatly from a splashy decanting, to reveal both savoury and floral nearly lavender garrigue complexities, plus grenache cinnamon and spice, on fragrant red fruits more than black. You can't help thinking the given alcohol is more politically correct than factually stated, though. Flavour is in one sense among the light and refreshing wines in this group, good lift and zing on the palate. Even though only the mourvedre and maybe the syrah has been in 600s, the oak is attractively present, in a delicate way. As one of the more affordable Chateauneuf-du-Papes, and not as concentrated as some, this wine should give much pleasure. Not a standout wine in the group tasting, no votes for any aspect, but quietly satisfying. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little above midway in depth. This wine benefits greatly from a splashy decanting, to reveal both savoury and floral nearly lavender garrigue complexities, plus grenache cinnamon and spice, on fragrant red fruits more than black. You can't help thinking the given alcohol is more politically correct than factually stated, though. Flavour is in one sense among the light and refreshing wines in this group, good lift and zing on the palate. Even though only the mourvedre and maybe the syrah has been in 600s, the oak is attractively present, in a delicate way. As one of the more affordable Chateauneuf-du-Papes, and not as concentrated as some, this wine should give much pleasure. Not a standout wine in the group tasting, no votes for any aspect, but quietly satisfying. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. Available from Wine Direct and their distribution channels (eg Regional Wines). GK 07/19
Guebwiller, Alsace, France: 13.5%; $33 [ cork; the commercial label les Princes Abbés is young vines from various domaine-owned vineyards, including grands crus; fermentation in temperature-controlled wooden vessels several months, plus 6 – 8 months on lees; RS 18.4 g/L; www.domaines-schlumberger.com ]
Pale lemonstraw. This is a milder rendering of gewurztraminer, with less lychee and citronella, and more white nectarine and freesia florals, all spiced just a little. Palate is more clearly gewurz, some root ginger spice, but all less-developed and slightly sweeter than the Schoffit – a gewurztraminer for people who do not really like gewurz. The long aftertaste does bring out a little more varietal character and flavour. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Pale lemonstraw. This is a milder rendering of gewurztraminer, with less lychee and citronella, and more white nectarine and freesia florals, all spiced just a little. Palate is more clearly gewurz, some root ginger spice, but all less-developed and slightly sweeter than the Schoffit – a gewurztraminer for people who do not really like gewurz. The long aftertaste does bring out a little more varietal character and flavour. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Alsace Grand Cru, France: 13.5%; $49 [ cork; the serious wines have around a year on lees in old oak foudres; noteworthy (relative to New Zealand achievements with the variety) the website mentions that grand cru pinot gris can be cellared for 15 – 20 years; www.sipp.com ]
Lemonstraw, also a wash of gold. The precise varietal character of pinot gris is more apparent on this wine, since there is less botrytis and other luscious complexities. The floral notes span primroses through to yellow honeysuckle, with pale stone fruits below. Palate is fairly rich but fully mature, the fruit shortening a little, allowing the phenolic components to peep through. Aftertaste is long on the stonefruits, and nearly 'dry'. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 04/08
Lemonstraw, also a wash of gold. The precise varietal character of pinot gris is more apparent on this wine, since there is less botrytis and other luscious complexities. The floral notes span primroses through to yellow honeysuckle, with pale stone fruits below. Palate is fairly rich but fully mature, the fruit shortening a little, allowing the phenolic components to peep through. Aftertaste is long on the stonefruits, and nearly 'dry'. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 04/08
Graves-Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France: 13%; $77 [ cork; CS 55, Me 35, CF 10, planted at 7500 – 10 000 vines / ha, cropped at c. 32 hL/ha (1.7 t/ac), average age 30 years; Parker: ... a sweet bouquet of creme de cassis, smoked herbs, lead pencil, and subtle wood ... medium to full-bodied, low acidity, opulent ... 92; Robinson: ... lively tealeaf aromas ... easy ...no signs of overripeness ... slightly dry tannins at the finish. 17; www.smith-haut-lafitte.com ]
Ruby, a little velvet. Bouquet needs a little air to open up, then moves into the international coffee and chocolate class, and initial impressions are ho-hum as a consequence. In mouth there is fine cassis and plummy fruit, not quite as rich as the Cos but the tannins gentler, the balance impeccable. One won't have to wait so long for this. Finish is back to the chocolate of the bouquet, but berryfruit flavours persist well too. This should become very more-ish. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/06
Ruby, a little velvet. Bouquet needs a little air to open up, then moves into the international coffee and chocolate class, and initial impressions are ho-hum as a consequence. In mouth there is fine cassis and plummy fruit, not quite as rich as the Cos but the tannins gentler, the balance impeccable. One won't have to wait so long for this. Finish is back to the chocolate of the bouquet, but berryfruit flavours persist well too. This should become very more-ish. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/06
Nagambie Lakes, Victoria, Australia: – %; $ – [ cork, 45mm; ullage just below base neck; there were two standard reds at the time, Tahbilk Cabernet, and Tahbilk Shiraz. Some years it was hard to tell them apart, but other years the shiraz was the lighter in colour of the two. The charm of the wines at the time (in the better vintages) was their freshness, and the fragrance of the grapes, with little or no new oak. In favourable years Reserve wines were made, either cabernet or shiraz, sometimes both, the Reserve Shiraz often being based on the ‘old’ vine material. This was well before the wine from the 1860 shiraz vines was bottled separately. Halliday in 1985 comments: The red-winemaking, however, continues to be made along deliberately traditional lines. The ferments still take place in 100-year-old open oak vats … and the wine is matured in 2250 litre oak vats in the below-ground section of the original cellars. No info on this exact wine: my recollection is this was a light and fragrant wine even at release, as were the 1970s, both very different from the substantial 1971s. ]
Garnet and ruby, the second to lightest wine. The bouquet of this wine is light but astonishing for its purity, its elegance, the faintest flowering mint, and ghostly berry, more like a 50-year-old Cote de Nuits wine than 1960s Australian shiraz. The joy of the bouquet apart from its exquisite purity, is virtually no oak, yet undoubtedly it would not be a fraction so enchanting had it not been in big wood. The wine totally comes to life in mouth, beautiful oaking, aromatic berry and red fruit still astonishingly fresh, and amazing length for a wine so light in hue. In one sense it is hard to imagine how this could be better (and it is astonishingly Northern Rhone in style, age for age), but it is true to say only an experienced wine person would tease out its attributes today, so perhaps just a little more on bouquet would make it gold medal level. One of the four most popular wines, two first places, and four second, and importantly, no leasts. Tasters accurately identified this as shiraz. Totally mature to fading now, when cellared in a cool climate. A replacement bottle for the TCA-affected 1969 Orlando Barossa Cabernet (which otherwise would have rated well). Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 33 mm. GK 04/19
Garnet and ruby, the second to lightest wine. The bouquet of this wine is light but astonishing for its purity, its elegance, the faintest flowering mint, and ghostly berry, more like a 50-year-old Cote de Nuits wine than 1960s Australian shiraz. The joy of the bouquet apart from its exquisite purity, is virtually no oak, yet undoubtedly it would not be a fraction so enchanting had it not been in big wood. The wine totally comes to life in mouth, beautiful oaking, aromatic berry and red fruit still astonishingly fresh, and amazing length for a wine so light in hue. In one sense it is hard to imagine how this could be better (and it is astonishingly Northern Rhone in style, age for age), but it is true to say only an experienced wine person would tease out its attributes today, so perhaps just a little more on bouquet would make it gold medal level. One of the four most popular wines, two first places, and four second, and importantly, no leasts. Tasters accurately identified this as shiraz. Totally mature to fading now, when cellared in a cool climate. A replacement bottle for the TCA-affected 1969 Orlando Barossa Cabernet (which otherwise would have rated well). Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 33 mm. GK 04/19
Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France: 14%; $479 [ cork 50mm, Me 80%, CF 20, vines average 6,500 / ha, low cropping c. 4.3 t/ha = 1.75 t/ac; time in barrel c.18 months, 100% new; c.2,000 cases; strange website, merely a contact point; www.tertre-roteboeuf.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, deep and dense, the second deepest. What a sense of anticipation attended this wine, having read about this evocative name for many years, but never encountering it. But being a blind tasting, one was not to know. One sniff and you ask, who slipped in a Penfolds wine … It is very oaky indeed in that ultra-sophisticated way Penfolds achieve in their best bottles. Behind the fragrant oak is big, leathery, very ripe plummy fruit browning now, too ripe for florals I suspect, but it is hard to tell with the new world level of oaking. Initially I had this quite low in my ranking, but the more you tasted it, the richer and more impressive it seems, with brambly and plummy fruit (plus oak) running out to all corners of the mouth. So it ends up an obvious wine, obvious to a fault even, but one that has to be rewarded for its richness and strength of character. Tending new world, though. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/15
Ruby, garnet and velvet, deep and dense, the second deepest. What a sense of anticipation attended this wine, having read about this evocative name for many years, but never encountering it. But being a blind tasting, one was not to know. One sniff and you ask, who slipped in a Penfolds wine … It is very oaky indeed in that ultra-sophisticated way Penfolds achieve in their best bottles. Behind the fragrant oak is big, leathery, very ripe plummy fruit browning now, too ripe for florals I suspect, but it is hard to tell with the new world level of oaking. Initially I had this quite low in my ranking, but the more you tasted it, the richer and more impressive it seems, with brambly and plummy fruit (plus oak) running out to all corners of the mouth. So it ends up an obvious wine, obvious to a fault even, but one that has to be rewarded for its richness and strength of character. Tending new world, though. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 11/15
Brouilly, Beaujolais, France: 12.5%; $33 [ cork; gamay grown mostly on andesite, Cote de Brouilly the upper slopes, hand-picked; mostly maceration carbonique fermentation 8 – 12 days initially in concrete, then big old wood, elevation in 600-litre old barrels c. 6 months; www.chateau-thivin.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, exactly midway. This is absolutely conventional best beaujolais as usually understood, perfect gamay florality, cherryfruit and freshness in a big volume of aroma. In mouth, it has the freshness more typical of most better years of beaujolais, not quite the perfect ripeness of the top three, but you couldn't say any hint of leaf. Just noticeably fresher, though. Cellar several years, 2 – 6. No oak apparent at all here. GK 09/12
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, exactly midway. This is absolutely conventional best beaujolais as usually understood, perfect gamay florality, cherryfruit and freshness in a big volume of aroma. In mouth, it has the freshness more typical of most better years of beaujolais, not quite the perfect ripeness of the top three, but you couldn't say any hint of leaf. Just noticeably fresher, though. Cellar several years, 2 – 6. No oak apparent at all here. GK 09/12
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 12%; $20 [ screwcap; s/s cool-fermented, some lees contact; a Villa Maria group wine; pH 3.3, RS 8 g/L; www.thornburywines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. This is good riesling which could be marked at a gold-medal level, except that on this occasion it came up against several even more beautiful wines. The Thornbury therefore looked a little more straightforward. Bouquet is fragrant white flowers and holygrass, with no botrytis at all I suspect. Palate shows the characteristic lime-zest and aromatics of Australasian riesling, on good fruit probably just above the riesling ‘dry' level. It is a bolder wine than the top New Zealand examples in this bracket, and like the Framingham could easily be identified as good Australian. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Lemongreen. This is good riesling which could be marked at a gold-medal level, except that on this occasion it came up against several even more beautiful wines. The Thornbury therefore looked a little more straightforward. Bouquet is fragrant white flowers and holygrass, with no botrytis at all I suspect. Palate shows the characteristic lime-zest and aromatics of Australasian riesling, on good fruit probably just above the riesling ‘dry' level. It is a bolder wine than the top New Zealand examples in this bracket, and like the Framingham could easily be identified as good Australian. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $125 [ cork, 49mm; original cost $65; Gr 75%, Sy 10, Mv 10, balance minor varieties, 75% of the vines more than 80 years old; 18 – 25 days cuvaison, 50% destemming (particularly the Mv), co-fermentation, cuvaison to 25 days; elevation c.18 months in large old wood; not fined, lightly filtered; production c.4,000 9-litre cases; moreso even than Domaine Charvin and Clos des Papes, each with their ‘Cotes du Rhone’ (or equivalent) junior wines, Vieux Donjon makes only one red Chateauneuf, one white. As with the other two, this means the buyer is getting the essence of the place; Philippe Cambie consults; J.L-L, 2008: There is good purity in the fruit, and it lengthens well. Finishes on its tannins, with extra kick that brings raisin cake notes. The purity in both the bouquet and the palate is good. A tight wine now ... On the upward path – more to offer, to 2026 – 2028, ****; JD@RP, 2015: Vieux Donjon has produced a classic Châteauneuf du Pape in 2005, and it has the focused, structured feel of the vintage, yet avoids the harsh tannin that’s found in a lot of cuvees. Exhibiting impressive notes of peppered meats, tapenade, sweet spice, iron and garrigue, with a core of sweet Grenache fruit, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and textured on the palate, with superb overall balance. It’s enjoyable today, but will continue to evolve nicely for another decade or longer. 2015 - 2020, 93; weight bottle and cork 675 g; the website www.levieuxdonjon.fr is merely a holding page: good summary and delightful photo of Claire Fabre and Philippe Cambie @; www.chateauneuf.dk/en/cdpen58.htm ]
Ruby and velvet, just below midway in depth. In the hierarchy of tasting results, this was the first wine to suggest just a hint of old-fashioned savoury / gamey complexity in its berry-rich bouquet, but at a vanishingly low level. And there is some garrigue complexity too. Palate shows both red and darker fruits, with a lovely tannin structure from big old wood only, all finishing attractively savoury … and crying out for a rich casserole. Tasters reacted to this wine in a very interesting way, one first place, but eight second favourites. Curiously, 11 tasters thought it a near-100% grenache wine – not sure why. There is good richness, and any brett is at such a low level it seems safe to cellar the wine another 5 – 15 years. GK 07/19
Ruby and velvet, just below midway in depth. In the hierarchy of tasting results, this was the first wine to suggest just a hint of old-fashioned savoury / gamey complexity in its berry-rich bouquet, but at a vanishingly low level. And there is some garrigue complexity too. Palate shows both red and darker fruits, with a lovely tannin structure from big old wood only, all finishing attractively savoury … and crying out for a rich casserole. Tasters reacted to this wine in a very interesting way, one first place, but eight second favourites. Curiously, 11 tasters thought it a near-100% grenache wine – not sure why. There is good richness, and any brett is at such a low level it seems safe to cellar the wine another 5 – 15 years. GK 07/19
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $32 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-harvested; all de-stemmed; up to 4 days cold-soak, cultured yeast, c.18 days cuvaison; MLF and 9 months in barrel 25% new French, balance older French and American; 360 cases; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour. Bouquet on this wine is so dramatically floral and cassisy, I thought violets initially, that at the blind stage I classed it with the cabernet / merlots. This florality is the kind of bouquet syrah only achieves in temperate climates, and is wonderful. Palate (once one knows the variety) is softly cassis and syrah, the oaking more restrained than most Waiheke reds, the palate a little richer than the 2009, making the wine magical as a consequence. There are some similarities to the Church Road, but the Weeping Sands wine is a size smaller. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour. Bouquet on this wine is so dramatically floral and cassisy, I thought violets initially, that at the blind stage I classed it with the cabernet / merlots. This florality is the kind of bouquet syrah only achieves in temperate climates, and is wonderful. Palate (once one knows the variety) is softly cassis and syrah, the oaking more restrained than most Waiheke reds, the palate a little richer than the 2009, making the wine magical as a consequence. There are some similarities to the Church Road, but the Weeping Sands wine is a size smaller. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $108 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; hand-picked from hand-tended vines @ c.2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated, no cold-soak, c.12 days ferment, total cuvaison 42 days; MLF in tank; 15 months in barrel c.33% new, no American oak; light filter, not sterile; RS < 1 g/L; production c.75 x 9-litre cases; the wine is named for Brother Cyprian Huchet, the first winemaker at The Mission, until 1899; apparently not offered for review in the main overseas media cited thus far; Michael Cooper, 2013: The 2010 is still a baby … it is powerful and highly concentrated, with blackcurrant, plum, spice and nut flavours and firm but fine-grained tannins. Savoury, dense and complex, it’s built to last; open 2015 onwards, *****; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. At the tasting this wine smelt huge and burly, and ill-defined, with dark toasty oak and over-ripe fruit, plus almost a hint of coffee (negative in wine, bespeaking artefact, in my sensory lexicon). It tasted equally as big and ripe, but with a promise of velvety textures much later down the track. The following day it was much breathed-up and improved, much fresher, still too ripe for obvious cassis, but now plenty of blueberry and darkest bottled plums, and, glory be, the wine still retaining suggestions of black pepper. There is a high level of fine-grained tannins, which seem as much grape-derived as oak. It will take 20 years for this wine to reveal a more supple charm, as the 1999 Mission Syrah Jewelstone does so exactly now, but in New Zealand the chances of anybody keeping a single bottle that long are zero. Our wine community shows all the shortsightedness of youth – understandably, when you reflect how few years it is since variants on hybrid grapes such as baco and seibel dominated the red-wine landscape. This is the wine from New Zealand to show in a Californian or Washington syrah lineup, if one wanted to ‘fit in’ with their perception of wine quality. Tasters did not relate well to it on the night, no first places, one second, but six thought it Northern Rhone Valley. 2010 Huchet is an extraordinarily rich wine, to cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 11/18
Ruby and velvet, well above midway in depth. At the tasting this wine smelt huge and burly, and ill-defined, with dark toasty oak and over-ripe fruit, plus almost a hint of coffee (negative in wine, bespeaking artefact, in my sensory lexicon). It tasted equally as big and ripe, but with a promise of velvety textures much later down the track. The following day it was much breathed-up and improved, much fresher, still too ripe for obvious cassis, but now plenty of blueberry and darkest bottled plums, and, glory be, the wine still retaining suggestions of black pepper. There is a high level of fine-grained tannins, which seem as much grape-derived as oak. It will take 20 years for this wine to reveal a more supple charm, as the 1999 Mission Syrah Jewelstone does so exactly now, but in New Zealand the chances of anybody keeping a single bottle that long are zero. Our wine community shows all the shortsightedness of youth – understandably, when you reflect how few years it is since variants on hybrid grapes such as baco and seibel dominated the red-wine landscape. This is the wine from New Zealand to show in a Californian or Washington syrah lineup, if one wanted to ‘fit in’ with their perception of wine quality. Tasters did not relate well to it on the night, no first places, one second, but six thought it Northern Rhone Valley. 2010 Huchet is an extraordinarily rich wine, to cellar 20 – 50 years. GK 11/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $582 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Good vibrant ruby, some velvet. This is a softer wine on bouquet, a clear blueberry component in plummy berry, but a lot of toasty oak too. Palate is already soft and accessible, a wine more in the style that wins gold medals in frankly commercial judgings, where judges reward artefact (for example chocolate notes) rather more than berry flavours which accurately reflect the grapes the wine is made from. But the ratio of fruit to tannin is favourable, so the oak use here is sophisticated, in the sense of artful. It could be scored higher. On the day three people rated it their second favourite in the first flight. This will be a relatively early-developing wine, cellar 5 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Good vibrant ruby, some velvet. This is a softer wine on bouquet, a clear blueberry component in plummy berry, but a lot of toasty oak too. Palate is already soft and accessible, a wine more in the style that wins gold medals in frankly commercial judgings, where judges reward artefact (for example chocolate notes) rather more than berry flavours which accurately reflect the grapes the wine is made from. But the ratio of fruit to tannin is favourable, so the oak use here is sophisticated, in the sense of artful. It could be scored higher. On the day three people rated it their second favourite in the first flight. This will be a relatively early-developing wine, cellar 5 – 25 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 92. GK 10/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $616 [ cork, 49mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Good ruby and some velvet, younger than the 2001, just in the top quarter for depth. This is one of the wines in the tasting to improve dramatically with air. Initially, cooperage-related chestnutty factors were prominent. Later the still-oaky but dark bottled plums and a hint of blueberry nearly dominated. With a little maturity now, this wine epitomises the Chapoutier style, too much winemaker artefact, irrespective of the quality of the fruit. Palate shows good fruit richness and furry oak tannins, all embarking on its plateau of maturity. This wine passed without notice on the day, probably for the reason given. It was much better 24 hours later. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 88. GK 10/18
Good ruby and some velvet, younger than the 2001, just in the top quarter for depth. This is one of the wines in the tasting to improve dramatically with air. Initially, cooperage-related chestnutty factors were prominent. Later the still-oaky but dark bottled plums and a hint of blueberry nearly dominated. With a little maturity now, this wine epitomises the Chapoutier style, too much winemaker artefact, irrespective of the quality of the fruit. Palate shows good fruit richness and furry oak tannins, all embarking on its plateau of maturity. This wine passed without notice on the day, probably for the reason given. It was much better 24 hours later. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 88. GK 10/18
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork; hand-harvested; 100% BF, MLF, LA and c. 9 months in French oak; < 2 g/L residual; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, attractive. First sniff is a little muted alongside the 2007 and 2000 Elston, just a faint French-style sulphur-related note taking the bloom off an otherwise attractive chardonnay / stonefruit bouquet. Once in mouth, any doubts are dispelled, the stonefruit broadening out to golden queen peach with mealy and oaky complexities. The wine is fully developed, with spreading fruit still juicy on palate, and buttered muffin (+ve) flavours. In other company, this would be a gold-medal wine, but here it is up against tough sibling competition. Time to finish up, in the next 1 – 2 years. GK 03/08
Lemonstraw, attractive. First sniff is a little muted alongside the 2007 and 2000 Elston, just a faint French-style sulphur-related note taking the bloom off an otherwise attractive chardonnay / stonefruit bouquet. Once in mouth, any doubts are dispelled, the stonefruit broadening out to golden queen peach with mealy and oaky complexities. The wine is fully developed, with spreading fruit still juicy on palate, and buttered muffin (+ve) flavours. In other company, this would be a gold-medal wine, but here it is up against tough sibling competition. Time to finish up, in the next 1 – 2 years. GK 03/08
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.8%; $45 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked; fermented in French oak cuves; 11 months in French oak 30% new; dry extract 30.2 g/L, RS < 1 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, quite deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is immediately black cherry varietal, deep, darkly floral and slightly mysterious, a whisper of savoury complexity adding vinosity. Palate has exact pinot noir crunchy texture, dark cherry flavours, great saturation and depth as befits achieving a dry extract of 30 g/L, but some tannin to lose at this stage. We must all celebrate whenever a New Zealand red surpasses the magic goal of a dry extract at this figure. I suspect in 18 months this will be more sweetly-fruited, and scoring higher. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, quite deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is immediately black cherry varietal, deep, darkly floral and slightly mysterious, a whisper of savoury complexity adding vinosity. Palate has exact pinot noir crunchy texture, dark cherry flavours, great saturation and depth as befits achieving a dry extract of 30 g/L, but some tannin to lose at this stage. We must all celebrate whenever a New Zealand red surpasses the magic goal of a dry extract at this figure. I suspect in 18 months this will be more sweetly-fruited, and scoring higher. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $25 [ screwcap; machine-harvested @ 3 t/ac; all de-stemmed, fermented with cultured yeast in s/s 100%; 2 months LA; pH 3.3, RS 2 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Palest lemongreen, lacking as yet. Bouquet is in the same style as the Te Muna Sauvignon, but not quite so complex, as if the whole wine were a notch riper, with consequent partial loss of the complexing aromatics which make the Te Muna example so superb. Palate clarifies the wine is in fact sauvignon blanc, but the phenolics are a little more apparent, probably because the residual sugar is lower. In mouth this is essence of Marlborough sauvignon, but very dry. Craggy are taking a gamble in making several of their Marlborough sauvignons so European-dry in finish, when the local market is habituated to New Zealand 'dry' equals 4 grams per litre. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 10/07
Palest lemongreen, lacking as yet. Bouquet is in the same style as the Te Muna Sauvignon, but not quite so complex, as if the whole wine were a notch riper, with consequent partial loss of the complexing aromatics which make the Te Muna example so superb. Palate clarifies the wine is in fact sauvignon blanc, but the phenolics are a little more apparent, probably because the residual sugar is lower. In mouth this is essence of Marlborough sauvignon, but very dry. Craggy are taking a gamble in making several of their Marlborough sauvignons so European-dry in finish, when the local market is habituated to New Zealand 'dry' equals 4 grams per litre. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 10/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested; de-stemmed, MLF and 18 months in barrel; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Corbans. This is another syrah with beautiful florals, dianthus and dusky red roses, yet also hinting at boronia, so in a blind tasting, on bouquet one wonders about a dark pinot noir. But in mouth the cassis and black peppercorn come out, giving a very long crisp flavour to the berry, not pinot at all. If wines with trace brett don't appeal, this is the one to choose relative to the Red Rocks, for it is very pure, though fractionally lighter. There is a little oak and acid still to marry up, but this is going to end up remarkably St Joseph-like syrah. It is not as weighty as the Corbans, but it is more fragrant. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the Corbans. This is another syrah with beautiful florals, dianthus and dusky red roses, yet also hinting at boronia, so in a blind tasting, on bouquet one wonders about a dark pinot noir. But in mouth the cassis and black peppercorn come out, giving a very long crisp flavour to the berry, not pinot at all. If wines with trace brett don't appeal, this is the one to choose relative to the Red Rocks, for it is very pure, though fractionally lighter. There is a little oak and acid still to marry up, but this is going to end up remarkably St Joseph-like syrah. It is not as weighty as the Corbans, but it is more fragrant. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12%; $23 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; no detail on website as to fermentation vessels, maturation, or RS; www.stonepaddock.com ]
Gold, forward for its age. Bouquet is rich, sweet and clearly in the sauternes style, with no hint of under-ripe or leafy fruit. Being as developed as it is, there are already some creme brulée qualities, and light VA - positive here as it freshens the wine. Palate is very rich, lots of golden queen peach-like fruit, the acid tending jangly as if added, some oak influence. This should look attractive in another year, though that acid may fight with some desserts. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe longer. GK 10/07
Gold, forward for its age. Bouquet is rich, sweet and clearly in the sauternes style, with no hint of under-ripe or leafy fruit. Being as developed as it is, there are already some creme brulée qualities, and light VA - positive here as it freshens the wine. Palate is very rich, lots of golden queen peach-like fruit, the acid tending jangly as if added, some oak influence. This should look attractive in another year, though that acid may fight with some desserts. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe longer. GK 10/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; hand-picked @ c. 0.75 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, fermented in French oak cuves with wild yeast; 9 months on lees in French oak 45% new; RS nil; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Either this wine is transformed from when I last saw it, or the previous bottle was scalped / cork-affected in a non-obvious way. Bouquet is now explicitly floral, dark warm red roses and boronia, a soft beguiling blackboy peach and dark cherry fruit, all made deliciously aromatic by subtle cedary oak. Palate is very sweetly fruited, rich, long, not quite as black cherry as the Escarpment 06, and a little more fleshy, but still exciting wine. A preview of the 2007 Te Muna Pinot Noir suggests it will be between this 2005 and the 2006 in character. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Either this wine is transformed from when I last saw it, or the previous bottle was scalped / cork-affected in a non-obvious way. Bouquet is now explicitly floral, dark warm red roses and boronia, a soft beguiling blackboy peach and dark cherry fruit, all made deliciously aromatic by subtle cedary oak. Palate is very sweetly fruited, rich, long, not quite as black cherry as the Escarpment 06, and a little more fleshy, but still exciting wine. A preview of the 2007 Te Muna Pinot Noir suggests it will be between this 2005 and the 2006 in character. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ cork; hand-picked; six clones; BF mostly wild yeast, LA and batonnage, and MLF in French oak 11 months; www.martinborough-vineyard.co.nz ]
Straw. This is a very worked and complex chardonnay, the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis components more developed, bready and nutty than the other top wines – to the point where it could possibly be thought over-developed, with a touch of butterscotch / caramel. Palate is rich, and the integration of rich chardonnay stonefruit with mealyness and cashew flavours is terrific, giving a great mouthful of taste sensations. Oak is at a maximum though, and becomes a little obtrusive on the late finish. This is an impressively complex and rich chardonnay, all just a bit overdone. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Straw. This is a very worked and complex chardonnay, the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis components more developed, bready and nutty than the other top wines – to the point where it could possibly be thought over-developed, with a touch of butterscotch / caramel. Palate is rich, and the integration of rich chardonnay stonefruit with mealyness and cashew flavours is terrific, giving a great mouthful of taste sensations. Oak is at a maximum though, and becomes a little obtrusive on the late finish. This is an impressively complex and rich chardonnay, all just a bit overdone. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Clevedon, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ cork; Me 40%, Carmenere 21, CF 17, Ma 12, CS 10, hand-harvested @ c. 1 t/ac; cultured yeast and cuvaison up to 28 days, the Me fraction fermented in a new cuve; 19 months in 80% new French oak; lightly fined, not filtered; www.puririhills.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, deeper than Elspeth or Brokenstone, but similarly older than some wines. This wine opens immediately in the modern idiom, darkly toasty oak influence, some dark chocolate, slightly coffee'd, also a little bretty. But there is good cassis berry richness here too, and an attractive weight of fruit, both cassis and dark plums. There is just a suggestion of leafyness in the cassis, no more than Ch Figeac for example often shows, but enough to keep it out of the top rank. This wine too is in a Bordeaux style. Richness and length of flavour are excellent, and the texture and delicacy of the fruit, despite the modern oak, is so different from most Australian cabernets. The finish in particular shows no added tartaric acid, for example, being gentle and lingering, though a little oaky. Conversely the hint of green is very comparable with certain machine-picked Coonawarra Cabernets. Only a technocrat would object to the level of attractively savoury brett-induced complexity in this wine. The high percentage of the ex Bordeaux / now Chilean grape carmenere is intriguing, and distinctive in New Zealand. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 09/07
Ruby and velvet, deeper than Elspeth or Brokenstone, but similarly older than some wines. This wine opens immediately in the modern idiom, darkly toasty oak influence, some dark chocolate, slightly coffee'd, also a little bretty. But there is good cassis berry richness here too, and an attractive weight of fruit, both cassis and dark plums. There is just a suggestion of leafyness in the cassis, no more than Ch Figeac for example often shows, but enough to keep it out of the top rank. This wine too is in a Bordeaux style. Richness and length of flavour are excellent, and the texture and delicacy of the fruit, despite the modern oak, is so different from most Australian cabernets. The finish in particular shows no added tartaric acid, for example, being gentle and lingering, though a little oaky. Conversely the hint of green is very comparable with certain machine-picked Coonawarra Cabernets. Only a technocrat would object to the level of attractively savoury brett-induced complexity in this wine. The high percentage of the ex Bordeaux / now Chilean grape carmenere is intriguing, and distinctive in New Zealand. Cellar 3 – 12 years, maybe longer. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $51 [ screwcap; Me 86%, CS 8, Ma 6, hand-harvested; vinified @ Mangere; 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation; c. 22 months in French and American oak 61% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely fresh colour. Bouquet on this wine is a little different, just a suggestion of pennyroyal or lawsoniana aromatics, these characters highlighted by quite a lot of new French oak. They merge insensibly into both floral violets and cassisy berry. Palate melds all these components into attractively dark fruit which is not as oaky as the bouquet suggested, and shows an attractive balance of Bordeaux-like flavours. It is not quite as rich as the most-favoured wines, and acid is fractionally higher than some, but it is squeaky clean. It is in a fragrant style reminiscent of Coleraine, placing elegance before size. It tastes more like a Merlot / Cabernet, with clear cassis, and not quite the ideal plum plumpness for a Reserve Merlot. But in a sense, this unpredictability of character is the magic of the Bordeaux blended style in an optimal climate. Cellar 5 – 12 years, for a supremely fragrant Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. GK 09/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely fresh colour. Bouquet on this wine is a little different, just a suggestion of pennyroyal or lawsoniana aromatics, these characters highlighted by quite a lot of new French oak. They merge insensibly into both floral violets and cassisy berry. Palate melds all these components into attractively dark fruit which is not as oaky as the bouquet suggested, and shows an attractive balance of Bordeaux-like flavours. It is not quite as rich as the most-favoured wines, and acid is fractionally higher than some, but it is squeaky clean. It is in a fragrant style reminiscent of Coleraine, placing elegance before size. It tastes more like a Merlot / Cabernet, with clear cassis, and not quite the ideal plum plumpness for a Reserve Merlot. But in a sense, this unpredictability of character is the magic of the Bordeaux blended style in an optimal climate. Cellar 5 – 12 years, for a supremely fragrant Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux blend. GK 09/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 43%, CS 43, CF 14; French oak; second wine of Blake Family Vineyard; www.alluviale.com ]
Ruby and velvet, in the lightest three. Bouquet is softer and a little older than most in the set, with fragrant and plummy merlot dominating. In flavour the style is totally St Emilion, softish and round, yet with a touch of cassis in the plummy fruit. This is a perfect illustration of a second wine, in the classed Bordeaux sense. Where the Blake Family Vineyard grand vin is of clear upper classed growth standard, this is lesser classed growth / cru bourgeois exceptionnel, by analogy. This will give a lot of pleasure at table, over the next 3 – 10 years. GK 09/07
Ruby and velvet, in the lightest three. Bouquet is softer and a little older than most in the set, with fragrant and plummy merlot dominating. In flavour the style is totally St Emilion, softish and round, yet with a touch of cassis in the plummy fruit. This is a perfect illustration of a second wine, in the classed Bordeaux sense. Where the Blake Family Vineyard grand vin is of clear upper classed growth standard, this is lesser classed growth / cru bourgeois exceptionnel, by analogy. This will give a lot of pleasure at table, over the next 3 – 10 years. GK 09/07
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $18 [ screwcap; RS 4 g/L; www.kourabaywines.co.nz ]
Good lemon. This is a huge but conventional sauvignon bouquet, really fresh and chockful of both red capsicum and black passionfruit, as well as passionfruit and hints of tropical fruits. Underneath there is just a hint of less ripe capsicum, say the orange ones. Palate is strong too, a big flavour, juicy, firm acid, residual slightly higher than some. This might not cellar so well, on that less ripe capsicum note, which could go asparagus-y. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 02/06
Good lemon. This is a huge but conventional sauvignon bouquet, really fresh and chockful of both red capsicum and black passionfruit, as well as passionfruit and hints of tropical fruits. Underneath there is just a hint of less ripe capsicum, say the orange ones. Palate is strong too, a big flavour, juicy, firm acid, residual slightly higher than some. This might not cellar so well, on that less ripe capsicum note, which could go asparagus-y. Cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 02/06
Cromwell and Gibbston Valleys, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; the first vintage from Michelle Richardson, formerly the high-profile chief winemaker at Villa Maria; hand-harvested, cold soak, small part whole-bunch, MLF following spring, French oak 40% new, less than 12 months; Cooper, 2006: The delightfully perfumed, silky-smooth 2003 vintage is … deep ruby, with a scented bouquet. Fleshy, with strong ripe-cherry, plum and spice flavours, buoyant, supple and very harmonious, it's delicious already, but should also mature well, ****½; bottle courtesy of Rob Bishop and Shelley Hood; www.richardsonwines.co.nz ]
Mature pinot noir ruby, in the middle for colour, just right. Bouquet is sweet and delightfully floral, in the dark roses, violets and boronia sector, exciting, more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune, perhaps faintly leafy against 'ideals'. Palate is fine and elegant, red grading to a little black cherry, really burgundian, a lovely balance of fragrant fruit to subtle oak, and with a pleasing acid balance. Perhaps there is a trace of leaf, but mainly in the sense the wine is still fresh and lively, contrasting with several of the others. It is corny to say the wine is feminine, given a female winemaker, but it is, and good pinot noir lends itself to that interpretation. Fully mature now, attractive. GK 11/13
Mature pinot noir ruby, in the middle for colour, just right. Bouquet is sweet and delightfully floral, in the dark roses, violets and boronia sector, exciting, more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune, perhaps faintly leafy against 'ideals'. Palate is fine and elegant, red grading to a little black cherry, really burgundian, a lovely balance of fragrant fruit to subtle oak, and with a pleasing acid balance. Perhaps there is a trace of leaf, but mainly in the sense the wine is still fresh and lively, contrasting with several of the others. It is corny to say the wine is feminine, given a female winemaker, but it is, and good pinot noir lends itself to that interpretation. Fully mature now, attractive. GK 11/13
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $14 [ screwcap ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is delightful, delicate acacia blossom and white flowers, a slight flinty note reminiscent of Mosel, and some lime-zest aromatics. Palate is fresh, both floral and aromatic, explicitly varietal, medium-dry. This should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/07
Lemongreen. Bouquet is delightful, delicate acacia blossom and white flowers, a slight flinty note reminiscent of Mosel, and some lime-zest aromatics. Palate is fresh, both floral and aromatic, explicitly varietal, medium-dry. This should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; release date 2008; Me 91%, CS 5, CF 4, hand-picked from 5 year old vines @ just under 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison approx 41 days; no BF; 14.5 months in French oak 100% new, no lees stirring; RS < 0.1 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, some velvet, more developed and lighter than Helmsman. This wine opens quietly, to gradually reveal merlot in a slightly over-ripe oaky style, losing florals and subtlety, showing more a soft rich slightly spicy / leathery plumminess, which is still well within bounds for warm-year Bordeaux. Palate follows precisely, attractive richness and plumpness, seemingly oakier than the Craggy Merlot Gimblett Gravels, not quite the precise varietal beauty and richness of sister wine 2005 Helmsman. Aftertaste is soft and rich, and the whole wine is attractive in its warmer-climate oakier style. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/07
Ruby, some velvet, more developed and lighter than Helmsman. This wine opens quietly, to gradually reveal merlot in a slightly over-ripe oaky style, losing florals and subtlety, showing more a soft rich slightly spicy / leathery plumminess, which is still well within bounds for warm-year Bordeaux. Palate follows precisely, attractive richness and plumpness, seemingly oakier than the Craggy Merlot Gimblett Gravels, not quite the precise varietal beauty and richness of sister wine 2005 Helmsman. Aftertaste is soft and rich, and the whole wine is attractive in its warmer-climate oakier style. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/07
Matakana, North Auckland, New Zealand: 13%; $30 [ cork; hand-harvested; s/s ferment, small % aged in oak; RS not given; www.brickbay.co.nz ]
Pale lemonstraw. A lightly floral and fragrant bouquet, with some English white flowers on fresh pearflesh, attractive. Palate is clean, with a flush of stone fruit flavours (pink nectarine) on the pearflesh, beautifully judged phenolics and near-dry finish – perhaps 4 g/L. The Brick Bay Pinot Gris has been quietly evolving into one of our most satisfying yet understated examples of the variety, with bouquet and flavour achieved at praiseworthy alcohols and pleasing dryness. Not cheap, but very food-friendly. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Pale lemonstraw. A lightly floral and fragrant bouquet, with some English white flowers on fresh pearflesh, attractive. Palate is clean, with a flush of stone fruit flavours (pink nectarine) on the pearflesh, beautifully judged phenolics and near-dry finish – perhaps 4 g/L. The Brick Bay Pinot Gris has been quietly evolving into one of our most satisfying yet understated examples of the variety, with bouquet and flavour achieved at praiseworthy alcohols and pleasing dryness. Not cheap, but very food-friendly. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 02/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ 44mm cork; clone Abel, 6 years, harvested @ 1.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, 4 days cold soak, 14 days cuvaison: 12 months French oak 50% new; Cooper doesn't have 2003 Kupe, but in 2007 I thought: in five years this Kupe is going to be a contender for the topmost 2003 New Zealand pinot noir, 18.5 +; Julia Harding @ Robinson, 2012: Bright ruby. Lovely gentle aroma of red fruit and herbs. Then quite tight and almost austere on the palate. A little tense with the acidity standing out on the finish. No whole bunches. I thought this was from 2005 because it seemed still so youthful. 16.5; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, well above halfway in depth, fresher and a little deeper than the Richardson, promising. Bouquet is subdued initially, and remains shy in terms of a floral component. There is good fragrant black cherry grading to plum fruit on both bouquet and palate, and quite a suggestion of vanillin. I have not classed that as floral, however, assuming it to be the ratio of new oak. Where this wine wins acclaim is on the palate. It is masterly. Fruit is ripe, perhaps slightly too ripe for optimal florality, but the key thing is, there are no stalky notes such as several others show, and there is good fruit richness. Oak is at a maximum. This is one of the few wines to clearly have several years ahead of it, perhaps up to 5, if you like mature pinot noir. GK 11/13
Good pinot noir ruby, well above halfway in depth, fresher and a little deeper than the Richardson, promising. Bouquet is subdued initially, and remains shy in terms of a floral component. There is good fragrant black cherry grading to plum fruit on both bouquet and palate, and quite a suggestion of vanillin. I have not classed that as floral, however, assuming it to be the ratio of new oak. Where this wine wins acclaim is on the palate. It is masterly. Fruit is ripe, perhaps slightly too ripe for optimal florality, but the key thing is, there are no stalky notes such as several others show, and there is good fruit richness. Oak is at a maximum. This is one of the few wines to clearly have several years ahead of it, perhaps up to 5, if you like mature pinot noir. GK 11/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ supercritical cork; 7 g/L RS; www.stonecroft.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Alongside the Waimea Signature, this is a subtle presentation of gewurztraminer. It shows beautiful fruit in the cherimoya and vanillin style, with subtle florals, lychee and spice. Palate firms the wine up, with excellent concentration, and a deepening varietal flavour which is still very youthful. Flavours include suggestions of flowering wild ginger, citronella, lychee and stone fruits, a hint of feijoa, and some spice. For those who find the Waimea too strong, this elegant near-dry wine is the one to go for. From memory, it does not have quite the varietal depth of character of the 2004 Old Vines, but it is more refined. Alan Limmer (winemaker) thinks it is his best thus far. It will cellar beautifully 5 – 12 years. GK 02/06
Lemongreen. Alongside the Waimea Signature, this is a subtle presentation of gewurztraminer. It shows beautiful fruit in the cherimoya and vanillin style, with subtle florals, lychee and spice. Palate firms the wine up, with excellent concentration, and a deepening varietal flavour which is still very youthful. Flavours include suggestions of flowering wild ginger, citronella, lychee and stone fruits, a hint of feijoa, and some spice. For those who find the Waimea too strong, this elegant near-dry wine is the one to go for. From memory, it does not have quite the varietal depth of character of the 2004 Old Vines, but it is more refined. Alan Limmer (winemaker) thinks it is his best thus far. It will cellar beautifully 5 – 12 years. GK 02/06
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.5%; $115 [ 55 mm cork; Sy 90, Vi 10, hand-picked @ c.5.3 t/ha (2.1 t/ac) from vines planted at 9,000 vines / ha, on mixed granite and gneiss soils; some whole-bunch, cuvaison c.21 days; MLF and c.18 months in barrel; 700 cases; www.cuilleron.com ]
Ruby and velvet, appreciably lighter than the Saint-Joseph. Right from opening, this wine is wonderfully floral on bouquet, dark roses, suggestions of wallflowers, plus a softness and charm not apparent in the sterner Saint-Joseph. Palate is pro-rata softer too. Again the cassis aroma is reference quality for syrah ripeness, but the florality extends right into the palate, along with pepper in which there is a touch of white. The whole ripeness level of the grapes in this wine is fractionally cooler than the Saint-Joseph. Again sensitive tasters noted academic brett, but at this level it is positive complexity. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/13
Ruby and velvet, appreciably lighter than the Saint-Joseph. Right from opening, this wine is wonderfully floral on bouquet, dark roses, suggestions of wallflowers, plus a softness and charm not apparent in the sterner Saint-Joseph. Palate is pro-rata softer too. Again the cassis aroma is reference quality for syrah ripeness, but the florality extends right into the palate, along with pepper in which there is a touch of white. The whole ripeness level of the grapes in this wine is fractionally cooler than the Saint-Joseph. Again sensitive tasters noted academic brett, but at this level it is positive complexity. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/13
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked; 100% BF and MLF in French oak 30% new; dry extract 24 g/L including RS; RS 4 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Straw. In the blind tasting, this came up well too. It is however clearly broader and less refined than the Kupe. The components including the MLF are a little more obvious, all in rather more Meursault style – as the review last October suggested. It is an earlier-developing wine than the Kupe version, and won't cellar for so long. In other line-ups, this could mark at gold medal level. See earlier review 10/07. GK 03/08
Straw. In the blind tasting, this came up well too. It is however clearly broader and less refined than the Kupe. The components including the MLF are a little more obvious, all in rather more Meursault style – as the review last October suggested. It is an earlier-developing wine than the Kupe version, and won't cellar for so long. In other line-ups, this could mark at gold medal level. See earlier review 10/07. GK 03/08
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $92 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-picked from vines planted at c.9,000 vines / ha on granitic soils; some whole-bunch, cuvaison c.21 days; MLF and c.18 months in barrel; www.cuilleron.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, good depth. Bouquet shows pure syrah ripened to the cassis point of physiological maturity, some dusky florals reminiscent of violets, some black pepper, a hint of riper fruit such as bottled black doris plums. Oak is near-invisible on bouquet, but a few tasters noted subtle brett. Palate simply crystallises the bouquet, the wine showing admirable concentration and length in mouth, a trace of new oak appearing on the later palate, dry finish. Brett at this level poses no hazard to the future of the wine, which will cellar well, 5 – 15 years. Note however that this is the wine which in youth needs ventilating, to give of its best. GK 09/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, good depth. Bouquet shows pure syrah ripened to the cassis point of physiological maturity, some dusky florals reminiscent of violets, some black pepper, a hint of riper fruit such as bottled black doris plums. Oak is near-invisible on bouquet, but a few tasters noted subtle brett. Palate simply crystallises the bouquet, the wine showing admirable concentration and length in mouth, a trace of new oak appearing on the later palate, dry finish. Brett at this level poses no hazard to the future of the wine, which will cellar well, 5 – 15 years. Note however that this is the wine which in youth needs ventilating, to give of its best. GK 09/13
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 15%; $50 [ cork; cuvaison up to 21 days; small % BF; MLF in barrel; 16 months in French hogsheads 15% new, the balance 1 – 4 years; minimal fining and not filtered; Parker rates recent vintages 94 – 95; Wine Spectator: "Rich and complex, green olive, mint, mineral and licorice around a plump core of black cherry and dark plum flavors, lingers on the intense and beautifully focused finish. To 2017. 95"; www.twohandswines.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, midway in depth. Bouquet is lifted by the high alcohol, to be intensely fragrant blueberry, blackberry and boysenberry with some oak, immediately appealing. Palate is a little less, very rich boysenberry, more typical Australian old-vine shiraz, and not rigorously bone-dry. It is not over-oaked, but there is a little saline marring the later finish, relative to the top wines or the oakier Saltram. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, nearly carmine, midway in depth. Bouquet is lifted by the high alcohol, to be intensely fragrant blueberry, blackberry and boysenberry with some oak, immediately appealing. Palate is a little less, very rich boysenberry, more typical Australian old-vine shiraz, and not rigorously bone-dry. It is not over-oaked, but there is a little saline marring the later finish, relative to the top wines or the oakier Saltram. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Flagey-Echezeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13%; $229 [ cork; a Drouhin domaine wine; upslope from Clos de Vougeot; hand-picked, fermentation in wooden cuves, up to 20 days cuvaison; MLF and up to 18 months in French oak; www.drouhin.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the wines. This is the kind of pinot that all too easily escapes notice, if tasters proceed immediately to a mouthful, without teasing out the wonderful floral complexities of the bouquet. The quality of this bouquet is intensely floral, yet light and aethereal, Musigny-like. Roses dominate, but the full spectrum from buddleia to boronia is there, exquisite. Palate is not quite so good, not the palate weight of the Grands-Echezeaux, red fruits more than black, not as complex as the Clos Vougeot, yet as rich – just. People for whom florals are waffle will not rate this wine as highly as I do (this is a contradiction in terms, for pinot noir, but there are such people). The Grands-Echezeaux is certainly much richer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/07
Pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the wines. This is the kind of pinot that all too easily escapes notice, if tasters proceed immediately to a mouthful, without teasing out the wonderful floral complexities of the bouquet. The quality of this bouquet is intensely floral, yet light and aethereal, Musigny-like. Roses dominate, but the full spectrum from buddleia to boronia is there, exquisite. Palate is not quite so good, not the palate weight of the Grands-Echezeaux, red fruits more than black, not as complex as the Clos Vougeot, yet as rich – just. People for whom florals are waffle will not rate this wine as highly as I do (this is a contradiction in terms, for pinot noir, but there are such people). The Grands-Echezeaux is certainly much richer. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, all de-stemmed, c. 10 day cuvaison, MLF in barrel, 16 months in French & American oak 40% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Bullnose, in the middle for depth. And in every respect but one, this wine is almost modelled on Bullnose: wonderful florals from roses to violets, crisp cassis and some plum, subtle oak aromatics. On palate, these components meld into a flavoursome crisp young wine with beautiful cassis berry, all slightly acid. Where it departs from Bullnose is in the weight of fruit, this wine pulling up a bit short against the velvet of the other. But it is still lovely syrah, explicitly varietal, which once it has softened for three years or so, will give much pleasure. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Bullnose, in the middle for depth. And in every respect but one, this wine is almost modelled on Bullnose: wonderful florals from roses to violets, crisp cassis and some plum, subtle oak aromatics. On palate, these components meld into a flavoursome crisp young wine with beautiful cassis berry, all slightly acid. Where it departs from Bullnose is in the weight of fruit, this wine pulling up a bit short against the velvet of the other. But it is still lovely syrah, explicitly varietal, which once it has softened for three years or so, will give much pleasure. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $36 [ cork; wine of No 1 Family Estate = Daniel & Adele Le Brun; Ch 100%, 2 years sur lie. ]
Pale straw, a suggestion of lemon. Bouquet is very clean, clearly autolysed, slightly citric, youthful. Palate shows an attractive blanc de blancs style, rich yet not fruity, with baguette autolysis lingering attractively. A cleaner wine than the nv Bollinger magnum, but not as rich, flavoursome and dramatic. Richer and drier than the nv Laurent Perrier, but perfectly comparable with either of them. Good stuff. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 08/05
Pale straw, a suggestion of lemon. Bouquet is very clean, clearly autolysed, slightly citric, youthful. Palate shows an attractive blanc de blancs style, rich yet not fruity, with baguette autolysis lingering attractively. A cleaner wine than the nv Bollinger magnum, but not as rich, flavoursome and dramatic. Richer and drier than the nv Laurent Perrier, but perfectly comparable with either of them. Good stuff. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 08/05
Calatayud DdO, Spain: 14%; $20 [ 1 + 1 cork; vines 40 – 100 years old; Bodegas y Vinedos del Jalon ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Red fruits with slight cinnamon spice make this attractive on bouquet, fruity but not quite as juicy as the Codice. Palate is more juicy, again in a roto-fermenter or similar style, firmed with oak which seems American, so rich and fruity the wine seems not quite bone dry in its spicy plumminess, but it is dry. Finish includes some furry cinnamon. This is good modern grenache, which should cellar for 10 – 15 years even though it is made for much more instant gratification. GK 03/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Red fruits with slight cinnamon spice make this attractive on bouquet, fruity but not quite as juicy as the Codice. Palate is more juicy, again in a roto-fermenter or similar style, firmed with oak which seems American, so rich and fruity the wine seems not quite bone dry in its spicy plumminess, but it is dry. Finish includes some furry cinnamon. This is good modern grenache, which should cellar for 10 – 15 years even though it is made for much more instant gratification. GK 03/06
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 15%; $64 [ cork; DFB; Footprint is the Reserve, winemaker Ben Riggs; 2004 highly rated in McLaren Vale; cropped @ 2 t/ac; partial BF, 20 months in predominantly new French and some US oak; RS 2.5 g/L; 350 cases; Parker 161: " … sensational … a gorgeous bouquet of blackberries, blueberries, graphite, and sweet vanillin. Young and backward yet remarkably pure, rich, full-bodied, and well-balanced … cellar 10-15 years. 93 – 95"; www.pennyshill.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet, older than most. Bouquet is rich, but a bit leathery / pruney and bretty / spirity and old-fashioned in this company. Palate is very rich, dry, with boysenberry and plum / prune fruit, the US oak component seeming to dominate the French, and VA higher than some. Flavours linger well in mouth, in its more traditional approach. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Dense ruby and velvet, older than most. Bouquet is rich, but a bit leathery / pruney and bretty / spirity and old-fashioned in this company. Palate is very rich, dry, with boysenberry and plum / prune fruit, the US oak component seeming to dominate the French, and VA higher than some. Flavours linger well in mouth, in its more traditional approach. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; mostly whole-bunch pressed; a percentage some skin contact, 100% BF in older French hogsheads (none younger than 3 years old); lees autolysis and batonnage in barrel for up to 6 months, 20% MLF; RS 1.5 g/L; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Bright light lemon. Bouquet is clean, fragrant, but tending understated. As with several other of the well-marked wines here, there is a certain element of hedonism, risk and indulgence needed to transform technically correct viognier into breath-takingly beautiful wine – as the Cuilleron best demonstrates in this batch (and the Church Road emulates). Palate opens the Vidal out beautifully, the fruit a notch riper, the TA a little lower than many, with pale stone fruits and fresh apricots extended into a pleasing mouthfeel via barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis, and a wonderfully thoughtful percentage of MLF. This is a great wine to define viognier in a blind tasting, or as a sighter wine maybe, in the sense that anything better than this is really exciting. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Bright light lemon. Bouquet is clean, fragrant, but tending understated. As with several other of the well-marked wines here, there is a certain element of hedonism, risk and indulgence needed to transform technically correct viognier into breath-takingly beautiful wine – as the Cuilleron best demonstrates in this batch (and the Church Road emulates). Palate opens the Vidal out beautifully, the fruit a notch riper, the TA a little lower than many, with pale stone fruits and fresh apricots extended into a pleasing mouthfeel via barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis, and a wonderfully thoughtful percentage of MLF. This is a great wine to define viognier in a blind tasting, or as a sighter wine maybe, in the sense that anything better than this is really exciting. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 07/07
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14.5%; $21 [ screwcap; TW is Tietjen & Witters, two noted Gisborne growers now with their own wine; 85% BF in 'mature' French oak, balance s/s; 30% wild yeast ferments; plus 4 months LA & batonnage, MLF not revealed; pH 3.7, RS 3.5 g/L; www.twwines.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is lovely, clearcut fresh Otago apricots with that aromatic edge Otago fruit shows, subtle oak including perhaps a barrel-ferment component, and VA nearly invisible. Together with a subtle honeysuckle floral component, this is a great step forward for this label. Palate doesn't follow up quite so well, but the fruit richness is marvellous, one of the best viognier palate weights so far seen in New Zealand. The interaction between fruit, oak and residual sugar is a little awkward at this early stage, but the varietal character is excellent, and long on the rich but slightly phenolic aftertaste. The residual sugar balances that well. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 05/07
Lemon. Bouquet is lovely, clearcut fresh Otago apricots with that aromatic edge Otago fruit shows, subtle oak including perhaps a barrel-ferment component, and VA nearly invisible. Together with a subtle honeysuckle floral component, this is a great step forward for this label. Palate doesn't follow up quite so well, but the fruit richness is marvellous, one of the best viognier palate weights so far seen in New Zealand. The interaction between fruit, oak and residual sugar is a little awkward at this early stage, but the varietal character is excellent, and long on the rich but slightly phenolic aftertaste. The residual sugar balances that well. Cellar 2 – 4 years. GK 05/07
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12%; $25 [ cork; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Elegant pale lemongreen. This is a more interesting bouquet than the average I have found in McCallum's sauvignons, clearly varietal, a wine in which I would have sworn there was a percentage of barrel ferment component, on ripest fruit. Not so, apparently – all stainless-steel. So I wonder how it achieved the resiny complexity ? Perhaps there is an appropriate element of high solids fermentation, tip-toeing towards the extreme position Seresin takes on this matter, and perhaps there is an element of sur lie complexity in tank, cleverly taken to just short of being reductive, so there is a hint of minerality. Whatever, it is an interesting wine. Palate is bone dry in the European Graves style, good body, no green edges, firm acid, and it will I suspect cellar surprisingly well. Very youthful now, but it may emerge as Dry River’s best sauvignon yet, a wine a little outside the Kiwi norm – though the experimenting into alternative sauvignon styles currently underway in New Zealand is exciting to behold. Cellar to 5 years at least, perhaps longer. GK 08/05
Elegant pale lemongreen. This is a more interesting bouquet than the average I have found in McCallum's sauvignons, clearly varietal, a wine in which I would have sworn there was a percentage of barrel ferment component, on ripest fruit. Not so, apparently – all stainless-steel. So I wonder how it achieved the resiny complexity ? Perhaps there is an appropriate element of high solids fermentation, tip-toeing towards the extreme position Seresin takes on this matter, and perhaps there is an element of sur lie complexity in tank, cleverly taken to just short of being reductive, so there is a hint of minerality. Whatever, it is an interesting wine. Palate is bone dry in the European Graves style, good body, no green edges, firm acid, and it will I suspect cellar surprisingly well. Very youthful now, but it may emerge as Dry River’s best sauvignon yet, a wine a little outside the Kiwi norm – though the experimenting into alternative sauvignon styles currently underway in New Zealand is exciting to behold. Cellar to 5 years at least, perhaps longer. GK 08/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ cork; CS 50%, Me 25, CF 25, hand-picked from 10 year old vines; cuvaison approx 28 days; 18 months in French oak c.60% new, RS <2 g/L, all unfermentable; Robinson: 17; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, below midway in the middle third, for depth of colour. Bouquet is elegant cassis and potentially cedary oak, the oak a little noticeable, but the whole winestyle delightfully tilted to the Medoc. Flavours are attractive, the cassis growing in size, obviously high cabernet but elegant ripeness all the same. The consistency of style in these Helmsmans is a treat, this being a lighter wine than the 2010, but the ratio of oak is pro rata. Winemaker Tony Bish has found oak works for him in comparative tastings, the British being no less susceptible / prone to endorse somewhat elevated oak levels as are New Zealanders. Nonetheless the whole approach would find greater elegance with a little less, and would work better with food. We have too many oaky wines in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, below midway in the middle third, for depth of colour. Bouquet is elegant cassis and potentially cedary oak, the oak a little noticeable, but the whole winestyle delightfully tilted to the Medoc. Flavours are attractive, the cassis growing in size, obviously high cabernet but elegant ripeness all the same. The consistency of style in these Helmsmans is a treat, this being a lighter wine than the 2010, but the ratio of oak is pro rata. Winemaker Tony Bish has found oak works for him in comparative tastings, the British being no less susceptible / prone to endorse somewhat elevated oak levels as are New Zealanders. Nonetheless the whole approach would find greater elegance with a little less, and would work better with food. We have too many oaky wines in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 12.5%; $33 [ screwcap; www.yalumba.com ]
Elegant lemon, outstanding for 2002. Bouquet is big and clean and strong, clearcut terpene-y Australian riesling, with excellent hoppy and floral components as well. The aromatic resins are more hops than kero at this stage, except for tasters of a more Germanic riesling disposition who may not like such a bold style. Palate is full of flavour, closer to bone dry than most South Australian rieslings, though firm acid makes the residual hard to estimate. This will cellar for 10 – 15 years, becoming at the same time bolder and mellower as the years go by. A classic Australian wine. GK 09/05
Elegant lemon, outstanding for 2002. Bouquet is big and clean and strong, clearcut terpene-y Australian riesling, with excellent hoppy and floral components as well. The aromatic resins are more hops than kero at this stage, except for tasters of a more Germanic riesling disposition who may not like such a bold style. Palate is full of flavour, closer to bone dry than most South Australian rieslings, though firm acid makes the residual hard to estimate. This will cellar for 10 – 15 years, becoming at the same time bolder and mellower as the years go by. A classic Australian wine. GK 09/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed with only the free-run (c. 550 L / tonne) used, 100% BF in French oak c. 35% new, wild and cultured yeasts, 70% MLF, less batonnage than recently; c. 10 months in oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon. A very clean fragrant (helped by alcohol fume) bouquet showing citric notes, white stonefruits, and light autolysis and hessian complexities, attractive, and char-free. Palate optimises the very rich stonefruits, the oak more restrained than in previous years (though still to a max), and the acid gentler too. The wine is softer in mouth than some vintages have been, yet it is still fresh and attractively balanced. Spirit though is still higher than is easily compatible with ultimate finesse. This is fine and very fruity big Hawkes Bay chardonnay, which should cellar 5 – 10 years. It is not as complex as the 2002 Morton Black Label, and is lighter and subtler than the equally fine but more charry 2002 Esk Reserve. GK 08/05
Elegant lemon. A very clean fragrant (helped by alcohol fume) bouquet showing citric notes, white stonefruits, and light autolysis and hessian complexities, attractive, and char-free. Palate optimises the very rich stonefruits, the oak more restrained than in previous years (though still to a max), and the acid gentler too. The wine is softer in mouth than some vintages have been, yet it is still fresh and attractively balanced. Spirit though is still higher than is easily compatible with ultimate finesse. This is fine and very fruity big Hawkes Bay chardonnay, which should cellar 5 – 10 years. It is not as complex as the 2002 Morton Black Label, and is lighter and subtler than the equally fine but more charry 2002 Esk Reserve. GK 08/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ ProCork; CS 55%, Me 30, Ma 15; machine harvested; tail-end BF in 100% new oak 70% French, 30 US; followed by c. 18 months in barrel; earlier reviews on this website; www.cjpask.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet and carmine. Bouquet is rich, ripe and fragrant, with suggestions of oak-tinged violets on obvious cassis berry and dark bottled plums. Palate shows lovely flavours again in the dark bottled plums sector, some dark tobacco, but all a little cedary / oaky for the weight of fruit, and thus finishing on cedar rather than berry. In the context of the wines here, one is reminded of a Jancis Robinson term – the Pask is fresh and refreshing, despite the excess oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 04/07
Ruby, some velvet and carmine. Bouquet is rich, ripe and fragrant, with suggestions of oak-tinged violets on obvious cassis berry and dark bottled plums. Palate shows lovely flavours again in the dark bottled plums sector, some dark tobacco, but all a little cedary / oaky for the weight of fruit, and thus finishing on cedar rather than berry. In the context of the wines here, one is reminded of a Jancis Robinson term – the Pask is fresh and refreshing, despite the excess oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 04/07
Mendocino County, California, U.S.A.: 15.5%; $ – [ cork; c. US$60; 210 km NNW San Francisco; Sy 90%, CS 10; c. 300 cases; website: "However, the most important lesson Ed taught Les was to trust his palate; labs can be helpful, but they will not teach anyone how to make great wine"; no info on individual labels on website; not fined or filtered; Parker 162: "a sensational perfume of mountain-grown black raspberries, blueberries, and flowers … wonderful structure and definition … concentrated, sweet jammy fruit and abundant glycerin … 10-12 years. 94"; www.behrensandhitchcock.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a little carmine, around midway in depth. This wine too was consistent from freshly opened to well aerated, showing attractive dark bottled plums fruit, with some aromatic complexities suggesting cracked peppercorns. Palate is rich, a suggestion of balsam-like aromatics on succulent cassis and dark plum, firmed but not dominated by good oak. Like the la Collina, there are suggestions of mixed ripeness, a hint of stalks, a thought of raisins. Alcohol is obtrusive though, being described by one winemaker as 'slippery' in texture. The alcohol may have concealed a little complexing VA too, but this is exciting Californian syrah, not too over-ripe. Tasters rated this the most-favoured wine in the younger flight, at the unbreathed stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Ruby and velvet, a little carmine, around midway in depth. This wine too was consistent from freshly opened to well aerated, showing attractive dark bottled plums fruit, with some aromatic complexities suggesting cracked peppercorns. Palate is rich, a suggestion of balsam-like aromatics on succulent cassis and dark plum, firmed but not dominated by good oak. Like the la Collina, there are suggestions of mixed ripeness, a hint of stalks, a thought of raisins. Alcohol is obtrusive though, being described by one winemaker as 'slippery' in texture. The alcohol may have concealed a little complexing VA too, but this is exciting Californian syrah, not too over-ripe. Tasters rated this the most-favoured wine in the younger flight, at the unbreathed stage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/07
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ cork; BF, MLF, and 9 months LA in new and 1-year French oak; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Deep lemon. A big clean ripe yellow peachflesh and oak chardonnay, with a lot of oak, barrel ferment and lees autolysis winemaking input. Palate is richly textured, oaky but not as oaky as feared from bouquet, attractive spreading flavours, and an attractive button mushrooms on buttered toast aftertaste. This wine is surprisingly fresh and youthful, and should cellar well 3 – 8 years. GK 06/05
Deep lemon. A big clean ripe yellow peachflesh and oak chardonnay, with a lot of oak, barrel ferment and lees autolysis winemaking input. Palate is richly textured, oaky but not as oaky as feared from bouquet, attractive spreading flavours, and an attractive button mushrooms on buttered toast aftertaste. This wine is surprisingly fresh and youthful, and should cellar well 3 – 8 years. GK 06/05
Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $27 [ cork; Sy 48, Gr 35, Mv 17; 14 months in old French oak; www.pikeswines.com.au ]
Ruby, some velvet. A sweet ripe berry-rich Aussie GSM, with a mint level which is perilously close to being euc’y. Palate reveals rich ripe fruit of considerable depth, the raspberry of grenache filled out by boysenberry and darker fruits of shiraz and mourvedre. If there were not so much mint, there might be some cinnamon too. The whole palate reminds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but Australian-accented. This is fine wine, if the mint is accepted. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/05
Ruby, some velvet. A sweet ripe berry-rich Aussie GSM, with a mint level which is perilously close to being euc’y. Palate reveals rich ripe fruit of considerable depth, the raspberry of grenache filled out by boysenberry and darker fruits of shiraz and mourvedre. If there were not so much mint, there might be some cinnamon too. The whole palate reminds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but Australian-accented. This is fine wine, if the mint is accepted. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/05
Pernand-Vergelesses Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $194 [ cork; village info courtesy Raymond Chan; hand-harvested; (guideline) BF, LA, MLF in 30% new French oak; no specific info [then] on website; www.louisjadot.com ]
Straw more than lemon. Bouquet is bigger and more mealy on this wine, with rich fruit (though with a touch of VA, and showing even a hint of pineapple, subtle enough to be positive) and some complexities, all adding up to big white burgundy. Palate is slightly acid, the stonefruits quite rich, and the barrel ferment and lees autolysis flavours still subdued, awaiting development. This is rich wine which should cellar for 5 – 12 years, but will not be the subtlest of styles. GK 07/05
Straw more than lemon. Bouquet is bigger and more mealy on this wine, with rich fruit (though with a touch of VA, and showing even a hint of pineapple, subtle enough to be positive) and some complexities, all adding up to big white burgundy. Palate is slightly acid, the stonefruits quite rich, and the barrel ferment and lees autolysis flavours still subdued, awaiting development. This is rich wine which should cellar for 5 – 12 years, but will not be the subtlest of styles. GK 07/05
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia: 13.5%; $27 [ screwcap; website doesn’t respond [then]; www.yering.com ]
Elegant lemon, again a better colour than the Kiwis in this batch. This is an understated wine, smelling and tasting as if a small percentage of the wine had full barrel ferment and lees autolysis in charry barrels like the d’Arenberg, and that was blended with a stainless steel portion. Nett result is an attractive light yet rich chardonnay, similar to the Longbush Un-Oaked one, but with a clear barrel ferment component. And these Aussie premium chardonnays are beautifully dry. Should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Elegant lemon, again a better colour than the Kiwis in this batch. This is an understated wine, smelling and tasting as if a small percentage of the wine had full barrel ferment and lees autolysis in charry barrels like the d’Arenberg, and that was blended with a stainless steel portion. Nett result is an attractive light yet rich chardonnay, similar to the Longbush Un-Oaked one, but with a clear barrel ferment component. And these Aussie premium chardonnays are beautifully dry. Should cellar well for 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $36 [ cork; vines up to 80 years age, un-irrigated; matured in new, 1-year and 2-year American oak for 20 months; www.sthallett.com.au ]
Magnificent dense ruby, carmine and velvet. This is huge Barossa Valley shiraz, from a year cool enough for the wine not to be infested with euc. There is very rich berry including blueberry and boysenberry, fundamentally still too ripe for syrah florals and cracked black pepper, but they are nearly there. Flavour does show hints of black pepper and spice complexity, and the oak is now more apparent in rich black plummy and sweet boysenberry fruit of great weight. This will marry up and blossom in cellar for 10 – 20 years, and will display some of the best facets of South Australian shiraz in a favourable year. GK 08/05
Magnificent dense ruby, carmine and velvet. This is huge Barossa Valley shiraz, from a year cool enough for the wine not to be infested with euc. There is very rich berry including blueberry and boysenberry, fundamentally still too ripe for syrah florals and cracked black pepper, but they are nearly there. Flavour does show hints of black pepper and spice complexity, and the oak is now more apparent in rich black plummy and sweet boysenberry fruit of great weight. This will marry up and blossom in cellar for 10 – 20 years, and will display some of the best facets of South Australian shiraz in a favourable year. GK 08/05
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ screwcap; solely clone 95; hand-picked; BF & LA in French oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Superb fresh lemon. Bouquet is immediately rich chardonnay, with some charry complexity, mixed white and yellow stone fruits, a hint of lanolin, and suggestions of barrel ferment and lees autolysis. Palate has the tactile richness of fine chardonnay, beautiful acid balance, the oak marrying in attractively, potential mealiness, still on the youthful side of full flowering. Could be marked gold medal. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Superb fresh lemon. Bouquet is immediately rich chardonnay, with some charry complexity, mixed white and yellow stone fruits, a hint of lanolin, and suggestions of barrel ferment and lees autolysis. Palate has the tactile richness of fine chardonnay, beautiful acid balance, the oak marrying in attractively, potential mealiness, still on the youthful side of full flowering. Could be marked gold medal. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/05
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13.5%; $18 [ screwcap; no info [then] on website; www.gisbornewinecompany.co.nz ]
Straw, advanced for its age. A fragrant and ripe expression of chardonnay, ripened to the golden queen peaches stage, some fine glacé figs, and subtle barrel ferment, lees autolysis, and MLF complexities. Palate is fruit-dominated, oak in balance, not as bone dry as good French or Australian chardonnay, but certainly commercially ‘dry’. Not as rich as the Reserve wine, but less complicated, more accessible, more-ish. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 07/05
Straw, advanced for its age. A fragrant and ripe expression of chardonnay, ripened to the golden queen peaches stage, some fine glacé figs, and subtle barrel ferment, lees autolysis, and MLF complexities. Palate is fruit-dominated, oak in balance, not as bone dry as good French or Australian chardonnay, but certainly commercially ‘dry’. Not as rich as the Reserve wine, but less complicated, more accessible, more-ish. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 07/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ cork; no info [then] on website; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Lemon straw. A more subdued bouquet than the Swamp Road, but again in an attractive golden queen peaches, barrel ferment and lees autolysis approach, with suggestions of baguette crust on the fruit. Palate is ripe and rich, not as succulent as the Swamp Road, and more acid and youthful. The French oak is still tending hessian and unintegrated, but is light in comparison, and should ultimately make a subtler wine than the Swamp Road. In a year’s time, this will be attractively integrated into a classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay. It will cellar for 3 – 10 years. GK 06/05
Lemon straw. A more subdued bouquet than the Swamp Road, but again in an attractive golden queen peaches, barrel ferment and lees autolysis approach, with suggestions of baguette crust on the fruit. Palate is ripe and rich, not as succulent as the Swamp Road, and more acid and youthful. The French oak is still tending hessian and unintegrated, but is light in comparison, and should ultimately make a subtler wine than the Swamp Road. In a year’s time, this will be attractively integrated into a classic Hawkes Bay chardonnay. It will cellar for 3 – 10 years. GK 06/05
Gisborne, New Zealand: 13.5%; $48 [ cork; the new Gisborne winery of Nick Nobilo ]
Lemon straw. The simplest way of describing this wine is, as a flawed masterpiece. It therefore probably falls into the love or hate category, not least because of the risks taken in creating it. Freshly opened, it is a little reductive and heavy, but breathed, the good part of the bouquet is sensationally rich, chock-full of wild-ginger blossom, lychee, citronella, and fresh and dried apricots. There could well be a barrel-ferment component in this bouquet. In its depth of character and weight, coupled with relative dryness, it is almost without parallel in New Zealand so far (since 1976, apart from certain Matawheros, the 2004 Stonecroft Old Vines, and selected Dry River wines (though they tend to be sweeter). The more obvious comparison is with Alsace. In its weight / heaviness however there is a worry bespeaking a high solids ferment component, which takes the shine off it now, and may trip the wine up, further down the track. Palate is as concentrated as the bouquet suggests, sensational varietal definition and spice, nearly oily in texture, dry or nearly so (it is hard to tell at this concentration). The wine is forward for its age, and tending slightly phenolic to the finish, so it is probably not a good long-term cellar proposition. Many people feel gewurztraminer is at its best in its first seven years or so, which would suit this remarkable wine. Stylewise, this wine is to New Zealand gewurztraminer as the 2004 Dog Point Section 94 is to mainstream Marlborough sauvignon. For those who don't much smell their wines, or always decant them, the Vinoptima will be rated very highly on that wonderfully concentrated underlying varietal character. Some fine tuning and increased finesse is needed to optimise future vintages, though, if the Vinoptima is to match good modern (as opposed to traditional) Alsace examples of the variety. Cellar 3 – 8 years, though it will coarsen later. GK 04/05
Lemon straw. The simplest way of describing this wine is, as a flawed masterpiece. It therefore probably falls into the love or hate category, not least because of the risks taken in creating it. Freshly opened, it is a little reductive and heavy, but breathed, the good part of the bouquet is sensationally rich, chock-full of wild-ginger blossom, lychee, citronella, and fresh and dried apricots. There could well be a barrel-ferment component in this bouquet. In its depth of character and weight, coupled with relative dryness, it is almost without parallel in New Zealand so far (since 1976, apart from certain Matawheros, the 2004 Stonecroft Old Vines, and selected Dry River wines (though they tend to be sweeter). The more obvious comparison is with Alsace. In its weight / heaviness however there is a worry bespeaking a high solids ferment component, which takes the shine off it now, and may trip the wine up, further down the track. Palate is as concentrated as the bouquet suggests, sensational varietal definition and spice, nearly oily in texture, dry or nearly so (it is hard to tell at this concentration). The wine is forward for its age, and tending slightly phenolic to the finish, so it is probably not a good long-term cellar proposition. Many people feel gewurztraminer is at its best in its first seven years or so, which would suit this remarkable wine. Stylewise, this wine is to New Zealand gewurztraminer as the 2004 Dog Point Section 94 is to mainstream Marlborough sauvignon. For those who don't much smell their wines, or always decant them, the Vinoptima will be rated very highly on that wonderfully concentrated underlying varietal character. Some fine tuning and increased finesse is needed to optimise future vintages, though, if the Vinoptima is to match good modern (as opposed to traditional) Alsace examples of the variety. Cellar 3 – 8 years, though it will coarsen later. GK 04/05
Bendigo district, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; a mix of clones cropped @ c. 4.5 t/ha (1.8 t/ac); no whole-bunch, long cold soaking, wild yeast ferments, c. 24 days total cuvaison; MLF and more than 12 months in all-French hogsheads at least 35% new; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Lightish pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest, very French in hue. The quantum of florality in the bouquet of this wine is sensational, sweeping all before it in one's first run through the bouquets. It is a lighter kind of florality, though, more buddleia and roses than violets and boronia, intriguing. Then on tasting the degree of flesh apparent on the tongue is a delight, the fruit all totally in the red-fruits spectrum, red cherry, even a hint of strawberry and raspberry. Oak is again near-invisible, yet nonetheless totally integral to the palate structure, beautifully done. Along with # 5 in the blind tasting (the Martinborough), one could only think: this is what the Volnay should have shown. Cellar 2 – 6 years. An almost ethereal wine, not showing 'typical' Otago characters at all. But then, nor do the Mt Difficulty Individual Vineyard wines. GK 09/13
Lightish pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest, very French in hue. The quantum of florality in the bouquet of this wine is sensational, sweeping all before it in one's first run through the bouquets. It is a lighter kind of florality, though, more buddleia and roses than violets and boronia, intriguing. Then on tasting the degree of flesh apparent on the tongue is a delight, the fruit all totally in the red-fruits spectrum, red cherry, even a hint of strawberry and raspberry. Oak is again near-invisible, yet nonetheless totally integral to the palate structure, beautifully done. Along with # 5 in the blind tasting (the Martinborough), one could only think: this is what the Volnay should have shown. Cellar 2 – 6 years. An almost ethereal wine, not showing 'typical' Otago characters at all. But then, nor do the Mt Difficulty Individual Vineyard wines. GK 09/13
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork 46mm; winemaking included barrel-fermentation and elevation in new to 4 year-old barrels, with 70% of the wine going through MLF; as a young wine it tasted unusually ripe, rich and well-balanced with respect to acid (for a Marlborough chardonnay), and without overt oak – so much so that it seemed essential to buy a case of it; https://lawsonsdryhills.co.nz ]
Pure light gold with a wash of lemon still, just a hint (ie no brown). Bouquet shows the exquisite clone mendoza golden queen peachy fruit / varietal character this wine has always had, complexed with sophisticated lees work in barrel. This is a chardonnay bouquet hinting at some Montrachet qualities. Palate has wonderful fruit, body and flavour for its age, attractively married-away oak, mealy and best-nougat lees-autolysis complexities, and crisp but not tiresome Marlborough acid. The wine is drying fractionally now, hence the score eased back a little from its earlier unequivocal gold-medal level, but it is still delightfully acceptable in a dinner / main course setting. This is one of the best chardonnays ever made in Marlborough … but it is time to finish it up now. Some of the bottles are now darker in hue than this (selected) one. GK 06/20
Pure light gold with a wash of lemon still, just a hint (ie no brown). Bouquet shows the exquisite clone mendoza golden queen peachy fruit / varietal character this wine has always had, complexed with sophisticated lees work in barrel. This is a chardonnay bouquet hinting at some Montrachet qualities. Palate has wonderful fruit, body and flavour for its age, attractively married-away oak, mealy and best-nougat lees-autolysis complexities, and crisp but not tiresome Marlborough acid. The wine is drying fractionally now, hence the score eased back a little from its earlier unequivocal gold-medal level, but it is still delightfully acceptable in a dinner / main course setting. This is one of the best chardonnays ever made in Marlborough … but it is time to finish it up now. Some of the bottles are now darker in hue than this (selected) one. GK 06/20
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-picked @ 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac), all de-stemmed; up to 42 days cuvaison; MLF and 17 months in high-quality 36 months air-dried French oak 50% new; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest syrahs. Bouquet shows ripe dark fruits, black pepper and more apparent oak than the top wines, without quite the degree of florality which takes those two wines so close to Cote Rotie. Palate shows a faint streak of something seaweedy, which once one thinks of it, one can trace it back into the bouquet, just taking the shine off this wine slightly. Fruit weight is good medium cassis and dark plums, with a firmer finish on the oak. The wine may just be in an awkward phase – syrah does blossom in its third or fourth year in bottle. [ Unfortunately I overlooked collecting the 2011 Villa Maria Syrah Cellar Selection, which might be less oaky.] Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, one of the deepest syrahs. Bouquet shows ripe dark fruits, black pepper and more apparent oak than the top wines, without quite the degree of florality which takes those two wines so close to Cote Rotie. Palate shows a faint streak of something seaweedy, which once one thinks of it, one can trace it back into the bouquet, just taking the shine off this wine slightly. Fruit weight is good medium cassis and dark plums, with a firmer finish on the oak. The wine may just be in an awkward phase – syrah does blossom in its third or fourth year in bottle. [ Unfortunately I overlooked collecting the 2011 Villa Maria Syrah Cellar Selection, which might be less oaky.] Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ 18 months in oak; www.ngatarawa.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. A fragrant but understated bouquet in this tasting, showing ripe cassis, mixed red berries and plums in a restrained oak setting, and looking very Bordeaux-like. Palate is richer than expected, very pure, the cassis deepening beautifully, the oak continuing restrained. This is astonishingly Bordeaux-like, with just a whisper of leafy complexity. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. A fragrant but understated bouquet in this tasting, showing ripe cassis, mixed red berries and plums in a restrained oak setting, and looking very Bordeaux-like. Palate is richer than expected, very pure, the cassis deepening beautifully, the oak continuing restrained. This is astonishingly Bordeaux-like, with just a whisper of leafy complexity. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 05/04
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $769 [ cork; Sh 97%, CS 3; some barrel-ferment; 21 months in American hogsheads 100% new; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second freshest and fourth deepest of the colours. Bouquet here is inclining more to the strident style more typical of Grange: lots of berry (which does have some freshness I'll concede) but rather much oak and VA. In mouth, the American oak is getting coarse, the blueberry and boysenberry fruit still has some dark bottled plum connotations, and the famous Grange richness as well evident. The long aftertaste is oak, though, detracting somewhat. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second freshest and fourth deepest of the colours. Bouquet here is inclining more to the strident style more typical of Grange: lots of berry (which does have some freshness I'll concede) but rather much oak and VA. In mouth, the American oak is getting coarse, the blueberry and boysenberry fruit still has some dark bottled plum connotations, and the famous Grange richness as well evident. The long aftertaste is oak, though, detracting somewhat. Cellar 10 – 35 years. GK 07/13
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ Stelvin; [ 18 ]; www.lakechalice.com ]
Palest lemongreen. Clean fragrant infantile Marlborough sauvignon blanc, with the keynote red peppers, honeysuckle and bouquet garni complexity implicit. Palate is as clean as a whistle, beautifully balanced, judging dry, looking good. This race to release the first sauvignon of the vintage is not serving the interests of the consumer, or New Zealand wine. This could be a gold medal wine in 6 months, when it should be released. Should cellar for a number of years. GK 06/04
Palest lemongreen. Clean fragrant infantile Marlborough sauvignon blanc, with the keynote red peppers, honeysuckle and bouquet garni complexity implicit. Palate is as clean as a whistle, beautifully balanced, judging dry, looking good. This race to release the first sauvignon of the vintage is not serving the interests of the consumer, or New Zealand wine. This could be a gold medal wine in 6 months, when it should be released. Should cellar for a number of years. GK 06/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; CS 100% hand-harvested; 12 months in French oak some new; RS 3.5 g/L; www.cooperscreek.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper than the McDonald Merlot of the same year. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, clearly cassis and some dark plums, but not as concentrated as the top wines. In mouth, the palate is tending narrow, illustrating the perils of cabernet sauvignon on its own, and there is not quite the plumpness cabernet sauvignon needs to be compelling. But as an example of temperate-climate cabernet sauvignon alone it is pretty good. It is riper than the better-year 2010 Patriarch, for example. Oak handling here shows the restraint becoming more evident in the better New Zealand red wines generally. This is a very welcome development, which will help make the wines much more food-friendly. The winemaker refers to Bordeaux practice in the elevation of this wine, but retaining a little sugar to sweeten the finish would be unthinkable there. It is no doubt commercially successful at this level where only the sensitive pick it up, but it will be debatable, particularly in the claret winestyle. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little deeper than the McDonald Merlot of the same year. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, clearly cassis and some dark plums, but not as concentrated as the top wines. In mouth, the palate is tending narrow, illustrating the perils of cabernet sauvignon on its own, and there is not quite the plumpness cabernet sauvignon needs to be compelling. But as an example of temperate-climate cabernet sauvignon alone it is pretty good. It is riper than the better-year 2010 Patriarch, for example. Oak handling here shows the restraint becoming more evident in the better New Zealand red wines generally. This is a very welcome development, which will help make the wines much more food-friendly. The winemaker refers to Bordeaux practice in the elevation of this wine, but retaining a little sugar to sweeten the finish would be unthinkable there. It is no doubt commercially successful at this level where only the sensitive pick it up, but it will be debatable, particularly in the claret winestyle. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $50 [ CS dominant, Me, Ma approx thirds; partial BF for CS; 20 months in French and US oak, 100% new; www.cjpaskwinery.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This wine was not part of the 18 in the comparison, but cropped up later in the evening. In style it hints at McLaren Vale, softly berried, lush, and rich. Palate is vibrant black and red currants and other berryfruits, velvety, sweetly oaky, new world more than Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux in style, perhaps due to the percentage of American oak. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This wine was not part of the 18 in the comparison, but cropped up later in the evening. In style it hints at McLaren Vale, softly berried, lush, and rich. Palate is vibrant black and red currants and other berryfruits, velvety, sweetly oaky, new world more than Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux in style, perhaps due to the percentage of American oak. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand:: 13.5%; $45 [ Me, CS, Sy in % order; 50/50 French and US oak, 50% new, 20 months; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, youthful. This is a very restrained bouquet, smelling austere but not light, showing cassis and plums in a reserved Medoc style. Palate is intriguing, intensely cassisy with the syrah reinforcing the cabernet I suspect, so at this stage the merlot barely gets a look-in. Compared with some, this wine is reserved and slightly acid, but like the 1966 Bordeaux, I suspect it will cellar very well. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, youthful. This is a very restrained bouquet, smelling austere but not light, showing cassis and plums in a reserved Medoc style. Palate is intriguing, intensely cassisy with the syrah reinforcing the cabernet I suspect, so at this stage the merlot barely gets a look-in. Compared with some, this wine is reserved and slightly acid, but like the 1966 Bordeaux, I suspect it will cellar very well. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Esk Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.7%; $120 [ Ma 44%, Me 32, CF 24; new French oak 15 months; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Like the Brokenstone, this was one of the densest colours in the tasting, but in this case due to the rich pigments of malbec. Bouquet is out on a limb in this bracket, showing not only a pennyroyal mint hinting at euc, but also a blueberry-like fruit fragrance in the rich plummy cassis. Palate is very concentrated, lush but not flabby, the very different blueberry flavours of malbec dominating. There is a slightly monolithic quality to the splendid plumminess in this wine, when compared with the more floral, fragrant and complex Brokenstone. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Like the Brokenstone, this was one of the densest colours in the tasting, but in this case due to the rich pigments of malbec. Bouquet is out on a limb in this bracket, showing not only a pennyroyal mint hinting at euc, but also a blueberry-like fruit fragrance in the rich plummy cassis. Palate is very concentrated, lush but not flabby, the very different blueberry flavours of malbec dominating. There is a slightly monolithic quality to the splendid plumminess in this wine, when compared with the more floral, fragrant and complex Brokenstone. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 10/04
Bridge Pa Triangle 60% & Gimblett Gravels 40%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ cork; Me 76%, CS 24, hand-harvested @ c.6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac), inoculated ferments, cuvaison to about 3 weeks; 12 months in French oak 37% new; RS < 1 g/L; www.ngatarawa.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, lighter than the top two, older in hue than the McDonald Merlot. The Alwyn blend has not always lived up to the winemaker's aspirations for it, with some years characterised by under-ripeness / over-cropping, but here is an Alwyn more worthy of consideration for cellaring. Bouquet shows very ripe fruit, more plums than cassis like the same-year Tom, but the richness of bouquet is less. Palate confirms that, but the wine is still comparable with good cru bourgeois, and a worthwhile improvement on many predecessors. Most New Zealand reds won't be as rich as the phenomenal 2009 Tom. There is a freshness in this plummy and cedary slightly oaky palate which bespeaks a tobacco component, but you couldn't call it leafy. Attractive wine which will become food-friendly as it mellows. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ruby and velvet, lighter than the top two, older in hue than the McDonald Merlot. The Alwyn blend has not always lived up to the winemaker's aspirations for it, with some years characterised by under-ripeness / over-cropping, but here is an Alwyn more worthy of consideration for cellaring. Bouquet shows very ripe fruit, more plums than cassis like the same-year Tom, but the richness of bouquet is less. Palate confirms that, but the wine is still comparable with good cru bourgeois, and a worthwhile improvement on many predecessors. Most New Zealand reds won't be as rich as the phenomenal 2009 Tom. There is a freshness in this plummy and cedary slightly oaky palate which bespeaks a tobacco component, but you couldn't call it leafy. Attractive wine which will become food-friendly as it mellows. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $526 [ cork; PN 42%, Ch 32, PM 26; BF for primary fermentation, usually no MLF; en tirage c.10 years; website slow and lacking in real information; current vintage price in NZ c.$355; www.champagne-krug.com ]
The hue is clearly straw, yet the depth of colour development makes it not one of the darker wines, ending up below midway. Bouquet seems high pinot noir, with quite high oak at the blind stage, complexed with good Vogel's Mixed-grain autolysis. Palate is on the hard side, too much oak for subtlety, as is usual with this label, exacerbated by high total acid. It is however one of the richer wines. All these competing factors make it hard to estimate the dosage. It is sweeter than the Bollinger Grande Année, so perhaps 8 g/L or so. It is impressive rather than enjoyable wine, but it should cellar well. This is one of the wines where you can believe there is no MLF. GK 11/14
The hue is clearly straw, yet the depth of colour development makes it not one of the darker wines, ending up below midway. Bouquet seems high pinot noir, with quite high oak at the blind stage, complexed with good Vogel's Mixed-grain autolysis. Palate is on the hard side, too much oak for subtlety, as is usual with this label, exacerbated by high total acid. It is however one of the richer wines. All these competing factors make it hard to estimate the dosage. It is sweeter than the Bollinger Grande Année, so perhaps 8 g/L or so. It is impressive rather than enjoyable wine, but it should cellar well. This is one of the wines where you can believe there is no MLF. GK 11/14
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $33 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted, all de-stemmed; no cold soak, inoculated yeast, c.6 days warm-ferment in open-top oak and concrete vessels, up to 35 days cuvaison, controlled aeration; c.17 months in French oak c.42% new; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, quite deep. Freshly opened the oak shows rather much in this syrah, but giving it some air helps. It then shows ripe plummy fruit and subtle black pepper spice, with suggestions of greater ripeness than is ideal for florality. Palate is rich, darkly plummy, quite a lot of potentially cedary oak. Blind you would think it a 2009 wine, being hotter-climate in style. Many will rate this higher than me, on the ripeness and oak, but in this review I am rewarding varietal specificity. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Ruby and velvet, quite deep. Freshly opened the oak shows rather much in this syrah, but giving it some air helps. It then shows ripe plummy fruit and subtle black pepper spice, with suggestions of greater ripeness than is ideal for florality. Palate is rich, darkly plummy, quite a lot of potentially cedary oak. Blind you would think it a 2009 wine, being hotter-climate in style. Many will rate this higher than me, on the ripeness and oak, but in this review I am rewarding varietal specificity. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/13
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $26
Pale lemon. A beautiful mild 'sweet' chardonnay bouquet, showing great varietal character in an almost Chablis Grand Cru style, augmented by the subtlest oaking and sweetest lees autolysis imaginable. Palate follows perfectly, mouthfilling white stonefruits and hints of button mushrooms, mild, sustained, all in harmony. One could drink a lot of this. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 12/04
Pale lemon. A beautiful mild 'sweet' chardonnay bouquet, showing great varietal character in an almost Chablis Grand Cru style, augmented by the subtlest oaking and sweetest lees autolysis imaginable. Palate follows perfectly, mouthfilling white stonefruits and hints of button mushrooms, mild, sustained, all in harmony. One could drink a lot of this. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 12/04
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $42 [ MLF in barrel, 20 months in oak; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Rich dark cassis and blackish aromatic plum fruit is melding with smokey oak on bouquet, to produce a very fragrant Hawkes Bay blend. Flavours are plump cassis and complex plummy berry, aromatic and fragrant in a slightly oaky and new world style, attractive. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Rich dark cassis and blackish aromatic plum fruit is melding with smokey oak on bouquet, to produce a very fragrant Hawkes Bay blend. Flavours are plump cassis and complex plummy berry, aromatic and fragrant in a slightly oaky and new world style, attractive. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 05/04
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $21 [ screwcap; www.temata.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. A very ripe sweet sauvignon bouquet retaining some of the piquancy of red capsicum, but also introducing a riper spectrum of mango-like smells redolent of Hawkes Bay. Palate is fresh and firmly sauvignon. This could easily be a very ripe Marlborough wine taken up to the black passionfruit stage, but finishing slightly sweeter than the normal commercial dry, though still 'dry'. Versatile food wine. Cellar 3 – 5 years. [ 1/05: Feedback from the winemaker reveals this wine in fact analyses as nil fermentable sugar, so the fruit weight is outstanding. Model Hawkes Bay sauvignon.] GK 11/04
Pale lemon. A very ripe sweet sauvignon bouquet retaining some of the piquancy of red capsicum, but also introducing a riper spectrum of mango-like smells redolent of Hawkes Bay. Palate is fresh and firmly sauvignon. This could easily be a very ripe Marlborough wine taken up to the black passionfruit stage, but finishing slightly sweeter than the normal commercial dry, though still 'dry'. Versatile food wine. Cellar 3 – 5 years. [ 1/05: Feedback from the winemaker reveals this wine in fact analyses as nil fermentable sugar, so the fruit weight is outstanding. Model Hawkes Bay sauvignon.] GK 11/04
Bridge Pa Triangle 100%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ cork; Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; all de-stemmed, no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in mostly in open-top oak vessels (cuves), up to 5 weeks cuvaison, controlled aeration; c. 17 months in fine-grain French oak c.45% new; not fined or filtered; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the top quarter for depth. Colour suggests this wine has seen more oak than some of the 2010s, and bouquet and palate confirm that. Hidden in the soft oak is fragrant cassis and dark bottled plums, and even a suggestion of the warm chocolate so liked by modern commentators, but indicative of sur-maturité and more toasty oak than is classical. Palate is soft rich and ample, some black pepper now, possibly trace brett adding savoury complexity. This is a warm food-friendly more European interpretation of syrah, alongside the squeaky-clean Villa Reserve, for example. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, in the top quarter for depth. Colour suggests this wine has seen more oak than some of the 2010s, and bouquet and palate confirm that. Hidden in the soft oak is fragrant cassis and dark bottled plums, and even a suggestion of the warm chocolate so liked by modern commentators, but indicative of sur-maturité and more toasty oak than is classical. Palate is soft rich and ample, some black pepper now, possibly trace brett adding savoury complexity. This is a warm food-friendly more European interpretation of syrah, alongside the squeaky-clean Villa Reserve, for example. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 4 days cold-soak, some wild yeast BF via the Integrale hogshead system, c.25 days cuvaison; 15 months in puncheons 63% new; no fining, light filtration only; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just a little below midway in depth among the syrahs. How different the Elspeth wines are nowadays ! The first impression here is of wonderful warm floral dusky rose aromas on ripe plummy fruit, a quality which could as easily be a fine year of Ch Palmer as a soft Cote Rotie. Flavours in mouth are more petite than the bouquet promises, clearcut cassis, fragrant oak, some sweet black pepper. It does not have quite the body of the top four wines, but is still beautiful wine good for cellaring 3 – 10 years. This wine too is pointing to Cote Rotie. GK 06/12
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just a little below midway in depth among the syrahs. How different the Elspeth wines are nowadays ! The first impression here is of wonderful warm floral dusky rose aromas on ripe plummy fruit, a quality which could as easily be a fine year of Ch Palmer as a soft Cote Rotie. Flavours in mouth are more petite than the bouquet promises, clearcut cassis, fragrant oak, some sweet black pepper. It does not have quite the body of the top four wines, but is still beautiful wine good for cellaring 3 – 10 years. This wine too is pointing to Cote Rotie. GK 06/12
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $22 [ screwcap; www.craggyrange.com ]
Greenish water-white. Bouquet on this Craggy sauvignon is more subdued and milder than the Avery wine, showing ripest capsicum, nectarine and black passionfruit, plus a mineral quality one could interpret as faintest armpit. Palate is less affected by lees autolysis and other winemaker inputs than the Avery, and pure, rich, reddest capsicum and black passionfruit ripe sauvignon comes through, with fresh citric flavours, and an interesting flintiness balanced by a sweeter 'dry' finish than some. This is lovely wine which should cellar well, 5 – 10 years. GK 09/04
Greenish water-white. Bouquet on this Craggy sauvignon is more subdued and milder than the Avery wine, showing ripest capsicum, nectarine and black passionfruit, plus a mineral quality one could interpret as faintest armpit. Palate is less affected by lees autolysis and other winemaker inputs than the Avery, and pure, rich, reddest capsicum and black passionfruit ripe sauvignon comes through, with fresh citric flavours, and an interesting flintiness balanced by a sweeter 'dry' finish than some. This is lovely wine which should cellar well, 5 – 10 years. GK 09/04
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $18 [ screwcap; Me 97%, CF 3, machine-harvested; 12 months in 80% French oak, balance American, 5% new; this label the most affordable of three Me-dominant wines at Red Metal; www.redmetalvineyards.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the top third for concentration. Bouquet is both floral and fragrant, underlain by bottled black doris plums, and complexed by vanillin and (and at this stage) slightly hessian oak. In mouth the flavours carry on from the bouquet, concentration is not up with the better 2013s, but the wine will be highly interesting. Cabernet franc is giving quite a lift to the rounder merlot [ or so it seemed blind, but 3% unlikely to be responsible ], exactly as we see in the fabled Cheval Blanc. Oaking is delightfully subtle. This is richer than many Red Metal wines have been. It will become a distinctive and interesting Hawkes Bay blend, highlighting the potential for East Bank-styled blends in the district, as well. Must be the best price / quality wine in the Expo. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the top third for concentration. Bouquet is both floral and fragrant, underlain by bottled black doris plums, and complexed by vanillin and (and at this stage) slightly hessian oak. In mouth the flavours carry on from the bouquet, concentration is not up with the better 2013s, but the wine will be highly interesting. Cabernet franc is giving quite a lift to the rounder merlot [ or so it seemed blind, but 3% unlikely to be responsible ], exactly as we see in the fabled Cheval Blanc. Oaking is delightfully subtle. This is richer than many Red Metal wines have been. It will become a distinctive and interesting Hawkes Bay blend, highlighting the potential for East Bank-styled blends in the district, as well. Must be the best price / quality wine in the Expo. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 06/14
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ cork 50mm, ullage 12mm; CS 65%, Me 30, CF 5, cropped at nearer 10 t/ha = 4 t/ac in 1987, yet no need for chaptalising, an extraordinary year with both ripeness and volume, clearly the best in the 1980s, says Kim Goldwater; 15 months in all-French barriques, 50% new; GK, 1989: This other Waiheke challenger to Hawkes Bay is velvety carmine/ruby in colour, slightly less intense than the Stonyridge as befits its extra year in oak. Once breathed, the whole wine is firmer and more aromatic than the Stonyridge, richer and riper in fruit than the Villa Reserve, and weightier but less immaculate than the Awatea. It places more emphasis on vinosity, and less on purity of bouquet and flavour. It is in some ways therefore closer to young Bordeaux in style, and like them benefits from a splashy decanting. This is clearly the richest and ripest Goldwater red so far. With its firm tannins and good acid, it has long cellar potential, and will provide many interesting comparisons with the other top ‘87s, *****; not entered in Shows; weight bottle and closure: 540 g; http://goldieestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, a little lighter but no older in hue than the Stonyridge, just below midway in depth. This was the understated wine in the tasting, there being a delicacy of both berry and oak which meant it was easily under-estimated. On closer examination however, when you compare it against the more outspoken Villa Maria Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve also from Auckland, you gradually realise that the Waiheke wine in its gentle way is not only riper, and with a much better acid balance, but also nearly as rich. The Goldwater is conspicuously not as rich as the Stonyridge, however, and that accords with the winemakers’ recollections for the cropping rate for each. This is a wine that wins high points on its harmony and gentleness, not features we are well attuned to in New Zealand reds, being so influenced by Australian red wines and winemakers, habituated as they are to tartaric acid addition. Like the Stonyridge, it has bordeaux-like qualities. 1987 Goldwater Cabernet / Merlot / Franc cellared in Wellington is also now at the far side of its plateau of maturity, but in a food context it will still give much pleasure. No first places, two second favourite votes. Some tasters thought it too understated, three least places. In the 2002 tasting, this wine is written up similarly as to winestyle, but that bottle seemed lighter. I used the word ‘lean’, and scored it 17. GK 06/21
Ruby and garnet, a little lighter but no older in hue than the Stonyridge, just below midway in depth. This was the understated wine in the tasting, there being a delicacy of both berry and oak which meant it was easily under-estimated. On closer examination however, when you compare it against the more outspoken Villa Maria Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve also from Auckland, you gradually realise that the Waiheke wine in its gentle way is not only riper, and with a much better acid balance, but also nearly as rich. The Goldwater is conspicuously not as rich as the Stonyridge, however, and that accords with the winemakers’ recollections for the cropping rate for each. This is a wine that wins high points on its harmony and gentleness, not features we are well attuned to in New Zealand reds, being so influenced by Australian red wines and winemakers, habituated as they are to tartaric acid addition. Like the Stonyridge, it has bordeaux-like qualities. 1987 Goldwater Cabernet / Merlot / Franc cellared in Wellington is also now at the far side of its plateau of maturity, but in a food context it will still give much pleasure. No first places, two second favourite votes. Some tasters thought it too understated, three least places. In the 2002 tasting, this wine is written up similarly as to winestyle, but that bottle seemed lighter. I used the word ‘lean’, and scored it 17. GK 06/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.1%; $22 [ cork 49mm, ullage 24mm; CS 100%, cropped at c.7.4 t/ha = 3 t/ac; scarcely or not chaptalised; 19 months in all-French barriques c.80% new; balance one-year; GK, 1989: Though deeper in colour than the reserve blend, this wine is also slightly simpler. It has ripe curranty characters which illustrate cabernet to perfection, and a long flavour in which berry, acid and oak are assertive, yet balanced. It is not quite as rich as the blend, but will be a great cellar wine, ****; Gold medal wine; weight bottle and closure: 576 g; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Good ruby, more red / less garnet than the Stonyridge, above midway in depth. Bouquet is more focused / two-dimensional than the Stonyridge, very pure cassis browning now, and slightly more noticeable cedary oak, so the whole wine is more aromatic, hinting at pure cabernet. Bouquet does not have that thought of softness / silkyness / plummyness some of the wines with merlot blended in show. Palate continues the single-focus thought, still clearly cassisy / curranty berry though browning, with long nearly ‘sweet’ (ie vanillin) cedary oak sustaining the flavour over any cabernet ‘hole’. This wine is riper and showing a much better acid balance than the Villa Maria straight Cabernet Reserve, and is a little richer than the Vidal Cabernet / Merlot Reserve (I now think), so this far down the track, it wins points on both scores. As 100% cabernet sauvignon, it invites comparison with the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. I last showed the latter wine in Hawkes Bay in November 2008, noting then it was not quite as rich as the 1966 Ch Gruaud-Larose at 43 years of age. Likewise this 1987 Vidal Cabernet Sauvignon clearly does not have the dry extract of the 1986 Gressier-Grand-Poujeaux (in this tasting) at 35 years of age, so we may conclude that the cropping rate for the 1965 McWilliam's wine was extraordinarily low, for its day in New Zealand. No subsequent year was as concentrated, or as ripe, only the 1969 showing some approach to the 1965. This 1987 Vidal Cabernet Sauvignon is therefore also an important way-point on the road to great New Zealand cabernet / merlot wine-styles. It is worth noting also, that it is one of the first Gimblett Gravels reds to come close to international standards, in terms of ripeness, harmony and balance. Being not as rich as the Stonyridge, it is nearer the end of its plateau of maturity, when cellared in the Wellington district. Three people rated the Vidal Cabernet Reserve the top wine in this tasting, and two their second favourite. In contrast to the Stonyridge, however, the relative simplicity of this 100% cabernet sauvignon wine meant that no tasters thought it Bordeaux. Astute tasting. Will fade gracefully, from now on. GK 06/21
Good ruby, more red / less garnet than the Stonyridge, above midway in depth. Bouquet is more focused / two-dimensional than the Stonyridge, very pure cassis browning now, and slightly more noticeable cedary oak, so the whole wine is more aromatic, hinting at pure cabernet. Bouquet does not have that thought of softness / silkyness / plummyness some of the wines with merlot blended in show. Palate continues the single-focus thought, still clearly cassisy / curranty berry though browning, with long nearly ‘sweet’ (ie vanillin) cedary oak sustaining the flavour over any cabernet ‘hole’. This wine is riper and showing a much better acid balance than the Villa Maria straight Cabernet Reserve, and is a little richer than the Vidal Cabernet / Merlot Reserve (I now think), so this far down the track, it wins points on both scores. As 100% cabernet sauvignon, it invites comparison with the 1965 McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon. I last showed the latter wine in Hawkes Bay in November 2008, noting then it was not quite as rich as the 1966 Ch Gruaud-Larose at 43 years of age. Likewise this 1987 Vidal Cabernet Sauvignon clearly does not have the dry extract of the 1986 Gressier-Grand-Poujeaux (in this tasting) at 35 years of age, so we may conclude that the cropping rate for the 1965 McWilliam's wine was extraordinarily low, for its day in New Zealand. No subsequent year was as concentrated, or as ripe, only the 1969 showing some approach to the 1965. This 1987 Vidal Cabernet Sauvignon is therefore also an important way-point on the road to great New Zealand cabernet / merlot wine-styles. It is worth noting also, that it is one of the first Gimblett Gravels reds to come close to international standards, in terms of ripeness, harmony and balance. Being not as rich as the Stonyridge, it is nearer the end of its plateau of maturity, when cellared in the Wellington district. Three people rated the Vidal Cabernet Reserve the top wine in this tasting, and two their second favourite. In contrast to the Stonyridge, however, the relative simplicity of this 100% cabernet sauvignon wine meant that no tasters thought it Bordeaux. Astute tasting. Will fade gracefully, from now on. GK 06/21
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $25 [ 12 months in oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. There is a fragrant malbec-like quality in this wine, through both bouquet and palate. Fruit richness is good, oak is a little prominent, and total winestyle bears some relationship to The Terraces flagship wine. Considering its price, it looked very good indeed in the blind tasting. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. There is a fragrant malbec-like quality in this wine, through both bouquet and palate. Fruit richness is good, oak is a little prominent, and total winestyle bears some relationship to The Terraces flagship wine. Considering its price, it looked very good indeed in the blind tasting. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 05/04
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $15 [ screwcap; 4.5 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. Another clearcut sauvignon in the classic Marlborough style, red capsicums, black passionfruit, and honeysuckle. Palate is rich, very fruity, and long on black passionfruit skins. It seems a gram or two sweeter than some, about the max for 'dry', popular - but the analysis does not confirm that. Great fruit, therefore. Cellar 5 – 8 years as desired. VALUE GK 11/04
Pale lemongreen. Another clearcut sauvignon in the classic Marlborough style, red capsicums, black passionfruit, and honeysuckle. Palate is rich, very fruity, and long on black passionfruit skins. It seems a gram or two sweeter than some, about the max for 'dry', popular - but the analysis does not confirm that. Great fruit, therefore. Cellar 5 – 8 years as desired. VALUE GK 11/04
Kumeu River, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $47 [ screwcap; clone 15 predominates but a mix, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel usually 20% new but varies; 2010 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay, though 2013 in the wings may challenge; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, the second deepest of the Kumeus. Difficult wine, this. The reduction the Kumeu the River people are currently so keen on is at present fighting with the oak, each making the other more obtrusive, and therefore the wine less beautiful. Nonetheless the wine is explicitly varietal, clean stonefruits, some mealyness, more body than the Estate wine but still not rich, better oak balance than the Chartron Corton-Charlemagne. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemonstraw, the second deepest of the Kumeus. Difficult wine, this. The reduction the Kumeu the River people are currently so keen on is at present fighting with the oak, each making the other more obtrusive, and therefore the wine less beautiful. Nonetheless the wine is explicitly varietal, clean stonefruits, some mealyness, more body than the Estate wine but still not rich, better oak balance than the Chartron Corton-Charlemagne. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Gladstone, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $17 [ screwcap; www.handcraftedwines.com ]
Pale lemon. This is a soft mild bouquet for New Zealand sauvignon, more in the Hawkes Bay light fruit-salad style. Palate firms the wine up nicely, clearly sauvignon, ripe red capsicums and black passionfruit, attractive fruit richness, not bone dry. This is very drinkable, and should cellar well for up to 10 years. GK 11/04
Pale lemon. This is a soft mild bouquet for New Zealand sauvignon, more in the Hawkes Bay light fruit-salad style. Palate firms the wine up nicely, clearly sauvignon, ripe red capsicums and black passionfruit, attractive fruit richness, not bone dry. This is very drinkable, and should cellar well for up to 10 years. GK 11/04
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Elegant ruby, some velvet. Volumes of floral bouquet pinpoint the essential character of many good New Zealand pinot noirs: a faint pennyroyal and lawsoniana aromatic on clear florals, with mixed red and black cherries and blackboy fruit. Palate builds good mouthfeel and weight of fruit into fresh berry flavours, yet without the heaviness and juiciness of so many of our ‘new world’ pinots. Oak subtly shapes the wine, and is less apparent than the Montana Terraces. The whole mouthfeel is fresh, with the floral component introducing cool fragrant notes which tasters from a hot climate, habituated to plush and ample wines, would probably call stalky. It is however very burgundian. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 01/04
Elegant ruby, some velvet. Volumes of floral bouquet pinpoint the essential character of many good New Zealand pinot noirs: a faint pennyroyal and lawsoniana aromatic on clear florals, with mixed red and black cherries and blackboy fruit. Palate builds good mouthfeel and weight of fruit into fresh berry flavours, yet without the heaviness and juiciness of so many of our ‘new world’ pinots. Oak subtly shapes the wine, and is less apparent than the Montana Terraces. The whole mouthfeel is fresh, with the floral component introducing cool fragrant notes which tasters from a hot climate, habituated to plush and ample wines, would probably call stalky. It is however very burgundian. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 01/04
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Another fine and subtle pinot ruby. This wine is still understated and very youthful on bouquet, but there is an absolute varietal purity about it which is captivating, all sweetly floral and ripe cherries. Initial palate is very pure, without the aromatic suggestions of the Ata Rangi, or the more obvious oak of the Montana, and with much of the subtlety of the Mountford, but not quite the perfect ripeness and mouthfeel of that wine. The fine red and black cherry fruit against fresh acid balance is similar to the Ata Rangi, fractionally lighter. If only we would research pinot viticulture to achieve ripe flavours at a sugar ripeness more appropriate to the alcohol restraint and finesse these wines could and should have. Cellar 5 – 8. GK 01/04
Another fine and subtle pinot ruby. This wine is still understated and very youthful on bouquet, but there is an absolute varietal purity about it which is captivating, all sweetly floral and ripe cherries. Initial palate is very pure, without the aromatic suggestions of the Ata Rangi, or the more obvious oak of the Montana, and with much of the subtlety of the Mountford, but not quite the perfect ripeness and mouthfeel of that wine. The fine red and black cherry fruit against fresh acid balance is similar to the Ata Rangi, fractionally lighter. If only we would research pinot viticulture to achieve ripe flavours at a sugar ripeness more appropriate to the alcohol restraint and finesse these wines could and should have. Cellar 5 – 8. GK 01/04
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ screwcap; www.gvwines.co.nz ]
Dense ruby and velvet, an outsize colour for pinot noir. Bouquet is quiet at this stage, clean, ripe, big, tending mute in an Australian style. Palate is massively tannic, a caricature of pinot noir as it is internationally understood, yet the tannins are ripe at an acceptable given alcohol. Oak handling is surprisingly good, considering the size, so the tannin load is essentially skins-derived. The wine clearly tastes like pinot, and the acid balance is good. Though it could be classed as a new world fruit bomb, I am prepared to give this big wine the benefit of the doubt, with the proviso that it may only develop fragrance and varietal beauty in bottle once it has been kept long enough to crust. That has certainly been my experience with some large-scaled Aussie wines over the last 35 years, in cases where the initial oak was as restrained as this. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 01/04
Dense ruby and velvet, an outsize colour for pinot noir. Bouquet is quiet at this stage, clean, ripe, big, tending mute in an Australian style. Palate is massively tannic, a caricature of pinot noir as it is internationally understood, yet the tannins are ripe at an acceptable given alcohol. Oak handling is surprisingly good, considering the size, so the tannin load is essentially skins-derived. The wine clearly tastes like pinot, and the acid balance is good. Though it could be classed as a new world fruit bomb, I am prepared to give this big wine the benefit of the doubt, with the proviso that it may only develop fragrance and varietal beauty in bottle once it has been kept long enough to crust. That has certainly been my experience with some large-scaled Aussie wines over the last 35 years, in cases where the initial oak was as restrained as this. Cellar 8 – 15 years. GK 01/04
Awatere & Wairau Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $21 [ screwcap; minimal skin contact, cold-settled, all s/s ferment; RS 4.5 g/L; www.tinpothut.co.nz ]
Light lemonstraw. Bouquet is clean and lightly varietal: pear flesh, white nectarine, a hint of stewed red rhubarb and cinnamon adding interest. Palate follows on beautifully, good richness, totally varietal in the New Zealand style building on bouquet (which sadly lacks the hints of yellow-fruit interest of good Alsace), sweetness near-dry – seeming comparable with riesling-dry. This could be interesting in cellar 3 – 8 years. Its body makes it good with suitable food. GK 04/13
Light lemonstraw. Bouquet is clean and lightly varietal: pear flesh, white nectarine, a hint of stewed red rhubarb and cinnamon adding interest. Palate follows on beautifully, good richness, totally varietal in the New Zealand style building on bouquet (which sadly lacks the hints of yellow-fruit interest of good Alsace), sweetness near-dry – seeming comparable with riesling-dry. This could be interesting in cellar 3 – 8 years. Its body makes it good with suitable food. GK 04/13
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; 18 months in French oak; the website lacks wine information; www.squawkingmagpie.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrant colour, like Le Sol. Initially opened, and in the tasting, this looked an absolute champion, being highly-rated by the group. The intensity of the cassis berry was augmented by vanillin from the oak, and proved seductive. Palate is rich and concentrated, slightly acid. The quality of fruit matches the Church Road, but by classical standards the oak becomes increasingly obtrusive as one plays with the wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, with great interest. GK 07/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a vibrant colour, like Le Sol. Initially opened, and in the tasting, this looked an absolute champion, being highly-rated by the group. The intensity of the cassis berry was augmented by vanillin from the oak, and proved seductive. Palate is rich and concentrated, slightly acid. The quality of fruit matches the Church Road, but by classical standards the oak becomes increasingly obtrusive as one plays with the wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years, with great interest. GK 07/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $70 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, cropped @ 4.5 t/ha (1.8 t/ac), all de-stemmed; inoculated, up to 25 days cuvaison; MLF and c.20 months in French oak 38% new; RS <1 g/L; not filtered; 250 cases; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, around midway in depth. Bouquet is simpler than some of the syrahs, juicy and plummy berry, fragrant oak though at this youthful stage with a slight resiny edge, all very clean. Palate is clearly more oaky than my top wines, but the richness and berry flavours are pure and aromatic too. It is more oaky than the Elephant Hill. Should harmonise with age, and cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, around midway in depth. Bouquet is simpler than some of the syrahs, juicy and plummy berry, fragrant oak though at this youthful stage with a slight resiny edge, all very clean. Palate is clearly more oaky than my top wines, but the richness and berry flavours are pure and aromatic too. It is more oaky than the Elephant Hill. Should harmonise with age, and cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/12
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $24 [ screwcap; cool-fermented all s/s; 4.2 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. This is a much more serious and richer sauvignon now showing the full spread of sauvignon blanc smells and flavours at a riper level than the Early Release: yellow and red capsicums, an interesting hint of pale tobacco and sweet basil, plus attractive yellow kiwifruit and black passionfruit flavours. This is clearly richer than the Private Bin, and similarly sauvignon-dry to the finish. Nice wine, good with food. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/13
Pale lemon. This is a much more serious and richer sauvignon now showing the full spread of sauvignon blanc smells and flavours at a riper level than the Early Release: yellow and red capsicums, an interesting hint of pale tobacco and sweet basil, plus attractive yellow kiwifruit and black passionfruit flavours. This is clearly richer than the Private Bin, and similarly sauvignon-dry to the finish. Nice wine, good with food. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/13
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $40 [ www.foxes-island.co.nz ]
Big ruby for pinot, a touch of carmine and velvet. Initially opened, there is a charry / bacony oak-related character on bouquet, but this soon dissipates. It becomes soft, rich and generous, in this sub-set of pinots arguably the one best reconciling florals against fruit. The fruits are very ripe, but the wine stops short of the plumminess of merlot. There are violets and boronia florals, black cherry and blackboy fruit, and fragrant oak. The palate is plush, yet still pinot, sweetly fruited and concentrated, with the length in the mouth to imply a conservative cropping rate. Tannins are beautifully ripe, unlike a number in this batch, and despite the initial bouquet, it is not too oaky. This is distinctively New Zealand pinot, a little deeper and riper than is optimal maybe. It will be interesting wine in cellar, for 5 – 12 years. GK 09/04
Big ruby for pinot, a touch of carmine and velvet. Initially opened, there is a charry / bacony oak-related character on bouquet, but this soon dissipates. It becomes soft, rich and generous, in this sub-set of pinots arguably the one best reconciling florals against fruit. The fruits are very ripe, but the wine stops short of the plumminess of merlot. There are violets and boronia florals, black cherry and blackboy fruit, and fragrant oak. The palate is plush, yet still pinot, sweetly fruited and concentrated, with the length in the mouth to imply a conservative cropping rate. Tannins are beautifully ripe, unlike a number in this batch, and despite the initial bouquet, it is not too oaky. This is distinctively New Zealand pinot, a little deeper and riper than is optimal maybe. It will be interesting wine in cellar, for 5 – 12 years. GK 09/04
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $27 [ screwcap; www.framingham.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. If the burgundy style, or at least the classical burgundy style, is about understatement, then this Framingham is close to the real thing. Bouquet is quietly floral, totally pure flowers and cherries, maybe a hint of barrel fermentation complexity. Palate is very attractive, the same layers of texture as the Coopers Creek, again with exemplary oaking. Cellar to 10 years. GK 10/04
Good pinot noir ruby. If the burgundy style, or at least the classical burgundy style, is about understatement, then this Framingham is close to the real thing. Bouquet is quietly floral, totally pure flowers and cherries, maybe a hint of barrel fermentation complexity. Palate is very attractive, the same layers of texture as the Coopers Creek, again with exemplary oaking. Cellar to 10 years. GK 10/04
Pommard Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $80
Deep for pinot noir, ruby with a touch of carmine and velvet. Bouquet for this wine is straight into gorgeous aromatic more than floral, ripe dark cherry, grading into dark plum fruit. Palate is all black crunchy cherry, as rich as cherry can be without being overtly plummy, showing attractive older oak handling. This wine is big yet manages to remain subtle and highly varietal, without the gloss the new oak shows up on the grands crus. It should mature beautifully. Some of the more aromatic 2002 Otago wines had suggestions of this style, when not over-oaked. Cellar 20 years +. GK 08/04
Deep for pinot noir, ruby with a touch of carmine and velvet. Bouquet for this wine is straight into gorgeous aromatic more than floral, ripe dark cherry, grading into dark plum fruit. Palate is all black crunchy cherry, as rich as cherry can be without being overtly plummy, showing attractive older oak handling. This wine is big yet manages to remain subtle and highly varietal, without the gloss the new oak shows up on the grands crus. It should mature beautifully. Some of the more aromatic 2002 Otago wines had suggestions of this style, when not over-oaked. Cellar 20 years +. GK 08/04
Aloxe-Corton Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $93
Good pinot noir ruby. A more straightforward pinot noir bouquet than the top Nuits wines, cherries and dark plums. A subconscious feeling this bottle may not be optimal (as happens with cork). Palate shows the concentration of palate Corton is famous for, richly cherry, aromatic on oak, a sturdier wine than some marked more highly, but one which will please greatly with food. Not quite the concentration of the Corton Renardes Vielles Vignes. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 11/04
Good pinot noir ruby. A more straightforward pinot noir bouquet than the top Nuits wines, cherries and dark plums. A subconscious feeling this bottle may not be optimal (as happens with cork). Palate shows the concentration of palate Corton is famous for, richly cherry, aromatic on oak, a sturdier wine than some marked more highly, but one which will please greatly with food. Not quite the concentration of the Corton Renardes Vielles Vignes. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 11/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $31 [ screwcap; clone 95 mainly, hand-harvested @ 6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac); BF in French oak 28% new; some wild yeast, 9 months LA, some MLF, limited stirring; RS <2 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Lemon. Bouquet on this chardonnay is simply lovely, clear suggestions of acacia florality, stonefruits and a chalky minerality which is totally white burgundy. Palate shows delightful flesh, some gentle new oak, the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters beautifully subtle and now well incorporated, the whole winestyle with this chalky quality astonishingly close to Puligny-Montrachet. This is remarkable New Zealand chardonnay, having a uniformity of ripeness, integrity and lack of angles (acid, oak) contrasting delightfully with many local wines. Eminently drinkable, not a big wine so dangerously drinkable even. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/13
Lemon. Bouquet on this chardonnay is simply lovely, clear suggestions of acacia florality, stonefruits and a chalky minerality which is totally white burgundy. Palate shows delightful flesh, some gentle new oak, the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters beautifully subtle and now well incorporated, the whole winestyle with this chalky quality astonishingly close to Puligny-Montrachet. This is remarkable New Zealand chardonnay, having a uniformity of ripeness, integrity and lack of angles (acid, oak) contrasting delightfully with many local wines. Eminently drinkable, not a big wine so dangerously drinkable even. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 05/13
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Classic pinot noir ruby. Oh boy, Otago is an exciting place for pinot noir (and particularly in the 2003 vintage) Bouquet on this wine combines boronia and dark rose florals with beautiful black cherry fruit – total pinot, exquisite. Palate has that lovely crunchy more-ish feeling of eating cherries (a combination of texture and appropriate acid), gorgeous flavour, mouthfeel and length of fruit, subtly aromatic yet no hint of the stalkiness or pennyroyal character so frequent in Marlborough and other northern places. The high alcohol is surprisingly well hidden. This is wonderful New Zealand pinot noir which can be tasted in confidence alongside burgundies such as the Girardins (in this instance). The major difference is this wine is not as concentrated as their grands crus. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/04
Classic pinot noir ruby. Oh boy, Otago is an exciting place for pinot noir (and particularly in the 2003 vintage) Bouquet on this wine combines boronia and dark rose florals with beautiful black cherry fruit – total pinot, exquisite. Palate has that lovely crunchy more-ish feeling of eating cherries (a combination of texture and appropriate acid), gorgeous flavour, mouthfeel and length of fruit, subtly aromatic yet no hint of the stalkiness or pennyroyal character so frequent in Marlborough and other northern places. The high alcohol is surprisingly well hidden. This is wonderful New Zealand pinot noir which can be tasted in confidence alongside burgundies such as the Girardins (in this instance). The major difference is this wine is not as concentrated as their grands crus. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/04
Gibbston Valley, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $29 [ screwcap; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Big ruby with a flush of carmine and velvet, youthful, at a max for pinot noir. This is the first of the southern wines to show a trace of pennyroyal aromatics on bouquet. Below, it is redolent of pinot noir, deeply floral boronia and violets, dark cherries, quietly and deeply interesting. Palate suggests blackboy peach, as well as red and black cherries, with enough acid to be refreshing, and beautiful body. Alcohol and oak are standing apart as yet, but the potential for burgundian complexity is there. Even so, it is a pity that some of these 2002 Burgundies show alcohols to an unprecedented 14%, for excess alcohol in our pinots is a real issue. We don't need alcoholic overseas models ! Cellar 5 – 10 years. Tasted twice. GK 11/04
Big ruby with a flush of carmine and velvet, youthful, at a max for pinot noir. This is the first of the southern wines to show a trace of pennyroyal aromatics on bouquet. Below, it is redolent of pinot noir, deeply floral boronia and violets, dark cherries, quietly and deeply interesting. Palate suggests blackboy peach, as well as red and black cherries, with enough acid to be refreshing, and beautiful body. Alcohol and oak are standing apart as yet, but the potential for burgundian complexity is there. Even so, it is a pity that some of these 2002 Burgundies show alcohols to an unprecedented 14%, for excess alcohol in our pinots is a real issue. We don't need alcoholic overseas models ! Cellar 5 – 10 years. Tasted twice. GK 11/04
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $67 [ supercritical 'cork'; see 2011 Pahi; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a clearly deeper / darker wine than the 2011 Pahi. Bouquet is darkly floral, and even on bouquet there are suggestions of tannins in the wine. On further smelling, right now there is a hint of cassisy quality in the bouquet, a description sometimes used by northern hemisphere winewriters for pinot noir, but not one I have much believed till now. Palate is very attractive, much more tannic than the 2011 but also a richer wine which will need longer cellaring to reveal the same charm. Cellar 5 – 10 or 12 years. GK 04/13
Pinot noir ruby, a clearly deeper / darker wine than the 2011 Pahi. Bouquet is darkly floral, and even on bouquet there are suggestions of tannins in the wine. On further smelling, right now there is a hint of cassisy quality in the bouquet, a description sometimes used by northern hemisphere winewriters for pinot noir, but not one I have much believed till now. Palate is very attractive, much more tannic than the 2011 but also a richer wine which will need longer cellaring to reveal the same charm. Cellar 5 – 10 or 12 years. GK 04/13
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $47 [ screwcap; $40 ex vineyard; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet on this Felton is initially understated, but breathes to be even more fragrant than the Block 3, the florals sweeter and stronger, nearly perfumed and buddleia-like. Palate is total cherries red and black, seemingly more aromatic than the richer Block 3, wonderfully varietal. This shows beautiful oaking, but is not quite as concentrated as the Block 3. Cellar 5 – 10 years. Tasted twice. GK 11/04
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet on this Felton is initially understated, but breathes to be even more fragrant than the Block 3, the florals sweeter and stronger, nearly perfumed and buddleia-like. Palate is total cherries red and black, seemingly more aromatic than the richer Block 3, wonderfully varietal. This shows beautiful oaking, but is not quite as concentrated as the Block 3. Cellar 5 – 10 years. Tasted twice. GK 11/04
Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.3%; $29 [ screwcap; 7 clones of PN all hand-harvested, 16% whole bunch, no wild yeast ferments; 17 days cuvaison, 11 months in French oak, 11% new; rare opportunity to sample all-Gibbston-fruit pinot noir; www.brennanwines.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, youthful as if a fraction of the wine retained in stainless steel. Bouquet is a delightfully sweet ripe red roses floral presentation of pure cherry pinot noir, not unduly complicated by elevation or winemaking. Palate follows perfectly, a youthful not too serious interpretation of the grape (this is their second label), not a lot of tannin structure but a clear illustration of the cherry / berry nature of the variety. Even so, should cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Pinot noir ruby, youthful as if a fraction of the wine retained in stainless steel. Bouquet is a delightfully sweet ripe red roses floral presentation of pure cherry pinot noir, not unduly complicated by elevation or winemaking. Palate follows perfectly, a youthful not too serious interpretation of the grape (this is their second label), not a lot of tannin structure but a clear illustration of the cherry / berry nature of the variety. Even so, should cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 14%; $235 [ cork; hand-harvested, organic vineyard practice; BF in 40% new oak, 12 months LA; www.bourgogne-chartron.com ]
Lemon, below midway. Bouquet displays definitive varietal character in one sense, but is tending oaky with a clear char component like the Keltern. The fruit has more yellow notes than some, more golden queen peach than nectarine. The level of oak becomes obtrusive on palate, there is simply not the fruit to cover the barrel treatment, so the Keltern wins that side of the equation totally. One hopes for exemplary body in any Corton-Charlemagne, so some (relative) disappointment here. And tasting the 2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne alongside later confirmed this view, the body being exemplary. The Chartron is fine if you prefer oaky chardonnay. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
Lemon, below midway. Bouquet displays definitive varietal character in one sense, but is tending oaky with a clear char component like the Keltern. The fruit has more yellow notes than some, more golden queen peach than nectarine. The level of oak becomes obtrusive on palate, there is simply not the fruit to cover the barrel treatment, so the Keltern wins that side of the equation totally. One hopes for exemplary body in any Corton-Charlemagne, so some (relative) disappointment here. And tasting the 2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne alongside later confirmed this view, the body being exemplary. The Chartron is fine if you prefer oaky chardonnay. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $31 [ screwcap; CS 100% (implied) from vineyards 130m above seas level; 14 days cuvaison; MLF and 15 months on lees in 10% new French hogsheads, the balance both French and American hogsheads; www.firstdropwines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is hugely cassisy and darkly plummy, very aromatic, not too oaky, altogether an exciting winey smell. The flavours follow on well, it tastes surprisingly light and delicate, there is not much blending material in this, it shows real cabernet sauvignon flavours with aromatic oak noticeable, but not too excessive. This is a much higher quality wine than the label suggests, even though it is narrower on the palate than The Gimblett (as straight cabernets can be). It reminds me of old-time classics like the 1963 Seaview Cabernet Sauvignon in youth, also from McLaren Vale. It will cellar extremely well, 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is hugely cassisy and darkly plummy, very aromatic, not too oaky, altogether an exciting winey smell. The flavours follow on well, it tastes surprisingly light and delicate, there is not much blending material in this, it shows real cabernet sauvignon flavours with aromatic oak noticeable, but not too excessive. This is a much higher quality wine than the label suggests, even though it is narrower on the palate than The Gimblett (as straight cabernets can be). It reminds me of old-time classics like the 1963 Seaview Cabernet Sauvignon in youth, also from McLaren Vale. It will cellar extremely well, 5 – 20 years. GK 03/13
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $170 [ cork, 53mm, ullage 22mm; original price c.$75; cepage varies a little each year around Gr 30%, Mv 30, Sy 10, Co 10, Ci 5, other authorised red varieties 8, and white varieties 7; more detail in the introductory sections; Wine Spectator Vintage Chart: Dense and rich; superb Grenache harvest led to blockbuster reds with ripe tannins, 97; Pierre Perrin, 2011: This was an iconic Grenache year – we went up to 40%, and it was also the biggest crop since 1970. It isn`t a traditional Beaucastel, but it is a traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape; Marc Perrin, 2012 or before: The 1998 is quite round for Beaucastel … Beaucastel in most vintages would probably be more square; J.L-L, 2013: The nose is centred on rather tight plum fruit, a note of leather and cinnamon. It is pretty much half way between youth and older age. I detect a wee note of Brett ... The palate starts well, on a free run of red berry, mature berry fruit with floral traces in it. The texture slips along nicely, before a cluster of grainy, licorice-tanged tannins on the finish. ... It won’t please the white coat drinkers ...***(*); four reviews at Jancis Robinson, highlighting that with unfiltered wines, and the possibility of a mixed-yeast population, every bottle can be different: scores 16, 16.5, 18, 18. Notes for the best bottle, JR@JR, 2019: ... the merest hint of gaminess. Clearly tertiary aromas. Very sweet palate entry. Utterly charming and no shortage of fruit, 18; JD@RP, 2015: The atypically Grenache-dominated 1998 ... is fully mature and gives up tons of kirsch, garrigue, licorice and a touch of gaminess in its full-bodied, layered and ripe personality. More rounded and sexy than most vintages, it has no hard edges, plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish, 2015 – 2025, 93; weight bottle and closure: 861 g; www.beaucastel.com ]
Ruby and garnet, a lovely maturing red colour, just below midway in depth. The bouquet is a little different in this one, being totally red fruits / grenache-dominated, raspberry browning now, a hint of raisins as if a sunny year, and trace spicy 4-EG brett notes hopelessly entwined with the cinnamon of mature grenache, so it is hard to tell which is which. You therefore make a note to assess the aftertaste more carefully than for most. Palate is entirely simpatico with the bouquet, seemingly a wine not quite as rich as some, yet the ratio of berry to tannins lovely, furry cinnamon flavours dominating, darker mourvedre and oak tannins scarcely visible. A wine at an harmonious point of perfect maturity, yet the balance and fruit sweetness are so good it will hold. Top wine for one taster, second favourite for another, least wine for three. Eight noted a little brett, none thought it excessive – which the aftertaste confirms. Those who had had 1998 de Beaucastel before thought this a particularly happy bottle. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/21
Ruby and garnet, a lovely maturing red colour, just below midway in depth. The bouquet is a little different in this one, being totally red fruits / grenache-dominated, raspberry browning now, a hint of raisins as if a sunny year, and trace spicy 4-EG brett notes hopelessly entwined with the cinnamon of mature grenache, so it is hard to tell which is which. You therefore make a note to assess the aftertaste more carefully than for most. Palate is entirely simpatico with the bouquet, seemingly a wine not quite as rich as some, yet the ratio of berry to tannins lovely, furry cinnamon flavours dominating, darker mourvedre and oak tannins scarcely visible. A wine at an harmonious point of perfect maturity, yet the balance and fruit sweetness are so good it will hold. Top wine for one taster, second favourite for another, least wine for three. Eight noted a little brett, none thought it excessive – which the aftertaste confirms. Those who had had 1998 de Beaucastel before thought this a particularly happy bottle. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/21
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $21 [ screwcap; 2011 was 1.8 g/L RS, 2012 not on website; www.stanleyestates.co.nz ]
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is clear-cut ripe Marlborough sauvignon showing black passionfruit, red capsicum and hints of sweet basil, nearly as characterful as the 2012 Peter Yealands. Palate has pleasing fruit, perfect continuity of the aromas through to the flavour, and a finish which is long and seems fractionally drier than the Yealands wine. Cellar 2 – 8 years, if older sauvignon appeals. GK 05/13
Elegant lemongreen. Bouquet is clear-cut ripe Marlborough sauvignon showing black passionfruit, red capsicum and hints of sweet basil, nearly as characterful as the 2012 Peter Yealands. Palate has pleasing fruit, perfect continuity of the aromas through to the flavour, and a finish which is long and seems fractionally drier than the Yealands wine. Cellar 2 – 8 years, if older sauvignon appeals. GK 05/13
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ Stelvin Lux; alcohol estimated; Sy 100%, hand-harvested @ 5.6 t/ha (2.25 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; 2 days cold-soak, c.21 days ferment, total cuvaison 30 days; MLF and 12 months in French oak 80% new, no American oak; followed by 6 months in older oak; production limited, likely to be released at 4 years bottle age, not yet decided whether will be a successor to the 2007 luxury cuvée Atanga; this winery is now solely a syrah producer, including a 100% syrah rosé by saignée; no top ranking, no second; www.bridgepa.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a dense wine, the third to lightest. Bouquet is quite different on this wine, and tricky. There is very high vanillin, and at one moment it seems sweetly wallflower, and the next moment fresh-sawn oak with the faintest hint of fragrant macrocarpa resin. The nett impression is like an unusual Cote Rotie with viognier. Palate is intriguing, the softness and richness of the fruit being totally Cote Rotie, with almost a hint of violets to the tail. On balance, I think this is going to be exceptional once it marries up. It shows the exact complementary Cote Rotie styling to Homage's Hermitage, and with a spot of luck will be exhilarating in tastings in 5 – 10 years time. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a dense wine, the third to lightest. Bouquet is quite different on this wine, and tricky. There is very high vanillin, and at one moment it seems sweetly wallflower, and the next moment fresh-sawn oak with the faintest hint of fragrant macrocarpa resin. The nett impression is like an unusual Cote Rotie with viognier. Palate is intriguing, the softness and richness of the fruit being totally Cote Rotie, with almost a hint of violets to the tail. On balance, I think this is going to be exceptional once it marries up. It shows the exact complementary Cote Rotie styling to Homage's Hermitage, and with a spot of luck will be exhilarating in tastings in 5 – 10 years time. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 06/13
Barossa and Eden Valleys, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $31 [ screwcap; Sh 100% from vineyards 180 and 550 m above sea level; MLF and 15 months on lees in 3 – 4 year old French hogsheads; www.firstdropwines.com ]
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is rich and fragrant in an appealing style of Barossa shiraz, darkly plummy grading to boysenberry fruit, not too much oak, and mercifully free of euc'y taints though perhaps a little aromatic. Palate is berry-rich, concentrated, and fulfils the promise of the bouquet delightfully. Despite the 14.5% alcohol (still), what a joy it is to see shiraz from Australia not too over-ripened, and not too dominated with new oak, or devalued with too old oak like Penfolds Bin 28. This is almost syrah, and picked at lower Brix, might have been even closer, though in a climate where grapes gallop to maturity so quickly, it is hard to be sure. If this is the new face of Australian red wine interpretation, it is more than welcome. Finish is so rich it seems not bone dry, but I doubt there is actual residual. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/13
Ruby and velvet, dense. Bouquet is rich and fragrant in an appealing style of Barossa shiraz, darkly plummy grading to boysenberry fruit, not too much oak, and mercifully free of euc'y taints though perhaps a little aromatic. Palate is berry-rich, concentrated, and fulfils the promise of the bouquet delightfully. Despite the 14.5% alcohol (still), what a joy it is to see shiraz from Australia not too over-ripened, and not too dominated with new oak, or devalued with too old oak like Penfolds Bin 28. This is almost syrah, and picked at lower Brix, might have been even closer, though in a climate where grapes gallop to maturity so quickly, it is hard to be sure. If this is the new face of Australian red wine interpretation, it is more than welcome. Finish is so rich it seems not bone dry, but I doubt there is actual residual. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/13
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 11.5%; $15 [ screwcap; s/s cool-fermented, some lees contact; pH 3.15, RS 11.6 g/L; fined and filtered; a Villa Maria group wine; www.thornbury.co.nz ]
Brilliant pale lemongreen. Bouquet shows clear citrusy and slightly resiny riesling, undoubtedly varietal. Palate is fresh, crisp, slightly resiny in this sense of hops (+ve), near dry, marvellously varietal at the price. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Brilliant pale lemongreen. Bouquet shows clear citrusy and slightly resiny riesling, undoubtedly varietal. Palate is fresh, crisp, slightly resiny in this sense of hops (+ve), near dry, marvellously varietal at the price. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 04/13
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $51 [ supercritical cork; c.70% Te Muna Road, mix of clones, 30% whole bunch, wild yeast, 18-day cuvaison; 11 months in French oak, 30% new; dry extract 31 g/L, RS <1 g/L; no longer entered in Shows; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, one of the darker wines, close to the Pisa. Bouquet however is a long way from the Pisa Range, so much so I used it as # 1 in the tasting to illustrate unequivocally what florality means in pinot noir. There are elements of buddleia, lilac, cherry-ripe (heliotrope) and roses here, all on fruit which illustrates to perfection the blackboy peach concept in pinot noir, as well as mixed cherries. Oak is slightly less subtle than the top wines. This is the richest of the Martinborough pinot noirs in this tasting, so it is wonderful to have the dry extract given as cracking the 30 g/L barrier. And you can taste it, or more accurately, feel it. Proprietors who scoff at the concept of dry extract measurements for wines need to taste this Escarpment, and think about it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Good pinot noir ruby, one of the darker wines, close to the Pisa. Bouquet however is a long way from the Pisa Range, so much so I used it as # 1 in the tasting to illustrate unequivocally what florality means in pinot noir. There are elements of buddleia, lilac, cherry-ripe (heliotrope) and roses here, all on fruit which illustrates to perfection the blackboy peach concept in pinot noir, as well as mixed cherries. Oak is slightly less subtle than the top wines. This is the richest of the Martinborough pinot noirs in this tasting, so it is wonderful to have the dry extract given as cracking the 30 g/L barrier. And you can taste it, or more accurately, feel it. Proprietors who scoff at the concept of dry extract measurements for wines need to taste this Escarpment, and think about it. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 11/12
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $31 [ screwcap; small % whole bunch; 9 months in French oak, 32% new; several gold medals; this review as seen in the < $35 set; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, the deepest of the < $35 wines. Bouquet is clear black cherry pinot noir, fragrant and rich, none of the lighter florals of for example the Martinborough Te Tera but good dusky red rose and boronia suggestions. Palate stands out in the field, much the richest in the first bracket, beautifully ripe, no suggestions of stalks, precise black cherry, yet not heavy or overly fruity as some Otago pinot noirs can be. Lovely wine, great value, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/12
Big pinot noir ruby, the deepest of the < $35 wines. Bouquet is clear black cherry pinot noir, fragrant and rich, none of the lighter florals of for example the Martinborough Te Tera but good dusky red rose and boronia suggestions. Palate stands out in the field, much the richest in the first bracket, beautifully ripe, no suggestions of stalks, precise black cherry, yet not heavy or overly fruity as some Otago pinot noirs can be. Lovely wine, great value, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 10/12
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ cork; 40% hand-picked @ c. 10 t/ha (4 t/ac); whole-bunch pressed, 12 hours minimum cold-settling; c.10% BF in non-new French 500-litre barrels with some wild yeast fermentation; 8 months elevation on lees to enhance texture; pH 3.0, RS 1.8 g/L; biodynamic; www.churtonwines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is totally different from most New Zealand sauvignons, as if the wine has a high-solids component. There is considerable fruit, but no obvious fruit analogies on bouquet. In mouth, things change rather, the wine showing huge body by New Zealand sauvignon standards, a subtle barrel-ferment component, considerable lees ageing and body-building, yet it tastes like a low-pH wine (confirmed). In style this is more in the Cloudy Bay Te Koko camp than mainstream stainless steel Marlborough sauvignon, but it is a good deal more subtle than Te Koko. It was shown alongside a Sancerre, and all made sense. This wine should be sensational with food. If it weren't for the high solids notes on bouquet, I'd be gold-medal level in marking. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/13
Lemongreen. Bouquet is totally different from most New Zealand sauvignons, as if the wine has a high-solids component. There is considerable fruit, but no obvious fruit analogies on bouquet. In mouth, things change rather, the wine showing huge body by New Zealand sauvignon standards, a subtle barrel-ferment component, considerable lees ageing and body-building, yet it tastes like a low-pH wine (confirmed). In style this is more in the Cloudy Bay Te Koko camp than mainstream stainless steel Marlborough sauvignon, but it is a good deal more subtle than Te Koko. It was shown alongside a Sancerre, and all made sense. This wine should be sensational with food. If it weren't for the high solids notes on bouquet, I'd be gold-medal level in marking. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 03/13
Kalimna, South Australia, Australia: 133%; $1,133 [ Screwcap, ullage c.25mm; original price c.$380; some idea of the esteem in which Penfolds hold these special Bin wines, is that Block 42 has only been released in 1996 and 2004. Both cooler years, note. Other years, the fruit goes to Bin 707, etc. The 4 ha / 10 ac vineyard was planted in 1885: Penfolds claim that it is thus the oldest planting of un-grafted Cabernet Sauvignon continuously produced in the world. The Penfolds website notes are somewhat garbled, but it seems the wine completes fermentation in new hogsheads, country of origin not given, followed by 13 months in barrel, whether the same or different not specified; Lisa Perrotti-Brown says 100% new American oak for both phases. About 500 x 9-litre cases made, same caveat as for 60A. Jancis Robinson, 2005, not noted for her tolerating heavy or clumsy wines, says of this wine: I must say it's the most charming Penfolds wine of the modern era I have ever tasted. and: … very, very fresh – opulent but with great old Cabernet's refreshment factor on the nose (no, not green), 19; James Suckling, 2011: When you find a great Aussie Cabernet, they really are something. For example, the 2004 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley Kalimna Block 42 blew me away, although Barossa is not necessarily known as a region for Cabernet. I gave the wine a perfect 100 points. It's one of the few Barossa reds that shows an incredible complexity, richness and power without being over-the-top or overly alcoholic. Balance with intensity is what comes to mind, 100; weight bottle and closure: 708 g; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a good colour for its age, and the second-deepest. First impression on bouquet is a negative character, almost tainted, which one winemaker in the group characterised as ‘bushfire / smokey’. Behind that factor is a lot of berry hard to characterise, but dark, and a lot of hessian oak. Palate is an order of magnitude better than the bouquet – but to genuine wine lovers, bouquet is all-important. Berry is now clearly cassis, and the oak though noticeable is potentially cedary and fine-grained. Palate structure is softer and finer than Bin 707, with tartaric adjustment less noticeable. Total palate is narrower than Bin 60A, when compared with its shiraz flesh, but lovely in its detail. Were it not for the bouquet taint, this Block 42 would be the better wine, relative to Bin 707. Will that character on bouquet marry away, is therefore the question ? Less likely perhaps, under screwcap. One person rated this their top wine, and two their second-favourite, with one person rating it least. Cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/21
Ruby and velvet, a good colour for its age, and the second-deepest. First impression on bouquet is a negative character, almost tainted, which one winemaker in the group characterised as ‘bushfire / smokey’. Behind that factor is a lot of berry hard to characterise, but dark, and a lot of hessian oak. Palate is an order of magnitude better than the bouquet – but to genuine wine lovers, bouquet is all-important. Berry is now clearly cassis, and the oak though noticeable is potentially cedary and fine-grained. Palate structure is softer and finer than Bin 707, with tartaric adjustment less noticeable. Total palate is narrower than Bin 60A, when compared with its shiraz flesh, but lovely in its detail. Were it not for the bouquet taint, this Block 42 would be the better wine, relative to Bin 707. Will that character on bouquet marry away, is therefore the question ? Less likely perhaps, under screwcap. One person rated this their top wine, and two their second-favourite, with one person rating it least. Cellar 25 – 40 years. GK 04/21
South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $936 [ Cork 49mm, ullage 21mm; original price c.$425; Sy 96%, CS 4, variously from Magill, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale; fermentation completed and 16 months in all-new American hogsheads; J. Robinson, 2009: Lifted and above all fresh! Wonderfully subtle and savoury and with a hint of cough medicine but wonderfully dry and thick and long on the palate. Serious first growth claret build (with which comment I presumably insult all parties...) Australia lurks in the undercurrent rather than imposes itself on the flavour of this wine. No heat at all. Extremely fine tannins. Wonderfully suave and really not like any other wine I can think of. At this stage not noticeably sweet, 19.5; Jay Miller@RP, 2009: a superb nose of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, game, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, satin textured, with deeply layered, succulent blackberry, plum, and chocolate flavors, it has the structure and complexity to merit extended cellaring of a decade and more. The winery estimates a drinking curve of 2016 to 2050; I'd be a bit more conservative on the long end of the range. It will ultimately be seen as one of the great vintages of Grange, 99; weight bottle and closure: 597 g; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the youngest and deepest wine, a remarkably fresh colour for its age. Bouquet is deep, dark, pure, and intensely aromatic on both berry quality hinting at cassis, and noticeable oak. A spirity lift adds to the aromatic quality, with just a suggestion of pennyroyal, but nothing as coarse as euc. Nonetheless, the total bouquet is pretty assertive. In mouth the wine is saturated with flavour, incredibly deep and dry, but the exact nature of the fruit and berry quality is somewhat obscured by excessive oak. And the finish is spiky on tartaric acid, to a fault. In a year like 2004, when the possibility of real syrah quality might be captured, it is so sad that instead the fruit has been built into simply a too big and ‘monument’ winestyle. For all its concentration, purity and strength, in terms of oak handling, alcohol, and pH, the wine is simply too aggressive / bold. When it comes to wine with food, who wants a battleground ? And Penfolds do not help themselves, for having built an obviously 50-year plus wine, it is still in 2004 being bottled with a 49mm cork. Only 54 / 55 mm corks can be ‘guaranteed’ to last 50 years, as anybody seriously interested in mature wine knows. Who in truth wants a re-corked, topped up, adulterated wine, when with a decent cork at the outset, you can have the original ? Two people rated this wine top at the blind stage, but six had it as their second-favourite. In one sense therefore, for the group this was the most popular wine of the evening. And it will cellar exceptionally well: the 'consumerist' American estimate of cellar life above is ludicrous. Half the tasters recognised it as shiraz-dominant. Cellar 25 – 45 years. GK 04/21
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly the youngest and deepest wine, a remarkably fresh colour for its age. Bouquet is deep, dark, pure, and intensely aromatic on both berry quality hinting at cassis, and noticeable oak. A spirity lift adds to the aromatic quality, with just a suggestion of pennyroyal, but nothing as coarse as euc. Nonetheless, the total bouquet is pretty assertive. In mouth the wine is saturated with flavour, incredibly deep and dry, but the exact nature of the fruit and berry quality is somewhat obscured by excessive oak. And the finish is spiky on tartaric acid, to a fault. In a year like 2004, when the possibility of real syrah quality might be captured, it is so sad that instead the fruit has been built into simply a too big and ‘monument’ winestyle. For all its concentration, purity and strength, in terms of oak handling, alcohol, and pH, the wine is simply too aggressive / bold. When it comes to wine with food, who wants a battleground ? And Penfolds do not help themselves, for having built an obviously 50-year plus wine, it is still in 2004 being bottled with a 49mm cork. Only 54 / 55 mm corks can be ‘guaranteed’ to last 50 years, as anybody seriously interested in mature wine knows. Who in truth wants a re-corked, topped up, adulterated wine, when with a decent cork at the outset, you can have the original ? Two people rated this wine top at the blind stage, but six had it as their second-favourite. In one sense therefore, for the group this was the most popular wine of the evening. And it will cellar exceptionally well: the 'consumerist' American estimate of cellar life above is ludicrous. Half the tasters recognised it as shiraz-dominant. Cellar 25 – 45 years. GK 04/21
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.6%; $45 [ screwcap; Me 50%, CS 35, CF 10, Ma 5, hand-picked; c.9 months in French oak none new; 515 cases; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour. Bouquet is sweet, floral, fragrant and lovely, another with suggestions even of violets, in ripe plummy fruit. In mouth the ripeness of the merlot is greater than the Kennedy Point wine, the wine showing dark plum and even blackberry notes. Oak is more apparent than one might hope – more like a Reserve wine – until you taste the same firm's Reserve, which is much smoother and richer and yes, oakier. I have to conclude both are oaky, but the quality and ripeness of the fruit is so good in each wine, testament to the wonderful 2010 vintage, that both have to score highly. Cellar 5 – 15 years, though at the moment it needs a year or two to smooth out. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an excellent colour. Bouquet is sweet, floral, fragrant and lovely, another with suggestions even of violets, in ripe plummy fruit. In mouth the ripeness of the merlot is greater than the Kennedy Point wine, the wine showing dark plum and even blackberry notes. Oak is more apparent than one might hope – more like a Reserve wine – until you taste the same firm's Reserve, which is much smoother and richer and yes, oakier. I have to conclude both are oaky, but the quality and ripeness of the fruit is so good in each wine, testament to the wonderful 2010 vintage, that both have to score highly. Cellar 5 – 15 years, though at the moment it needs a year or two to smooth out. GK 10/12
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $53 [ cork 46mm, ullage 20mm; original price c.$24; cepage varies from year to year, 1998 being shiraz / grenache / mourvedre, no ratio available but along lines 50/30/20, the vines 40 – 100 years age; no winemaking detail, elevation 16 months in older American hogsheads six years or more of age. The winery notes say "to enhance the highly concentrated fruit flavours without introducing any obvious oak characters." Halliday, 2011: … a ripe, complex mix of savoury/spicy/berry aromas foreshadow a palate which first shows the mint latent in the bouquet allied with that special fruit sweetness which grenache bestows, and which is still evident through the considerable tannins on the finish, 91; Wine Spectator, 2001: Rich flavors of dark berry and cherry are balanced against a wiry backbone of fine tannins and acidity in this outstanding Shiraz, gaining momentum on the finish. Impressive for its intensity and elegance. Drink now through 2010. 82,489 cases made, 90; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, much the reddest, freshest and deepest wine in the set. The Australian interloper in the Pt 2 1999 tasting was a good deal more subtle than the Melton in the 2007s. Here the florality on bouquet is truly flowering mint Prostanthera, and there is no suggestion of euc: it almost passes as ‘garrigue’ character. Even so, 20 of the 21 tasters unerringly identified the wine (in the blind tasting) as Australian – a remarkable result. Considering 1998 was a ripe and warm year in the Barossa Valley, the quality and freshness of the shiraz here is remarkable: the bouquet nearly shows syrah florals. Palate initially is juicy, plump but not heavy, good berryfruit, but then the Australian obsession with technological interference (in wine) comes in, with shrill added acid to the tail. Even so, it fitted in beautifully, due to the understated oaking, which is so subtle for Penfolds. Two top places. Cellar 10 – 20 years more. GK 10/19
Ruby, garnet and velvet, much the reddest, freshest and deepest wine in the set. The Australian interloper in the Pt 2 1999 tasting was a good deal more subtle than the Melton in the 2007s. Here the florality on bouquet is truly flowering mint Prostanthera, and there is no suggestion of euc: it almost passes as ‘garrigue’ character. Even so, 20 of the 21 tasters unerringly identified the wine (in the blind tasting) as Australian – a remarkable result. Considering 1998 was a ripe and warm year in the Barossa Valley, the quality and freshness of the shiraz here is remarkable: the bouquet nearly shows syrah florals. Palate initially is juicy, plump but not heavy, good berryfruit, but then the Australian obsession with technological interference (in wine) comes in, with shrill added acid to the tail. Even so, it fitted in beautifully, due to the understated oaking, which is so subtle for Penfolds. Two top places. Cellar 10 – 20 years more. GK 10/19
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $48 [ www.olssens.co.nz ]
Rich pinot noir ruby, vibrant. This bouquet is truly floral, fragrant, and youthfully burgundian, with the scents of boronia and darkest roses in black cherry fruit. Palate has layers of fruit, gorgeous texture which is velvety without being unduly soft, and it is not over-oaked. A very attractive Otago pinot noir which will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/04
Rich pinot noir ruby, vibrant. This bouquet is truly floral, fragrant, and youthfully burgundian, with the scents of boronia and darkest roses in black cherry fruit. Palate has layers of fruit, gorgeous texture which is velvety without being unduly soft, and it is not over-oaked. A very attractive Otago pinot noir which will cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 10/04
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; Wooing Tree is a family-owned vineyard led by Steve Farquharson. The land was bought in 2002, and the vineyard established by highly-regarded viticulturist Robin Dicey. First vintage was 2005, so this winery too has come a long way in a short time. Winemaking is contracted to VinPro, and their house winemaker is also Peter Bartle. Our 2010 vintage has won gold medals in both the Air NZ Wine Awards 2012, and the Royal Easter 2012, yet has not sold out – an interesting commentary on the diminishing role of judgings in New Zealand wine affairs. It is made from 5 clones of pinot, all hand-picked. There is 5 – 10% whole-bunch in the ferment. It spent 10 months in French oak 34% new, with no fining but medium filtering. Analysis data not available; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Older pinot noir ruby. This wine needs a couple of splashy decantings, to reveal a bouquet which is a little different. The wine is at the stage of passing from primary flower and fruit notes to more evolved secondary aromas, where the components meld together into the burgundy wine style. Accordingly the oak is a little more apparent on bouquet. In mouth however the texture is velvety, the oak is not overly apparent, and charming older cherry flavours dominate, but showing some age, perhaps a little over-developed for its relative age, a hint of drying to the finish. Pleasing though. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/14
Older pinot noir ruby. This wine needs a couple of splashy decantings, to reveal a bouquet which is a little different. The wine is at the stage of passing from primary flower and fruit notes to more evolved secondary aromas, where the components meld together into the burgundy wine style. Accordingly the oak is a little more apparent on bouquet. In mouth however the texture is velvety, the oak is not overly apparent, and charming older cherry flavours dominate, but showing some age, perhaps a little over-developed for its relative age, a hint of drying to the finish. Pleasing though. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/14
Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ wild yeast ferment, mostly French oak ]
Lemonstraw with a flush of gold. Bouquet is immediately appealing, soft, rich and ample, with a cottage cheese (+ve) and buttered toast and honey complexity on the fruit. Palate is much the same, early developing as the colour indicates, but now showing good integration of barrel ferment, lees autolysis and MLF with the rich fruit. Good acid balance keeps the wine from being blowsy, so this is a case where appearances deceive. Even so, not a cellar wine beyond 1 – 2 years. GK 01/05
Lemonstraw with a flush of gold. Bouquet is immediately appealing, soft, rich and ample, with a cottage cheese (+ve) and buttered toast and honey complexity on the fruit. Palate is much the same, early developing as the colour indicates, but now showing good integration of barrel ferment, lees autolysis and MLF with the rich fruit. Good acid balance keeps the wine from being blowsy, so this is a case where appearances deceive. Even so, not a cellar wine beyond 1 – 2 years. GK 01/05
Upper Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $52 [ screwcap; hand-picked from a vineyard on the Riflemans Terraces, notably cooler than the Gimblett Gravels; 100% clone mendoza on own roots, average vine age 17 years; whole-bunch pressed, settled only briefly; 100% wild-yeast and 100% barrel-ferment up to 17° plus partial MLF ferment; 12 months on lees in French oak 40% new balance 1-year, batonnage weekly in the first months extending to monthly later; pH –, RS 1.9 g/l; sterile-filtered; formerly entered in Shows: this wine Gold Easter 2007, Silver Air NZ 2006; www.sacredhill.com ]
Full straw, the deepest colour. The first thing to say is that for the group, this was by a clear margin the top wine of the evening. This interesting result shows the extent to which keen consumers still do cellar wine, and still do appreciate the flavours of fully developed wines, rather than the youthful current-release wines so many declare to be the best in the country. Bouquet is a rich blend of peachy stone fruit, including best glacé peaches, a hint of bottled quince, with brioche and even shortcake complexities woven through. The latter flavours highlight the magic brought about by the MLF fermentation, and long lees-autolysis. Palate simply extends the bouquet, beautifully harmonious and fully developed, to my mind a little older than I would wish for its age, so the oak is showing a little. Hence the score. It was a treat to see two vintages of Riflemans five years apart, particularly when both wines have near-identical elevage. Fully mature now, but will hold several years yet. GK 03/12
Full straw, the deepest colour. The first thing to say is that for the group, this was by a clear margin the top wine of the evening. This interesting result shows the extent to which keen consumers still do cellar wine, and still do appreciate the flavours of fully developed wines, rather than the youthful current-release wines so many declare to be the best in the country. Bouquet is a rich blend of peachy stone fruit, including best glacé peaches, a hint of bottled quince, with brioche and even shortcake complexities woven through. The latter flavours highlight the magic brought about by the MLF fermentation, and long lees-autolysis. Palate simply extends the bouquet, beautifully harmonious and fully developed, to my mind a little older than I would wish for its age, so the oak is showing a little. Hence the score. It was a treat to see two vintages of Riflemans five years apart, particularly when both wines have near-identical elevage. Fully mature now, but will hold several years yet. GK 03/12
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.7%; $115 [ cork; CS 57, Me 22, CF 17, Ma 4, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; the middle wine of the three tiers; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, much lighter than the top wines. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing beautiful fragrant berry-fruit totally out of style with the leading Waiheke or Hawkes Bay examples of Bordeaux blends, but totally in style with the better Reservas or Reservas Especials of Rioja in the 1950s and 1960s (tempranillo), and some later and contemporary highly regarded wines from Ribera del Duero in the same style. The key to this distinctiveness seems to be a particular kind of American oak introducing the distinctive aroma found in a carton of oranges when one in the bottom is going blue-mouldy (+ve in this context). Palate follows bouquet exactly, very fragrant and supple red fruits rather more than black, no cassis as such yet a lovely fruit sweetness, totally distinctive as fine wine, yet a world apart from new world cabernet as usually understood. More richness is needed, but these are young vines and 2006 is not a great year. Cellar life is therefore hard to estimate, there already being some maturity evident. It could maintain this profile surprisingly well, so 5 – 10 years, maybe a little more. GK 06/10
Ruby, much lighter than the top wines. Bouquet is extraordinary, showing beautiful fragrant berry-fruit totally out of style with the leading Waiheke or Hawkes Bay examples of Bordeaux blends, but totally in style with the better Reservas or Reservas Especials of Rioja in the 1950s and 1960s (tempranillo), and some later and contemporary highly regarded wines from Ribera del Duero in the same style. The key to this distinctiveness seems to be a particular kind of American oak introducing the distinctive aroma found in a carton of oranges when one in the bottom is going blue-mouldy (+ve in this context). Palate follows bouquet exactly, very fragrant and supple red fruits rather more than black, no cassis as such yet a lovely fruit sweetness, totally distinctive as fine wine, yet a world apart from new world cabernet as usually understood. More richness is needed, but these are young vines and 2006 is not a great year. Cellar life is therefore hard to estimate, there already being some maturity evident. It could maintain this profile surprisingly well, so 5 – 10 years, maybe a little more. GK 06/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; subsidiary of Craggy Range; www.capricornwines.co.nz ]
Good pinot ruby, ideal in fact. Needs a breath of fresh air, to reveal an unequivocal pinot noir bouquet. There are beautiful florals in the boronia camp, on red and black cherries made aromatic by oak. Palate shows exactly what pinot is about, the feel of chardonnay-weight fruit with the flavours of ripe cherries. Oaking is fragrant, but to a max. This is fine New Zealand pinot noir, and is undoubtedly the best value in pinot ever offered in New Zealand. Let us hope it is a glimpse of the future, with pinot over-production imminent (and over-pricing rampant). Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 01/05
Good pinot ruby, ideal in fact. Needs a breath of fresh air, to reveal an unequivocal pinot noir bouquet. There are beautiful florals in the boronia camp, on red and black cherries made aromatic by oak. Palate shows exactly what pinot is about, the feel of chardonnay-weight fruit with the flavours of ripe cherries. Oaking is fragrant, but to a max. This is fine New Zealand pinot noir, and is undoubtedly the best value in pinot ever offered in New Zealand. Let us hope it is a glimpse of the future, with pinot over-production imminent (and over-pricing rampant). Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 01/05
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $ – [ cork ]
Gold, just a hint of old gold creeping in, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is quiet and understated in this wine, very pure, still floral in a fading nectary way, clearly varietal. Palate is understated too, the acid of the 1975s clearly noticeable, some light mandarin notes in palest stonefruit, all a little shorter than the botrytised 1976s, but still pretty lovely. Again, no immediate hurry here. GK 03/12
Gold, just a hint of old gold creeping in, in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is quiet and understated in this wine, very pure, still floral in a fading nectary way, clearly varietal. Palate is understated too, the acid of the 1975s clearly noticeable, some light mandarin notes in palest stonefruit, all a little shorter than the botrytised 1976s, but still pretty lovely. Again, no immediate hurry here. GK 03/12
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $29 [ CS 56%, Me 36, CF 4, PV 3; 15 months in 35% new 50 / 50 French and US oak; www.capementelle.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet. The cassis of cabernet is delightful in this wine, and there is even a hint of violets. Palate is lighter and fresher than the Vasse Felix 2001, but the cassis is still intense, with good supporting plummy fruit, and fragrant oak which is slightly nutmeggy. This should cellar for 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Ruby and velvet. The cassis of cabernet is delightful in this wine, and there is even a hint of violets. Palate is lighter and fresher than the Vasse Felix 2001, but the cassis is still intense, with good supporting plummy fruit, and fragrant oak which is slightly nutmeggy. This should cellar for 5 – 15 years. GK 06/04
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ cork; hand-harvested CS 52%, Me 34, CF 14; extended cuvaison; average vine age 20 + years; 20 months in French oak 75% new; pH 3.58, RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than 2010 Coleraine. This wine has put on weight since I saw it last, with the bouquet pouring forth a dramatic volume of cabernets aroma. The cabernets here (combined) are a greater percentage than the 2010 Coleraine, giving an even more cassisy aromatic to the bouquet. Palate is very youthful, perhaps not quite the suppleness of the 2010 Coleraine, some cabernet edge, stronger oak handling than the 2010. In one sense this seems a more powerful wine than the 2010 Coleraine, so the question could be whether one prefers force or seduction. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than 2010 Coleraine. This wine has put on weight since I saw it last, with the bouquet pouring forth a dramatic volume of cabernets aroma. The cabernets here (combined) are a greater percentage than the 2010 Coleraine, giving an even more cassisy aromatic to the bouquet. Palate is very youthful, perhaps not quite the suppleness of the 2010 Coleraine, some cabernet edge, stronger oak handling than the 2010. In one sense this seems a more powerful wine than the 2010 Coleraine, so the question could be whether one prefers force or seduction. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/12
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 9%; $ – [ screwcap; winemaker based at Escarpment Wines, Martinborough; price: the wines were initially offered at $25 each in the dozen set, but ended up at www.blackmarket.co.nz for $120 the set; wine described as sweet (55 g/L) by winemaker, and in the middle of Sweet by the bar-graph; no other info ]
This is one of the two most deeply-hued wines, clearly lemon, a lovely colour. Bouquet is slightly aromatic, fragrant and nearly citrus-blossom floral, with grapefruit notes, attractive. Palate is one of the most concentrated yet it is elegant, lots of flavour yet a lack of phenolics / extraction, beautifully long-flavoured on medium sweetness, citrus and white nectarine. Cellar 8 – 10 years. GK 02/12
This is one of the two most deeply-hued wines, clearly lemon, a lovely colour. Bouquet is slightly aromatic, fragrant and nearly citrus-blossom floral, with grapefruit notes, attractive. Palate is one of the most concentrated yet it is elegant, lots of flavour yet a lack of phenolics / extraction, beautifully long-flavoured on medium sweetness, citrus and white nectarine. Cellar 8 – 10 years. GK 02/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; CS 35%, Me 34, Ma 31; French and American oak; DFB; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. In contrast to the Esk Reserve and the Sacred Hill (5/04), this wine opens immediately fragrant, with clear cassis, berryfruits and violets, as well as the pennyroyal aromatic note which is so common in New Zealand reds. Palate is juicy, berryrich and flavoursome, a bit oaky, not as tautly knit and Bordeaux-like as several of the more highly-scored wines, but there is plenty to like. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. In contrast to the Esk Reserve and the Sacred Hill (5/04), this wine opens immediately fragrant, with clear cassis, berryfruits and violets, as well as the pennyroyal aromatic note which is so common in New Zealand reds. Palate is juicy, berryrich and flavoursome, a bit oaky, not as tautly knit and Bordeaux-like as several of the more highly-scored wines, but there is plenty to like. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ screwcap; CS 71%, Ma 15, Me 14; French oak; DFB; www.kingsley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as some. Bouquet on this wine is astonishingly like an Haut-Medoc wine such as Ch Lanessan, where cabernet sauvignon is a high percentage (75 at Lanessan), and new oak is less apparent. Bouquet and palate are beautifully dominated by intense cassis and darkest plum, and though the oak is understated, nonetheless the whole wine is tauter and shows better tannin integration than for example the Cornerstone. This is elegant Bordeaux-styled red wine, not the richest, but one to illuminate the Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux climatic analogy to the
utmost. What a pleasure it will be with food in 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as some. Bouquet on this wine is astonishingly like an Haut-Medoc wine such as Ch Lanessan, where cabernet sauvignon is a high percentage (75 at Lanessan), and new oak is less apparent. Bouquet and palate are beautifully dominated by intense cassis and darkest plum, and though the oak is understated, nonetheless the whole wine is tauter and shows better tannin integration than for example the Cornerstone. This is elegant Bordeaux-styled red wine, not the richest, but one to illuminate the Hawkes Bay / Bordeaux climatic analogy to the
utmost. What a pleasure it will be with food in 10 – 15 years. GK 07/04
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; hand-harvested mid-May rather than mid-April from vines planted 1995; s/s cool ferment; some months stirring on gross lees to build palate, 40 g/L RS by stop-ferment; made in / seeking a vendage tardive style, 150 cases; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is quite strongly varietal, deeper than the pear flesh so often attributed to the variety, more a soaked sultana and white nectarine fruit character. There is no oak influence, so one can study the pinot-family varietal flavours, which in New Zealand (sadly) are all too often simpler than the yellow-flowers-tinged Alsatian interpretation. In mouth though, body immediately evokes images of Alsatian tokay, a distinctly fatter and fleshy texture much suited to food, the flavour overcoming the appreciable sweetness. This should evolve in cellar into an unusual New Zealand pinot gris, well worth investing in. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Lemon-straw. Bouquet is quite strongly varietal, deeper than the pear flesh so often attributed to the variety, more a soaked sultana and white nectarine fruit character. There is no oak influence, so one can study the pinot-family varietal flavours, which in New Zealand (sadly) are all too often simpler than the yellow-flowers-tinged Alsatian interpretation. In mouth though, body immediately evokes images of Alsatian tokay, a distinctly fatter and fleshy texture much suited to food, the flavour overcoming the appreciable sweetness. This should evolve in cellar into an unusual New Zealand pinot gris, well worth investing in. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; no info, website being renovated; www.spyvalleywine.co.nz ]
Rich lemon. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, floral, exotic, and freshly-opened tending too perfumed. It benefits from decanting to reveal ginger-influenced spicy lychee, grapefruit and stonefruit aromas and flavours, good body, sweetness above medium, long flavoured. This Spy Gewurztraminer does not quite achieve the authentic Alsatian-quality richness and ripeness of the Saint Clair Reserve reviewed recently, and it is a bit sweeter, but it is explicitly varietal. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/13
Rich lemon. Bouquet is sweet, ripe, floral, exotic, and freshly-opened tending too perfumed. It benefits from decanting to reveal ginger-influenced spicy lychee, grapefruit and stonefruit aromas and flavours, good body, sweetness above medium, long flavoured. This Spy Gewurztraminer does not quite achieve the authentic Alsatian-quality richness and ripeness of the Saint Clair Reserve reviewed recently, and it is a bit sweeter, but it is explicitly varietal. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 05/13
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14%; $54 [ CS 84%, Sy 8, Ma 5, Me 2; 18 months in new French oak; www.vassefelix.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, a little deeper than the standard Cabernet Sauvignon. This is more an Australian cabernet in style than the standard wine, with rich cassis but also strong French oak introducing quite a hessian note. Palate is very dry, rich, fine-grained, firmly oaky and very taut. Cepage is almost a Hawkes Bay Blend, except the shiraz has more prominence. One cannot taste the shiraz easily, but the whole wine is less compellingly Bordeaux-like than the standard wine, both grapewise and in the more emphatic oak handling. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 06/04
Ruby and velvet, a little deeper than the standard Cabernet Sauvignon. This is more an Australian cabernet in style than the standard wine, with rich cassis but also strong French oak introducing quite a hessian note. Palate is very dry, rich, fine-grained, firmly oaky and very taut. Cepage is almost a Hawkes Bay Blend, except the shiraz has more prominence. One cannot taste the shiraz easily, but the whole wine is less compellingly Bordeaux-like than the standard wine, both grapewise and in the more emphatic oak handling. Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 06/04
Tutaekuri Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $21 [ screwcap; cold-settled and cool fermented in s/s; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon-green, an excellent colour. Bouquet is already dramatically varietal, at a careful point of ripeness bridging the gap between stone-fruited Hawke's Bay wine and capsicum-themed Marlborough. This has some sweet basil aromatics which are nearly floral, clear black passionfruit, and sautéed red capsicum fruit on bouquet. Palate is great, extending the bouquet considerably, attractive mouth feel, maybe a hint of brief lees work or a fraction of barrel-ferment, gentler acid than so many Marlborough wines, 'sauvignon-dry', thoroughly pleasant wine. This 2011 Woodthorpe seems to reflect a dramatic change of approach, more than likely a significantly reduced crop, and much more attention to ripeness parameters. On the expensive side for s/s sauvignon, but worth trying. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Lemon-green, an excellent colour. Bouquet is already dramatically varietal, at a careful point of ripeness bridging the gap between stone-fruited Hawke's Bay wine and capsicum-themed Marlborough. This has some sweet basil aromatics which are nearly floral, clear black passionfruit, and sautéed red capsicum fruit on bouquet. Palate is great, extending the bouquet considerably, attractive mouth feel, maybe a hint of brief lees work or a fraction of barrel-ferment, gentler acid than so many Marlborough wines, 'sauvignon-dry', thoroughly pleasant wine. This 2011 Woodthorpe seems to reflect a dramatic change of approach, more than likely a significantly reduced crop, and much more attention to ripeness parameters. On the expensive side for s/s sauvignon, but worth trying. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Colchagua Valley, Chile: 13%; $19 [ cork; SB 85%, other vars 15; s/s; www.viumanent.cl/ingles ]
Bright pale lemon, minutely richer than the standard wine. Bouquet is sweeter, riper and purer than the straight sauvignon, with more fruit and more honeysuckle, also clearly in the warmer Hawkes Bay sauvignon style. Palate is very good, fine black passionfruit and nectarine made aromatic by red capsicum, much richer than the standard wine, and not showing the sur lie hint. It is a little more phenolic than New Zealand's best. This could well be a gold medal wine, in a judging where the milder Hawkes Bay style was rewarded equally with the more bouquetted Marlborough wines. Cellar to taste, longer than the standard wine. GK 12/04
Bright pale lemon, minutely richer than the standard wine. Bouquet is sweeter, riper and purer than the straight sauvignon, with more fruit and more honeysuckle, also clearly in the warmer Hawkes Bay sauvignon style. Palate is very good, fine black passionfruit and nectarine made aromatic by red capsicum, much richer than the standard wine, and not showing the sur lie hint. It is a little more phenolic than New Zealand's best. This could well be a gold medal wine, in a judging where the milder Hawkes Bay style was rewarded equally with the more bouquetted Marlborough wines. Cellar to taste, longer than the standard wine. GK 12/04
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $ – [ cork; Ch 100%; 7 years en tirage; RS 8 g/L; www.lebrun.co.nz ]
Straw. Bouquet is both clearly autolysed, plus an intriguing vanilla wafer quality, beautifully clean. Palate enlarges on these qualities, light baguette-crust autolysis, the wine drying a little now as it ages, the nett result being a very Brut wine indeed, at least to the first sip or two. But then one is quickly seduced by the cashew and baguette-crust lingering aftertaste of superlative quality, and the wine becomes a delight. Exemplary New Zealand bubbly, fully mature now, but no hurry to finish up if you like old wine. GK 08/11
Straw. Bouquet is both clearly autolysed, plus an intriguing vanilla wafer quality, beautifully clean. Palate enlarges on these qualities, light baguette-crust autolysis, the wine drying a little now as it ages, the nett result being a very Brut wine indeed, at least to the first sip or two. But then one is quickly seduced by the cashew and baguette-crust lingering aftertaste of superlative quality, and the wine becomes a delight. Exemplary New Zealand bubbly, fully mature now, but no hurry to finish up if you like old wine. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $24 [ screwcap; Sy 100% hand-harvested @ 24+ degrees Brix, all de-stemmed; mostly wild yeast, warm-fermented in concrete open-top vessels, extended cuvaison; c. 18 months in French oak 30% new; RS <1g/L; www.esk.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, medium depth. Bouquet is much sweeter, riper and more charming than the Pask, closely matching some Cote Roties from Yves Cuilleron on the one hand, and some Ngatarawa Triangle wines such as Te Mata Bullnose on the other. There is clear wallflower, lovely cassis, and dark bottled plum. On palate the fruit is indeed riper than the Pask, so the oak seems a little less, though still noticeable, and the wine is plumper and more pleasing in mouth. Late flavours are very varietal, wallflower again, cassis, black pepper, and gentle oak, all nicely aromatic. Not a big wine, but potentially a beautiful one, which in three years or so will be a delight. It is the most accessible of the Pask / Villa / Esk syrah threesome right now, and well worth cellaring. See the Villa comment. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Ruby, carmine and velvet, medium depth. Bouquet is much sweeter, riper and more charming than the Pask, closely matching some Cote Roties from Yves Cuilleron on the one hand, and some Ngatarawa Triangle wines such as Te Mata Bullnose on the other. There is clear wallflower, lovely cassis, and dark bottled plum. On palate the fruit is indeed riper than the Pask, so the oak seems a little less, though still noticeable, and the wine is plumper and more pleasing in mouth. Late flavours are very varietal, wallflower again, cassis, black pepper, and gentle oak, all nicely aromatic. Not a big wine, but potentially a beautiful one, which in three years or so will be a delight. It is the most accessible of the Pask / Villa / Esk syrah threesome right now, and well worth cellaring. See the Villa comment. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 08/11
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $64 [ Gr 70%, Sy 15, Mv 15; part of must pasteurised; 100% in casks 12 months; website requires password entry; www.perrin-rhone.com ]
Ruby. Bouquet is archetypal grenache, soft and 'sweet' raspberry and red plums with cinnamon spice, and complexity from fragrant herbes de Provence aromatics. Palate marries all these into a silky classical Chateauneuf de Pape, richer than the weight of flavour would suggest, scarcely oaked and little if any new, a hint of savoury complexity building interest through the palate. The wine reminds of an understated Chateauneuf such as Clos des Papes, but more old-fashioned. This is the best les Sinards in recent years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/04
Ruby. Bouquet is archetypal grenache, soft and 'sweet' raspberry and red plums with cinnamon spice, and complexity from fragrant herbes de Provence aromatics. Palate marries all these into a silky classical Chateauneuf de Pape, richer than the weight of flavour would suggest, scarcely oaked and little if any new, a hint of savoury complexity building interest through the palate. The wine reminds of an understated Chateauneuf such as Clos des Papes, but more old-fashioned. This is the best les Sinards in recent years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/04
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $63 [ screwcap; CS nominally 100%, made from the best 1% of the crop in the better years only; 22 months in French oak 100% new; RS < 1 g/L; first made in 1982; www.wynns.com.au ]
Dense ruby and velvet. Bouquet suggests a huge wine, the berry is cool enough to retain cassis character, but there is a lot of oak. Palate is clean, rich, very dry, still showing cassis but starting to brown a little, the oak potentially cedary but at a max. This wine suggests about the greatest seasonal warmth for Coonawarra cabernet to retain a reasonably Bordeaux styling, but the oak has the last word, sadly, letting down the fruit. Cellar 5 – 20 years, doubtfully too finesse later. GK 08/11
Dense ruby and velvet. Bouquet suggests a huge wine, the berry is cool enough to retain cassis character, but there is a lot of oak. Palate is clean, rich, very dry, still showing cassis but starting to brown a little, the oak potentially cedary but at a max. This wine suggests about the greatest seasonal warmth for Coonawarra cabernet to retain a reasonably Bordeaux styling, but the oak has the last word, sadly, letting down the fruit. Cellar 5 – 20 years, doubtfully too finesse later. GK 08/11
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $19 [ screwcap; early-morning picked by machine; free-run cool-fermented in s/s, press fraction BF, both fractions 3 months LA, stirring not mentioned; RS 5 g/L; www.borehamwoodwines.co.nz ]
Straw. There is some varietal excitement on the bouquet of this wine, with more complexity and hints of yellow flowers as well as white, much more like good Alsatian pinot gris. Both bouquet and palate are beautifully clean, with suggestions of yellow-fleshed plum as well as pear, plus just a touch of cinnamon later, thus finishing slightly phenolic and virtually dry. This is serious pinot gris to cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 08/11
Straw. There is some varietal excitement on the bouquet of this wine, with more complexity and hints of yellow flowers as well as white, much more like good Alsatian pinot gris. Both bouquet and palate are beautifully clean, with suggestions of yellow-fleshed plum as well as pear, plus just a touch of cinnamon later, thus finishing slightly phenolic and virtually dry. This is serious pinot gris to cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe longer. GK 08/11
Clevedon, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.1%; $85 [ cork; Me 51%, CF 20, Ca 13, CS 9, Ma 7, hand-harvested @ c.6.75 t/ha = 2.7 t/ac; 21 months in French oak 48% new; lightly fined, filtered; www.puririhills.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet. This is a more petite wine alongside the 2010 Pope, which is the wine of a fabulous year. But there is the same extraordinary florality and berries on bouquet, violets and nearly cassis, not quite the plumpness maybe to suggest blackberry, but totally good cru bourgeois-level Bordeaux in style. Palate again has attractive delicacy and texture in wonderful red berries, but not quite the richness of the 2010 Reserve. It is enchanting to have such delicate, subtly oaked New Zealand bordeaux blends of an east-bank persuasion with berry fruit so dominant. In one sense this is a prettier wine than 2010 Pope, due to less oak and also the cabernet sauvignon speaking with a louder voice than the % would justify. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 08/12
Ruby, some velvet. This is a more petite wine alongside the 2010 Pope, which is the wine of a fabulous year. But there is the same extraordinary florality and berries on bouquet, violets and nearly cassis, not quite the plumpness maybe to suggest blackberry, but totally good cru bourgeois-level Bordeaux in style. Palate again has attractive delicacy and texture in wonderful red berries, but not quite the richness of the 2010 Reserve. It is enchanting to have such delicate, subtly oaked New Zealand bordeaux blends of an east-bank persuasion with berry fruit so dominant. In one sense this is a prettier wine than 2010 Pope, due to less oak and also the cabernet sauvignon speaking with a louder voice than the % would justify. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 08/12
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $48 [ Gr 80%, Sy 20; no de-stemming, 13 days cuvaison; 30% in one-year barrels, 70 in older oak; website requires password entry; www.perrin-rhone.com ]
Ruby, deeper than the Sinards or Coudoulet. Initially opened, there are some rustic odours which demand splashy pouring from jug to jug. Thus decanted, the bouquet is brilliant, with spicy nutmeg and cinnamon on rich dry redfruits and grenache. Palate shows excellent savoury herbes de Provence complexity on tongue, and long soft berryfruit which combines cassis, blackberry and plum, and is more aromatic all through than Coudoulet. The wine is dry, mellow, scarcely affected by the newish oak, long on skin tannins, spicy, not quite the body of great Gigondas maybe, but there is good complexity and typicité, with smoky and bretty grilled beef suggestions which are delicious. A more traditional wine, therefore. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/04
Ruby, deeper than the Sinards or Coudoulet. Initially opened, there are some rustic odours which demand splashy pouring from jug to jug. Thus decanted, the bouquet is brilliant, with spicy nutmeg and cinnamon on rich dry redfruits and grenache. Palate shows excellent savoury herbes de Provence complexity on tongue, and long soft berryfruit which combines cassis, blackberry and plum, and is more aromatic all through than Coudoulet. The wine is dry, mellow, scarcely affected by the newish oak, long on skin tannins, spicy, not quite the body of great Gigondas maybe, but there is good complexity and typicité, with smoky and bretty grilled beef suggestions which are delicious. A more traditional wine, therefore. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 07/04
Morey-St-Denis Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $137 [ second-year oak ]
Pinot noir ruby, but one of the deeper (in this set – still no great weight). There isn't such a floral component to this wine, when compared with the top two Chambertins, but the depth of red going on black cherry is delightful. The oak smells and tastes new, noticeable in the blind tasting, but the ratio of oak to cherry fruit is very subtle. Beautiful medium-weight burgundy, lighter than the top two Chambertins, highly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/05
Pinot noir ruby, but one of the deeper (in this set – still no great weight). There isn't such a floral component to this wine, when compared with the top two Chambertins, but the depth of red going on black cherry is delightful. The oak smells and tastes new, noticeable in the blind tasting, but the ratio of oak to cherry fruit is very subtle. Beautiful medium-weight burgundy, lighter than the top two Chambertins, highly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 02/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; a more diverse range of clones than Target Gulley, the oldest (on own roots) 15 years at harvest; earlier vintages have been cropped at c. 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac; up to 10 days cold-soak, up to 10 days fermentation, up to 10 days maceration, giving a longer cuvaison than Target Gulley, with a smaller whole-bunch component; 14 months in French oak, 32% new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Colour is slightly fresher than the standard 2009 Mt Difficulty, less deep than the Target Gully. Bouquet shows a heightened floral component relative to Long Gully, but in a cooler style than Target Gully, not such dusky roses, a bit more buddleia. Palate is red cherry more than black, quite dramatically so, and it is the only one of the Individual Vineyard wines to show a stalky streak in 2009. It tastes cooler than the standard wine even, but is richer. It will be wonderful to follow these three individual wines, and the standard wine, over their 3 – 8 maybe 10 year evolution in cellar. GK 08/11
Colour is slightly fresher than the standard 2009 Mt Difficulty, less deep than the Target Gully. Bouquet shows a heightened floral component relative to Long Gully, but in a cooler style than Target Gully, not such dusky roses, a bit more buddleia. Palate is red cherry more than black, quite dramatically so, and it is the only one of the Individual Vineyard wines to show a stalky streak in 2009. It tastes cooler than the standard wine even, but is richer. It will be wonderful to follow these three individual wines, and the standard wine, over their 3 – 8 maybe 10 year evolution in cellar. GK 08/11
NW Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 15%; $25 [ screwcap; shiraz 100%, harvested at 6.2 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac from a number of vineyards in the 300 – 350 m zone in the northwest Barossa Valley; 18 months in 25% new US hogsheads, balance older hogsheads from US, France, Russia and Hungary; not fined but filtered, production 16,978 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure 661 g; www.pirathon.com ]
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth, still quite a big wine. Bouquet is complex, deep, fresh, aromatic, with hints of flowering mint on darkly-berried fruit, fragrant. In mouth its characteristics jump into sharper focus, the flowering mint a little clearer on juicy dark berry combining dark plum and boysenberry, on fragrant oak less noticeable than the other two more ‘serious’ and richer Pirathons. Length of flavour on berry is long, subtly extended on sweet oak, almost as if there were a couple of grams residual sugar, acid adjustment to the finish. A simpler wine in one sense, a little less concentrated, yet attractive because of its berry dominance, it's floral and berry qualities not so influenced by oak, and its lingering fruit. I wish the alcohol in all these Pirathons were lower – the crazy thing is, if Australian winemakers would pick their shiraz earlier, in some situations (and seasons, at least) they could lift the wine into the more complex syrah winestyle. Even so, this is remarkable new-generation Australian shiraz, and great value at the price. It shows much of the style of the more expensive other two. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Ruby and velvet, just above midway in depth, still quite a big wine. Bouquet is complex, deep, fresh, aromatic, with hints of flowering mint on darkly-berried fruit, fragrant. In mouth its characteristics jump into sharper focus, the flowering mint a little clearer on juicy dark berry combining dark plum and boysenberry, on fragrant oak less noticeable than the other two more ‘serious’ and richer Pirathons. Length of flavour on berry is long, subtly extended on sweet oak, almost as if there were a couple of grams residual sugar, acid adjustment to the finish. A simpler wine in one sense, a little less concentrated, yet attractive because of its berry dominance, it's floral and berry qualities not so influenced by oak, and its lingering fruit. I wish the alcohol in all these Pirathons were lower – the crazy thing is, if Australian winemakers would pick their shiraz earlier, in some situations (and seasons, at least) they could lift the wine into the more complex syrah winestyle. Even so, this is remarkable new-generation Australian shiraz, and great value at the price. It shows much of the style of the more expensive other two. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/20
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; BF in French oak and 11 months LA, part MLF; 2.6 g/L RS; www.vidal.co.nz ]
The most lemongreen and youthful-looking of the Villa Group set of chardonnays. Bouquet on this one is not quite as fruit-dominant as the other top wines, with smoky and oaky qualities noticeable. They breathe off, to reveal good rich stonefruits more apparent than any mealiness, though the smoky note on the oak persists. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
The most lemongreen and youthful-looking of the Villa Group set of chardonnays. Bouquet on this one is not quite as fruit-dominant as the other top wines, with smoky and oaky qualities noticeable. They breathe off, to reveal good rich stonefruits more apparent than any mealiness, though the smoky note on the oak persists. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $36 [ cork, 45mm; New Zealand purchase price c.$20; Sy 50%, Gr 40, Mv 10; production c.291,600 x 9-litre cases; details in Introductory sections; J.L-L, 2011: Lying low, well-filled nose, licorice and dark berry airs. Black berries, blackberry jam flavour with tobacco, spice pockets. Has tarry later moments, a hint of dryness just before the finish. The attack is muscled. This has 2007 power inherent in it, is structured to live. There is a good long, consistent run through the palate. Has a solid nature, is still a bit closed up. Decant. 2021-23, ***(*); RP@RP, 2010: The 2007 Cotes du Rhone has finally been released, and Guigal has made his finest Cotes du Rhone to date, all from purchased juice. He and his son told me they go through thousands of samples in order to come up with this cuvee, which is based on 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre, all aged in tank. A deep ruby/purple wine with lots of cassis, kirsch, pepper, and even an intriguing floral note, the wine is medium to full-bodied, silky smooth, and a truly delicious, hedonistic and intellectually satisfying wine that is a remarkable bargain. It should drink well for 2-4 years, as these wines can actually last, 90; weight bottle and closure: 572 g; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, a shadow of garnet creeping in, above midway in richness of colour. Bouquet is very pure on this wine, a suggestion of dusky red roses adding a quiet charm, on big berryfruit suggesting blackberries-in-the-sun and blueberry, plus some dark plum. Palate is supple, saturated with berryfruit, quite tanniny still in relative youth, the oak just a little noticeable but the fruit richness enough to carry it, the acid balance good. This is a surprisingly well-balanced wine for the (in general) rather warm and tending over-ripe 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone Valley. In particular the syrah component does not show the over-ripeness of the 2009 and 2016. One second favourite ranking. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/21
Ruby, a shadow of garnet creeping in, above midway in richness of colour. Bouquet is very pure on this wine, a suggestion of dusky red roses adding a quiet charm, on big berryfruit suggesting blackberries-in-the-sun and blueberry, plus some dark plum. Palate is supple, saturated with berryfruit, quite tanniny still in relative youth, the oak just a little noticeable but the fruit richness enough to carry it, the acid balance good. This is a surprisingly well-balanced wine for the (in general) rather warm and tending over-ripe 2007 vintage in the Southern Rhone Valley. In particular the syrah component does not show the over-ripeness of the 2009 and 2016. One second favourite ranking. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/21
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $75 [ screwcap; grown on the Cornerstone vineyard, hand-picked @ ± 4.6 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; RS nil; 145 cases; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Good ruby and velvet, still some carmine. Bouquet is fairly rich, a bit heavy on more oak than is ideal, but much less oaky than some earlier Forrest offerings. Fruit ripeness is at the appropriate stage to still retain wallflower and dianthus florals, though they are somewhat hidden in the oak, with some black pepper. Palate is good syrah, oakier than ideal for temperate climate finesse, but not so much as to bludgeon the cassis and bottled black doris plummy fruit. The oak does make it a little austere alongside 2009 Bullnose, however. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/11
Good ruby and velvet, still some carmine. Bouquet is fairly rich, a bit heavy on more oak than is ideal, but much less oaky than some earlier Forrest offerings. Fruit ripeness is at the appropriate stage to still retain wallflower and dianthus florals, though they are somewhat hidden in the oak, with some black pepper. Palate is good syrah, oakier than ideal for temperate climate finesse, but not so much as to bludgeon the cassis and bottled black doris plummy fruit. The oak does make it a little austere alongside 2009 Bullnose, however. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 9.5%; $26 [ screwcap; vines planted 1994; stop-fermented @ 40 g/L, pH 3.0; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Lovely lemon, very fresh. Bouquet is softer, more floral than the dry version, both apple blossom and a whisper of something like jasmine, beautifully pure. Palate is pure crystalline riesling despite the higher residual sugar, no botrytis influence so one can study the flavour as essence of riesling the grape. There is some linalool and holy grass, some old-fashioned apple without the juicy esters of latter years, some sweet white peach. Below is a mineral and acid spine, fleshed out by the sweetness. This will cellar well, 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Lovely lemon, very fresh. Bouquet is softer, more floral than the dry version, both apple blossom and a whisper of something like jasmine, beautifully pure. Palate is pure crystalline riesling despite the higher residual sugar, no botrytis influence so one can study the flavour as essence of riesling the grape. There is some linalool and holy grass, some old-fashioned apple without the juicy esters of latter years, some sweet white peach. Below is a mineral and acid spine, fleshed out by the sweetness. This will cellar well, 5 – 15 years. GK 08/11
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $22.50 [ cork, 46mm; New Zealand purchase price c.$26; Gr 81%, Sy 7.5, Mv 7.5, Ca 4; details in Introductory sections; J.L-L, 2012: The nose is wide – here we go. It has appealing, rather ample layers with red berry fruit compote and a wee note of kirsch present. It is not out as yet, but the depth is very secure, solid. This is building into a bundle of complexity. The palate has a tight, compact, dense fabric. The finish is on licorice and thyme, dusty outcrops, with menthol and mint on the final moment. Very good Cotes du Rhone, one with proper body, access to the lands, STGT. It carries many 2010 attributes – balance, freshness, intricate body. It can resolve its pebbly finish gradually. Drink now if you want a direct swing of wine, since it moves very freely, but it will gain in interest and nuance over time. Great value for money. 14.5°. From spring 2014. 2023-25, ****(*); RP@RP, 2012: The 2010 Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet offers lots of framboise, strawberry and cherry notes intermixed with dusty, loamy, peppery, earthy characteristics in a medium-bodied, soft style. Enjoy it over the next 1-3 years. The Charvin Cotes du Rhone is one of the noteworthy value picks in just about every vintage, 87; weight bottle and closure: 565 g; www.domaine-charvin.com ]
Ruby, not quite the vigour and depth of the 2010 Guigal, but above midway in depth. Here is that rare thing, Charvin Cotes-du-Rhone ripened to pinpoint perfection. There are nearly lilac florals, a hint of garrigue complexity, and a depth of berryfruit hinting at raspberry, certain red plums, and blueberry. On bouquet, you would never accuse it of the simplicity so many concrete Cotes du Rhone wines can show. Palate continues the harmony of berry ripeness, perfect acid balance, noticeable furry-tannins as yet in youth, yet the tannins short, not quite the softening and lengthening that oak elevage bestows on the Guigal wines. This is about as good as Charvin Cotes-du-Rhone can be. One top ranking, three second favourites. What a wonderful year 2010 is, in the Rhone Valley. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/21
Ruby, not quite the vigour and depth of the 2010 Guigal, but above midway in depth. Here is that rare thing, Charvin Cotes-du-Rhone ripened to pinpoint perfection. There are nearly lilac florals, a hint of garrigue complexity, and a depth of berryfruit hinting at raspberry, certain red plums, and blueberry. On bouquet, you would never accuse it of the simplicity so many concrete Cotes du Rhone wines can show. Palate continues the harmony of berry ripeness, perfect acid balance, noticeable furry-tannins as yet in youth, yet the tannins short, not quite the softening and lengthening that oak elevage bestows on the Guigal wines. This is about as good as Charvin Cotes-du-Rhone can be. One top ranking, three second favourites. What a wonderful year 2010 is, in the Rhone Valley. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 03/21
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ Me 98%, Ma 2; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby, velvet and carmine. Bouquet on this merlot is cooler than the Gimblett Gravels wine, showing cassis notes as well as violets and plums, but with oak interfering. Flavours are in part like modern Bordeaux, but there is too much new oak, which exacerbates the acid, making the whole wine taste more austere. This may grow more fragrant and complex in cellar, and could even overtake the Gimblett wine on bouquet, but I suspect the oak will remain a matter for regret. The depth of fruit in these Craggy reds bespeaks a conservative cropping rate, giving great flavour. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/04
Dense ruby, velvet and carmine. Bouquet on this merlot is cooler than the Gimblett Gravels wine, showing cassis notes as well as violets and plums, but with oak interfering. Flavours are in part like modern Bordeaux, but there is too much new oak, which exacerbates the acid, making the whole wine taste more austere. This may grow more fragrant and complex in cellar, and could even overtake the Gimblett wine on bouquet, but I suspect the oak will remain a matter for regret. The depth of fruit in these Craggy reds bespeaks a conservative cropping rate, giving great flavour. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/04
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ screwcap; www.feltonroad.com ]
Lemon. This wine is just a little more obvious, the fruit and oak not quite so integrated as the top wines – but that is at a critical level. The Felton is still much less oaky than the Referts, for example. Fruit is white peachy and mealy, and the charry oak and citric overtones are amazingly like several of the Girardins. Richness is super, but the alcohol shows a little, just needing to marry up more. The acid may be slightly higher than the Girardins, but this wine shows yet again the great potential Otago has for world-class chardonnay, a potential lying almost latent and unrecognised. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/04
Lemon. This wine is just a little more obvious, the fruit and oak not quite so integrated as the top wines – but that is at a critical level. The Felton is still much less oaky than the Referts, for example. Fruit is white peachy and mealy, and the charry oak and citric overtones are amazingly like several of the Girardins. Richness is super, but the alcohol shows a little, just needing to marry up more. The acid may be slightly higher than the Girardins, but this wine shows yet again the great potential Otago has for world-class chardonnay, a potential lying almost latent and unrecognised. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 04/04
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $16 [ screwcap; RS 12 g/L; www.charleswiffenwines.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is clean strong varietal riesling with enough age to show some development on the lime-zest and citrus base. Palate is slightly more phenolic than ideal, but there is plenty of citrus and marmaladey fruit, on firm acid and a near-dry finish. It might develop a little kerosene character in cellar, but pleasantly so. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Lemon. Bouquet is clean strong varietal riesling with enough age to show some development on the lime-zest and citrus base. Palate is slightly more phenolic than ideal, but there is plenty of citrus and marmaladey fruit, on firm acid and a near-dry finish. It might develop a little kerosene character in cellar, but pleasantly so. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 08/11
Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 14%; $139
Pale lemongreen, brilliant. This is an understated wine, almost closed but not at all reductive – just hugging itself. Palate shows white stonefruits and quite a mineral complexity in the style of Puligny, with mealy, charry and almost almondy autolysis / oak complexities also discernible. Only on the aftertaste can one detect the 100% new oak this wine was apparently exposed to, which gives a hint to how rich it must be, behind its reserved exterior. This will cellar for two decades, and needs several years to have much to say at all. It may well ultimately merit a higher score. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/04
Pale lemongreen, brilliant. This is an understated wine, almost closed but not at all reductive – just hugging itself. Palate shows white stonefruits and quite a mineral complexity in the style of Puligny, with mealy, charry and almost almondy autolysis / oak complexities also discernible. Only on the aftertaste can one detect the 100% new oak this wine was apparently exposed to, which gives a hint to how rich it must be, behind its reserved exterior. This will cellar for two decades, and needs several years to have much to say at all. It may well ultimately merit a higher score. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 04/04
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; French oak, 25% MLF; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet on this wine is slightly more European than the top wines in the Villa Group set, showing a charry and faintly sacky suggestion in the big fruit. The charry quality extends into the rich peachy palate, adding a slightly bitey walnut-like character which adds complexity, in comparison with, for example, the pure-fruit Gisborne Reserve. Another variation on good chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Lemon. Bouquet on this wine is slightly more European than the top wines in the Villa Group set, showing a charry and faintly sacky suggestion in the big fruit. The charry quality extends into the rich peachy palate, adding a slightly bitey walnut-like character which adds complexity, in comparison with, for example, the pure-fruit Gisborne Reserve. Another variation on good chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $28 [ cork; Ch 55%, PN 41, PM 4; 100% MLF; 32 months en tirage; dosage @ 8.2 g/L; www.hunters.co.nz ]
Pale straw, but the wine a little over-pressure with excess very white foam, as Lindauer used to be. The first impression is of a lot of bouquet, clear-cut pinot noir adding zing, good cracked yeast autolysis character, all clearly in the 'champagne' class, though naturally younger and fruitier than the 2002 Pelorus. Palate is crisp, with elegant pinot noir-dominant fruit and good autolysis, not as weighty in mouth as the 2002 Pelorus, and a little sweeter, but all comparable with minor-marque champagne. The baguette crust on the aftertaste is delightful. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Pale straw, but the wine a little over-pressure with excess very white foam, as Lindauer used to be. The first impression is of a lot of bouquet, clear-cut pinot noir adding zing, good cracked yeast autolysis character, all clearly in the 'champagne' class, though naturally younger and fruitier than the 2002 Pelorus. Palate is crisp, with elegant pinot noir-dominant fruit and good autolysis, not as weighty in mouth as the 2002 Pelorus, and a little sweeter, but all comparable with minor-marque champagne. The baguette crust on the aftertaste is delightful. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 11/08
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $34 [ screwcap; 90% mendoza; yield < 1 t/ac; BF in French oak 20% new, 8 months LA , 20% MLF; RS 2.6 g/L; www.tkwine.co.nz ]
Lemon. This is straight up and down New Zealand chardonnay, totally clean, pure peachy stonefruit, clean oak a little noticeable at this stage, potential cashew complexity. In mouth the balance of fruit to oak is more favourable, the flavours lightly mealy, excellent acid balance, a wine which will be refreshing with food. The delicacy of these two Martinborough wines is very apparent, against the Hawkes Bay and Marlborough examples which happen to be available on the day. The '04 Chardonnay Reserve from a barrel sample looks to be every bit as good, slightly more acid and aromatic. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Lemon. This is straight up and down New Zealand chardonnay, totally clean, pure peachy stonefruit, clean oak a little noticeable at this stage, potential cashew complexity. In mouth the balance of fruit to oak is more favourable, the flavours lightly mealy, excellent acid balance, a wine which will be refreshing with food. The delicacy of these two Martinborough wines is very apparent, against the Hawkes Bay and Marlborough examples which happen to be available on the day. The '04 Chardonnay Reserve from a barrel sample looks to be every bit as good, slightly more acid and aromatic. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/05
Chablis, France: 13%; $122 [ cork; Fevre domaine-holdings wine ]
Lemongreen. This is the subtlest of the grands crus, but they all smell rich and more variants on white burgundy rather than chablis. Bouquet shows white stonefruits, subtle new oak and more obvious MLF complexity, a hint of mealiness, attractive wine. Palate is pure too, acid strangely noticeable as if touched up a la mode australienne, long white stonefruits, quite new world on the oak. Several tasters commented on the similarity to Marlborough chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Lemongreen. This is the subtlest of the grands crus, but they all smell rich and more variants on white burgundy rather than chablis. Bouquet shows white stonefruits, subtle new oak and more obvious MLF complexity, a hint of mealiness, attractive wine. Palate is pure too, acid strangely noticeable as if touched up a la mode australienne, long white stonefruits, quite new world on the oak. Several tasters commented on the similarity to Marlborough chardonnay. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $154 [ 49mm cork; a 5-star vintage for Broadbent, outstanding reds, rich and long-lasting, Parker 90 and ready; Sy 96, Vi 4; c.36 months in barrel and foudre, a little new; this single label estimated to be 40% of the total production of Cote Rotie; Parker, 1996: Like many northern Rhones from this vintage, the 1985 regular cuvee has always been a deliciously ripe, round, precocious-tasting wine, with a concentrated, creamy texture, and smoky bouquet. Mature now, 90; www.guigal.com ]
Mature ruby with appreciable garnet, exactly midway in depth. This is an understated wine, yet it is so immaculately tailored, and so keeps on blossoming in the glass, that it works its way up the ranking. It opens up with air to be nearly floral, with lilac and dianthus suggestions, on red more than black fruits which initially are a little chestnutty, but clear dramatically. In flavour it is model Cote Rotie, not dramatically big or powerful, but beautifully fruited and fragrant in mouth. The oak is really clean, shaping the wine delightfully, but unobtrusive. A masterly example of the Guigal style, at a perfect peak of maturity and complexity (once breathed), for people who like old wine. Some will consider it a little too old. Will cellar some years yet, fading gently with time. Top wine for four people, and certainly a perfect food wine. This bottle perhaps best answers the question in the title for the tasting: Does Syrah Age ? GK 09/14
Mature ruby with appreciable garnet, exactly midway in depth. This is an understated wine, yet it is so immaculately tailored, and so keeps on blossoming in the glass, that it works its way up the ranking. It opens up with air to be nearly floral, with lilac and dianthus suggestions, on red more than black fruits which initially are a little chestnutty, but clear dramatically. In flavour it is model Cote Rotie, not dramatically big or powerful, but beautifully fruited and fragrant in mouth. The oak is really clean, shaping the wine delightfully, but unobtrusive. A masterly example of the Guigal style, at a perfect peak of maturity and complexity (once breathed), for people who like old wine. Some will consider it a little too old. Will cellar some years yet, fading gently with time. Top wine for four people, and certainly a perfect food wine. This bottle perhaps best answers the question in the title for the tasting: Does Syrah Age ? GK 09/14
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14%; $34 [ screwcap; 100% clone 95; French oak; 2 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. This is a pure and subtle chardonnay, more in the white nectarine than the golden queen spectrum of fruit. Later checking reveals it is in fact all Clone 95. Fruit richness persists right through the palate, with great viscosity but less mealy complexity, the oak seeming simpler but integrating attractively. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Lemongreen. This is a pure and subtle chardonnay, more in the white nectarine than the golden queen spectrum of fruit. Later checking reveals it is in fact all Clone 95. Fruit richness persists right through the palate, with great viscosity but less mealy complexity, the oak seeming simpler but integrating attractively. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 02/05
Goulburn Valley, Victoria, Australia: – %; $11.27 [ CS, minor CF. In those days patriarch the late Eric Purbrick still kept an eagle eye on things, and particularly his loved Bin wines. These were traditional, tended to be the press wines, were raised in big old wood, the best exceptional and long-lived. 1970 is not a reputed vintage at Tahbilk, but as can be seen from the price, the wine was highly esteemed in its day. Max Lake, in his wonderful book Classic Wines of Australia, 1966, describes them as 'truly classic wines of Australia'. This wine, 530 cases. ]
Garnet and ruby, the lightest of the set. Bouquet combines a faint hint of garden mint with fragrant red fruits totally in a cabernet franc / St Emilion style - quite remarkably so. Palate is mulberry and redcurrants, and clearly shows the merits of immaculate old oak cooperage, as in traditional Chateauneuf du Pape. There is no oak encroaching on the fruit at this stage, as there is in the Margaux and Mouton particularly, so the whole wine is fragrant on grape characters rather more than oak, and fades away as a graceful whole. Now lovely drinking, and like the Ducru, needs to be used up. GK 03/05
Garnet and ruby, the lightest of the set. Bouquet combines a faint hint of garden mint with fragrant red fruits totally in a cabernet franc / St Emilion style - quite remarkably so. Palate is mulberry and redcurrants, and clearly shows the merits of immaculate old oak cooperage, as in traditional Chateauneuf du Pape. There is no oak encroaching on the fruit at this stage, as there is in the Margaux and Mouton particularly, so the whole wine is fragrant on grape characters rather more than oak, and fades away as a graceful whole. Now lovely drinking, and like the Ducru, needs to be used up. GK 03/05
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.1%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-picked and sorted; thought to be 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 30% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is red cherry fragrant, clearly varietal, in a much more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits styling, appealing. Palate follows exactly, not dark Otago pinot noir at all, but still attractive crunchy burgundian cherry fruit, freshened by a trace of coolness as seen in the Cornish Point wine. Cellar 3 – 8 years. This is gorgeous ! VALUE GK 06/11
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is red cherry fragrant, clearly varietal, in a much more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits styling, appealing. Palate follows exactly, not dark Otago pinot noir at all, but still attractive crunchy burgundian cherry fruit, freshened by a trace of coolness as seen in the Cornish Point wine. Cellar 3 – 8 years. This is gorgeous ! VALUE GK 06/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $73 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 5, then 9 years, harvested @ c 1.8 t/ac; 12% whole bunch, 5 day cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, up to 24 days cuvaison; 13 months in French oak 40% new; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Mature pinot noir ruby. What a revelation a freshly opened bottle is. Bouquet epitomises the concept of florality in pinot noir, the palate is round and reminiscent of a Rousseau grand cru, and the whole wine is delicious mature New Zealand pinot. This wine was shown in the 2010 Pinot Noir Conference . In my report on this site I expressed dismay that the 2003 Target Gulley had come forward so quickly, relative to the rave review of the wine I made in writing up the 2007 Conference. Tasting this wine again now suggests that some at least of the wines in the 2010 Conference either experienced heat in transit, or stood too long in the glasses after pouring for the session, and thus lacked excitement at the point of tasting. Lovely wine, fully mature now. GK 06/11
Mature pinot noir ruby. What a revelation a freshly opened bottle is. Bouquet epitomises the concept of florality in pinot noir, the palate is round and reminiscent of a Rousseau grand cru, and the whole wine is delicious mature New Zealand pinot. This wine was shown in the 2010 Pinot Noir Conference . In my report on this site I expressed dismay that the 2003 Target Gulley had come forward so quickly, relative to the rave review of the wine I made in writing up the 2007 Conference. Tasting this wine again now suggests that some at least of the wines in the 2010 Conference either experienced heat in transit, or stood too long in the glasses after pouring for the session, and thus lacked excitement at the point of tasting. Lovely wine, fully mature now. GK 06/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.3%; $30 [ screwcap; if like the 2008, hand-picked, cuvaison extending to 4 weeks for some parcels; c. 8 months in French oak c.25% new; not fined or filtered; www.bannockbrae.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. In contrast to the Muirkirk Vineyard wine, this is a more fruit-forward pinot noir showing less oak influence. On bouquet the fragrant black more than red cherry fruit is warm and inviting, with subdued florals. Palate shows great fruit subtly oaked, a touch of coolness freshening the wine up, and pleasing texture and weight in mouth. At the price, this is a great introduction to the darker styles of Otago pinot. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 06/11
Good pinot noir ruby. In contrast to the Muirkirk Vineyard wine, this is a more fruit-forward pinot noir showing less oak influence. On bouquet the fragrant black more than red cherry fruit is warm and inviting, with subdued florals. Palate shows great fruit subtly oaked, a touch of coolness freshening the wine up, and pleasing texture and weight in mouth. At the price, this is a great introduction to the darker styles of Otago pinot. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 06/11
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $68 [ screwcap; hand-picked, single-vineyard wine, second release; 14 months in French oak; not fined or filtered; no other info; www.mountedward.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft, warm and inviting pinot noir, showing good roses to boronia florality on attractively ripened cherry fruit. In mouth a suggestion of barrel complexity adds to interest, with fine fruit richness and the flavour-length extended by oak. Many will prefer this slightly more oak-influenced styling to the subtler wines I have put ahead of it. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft, warm and inviting pinot noir, showing good roses to boronia florality on attractively ripened cherry fruit. In mouth a suggestion of barrel complexity adds to interest, with fine fruit richness and the flavour-length extended by oak. Many will prefer this slightly more oak-influenced styling to the subtler wines I have put ahead of it. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Cheviot Hills, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 11.5%; $23 [ Stelvin Lux; hand-picked; 6 months on light lees; pH 2.97, RS 7.5 g/L; www.mtbeautiful.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is wonderful, totally pure and varietal riesling untainted by so-called 'aromatic' yeasts. Bouquet recalls both the Mosel, and the Clare Valley: freesias and hops. Palate explains the Clare Valley and hops part, the wine being a little more extractive / phenolic than ideal from riesling, but the flavours and body are lovely. Finish is riesling "dry" to palate, but analysis shows a little more sweetness than expected, reflecting the low pH. The extra year before release really helps this wine, and is more than appropriate for a wine from a cooler but promising site visible from SH1 as one drives down to Waipara – the most northerly vineyards in Canterbury. Cellar 5 – 12 years, perhaps longer given the pH. GK 03/13
Lemongreen. Bouquet is wonderful, totally pure and varietal riesling untainted by so-called 'aromatic' yeasts. Bouquet recalls both the Mosel, and the Clare Valley: freesias and hops. Palate explains the Clare Valley and hops part, the wine being a little more extractive / phenolic than ideal from riesling, but the flavours and body are lovely. Finish is riesling "dry" to palate, but analysis shows a little more sweetness than expected, reflecting the low pH. The extra year before release really helps this wine, and is more than appropriate for a wine from a cooler but promising site visible from SH1 as one drives down to Waipara – the most northerly vineyards in Canterbury. Cellar 5 – 12 years, perhaps longer given the pH. GK 03/13
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; Syrah 100%, hand-picked; c.30 days cuvaison; c.10 months in barrel, much more French oak than previously, now predominant, c. 70% new; sterile-filtered; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is complex and appealing, showing a quality of berry ripeness which I think would have been beautifully floral at the pinpoint level of wallflowers. Unfortunately however, the implicit florals and sumptuous cassis now show a little savoury brett character. Palate shows good fruit richness, cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and elegant texture, let down somewhat by the gamey notes and chocolate. Twenty years ago these characters were welcomed – and in the old world British and French winewriters and judges still rave positively about them, but in the new world the tide is turning against the complexity flavours introduced by the spoilage yeast Brettanomyces. This wine is not as markedly affected as Man O' War Syrah Dreadnought, but it still takes the shine off it, and the top marks it would otherwise have enjoyed. Since it is sterile-filtered to bottle, the wine should be stable in bottle, so cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is complex and appealing, showing a quality of berry ripeness which I think would have been beautifully floral at the pinpoint level of wallflowers. Unfortunately however, the implicit florals and sumptuous cassis now show a little savoury brett character. Palate shows good fruit richness, cassis and bottled black doris fruit, and elegant texture, let down somewhat by the gamey notes and chocolate. Twenty years ago these characters were welcomed – and in the old world British and French winewriters and judges still rave positively about them, but in the new world the tide is turning against the complexity flavours introduced by the spoilage yeast Brettanomyces. This wine is not as markedly affected as Man O' War Syrah Dreadnought, but it still takes the shine off it, and the top marks it would otherwise have enjoyed. Since it is sterile-filtered to bottle, the wine should be stable in bottle, so cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/10
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $353 [ Sy 93%, Vi 7; average vine age 15 years; cropped 35 - 37 hL / ha; fermented in s/s, 4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in new French oak; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is the most clearly overripe and Australian in style of the top Cote-Roties, the bouquet just a little porty, with oak and VA not as subtle as one might wish. Plenty of berryfruit richness, though. Palate continues in the same style, very flavoursome cassis and black plum, aromatic on oak, tauter than Australia, but coarser and more obvious than the magic of the best years of these wines. With time in cellar this will marry up into a big and impressive wine. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This is the most clearly overripe and Australian in style of the top Cote-Roties, the bouquet just a little porty, with oak and VA not as subtle as one might wish. Plenty of berryfruit richness, though. Palate continues in the same style, very flavoursome cassis and black plum, aromatic on oak, tauter than Australia, but coarser and more obvious than the magic of the best years of these wines. With time in cellar this will marry up into a big and impressive wine. Cellar 10 - 20 years. GK 07/05
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ cork; preview of the just-bottled next vintage, 2.5% Vi co-fermented this year; greater % French oak; not on website until release next year; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much the same depth as the 2008. Bouquet however is at this stage altogether less integrated and harmonious, the cassis, black pepper and oak unknit, the floral components yet to emerge, and there is perhaps the slightest suggestion of sur-maturité. On palate that idea grows, the entire riper end of the ripening spectrum from deepest cassis, blueberry, bottled black doris plum and even a hint of boysenberry being tastable. This wine has only just been bottled, and was offered solely as a preview for interest. I'm sure once it has settled down, it will speak much more elegantly at release mid-2011. Several premium New Zealand syrahs have already consistently shown they are transformed after 18 months in bottle. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe more. GK 07/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, much the same depth as the 2008. Bouquet however is at this stage altogether less integrated and harmonious, the cassis, black pepper and oak unknit, the floral components yet to emerge, and there is perhaps the slightest suggestion of sur-maturité. On palate that idea grows, the entire riper end of the ripening spectrum from deepest cassis, blueberry, bottled black doris plum and even a hint of boysenberry being tastable. This wine has only just been bottled, and was offered solely as a preview for interest. I'm sure once it has settled down, it will speak much more elegantly at release mid-2011. Several premium New Zealand syrahs have already consistently shown they are transformed after 18 months in bottle. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe more. GK 07/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.8%; $30 [ screwcap; no info @ website; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. A voluminous bouquet different from most of the syrah wines, in that there is a clear blueberry note in the cassis and dark plum. It is almost as if there were a Californian interloper in the tasting, with more than a touch of zin. Palate is very rich, tremendous berryfruit, a little oaky, the flavours of cassis and blueberry going right through the wine to a succulent finish, so rich it seems sweet. This however is fruit sweetness from richness, not residual. Fair to say this illustrates an over-ripe wine, where floral and pepper-aromatic qualities of syrah are being lost. Pretty delicious, though. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. A voluminous bouquet different from most of the syrah wines, in that there is a clear blueberry note in the cassis and dark plum. It is almost as if there were a Californian interloper in the tasting, with more than a touch of zin. Palate is very rich, tremendous berryfruit, a little oaky, the flavours of cassis and blueberry going right through the wine to a succulent finish, so rich it seems sweet. This however is fruit sweetness from richness, not residual. Fair to say this illustrates an over-ripe wine, where floral and pepper-aromatic qualities of syrah are being lost. Pretty delicious, though. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Dartmoor Valley, northern Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ cork; Sy 98%, Vi 2; hand-picked, de-stemmed, co-fermented and hand-plunged in open-top fermenters, extended maceration, 15 months in French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little velvet, closer to the Varonniers than to most of the kiwis. I had to include this wine in the tasting, for it represents a winemaking approach outside the kiwi square. Bouquet clearly shows the florals which so characterise the Varonniers, and demonstrates that Rhone-style complexity can be achieved in New Zealand. Significantly, this wine from the Woodthorpe district of the Dartmoor River valley is a cooler zone than the Gimblett Gravels. Te Mata are consciously seeking a Cote Rotie style for this wine, rather than the Hermitage / Crozes-Hermitage axis most Hawkes Bay growers seem to have in mind. They therefore blend in a little of the white grape viognier, as in Cote Rotie. Bouquet is thus softer and sweeter, more feminine in traditional parlance, than the more authoritative Gravels wines. In addition to wallflower and dianthus smells, there is lovely berry aroma combining red and black currants, red as well as black plums, and clear black peppercorn, all plus an exciting savoury / gamey edge. Palate follows on perfectly, supple fruit, soft tannins, velvety, slightly savoury - by far the most food-friendly and rewarding to drink now of all these wines.
It is worth mentioning that hi-tech winemakers criticise wines of this style on the grounds of Brettanomyces, but at the level seen in this wine, that is academic. Sometimes these people are not sufficiently familiar with the exquisite florals of perfectly ripened syrah in the Rhone Valley, and the fragrances on bouquet mis-cue them. Many, many, highly rated Rhone wines are much more bretty than this one. The best advice with slightly to moderately bretty wines is (a) to serve them with savoury herbes-tinged dishes like winter casseroles (particularly venison), and (b) not cellar them for quite so long. Even so, this wine has such lovely fruit, and such subtle oak, it will cellar a good 10 years, maybe more. I have a case of it, to test, and I think prove, that point. Keep such wines for your friends, and don’t serve them to new world, high-tech winemakers ! GK 06/05
Ruby, a little velvet, closer to the Varonniers than to most of the kiwis. I had to include this wine in the tasting, for it represents a winemaking approach outside the kiwi square. Bouquet clearly shows the florals which so characterise the Varonniers, and demonstrates that Rhone-style complexity can be achieved in New Zealand. Significantly, this wine from the Woodthorpe district of the Dartmoor River valley is a cooler zone than the Gimblett Gravels. Te Mata are consciously seeking a Cote Rotie style for this wine, rather than the Hermitage / Crozes-Hermitage axis most Hawkes Bay growers seem to have in mind. They therefore blend in a little of the white grape viognier, as in Cote Rotie. Bouquet is thus softer and sweeter, more feminine in traditional parlance, than the more authoritative Gravels wines. In addition to wallflower and dianthus smells, there is lovely berry aroma combining red and black currants, red as well as black plums, and clear black peppercorn, all plus an exciting savoury / gamey edge. Palate follows on perfectly, supple fruit, soft tannins, velvety, slightly savoury - by far the most food-friendly and rewarding to drink now of all these wines.
It is worth mentioning that hi-tech winemakers criticise wines of this style on the grounds of Brettanomyces, but at the level seen in this wine, that is academic. Sometimes these people are not sufficiently familiar with the exquisite florals of perfectly ripened syrah in the Rhone Valley, and the fragrances on bouquet mis-cue them. Many, many, highly rated Rhone wines are much more bretty than this one. The best advice with slightly to moderately bretty wines is (a) to serve them with savoury herbes-tinged dishes like winter casseroles (particularly venison), and (b) not cellar them for quite so long. Even so, this wine has such lovely fruit, and such subtle oak, it will cellar a good 10 years, maybe more. I have a case of it, to test, and I think prove, that point. Keep such wines for your friends, and don’t serve them to new world, high-tech winemakers ! GK 06/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; Me 96%, Ma 4, French oak 18 months; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, virtually as dense as the Reserve Merlot. This wine too shows a clearcut merlot floral and violets lift to its berry-rich bouquet. There is a precision of merlot varietal character here which Australia can scarcely ever manage, which should give us a great marketing advantage with these accessible wines. Palate is soft and generous, richly showing bottled black Doris, not as complexed with oak as the Reserve wine, and thus appearing faintly buttery (+ve). Fine pure merlot at a good price. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 12/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, virtually as dense as the Reserve Merlot. This wine too shows a clearcut merlot floral and violets lift to its berry-rich bouquet. There is a precision of merlot varietal character here which Australia can scarcely ever manage, which should give us a great marketing advantage with these accessible wines. Palate is soft and generous, richly showing bottled black Doris, not as complexed with oak as the Reserve wine, and thus appearing faintly buttery (+ve). Fine pure merlot at a good price. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 12/04
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $24 [ screwcap; Sh 50%, Gr 50; half the wine raised in French and American barriques some new, some in large old oak, after blending all in old oak 12-ish months; www.darenberg.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, a hint of age. This is the latter-day incarnation of the original and famous 1960s d'Arenberg Red-Stripe Burgundy. The glorious thing about the wine is that it's style has scarcely changed over the years, yet it has benefitted from modern thinking too. Back in the 60s this wine was sometimes oppressively reductive. Even now, the first thing to do on opening is to pour it splashily from jug to jug five or so times. Bouquet then freshens up remarkably to display an antipodean kind of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with soft varietal fruit and a touch of raspberry, dark plum and tar. Palate is potentially soft and velvety, with fresh berry yet older oak, scarcely any sign of added acid, and no euc'y taints. This will cellar for 30 years, if you ask it to and like old and mellow wine, and mature beautifully. A case-buy wine. VALUE. GK 07/10
Ruby and velvet, a hint of age. This is the latter-day incarnation of the original and famous 1960s d'Arenberg Red-Stripe Burgundy. The glorious thing about the wine is that it's style has scarcely changed over the years, yet it has benefitted from modern thinking too. Back in the 60s this wine was sometimes oppressively reductive. Even now, the first thing to do on opening is to pour it splashily from jug to jug five or so times. Bouquet then freshens up remarkably to display an antipodean kind of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with soft varietal fruit and a touch of raspberry, dark plum and tar. Palate is potentially soft and velvety, with fresh berry yet older oak, scarcely any sign of added acid, and no euc'y taints. This will cellar for 30 years, if you ask it to and like old and mellow wine, and mature beautifully. A case-buy wine. VALUE. GK 07/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ supercritical 'cork'; Sy 100% hand-picked @ < 4 t/ac; up to 3 weeks cuvaison; 13 months in barrel some new; no wine info on website; Jenny Dobson the new winemaker; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby and carmine, dense. Bouquet is rich and elegant, different again in this fascinating bracket of syrahs. Aromas of stewed best red rhubarb stalks, blueberries and vanillin American oak pour from the glass, the volume of blueberry unusual. Palate is rich, blueberry more than plum, but oakier than the Pask, reminding a little of some Clonakilla syrahs. This is a confusing wine, but good: it widens the range of styles to be embraced in our interpretations of New Zealand syrah. For the EIT group as a whole, this was the third-rated wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/10
Ruby and carmine, dense. Bouquet is rich and elegant, different again in this fascinating bracket of syrahs. Aromas of stewed best red rhubarb stalks, blueberries and vanillin American oak pour from the glass, the volume of blueberry unusual. Palate is rich, blueberry more than plum, but oakier than the Pask, reminding a little of some Clonakilla syrahs. This is a confusing wine, but good: it widens the range of styles to be embraced in our interpretations of New Zealand syrah. For the EIT group as a whole, this was the third-rated wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/10
Pisa district, Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $36 [ screwcap; 5 clones hand-harvested @ 4 t/ha (1.6 t/ac); 14 months in French oak, 33% new; pH 3.6; 210 cases; website good combination of discursive and factual info; www.ellerowine.com ]
Ruby, a touch of velvet, the deepest of nine pinots, big for pinot noir. Bouquet skirts with being too big, darkly plummy, quite oaky, but redeemed by an aromatic floral lift. Palate is a step up, the flavours as much darkly cherry as plum, the oak at a maximum or slightly exuberant, but it is potentially fragrant cedary oak. The length of fruit is good and the wine finishes well. This is exciting concentrated but rather dark pinot noir from a site which (from the air photo) looks highly interesting. Optimising pinot noir varietal expression via less oak is the goal now, as the vines gain age. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/13
Ruby, a touch of velvet, the deepest of nine pinots, big for pinot noir. Bouquet skirts with being too big, darkly plummy, quite oaky, but redeemed by an aromatic floral lift. Palate is a step up, the flavours as much darkly cherry as plum, the oak at a maximum or slightly exuberant, but it is potentially fragrant cedary oak. The length of fruit is good and the wine finishes well. This is exciting concentrated but rather dark pinot noir from a site which (from the air photo) looks highly interesting. Optimising pinot noir varietal expression via less oak is the goal now, as the vines gain age. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 03/13
McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $24 [ screwcap; Sh 100%; an average of 12 months in mostly older larger-format French and American oak, but a small BF component in barriques some new; www.darenberg.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. In many ways, this shows much the same berry, blueberry and bottled plum fruit as the Dead Arm Shiraz, not as rich, but with a lot less oak. It is therefore a particularly good wine to study McLaren Vale shiraz varietal quality, which at its best can be much more restrained than warmer South Australian districts. In some seasons therefore, their shiraz almost grades into the hottest years of Gimblett Gravels syrah, particularly for those producers who over-ripen their fruit. Blueberry is the common fruit note. Acid adjustment and oak are not too obtrusive. Attractive wine which will cellar 5 – 15 + years. VALUE. GK 07/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. In many ways, this shows much the same berry, blueberry and bottled plum fruit as the Dead Arm Shiraz, not as rich, but with a lot less oak. It is therefore a particularly good wine to study McLaren Vale shiraz varietal quality, which at its best can be much more restrained than warmer South Australian districts. In some seasons therefore, their shiraz almost grades into the hottest years of Gimblett Gravels syrah, particularly for those producers who over-ripen their fruit. Blueberry is the common fruit note. Acid adjustment and oak are not too obtrusive. Attractive wine which will cellar 5 – 15 + years. VALUE. GK 07/10
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13%; $39 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-harvested; all de-stemmed; some cold-soak, shortish cuvaison; MLF and 10 months in American oak some new; www.vieweast.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older than most 2008s and 2007s. This report is a little permissive. The nett impression on bouquet is supremely Cote Rotie, in a style which Guigal himself would be happy to own (considering many recent d'Ampuis bottlings). There is glorious florality embracing dianthus / carnations and wallflowers (fitting in with the lower given alcohol), excellent browning cassis berry, clear white and fresh-cracked black peppercorn, and the whole bouquet has the magic lift of an academic level of savoury brett complexity. Palate is harmony itself, supple fruit, a quality of oaking unusual in a new winery, the American oak not making the wine clumsier at all. Cellar 5 – 8 years, perhaps 10 if sterile-filtered. GK 06/10
Ruby and velvet, a little older than most 2008s and 2007s. This report is a little permissive. The nett impression on bouquet is supremely Cote Rotie, in a style which Guigal himself would be happy to own (considering many recent d'Ampuis bottlings). There is glorious florality embracing dianthus / carnations and wallflowers (fitting in with the lower given alcohol), excellent browning cassis berry, clear white and fresh-cracked black peppercorn, and the whole bouquet has the magic lift of an academic level of savoury brett complexity. Palate is harmony itself, supple fruit, a quality of oaking unusual in a new winery, the American oak not making the wine clumsier at all. Cellar 5 – 8 years, perhaps 10 if sterile-filtered. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.9%; $40 [ screwcap; hand-picked, hand-plunged open-top fermenters, MLF in barrel, 15 months French oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, matching Cornerstone. A big bouquet of very ripe syrah fruit, darkest cassis and plum, yet there is recognisable black pepper as well as oak. This bouquet is exciting. Palate shows a concentrated version of the bouquet, with great depth, but at this stage the oak creeps up the tongue, making the wine seem angular and youthful. It seems oakier than the Cornerstone (surprisingly) today, and thus loses a little on the points scale. Even so, this will be a great wine to cellar 10 - 15 years, and will I am sure rate higher in 5 years. GK 06/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, matching Cornerstone. A big bouquet of very ripe syrah fruit, darkest cassis and plum, yet there is recognisable black pepper as well as oak. This bouquet is exciting. Palate shows a concentrated version of the bouquet, with great depth, but at this stage the oak creeps up the tongue, making the wine seem angular and youthful. It seems oakier than the Cornerstone (surprisingly) today, and thus loses a little on the points scale. Even so, this will be a great wine to cellar 10 - 15 years, and will I am sure rate higher in 5 years. GK 06/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $35 [ screwcap; Sy 100% close-planted; hand-picked and sorted, cuvaison extended 20 - 30 days in open-top fermenters, MLF in barrel and 6 - 7 months in French oak 35% new; not fined or filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, matching the Kingsley. Bouquet seems very big and in a warmer-climate style than is optimal, with some suggestions of the Barossa Valley, as for example Penfolds Bin 28 (despite the oak difference). There is lots of dark fruit, but the wine is too ripe for florals or much peppercorn on bouquet, and even cassis is not too clear. The depth of black plummy fruit and degree of oaking is great, however. Actual texture and flavour of the fruit is a little bit coarser than the le Sol, and in comparison with some of the finer-grained French-oaked wines such as the Jewelstone. Nonetheless, this is big, exciting, ripe syrah well reflecting the 2002 Gimblett Gravels vintage. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a lovely colour, matching the Kingsley. Bouquet seems very big and in a warmer-climate style than is optimal, with some suggestions of the Barossa Valley, as for example Penfolds Bin 28 (despite the oak difference). There is lots of dark fruit, but the wine is too ripe for florals or much peppercorn on bouquet, and even cassis is not too clear. The depth of black plummy fruit and degree of oaking is great, however. Actual texture and flavour of the fruit is a little bit coarser than the le Sol, and in comparison with some of the finer-grained French-oaked wines such as the Jewelstone. Nonetheless, this is big, exciting, ripe syrah well reflecting the 2002 Gimblett Gravels vintage. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 06/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ cork; nearly two years in wood; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Carmine, ruby and velvet, brighter than most. Initially opened, this wine shows some retained fermentation odours, and is a trace reductive, which ties in with the bright colour. Splashy decanting fixes that, as will time, but anyway, it is ludicrous drinking any of these top wines at their present immature state. Aerated, dense cassis appears, with suggestions of black peppercorns, all on darkest plums. On palate, oak is more apparent than is ideal (within the context of subtle Rhone styles, rather than coarse Australian ones), which is a pity because the cassisy fruit is superb, with great freshness and fine acid balance. Because one can't taste the reductive hint, I suspect this wine will be on the top shelf in five years time. It is well worth investing in. Cellar 5 - 20 years. GK 06/05
Carmine, ruby and velvet, brighter than most. Initially opened, this wine shows some retained fermentation odours, and is a trace reductive, which ties in with the bright colour. Splashy decanting fixes that, as will time, but anyway, it is ludicrous drinking any of these top wines at their present immature state. Aerated, dense cassis appears, with suggestions of black peppercorns, all on darkest plums. On palate, oak is more apparent than is ideal (within the context of subtle Rhone styles, rather than coarse Australian ones), which is a pity because the cassisy fruit is superb, with great freshness and fine acid balance. Because one can't taste the reductive hint, I suspect this wine will be on the top shelf in five years time. It is well worth investing in. Cellar 5 - 20 years. GK 06/05
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $92 [ Gr 80%, Sy 10, Mv 5, others 5; average vine age 45 years; cropped 33 hL / ha; 3 weeks cuvaison; 24 months in French oak; c. 12 500 cases; www.guigal.com ]
Lighter and older ruby. An intriguing bouquet sharing with wines such as Charvin ’03 Cotes-du-Rhone the cinnamon-infused warmth of ripe grenache, further spiced with the aromatics of dried balsam (the fir) leaves. Nett impression is of a perfumed wine with the aroma of New Zealand pink pine timber. Palate is very ripe, very dry, and aromatic on the herbes and faint brett, the 10% syrah and 10% others adding much complexity. This is classic Chateauneuf in the traditional high-grenache style, but it is not quite as beguiling as the Gigondas. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Lighter and older ruby. An intriguing bouquet sharing with wines such as Charvin ’03 Cotes-du-Rhone the cinnamon-infused warmth of ripe grenache, further spiced with the aromatics of dried balsam (the fir) leaves. Nett impression is of a perfumed wine with the aroma of New Zealand pink pine timber. Palate is very ripe, very dry, and aromatic on the herbes and faint brett, the 10% syrah and 10% others adding much complexity. This is classic Chateauneuf in the traditional high-grenache style, but it is not quite as beguiling as the Gigondas. Cellar 5 - 15 years. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ cork; DFB; no info on website ; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, amongst the deepest. Bouquet on this wine is ... wumph ! - big and designed to impress, a real show-pony style. There are lashings of blueberry and darkly plummy berry, perceptible VA, and lots of oak. It is made in the style Penfold's Grange used to be (and look at its reputation). Palate is very big, soft, rich, flavoursome, gorgeous fruit, but this is another wine where one's mind wanders to thoughts of infantile vintage port. Such wines are too oaky for subtlety, tending Australian in approach, not so good with food, but many people love them. Cellar 5 - 15 years at least, and it might triumph - the degree of oak assimilation already shows my earlier assessments of the wine were too critical. For those of us planning future 2002 New Zealand Syrah tastings, it is an almost compulsory acquisition, as the end marker for one style of New Zealand syrah. GK 06/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, amongst the deepest. Bouquet on this wine is ... wumph ! - big and designed to impress, a real show-pony style. There are lashings of blueberry and darkly plummy berry, perceptible VA, and lots of oak. It is made in the style Penfold's Grange used to be (and look at its reputation). Palate is very big, soft, rich, flavoursome, gorgeous fruit, but this is another wine where one's mind wanders to thoughts of infantile vintage port. Such wines are too oaky for subtlety, tending Australian in approach, not so good with food, but many people love them. Cellar 5 - 15 years at least, and it might triumph - the degree of oak assimilation already shows my earlier assessments of the wine were too critical. For those of us planning future 2002 New Zealand Syrah tastings, it is an almost compulsory acquisition, as the end marker for one style of New Zealand syrah. GK 06/05
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $150 [ cork; this is the second wine of La Chapelle, made from 100% Sy vines including both young vines and the main plantings up to 60 years age, handpicked at yields not exceeding 3.1 t/ha (1.25 t/ac); understood to be de-stemmed, temperature-controlled cuvaison c.3 weeks; 15 – 18 months in (understood to be) mostly older oak (but some new oak exposure from culled barrels of the grand vin, which sees 20% new oak); understood to be approx. 1/3 the crop is this wine, 1/3 for the grand vin, 1/3 declassified; c.1000 cases; RS < 1 g/L; no top ranking, no second; www.jaboulet.com ]
The idea here was to include a wine which (a) was demonstrably syrah in a Hermitage style, that is, not affected by viognier, and (b) a wine well-marked by Jancis Robinson, since she provides the most clearly expressed / succinct / easily retrieved European viewpoint on wines these days. Robinson's marks for La Petite Chapelle average 17 over the last few years, but sadly she has not tasted the 2010. Note that 17 is a good score from her, indicating a wine New Zealand reviewers would mark in the 90s. Robert Parker rates 2009 and 2010 La Petite Chapelle the same score of 92, noting the different climatic character of the two vintages. Therefore it seems likely Robinson's score would be around 17 for the 2010 too, had she tasted it. The point here is, she also rates 2010 Homage 17
To have 2010 La Petite Chapelle, the second wine of Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle, in the tasting would therefore provide a realistic yardstick by which to measure our wines. And in the outcome, it dramatically illustrated that Jaboulet is back on form, now it has been bought (Jan., 2006) by the Frey family of Ch La Lagune, near Margaux. La Chapelle used to be the pre-eminent Hermitage, and thus in effect the world's best syrah, in the 1960s through the 1980s, culminating in the 1990. I followed it intermittently from the 1969 vintage. Then with the death of Gerard Jaboulet in 1997, the Jaboulet family lost its way, and La Chapelle became a sad shadow of its former glory.
The wine itself is ruby and velvet, some carmine, the third deepest wine, a great colour. Bouquet is rich, explicitly based on cassisy syrah with bottled dark plums, the actual fruit being comparable with our best syrahs, some sweet black pepper. The difference from our wines is, this syrah being a second wine (in the manner of Bordeaux), it smells as if it has been raised in mainly older oak, so there is a hint of brown mellowness differentiating it a little from the average of the New Zealand wines – but not by much. Only five tasters in 27 correctly nominated this wine as the ring-in. Palate shows great fruit, richer than half the New Zealand wines, and this is a second wine ! Cropping rate is still an issue too many of our wine people are reluctant to acknowledge. The berry is browning just a trace in flavour, one winemaker wondered if there might be academic brett, but in summary this 2010 Petite Chapelle provided a compelling foil against which to measure New Zealand syrah achievements. Kudos to Geoff Wilson for including it, to help counter parochialism. And if this is the second wine from their great Hermitage holdings, 33% of the crop, a further third being sold-off, imagine how 2010 La Chapelle proper, with its greater ratio (20%) of new oak, will compete with and illuminate the top New Zealand syrahs in this tasting, once it is available. That is really something to look forward to. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/13
The idea here was to include a wine which (a) was demonstrably syrah in a Hermitage style, that is, not affected by viognier, and (b) a wine well-marked by Jancis Robinson, since she provides the most clearly expressed / succinct / easily retrieved European viewpoint on wines these days. Robinson's marks for La Petite Chapelle average 17 over the last few years, but sadly she has not tasted the 2010. Note that 17 is a good score from her, indicating a wine New Zealand reviewers would mark in the 90s. Robert Parker rates 2009 and 2010 La Petite Chapelle the same score of 92, noting the different climatic character of the two vintages. Therefore it seems likely Robinson's score would be around 17 for the 2010 too, had she tasted it. The point here is, she also rates 2010 Homage 17
To have 2010 La Petite Chapelle, the second wine of Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle, in the tasting would therefore provide a realistic yardstick by which to measure our wines. And in the outcome, it dramatically illustrated that Jaboulet is back on form, now it has been bought (Jan., 2006) by the Frey family of Ch La Lagune, near Margaux. La Chapelle used to be the pre-eminent Hermitage, and thus in effect the world's best syrah, in the 1960s through the 1980s, culminating in the 1990. I followed it intermittently from the 1969 vintage. Then with the death of Gerard Jaboulet in 1997, the Jaboulet family lost its way, and La Chapelle became a sad shadow of its former glory.
The wine itself is ruby and velvet, some carmine, the third deepest wine, a great colour. Bouquet is rich, explicitly based on cassisy syrah with bottled dark plums, the actual fruit being comparable with our best syrahs, some sweet black pepper. The difference from our wines is, this syrah being a second wine (in the manner of Bordeaux), it smells as if it has been raised in mainly older oak, so there is a hint of brown mellowness differentiating it a little from the average of the New Zealand wines – but not by much. Only five tasters in 27 correctly nominated this wine as the ring-in. Palate shows great fruit, richer than half the New Zealand wines, and this is a second wine ! Cropping rate is still an issue too many of our wine people are reluctant to acknowledge. The berry is browning just a trace in flavour, one winemaker wondered if there might be academic brett, but in summary this 2010 Petite Chapelle provided a compelling foil against which to measure New Zealand syrah achievements. Kudos to Geoff Wilson for including it, to help counter parochialism. And if this is the second wine from their great Hermitage holdings, 33% of the crop, a further third being sold-off, imagine how 2010 La Chapelle proper, with its greater ratio (20%) of new oak, will compete with and illuminate the top New Zealand syrahs in this tasting, once it is available. That is really something to look forward to. Cellar 5 – 15 years, perhaps longer. GK 06/13
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $ – [ cork; CS 90, Me 10, hand-harvested; stop-fermented at 10 g/L RS; old oak only; 1000 x 375 ml bottles, mode of sale unclear; not on website; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Older ruby. Bouquet is sensational, pure cassis, reminiscent of liqueur cassis, plus a touch of brett. Palate is soft, rich, almost velvety, the sweetness level sophisticated, the whole wine perfectly judged for dark chocolate desserts. Aftertaste is long and elegant, the merest hint of stalk and oak giving structure and drying the finish admirably. As a concept, I approached this wine negatively, but in the blind tasting, from the bouquet alone, it has to be taken seriously. Cassis is such a gorgeous smell. Probably better not cellared beyond 5 years, as the freshness appeals for dessert use – not sure. GK 06/10
Older ruby. Bouquet is sensational, pure cassis, reminiscent of liqueur cassis, plus a touch of brett. Palate is soft, rich, almost velvety, the sweetness level sophisticated, the whole wine perfectly judged for dark chocolate desserts. Aftertaste is long and elegant, the merest hint of stalk and oak giving structure and drying the finish admirably. As a concept, I approached this wine negatively, but in the blind tasting, from the bouquet alone, it has to be taken seriously. Cassis is such a gorgeous smell. Probably better not cellared beyond 5 years, as the freshness appeals for dessert use – not sure. GK 06/10
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $17 [ screwcap; 2005 not on website, 2004 was 4.5 g/L RS; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. A wonderfully sweet ripe bouquet, showing sauvignon taken to a ripeness level where it can be confused with riesling, but because of the magic of the Marlborough climate with its strong diurnal variation, the wine retains the natural acid and structure of the variety. So while there may be even a hint of lilium florals on bouquet, there is also honeysuckle and black passionfruit. On palate it immediately snaps into focus as ripe sauvignon blanc, red capsicum, honeysuckle and black passionfruit again, a long flavour fractionally sweeter than some sauvignons. There is good acid, and lovely balance, without excessive alcohol. Cellar to 8 years. This is a sauvignon for those who find mainstream Marlborough sauvignon too strong. GK 11/05
Pale lemongreen. A wonderfully sweet ripe bouquet, showing sauvignon taken to a ripeness level where it can be confused with riesling, but because of the magic of the Marlborough climate with its strong diurnal variation, the wine retains the natural acid and structure of the variety. So while there may be even a hint of lilium florals on bouquet, there is also honeysuckle and black passionfruit. On palate it immediately snaps into focus as ripe sauvignon blanc, red capsicum, honeysuckle and black passionfruit again, a long flavour fractionally sweeter than some sauvignons. There is good acid, and lovely balance, without excessive alcohol. Cellar to 8 years. This is a sauvignon for those who find mainstream Marlborough sauvignon too strong. GK 11/05
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $19 [ screwcap ]
Beautiful lemon. Bouquet is soft and nectariney, with scarcely perceptible ripest red capsicum complexing, plus black passionfruit, and subtlest new oak. Palate is gorgeous, but deceptive – it is not completely dry. Flavour is soft and rich, offering a very different face of sauvignon when compared with the intense Marlborough wines – mild and nectarine / peachy, but with the body of chardonnay. This example of the alternative riper Hawkes Bay sauvignon style could be a winner. Cellar to 10 years, if you like graceful mature sauvignon. GK 08/04
Beautiful lemon. Bouquet is soft and nectariney, with scarcely perceptible ripest red capsicum complexing, plus black passionfruit, and subtlest new oak. Palate is gorgeous, but deceptive – it is not completely dry. Flavour is soft and rich, offering a very different face of sauvignon when compared with the intense Marlborough wines – mild and nectarine / peachy, but with the body of chardonnay. This example of the alternative riper Hawkes Bay sauvignon style could be a winner. Cellar to 10 years, if you like graceful mature sauvignon. GK 08/04
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $ – [ cork; simpler variations on 2004 practice, qv; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, with the very faintest hint of development introducing a light golden sheen on the lemon. The golden peach fruit here shows greater depths of lees autolysis character, with sweet smells reminiscent of peach shortcake or similar. Palate is as rich as the top wines, but alcohol and oak are a little more boisterous on the finish. At a peak now, and will hold 2 – 4 years. GK 10/05
Lemonstraw, with the very faintest hint of development introducing a light golden sheen on the lemon. The golden peach fruit here shows greater depths of lees autolysis character, with sweet smells reminiscent of peach shortcake or similar. Palate is as rich as the top wines, but alcohol and oak are a little more boisterous on the finish. At a peak now, and will hold 2 – 4 years. GK 10/05
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $46 [ cork; Me 52%, CF 27, Ma 10.5, PV 9, CS 1.5, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed, MLF and 11 months in mostly French oak 20% new, some older American; www.manowarvineyards.co.nz ]
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is lifted by threshold VA, on rich plummy berry showing good ripeness and depth, in a quiet way. Palate suggests merlot taken past the fragrant stage, on to darkly plummy fruit, but still with appropriate acid balance. There is quite a lot of oak, just a trace of smoked fish, but also the richness to carry it. It is not quite as fresh as the 2008 Obsidian or 2008 Mudbrick Reserve, but the great thing is, it is nearly free of the complexing brett that has been a problem for this winery. This wine is therefore a pointer to the future reds from this excitingly-located estate. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is lifted by threshold VA, on rich plummy berry showing good ripeness and depth, in a quiet way. Palate suggests merlot taken past the fragrant stage, on to darkly plummy fruit, but still with appropriate acid balance. There is quite a lot of oak, just a trace of smoked fish, but also the richness to carry it. It is not quite as fresh as the 2008 Obsidian or 2008 Mudbrick Reserve, but the great thing is, it is nearly free of the complexing brett that has been a problem for this winery. This wine is therefore a pointer to the future reds from this excitingly-located estate. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ NeoCork plastic 'cork'; CS 52%, Me 30, CF 17, Ma 1; c.18 months in French oak some new; www.mirovineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet shows beautiful vibrantly ripe cassis with near-perfect black-currant expression, on a bottled black doris plummy fruit underpinning, subtle oak, wonderful purity. Palate likewise is crystal-clear cassis, not the weight of the Mudbrick Velvet, 2008 Stonyridge Larose or top Hawkes Bay Cabernet / Merlots, but with lively cabernet berry aromatics, fair richness, a little acid but no hint of stalks. An exciting cabernet-dominant wine, to cellar 10 – 15 maybe more years, if the wine is unaffected by contact with a plastic closure for such a time. Such evidence as is on-line is not encouraging. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet shows beautiful vibrantly ripe cassis with near-perfect black-currant expression, on a bottled black doris plummy fruit underpinning, subtle oak, wonderful purity. Palate likewise is crystal-clear cassis, not the weight of the Mudbrick Velvet, 2008 Stonyridge Larose or top Hawkes Bay Cabernet / Merlots, but with lively cabernet berry aromatics, fair richness, a little acid but no hint of stalks. An exciting cabernet-dominant wine, to cellar 10 – 15 maybe more years, if the wine is unaffected by contact with a plastic closure for such a time. Such evidence as is on-line is not encouraging. GK 06/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13%; $90 [ supercritical 'cork' (experiment); CS dominant, Me significant, balance CF, Sy & Ma, handpicked @ c.1 t/ac; c.2.5 years in predominantly French & Hungarian oak c.30% new; www.temotu.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, a little older than the Destiny Bay '06s. This is different and interesting wine, which can be approached from several angles. A technocrat could dismiss it, yet anyone with experience of Bordeaux in the '60s and '70s would feel right at home. And like classed Bordeaux, by the time you reach the aftertaste, it dawns there is much more fruit richness than one supposed – this wine is richer than 2006 Mystae. Loosely speaking, the wine reminds me of some well-regarded Graves wines from that earlier era, the big browning cassis and cedar made more fragrant by a touch of nutmeggy brett, the palate already harmonious and surprisingly velvety, whereas I supposed that it would be oaky, from the bouquet. Actual fruit ripeness is good, and the total style achievement in European terms is remarkable. With the Destiny Bay wines, Te Motu stands apart from the more typical New Zealand approach to Bordeaux blends which the other Island wines show. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/10
Ruby and garnet, a little older than the Destiny Bay '06s. This is different and interesting wine, which can be approached from several angles. A technocrat could dismiss it, yet anyone with experience of Bordeaux in the '60s and '70s would feel right at home. And like classed Bordeaux, by the time you reach the aftertaste, it dawns there is much more fruit richness than one supposed – this wine is richer than 2006 Mystae. Loosely speaking, the wine reminds me of some well-regarded Graves wines from that earlier era, the big browning cassis and cedar made more fragrant by a touch of nutmeggy brett, the palate already harmonious and surprisingly velvety, whereas I supposed that it would be oaky, from the bouquet. Actual fruit ripeness is good, and the total style achievement in European terms is remarkable. With the Destiny Bay wines, Te Motu stands apart from the more typical New Zealand approach to Bordeaux blends which the other Island wines show. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/10
Gisborne, New Zealand: 12%; $23 [ cork; hand-picked; fermentation and maturation in 600-litre older oak in the Loire Valley style; 11 g/L RS; biodynamic wine; good website; www.millton.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is exceptional, the most beautiful side of chenin blanc, all the linalool of riesling and the delicacy of linden blossom, a hint of lanolin, magic. James Millton is known for being nuts about the variety, but few chenins demonstrate why anybody should feel so positive about it. This one does, on bouquet. Palate is a little less, a nice waxyness implying some botrytis, residual sugar a bit tacky on the finish, and acid noticeable. Even so, this is one of the best examples of the grape achieved so far in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Lemon. Bouquet is exceptional, the most beautiful side of chenin blanc, all the linalool of riesling and the delicacy of linden blossom, a hint of lanolin, magic. James Millton is known for being nuts about the variety, but few chenins demonstrate why anybody should feel so positive about it. This one does, on bouquet. Palate is a little less, a nice waxyness implying some botrytis, residual sugar a bit tacky on the finish, and acid noticeable. Even so, this is one of the best examples of the grape achieved so far in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Hill-slopes east of Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ cork; price uncertain; no info on website; www.brookfieldsvineyards.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little velvet, similar to the Woodthorpe. Stylistically, this wine is close to the Bilancia la Collina, but richer and oakier. There is a clear floral component on red berries, and in the fragrance the thought arises: is that more white pepper than black ? So this wine too is closer in style to the average ripeness of the northern Rhone, than to the best of the Gimblett Gravels. Palate is fractionally leaner too, accentuated by the noticeable oak, yet there is a good spicy cassis and red and black plums of about the same weight as the Varonniers. Aftertaste is distinctly cedary at this stage, the oak a little much. Watching this wine evolve will be interesting. Cellar 5 - 10 years. GK 06/05
Ruby, a little velvet, similar to the Woodthorpe. Stylistically, this wine is close to the Bilancia la Collina, but richer and oakier. There is a clear floral component on red berries, and in the fragrance the thought arises: is that more white pepper than black ? So this wine too is closer in style to the average ripeness of the northern Rhone, than to the best of the Gimblett Gravels. Palate is fractionally leaner too, accentuated by the noticeable oak, yet there is a good spicy cassis and red and black plums of about the same weight as the Varonniers. Aftertaste is distinctly cedary at this stage, the oak a little much. Watching this wine evolve will be interesting. Cellar 5 - 10 years. GK 06/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.3%; $60 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 25% whole-bunch, up to 5 days cold-soak, wild-yeast fermentation, c. 28 days cuvaison; MLF in barrel and 14 months on lees in French oak 25% new; unfined and unfiltered; 700 (vs 140 the previous year) cases; introduction to the Calvert concept 25 Nov 2008; www.pyramidvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, maybe some carmine and velvet, one of the three darkest / biggest colours in the tasting, getting marginal. Bouquet in one sense is what you'd expect from the colour, a big aroma as if there were some saignée, almost too much. There are qualities of blackboy peach and dark plum, and black more than red cherry, all boisterous alongside the Craggy interpretation of the same fruit. In mouth, the wine continues boisterous and chunky, not the subtlety of the top wines, bolder but less oaky than Excelsior, seemingly stronger and richer than the Felton Road, yet undeniably varietal. This will fine up with time in cellar, but when it comes to excellence in pinot noir, less can be more. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Ruby, maybe some carmine and velvet, one of the three darkest / biggest colours in the tasting, getting marginal. Bouquet in one sense is what you'd expect from the colour, a big aroma as if there were some saignée, almost too much. There are qualities of blackboy peach and dark plum, and black more than red cherry, all boisterous alongside the Craggy interpretation of the same fruit. In mouth, the wine continues boisterous and chunky, not the subtlety of the top wines, bolder but less oaky than Excelsior, seemingly stronger and richer than the Felton Road, yet undeniably varietal. This will fine up with time in cellar, but when it comes to excellence in pinot noir, less can be more. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/10
Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $177 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Good pinot ruby, like the Clos St Jacques. A clearcut pinot bouquet showing dark floral components in cherry and slightly plummy fruit, all drier and slightly less floral and ethereal than the top Jadots. Palate is rich, firm, a stronger wine than some of those more highly rated, but also more tannic. May surprise in cellar, and prove under-rated. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Good pinot ruby, like the Clos St Jacques. A clearcut pinot bouquet showing dark floral components in cherry and slightly plummy fruit, all drier and slightly less floral and ethereal than the top Jadots. Palate is rich, firm, a stronger wine than some of those more highly rated, but also more tannic. May surprise in cellar, and prove under-rated. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 04/05
Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ screwcap ]
Big pinot noir ruby, scarcely lighter than the 2003 Greenhough Hope. Here is a wine to convince non-believers that it is the floral component that differentiates great pinot from run-of-the-mill. The smells of violets and boronia, plus a lighter component such as buddleia, dominate over mixed cherry fruit. In some ways the wine is more clearly varietal than the Hope, in the sense there is less oak aromatic complexity. Palate is velvety, total varietal pinot noir, the florals pervading the mass of black cherries. This is stunning pinot noir, not quite as rich as the Hope Vineyard reserve wine, but in some ways even more varietal and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/05
Big pinot noir ruby, scarcely lighter than the 2003 Greenhough Hope. Here is a wine to convince non-believers that it is the floral component that differentiates great pinot from run-of-the-mill. The smells of violets and boronia, plus a lighter component such as buddleia, dominate over mixed cherry fruit. In some ways the wine is more clearly varietal than the Hope, in the sense there is less oak aromatic complexity. Palate is velvety, total varietal pinot noir, the florals pervading the mass of black cherries. This is stunning pinot noir, not quite as rich as the Hope Vineyard reserve wine, but in some ways even more varietal and beautiful. Cellar 5 – 10 years. VALUE GK 03/05
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; only 2004 info on website ; www.capricornwines.co.nz ]
Good pinot ruby, ideal in fact. Needs a breath of fresh air, to reveal an unequivocal pinot noir bouquet. There are beautiful florals in the boronia camp, on red and black cherries made aromatic by oak. Palate shows exactly what pinot is about, the feel of chardonnay-weight fruit with the flavours of ripe cherries. Oaking is fragrant, but to a max. This is fine New Zealand pinot noir, and is undoubtedly the best value in pinot ever offered in New Zealand. Let us hope it is a glimpse of the future, with pinot over-production imminent (and over-pricing rampant). Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 01/05
Good pinot ruby, ideal in fact. Needs a breath of fresh air, to reveal an unequivocal pinot noir bouquet. There are beautiful florals in the boronia camp, on red and black cherries made aromatic by oak. Palate shows exactly what pinot is about, the feel of chardonnay-weight fruit with the flavours of ripe cherries. Oaking is fragrant, but to a max. This is fine New Zealand pinot noir, and is undoubtedly the best value in pinot ever offered in New Zealand. Let us hope it is a glimpse of the future, with pinot over-production imminent (and over-pricing rampant). Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 01/05
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ cork; 18 months French oak; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
A big pinot ruby. Bouquet is an exciting statement about pinot, and once the labels are revealed, the first impression is: is this the finest pinot thus far made in Marlborough ? Like the Mt Difficulty Target Gully, it is ripened nearly to the point of losing the floral components so essential to true pinot noir, but not totally beyond. There is a dusky darkest red roses lift to the black cherries, blackboy and dark plums fruit, which is beautiful. Palate continues the bouquet, with a hint of fivespice or a similar aromatic from the oaking, which makes the whole wine even more fragrant and aromatic. The ratio of oak is good, the result soft, sweet and fragrant. The whole wine is denser, riper, and a little less varietal than the Mt Difficulty Target Gully or the Greenhough Hope, but it is a great achievement. Marlborough finally is really coming 'on song' with pinot. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/05
A big pinot ruby. Bouquet is an exciting statement about pinot, and once the labels are revealed, the first impression is: is this the finest pinot thus far made in Marlborough ? Like the Mt Difficulty Target Gully, it is ripened nearly to the point of losing the floral components so essential to true pinot noir, but not totally beyond. There is a dusky darkest red roses lift to the black cherries, blackboy and dark plums fruit, which is beautiful. Palate continues the bouquet, with a hint of fivespice or a similar aromatic from the oaking, which makes the whole wine even more fragrant and aromatic. The ratio of oak is good, the result soft, sweet and fragrant. The whole wine is denser, riper, and a little less varietal than the Mt Difficulty Target Gully or the Greenhough Hope, but it is a great achievement. Marlborough finally is really coming 'on song' with pinot. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/05
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.7%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, hand-picked; 20 months in 1 – 3-year French oak; not on the website, some doubt whether will be available for general sale; www.thehaypaddock.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, promising. One sniff and this is the kind of syrah The Hay Paddock proprietors set out to make, before they were misled by technically illiterate British appraisals. The quality of berry is fresh and cassisy, the oak is nicely in balance, and the whole wine is much more correct. There might still be a trace of other complexities, it is not quite as rich as some of the other top wines, but it should cellar well 3 – 12 years. Great to see. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, promising. One sniff and this is the kind of syrah The Hay Paddock proprietors set out to make, before they were misled by technically illiterate British appraisals. The quality of berry is fresh and cassisy, the oak is nicely in balance, and the whole wine is much more correct. There might still be a trace of other complexities, it is not quite as rich as some of the other top wines, but it should cellar well 3 – 12 years. Great to see. GK 10/12
Pommard Premier Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $115 [ cork; www.louisjadot.com ]
Pinot ruby, in the middle of the Jadots. A voluminous bouquet, showing all the classical (or traditional) attributes of burgundian pinot noir: clearcut florals, black cherry fruit, and an attractive savoury and mouth-watering complexity which for some is great burgundy, and for others is Brettanomyces. Palate blends all these components into succulent, rich, lingering cherry fruit of some weight and great beauty, classic Pommard, just crying out for roast beef. Don't let the technocrats put you off, on a pin-pricking fermentation detail – this is an exciting bottle which will cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 04/05
Pinot ruby, in the middle of the Jadots. A voluminous bouquet, showing all the classical (or traditional) attributes of burgundian pinot noir: clearcut florals, black cherry fruit, and an attractive savoury and mouth-watering complexity which for some is great burgundy, and for others is Brettanomyces. Palate blends all these components into succulent, rich, lingering cherry fruit of some weight and great beauty, classic Pommard, just crying out for roast beef. Don't let the technocrats put you off, on a pin-pricking fermentation detail – this is an exciting bottle which will cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 04/05
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $43 [ cork; 11 months in 20% new French oak; www.stratford.co.nz ]
Good pinot ruby. An attractive bouquet with the same dark rose and boronia florals as some of the others, but additionally a different floral component hinting at dianthus and black peppercorn, as if there were a splash of syrah in it. Palate has a velvety roundness to it which is more concentrated than the Ata Rangi, and deep black cherry and nearly black plum fruit. Additionally the thought of cassis occurs, keeping alive the syrah idea. This is lovely wine, even if a little ambiguous as to variety. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/05
Good pinot ruby. An attractive bouquet with the same dark rose and boronia florals as some of the others, but additionally a different floral component hinting at dianthus and black peppercorn, as if there were a splash of syrah in it. Palate has a velvety roundness to it which is more concentrated than the Ata Rangi, and deep black cherry and nearly black plum fruit. Additionally the thought of cassis occurs, keeping alive the syrah idea. This is lovely wine, even if a little ambiguous as to variety. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/05
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; blend of Gibbston, Alexandra and Earnscleugh fruit, hand-picked; up to 10 days cold-soak; up to 14 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 30% new; release date April 2011; www.twopaddocks.com ]
Pinot noir ruby. This is deceptive wine, totally demonstrating the benefit of decanting all wine, and particularly newly-bottled ones. Freshly poured, there is an unconvincing black passionfruit skins aroma, almost hinting at decay. Yet breathed, the wine is transformed into a complex pinot noir with roses florals grading to boronia on red and black cherry fruit. Palate shows elegant ripeness, subtle oaking, and unusually complex cherry flavours in which a shadow of black passionfruit lingers, now almost attractively. A strange one, benefit of the doubt. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. This is deceptive wine, totally demonstrating the benefit of decanting all wine, and particularly newly-bottled ones. Freshly poured, there is an unconvincing black passionfruit skins aroma, almost hinting at decay. Yet breathed, the wine is transformed into a complex pinot noir with roses florals grading to boronia on red and black cherry fruit. Palate shows elegant ripeness, subtle oaking, and unusually complex cherry flavours in which a shadow of black passionfruit lingers, now almost attractively. A strange one, benefit of the doubt. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13%; $26 [ screwcap; from a 25-year-old vineyard on Black Ridge; cool s/s fermented; lightly fined and filtered; 4 g/L RS; www.valliwine.com ]
Lemongreen. This dry wine needs more time in bottle. It is still youthful and awkward in the way young Mosel trocken wines can be. Acid is beautifully fine-grain but nonetheless very noticeable at this stage. Bouquet and flavours are remarkably appley, but more a cooking apple than a dessert one, more ballarat for example. Phenolics are subtler and finer on this wine than the other three rieslings, giving it greater potential to develop elegance in cellar. Cellar 5 – 12 years, in its drier style. GK 09/10
Lemongreen. This dry wine needs more time in bottle. It is still youthful and awkward in the way young Mosel trocken wines can be. Acid is beautifully fine-grain but nonetheless very noticeable at this stage. Bouquet and flavours are remarkably appley, but more a cooking apple than a dessert one, more ballarat for example. Phenolics are subtler and finer on this wine than the other three rieslings, giving it greater potential to develop elegance in cellar. Cellar 5 – 12 years, in its drier style. GK 09/10
Bannockburn & Lowburn districts, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.2%; $23 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; some wild yeast; up to 3 weeks cuvaison; 5% whole bunch; c.8 months in French oak 30% new; fined and filtered; www.wildearthwines.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. This smells and tastes exactly as good pinot should. Let us hope at the great price it reveals the delights of Central Otago pinot noir to an ever-increasing number of consumers, who thus far may have been put off Otago pinot by some of the prices and prose bandied about. Bouquet is clearly dark roses floral, with clear red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely drinking pinot, soft, silky, including red cherry fruit of remarkable length and pleasing mouthfeel, though possibly not bone dry. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. This smells and tastes exactly as good pinot should. Let us hope at the great price it reveals the delights of Central Otago pinot noir to an ever-increasing number of consumers, who thus far may have been put off Otago pinot by some of the prices and prose bandied about. Bouquet is clearly dark roses floral, with clear red and black cherry fruit. Palate is simply lovely drinking pinot, soft, silky, including red cherry fruit of remarkable length and pleasing mouthfeel, though possibly not bone dry. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE. GK 09/10
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.3%; $54 [ cork; 2.5% Vi co-fermented; 10 months in French oak 40% new; 120 cases; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, appreciably older than the 2010. Bouquet is softly cassisy on blackberries and fruit, rich and oaky, very much a new world reading of syrah, pure. Palate is velvety, clearly syrah ripened beyond the optimal floral cassis and suggestions of black pepper stage, rather much blackberry apparent, but still beautifully rich. It is clearly a notch less vibrant and more oaky than the 2010 Obsidian Syrah, when seen alongside, but many would prefer it for that. The comparison with the 2010 de Vine Barossa Shiraz in this batch is intriguing. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/12
Ruby and velvet, appreciably older than the 2010. Bouquet is softly cassisy on blackberries and fruit, rich and oaky, very much a new world reading of syrah, pure. Palate is velvety, clearly syrah ripened beyond the optimal floral cassis and suggestions of black pepper stage, rather much blackberry apparent, but still beautifully rich. It is clearly a notch less vibrant and more oaky than the 2010 Obsidian Syrah, when seen alongside, but many would prefer it for that. The comparison with the 2010 de Vine Barossa Shiraz in this batch is intriguing. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/12
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $58 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields not above 2 t/ac; up to 20% whole-bunch; up to 10 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 22 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 13 months in French oak c. 26% new; no fining or filtration; winemaker Blair Walter considers Cornish Point their floral wine; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft and almost fleshy in a vanillin way, fragrant with implicit florals, on clear cherry and slightly plummy fruit. Palate is soft too, black cherry fruit more than red, gently oaked to almost under-oaked. This is a classical expression of beautifully ripened darker Central Otago pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is soft and almost fleshy in a vanillin way, fragrant with implicit florals, on clear cherry and slightly plummy fruit. Palate is soft too, black cherry fruit more than red, gently oaked to almost under-oaked. This is a classical expression of beautifully ripened darker Central Otago pinot noir. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Queensberry, Upper Cromwell Valley, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; hand-picked; some whole-bunch, wild yeast; c. 30 days cuvaison; 10 months in French oak 40% new; no fining, minimal filtration; www.twodegrees.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is already very fragrant indeed, partly from the fruit picked to optimise the red fruits / roses part of the floral spectrum, but also from more new oak than most. In mouth the florality seems to deepen even to boronia, and the integration of red cherry fruit with the fragrant oak is, like the Grasshopper Pinot, premier cru Gevrey quality. Some of those can look a little oaky at the 18 months stage too. A little more richness would be ideal. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is already very fragrant indeed, partly from the fruit picked to optimise the red fruits / roses part of the floral spectrum, but also from more new oak than most. In mouth the florality seems to deepen even to boronia, and the integration of red cherry fruit with the fragrant oak is, like the Grasshopper Pinot, premier cru Gevrey quality. Some of those can look a little oaky at the 18 months stage too. A little more richness would be ideal. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $28 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 5% whole-bunch fermentation; 5 – 7 days cold-soak; 11 months in French oak 35 % new; no fining, medium filter; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is bold on this pinot, showing a touch of the Penfolds in its oak component, but with clear-cut red and black cherry fruit obvious below. The oak continues noticeable on the palate, perhaps there is a chip component, but the fruit is rich, the finish dry, and the potential for marrying-up harmoniously looks good. This could be a 'popular' style for pinot. Cellar 3 – 8 years GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is bold on this pinot, showing a touch of the Penfolds in its oak component, but with clear-cut red and black cherry fruit obvious below. The oak continues noticeable on the palate, perhaps there is a chip component, but the fruit is rich, the finish dry, and the potential for marrying-up harmoniously looks good. This could be a 'popular' style for pinot. Cellar 3 – 8 years GK 09/10
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.1%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-picked and sorted; thought to be 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 30% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. In its light fragrant but highly varietal style, this wine reminded me of the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard wine from Pinot Noir 2010. There are sweet florals spanning from buddleia to darker roses, on red cherry fruit. Palate is a little lighter and fresher than the bouquet promised, but cellaring the wine will produce a pinot confuseable with some Cote de Nuits wines – even at premier cru level. Real promise here, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. In its light fragrant but highly varietal style, this wine reminded me of the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard wine from Pinot Noir 2010. There are sweet florals spanning from buddleia to darker roses, on red cherry fruit. Palate is a little lighter and fresher than the bouquet promised, but cellaring the wine will produce a pinot confuseable with some Cote de Nuits wines – even at premier cru level. Real promise here, to cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 09/10
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-picked; thought to be 5 days cold soak, plus 8 days making 13 days cuvaison; 10 months in French oak 25% new; fined and filtered; www.lowburnferry.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is right away roses-floral and vanillin, on red cherry fruit. In mouth the cherry darkens to include black cherry, and the whole wine is delightfully varietal and fresh. It is not quite as rich as some of the top wines, with the slightest hint of stalk. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is right away roses-floral and vanillin, on red cherry fruit. In mouth the cherry darkens to include black cherry, and the whole wine is delightfully varietal and fresh. It is not quite as rich as some of the top wines, with the slightest hint of stalk. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 4 days cold soak followed by conventional open-top fermentation and c.4 weeks cuvaison; 16 months in French oak 35% new, balance 1-year; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an attractive fresh colour just below midway in depth. It is a little while since I saw any Mills Reef wines, particularly in a good blind tasting. The bouquet here suggests a change of approach, much more emphasis on the berry fruit, less oak. This is the most floral of the top wines, real violets and red roses, lovely. Behind that are red and black plummy aromas. Palate is not as rich as the top wines, but the fruit ripeness and soft tannins are elegant. The continuing subtlety of the oak on palate is thrilling, the wine being remarkably St Emilion in style. The harmony of finish is a delight, though it needs more richness. Nonetheless, it will give much pleasure at table. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an attractive fresh colour just below midway in depth. It is a little while since I saw any Mills Reef wines, particularly in a good blind tasting. The bouquet here suggests a change of approach, much more emphasis on the berry fruit, less oak. This is the most floral of the top wines, real violets and red roses, lovely. Behind that are red and black plummy aromas. Palate is not as rich as the top wines, but the fruit ripeness and soft tannins are elegant. The continuing subtlety of the oak on palate is thrilling, the wine being remarkably St Emilion in style. The harmony of finish is a delight, though it needs more richness. Nonetheless, it will give much pleasure at table. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/12
St-Joseph, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $104 [ cork; Sy 100%; www.cuilleron.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, classic. Bouquet is a dramatic expression of syrah, with exhibition-quality syrah florality ranging through dianthus, wallflowers, violets and roses, with good black pepper spice, seeming ripe. Trace VA adds lift. Below is cassis and bottled omega plums. Palate is just a little leaner than bouquet, suggesting this is not a perfect season, though one would not go so far as to say there is a touch of leaf (unless you were an Australian), but there is some white pepper, and the cassis is not quite rich enough. But the bouquet is fabulous, making this a great demonstration wine for syrah character not marred by excess oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, classic. Bouquet is a dramatic expression of syrah, with exhibition-quality syrah florality ranging through dianthus, wallflowers, violets and roses, with good black pepper spice, seeming ripe. Trace VA adds lift. Below is cassis and bottled omega plums. Palate is just a little leaner than bouquet, suggesting this is not a perfect season, though one would not go so far as to say there is a touch of leaf (unless you were an Australian), but there is some white pepper, and the cassis is not quite rich enough. But the bouquet is fabulous, making this a great demonstration wine for syrah character not marred by excess oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; hand-picked; no info; www.tarrasvineyards.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Though quiet initially, this wine opens up well to reveal darkly floral suggestions with a hint of the much-invoked Otago thyme character, attractive. Palate is black cherry mainly grading to plum, attractive oaking, a good wine to illustrate a darker-fruited phase of pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Good pinot noir ruby. Though quiet initially, this wine opens up well to reveal darkly floral suggestions with a hint of the much-invoked Otago thyme character, attractive. Palate is black cherry mainly grading to plum, attractive oaking, a good wine to illustrate a darker-fruited phase of pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 09/10
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $157 [ cork; Sy 90%, Vi 10; www.cuilleron.com ]
Ruby and velvet, not as deep as the Serines but a lovely colour. Bouquet is closely related to les Serines, but more floral, with lighter sweeter qualities in which one can imagine the benison of viognier, and the perfume of bush honey. Palate is taut, a lovely sweetness in the cassis, almost blueberry and plum which differentiates it from the sterner St Joseph, and really exemplifies Cote Rotie. Yet taken as a whole, it is also slightly cool, just the thought of white pepper and sub-optimal ripeness. It is not a big wine, it is almost pinot noir like in one sense (textural), and like the Serines, there is a wish for a little more richness. But then there might be less florality. The bush-honey quality was a feature of 1982 Les Jumelles, too. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby and velvet, not as deep as the Serines but a lovely colour. Bouquet is closely related to les Serines, but more floral, with lighter sweeter qualities in which one can imagine the benison of viognier, and the perfume of bush honey. Palate is taut, a lovely sweetness in the cassis, almost blueberry and plum which differentiates it from the sterner St Joseph, and really exemplifies Cote Rotie. Yet taken as a whole, it is also slightly cool, just the thought of white pepper and sub-optimal ripeness. It is not a big wine, it is almost pinot noir like in one sense (textural), and like the Serines, there is a wish for a little more richness. But then there might be less florality. The bush-honey quality was a feature of 1982 Les Jumelles, too. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Clarksburg and Monterey County, California: 13.5%; $ – [ $US10. BF and LA in American oak 60% new for 9 months (doubtfully for all the wine), plus MLF 10 - 20%; www.boglewinery.com ]
Lemon, a little more depth than the Eileen Hardy. In this flight, this is immediately bigger chardonnay, with a ‘yellow' kind of stonefruits, some grapefruit, some rock-melon, very rich in fruit generally, and not oaky. Palate continues that trend, with an almost tropical and apricot quality as if there were some viognier in the wine, very rich, soft and ample, like peaches and custard, possibly not bone dry, lightly oaked. A fleshy and caricature (+ve) Californian chardonnay, very likeable, and great value at the domestic price. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 10/05
Lemon, a little more depth than the Eileen Hardy. In this flight, this is immediately bigger chardonnay, with a ‘yellow' kind of stonefruits, some grapefruit, some rock-melon, very rich in fruit generally, and not oaky. Palate continues that trend, with an almost tropical and apricot quality as if there were some viognier in the wine, very rich, soft and ample, like peaches and custard, possibly not bone dry, lightly oaked. A fleshy and caricature (+ve) Californian chardonnay, very likeable, and great value at the domestic price. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 10/05
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $46 [ screwcap; library stock price; hand-harvested from 6 vineyards; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak up to 25% new; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon-straw. A little age is starting to show here, a hint of biscuits and early maturity apparent on bouquet. Palate is much fresher, clear mealyness from the barrel-fermentation and lees-autolysis, mixed stonefruit palate, oak invisible, all lingering delightfully. Attractive wine, which will hold for several years yet. GK 10/10
Lemon-straw. A little age is starting to show here, a hint of biscuits and early maturity apparent on bouquet. Palate is much fresher, clear mealyness from the barrel-fermentation and lees-autolysis, mixed stonefruit palate, oak invisible, all lingering delightfully. Attractive wine, which will hold for several years yet. GK 10/10
Nelson, New Zealand: 13.3%; $21 [ screwcap ]
Elegant lemongreen. A beautifully fresh definitive sauvignon bouquet, combining almost riesling-like vanillin florals with ripest red capsicum notes adding zest, all on black passionfruit fruit. Palate is the same, total acid on the fresh side, residual sugar clearly in the ‘dry’ class, the aromatic length of flavour very good, tasting like a straight stainless steel wine. Cellar 2 – 8 years, to taste. GK 01/06
Elegant lemongreen. A beautifully fresh definitive sauvignon bouquet, combining almost riesling-like vanillin florals with ripest red capsicum notes adding zest, all on black passionfruit fruit. Palate is the same, total acid on the fresh side, residual sugar clearly in the ‘dry’ class, the aromatic length of flavour very good, tasting like a straight stainless steel wine. Cellar 2 – 8 years, to taste. GK 01/06
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $85 [ screwcap; hand-picked from crop thinned to one bunch per shoot / low-yielding vines; 10% whole-bunch fermentation; 18 months in French oak 40 % new; minimal filtering; www.wooingtree.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. Another wine with a great volume of red-fruits bouquet, in this case with just a touch of raspberry and the thought of grenache (+ve), and a little more oak than some of the other red-fruits wines like the Peregrine. Palate is not quite as rich as the bouquet promises, but the complexity of flavour including a touch of almond is a delight, firmed by careful potentially cedary oak. Finish gives the impression of a gram or two of sugar, but may be simply richness / dry extract. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Pinot noir ruby. Another wine with a great volume of red-fruits bouquet, in this case with just a touch of raspberry and the thought of grenache (+ve), and a little more oak than some of the other red-fruits wines like the Peregrine. Palate is not quite as rich as the bouquet promises, but the complexity of flavour including a touch of almond is a delight, firmed by careful potentially cedary oak. Finish gives the impression of a gram or two of sugar, but may be simply richness / dry extract. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/10
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $49 [ cork; Gr 50%, Sy 25, Mv 25; 24 months in French oak, 50% new; www.guigal.com ]
Medium ruby, fresher than the Cotes-du-Rhone. One sniff, and here is enchantment. This is more how the Cotes-du-Rhone smelt in the 1980s, grenache dominant, spiced by syrah and mourvedre. Bouquet is red grading to black fruits, clear aromatic zing, a touch of nutmeg, delightful. Palate is soft and round yet exciting, with great vinosity. It is conceivable there is trace brett, but at this level it is good. If you like pinot noir, but want more spice and zip, try this. Cellar 5 – 20 years, if my still lovely 1985 wine is any guide. GK 10/10
Medium ruby, fresher than the Cotes-du-Rhone. One sniff, and here is enchantment. This is more how the Cotes-du-Rhone smelt in the 1980s, grenache dominant, spiced by syrah and mourvedre. Bouquet is red grading to black fruits, clear aromatic zing, a touch of nutmeg, delightful. Palate is soft and round yet exciting, with great vinosity. It is conceivable there is trace brett, but at this level it is good. If you like pinot noir, but want more spice and zip, try this. Cellar 5 – 20 years, if my still lovely 1985 wine is any guide. GK 10/10
Ngatarawa Triangle 52% & Gimblett Gravels 48, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; cropped @ c. 6.5 t/ha = 2.6 t/ac from close-planted vines, half hand-picked; cuvaison in s/s, oak, and concrete fermenters for 21 - 35 days, 22 months in French oak 50% new; RS < 1 g/L; no fining, coarse filter only; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This was the lead wine in the Lincoln tasting, to set the tone and show the extrovert cabernet part of the components in the Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blend equation. Cassis is the key descriptor for cabernet sauvignon (as well as syrah – the florality differing), and the ripeness level captured that well, on bouquet. The aromatic component of the grape was admittedly augmented by the oak, which is a bit boisterous, but many like the wine for that. The remarkable fruit richness nearly carries it. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet. This was the lead wine in the Lincoln tasting, to set the tone and show the extrovert cabernet part of the components in the Bordeaux / Hawkes Bay blend equation. Cassis is the key descriptor for cabernet sauvignon (as well as syrah – the florality differing), and the ripeness level captured that well, on bouquet. The aromatic component of the grape was admittedly augmented by the oak, which is a bit boisterous, but many like the wine for that. The remarkable fruit richness nearly carries it. Cellar 5 – 15 years. VALUE GK 10/10
Condrieu, northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $89 [ cork; c. 2 t/ac from vine age 25 years average; hot dry season, crop reduced to 60% normal; 1/3 BF in new oak, 2/3 in s/s; MLF 100%; 1.2 g/L RS; www.guigal.com ]
Lemonstraw. In one sense, this wine goes to the opposite extreme from the Yalumba Eden Valley. It is equally as good, equally as delicious, but the hand of the winemaker is apparent all through. The main influence is the secondary malolactic fermentation, which has added a cream and vanilla custard quality to the great canned-apricots fruit. The wine is therefore less vibrantly varietal, but at the same time softer, richer and longer-flavoured in mouth. Oak becomes apparent on the later palate, more noticeable than the Yalumba Eden Valley and coarsening the finish a little. This wine is fully mature, and as a consequence of the MLF component, it will lose freshness from here out – not a cellar wine. GK 11/05
Lemonstraw. In one sense, this wine goes to the opposite extreme from the Yalumba Eden Valley. It is equally as good, equally as delicious, but the hand of the winemaker is apparent all through. The main influence is the secondary malolactic fermentation, which has added a cream and vanilla custard quality to the great canned-apricots fruit. The wine is therefore less vibrantly varietal, but at the same time softer, richer and longer-flavoured in mouth. Oak becomes apparent on the later palate, more noticeable than the Yalumba Eden Valley and coarsening the finish a little. This wine is fully mature, and as a consequence of the MLF component, it will lose freshness from here out – not a cellar wine. GK 11/05
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $29 [ screwcap; hand-picked and sorted; 9 months in French oak, 32% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, quite a different hue from the beaujolais, below midway in depth. The bouquet is a standout, quite the most floral wine in a beautifully fragrant lineup. If you don't believe at all in the floral component of good red wines, buy a bottle of this and then seek out some purple buddleia, lilac, or pink roses. Along with the florals, there are red and black cherry fruits. In mouth the florality and some vanillin permeate gorgeous red cherry flesh, to develop a winestyle which is reminiscent of Chambolle-Musigny. Like the 2008 Grasshopper, there is just a hint of leaf later on the palate which detracts slightly, and explains why the floral component is so good. That's why these top beaujolais are so special, they have all the florals yet no leafyness – very hard to achieve. Grasshopper Rock is becoming one of the great New Zealand pinot noirs, yet it remains affordable. This needs a year or two to soften, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/12
Pinot noir ruby, quite a different hue from the beaujolais, below midway in depth. The bouquet is a standout, quite the most floral wine in a beautifully fragrant lineup. If you don't believe at all in the floral component of good red wines, buy a bottle of this and then seek out some purple buddleia, lilac, or pink roses. Along with the florals, there are red and black cherry fruits. In mouth the florality and some vanillin permeate gorgeous red cherry flesh, to develop a winestyle which is reminiscent of Chambolle-Musigny. Like the 2008 Grasshopper, there is just a hint of leaf later on the palate which detracts slightly, and explains why the floral component is so good. That's why these top beaujolais are so special, they have all the florals yet no leafyness – very hard to achieve. Grasshopper Rock is becoming one of the great New Zealand pinot noirs, yet it remains affordable. This needs a year or two to soften, cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 09/12
Gimblett Gravels & Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $29 [ screwcap; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, also an excellent colour. Bouquet is clean, slightly marcy and unresolved, but showing dark plums and oak with an aromatic edge. Palate is quite rich, very plummy (in the blind tasting it seemed more a softer merlot-dominant wine), oaked to the maximum, but otherwise showing good balance and length for cellaring 5 – 15 years. When tasted right alongside the Merlot Cuve, it is indeed firmer and more cassisy, as befits cabernet sauvignon. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, also an excellent colour. Bouquet is clean, slightly marcy and unresolved, but showing dark plums and oak with an aromatic edge. Palate is quite rich, very plummy (in the blind tasting it seemed more a softer merlot-dominant wine), oaked to the maximum, but otherwise showing good balance and length for cellaring 5 – 15 years. When tasted right alongside the Merlot Cuve, it is indeed firmer and more cassisy, as befits cabernet sauvignon. GK 06/10
Colchagua Valley, Chile: 13.5%; $16 [ plastic closure; 2004 most recent on the (slow) website, for that wine: mostly machine-picked; 40% matured in s/s with oak staves for 5 months, 60% s/s; RS 5.2 g/L; www.conosur.com ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is as clearcut in character as the Argentinean 2005 Lurton Pinot Gris, and beautifully varietal: cherimoya, apricots and custard, freesia blossom. Palate is good too, in the lighter crisp flavoursome style New Zealand and France can achieve with viognier, not as weighty as Australia, yet with beautifully-defined ripe fruit, on the dividing line for 'dry' – very seductive. Modern Chile is the single greatest threat to our export wine market. Cellar 2 – 4 years. VALUE GK 09/05
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is as clearcut in character as the Argentinean 2005 Lurton Pinot Gris, and beautifully varietal: cherimoya, apricots and custard, freesia blossom. Palate is good too, in the lighter crisp flavoursome style New Zealand and France can achieve with viognier, not as weighty as Australia, yet with beautifully-defined ripe fruit, on the dividing line for 'dry' – very seductive. Modern Chile is the single greatest threat to our export wine market. Cellar 2 – 4 years. VALUE GK 09/05
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ supercritical cork; CF 100%, vines 10 and 14 years old; spring 2010 release; www.blackbarn.com ]
Ruby, an elegant medium weight colour only. Bouquet is gorgeous, softly violets and red roses, with a sweetness of red fruits, almost raspberry, another which at the blind stage one wants to be high-cabernet franc. Palate is entirely matching, red currants and raspberry in the best sense, some cassis and plum, vanillin oak beautifully balanced to its medium weight. There is a good reminder of St Emilion in this wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, an elegant medium weight colour only. Bouquet is gorgeous, softly violets and red roses, with a sweetness of red fruits, almost raspberry, another which at the blind stage one wants to be high-cabernet franc. Palate is entirely matching, red currants and raspberry in the best sense, some cassis and plum, vanillin oak beautifully balanced to its medium weight. There is a good reminder of St Emilion in this wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/10
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ supercritical cork; Me 75%, CF 14, CS 8, Ma 11; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, quite dense. Bouquet here shows clean sweet ripe plummy berry, with an exotic edge to it just hinting at five-spice. There is good fragrant fruit on the palate, in a ripe plummy wine with great integration just hinting at a warmer-climate than New Zealand, the spicy oak continuing but not obtrusive. Finish is long soft and warm. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Proprietor Tim Turvey comments that 2008 was better than 2007, in the Te Awanga district. GK 06/10
Ruby and velvet, quite dense. Bouquet here shows clean sweet ripe plummy berry, with an exotic edge to it just hinting at five-spice. There is good fragrant fruit on the palate, in a ripe plummy wine with great integration just hinting at a warmer-climate than New Zealand, the spicy oak continuing but not obtrusive. Finish is long soft and warm. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Proprietor Tim Turvey comments that 2008 was better than 2007, in the Te Awanga district. GK 06/10
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 100% BF in all-French oak 30% new, 50% wild-yeast ferments, 30% MLF; 10 months LA in barrel, with batonnage the first 6 months; ‘A fruit driven, rich & elegant wine. Citrus, stone fruit and warm toasty oak. Beautiful texture and excellent balance.’; www.mudbrick.co.nz ]
Attractive pale lemon to lemongreen. Bouquet is beautifully ripe chardonnay illustrating subtle varietal character, complexed by understated barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and maybe MLF [ confirmed ]. It reminds of Puligny-Montrachet or delicate Meursault in a modern interpretation. Palate is fresh, citric, somewhat less French and more new world, attractive light body in which chardonnay dominates as white fruits but winemaking artefact and mealy flavours complex the wine admirably. Model modern chardonnay in the light elegant style, to cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/09
Attractive pale lemon to lemongreen. Bouquet is beautifully ripe chardonnay illustrating subtle varietal character, complexed by understated barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and maybe MLF [ confirmed ]. It reminds of Puligny-Montrachet or delicate Meursault in a modern interpretation. Palate is fresh, citric, somewhat less French and more new world, attractive light body in which chardonnay dominates as white fruits but winemaking artefact and mealy flavours complex the wine admirably. Model modern chardonnay in the light elegant style, to cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/09
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.2%; $36 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 30% new; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Attractive pinot noir ruby, medium weight. Bouquet is exciting, combining clear red floral qualities with the faintest hint of thyme, on red cherry fruit. The volume of exact burgundian varietal aroma is enchanting. Palate follows perfectly, firm fruit with just a hint of stalk, oak to balance or perhaps a little noticeable, elegant drinking. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 08/12
Attractive pinot noir ruby, medium weight. Bouquet is exciting, combining clear red floral qualities with the faintest hint of thyme, on red cherry fruit. The volume of exact burgundian varietal aroma is enchanting. Palate follows perfectly, firm fruit with just a hint of stalk, oak to balance or perhaps a little noticeable, elegant drinking. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 08/12
Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA: 13.6%; $164 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$115; hand-harvested CS 68%, Me 20, PV 10, CF 2, cropped at 1.5 t/ac from vines up to 56 years age, @ 400 – 800 m altitude; de-stemmed, wild-yeast fermentations, 8 – 10 day cuvaison, but 80% of the fermentations finished in barrel; 18 months in 100% new oak, 97% US, 3 French; this label is the top selection, only 39% of the crop; Parker, 2010: a very strong effort ... copious aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, spice box, and a touch of oak ...well-balanced, dense, pure, layered, and rich ... 94+; www.ridgewine.com ]
Ruby and velvet, about midway in depth. Initially opened, bouquet has an almost mint quality and a lot of estery and vanilla-y oak showing, even though the oak is potentially cedary. It is therefore very new world. In mouth acid and oak are noticeable, and the slightly roasted flavours of a warmer-climate origin show, but despite these factors the nett impression is one of oaky richness and softness and attractive cassisy flavours. There are reminders of the Penfold's premium Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon here, including the American oak, though the Ridge wine is subtler and softer. Croser described it as one of the best new world cabernet / merlots, but that was not self-evident in this year's wine as seen on the day. It is a little boisterous for that. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, about midway in depth. Initially opened, bouquet has an almost mint quality and a lot of estery and vanilla-y oak showing, even though the oak is potentially cedary. It is therefore very new world. In mouth acid and oak are noticeable, and the slightly roasted flavours of a warmer-climate origin show, but despite these factors the nett impression is one of oaky richness and softness and attractive cassisy flavours. There are reminders of the Penfold's premium Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon here, including the American oak, though the Ridge wine is subtler and softer. Croser described it as one of the best new world cabernet / merlots, but that was not self-evident in this year's wine as seen on the day. It is a little boisterous for that. Cellar 5 – 25 years. GK 01/10
Nelson, New Zealand: 12%; $24 [ screwcap; s/s wine ]
Lemongreen, fractionally deeper than the Nelson wine. Bouquet is more together on the Hope Riesling, with citrus and hints of fine marmalade evident, on clear-cut varietal character. Palate is lime and citrus riesling, some white stonefruits, clear medium in sweetness, lovely acid balance. This should cellar well, 5 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Lemongreen, fractionally deeper than the Nelson wine. Bouquet is more together on the Hope Riesling, with citrus and hints of fine marmalade evident, on clear-cut varietal character. Palate is lime and citrus riesling, some white stonefruits, clear medium in sweetness, lovely acid balance. This should cellar well, 5 – 12 years. GK 01/06
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ screwcap; CF 90%, Me 10, machine-harvested at just under 2 t/ac from 8-yr vines; 100% de-stemmed, partially crushed, 16 days cuvaison; 14 months in barrel 90% French, 10 American, 20% new, 50% 1-yr; fined and filtered; RS 1 g/L; www.sileni.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth, on a par with Coleraine. Is this the finest Cabernet Franc so far made in New Zealand ? I think so, for the winemaker has respected the fruit by not swamping it with oak, as most producers have done previously. Instead the wondrous red rose florality and red berry fruits of cabernet franc dominate the bouquet. Sileni is another winery traditionally offering skinny reds, but this wine is pleasing on palate, helped by seeming not quite bone dry (the actual figure is well within the range considered 'dry' in reds). The quality of red fruits is superb, the oak subtle and potentially cedary, the wine truly an interim New Zealand benchmark for cabernet franc, subtle and fine rather than big and clumsy / oaky. It is not a big wine, more on the scale of the Cheval Blanc, but the physiological maturity, and quality of oaking to reveal rather than obscure the variety, is exciting. It will be absolutely essential stock for education and training purposes, and lectures and tastings, quite apart from drinking. Compared with the sad so-labelled cabernet franc shown in the seminar, this wine is a revelation. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, midway in depth, on a par with Coleraine. Is this the finest Cabernet Franc so far made in New Zealand ? I think so, for the winemaker has respected the fruit by not swamping it with oak, as most producers have done previously. Instead the wondrous red rose florality and red berry fruits of cabernet franc dominate the bouquet. Sileni is another winery traditionally offering skinny reds, but this wine is pleasing on palate, helped by seeming not quite bone dry (the actual figure is well within the range considered 'dry' in reds). The quality of red fruits is superb, the oak subtle and potentially cedary, the wine truly an interim New Zealand benchmark for cabernet franc, subtle and fine rather than big and clumsy / oaky. It is not a big wine, more on the scale of the Cheval Blanc, but the physiological maturity, and quality of oaking to reveal rather than obscure the variety, is exciting. It will be absolutely essential stock for education and training purposes, and lectures and tastings, quite apart from drinking. Compared with the sad so-labelled cabernet franc shown in the seminar, this wine is a revelation. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/10
Grampians district, west Victoria, Australia: 14.5%; $86 [ screwcap; price is simple conversion from AU$70; Sh 100%, hand-picked and sorted from single vineyard 'Old Block', vines 43 years old, on granite; shrivelled as well as green berries excluded; a 'small percentage' of whole bunch in fermentation, in open vessels, up to 21 days cuvaison; MLF in barrel, c.18 months in French oak 45% new, balance 1-year; 1900 cases; www.langi.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, a good weight. Bouquet has a trace of tell-tale Australian eucalyptus detracting, but below that shows a fairly subtle rendering of shiraz, with syrah undertones. There is nearly cassis quality in bottled black doris fruit, almost dark roses and florals, and good black doris berry on palate. Palate is a little harder, some suggestions of added acid but still the interest of nearly-syrah berry quality, and the wine is not too oaky. An intriguing shiraz, not quite capturing the magic of the Paringa Estate, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, a good weight. Bouquet has a trace of tell-tale Australian eucalyptus detracting, but below that shows a fairly subtle rendering of shiraz, with syrah undertones. There is nearly cassis quality in bottled black doris fruit, almost dark roses and florals, and good black doris berry on palate. Palate is a little harder, some suggestions of added acid but still the interest of nearly-syrah berry quality, and the wine is not too oaky. An intriguing shiraz, not quite capturing the magic of the Paringa Estate, to cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $27 [ Me 85%, Ma 9, CS 6; cuvaison 35 days; MLF in barrel; at least 15 months in French oak, 45% new, un-filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. An intriguing bouquet with a savoury seasoning herbes note in wonderfully dry, skinsy, nearly raisiny currants. Flavours are aromatic on big charry oak built into this rich wine, the result being oakier than the Esk or Villa Merlot Reserves, but the saturation of fruit pretty well excuses it (as the score suggests). Cellar 10 – 20 years. Cries out for time in cellar (as do most of the New Zealand wines), to mellow the oak and better complement food. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. An intriguing bouquet with a savoury seasoning herbes note in wonderfully dry, skinsy, nearly raisiny currants. Flavours are aromatic on big charry oak built into this rich wine, the result being oakier than the Esk or Villa Merlot Reserves, but the saturation of fruit pretty well excuses it (as the score suggests). Cellar 10 – 20 years. Cries out for time in cellar (as do most of the New Zealand wines), to mellow the oak and better complement food. GK 05/04
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.6%; $40 [ cork; c 1.5 t/ac (frost-reduced), hand-harvested; de-stemmed, several days cold soak, some saignée; MLF in French oak 50% new; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby. This pinot is very clearly in the floral style, boronia and violets, lovely, with the smell of fruit below. Palate weight is greater on this year's wine, and much more burgundian, with clear-cut cherry fruit more red than black, attractive aromatics and a savoury complexity, plus spicy but very subtle oak. It is firmer and more aromatic than the Kaituna Summerhill, more in the fragrant Drouhin style – in fact surprisingly close to the 2002 Drouhin Clos de Vougeot. This is much the best Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir so far, so the message from the frosts has to be: great pinot needs small crops of concentrated and flavoursome berries. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 12/05
Pinot noir ruby. This pinot is very clearly in the floral style, boronia and violets, lovely, with the smell of fruit below. Palate weight is greater on this year's wine, and much more burgundian, with clear-cut cherry fruit more red than black, attractive aromatics and a savoury complexity, plus spicy but very subtle oak. It is firmer and more aromatic than the Kaituna Summerhill, more in the fragrant Drouhin style – in fact surprisingly close to the 2002 Drouhin Clos de Vougeot. This is much the best Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir so far, so the message from the frosts has to be: great pinot needs small crops of concentrated and flavoursome berries. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 12/05
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $152 [ Cork, 49mm, ullage 25mm; release price c.$33; Parker rating for year 89 (before Spectator data); typically Sy 96%, Vi 4, average vine age 35 years, said to be cropped at the same rate as d’Ampuis, namely 4.8 t/ha = 1.95 t/ac, but often seems as if the rate a little higher; c. 25 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 35 – 50% new, plus some in larger barrels; Robinson, 2016: Mid ruby. Relatively fragile nose. Lots of strawberry fruit with an overlay of umami. Gentle and sweet. This has lasted amazingly well. A bit too sweet on the finish to be refreshing. But it has certainly lasted, 17; Parker, 1997: I preferred this wine during its first 10 years of life, as it has now lost some of its fat and succulence. Still a healthy dark ruby color, with only minor amber at the edge, the nose offers a spicy, earthy, sweet red-fruit character. It possesses the dry tannin that is found in so many wines of this vintage, but some fruit remains, as well as medium to full body, and a spicy, austere finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2004. Last tasted 12/93, 87; Wine Spectator, 1995: Ripe, thick and tannic. Vanilla and floral aromas are still young, and the plum and sweet licorice flavors promise long development. Drinkable now, but better in 1998, 90; weight bottle and closure: 574 g ; www.guigal.com ]
Garnet and ruby, reasonably enough the oldest colour in the set, and the second to lightest. Bouquet is immediately different, a fully mature wine, the patina of age, some leathery and tertiary notes, yet still also showing fading florals, and great purity. Flavours follow appropriately, the wine clearly older yet still retaining browning berryfruit qualities, with the palate still supple. A little tannin is starting to show to the tail. A wine at full maturity, which would be good with food. Tasters related to this wine well, with four top places, and one second. As to cellar life, it is fully mature, and won't improve but neither will it collapse. Perhaps best to think of drinking it, before its 40th anniversary arrives. Another wine to show that nominally 'hot' years are good for syrah in the Northern Rhone Valley. GK 10/20
Garnet and ruby, reasonably enough the oldest colour in the set, and the second to lightest. Bouquet is immediately different, a fully mature wine, the patina of age, some leathery and tertiary notes, yet still also showing fading florals, and great purity. Flavours follow appropriately, the wine clearly older yet still retaining browning berryfruit qualities, with the palate still supple. A little tannin is starting to show to the tail. A wine at full maturity, which would be good with food. Tasters related to this wine well, with four top places, and one second. As to cellar life, it is fully mature, and won't improve but neither will it collapse. Perhaps best to think of drinking it, before its 40th anniversary arrives. Another wine to show that nominally 'hot' years are good for syrah in the Northern Rhone Valley. GK 10/20
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $65 [ screwcap; 27% whole-bunch; 11 months in French oak 26% new, 2 months in older; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is clearly pinot noir, with a big floral dimension spanning much of the floral range from nearly leafy buddleia through the middle spectrum of roses and the like, but not capturing boronia complexity to the extent of the Pyramid Valley Calvert. There is a slight gamey suggestion, and the palate has a lovely burgundian mouthfeel to it. The flavours linger softly and delightfully, even though the wine is slightly more tannic than the Pyramid Valley. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, one of the lighter ones. Bouquet is clearly pinot noir, with a big floral dimension spanning much of the floral range from nearly leafy buddleia through the middle spectrum of roses and the like, but not capturing boronia complexity to the extent of the Pyramid Valley Calvert. There is a slight gamey suggestion, and the palate has a lovely burgundian mouthfeel to it. The flavours linger softly and delightfully, even though the wine is slightly more tannic than the Pyramid Valley. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ screwcap; clone 15 and others; 100% BF in 20% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Deeper lemon. Kumeu River is the darker wine this year, and has a firm and slightly closed bouquet showing both white and yellow stonefruits, then the same careful barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and oak shown by the 2005. Palate though rich in fruit, is still quite tannic and hard from both acid and oak. It thus seems very dry, needing another year or two to fill out, and soften. This is firm Puligny-Montrachet in style, and should cellar to 10 years. GK 02/06
Deeper lemon. Kumeu River is the darker wine this year, and has a firm and slightly closed bouquet showing both white and yellow stonefruits, then the same careful barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and oak shown by the 2005. Palate though rich in fruit, is still quite tannic and hard from both acid and oak. It thus seems very dry, needing another year or two to fill out, and soften. This is firm Puligny-Montrachet in style, and should cellar to 10 years. GK 02/06
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.3%; $54 [ cork; 2.5% Vi co-fermented; 10 months in French oak 40% new; 120 cases; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, noticeably older than the 2010 wines. Bouquet is fragrant and appealing, but one factor contributing to the less fresh hue is the relative prominence of the oak in cassisy and spicy berry. Palate continues in the same vein, beautifully pure, fruit just starting to gain a suggestion of secondary flavours, but the oak too noticeable. Fruit richness is good. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/12
Ruby and velvet, noticeably older than the 2010 wines. Bouquet is fragrant and appealing, but one factor contributing to the less fresh hue is the relative prominence of the oak in cassisy and spicy berry. Palate continues in the same vein, beautifully pure, fruit just starting to gain a suggestion of secondary flavours, but the oak too noticeable. Fruit richness is good. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 10/12
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ supercritical cork; made by Unison; 12 months in French and American oak; www.bridgepa.co.nz ]
Ruby, velvet and some carmine, towards the deeper end of the range. Bouquet however is different, with good berry fruit showing a degree of ripeness that hints at Australia (boysenberry), and more oak, plus some buttery softness. Palate is rich and juicy, much richer and softer than the standard wine, with perhaps some American oak, on sustained cassis and boysenberry flavours. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, velvet and some carmine, towards the deeper end of the range. Bouquet however is different, with good berry fruit showing a degree of ripeness that hints at Australia (boysenberry), and more oak, plus some buttery softness. Palate is rich and juicy, much richer and softer than the standard wine, with perhaps some American oak, on sustained cassis and boysenberry flavours. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Morey-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 14%; $139 [ cork; neither fined nor filtered; no info on website yet; www.avco.org/girardin ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sweetly and darkly floral, in much the same style as the Chambertin wines. There certainly is a Girardin house style apparent in these rich black cherry wines. Palate is a little different, with a hint of dried herbes in the rich fruit, only a shadow of brett, the whole winestyle just a little ‘cooler’ than the top ones. Still marvellous pinot noir, which reminds me of aspects of the 2004 Felton Road Block 3 tasted recently. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/05
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is sweetly and darkly floral, in much the same style as the Chambertin wines. There certainly is a Girardin house style apparent in these rich black cherry wines. Palate is a little different, with a hint of dried herbes in the rich fruit, only a shadow of brett, the whole winestyle just a little ‘cooler’ than the top ones. Still marvellous pinot noir, which reminds me of aspects of the 2004 Felton Road Block 3 tasted recently. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/05
Gibbston 60%, Bannockburn 40, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $43 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 33% new; www.waitiricreek.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, one of the deepest wines. Bouquet is on the big side too, yet it still retains dark boronia florality and black cherry grading to darkly plummy aromas, with some sur-maturité. In mouth the wine is voluptuously rich, tending massive with substantial tannins, and even though there might be a hint of prune, it grows on you as a decadent pinot noir. Ideally a little more restraint, less hang time, would have produced a fresher and more complex wine, but it is still vastly more varietal than the similarly dark Dry River, for example. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10, in its 2002-like style. GK 02/10
Big pinot noir ruby, one of the deepest wines. Bouquet is on the big side too, yet it still retains dark boronia florality and black cherry grading to darkly plummy aromas, with some sur-maturité. In mouth the wine is voluptuously rich, tending massive with substantial tannins, and even though there might be a hint of prune, it grows on you as a decadent pinot noir. Ideally a little more restraint, less hang time, would have produced a fresher and more complex wine, but it is still vastly more varietal than the similarly dark Dry River, for example. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10, in its 2002-like style. GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 12.9%; $82 [ supercritical cork; clone Abel, 30% whole bunch; 12 months in French oak, 50% new; dry extract 27.4 g/L, RS <1 g/L; 500 cases; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. This is a red fruits pinot noir alongside some of the Otago wines, fragrant roses and red cherry, highly varietal in a delicate but not weak style, easily underestimated. Yet in mouth there is no leafyness, the red fruits are really tannin ripe, and the whole wine is another to remind of Pommard styling. This will be enticing in another year, and cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. This is a red fruits pinot noir alongside some of the Otago wines, fragrant roses and red cherry, highly varietal in a delicate but not weak style, easily underestimated. Yet in mouth there is no leafyness, the red fruits are really tannin ripe, and the whole wine is another to remind of Pommard styling. This will be enticing in another year, and cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Vougeot Grand Cru, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $173 [ cork; hand-harvested; fermentation in oak vats; MLF and c. 18 months in oak; www.drouhin.com ]
Fresh pinot noir ruby. The florals in this Drouhin are beautiful, clearly suggestions of boronia, violets, darkest roses, on red and some black cherry fruit. Palate is fresh with piquant acid balance, crisp cherry fruit, subtle oak, a fragrant expression of varietal pinot. The finessed Drouhin style disappoints so many people looking for blockbuster wines, but they are well worth persevering with. In their beautiful pure floral definition of the variety pinot noir, they include some of the most charming and feminine burgundies available, wines which optimise subtle foods rather than dominating it. And the richness on palate is deceptive: there is more dry extract here than one might suppose. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/05
Fresh pinot noir ruby. The florals in this Drouhin are beautiful, clearly suggestions of boronia, violets, darkest roses, on red and some black cherry fruit. Palate is fresh with piquant acid balance, crisp cherry fruit, subtle oak, a fragrant expression of varietal pinot. The finessed Drouhin style disappoints so many people looking for blockbuster wines, but they are well worth persevering with. In their beautiful pure floral definition of the variety pinot noir, they include some of the most charming and feminine burgundies available, wines which optimise subtle foods rather than dominating it. And the richness on palate is deceptive: there is more dry extract here than one might suppose. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/05
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $48 [ screwcap; up to 25% whole-bunch; 11 months in French oak, c.29% new; www.feltonroad.com ]
Deep lively pinot noir ruby, nearly a flush of carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. Bouquet is in the darker near-plummy phase of Otago pinot noir, almost brambly as well as black cherry, not so floral therefore. Palate is substantial in this style, an aromatic almost garrigue / thyme component, surprisingly freshness since the wine seems so dark, subtle oak, a long fine finish. This is going to mature attractively for 5 – 8 or more years. GK 02/10
Deep lively pinot noir ruby, nearly a flush of carmine and velvet, one of the deeper. Bouquet is in the darker near-plummy phase of Otago pinot noir, almost brambly as well as black cherry, not so floral therefore. Palate is substantial in this style, an aromatic almost garrigue / thyme component, surprisingly freshness since the wine seems so dark, subtle oak, a long fine finish. This is going to mature attractively for 5 – 8 or more years. GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $40 [ screwcap; 5% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 33% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, hard to tell from the Ata Rangi. In both bouquet and palate, this wine illustrates the cherry rich Martinborough style well, fragrant, red cherry more than black, not quite the depth and ripeness of the Ata Rangi, so a touch more stalk, but close to it in total achievement. Great to see Craggy returning to a little whole bunch component in an appropriate vintage, which should lead to a prettier wine. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Good pinot noir ruby, hard to tell from the Ata Rangi. In both bouquet and palate, this wine illustrates the cherry rich Martinborough style well, fragrant, red cherry more than black, not quite the depth and ripeness of the Ata Rangi, so a touch more stalk, but close to it in total achievement. Great to see Craggy returning to a little whole bunch component in an appropriate vintage, which should lead to a prettier wine. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14.2%; $48 [ screwcap; close to nil whole bunch; 12 months in French oak 32% new; www.palliser.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. 2008 has been kind to the Martinborough district, after a run of indifferent years (2006 excepted). This wine has delightful wineyness, showing clear varietal quality, good freshness, floral notes centred on dark roses, and a slight savoury complexity. Fruit is red and black cherry, attractive concentration and length, but not quite the depth of the Ata Rangi 2008. Finish shows a hint of stalk, at this youthful stage, but is much cleaner than the 2007. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, just above midway in depth. 2008 has been kind to the Martinborough district, after a run of indifferent years (2006 excepted). This wine has delightful wineyness, showing clear varietal quality, good freshness, floral notes centred on dark roses, and a slight savoury complexity. Fruit is red and black cherry, attractive concentration and length, but not quite the depth of the Ata Rangi 2008. Finish shows a hint of stalk, at this youthful stage, but is much cleaner than the 2007. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 16 months in French oak, 35% new; a single-vineyard wine formerly named Mojo, all from clone 10/5; www.muddywater.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, older. Bouquet is showing some secondary development, but is still clearly floral. Total style is cooler than the Central Otago wines, clear buddleia grading to rose florals, just a hint of leaf. Palate is fresh and crisply varietal, red cherries, burgundian in one sense but a little firm, lingering delightfully. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, older. Bouquet is showing some secondary development, but is still clearly floral. Total style is cooler than the Central Otago wines, clear buddleia grading to rose florals, just a hint of leaf. Palate is fresh and crisply varietal, red cherries, burgundian in one sense but a little firm, lingering delightfully. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 02/10
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $29 [ some cork, some screwcap; 7% whole-bunch fermentation, 14 months French oak, some new; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Classic pinot noir ruby, below midway. This is an elegant, fragrant, cherry-rich wine with beautiful florals, on red and black cherry fruit. Fleeting thoughts of Cote de Nuits occur, for there is lovely lift and finesse. Palate shows crisp black cherry more than red fruits, darker than the Te Muna wine for example. The website does not make clear where this fruit originated, but the depth of character implies a significant older-gravels / higher-clay component. This is the best pinot noir ever from Babich, who are real pioneers with the variety. They had clone bachtobel planted at Henderson in the 1970s, and their 1981 pinot noir won the first gold medal for the variety in New Zealand, on the strength of its highly floral (but also leafy) bouquet. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/10
Classic pinot noir ruby, below midway. This is an elegant, fragrant, cherry-rich wine with beautiful florals, on red and black cherry fruit. Fleeting thoughts of Cote de Nuits occur, for there is lovely lift and finesse. Palate shows crisp black cherry more than red fruits, darker than the Te Muna wine for example. The website does not make clear where this fruit originated, but the depth of character implies a significant older-gravels / higher-clay component. This is the best pinot noir ever from Babich, who are real pioneers with the variety. They had clone bachtobel planted at Henderson in the 1970s, and their 1981 pinot noir won the first gold medal for the variety in New Zealand, on the strength of its highly floral (but also leafy) bouquet. Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/10
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $37 [ screwcap; 15% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak, 25% new; www.chardfarm.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a great colour by burgundy standards, but one of the lighter ones in the set. Bouquet is intriguing, in a lighter style and level of ripeness than many of the Otago wines, with a clear buddleia floral component. Initially tasted, the bouquet is floral and lovely but the wine seems a little inconsequential. In glass the red fruits seem to ripen and deepen to black cherries too, though acid is a little noticeable. This represents the fragrant and cooler side of Otago, to cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, a great colour by burgundy standards, but one of the lighter ones in the set. Bouquet is intriguing, in a lighter style and level of ripeness than many of the Otago wines, with a clear buddleia floral component. Initially tasted, the bouquet is floral and lovely but the wine seems a little inconsequential. In glass the red fruits seem to ripen and deepen to black cherries too, though acid is a little noticeable. This represents the fragrant and cooler side of Otago, to cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; CS 35%, Me 34, Ma 31 at 2.2 t/ac; French 70% and American oak; MLF in barrel; previous review 7/04; www.forrest.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour. Initially opened, there is a deep, clean and quietly understated bouquet with suggestions of cassis, darkest plum, tobacco, oak and pennyroyal. Palate is beautifully rich however, with the berry leaping into clearer focus. There is good cassis, and great plum, all richer and fresher than the Malbec Elspeth, and equally rich. Oak on palate is more than ideal, as with so many premium Australasian reds and chardonnays, but it is subtler than the Elspeths. This wine is coming together attractively, even though it may be in a quiet phase now. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest colour. Initially opened, there is a deep, clean and quietly understated bouquet with suggestions of cassis, darkest plum, tobacco, oak and pennyroyal. Palate is beautifully rich however, with the berry leaping into clearer focus. There is good cassis, and great plum, all richer and fresher than the Malbec Elspeth, and equally rich. Oak on palate is more than ideal, as with so many premium Australasian reds and chardonnays, but it is subtler than the Elspeths. This wine is coming together attractively, even though it may be in a quiet phase now. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ cork; French oak; previous review 5/04; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, and the deepest on the table. Bouquet shows good complexity and concentration, and many more berries per bottle than a number of the skinny wines in this batch. Intense darkest plums and new oak to a maximum are prominent, with hints of cedary, tobacco-y and savoury complexity. Palate is rich and round, with good fruit ripeness. Only the level of aromatic oak keeps me out of gold medal, but there is no doubt this wine is marrying-up attractively in bottle, and should have wide appeal. Cellar 5 – 15 years plus. GK 10/05
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, a great colour, and the deepest on the table. Bouquet shows good complexity and concentration, and many more berries per bottle than a number of the skinny wines in this batch. Intense darkest plums and new oak to a maximum are prominent, with hints of cedary, tobacco-y and savoury complexity. Palate is rich and round, with good fruit ripeness. Only the level of aromatic oak keeps me out of gold medal, but there is no doubt this wine is marrying-up attractively in bottle, and should have wide appeal. Cellar 5 – 15 years plus. GK 10/05
Cromwell & Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $40 [ screwcap; 9% whole bunch; 11 months in French oak 30% new; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Rich pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very aromatic, one of those Otago wines that starts the thyme-cueing process, intertwined with flowers and red and black cherries. The garrigue-like aromatics persist right through the palate, proving slightly disruptive in one sense and akin to stalkyness. But reference back to one or two other wines shows the cherry fruit is properly ripe. The aromatics and oak do dry the finish a little, relative to the same-year Black Poplar wine by the same winemaker, Rudi Bauer. Distinctive wine, to cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/10
Rich pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very aromatic, one of those Otago wines that starts the thyme-cueing process, intertwined with flowers and red and black cherries. The garrigue-like aromatics persist right through the palate, proving slightly disruptive in one sense and akin to stalkyness. But reference back to one or two other wines shows the cherry fruit is properly ripe. The aromatics and oak do dry the finish a little, relative to the same-year Black Poplar wine by the same winemaker, Rudi Bauer. Distinctive wine, to cellar 1 – 3 years. GK 03/10
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $73 [ cork; PN 60%, Ch 25, PM 15; now owned by Bollinger; 50 000 cases; no wine info on website; www.champagne-ayala.com ]
Lemon more than straw. What a change there is in Ayala these days, the bouquet showing crisp fresh citric fruit and lees-autolysis complexity. Palate shows little evidence of the MLF component, instead the citric thought persisting through white cherry and white stonefruits, with lighter but very pure autolysis complexity. Mouthfeel and palate weight are so much better than Ayala used to be. Unfortunately, the price is also creeping up. GK 11/05
Lemon more than straw. What a change there is in Ayala these days, the bouquet showing crisp fresh citric fruit and lees-autolysis complexity. Palate shows little evidence of the MLF component, instead the citric thought persisting through white cherry and white stonefruits, with lighter but very pure autolysis complexity. Mouthfeel and palate weight are so much better than Ayala used to be. Unfortunately, the price is also creeping up. GK 11/05
Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $35 [ screwcap; 10 months French oak; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Deep pinot ruby, the deepest of the pinot subset. Bouquet is deep and almost mysterious freshly poured, and very pure. This is a wine which would expand in one of those big show-off glasses. With air, deep sweet boronia florals become apparent, on black cherry depths. Palate is even more impressive, deeply varietal, black cherries rather than the red of the Koura Bay, with an aromatic complex lift more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune. Finish is a little short thus far, but the wine has the fruit weight to mellow out beautifully. Cellar 5 –12 years. GK 10/05
Deep pinot ruby, the deepest of the pinot subset. Bouquet is deep and almost mysterious freshly poured, and very pure. This is a wine which would expand in one of those big show-off glasses. With air, deep sweet boronia florals become apparent, on black cherry depths. Palate is even more impressive, deeply varietal, black cherries rather than the red of the Koura Bay, with an aromatic complex lift more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune. Finish is a little short thus far, but the wine has the fruit weight to mellow out beautifully. Cellar 5 –12 years. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels mainly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $23 [ screwcap; 11 months in oak; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby. Bouquet is soft, ripe and plummy, with delightful berry complexity, plus an attractive deeply floral component. Palate has the same kind of round plummy fruit as the ‘02 Esk Reserve, but without the concentration or the oak complexity. Alongside some of the cabernet-dominant wines the plumpness of fruit is delightful. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Ruby. Bouquet is soft, ripe and plummy, with delightful berry complexity, plus an attractive deeply floral component. Palate has the same kind of round plummy fruit as the ‘02 Esk Reserve, but without the concentration or the oak complexity. Alongside some of the cabernet-dominant wines the plumpness of fruit is delightful. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $66 [ cork; www.chapoutier.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little less colour and weight than L'Ermite. And it is to L'Ermite too that one can look for bouquet analogies, for this wine is wonderfully varietal, with exemplary ripeness for Crozes-Hermitage, so much so it matches many a Hermitage in its sweet wallflower and dianthus florality. The cassis and plum fruit on palate show a similar concentration to L'Ermite, but the ripeness is a little less, a hint of red in the plum, a suggestion of white pepper in the black, all long and fine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/10
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a little less colour and weight than L'Ermite. And it is to L'Ermite too that one can look for bouquet analogies, for this wine is wonderfully varietal, with exemplary ripeness for Crozes-Hermitage, so much so it matches many a Hermitage in its sweet wallflower and dianthus florality. The cassis and plum fruit on palate show a similar concentration to L'Ermite, but the ripeness is a little less, a hint of red in the plum, a suggestion of white pepper in the black, all long and fine. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/10
St Joseph, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $78 [ cork; Mar 100%; www.chapoutier.com ]
Lemonstraw, the second freshest of the four whites. This wine displays more explicit marsanne character than any of the Ermitages Blancs, being beautifully perfumed with near-pale roses and honeysuckle florals, on pear and white peach aromas. It reminds of the very best years of Tahbilk Marsanne. Palate confirms the quality of bouquet is a function of much less winemaking interference, including less barrel influence, MLF and lees autolysis, an approach instead letting the quality of the grape show through delightfully. It is therefore not as rich and smooth as L'Ermite, even though it illustrates the variety even better, so for some food applications it could be rated lesser. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/10
Lemonstraw, the second freshest of the four whites. This wine displays more explicit marsanne character than any of the Ermitages Blancs, being beautifully perfumed with near-pale roses and honeysuckle florals, on pear and white peach aromas. It reminds of the very best years of Tahbilk Marsanne. Palate confirms the quality of bouquet is a function of much less winemaking interference, including less barrel influence, MLF and lees autolysis, an approach instead letting the quality of the grape show through delightfully. It is therefore not as rich and smooth as L'Ermite, even though it illustrates the variety even better, so for some food applications it could be rated lesser. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 5 years; 2002 considered an exceptional vintage, just under normal crop … the wines rich, full … something of a 'New World' character … whether great pinot noir a matter of personal preference; www.feltonroad.com ]
Mature pinot noir ruby and garnet, just above midway in depth. This is a much bigger and older wine than the 2003. The secondary aromas including quite a leathery and brown mushroom component are starting to overtake the original florality. Yet it is still fragrant. The fruit component still smells clearly of black cherry. In flavour it is indeed a big wine, and 2002 was a ripe year, in an era when bigger wines were thought to be better, even in pinot noir and in Central Otago. So though this is a burly and tanniny wine, it is clearly pinot. It just lacks the precision of the 2003. One would be forgiven for thinking it might be Victorian pinot noir, in a blind tasting, it is so weighty. Au point now, deserving fine steaks and similar. It would be fun to have it alongside a more delicate 2002 Chateauneuf-du-Pape such as Charvin. No hurry here at all. Cellar 2 – 5 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/14
Mature pinot noir ruby and garnet, just above midway in depth. This is a much bigger and older wine than the 2003. The secondary aromas including quite a leathery and brown mushroom component are starting to overtake the original florality. Yet it is still fragrant. The fruit component still smells clearly of black cherry. In flavour it is indeed a big wine, and 2002 was a ripe year, in an era when bigger wines were thought to be better, even in pinot noir and in Central Otago. So though this is a burly and tanniny wine, it is clearly pinot. It just lacks the precision of the 2003. One would be forgiven for thinking it might be Victorian pinot noir, in a blind tasting, it is so weighty. Au point now, deserving fine steaks and similar. It would be fun to have it alongside a more delicate 2002 Chateauneuf-du-Pape such as Charvin. No hurry here at all. Cellar 2 – 5 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/14
Tutaekuri Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $25 [ screwcap; most of wine BF, 8 months LA and batonnage in older oak, balance s/s, no MLF or RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon, almost luminous, magical. Bouquet is as yet very youthful and too fresh newly-poured, bottling CO2 intruding, but with air breathes to yellow florals, cherimoya and slightly under-ripe canned apricot fruit, clearly varietal. Palate does not quite follow through on the bouquet promise, for though the apricot flavour is quite intense, both alcohol and acid are tending assertive relative to the texture and mouthfeel. From memory, it is finer than the 2004 wine though – a work in exciting progress from the original viognier producer in New Zealand. Better in a year, cellar to five years. GK 11/06
Lemon, almost luminous, magical. Bouquet is as yet very youthful and too fresh newly-poured, bottling CO2 intruding, but with air breathes to yellow florals, cherimoya and slightly under-ripe canned apricot fruit, clearly varietal. Palate does not quite follow through on the bouquet promise, for though the apricot flavour is quite intense, both alcohol and acid are tending assertive relative to the texture and mouthfeel. From memory, it is finer than the 2004 wine though – a work in exciting progress from the original viognier producer in New Zealand. Better in a year, cellar to five years. GK 11/06
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $35 [ cork; a single-vineyard Sy 100% hand-harvested and sorted; all de-stemmed, no cold soak, inoculated yeast, warm-fermented in open-top oak and s/s vessels, up to 26 days cuvaison, controlled aeration (syrah is sulphide-prone); MLF and c. 18 months in burgundy barrels c. 40% new, balance 1-year; no fining or filtering; www.corbans.co.nz/block_syrah.html ]
Colour is ruby and velvet, older than some of the 2007 syrahs. Bouquet is distinctive among this batch of wines, showing overt syrah varietal character combining carnation florals with white pepper as well as black. Below these Cote Rotie-like top notes there is rich dark fruit. Palate is rich and ripe, no stalky worries to associate with the white pepper, but the whole wine is shorter than the top syrahs, and clearly aromatic. The oak seems not as new as Le Sol for example, so the total wine style is surprisingly northern Rhone, in total more like Cornas maybe, on the very dry finish. Intriguing wine illustrating the precise climatic analogy between the northern Rhone and Hawkes Bay rather well. Cellar 5 – 12 years or so. GK 03/09
Colour is ruby and velvet, older than some of the 2007 syrahs. Bouquet is distinctive among this batch of wines, showing overt syrah varietal character combining carnation florals with white pepper as well as black. Below these Cote Rotie-like top notes there is rich dark fruit. Palate is rich and ripe, no stalky worries to associate with the white pepper, but the whole wine is shorter than the top syrahs, and clearly aromatic. The oak seems not as new as Le Sol for example, so the total wine style is surprisingly northern Rhone, in total more like Cornas maybe, on the very dry finish. Intriguing wine illustrating the precise climatic analogy between the northern Rhone and Hawkes Bay rather well. Cellar 5 – 12 years or so. GK 03/09
Pommard, Cote de Beaune, France: 13%; $60 [ cork; hand-harvested, fermentation (some stalks) and cuvaison in both s/s and wooden vats 15 – 18 days; less than 18 months in mostly older barrels; Wine Direct the NZ agents; www.drouhin.com ]
Good ruby, one of the lighter wines. In many respects this wine is hard to tell apart from the Clos de la Roche – just a little quieter: similar dark rose florals, and cherry and plum fruit but with little or no new oak, beautifully warm-year varietal. Palate is plump, velvety, the tannins not as obviously furry as lesser-ranked wines, but not quite as sensuous as the Clos de la Roche – presumably the latter has more new oak. This wine gives a marvellous taste of both the vintage and the subtle Drouhin style, at a good price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Good ruby, one of the lighter wines. In many respects this wine is hard to tell apart from the Clos de la Roche – just a little quieter: similar dark rose florals, and cherry and plum fruit but with little or no new oak, beautifully warm-year varietal. Palate is plump, velvety, the tannins not as obviously furry as lesser-ranked wines, but not quite as sensuous as the Clos de la Roche – presumably the latter has more new oak. This wine gives a marvellous taste of both the vintage and the subtle Drouhin style, at a good price. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/06
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 12.5%; $ – [ Gr dominant. Jaboulet in the 70’s was arguably the leading / best known Rhone producer, mainly in the north. The firm was also noted for Vacqueyras, however. The 1976 of this label recently opened was aethereal in its lightness, yet elegant and satisfying in mouth, and great with food. ]
Garnet and ruby, akin to the Bonnes Mares, but lighter. This wine was the standout of the night, in the sense that its status is so lowly, and it is fashionable for new world wine writers to say that these Cotes du Rhone styles should be drunk in the first 3 – 5 years. My experience has been quite the reverse, that well-constituted and balanced Cotes du Rhone with some stuffing to start with, can age graciously, and like this wine, end up fragrant fading red fruits and cinnamon spicy, wonderfully warm and enticing, simply beautiful. And their exposure to oak having been minimal, just older big wood as a container, the fruit remains supple and almost Burgundian. In mouth, this wine put several of the classed clarets to shame, even though it is drying a little. Fully mature, needless to say, but delicious. GK 03/06
Garnet and ruby, akin to the Bonnes Mares, but lighter. This wine was the standout of the night, in the sense that its status is so lowly, and it is fashionable for new world wine writers to say that these Cotes du Rhone styles should be drunk in the first 3 – 5 years. My experience has been quite the reverse, that well-constituted and balanced Cotes du Rhone with some stuffing to start with, can age graciously, and like this wine, end up fragrant fading red fruits and cinnamon spicy, wonderfully warm and enticing, simply beautiful. And their exposure to oak having been minimal, just older big wood as a container, the fruit remains supple and almost Burgundian. In mouth, this wine put several of the classed clarets to shame, even though it is drying a little. Fully mature, needless to say, but delicious. GK 03/06
Gimblett Gravels & Tuki Tuki Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ screwcap; 70% BF in older French oak, plus 6 months LA and batonnage, balance s/s, small % MLF; alcohol on website 14%; 3/5 g/L RS; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Lemon, the faintest touch of straw. Immediate bouquet is more oaky than the Te Mata, and the wine therefore seems lesser. Looking more closely, the fruit spectrum is riper however, and the initial mouthfeel is plumper despite the oak, with lovely ripe apricot notes. But then on the swallow the oak comes back excessively, with some tasters mentioning a slightly bitter component. The small percentage MLF is very attractive, and shifts the style closer to Condrieu. This wine too will be better in a year, and cellar to three years or so. GK 11/06
Lemon, the faintest touch of straw. Immediate bouquet is more oaky than the Te Mata, and the wine therefore seems lesser. Looking more closely, the fruit spectrum is riper however, and the initial mouthfeel is plumper despite the oak, with lovely ripe apricot notes. But then on the swallow the oak comes back excessively, with some tasters mentioning a slightly bitter component. The small percentage MLF is very attractive, and shifts the style closer to Condrieu. This wine too will be better in a year, and cellar to three years or so. GK 11/06
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 12.5%; $22 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed, cool s/s fermentation with cultured yeast and no solids; pH 2.9, 13.8 g/L RS; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Good lemon. On bouquet this wine has moved from the first white flowers stage of good riesling through to something a little more clover-honeyed, with a hint of stonefruit. Suggestions of vanilla wine biscuits are still several years away, though. Both bouquet and flavour are quite clear-cut in the Waimea style, for they show great flair with their aromatic whites. Finish is above riesling ‘dry’ in sweetness, but not obviously medium-dry – let's say off-dry. There are some terpene-y South Australian riesling notes in this one too, but it is sweeter than most of theirs and should end up honeyed. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Good lemon. On bouquet this wine has moved from the first white flowers stage of good riesling through to something a little more clover-honeyed, with a hint of stonefruit. Suggestions of vanilla wine biscuits are still several years away, though. Both bouquet and flavour are quite clear-cut in the Waimea style, for they show great flair with their aromatic whites. Finish is above riesling ‘dry’ in sweetness, but not obviously medium-dry – let's say off-dry. There are some terpene-y South Australian riesling notes in this one too, but it is sweeter than most of theirs and should end up honeyed. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; average vine age 9 years; a temperate season with no water stress throughout, good flowering, above average fruit set, requiring saignée for Vin Gris again; later season dry with cool nights, producing good balanced fruit where crops reduced; harvest completed before early winter onset 23 April; www.feltonroad.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, just a suggestion of development. This was a surprise wine in the line-up, in the sense the 2008 vintage in general in Central Otago has a modest reputation. This wine however amply shows that where crops were curtailed (in a generous year), delightful wines could result. The bouquet is the key component here, a much lighter quality as of buddleia and English tea roses, only just edging into darker roses and boronia, cool-year burgundian, more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits. Below are red cherries. Flavours are lighter too, with just a hint of leafyness as so often correlates with buddleia florals, yet there is still real pinot quality – just a cooler year. Perhaps it lacks the stuffing for long-term cellaring, but it is already fragrant and delightful. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 8/14 GK 08/14
Pinot noir ruby, just a suggestion of development. This was a surprise wine in the line-up, in the sense the 2008 vintage in general in Central Otago has a modest reputation. This wine however amply shows that where crops were curtailed (in a generous year), delightful wines could result. The bouquet is the key component here, a much lighter quality as of buddleia and English tea roses, only just edging into darker roses and boronia, cool-year burgundian, more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits. Below are red cherries. Flavours are lighter too, with just a hint of leafyness as so often correlates with buddleia florals, yet there is still real pinot quality – just a cooler year. Perhaps it lacks the stuffing for long-term cellaring, but it is already fragrant and delightful. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 8/14 GK 08/14
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $69 [ cork; PN 38%, PM 32, Ch 30; 40% of blend said to be reserve wines; 75 000 cases; www.adwnz.com ]
Lemonstraw. There is a small step down at this point, from great nv champagnes on this particular showing, to good ones. In these the autolysis is not quite so dramatic, and one can’t so easily contrast in one's mind's eye (palate) the difference between a fine baguette, and Vogel’s wholegrain. The autolysis is instead more meshed with a generalised fruit character, more bready, or breadcrust if one is lucky. On palate, this wine shows good strawberry fruit suggesting plenty of pinot meunier, and good richness and length. Interestingly, the autolysis on the aftertaste is very good. Not as brut as some. GK 11/05
Lemonstraw. There is a small step down at this point, from great nv champagnes on this particular showing, to good ones. In these the autolysis is not quite so dramatic, and one can’t so easily contrast in one's mind's eye (palate) the difference between a fine baguette, and Vogel’s wholegrain. The autolysis is instead more meshed with a generalised fruit character, more bready, or breadcrust if one is lucky. On palate, this wine shows good strawberry fruit suggesting plenty of pinot meunier, and good richness and length. Interestingly, the autolysis on the aftertaste is very good. Not as brut as some. GK 11/05
Waimea Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 13%; $18 [ screwcap; s/s fermentation with cultured yeast and no solids; several months LA and stirring; pH 3.05, RS 3.5 g/L; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Lemon. This wine sits happily alongside the Thornbury, on bouquet showing a similarly pure and nearly Australian approach to riesling, with lime-zest aromatics and terpenes. The hoppy aromas and flavours are more noticeable for two reasons: the wine is two years older, and it is drier. Really dry riesling is a hard style to pull off, the quality depending so much on the ultimate balance of fruit to aromatics, but this one achieves harmony in a boldly flavoured limezest and pale stonefruit highly varietal way. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Lemon. This wine sits happily alongside the Thornbury, on bouquet showing a similarly pure and nearly Australian approach to riesling, with lime-zest aromatics and terpenes. The hoppy aromas and flavours are more noticeable for two reasons: the wine is two years older, and it is drier. Really dry riesling is a hard style to pull off, the quality depending so much on the ultimate balance of fruit to aromatics, but this one achieves harmony in a boldly flavoured limezest and pale stonefruit highly varietal way. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap, all s/s, cool-fermented, cultured yeast; RS 2.3 g/L; www.thenestwines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet' and enticing on this sauvignon, quieter than the top wines, but beautifully ripe with almost citrus blossom and riesling notes, so one wonders fleetingly if it is cool-climate viognier. But quickly the red capsicum and black passionfruit notes assert themselves. Palate is rich and ‘dry’, seemingly not as dry as the Babich but like it one wonders if it is perhaps hiding subtle barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters, the mouthfeel is so good. Apparently not. Identifying by taste if there is trace oak in good New Zealand sauvignon blanc is a never-ending challenge – fun for keen tasters. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Lemongreen. Bouquet is sweet' and enticing on this sauvignon, quieter than the top wines, but beautifully ripe with almost citrus blossom and riesling notes, so one wonders fleetingly if it is cool-climate viognier. But quickly the red capsicum and black passionfruit notes assert themselves. Palate is rich and ‘dry’, seemingly not as dry as the Babich but like it one wonders if it is perhaps hiding subtle barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis characters, the mouthfeel is so good. Apparently not. Identifying by taste if there is trace oak in good New Zealand sauvignon blanc is a never-ending challenge – fun for keen tasters. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 05/09
Nelson, New Zealand: 14.5%; $22 [ screwcap; hand-harvested clones mendoza and 95, whole-bunch pressed to BF with a fraction solids in French oak 44% new, mostly wild-yeast ferments; MLF and extended LA and batonnage; RS 3.4 g/L; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Pale lemonstraw. After the top three wines (one a foil) there is a step down to merely very good chardonnay. Bouquet on this Waimea wine shows some of the florals of the Cloudy Bay, but not the depth of yellow mendoza fruits, in attractively mealy barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis aromas. Palate is not as rich as the top wines, but nor is the price. This is exemplary $20 chardonnay, which in a year will show more of the charm of the top wines (which are ‘07s). Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 05/09
Pale lemonstraw. After the top three wines (one a foil) there is a step down to merely very good chardonnay. Bouquet on this Waimea wine shows some of the florals of the Cloudy Bay, but not the depth of yellow mendoza fruits, in attractively mealy barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis aromas. Palate is not as rich as the top wines, but nor is the price. This is exemplary $20 chardonnay, which in a year will show more of the charm of the top wines (which are ‘07s). Cellar 3 – 8 years. VALUE GK 05/09
Ngatarawa Triangle 63%, Gimblett Gravels 22, Tuki Tuki Valley 15, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; Me 57%, CS 30, Ma 5, Sy 6, CF 2; cuvaison varies for variety, up to 28 days; MLF and 12 months in French and Hungarian oak 30% new; RS <1 g/L; Catalogue: a core of rich black fruits, and subtle violet and lavender floral notes. Barrel maturation has provided complimentary oak complexities of cedar and chocolate. The palate is medium bodied and supple with good length; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Since the 2005 vintage, this standard Merlot / Cabernet from Church Road has been one of the style leaders in the sub-$25 Hawkes Bay blends – particularly when it is promoted at $15. For me it is becoming a problem wine, demanding rigorous blind tastings, simply because I like its unpretentious cru bourgeois styling so much. This 2007 is the best yet, a wine of total stylistic integrity and varietal purity and charm. It exhibits attractive ripeness, and enough clean oak to shape the wine without dominating it. It might not be quite as rich and soft as the Wild Rock 2007, but it is purer, and wonderfully floral. It is nearly as rich as the Esk Valley Black Label blend. The addition of a dash of syrah moves the wine a little closer to the distinctive Hawkes Bay blend concept I have discussed earlier on this site, yet it retains total Bordeaux analogy. When you think that this wine may be regularly available for $15 on promotion at supermarkets over the next 15 months or so, I do not know why we cannot export truckloads of such an accessible and exceptional Bordeaux-like blend to Europe. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Since the 2005 vintage, this standard Merlot / Cabernet from Church Road has been one of the style leaders in the sub-$25 Hawkes Bay blends – particularly when it is promoted at $15. For me it is becoming a problem wine, demanding rigorous blind tastings, simply because I like its unpretentious cru bourgeois styling so much. This 2007 is the best yet, a wine of total stylistic integrity and varietal purity and charm. It exhibits attractive ripeness, and enough clean oak to shape the wine without dominating it. It might not be quite as rich and soft as the Wild Rock 2007, but it is purer, and wonderfully floral. It is nearly as rich as the Esk Valley Black Label blend. The addition of a dash of syrah moves the wine a little closer to the distinctive Hawkes Bay blend concept I have discussed earlier on this site, yet it retains total Bordeaux analogy. When you think that this wine may be regularly available for $15 on promotion at supermarkets over the next 15 months or so, I do not know why we cannot export truckloads of such an accessible and exceptional Bordeaux-like blend to Europe. Cellar 5 – 12 years. VALUE GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $55 [ ProCork; machine harvested; 11 days cuvaison, tail-end BF in 100% new French oak, followed by 16 months in barrel; www.cjpask.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, more the density of the Vidal. This wine presents a good volume of cassis-influenced syrah character in the blind tasting, but it is also more oak-influenced than the top wines. Thus it is hard to pin down any varietal floral notes, but it is very aromatic. Palate brings up the fruit richness relative to the oak, with the cassis component to the fore, beautifully flavoured. Finish is a little short at this youthful stage though, the oak looming larger than the berry. It matches the Vins de Vienne quite well on palate (apart from the lack of florals), and the oak is cleaner. This is another promising 2004 Syrah which will be great to follow in cellar, for 5 – 15 years. GK 04/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, more the density of the Vidal. This wine presents a good volume of cassis-influenced syrah character in the blind tasting, but it is also more oak-influenced than the top wines. Thus it is hard to pin down any varietal floral notes, but it is very aromatic. Palate brings up the fruit richness relative to the oak, with the cassis component to the fore, beautifully flavoured. Finish is a little short at this youthful stage though, the oak looming larger than the berry. It matches the Vins de Vienne quite well on palate (apart from the lack of florals), and the oak is cleaner. This is another promising 2004 Syrah which will be great to follow in cellar, for 5 – 15 years. GK 04/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $32 [ screwcap; 18 months in French oak; wine not on website; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour. In the blind tasting, this wine reminded me of the Pask Declaration, with vibrant cassis and dark plum, and aromatic oak. Palate is not quite as rich and supple as the top examples, the oak creeping up on the late palate, but the length of cassis fruit is excellent. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth of colour. In the blind tasting, this wine reminded me of the Pask Declaration, with vibrant cassis and dark plum, and aromatic oak. Palate is not quite as rich and supple as the top examples, the oak creeping up on the late palate, but the length of cassis fruit is excellent. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/06
Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $51 [ cork 44mm; CS 100% from terra rossa soils, 18 months in a variety of oak, 48% French new both barriques and hogsheads (300-litre), 1% US new hogsheads, balance older American French and Hungarian oak, both sizes; to illustrate the dark-fruits, aromatic, firm cassis character of CS; www.yalumba.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, a lovely colour. It is the bouquet on this wine which is so exciting, and achieves for it that rare quality (for Australian reds) of being totally of international standard. The purity of the cassis-led berry in the bouquet is eloquent, and totally free of euc'y taints. And both alcohol and oak are relatively subtle. In mouth at this early stage it is tending dry and severe, partly youth, partly the hole-in-the-palate straight cabernet is prone to. But it is the length of varietal flavour, combining both fresh blackcurrant aromas and flavours with the more complex characters of the same fruit bottled, which is a delight. It is simply infanticide to drink it now. This will be a rewarding wine to cellar. As it mellows, it may merit a higher score, for it is a beautifully detailed wine. Why would Yalumba use such a short cork, for such a good wine ? If it is worth making a statement about screwcap, at least do it properly. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/14
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, a lovely colour. It is the bouquet on this wine which is so exciting, and achieves for it that rare quality (for Australian reds) of being totally of international standard. The purity of the cassis-led berry in the bouquet is eloquent, and totally free of euc'y taints. And both alcohol and oak are relatively subtle. In mouth at this early stage it is tending dry and severe, partly youth, partly the hole-in-the-palate straight cabernet is prone to. But it is the length of varietal flavour, combining both fresh blackcurrant aromas and flavours with the more complex characters of the same fruit bottled, which is a delight. It is simply infanticide to drink it now. This will be a rewarding wine to cellar. As it mellows, it may merit a higher score, for it is a beautifully detailed wine. Why would Yalumba use such a short cork, for such a good wine ? If it is worth making a statement about screwcap, at least do it properly. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 09/14
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $535 [ Cork 50mm; Sy 100%; vine age 40 – 90 years; 30% of the fruit from Bessards, on granite; in 2009 cropped at less than half the normal 35 - 37 hL / ha (1.7 – 1.9 t/ac), so less than 1 t/ac; fermented in temperature-controlled s/s, c.4 weeks cuvaison; 42 months in (believed to be 100%) new French oak; the name Ex Voto embraces the thought of giving thanks; no UK view found; no Tanzer, you start to feel we have a rare bottle; Molesworth in Wine Spectator, 2013: This has a distinctive singed mesquite note out front, along with sandalwood, black tea and juniper hints, followed by a very densely packed core of raspberry, plum and blackberry confiture flavors. The long, charcoal-studded finish has a great tug of roasted earth. Dynamic and expressive, this should cellar effortlessly. Best from 2015 through 2035. 656 cases made, 97; Parker, 2012: Another perfect wine, the 2009 Hermitage Ex-Voto is surprisingly supple and more approachable than the two single vineyard 2009 Cote Roties, La Turque and La Landonne. The massive Ex-Voto boasts abundant notes of spring flowers, blackberries, cassis, licorice, graphite and forest floor. Extremely full-bodied with sweet tannin and levels of extravagance and flamboyance that are mind-boggling, it will drink well for 30+ years, 100; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, astonishing freshness given the oak regime, in the middle for depth. One sniff ... and ohmigod ... why would Guigal want to emulate Australian shiraz ? Newly opened and for many hours thereafter, the wine is monstrously oaky. At least it is all French oak, but the oak / alcohol fume in the nostrils is verging on oppressive. Behind that, there is abundant fruit. Being a 2009 it is a riper and richer year than 2010, with the ripeness level seemingly greater than would allow for full florality. But how could you tell, with so much oak ? In mouth the saturation of fruit is colossal, the dry extract must be the greatest on the table, well into the 30s, so maybe the wine will marry up and prove me wrong, once the tannins polymerise. Even so, I'm puzzled Parker thinks this is a 100-point wine. The contrast between this monster and the superb Chave, epitomising how oak should be used, is dramatic. It is only fair to record: (1) a week later, under ice, the apparent balance in the wine is vastly improved, foretelling its likely evolution in bottle; (2) two senior winemakers rated Ex Voto their top wine. I look forward immensely to seeing this wine up against the Chave and others in the years to come – a minimum of 10 years ideally. Cellar 10 – 40 years: it must be as rich today as 1969 La Chapelle was on release, and that wine is still vigorous today. GK 11/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, astonishing freshness given the oak regime, in the middle for depth. One sniff ... and ohmigod ... why would Guigal want to emulate Australian shiraz ? Newly opened and for many hours thereafter, the wine is monstrously oaky. At least it is all French oak, but the oak / alcohol fume in the nostrils is verging on oppressive. Behind that, there is abundant fruit. Being a 2009 it is a riper and richer year than 2010, with the ripeness level seemingly greater than would allow for full florality. But how could you tell, with so much oak ? In mouth the saturation of fruit is colossal, the dry extract must be the greatest on the table, well into the 30s, so maybe the wine will marry up and prove me wrong, once the tannins polymerise. Even so, I'm puzzled Parker thinks this is a 100-point wine. The contrast between this monster and the superb Chave, epitomising how oak should be used, is dramatic. It is only fair to record: (1) a week later, under ice, the apparent balance in the wine is vastly improved, foretelling its likely evolution in bottle; (2) two senior winemakers rated Ex Voto their top wine. I look forward immensely to seeing this wine up against the Chave and others in the years to come – a minimum of 10 years ideally. Cellar 10 – 40 years: it must be as rich today as 1969 La Chapelle was on release, and that wine is still vigorous today. GK 11/14
Cotes du Rhone, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $27 [ cork; Sy 40%, Gr 30, Mv 10, Ca 10, clairette (white) 10%, the Sy and clairette co-fermented; some whole-bunch, cuvaison extends to six weeks; the greater part of the 2010 was raised in concrete vats, the balance in 1 – 4 years-old larger barrels; c.1,590 cases; www.saintcosme.com ]
[ This was put in subsequently as a wine of known richness and quality, simply to provide a calibration point, notwithstanding the varietal differences.] Ruby, carmine and velvet, exactly midway in the syrahs. Bouquet is soft, winey, red fruits, cinnamon, some new oak, out to one side in the syrahs it was semi-hidden in. Palate is intriguing, not as tightly-knit as the premium New Zealand syrahs, yet gorgeous berry and drying cinnamon-stick spice more than oak tannins, good fruit richness, a complex rendering of a syrah-dominant (just) wine. It amply illuminated how good our best syrahs are. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 07/12
[ This was put in subsequently as a wine of known richness and quality, simply to provide a calibration point, notwithstanding the varietal differences.] Ruby, carmine and velvet, exactly midway in the syrahs. Bouquet is soft, winey, red fruits, cinnamon, some new oak, out to one side in the syrahs it was semi-hidden in. Palate is intriguing, not as tightly-knit as the premium New Zealand syrahs, yet gorgeous berry and drying cinnamon-stick spice more than oak tannins, good fruit richness, a complex rendering of a syrah-dominant (just) wine. It amply illuminated how good our best syrahs are. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 07/12
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.7%; $75 [ cork; CS 46%, Me 22, CF 16, Ma 16, hand-harvested @ average 1.7 t/ac; 10 – 15 months in French and American oak about equal, 60% new; released 1 April 2009; Destinae alludes to ‘destiny’ being not a matter of chance, but a choice and goal to strive for; in style Destinae is seen as the winery’s right bank one, though the cepage does not immediately lead to that conclusion until one thinks about the malbec; 1016 cases, WWA Certified, offered 1 Nov 2008 to Patron Club members @ $45 (en primeur, in effect), this offer continues until release date 1 August 2009, when RRP will be $75. At that date, the 2007 en primeur campaign opens – volumes for the 2007 vintage are maybe half those for 2006, so the possibility arises only subscribers will secure the 2007 wines; ‘Silky and spiced with lively acidity and supple texture; fresh, juicy and bright with fine tannins and flavours of plum and tangy fruit; long, balanced;’; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, maybe a little deeper than 2006 Mystae but certainly redder, implying less oak exposure. Bouquet on this wine is fragrant and mellow, again with Rioja / Ribera del Duero suggestions, but closer to Bordeaux than the 2006 Mystae. The softness of the berry / oak interaction on bouquet reminds of St Emilion, as the makers intend, the cabernet component being scarcely apparent in the more mellow merlot-like aroma. Perhaps the significant malbec component is achieving this. Flavour is long and harmonious, not as rich as 2006 Mystae but similar acid, not as plummy as Pomerol, again like a typical-year St Emilion with cabernet sauvignon content. These Destiny Bay wines stand apart in the field, largely because of their delicacy yet substance. In one sense (the Spanish one), they achieve even more European finesse than Coleraine, which is Hawkes Bay’s most Bordeaux-influenced cabernet / merlot. One could drink a lot of this Destinae, already. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/09
Ruby, maybe a little deeper than 2006 Mystae but certainly redder, implying less oak exposure. Bouquet on this wine is fragrant and mellow, again with Rioja / Ribera del Duero suggestions, but closer to Bordeaux than the 2006 Mystae. The softness of the berry / oak interaction on bouquet reminds of St Emilion, as the makers intend, the cabernet component being scarcely apparent in the more mellow merlot-like aroma. Perhaps the significant malbec component is achieving this. Flavour is long and harmonious, not as rich as 2006 Mystae but similar acid, not as plummy as Pomerol, again like a typical-year St Emilion with cabernet sauvignon content. These Destiny Bay wines stand apart in the field, largely because of their delicacy yet substance. In one sense (the Spanish one), they achieve even more European finesse than Coleraine, which is Hawkes Bay’s most Bordeaux-influenced cabernet / merlot. One could drink a lot of this Destinae, already. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/09
Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia: 14%; $41 [ screwcap; intensive vineyard management to optimise flavour, picking based on flavour, not analysis; 18 months in French oak 60% new; www.howardparkwines.com.au ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Xabregas. There is light eucalyptus character in this wine, a bit strong to be called mint, on cassis and blueberry fruit. Palate is berry-rich and juicy, faint peppercorn, moreso than the Xabregas Reserve a little hotter in climatic style than Hawkes Bay and hence more boysenberry, more shiraz than syrah. Nonetheless it is an attractively aromatic juicy rich yet dry example of the grape, let down only slightly by the euc. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet, nearly as deep as the Xabregas. There is light eucalyptus character in this wine, a bit strong to be called mint, on cassis and blueberry fruit. Palate is berry-rich and juicy, faint peppercorn, moreso than the Xabregas Reserve a little hotter in climatic style than Hawkes Bay and hence more boysenberry, more shiraz than syrah. Nonetheless it is an attractively aromatic juicy rich yet dry example of the grape, let down only slightly by the euc. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $19 [ screwcap; www.wairauriverwines.com ]
Lemongreen. Quiet when first opened, but develops in glass to show a good volume of bouquet, with the complexity of rosepetal, lychee fruit, and wild ginger blossom. There is also a trace of armpit-like character, just taking the sheen off it. Palate is richer than bouquet, indicating good development lies ahead. In addition to the bouquet aromas, there are aromatic Otago dried apricot suggestions, and fine aromatic hoppy flavours, all medium dry. Richer than the excellent Mills Reef wine. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/04
Lemongreen. Quiet when first opened, but develops in glass to show a good volume of bouquet, with the complexity of rosepetal, lychee fruit, and wild ginger blossom. There is also a trace of armpit-like character, just taking the sheen off it. Palate is richer than bouquet, indicating good development lies ahead. In addition to the bouquet aromas, there are aromatic Otago dried apricot suggestions, and fine aromatic hoppy flavours, all medium dry. Richer than the excellent Mills Reef wine. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 11/04
Western Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: – %; $34 [ screwcap; hand-picked; details to come; ‘Fragrant violet and bramble aromas. Rich berryfruit and gamey notes on the palate, with a refined structure. NEW RELEASE’; www.cablebayvineyards.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but lighter than the top examples. Bouquet is close to the Weeping Sands but less oaky, clearly wallflower-floral and dark roses, with vanillin and black pepper components. Fruits include cassis, cherry and plum. Palate is firm and aromatic, slightly oaky (as yet), the berryfruit and acid balance nearly as good as the top wines. It is more in the lighter style of the 2007 Awaroa, which reminded me of Cote Rotie this time last year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this assembled tank sample.] GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, but lighter than the top examples. Bouquet is close to the Weeping Sands but less oaky, clearly wallflower-floral and dark roses, with vanillin and black pepper components. Fruits include cassis, cherry and plum. Palate is firm and aromatic, slightly oaky (as yet), the berryfruit and acid balance nearly as good as the top wines. It is more in the lighter style of the 2007 Awaroa, which reminded me of Cote Rotie this time last year. Cellar 5 – 12 years. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this assembled tank sample.] GK 06/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $ – [ cork; Me 53%, CF 47 @ c. 1.25 kg / vine, 4300 vines / ha; French oak; www.bfvwine.com ]
Good ruby, midway, a little lighter than the 2004 Alluviale. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, trace VA, in a classic cabernet / merlot style showing some violets and roses florals, clear cassis, and good brambly and dark plum berry. Like the Lynch Bages, there is just the faintest hint of leafiness, in a positive Bordeaux-complexities sense. Palate seems a little leaner than the ’04 Alluviale, almost certainly a misinterpretation consequent on the longer time in new oak. This too is an attractive wine, but it is more an oakier version of the 2004 Alluviale than a preview of the magnificent 2005 Blake Family Vineyard. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 11/06
Good ruby, midway, a little lighter than the 2004 Alluviale. Bouquet is fresh and fragrant, trace VA, in a classic cabernet / merlot style showing some violets and roses florals, clear cassis, and good brambly and dark plum berry. Like the Lynch Bages, there is just the faintest hint of leafiness, in a positive Bordeaux-complexities sense. Palate seems a little leaner than the ’04 Alluviale, almost certainly a misinterpretation consequent on the longer time in new oak. This too is an attractive wine, but it is more an oakier version of the 2004 Alluviale than a preview of the magnificent 2005 Blake Family Vineyard. Cellar 5 – 15 + years. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels predominantly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; some fruit from the Tuki Tuki Valley; all crushed and some skin contact; fermented in older French oak with cultured yeast; 6 months LA in barrel, with an MLF component; pH 3.69, RS c.2 g/L; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is nearly perfumed in a positive sense, sweet and floral on mock orange blossom, with understated fresh apricots and breadcrust complexities. Flavour is clearly viognier, all a little softer and more accessible than the Craggy Range wine, but equally pure, with the oak neatly under-done pro rata to the fruit. Body is terrific, making this a satisfying and food-friendly wine one could drink a lot of. The MLF is very understated, in the blind tasting one does not pick it at all, noting only how good the total lees-autolysis and richness is. Like the Craggy, more varietal aroma and flavour is the key. Cellar 1 – 4 maybe 5 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemon. Bouquet is nearly perfumed in a positive sense, sweet and floral on mock orange blossom, with understated fresh apricots and breadcrust complexities. Flavour is clearly viognier, all a little softer and more accessible than the Craggy Range wine, but equally pure, with the oak neatly under-done pro rata to the fruit. Body is terrific, making this a satisfying and food-friendly wine one could drink a lot of. The MLF is very understated, in the blind tasting one does not pick it at all, noting only how good the total lees-autolysis and richness is. Like the Craggy, more varietal aroma and flavour is the key. Cellar 1 – 4 maybe 5 years. GK 04/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $59 [ cork; DFB; CS 62, Me 19, Ma 19, hand-harvested; extended cuvaison; 17 months in French and American oak; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, astonishingly youthful, younger than the ‘04 Sophia. And freshly opened, the price to pay for such an undeveloped colour is a reductive veil, needing splashy decanting several times to aerate the wine. It opens to a darkly plummy rich bouquet, some violets florals, heavy cassis, great purity of berry. Palate is in one way rich, yet with a certain leanness to the fine-grained fruit which is reminiscent of some better Margaux chateaux. The oak tastes very fine-grained and new, delightfully in the background. I think this wine will emerge from its cocoon, and in five years may earn the gold medal rating the fruit quality and seriousness deserves. Just a little more oxygen in the system would have transformed it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, astonishingly youthful, younger than the ‘04 Sophia. And freshly opened, the price to pay for such an undeveloped colour is a reductive veil, needing splashy decanting several times to aerate the wine. It opens to a darkly plummy rich bouquet, some violets florals, heavy cassis, great purity of berry. Palate is in one way rich, yet with a certain leanness to the fine-grained fruit which is reminiscent of some better Margaux chateaux. The oak tastes very fine-grained and new, delightfully in the background. I think this wine will emerge from its cocoon, and in five years may earn the gold medal rating the fruit quality and seriousness deserves. Just a little more oxygen in the system would have transformed it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/06
Clare Valley (Sh), Kalimna (Oeillade), South Australia, Australia: – %; $225 [ cork, 42mm; there is virtually no information on this wine, first produced in the 1960s; in 1973, Len Evans commented: The oulliade, which is not a great variety in any circumstances, is used to soften the more flavoursome shiraz and since the latter from Clare is often quite soft – and in this case is soft, though quite full-bodied – the result is is a very round, appealing sort of drinkable red, very pleasant when young. A light touch of oak is blended in very well with the fruit and this adds dimension to the wine. Latterly, only Philip White speaks of it: Only a very lucky few will remember wines like Max’s Penfolds Bin 426 Shiraz Oulliade 1969, which was that ingenious winemaker blending a red designed to be a touch more approachable in its youth than the mighty Grange, which was built to go 30 years or more. ... The softness, the bit Max called “mother wine”, was the red grape Oulliade, otherwise known as Cinsault or Blue Imperial … [ correctly, oeillade, but note that Robinson et al state this grape is not identical with cinsaut ]; no contemporary reviews, nothing on website; www.penfolds.com ]
Glowing garnet and ruby, the lightest wine. Freshly poured, the bouquet is a standout in the set, soft, gentle, browning rose florals, browning red fruits, like a fully mature pinot noir from a previous era of richer wines, from Burgundy proper. Palate is simply seductive, tactile fruit, no hint of new oak yet a clear gentle tannin structure, the wine velvety and infinitely food-friendly. This wine was the surprise of the tasting to me, illustrating that in fact Schubert aspired to a diversity of wine styles. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for the wine, one of only two with no first or second places. Only one least though. It did not stand as well as the others, particularly losing its enchanting rose florals within 24 hours. I wonder how many bottles in fact survive, today. A treat. GK 09/17
Glowing garnet and ruby, the lightest wine. Freshly poured, the bouquet is a standout in the set, soft, gentle, browning rose florals, browning red fruits, like a fully mature pinot noir from a previous era of richer wines, from Burgundy proper. Palate is simply seductive, tactile fruit, no hint of new oak yet a clear gentle tannin structure, the wine velvety and infinitely food-friendly. This wine was the surprise of the tasting to me, illustrating that in fact Schubert aspired to a diversity of wine styles. Tasters did not share my enthusiasm for the wine, one of only two with no first or second places. Only one least though. It did not stand as well as the others, particularly losing its enchanting rose florals within 24 hours. I wonder how many bottles in fact survive, today. A treat. GK 09/17
Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, South Australia, Australia: 13.5%; $786 [ cork, 48mm; Sh 95%, CS 5; ferment completed in new American oak, then 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads; release price $AU135; Penfolds website: … history will record 1990 as one of the great Australian vintages of our generation. The 1990 Penfolds Grange is one of the best yet, with the potential to eventually rival the classic vintages of 1955, 1962 and 1971; NOSE: a beautifully weighted and concentrated wine combining very intense, ripe plummy aromas with smoky vanillin oak; PALATE: Already, the wine is supremely complex and harmonious, with ripe plum and coffee-like luscious fruit, integrated oak, fine tannins and excellent length; Halliday 1999: there is not a hair out of place on the sweet, elegant and fragrant bouquet. The palate has an abundance of soft redcurrant, cherry and mocha chocolate fruit (and oak), finishing with very fine, persistent tannins, *****, and also on his website, 97; Julia Harding @ Robinson, 2009: Smoky coffee and cassis and a little herbal and just a touch leathery. Much more evolved than the 1991. Fine grained and more elegant tannins than the 1986. Fine grip and freshness, dry but not drying. Long and rich and satisfying, 18.5; bottle courtesy of Ray Martin, Lower Hutt; www.penfolds.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just above the middle for depth. Bouquet here is the more usual hugely overpowering Penfolds oak alongside rich fruit, which makes Grange so often a caricature of itself. The actual quality of the fruit is hard to tease out from the oak, but it seems to avoid over-ripeness, no boysenberry, plenty of blueberry and darkest plum, wonderful richness, tactile viscosity. But the oak builds up in the mouth, and dominates the aftertaste, rich though it is. As is always the case, tasters were seduced by the oak, four rating this 1990 their top wine, and one second. It will cellar for ages, but end up a harder and more oaky wine than the lovely 1991. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just above the middle for depth. Bouquet here is the more usual hugely overpowering Penfolds oak alongside rich fruit, which makes Grange so often a caricature of itself. The actual quality of the fruit is hard to tease out from the oak, but it seems to avoid over-ripeness, no boysenberry, plenty of blueberry and darkest plum, wonderful richness, tactile viscosity. But the oak builds up in the mouth, and dominates the aftertaste, rich though it is. As is always the case, tasters were seduced by the oak, four rating this 1990 their top wine, and one second. It will cellar for ages, but end up a harder and more oaky wine than the lovely 1991. Cellar 20 – 30 years. GK 09/17
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ screwcap; BF old oak then 6 months LA and batonnage, small fraction MLF, RS 3.5 g/L; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, the palest of the three viogniers. Bouquet on this viognier is very understated, showing an almost floral component, more white than yellow. Fruit is slightly lychee and palest apricot, with a big lees-autolysis component making the bouquet confusable with chardonnay, if one were not thinking. Palate brings up the varietal fruit, slightly pale and under-ripe tart apricots, with a conspicuous barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis component. The oak is so subtle as to be scarcely tasted, the net impression being more of baguette complexity from lees autolysis. Palate weight and length are superb, but the flavours of ripeness are a little lacking. This is a very individual handling of viognier, subtle, refined, and food-friendly. It some ways (the artefact) it is closer to the Virgilius style than the Guigal, but much more acid and not so weighty. Cellar 3 - 5 years. GK 08/06
Lemongreen, the palest of the three viogniers. Bouquet on this viognier is very understated, showing an almost floral component, more white than yellow. Fruit is slightly lychee and palest apricot, with a big lees-autolysis component making the bouquet confusable with chardonnay, if one were not thinking. Palate brings up the varietal fruit, slightly pale and under-ripe tart apricots, with a conspicuous barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis component. The oak is so subtle as to be scarcely tasted, the net impression being more of baguette complexity from lees autolysis. Palate weight and length are superb, but the flavours of ripeness are a little lacking. This is a very individual handling of viognier, subtle, refined, and food-friendly. It some ways (the artefact) it is closer to the Virgilius style than the Guigal, but much more acid and not so weighty. Cellar 3 - 5 years. GK 08/06
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ NZPN ]
Good ruby with a touch of carmine. Another floral and fragrant varietal bouquet, though very different from the Bannockburn. Heaps of redfruits, black cherries and dark plums, leading into a rich berry palate a little more fleshy than some. Succulent yet crisp flavours highly reminiscent of black cherry, an evocative presentation of the fragrant, flavour-saturated and slightly aromatic style this variety develops in New Zealand’s most continental yet coolest climate. Complexity on palate less than the other top wines, however, and fruit ‘sweetness’ a little more. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/01
Good ruby with a touch of carmine. Another floral and fragrant varietal bouquet, though very different from the Bannockburn. Heaps of redfruits, black cherries and dark plums, leading into a rich berry palate a little more fleshy than some. Succulent yet crisp flavours highly reminiscent of black cherry, an evocative presentation of the fragrant, flavour-saturated and slightly aromatic style this variety develops in New Zealand’s most continental yet coolest climate. Complexity on palate less than the other top wines, however, and fruit ‘sweetness’ a little more. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/01
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $32 [ TE ]
Good ruby. Another fragrant and floral expression of the precise black cherry, blackboy peach and vibrant fruit of good South Island pinot, contained in fragrant oak. Gorgeous acid balance, totally cherry / berry mouthfeel, elegant length. Archetypal Central Otago Pinot Noir, matching the achievement of the 1999 beautifully. When this richly flavoured crisp fruit meets the winemaking complexity and experience evident in some of the other top New Zealand wines, Otago in good vintages will challenge all other New Zealand districts. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/01
Good ruby. Another fragrant and floral expression of the precise black cherry, blackboy peach and vibrant fruit of good South Island pinot, contained in fragrant oak. Gorgeous acid balance, totally cherry / berry mouthfeel, elegant length. Archetypal Central Otago Pinot Noir, matching the achievement of the 1999 beautifully. When this richly flavoured crisp fruit meets the winemaking complexity and experience evident in some of the other top New Zealand wines, Otago in good vintages will challenge all other New Zealand districts. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 01/01
Waipara, New Zealand: 13%; $24 [ screwcap; from the new Montana ‘alias’ series of labels, with no clue it is not an independent vineyard; 5.5 g/L RS; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com ]
Pure lemon, a great colour. Bouquet is a bit obscure freshly opened, but clears to a limey straightforward presentation of riesling, fragrant and clearly varietal. Palate brings up attractive varietal terpenes and vanillin, with excellent dry extract, so the wine seems juicy even though it is ‘dry’. On the night, this didn't look as good as the ‘04 wines, but in another year it might surprise. Riesling is nothing if not a cellaring wine. Waipara has a great reputation for riesling, and these Camshorn wines look set to further it. Cellar 5 – 10 years, maybe more. GK 08/06
Pure lemon, a great colour. Bouquet is a bit obscure freshly opened, but clears to a limey straightforward presentation of riesling, fragrant and clearly varietal. Palate brings up attractive varietal terpenes and vanillin, with excellent dry extract, so the wine seems juicy even though it is ‘dry’. On the night, this didn't look as good as the ‘04 wines, but in another year it might surprise. Riesling is nothing if not a cellaring wine. Waipara has a great reputation for riesling, and these Camshorn wines look set to further it. Cellar 5 – 10 years, maybe more. GK 08/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ cork; RS 8 g/L sugar; www.corbans.co.nz ]
Lemon. Among the Alsatians, the Corban is closest to the Albert Mann, with pure floral vanilla and slightly spicy lychee characters on bouquet, a lovely delicate varietal wine. Palate is drier than most, so it seems a smaller wine, but the flavours are very precise, beautifully subtle, long in the mouth and finishing elegantly. One could not ask for a better introduction to the variety, gentle yet clear-cut, perfectly balanced, not quite ‘dry’, and affordable. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Lemon. Among the Alsatians, the Corban is closest to the Albert Mann, with pure floral vanilla and slightly spicy lychee characters on bouquet, a lovely delicate varietal wine. Palate is drier than most, so it seems a smaller wine, but the flavours are very precise, beautifully subtle, long in the mouth and finishing elegantly. One could not ask for a better introduction to the variety, gentle yet clear-cut, perfectly balanced, not quite ‘dry’, and affordable. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/06
Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ TE ]
Big ruby, touch of carmine. A big aromatic black cherry and blackboy peach bouquet, highly varietal in the New Zealand style. Fruit concentration is excellent, and potential complexity on the faintly smoky oak should marry down in bottle. This is interesting wine, with a better alcohol balance and more cellar potential than most. Comparison with the Jadot is useful, the Greenhough more concentrated, the Jadot more elegant. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Big ruby, touch of carmine. A big aromatic black cherry and blackboy peach bouquet, highly varietal in the New Zealand style. Fruit concentration is excellent, and potential complexity on the faintly smoky oak should marry down in bottle. This is interesting wine, with a better alcohol balance and more cellar potential than most. Comparison with the Jadot is useful, the Greenhough more concentrated, the Jadot more elegant. Cellar 10 – 15 years. GK 01/01
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $50 [ screwcap; DFB; no wine info on website; www.johnforrest.co.nz ]
Ruby carmine and velvet, deeper than the Syrah Collection, but not as rich as the top wines in the class. Bouquet is quite dramatically cassis, with aromatic potentially cedary oak giving the whole wine the immediate impression of a high-cabernet Medoc red, except it is much more oaky. Palate is essence of ripe cabernet sauvignon, with a good weight of cassisy berry, so rich it scarcely has any sign of a cabernet doughnut palate – surely there is some merlot in this ? It is too oaky, though – a pity, given the fruit quality. The concentration will allow this wine to be cellared for 10 – 20 years, which may allow the excess oak to marry away. GK 05/06
Ruby carmine and velvet, deeper than the Syrah Collection, but not as rich as the top wines in the class. Bouquet is quite dramatically cassis, with aromatic potentially cedary oak giving the whole wine the immediate impression of a high-cabernet Medoc red, except it is much more oaky. Palate is essence of ripe cabernet sauvignon, with a good weight of cassisy berry, so rich it scarcely has any sign of a cabernet doughnut palate – surely there is some merlot in this ? It is too oaky, though – a pity, given the fruit quality. The concentration will allow this wine to be cellared for 10 – 20 years, which may allow the excess oak to marry away. GK 05/06
Banks Peninsula, New Zealand: 14%; $26 [ cork; from their intriguing Port Hills Summerhill vineyard. ]
Pale lemonstraw. This bouquet is uncannily Alsatian, showing much more varietal specificity than most New Zealand pinot gris. There are clear English primrose florals, on a pale stonefruits note which is yellow rather than the pallid white pearflesh which passes for varietal character in most New Zealand pinot gris. Palate dramatically focuses the bouquet impressions, with great fruit and dry extract on a nearly dry finish, again shifting this wine well away from New Zealand's all-too-frequently medium sweetness pinot gris, and into exactly the Alsace model. Phenolics are a little apparent, but they characterise the variety. Given the wine’s other qualities, one can overlook that – and they are certainly preferable to overt oak. This is exciting New Zealand pinot gris to cellar 3 – 6 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/06
Pale lemonstraw. This bouquet is uncannily Alsatian, showing much more varietal specificity than most New Zealand pinot gris. There are clear English primrose florals, on a pale stonefruits note which is yellow rather than the pallid white pearflesh which passes for varietal character in most New Zealand pinot gris. Palate dramatically focuses the bouquet impressions, with great fruit and dry extract on a nearly dry finish, again shifting this wine well away from New Zealand's all-too-frequently medium sweetness pinot gris, and into exactly the Alsace model. Phenolics are a little apparent, but they characterise the variety. Given the wine’s other qualities, one can overlook that – and they are certainly preferable to overt oak. This is exciting New Zealand pinot gris to cellar 3 – 6 years, perhaps longer. GK 08/06
Margaret River & Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia: – %; $86 [ cork; DFB; CS 100%, old vines; 21 months in French oak 100% new; www.howardparkwines.com.au ]
Ruby, one of the lighter. Bouquet is a little minty on this wine, below which is fragrant but browning cassis, tending one-dimensional. Palate is cassis and suggestions of blueberry as if there were some shiraz in the wine, the oak marrying up well and the palate much less acid than some of the younger wines from this label. It would look a little simple in a 2000 Bordeaux tasting, but this is pleasing Australian cabernet avoiding excessive euc’y characters. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/06
Ruby, one of the lighter. Bouquet is a little minty on this wine, below which is fragrant but browning cassis, tending one-dimensional. Palate is cassis and suggestions of blueberry as if there were some shiraz in the wine, the oak marrying up well and the palate much less acid than some of the younger wines from this label. It would look a little simple in a 2000 Bordeaux tasting, but this is pleasing Australian cabernet avoiding excessive euc’y characters. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $57 [ screwcap; hand-picked; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, a hint of velvet, but still OK for pinot. Great to see Villa retreating from their black pinots. Initially opened, there is an intriguing hint of farmyard complexity, which breathes off with normal decanting. Bouquet becomes wonderfully varietal, showing complex boronia and dark rose florals let down slightly by this near-ubiquitous (in Marlborough and Martinborough) New Zealand hint of pennyroyal. Below are red and black cherries. Palate shows exact black cherry crispness and aromatics, better acid balance than the Reserve, with good texture neither too alcoholic or oak-affected, and no obvious sur-maturité. But against admittedly top French yardsticks, there is the slightest leafy quality entwined with the cherries. Considering the company this wine is being seen in, this is an exciting outcome for a New Zealand pinot, the moreso since it comes from Marlborough. This district has until recently been struggling to capture the essence of the variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Big pinot noir ruby, a hint of velvet, but still OK for pinot. Great to see Villa retreating from their black pinots. Initially opened, there is an intriguing hint of farmyard complexity, which breathes off with normal decanting. Bouquet becomes wonderfully varietal, showing complex boronia and dark rose florals let down slightly by this near-ubiquitous (in Marlborough and Martinborough) New Zealand hint of pennyroyal. Below are red and black cherries. Palate shows exact black cherry crispness and aromatics, better acid balance than the Reserve, with good texture neither too alcoholic or oak-affected, and no obvious sur-maturité. But against admittedly top French yardsticks, there is the slightest leafy quality entwined with the cherries. Considering the company this wine is being seen in, this is an exciting outcome for a New Zealand pinot, the moreso since it comes from Marlborough. This district has until recently been struggling to capture the essence of the variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/06
McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and other districts, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $45 [ cork; 12 months in American oak 27% new; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, one of the densest colours in the batch. Freshly opened, the bouquet is voluminous, based on rich berry and new fine-grained potentially cedary American oak. And tasted freshly opened, the wine is much too oaky. The remedy (if you have to commit infanticide with this wine) is to decant it in the morning into a wide-necked vessel, and let it breathe all day. The fruit develops magnificently, the cabernet cassis coming to quite dominate. Thus breathed, palate is rich, long, still too oaky in youth, but a pretty exciting wine in its heroic style. Cellar 10 – 35 years at least. Currently the 1970 is very attractive drinking, for example. GK 07/06
Ruby and velvet, one of the densest colours in the batch. Freshly opened, the bouquet is voluminous, based on rich berry and new fine-grained potentially cedary American oak. And tasted freshly opened, the wine is much too oaky. The remedy (if you have to commit infanticide with this wine) is to decant it in the morning into a wide-necked vessel, and let it breathe all day. The fruit develops magnificently, the cabernet cassis coming to quite dominate. Thus breathed, palate is rich, long, still too oaky in youth, but a pretty exciting wine in its heroic style. Cellar 10 – 35 years at least. Currently the 1970 is very attractive drinking, for example. GK 07/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 11%; $37 [ screwcap; hand-picked 13 June from older vines some in their 20s; whole-bunch pressed, cool-fermented all in s/s; pH 3.15, RS 157 g/L; 880 cases; www.te-whare-ra.co.nz ]
Light gold. This is an intriguing noble riesling, with pure waxy botrytis on fruit which is more stonefruit than aromatic, golden queen peach maybe. In a blind tasting it seems more a noble pinot gris, the botrytis extending right through to the rich finish. It is a fatter wine than the Riverby, not quite the lightness of touch, but balanced right through. It sits between the Riverby and the Astrolabe in style. This should cellar well, say 2 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 04/09
Light gold. This is an intriguing noble riesling, with pure waxy botrytis on fruit which is more stonefruit than aromatic, golden queen peach maybe. In a blind tasting it seems more a noble pinot gris, the botrytis extending right through to the rich finish. It is a fatter wine than the Riverby, not quite the lightness of touch, but balanced right through. It sits between the Riverby and the Astrolabe in style. This should cellar well, say 2 – 10 years, maybe longer. GK 04/09
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $22 [ screwcap; cool early-morning-picked; s/s fermented, a small part wild-yeast; pH 3.21, RS 4 g/L; www.huia.net.nz ]
Pale lemongreen. The whole style of this wine is close to the Riverby one, clear-cut Marlborough sauvignon with red capsicums, black passion fruit, light sweet basil and herbes complexing, and lovely purity. The flavours are virtually identical too, the only difference being this wine is just a little more phenolic / hard pressed. A good long-flavoured sauvignon, to cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemongreen. The whole style of this wine is close to the Riverby one, clear-cut Marlborough sauvignon with red capsicums, black passion fruit, light sweet basil and herbes complexing, and lovely purity. The flavours are virtually identical too, the only difference being this wine is just a little more phenolic / hard pressed. A good long-flavoured sauvignon, to cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $22 [ screwcap; all Awatere in 2006, machine-harvested, de -stemmed; cool-fermented majority s/s, a little BF and LA and even MLF this year for texture and complexity; pH 3.26, RS 3.4 g/L; www.te-whare-ra.co.nz ]
Good lemon. I did not taste this wine in youth, so cannot say if it was as reductive as the 2008. Assuming it was made in the same style as the 2008, lees-autolysis complexities have now completely married away, leaving sweet ripe fruit showing the primary red capsicum and black passionfruit stage just passing to a more European greengage and English gooseberries flavours, with a suggestion of cooked rhubarb. As such it is rich and well-flavoured, lingering delightfully. Cellar to taste for several years yet. GK 04/09
Good lemon. I did not taste this wine in youth, so cannot say if it was as reductive as the 2008. Assuming it was made in the same style as the 2008, lees-autolysis complexities have now completely married away, leaving sweet ripe fruit showing the primary red capsicum and black passionfruit stage just passing to a more European greengage and English gooseberries flavours, with a suggestion of cooked rhubarb. As such it is rich and well-flavoured, lingering delightfully. Cellar to taste for several years yet. GK 04/09
Gisborne, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ screwcap; hand-harvested clones mendoza and 95, whole-bunch pressed to BF in French oak 50% new, balance second year, 55% MLF; 6 months LA and batonnage, around 9 months in oak total; pH 3.56, RS 1 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Full lemonstraw. In this batch of wines this chardonnay smells quite different, as if it were from a warmer climate. There is quite an evolved barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF-y complexity hinting at nougat and vanilla wafers. Palate is rich, tending broad, fully-flavoured with mushrooms-on-buttered-toast qualities, beautifully mealy, with appropriate oak to balance the weight. Against the Cloudy Bay of the same vintage, it looks a bit loose, and perhaps acid-adjusted. This is a chardonnay for those wanting a rich mouthful of flavour. The aftertaste of white mushrooms is delightful. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Full lemonstraw. In this batch of wines this chardonnay smells quite different, as if it were from a warmer climate. There is quite an evolved barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF-y complexity hinting at nougat and vanilla wafers. Palate is rich, tending broad, fully-flavoured with mushrooms-on-buttered-toast qualities, beautifully mealy, with appropriate oak to balance the weight. Against the Cloudy Bay of the same vintage, it looks a bit loose, and perhaps acid-adjusted. This is a chardonnay for those wanting a rich mouthful of flavour. The aftertaste of white mushrooms is delightful. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $153 [ cork; 14 months in French oak 65% new, 35% 1-year; RWT = Red Winemaking Trial; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and some velvet, distinctly older than the Grange and St Henri of the same year. This too is big shiraz in a Penfolds style, but more rustic than the stunning 2002. Berry includes browning cassis, dark plum and boysenberry, with a slight salty complexity which is worrying. Fruit weight is good, richer than the '01 St Henri, but not such a clear varietal statement. This is more a Penfolds Bin red, for example a fine Bin 28, rather than the clear super-class shiraz RWT has set out to create. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/06
Ruby and some velvet, distinctly older than the Grange and St Henri of the same year. This too is big shiraz in a Penfolds style, but more rustic than the stunning 2002. Berry includes browning cassis, dark plum and boysenberry, with a slight salty complexity which is worrying. Fruit weight is good, richer than the '01 St Henri, but not such a clear varietal statement. This is more a Penfolds Bin red, for example a fine Bin 28, rather than the clear super-class shiraz RWT has set out to create. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 07/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $20 [ screwcap; Gm 239 vines planted 1994; non-botrytis bunches hand-picked at < 3 t/ac; cold-settled, cool- and stop-fermented in s/s; pH 3.04, RS 3 g/L; www.riverbyestate.com ]
Pale lemon. Bouquet is light floral riesling, understated freesia, a little apple flesh. Palate is roughly at the same stage as the Craggy Fletcher '06, just starting to communicate, clear white florals and lime-zest a bit bolder than the ‘06, drier than 'riesling dry', long and pure. Presumably for this emerging class of dry rieslings in New Zealand we have been greatly influenced by the famous rieslings and winemakers of the Clare and Eden Valleys, notably Jeffrey Grosset. Our best are becoming clearly interesting wines. They will compete with the South Australians very well, even though differing in style somewhat. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Pale lemon. Bouquet is light floral riesling, understated freesia, a little apple flesh. Palate is roughly at the same stage as the Craggy Fletcher '06, just starting to communicate, clear white florals and lime-zest a bit bolder than the ‘06, drier than 'riesling dry', long and pure. Presumably for this emerging class of dry rieslings in New Zealand we have been greatly influenced by the famous rieslings and winemakers of the Clare and Eden Valleys, notably Jeffrey Grosset. Our best are becoming clearly interesting wines. They will compete with the South Australians very well, even though differing in style somewhat. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $75 [ screwcap; clones UCD5, UCD6 & 13, age 10 years; 80% de-stemmed, 20% whole bunch, 6 days cold soak, wild yeast fermentation, 24 days cuvaison, 12 months in French oak 36% new; egg-white fining, polishing filtration; Spectator: Smooth and rich in texture, with lively acidity balancing bittersweet chocolate-scented cherry and dusky herb flavors, persisting nicely against fine tannins on the finish. To 2012. 89; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above halfway in depth but one of the freshest, with carmine hues like the Pegasus. Bouquet is more fruit-oriented than the Pegasus, like it a little down on lighter florals at this stage, but showing some deeper notes on red and black cherries which smell concentrated. With air this wine expands considerably, staying very primary, but the depth of black cherry fruit and black doris plum on firm acid is promising. The balance of fruit to oak is more in favour of the fruit than the other three top wines. Even in the blind tasting, the concentration of Otago-like dark fruits is noticeable, in this case with slightly elevated acid. To judge from the 2003 Mt Difficulty Target Gully which showed so beautifully at the 2007 Pinot Noir Conference, this will have a lot more to say for itself in a year or two, and like the Pegasus Bay will score higher. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, just above halfway in depth but one of the freshest, with carmine hues like the Pegasus. Bouquet is more fruit-oriented than the Pegasus, like it a little down on lighter florals at this stage, but showing some deeper notes on red and black cherries which smell concentrated. With air this wine expands considerably, staying very primary, but the depth of black cherry fruit and black doris plum on firm acid is promising. The balance of fruit to oak is more in favour of the fruit than the other three top wines. Even in the blind tasting, the concentration of Otago-like dark fruits is noticeable, in this case with slightly elevated acid. To judge from the 2003 Mt Difficulty Target Gully which showed so beautifully at the 2007 Pinot Noir Conference, this will have a lot more to say for itself in a year or two, and like the Pegasus Bay will score higher. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ screwcap; 2005 not yet released or on website, see 2004; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, in the dark boronia and deep red rose and violets sweetly-fruited style that bespeaks fine Otago pinot noir. Palate is dark fruits, black cherries and some blackboy, still unknit and youthful, not quite the concentration the bouquet promises, maybe. The great thing in this wine is capturing the smells and flavours of full physiological maturity at 13.5% alcohol. This could well score higher in 18 months. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir. Bouquet is wonderfully varietal, in the dark boronia and deep red rose and violets sweetly-fruited style that bespeaks fine Otago pinot noir. Palate is dark fruits, black cherries and some blackboy, still unknit and youthful, not quite the concentration the bouquet promises, maybe. The great thing in this wine is capturing the smells and flavours of full physiological maturity at 13.5% alcohol. This could well score higher in 18 months. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/06
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ cork; all de-stemmed, up to 8 days cold-soak, wild yeast; 18 months in French oak 50% new; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is quiet, showing an aromatic edge hinting at pennyroyal, but stopping short of that, with some dark florals, all on attractive cherry-like fruit. Palate is pure, still the thought of mint, real mixed cherry flavours, attractively balanced to potentially cedary oak. This wine is so understated, that it initially ranks merely in the middle. But in terms of total pinot noir style, flavour, appropriate acid balance, and complexity and charm in the mouth, one gradually comes to realise that it is lovely. It could be rated higher than the more outspoken Villa Maria wines or the Felton Block versions. Tasting them again in three years would be fascinating. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/06
Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is quiet, showing an aromatic edge hinting at pennyroyal, but stopping short of that, with some dark florals, all on attractive cherry-like fruit. Palate is pure, still the thought of mint, real mixed cherry flavours, attractively balanced to potentially cedary oak. This wine is so understated, that it initially ranks merely in the middle. But in terms of total pinot noir style, flavour, appropriate acid balance, and complexity and charm in the mouth, one gradually comes to realise that it is lovely. It could be rated higher than the more outspoken Villa Maria wines or the Felton Block versions. Tasting them again in three years would be fascinating. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/06
Cote Rotie, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 12.5%; $ – [ cork; $33 in 1988; typically Sy 100%, 70% Cote Brune, 30 Blonde; some stems in the 1980s; up to 18 months in barrel, very little new in the 80s; Delas now part of the Roederer group (since 1996); www.delas.com ]
Ruby and garnet, older than the matching Hermitage, both being presented at the judges' dinner for the Royal Easter Show wine-judging. This wine is more intensely carnations-floral than the Hermitage, but lighter in constitution on palate, and further along its cassisy red-fruits development path. The two wines illustrate the essential differences between AOC Cote Rotie and AOC Hermitage to perfection, the former more fragrant and burgundian, the latter more sturdy and even a thought of the Medoc. I reviewed this wine in Cuisine # 9 in 1988, rating it 5 stars and describing it as: Superb ripe Syrah on bouquet, with some floral life and much ripe berry, plus subtle spice of white pepper and some beeswax … excellent balance and good cellaring prospects. The article went on to say: These first seven wines sum up nearly all one needs to know or own of the northern Rhone. All seven probably rank five stars. A case of each would make a memorable investment, which one could follow into the next century. In today's uncertain world, that is an empowering thought. I did that, and it was good advice. Unlike the matching 1985 Hermitage, the Cote Rotie is now slipping off its plateau of maturity – so time to be finishing the case ! GK 03/09
Ruby and garnet, older than the matching Hermitage, both being presented at the judges' dinner for the Royal Easter Show wine-judging. This wine is more intensely carnations-floral than the Hermitage, but lighter in constitution on palate, and further along its cassisy red-fruits development path. The two wines illustrate the essential differences between AOC Cote Rotie and AOC Hermitage to perfection, the former more fragrant and burgundian, the latter more sturdy and even a thought of the Medoc. I reviewed this wine in Cuisine # 9 in 1988, rating it 5 stars and describing it as: Superb ripe Syrah on bouquet, with some floral life and much ripe berry, plus subtle spice of white pepper and some beeswax … excellent balance and good cellaring prospects. The article went on to say: These first seven wines sum up nearly all one needs to know or own of the northern Rhone. All seven probably rank five stars. A case of each would make a memorable investment, which one could follow into the next century. In today's uncertain world, that is an empowering thought. I did that, and it was good advice. Unlike the matching 1985 Hermitage, the Cote Rotie is now slipping off its plateau of maturity – so time to be finishing the case ! GK 03/09
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good ruby, just a shade lighter than the standard Felton. Bouquet on this one is deeply floral as for the mainstream Felton, but slightly more aromatic on the oak handling, beautiful. Palate is leaner and crisper, understated at this early stage, so it seems slightly acid and stalky alongside the fleshier standard wine. This really needs a couple of years to mellow. It may overtake the slightly more acid Sleeping Dogs in three years time – at least for those liking a burlier pinot style, and will cellar for 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Good ruby, just a shade lighter than the standard Felton. Bouquet on this one is deeply floral as for the mainstream Felton, but slightly more aromatic on the oak handling, beautiful. Palate is leaner and crisper, understated at this early stage, so it seems slightly acid and stalky alongside the fleshier standard wine. This really needs a couple of years to mellow. It may overtake the slightly more acid Sleeping Dogs in three years time – at least for those liking a burlier pinot style, and will cellar for 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $48 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, hand-harvested; 6-year old vines, but first significant crop; 21 days cuvaison; c. 12 months in French oak 25% new, balance 1 & 2-year; not fined or filtered; www.martinborough-vineyard.co.nz ]
Good ruby. This wine stood out for its exceptional florality and total Cote Rotie styling, comparable only with the Delas Cote Rotie also in the tasting, if one allowed for the age difference. The floral including carnation / wallflower qualities extend right through the palate, though it is a little acid. Trial blends illustrate what sensational syrahs could be achieved by a judicious blending of Hawkes Bay fruit for body and ampleness, and Martinborough fruit for breathtaking aroma. This idea has already been illustrated by Kai Schubert with his 2000 Syrah, but with rather much new oak. The obvious people to pursue such a goal now are Craggy Range, with their holdings on both the Gimblett Gravels and at Te Muna Road having the potential to provide perfectly contrasting syrah fruit. At the moment however their 'single vineyard' policy constrains them. Another candidate could be via the common ownership of Dry River in Martinborough, and Te Awa on the Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Good ruby. This wine stood out for its exceptional florality and total Cote Rotie styling, comparable only with the Delas Cote Rotie also in the tasting, if one allowed for the age difference. The floral including carnation / wallflower qualities extend right through the palate, though it is a little acid. Trial blends illustrate what sensational syrahs could be achieved by a judicious blending of Hawkes Bay fruit for body and ampleness, and Martinborough fruit for breathtaking aroma. This idea has already been illustrated by Kai Schubert with his 2000 Syrah, but with rather much new oak. The obvious people to pursue such a goal now are Craggy Range, with their holdings on both the Gimblett Gravels and at Te Muna Road having the potential to provide perfectly contrasting syrah fruit. At the moment however their 'single vineyard' policy constrains them. Another candidate could be via the common ownership of Dry River in Martinborough, and Te Awa on the Gimblett Gravels. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Ngatarawa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ not for sale; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this version of syrah was intriguing, with the floral component including a salvia aromatic note. There is clear cassis, some cracked pepper, and clear soft blueberry plumminess. On palate the wine is softer and more ample than the original mass selection clone, syrah in a softer more modern style. Some would therefore prefer it to the more floral, aromatic and classically-styled mass selection, so the scoring ends up personal. As for the other Te Mata clonal syrah shown, this is a research wine, not for sale. I rather regretted Te Mata could not also show their syrah clone 470, which I have associated (supposition) with the increase of precise Rhone-like florals in the evolution of Bullnose in recent years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this version of syrah was intriguing, with the floral component including a salvia aromatic note. There is clear cassis, some cracked pepper, and clear soft blueberry plumminess. On palate the wine is softer and more ample than the original mass selection clone, syrah in a softer more modern style. Some would therefore prefer it to the more floral, aromatic and classically-styled mass selection, so the scoring ends up personal. As for the other Te Mata clonal syrah shown, this is a research wine, not for sale. I rather regretted Te Mata could not also show their syrah clone 470, which I have associated (supposition) with the increase of precise Rhone-like florals in the evolution of Bullnose in recent years. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $60 [ screwcap; 18% whole-bunch in fermentation, wild yeast; 11 months in French oak 30% new, followed by 6 months in old oak; www.feltonroad.com ]
Deep pinot noir ruby, about the maximum desirable. Bouquet is deeply red fruits, with dark florals hinting at boronia, but it is hard to dig them out from the spicy (five spice) oak overlay, at this youthful stage. The wine is clearly pinot noir, though. Palate is rich and round and very plummy, almost to a fault, which coupled with the overt spicy oak gives a burly granular quality to the wine, making one think of subtle rich soft Australian interpretations of shiraz. Acid balance is firm. A blend of this nearly sur-maturite wine with the Villa Reserve is finer than either. Roll on the Penfolds multi-regional approach to fine pinot, in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/06
Deep pinot noir ruby, about the maximum desirable. Bouquet is deeply red fruits, with dark florals hinting at boronia, but it is hard to dig them out from the spicy (five spice) oak overlay, at this youthful stage. The wine is clearly pinot noir, though. Palate is rich and round and very plummy, almost to a fault, which coupled with the overt spicy oak gives a burly granular quality to the wine, making one think of subtle rich soft Australian interpretations of shiraz. Acid balance is firm. A blend of this nearly sur-maturite wine with the Villa Reserve is finer than either. Roll on the Penfolds multi-regional approach to fine pinot, in New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/06
Northern Rhone Valley, France: – %; $1,220 [ Cork, 45mm; Sy 100; price given is wine-searcher average for that vintage of the wine; general elevation etc see Intro; 1969 and 1971 were attractive years in the Northern Rhone and Burgundy, more so than Bordeaux; Livingstone-Learmonth, 1992: … some damp leaf, prune smells and capable of greater complexity. Palate has a lovely, lasting richness, and great depth, very thorough flavours, showing some evolution. Delicious - everything an old Hermitage should be and in stronger shape than a bottle drunk in Feb 1991, ***** (out of 6); Robert Parker, 2000: ... a solidly made, monolithic, foursquare example with plenty of peppery, cedar, leather, and coffee characteristics in the moderately intense bouquet. A sweet attack is followed by a lean, austere wine with a dry middle. Medium-bodied, the 1969 is a fine La Chapelle that has been mature for more than a decade. It appears to be easily holding onto life. The wine did, however, become more attenuated and drier with the fruit fading as it sat in the glass. Drink it up, 89; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway, but good for its years. This is the only one of the wines to clearly smell older at the tasting, in the sense that there is a leathery and older cooperage note to it, but it is certainly not the weakest. Some tasters were attracted to the leathery maturity, one rating it their top wine, and none their least. In mouth the richness is surprising for its age, the wine comparing more with the 1989 and the 1990, than any of the others. It was still opening up in the glass, long after the tasting was finished. Intriguing wine suggesting a concentration / low cropping rate not so evident in many of the younger wines. No hurry at all, will easily make a half-century. But open this wine well ahead of presenting it, decant it, and leave it to breathe. Score is well-breathed. GK 09/14
Ruby and garnet, below midway, but good for its years. This is the only one of the wines to clearly smell older at the tasting, in the sense that there is a leathery and older cooperage note to it, but it is certainly not the weakest. Some tasters were attracted to the leathery maturity, one rating it their top wine, and none their least. In mouth the richness is surprising for its age, the wine comparing more with the 1989 and the 1990, than any of the others. It was still opening up in the glass, long after the tasting was finished. Intriguing wine suggesting a concentration / low cropping rate not so evident in many of the younger wines. No hurry at all, will easily make a half-century. But open this wine well ahead of presenting it, decant it, and leave it to breathe. Score is well-breathed. GK 09/14
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $85 [ screwcap; clones 10/5, 5 and others from the Cairnmuir vineyard, hand-picked later April from c. 10 year-old vines at very low yields due to poor set at flowering; c. 5 days cold-soak, c. 70% wild-yeast fermentation with less than 5% whole-bunch, up to 20 days cuvaison; MLF and c.12 months in French oak c. 30% new; minimal filtration; 150 cases; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, more mature than the 2007s, reasonably. The first impression in an analytical blind tasting of 60 mixed reds is of fragrantly cedary / pencil shavings new oak, but that won't be the case at table. Behind that are attractive red and black fruits of pinot, with clear rose and boronia florals. In mouth the wine is mellow and rich, but the new oak continues apparent, almost in an east-bank bordeaux, rather than burgundy styling. This premium or 'reserve' label has been made with the explicit goal of building a 10-year New Zealand pinot. It looks well endowed for the task, and thus will be a good one to cellar with a view to future blind tastings against the outstanding 2005 vintage in Burgundy. Watching the evolution of the fruit relative to the oak will be a key interest in cellaring the wine. I hope I will be re-rating this wine at the next tasting, for it impressed me greatly when seen on its own last spring. At this moment the oak is a little too drying and prominent. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby, more mature than the 2007s, reasonably. The first impression in an analytical blind tasting of 60 mixed reds is of fragrantly cedary / pencil shavings new oak, but that won't be the case at table. Behind that are attractive red and black fruits of pinot, with clear rose and boronia florals. In mouth the wine is mellow and rich, but the new oak continues apparent, almost in an east-bank bordeaux, rather than burgundy styling. This premium or 'reserve' label has been made with the explicit goal of building a 10-year New Zealand pinot. It looks well endowed for the task, and thus will be a good one to cellar with a view to future blind tastings against the outstanding 2005 vintage in Burgundy. Watching the evolution of the fruit relative to the oak will be a key interest in cellaring the wine. I hope I will be re-rating this wine at the next tasting, for it impressed me greatly when seen on its own last spring. At this moment the oak is a little too drying and prominent. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 03/09
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $39 [ screwcap; the winery describes the season as characterised by small berries and small bunches, giving concentrated fruit characters; 10 months in French oak; www.peregrinewines.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deeper than the two Felton wines, big for pinot noir. Initially opened, this is a deeper, darker pinot bouquet, lacking the beautiful floral excitement of the top wines. Decanted and well breathed however, it opens up to reveal attractively floral, deep boronia-like and darkest rose aromas, on red and black cherry fruit, quite compelling. Palate carries the florals into a well-fleshed cherry palate, a little more succulent than the Gravitas, but like it, still tannic. It is rich, quite oaky, good acid, with plenty of components to develop on. This will be an exciting bottle to cellar, and should be scoring higher in a couple of year’s time. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, deeper than the two Felton wines, big for pinot noir. Initially opened, this is a deeper, darker pinot bouquet, lacking the beautiful floral excitement of the top wines. Decanted and well breathed however, it opens up to reveal attractively floral, deep boronia-like and darkest rose aromas, on red and black cherry fruit, quite compelling. Palate carries the florals into a well-fleshed cherry palate, a little more succulent than the Gravitas, but like it, still tannic. It is rich, quite oaky, good acid, with plenty of components to develop on. This will be an exciting bottle to cellar, and should be scoring higher in a couple of year’s time. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/06
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $77 [ cork; Me 49%, CS 43, CF 8, hand-harvested from vines of average age 21 years; 100% de-stemmed; 20 months in French oak 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, velvet and some carmine, between the 2007 and 2005 Coleraines in freshness of hue. Bouquet is very aromatic, intense cassis and oak all a little more spiky than the gorgeously smooth 2005 and 2007 Coleraines, yet close to them in style. In mouth exactly the same impression carries on, a firmer leaner wine, acid a little more apparent, yet with the same cassis-rich qualities. The sophistication of oak handling at Te Mata takes a lot of beating, but the more highly-rated wines indicate the charm of perfectly ripe fruit. A good Coleraine, but not a great one. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/09
Ruby, velvet and some carmine, between the 2007 and 2005 Coleraines in freshness of hue. Bouquet is very aromatic, intense cassis and oak all a little more spiky than the gorgeously smooth 2005 and 2007 Coleraines, yet close to them in style. In mouth exactly the same impression carries on, a firmer leaner wine, acid a little more apparent, yet with the same cassis-rich qualities. The sophistication of oak handling at Te Mata takes a lot of beating, but the more highly-rated wines indicate the charm of perfectly ripe fruit. A good Coleraine, but not a great one. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/09
Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $40 [ screwcap; 12 months in French oak 33% new; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a little older and lighter than the 2004. Bouquet is more developed in this wine, but lighter in style, with clear rose florals as well as buddleia, on red and black cherry fruit, plus some blackboy peach aromas too. Palate is fine New Zealand pinot noir, supple, long, aromatic on the oak, not quite as rich as the 2004 but more flavour at this stage. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Pinot noir ruby, a little older and lighter than the 2004. Bouquet is more developed in this wine, but lighter in style, with clear rose florals as well as buddleia, on red and black cherry fruit, plus some blackboy peach aromas too. Palate is fine New Zealand pinot noir, supple, long, aromatic on the oak, not quite as rich as the 2004 but more flavour at this stage. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 05/06
Gimblett Gravels mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $26 [ screwcap; detail probably similar to 2006 - Sy 100%, all de-stemmed; c. 18 months in oak; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little reserved initially, a youthful wine needing decanting now, or more time in bottle. With air, it opens to a fresh varietal and aromatic syrah, total acid a little higher than the top wines, and richness and oak clearly less than the 2006 Vidal Reserve, but still good. Like the Villa Maria Cellar Selection, there will be buying opportunities for this wine, and cellaring will provide a great introduction to syrah. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little reserved initially, a youthful wine needing decanting now, or more time in bottle. With air, it opens to a fresh varietal and aromatic syrah, total acid a little higher than the top wines, and richness and oak clearly less than the 2006 Vidal Reserve, but still good. Like the Villa Maria Cellar Selection, there will be buying opportunities for this wine, and cellaring will provide a great introduction to syrah. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $58 [ screwcap; clones 5, 113 and others, 7 years old, around 1 t/ac, hand-picked; 100% de-stemmed, up to 16 days cold soak, up to 21 days cuvaison; 14 months 'fine' French oak 32% new; minimal filtration; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, deeper than the standard Felton. First impressions are very positive for this wine, with a degree of florality showing what could be almost a Cote Rotie styling of syrah as much as pinot, on red and black fruits. In mouth the thought of syrah continues, a hint of cassis and pepper with attractive plumpness hinting at pale butter, offset by fragrant leaf notes. It doesn't achieve the depth of varietal precision and physiological maturity the best Otago pinots show, as is commonly the case in Marlborough, but once one stops suspecting it is syrah, the wine becomes attractive rich pinot noir, to cellar 3 – 12 years. This is a slightly quirky interpretation of the grape, though, and this score may reflect my liking for syrah. GK 03/09
Big pinot noir ruby, deeper than the standard Felton. First impressions are very positive for this wine, with a degree of florality showing what could be almost a Cote Rotie styling of syrah as much as pinot, on red and black fruits. In mouth the thought of syrah continues, a hint of cassis and pepper with attractive plumpness hinting at pale butter, offset by fragrant leaf notes. It doesn't achieve the depth of varietal precision and physiological maturity the best Otago pinots show, as is commonly the case in Marlborough, but once one stops suspecting it is syrah, the wine becomes attractive rich pinot noir, to cellar 3 – 12 years. This is a slightly quirky interpretation of the grape, though, and this score may reflect my liking for syrah. GK 03/09
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $141 [ cork; Gr 100% including some of oldest in district 90 + years, on old cobbly terrace materials; hand-harvested; 100% de-stemmed; fermented in open-top concrete vessels, fermentation to 33 C, cuvaison up to 3 weeks; concern to prevent oxidation so matured only in s/s c.12 months; www.chapoutier.com ]
Older ruby. I am generally not much attracted to Chapoutier's monocepage Chateauneufs, believing that his adherence to a doctrinaire policy of one variety only, without much evidence to support the merit of the notion, is wilful. It simply denies the wine the complexity and beauty an appropriate blend of varieties would bring. But all the same, this is pretty good grenache, wonderfully pure, with pinpoint red cherry, raspberry and stick-cinnamon varietal characters both on bouquet and palate. It is a pity the alcohol is 15%, but at least the oak is seemingly older, though pure and elegant. And grenache does hide alcohol very well indeed. Perhaps it is all s/s, as the website suggests. This should cellar well, 5 – 25 + years, and be a food-friendly wine despite the alcohol. GK 07/08
Older ruby. I am generally not much attracted to Chapoutier's monocepage Chateauneufs, believing that his adherence to a doctrinaire policy of one variety only, without much evidence to support the merit of the notion, is wilful. It simply denies the wine the complexity and beauty an appropriate blend of varieties would bring. But all the same, this is pretty good grenache, wonderfully pure, with pinpoint red cherry, raspberry and stick-cinnamon varietal characters both on bouquet and palate. It is a pity the alcohol is 15%, but at least the oak is seemingly older, though pure and elegant. And grenache does hide alcohol very well indeed. Perhaps it is all s/s, as the website suggests. This should cellar well, 5 – 25 + years, and be a food-friendly wine despite the alcohol. GK 07/08
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $21 [ screwcap; www.nautilusestate.com ]
Pale lemongreen. A youthful bouquet with light bottling sulphur to resolve, on fine Marlborough sauvignon fruit showing mixed capsicums and black passionfruit. Palate extends the bouquet attractively, no oak, judging dry though not as dry as some, simply copybook pure Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 09/04
Pale lemongreen. A youthful bouquet with light bottling sulphur to resolve, on fine Marlborough sauvignon fruit showing mixed capsicums and black passionfruit. Palate extends the bouquet attractively, no oak, judging dry though not as dry as some, simply copybook pure Marlborough sauvignon. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 09/04
Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia: 14%; $95 [ cork; CS 74%, Me 16, Ma 5, CF 4, PV 1; 19 months in French oak 70% new; www.cullenwines.com.au ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good colour. This is intriguing wine, showing no betraying euc'y qualities at all. It does however have suggestions of the cassis component over-ripened a little to the blackberry stage, a quality sometimes seen in burly Bordeaux such as La Lagune. Palate has an intriguing berry quality, a little fresher than the Cyril Henschke, very youthful and pure, one-dimensional and a little clinical at this stage, but not tasting of the blackberry on bouquet. Oak and acid are gentler in this wine than the Henschke, or some of the other Australians. Given the lack of eucalyptus taint, this looks to be an Australian 'claret' fit to run in blind international 2005 Cabernet / Merlot and Bordeaux tastings over the next 5 – 15 years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a good colour. This is intriguing wine, showing no betraying euc'y qualities at all. It does however have suggestions of the cassis component over-ripened a little to the blackberry stage, a quality sometimes seen in burly Bordeaux such as La Lagune. Palate has an intriguing berry quality, a little fresher than the Cyril Henschke, very youthful and pure, one-dimensional and a little clinical at this stage, but not tasting of the blackberry on bouquet. Oak and acid are gentler in this wine than the Henschke, or some of the other Australians. Given the lack of eucalyptus taint, this looks to be an Australian 'claret' fit to run in blind international 2005 Cabernet / Merlot and Bordeaux tastings over the next 5 – 15 years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 11/08
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $36 [ cork; BF and 18 months LA in older French oak, no MLF (check); RS 5.9 g/L; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, a little deeper than the Matua Reserve. This Section 94 is an altogether more assertive wine than the top two, with a penetrating, even pungent, varietal character to it. I think it will be a love or hate wine, as Te Koko used to be. There are a lot of other aromas in this strong bouquet too, crushed chrysanthemums and sage, sweet basil, stonefruit, plus sautéed red capsicums. It is too strong to be easily described as floral, in the normal sense of the word. Palate is surprisingly harmonious after the bouquet, again a grand cru cropping rate with tremendous volume, presence and mouthfeel, and gorgeous lingering flavours of sweet red capsicums and sweet basil. With the right savoury foods, this would be divine. On its own, as a wine, it is almost too characterful. Not sure how this will cellar, with stronger slightly less ripe flavours than Te Koko. One to three years might be safest. GK 05/08
Lemongreen, a little deeper than the Matua Reserve. This Section 94 is an altogether more assertive wine than the top two, with a penetrating, even pungent, varietal character to it. I think it will be a love or hate wine, as Te Koko used to be. There are a lot of other aromas in this strong bouquet too, crushed chrysanthemums and sage, sweet basil, stonefruit, plus sautéed red capsicums. It is too strong to be easily described as floral, in the normal sense of the word. Palate is surprisingly harmonious after the bouquet, again a grand cru cropping rate with tremendous volume, presence and mouthfeel, and gorgeous lingering flavours of sweet red capsicums and sweet basil. With the right savoury foods, this would be divine. On its own, as a wine, it is almost too characterful. Not sure how this will cellar, with stronger slightly less ripe flavours than Te Koko. One to three years might be safest. GK 05/08
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $72 [ cork; Me 45%, CS 37, CF 18; average vine age 20 years; 20 months in French oak probably around 75% new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, lighter than the top three wines. Bouquet is very fragrant and Bordeaux-like, but the Bordeaux of a slightly less than optimal year, with a fresh quality to the cassis hovering between: is it tobacco complexity or slightly leafy ? Palate shows potential cedar aroma development on cassis and red as much as black plum berry, reinforcing the Bordeaux look-alike quality, but all a little short, as Pichon-Lalande can be in some seasons. There is the concentration to cellar 10 – 20 years, in its fragrant crisp style. GK 11/08
Ruby, some velvet and carmine, lighter than the top three wines. Bouquet is very fragrant and Bordeaux-like, but the Bordeaux of a slightly less than optimal year, with a fresh quality to the cassis hovering between: is it tobacco complexity or slightly leafy ? Palate shows potential cedar aroma development on cassis and red as much as black plum berry, reinforcing the Bordeaux look-alike quality, but all a little short, as Pichon-Lalande can be in some seasons. There is the concentration to cellar 10 – 20 years, in its fragrant crisp style. GK 11/08
Dartmoor Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $32 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; whole-bunch pressed to 100% BF in French oak new and one-year; wild-yeast fermentation, no MLF, LA in barrel; RS < 1 g/L; www.sacredhill.com ]
Light lemonstraw. This complex sauvignon does not have quite the magic of the 2005, partly because of its youth, but also it seems intrinsically a leaner and slightly more angular wine. Part of the fruit seems a notch riper, but in a hollow pepino or honeydew-melon slightly Australian white way, even though the black passionfruit and autolysis complexity is still all there, plus oak. Trace VA impairs the harmony too. Needs another year to marry up. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 11/08
Light lemonstraw. This complex sauvignon does not have quite the magic of the 2005, partly because of its youth, but also it seems intrinsically a leaner and slightly more angular wine. Part of the fruit seems a notch riper, but in a hollow pepino or honeydew-melon slightly Australian white way, even though the black passionfruit and autolysis complexity is still all there, plus oak. Trace VA impairs the harmony too. Needs another year to marry up. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 11/08
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; hand-harvested from 6 vineyards; whole-bunch pressed; wild-yeast fermentation entirely in French oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel with LA; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, more forward than the Matés. This is the kind of understated chardonnay you would put first in a blind tasting of the variety. It defines the fruit style of the variety first and foremost, with all the winemaking secondary. Bouquet is faintly floral, clean stonefruits, slightly mealy, a hint of oak. In mouth it is pleasantly but not dramatically rich, markedly less rich than the Matés, and shows chardonnay character, balance and food-friendliness to perfection. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw, more forward than the Matés. This is the kind of understated chardonnay you would put first in a blind tasting of the variety. It defines the fruit style of the variety first and foremost, with all the winemaking secondary. Bouquet is faintly floral, clean stonefruits, slightly mealy, a hint of oak. In mouth it is pleasantly but not dramatically rich, markedly less rich than the Matés, and shows chardonnay character, balance and food-friendliness to perfection. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 11/08
Waipara, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14.5%; $46 [ screwcap; Sy 100% clone 470 (the only one in the tasting), planted at an average 2,500 vines per hectare and average age 11 years, all hand-picked at 5.5 t/ha = 2.2 t/ac); no whole-bunches retained, seven days cold soak, all wild-yeast ferments; 36 days cuvaison, pressed to barrel still with trace residual sugar, so a small barrel-ferment component to add complexity; MLF later in barrel; 15 months in French oak none new, all 2nd year, then 1 month in tank post-assembly; RS < 1 g/L: coarse filtration only; dry extract 29.9 g/L; production c.300 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 547 g; no reviews found, none on Greystone site; www.greystonewines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet is fragrant and distinctive in this wine, another with suggestions of the Jamet black olives / whole-bunch approach. The only problem here is, the wine has no whole-bunch component, so we must be smelling whole berries plus the cooler climate. Below the near-floral notes there is some cassis, and a bottled plum like omega, with its distinctive aromatics rather different from Black Doris. In flavour the wine is rich, confirmed by the dry extract figure, more Cote Rotie in styling than Hermitage, with considerable syrah presence augmented by exquisite oaking, but also perhaps just a hint of stalk. I don't have them alongside, but my impression is, this 2016 is less ripe than the magical Greystone 2015 Syrah. Tasters were less attracted to this wine than I was, no favourites, and four least votes. A wine to try before you buy six, therefore, though the style is well within the ambit of Northern Rhone syrah. It will cellar well, on its richness, 15 – 25 years. GK 11/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet is fragrant and distinctive in this wine, another with suggestions of the Jamet black olives / whole-bunch approach. The only problem here is, the wine has no whole-bunch component, so we must be smelling whole berries plus the cooler climate. Below the near-floral notes there is some cassis, and a bottled plum like omega, with its distinctive aromatics rather different from Black Doris. In flavour the wine is rich, confirmed by the dry extract figure, more Cote Rotie in styling than Hermitage, with considerable syrah presence augmented by exquisite oaking, but also perhaps just a hint of stalk. I don't have them alongside, but my impression is, this 2016 is less ripe than the magical Greystone 2015 Syrah. Tasters were less attracted to this wine than I was, no favourites, and four least votes. A wine to try before you buy six, therefore, though the style is well within the ambit of Northern Rhone syrah. It will cellar well, on its richness, 15 – 25 years. GK 11/19
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; hand-harvested clone 15, whole-bunch pressed to barrel, with wild-yeast fermentation; LA but no MLF in French oak 27% new for 14 months; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. This wine is much more developed than some in the bracket, and accordingly smells richer and older. It shows tropical fruit salad with a slightly smoky oak note in the rich fruit. Palate is nearly oily-rich but oaky too, showing golden queen peach, papaya, and even a subtle hint of banana against mealy autolysis and MLF complexities. Acid balance is a little on the soft side, there is a suggestion of vanilla custard, and development to date is more rapid than the others, so this is more a rich accessible wine to drink now, cellaring a year or two only. Like the Pask, it will appeal to lovers of traditional big New Zealand chardonnays, but it is broader and will not keep as long. GK 11/08
Lemonstraw. This wine is much more developed than some in the bracket, and accordingly smells richer and older. It shows tropical fruit salad with a slightly smoky oak note in the rich fruit. Palate is nearly oily-rich but oaky too, showing golden queen peach, papaya, and even a subtle hint of banana against mealy autolysis and MLF complexities. Acid balance is a little on the soft side, there is a suggestion of vanilla custard, and development to date is more rapid than the others, so this is more a rich accessible wine to drink now, cellaring a year or two only. Like the Pask, it will appeal to lovers of traditional big New Zealand chardonnays, but it is broader and will not keep as long. GK 11/08
Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand: 11.4%; $27 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; part of the wine BF in 5-years + French oak; 29 g/L RS; irritating website; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Palest lemongreen. This is a new Otago vineyard which is aiming for the top, by retaining Olly Masters of Ata Rangi as consulting winemaker, and Robin Dicey as viticulturist. This riesling is prematurely released, with a little bottling SO2 to marry up yet, but it looks to be the best of their maiden 2008 releases. It is sweeter and paler than the Mt Difficulty and Johner examples, though in spirit closer to the Johner. The difference is the spatlese level of sweetness, with a touch of lime below, clearly Mosel. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Palest lemongreen. This is a new Otago vineyard which is aiming for the top, by retaining Olly Masters of Ata Rangi as consulting winemaker, and Robin Dicey as viticulturist. This riesling is prematurely released, with a little bottling SO2 to marry up yet, but it looks to be the best of their maiden 2008 releases. It is sweeter and paler than the Mt Difficulty and Johner examples, though in spirit closer to the Johner. The difference is the spatlese level of sweetness, with a touch of lime below, clearly Mosel. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 11/08
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ screwcap; single vineyard, no production info on website; www.chardfarm.co.nz ]
Good pinot ruby. Bouquet is beautifully floral, boronia and violets, on dark cherry fruit. Palate is cherry too, subtly oaked, a little shorter than the bouquet suggests, but well-balanced and vividly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Good pinot ruby. Bouquet is beautifully floral, boronia and violets, on dark cherry fruit. Palate is cherry too, subtly oaked, a little shorter than the bouquet suggests, but well-balanced and vividly varietal. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ cork; hand-harvested; 100% wild yeast BF via the Integrale hogshead system; 15 months in puncheons 80% new; www.millsreef.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet, not as rich as the 2006 Villa Maria or the 2007 Bullnose. Bouquet is very floral and fragrant, lifted by academic VA probably below average threshold, so it simply adds to the apparent volume of bouquet. Total style is clearly Cote Rotie, with wallflower and dianthus florals on cassis and red berries. Palate is soft and winey, gentle and already ideally suited to food in the way 10-year-old Cote Rotie or Rioja is. This is a subtle and accessible wine better suited to the shorter term, say 3 – 8 years maybe, compared with some more substantial styles. GK 11/08
Ruby, some velvet, not as rich as the 2006 Villa Maria or the 2007 Bullnose. Bouquet is very floral and fragrant, lifted by academic VA probably below average threshold, so it simply adds to the apparent volume of bouquet. Total style is clearly Cote Rotie, with wallflower and dianthus florals on cassis and red berries. Palate is soft and winey, gentle and already ideally suited to food in the way 10-year-old Cote Rotie or Rioja is. This is a subtle and accessible wine better suited to the shorter term, say 3 – 8 years maybe, compared with some more substantial styles. GK 11/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $42 [ screwcap; 1% viognier; hand-harvested; 80% whole berry in fermentation, MLF in barrel, 16 months in French oak; wine filed under Estate Syrah on website; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet. This has mellowed-out somewhat in the last six months, and lost some of its varietal edge. Palate however is still richly syrah, very ripe, a touch of blueberry, quite oaky, a suggestion of best Australian on this occasion. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby and velvet. This has mellowed-out somewhat in the last six months, and lost some of its varietal edge. Palate however is still richly syrah, very ripe, a touch of blueberry, quite oaky, a suggestion of best Australian on this occasion. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $60 [ screwcap; not on website yet; www.sacredhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a little darker than the 2004. Bouquet is quiet rich cassis and darkest plum, more accessible and sweeter than the '05 Silistria. In mouth there is good red and black fruit tending to plummy richness, with an intriguing allspice suggestion perhaps from oak. It is not as fragrant a wine as the 2005 Bullnose, and is slightly more acid, but it has plenty of richness to develop on. Promising. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby and velvet, a little darker than the 2004. Bouquet is quiet rich cassis and darkest plum, more accessible and sweeter than the '05 Silistria. In mouth there is good red and black fruit tending to plummy richness, with an intriguing allspice suggestion perhaps from oak. It is not as fragrant a wine as the 2005 Bullnose, and is slightly more acid, but it has plenty of richness to develop on. Promising. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $55 [ screwcap; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Ruby, light carmine and velvet, a bit big and loud for pinot noir. Bouquet on this wine is forceful, with pennyroyal and lawsoniana aromatics aggravated by spirit and fragrant oak, all on big peachy and plummy fruit. This is getting perilously close to the new world fruit bomb style. Flavours on palate just redeem it: concentrated black cherries are exciting, noticeable new oak, yet a total flavour package which is clearly varietal. A lot of marrying-down to happen here, in a very new world winestyle, but all just the right side of the line (except the alcohol). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/04
Ruby, light carmine and velvet, a bit big and loud for pinot noir. Bouquet on this wine is forceful, with pennyroyal and lawsoniana aromatics aggravated by spirit and fragrant oak, all on big peachy and plummy fruit. This is getting perilously close to the new world fruit bomb style. Flavours on palate just redeem it: concentrated black cherries are exciting, noticeable new oak, yet a total flavour package which is clearly varietal. A lot of marrying-down to happen here, in a very new world winestyle, but all just the right side of the line (except the alcohol). Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 49%, Me 26, Ma 17, CF 8, 65% hand-harvested, balance machine @ < 2.5 t/ac, average vine age 11 years; 70% French oak, 30 US, 1/3 new, 1/3 one-year and 1/3 two-year; coarse-filtered only; c. 1000 cases; Halliday: Excellent clear colour; aromatic juicy berry fruits seamlessly interwoven with spicy oak; has length and great overall finesse; GK: 18.5; www.forrestwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly below midway in depth. Bouquet is classic classed Medoc, nearly floral, clear cassis, a lot of oak, astonishingly like the Lafite it sat against, while blind. As with all the New Zealand wines, palate is fresher and less evolved than the Bordeaux, more pure (which could be called one-dimensional if one were so a-minded), with apparent cassis and oak. This wine does not have the saturation of berry The Gimblett shows, and is a little firmer and oakier than the Lafite. Otherwise, the degree of similarity between the two wines is staggering. One slight difference is a lovely touch of black pepper hinting at syrah, like The Gimblett. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, clearly below midway in depth. Bouquet is classic classed Medoc, nearly floral, clear cassis, a lot of oak, astonishingly like the Lafite it sat against, while blind. As with all the New Zealand wines, palate is fresher and less evolved than the Bordeaux, more pure (which could be called one-dimensional if one were so a-minded), with apparent cassis and oak. This wine does not have the saturation of berry The Gimblett shows, and is a little firmer and oakier than the Lafite. Otherwise, the degree of similarity between the two wines is staggering. One slight difference is a lovely touch of black pepper hinting at syrah, like The Gimblett. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.2%; $60 [ cork 50mm; Sy 100% MS clone planted at an average 3,000 vines per hectare, and average age 20 years at harvest, all hand-picked at 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; 30% whole-bunches retained, no cold soak, cultured-yeast ferments; 20 days cuvaison, MLF in tank; 16 months in French oak, 30% new; sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract withheld; production 49 x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 698 g; M. Cooper, 2019: Built for cellaring, this old-vine Gimblett Gravels red was barrique-matured. Deep and bright in colour, with a fragrant, plummy, peppery bouquet, it is a full-bodied, clearly varietal wine that is concentrated, savoury, complex and structured, *****; www.smithandsheth.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. In one sense this wine smells like a mini-Le Sol, showing similar sweet floral notes on cassisy fruit, with a touch of (also sweet) black pepper, but all a size smaller. It is quite uncanny. Palate follows appropriately, but whereas Le Sol hints at the inky depths of the Gilles Robin, this wine is appreciably lighter and softer. In some ways it reminds also of the Trademark wine, but is not as floral or rich on palate. Oaking is subtle. This is another wine to closely match good Cote Rotie (English wine-writers notwithstanding): it should be marvellously accessible, and good with food. Again tasters did not warm to this lighter, more fragrant, syrah variant as much as I did, so no favourite votes. Clearly I need to present more Cote Rotie Library Tastings. Cellar 10 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 11/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. In one sense this wine smells like a mini-Le Sol, showing similar sweet floral notes on cassisy fruit, with a touch of (also sweet) black pepper, but all a size smaller. It is quite uncanny. Palate follows appropriately, but whereas Le Sol hints at the inky depths of the Gilles Robin, this wine is appreciably lighter and softer. In some ways it reminds also of the Trademark wine, but is not as floral or rich on palate. Oaking is subtle. This is another wine to closely match good Cote Rotie (English wine-writers notwithstanding): it should be marvellously accessible, and good with food. Again tasters did not warm to this lighter, more fragrant, syrah variant as much as I did, so no favourite votes. Clearly I need to present more Cote Rotie Library Tastings. Cellar 10 – 15 maybe 20 years. GK 11/19
Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; no info on '05 on website, presumably not yet released; www.quartzreef.co.nz ]
Big ruby and velvet, deeper than the standard Quartz Reef, one of the darkest. This wine is as rich, if not richer, than the standard wine, with dense black cherry flavours, all made more aromatic on a higher percentage of new oak (I assume). It is oakier than the Peregrine Pinnacle, of similar richness, but not quite so floral. This will appeal greatly to those liking a firmer and oakier pinot. However with the relatively lesser showing of the older Block 5 Felton Road wines in the Conference proper, one must be uneasy about more oaky Otago examples of this subtle variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Big ruby and velvet, deeper than the standard Quartz Reef, one of the darkest. This wine is as rich, if not richer, than the standard wine, with dense black cherry flavours, all made more aromatic on a higher percentage of new oak (I assume). It is oakier than the Peregrine Pinnacle, of similar richness, but not quite so floral. This will appeal greatly to those liking a firmer and oakier pinot. However with the relatively lesser showing of the older Block 5 Felton Road wines in the Conference proper, one must be uneasy about more oaky Otago examples of this subtle variety. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; no info on '05 on website; www.olssens.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very fragrant, with noticeable aromatics as well as florals, on red and black cherry fruit, a little more oaky than some. Palate likewise is a little more oaky / tannic than the other top wines, but the flavours are beautifully cherry-based and otherwise well-balanced. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is very fragrant, with noticeable aromatics as well as florals, on red and black cherry fruit, a little more oaky than some. Palate likewise is a little more oaky / tannic than the other top wines, but the flavours are beautifully cherry-based and otherwise well-balanced. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $72 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed; 6 days cold soak; 16 days cuvaison; 14 months and MLF in barrel; not fined or filtered; www.mtdifficulty.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is more oaky than some of the top Otago wines, mingled with an interesting aromatic note and a faintly buttery (+ve) component in the aroma, on generalised berry. Palate brings the wine back into the Otago black cherry line, being rich, long, reasonably well balanced in a more oaky interpretation relative to the standard Mt Difficulty, long aftertaste. Cellar 5 – 12 years, but for purity of varietal expression, go for the standard wine. GK 01/07
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is more oaky than some of the top Otago wines, mingled with an interesting aromatic note and a faintly buttery (+ve) component in the aroma, on generalised berry. Palate brings the wine back into the Otago black cherry line, being rich, long, reasonably well balanced in a more oaky interpretation relative to the standard Mt Difficulty, long aftertaste. Cellar 5 – 12 years, but for purity of varietal expression, go for the standard wine. GK 01/07
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $37 [ screwcap; clones 10/5 and others, up to 8 years, harvested @ 2.4 t/ac; 5% whole bunch, 5 days cold soak, up to 20 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 35% new; coarse filtration only; Robinson '05: Deep blueish crimson. Firm, spicy opulent fruit on the nose. Lots of structure. Extremely fruity and winning. 18; www.carrick.co.nz ]
Big pinot noir ruby, a wash of velvet. Bouquet is delightful floral and blackfruits pinot, with good boronia analogies, all deep and attractive. Palate however is a bit abrupt at this stage, good fruit richness, but quite a load tannins, though they are pleasantly ripe. I liked this wine more than some commentators, one referring to it as 'foursquare'. All it needs is cellaring, I think, and once the tannins crust, a more supple and fragrant burgundian pinot will emerge. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Big pinot noir ruby, a wash of velvet. Bouquet is delightful floral and blackfruits pinot, with good boronia analogies, all deep and attractive. Palate however is a bit abrupt at this stage, good fruit richness, but quite a load tannins, though they are pleasantly ripe. I liked this wine more than some commentators, one referring to it as 'foursquare'. All it needs is cellaring, I think, and once the tannins crust, a more supple and fragrant burgundian pinot will emerge. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $39 [ cork; clones 10/5 and others, up to 23 years, harvested @ 1.9 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, up to 8 days cold soak, wild yeast, 28 days cuvaison; 18 months in French oak 50% new; not fined or filtered; Robinson '05: Unusually Burgundian wine made from Burgundian clones planted above the valley floor. Very subtle nose and palate and obviously an ambitious but sensitive hand in the winery. Impressive. 18.5; www.dogpoint.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, some velvet, a close match to the Chambertin. Bouquet is intriguingly floral, with a lighter fraction to the florals, the buddleia and daphne-like aromas blending with deeper boronia and violets, plus a savoury threshold trace of brett. Palate by analogy shows some lighter blackboy fruit, with red cherries as well as black, fragrant new oak, and superb texture as if elevage included lees stirring, all very burgundian. This is one of the best Marlborough pinots so far, ripe all through, and not alcoholic. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Pinot noir ruby, some velvet, a close match to the Chambertin. Bouquet is intriguingly floral, with a lighter fraction to the florals, the buddleia and daphne-like aromas blending with deeper boronia and violets, plus a savoury threshold trace of brett. Palate by analogy shows some lighter blackboy fruit, with red cherries as well as black, fragrant new oak, and superb texture as if elevage included lees stirring, all very burgundian. This is one of the best Marlborough pinots so far, ripe all through, and not alcoholic. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Tierra de Castilla, Castilla-la-Mancha, Spain: 14.5%; $20 [ cork 46mm; DFB; Te 65% 40 years old, Sy 25, CS 10, both 10 years old, all grown at 700m; 12 months in American and French oak, some new, followed by 6 months in concrete vat; www.bodegas-barreda.com ]
Ruby and velvet, quite dense, the second deepest 'syrah' wine, clearly older than the Villa Anniversary. Bouquet is very different here, as befits a wine made primarily from tempranillo. There is a fragrant grapeyness, plus a warm 'rabbit guts' quality to it which is more winey than it sounds, in a lovely red fruits more than black context. The bouquet is basically tempranillo and American oak, I would think, sweet, ripe and intriguing. Palate builds on the bouquet beautifully, the wine showing the combination of richness and suppleness which good tempranillo so often displays, and the oak though fragrant and noticeable is not at all phenolic. Spanish magic. So where does the syrah come in ? There is a spiciness to the palate which could be black pepper, and checking back through the wine, perhaps the unusual bouquet reflects syrah 'fighting' with the tempranillo, at this stage. The actual palate structure is very like the Bullnose, soft and lovely. I suspect this will age into a distinctive Spanish beauty, intensely fragrant, rich, yet not tannic, as good tempranillo used to be in the 50s and 60s, before modern tastes demanded overt oak. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. A wine from The Wine Importer, and already sold-out. GK 03/15
Ruby and velvet, quite dense, the second deepest 'syrah' wine, clearly older than the Villa Anniversary. Bouquet is very different here, as befits a wine made primarily from tempranillo. There is a fragrant grapeyness, plus a warm 'rabbit guts' quality to it which is more winey than it sounds, in a lovely red fruits more than black context. The bouquet is basically tempranillo and American oak, I would think, sweet, ripe and intriguing. Palate builds on the bouquet beautifully, the wine showing the combination of richness and suppleness which good tempranillo so often displays, and the oak though fragrant and noticeable is not at all phenolic. Spanish magic. So where does the syrah come in ? There is a spiciness to the palate which could be black pepper, and checking back through the wine, perhaps the unusual bouquet reflects syrah 'fighting' with the tempranillo, at this stage. The actual palate structure is very like the Bullnose, soft and lovely. I suspect this will age into a distinctive Spanish beauty, intensely fragrant, rich, yet not tannic, as good tempranillo used to be in the 50s and 60s, before modern tastes demanded overt oak. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe longer. A wine from The Wine Importer, and already sold-out. GK 03/15
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; Sy 100%; hand-harvested, de-stemmed; extended cuvaison 3 + weeks, followed by 15 months in new and older French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet, a flush of garnet. There is a soft ripe warmth to this wine which is more South Australian or southern Rhone, a spicy plummy but less aromatic and cassisy version of syrah. By French standards, one could say it is over-ripe. Palate is rich, not explicitly syrah maybe, but it fits into the tasting well, soft and velvety, a little gamey, and unlike most Australian examples of the grape at similar ripeness, the oaking is elegant, complementary, not in any way dominating. Only on the aftertaste does one pause and think, yes, some cracked pepper, it is syrah. This is approaching full maturity, and will hold for 5 – 8 years, I think. GK 10/05
Ruby, some velvet, a flush of garnet. There is a soft ripe warmth to this wine which is more South Australian or southern Rhone, a spicy plummy but less aromatic and cassisy version of syrah. By French standards, one could say it is over-ripe. Palate is rich, not explicitly syrah maybe, but it fits into the tasting well, soft and velvety, a little gamey, and unlike most Australian examples of the grape at similar ripeness, the oaking is elegant, complementary, not in any way dominating. Only on the aftertaste does one pause and think, yes, some cracked pepper, it is syrah. This is approaching full maturity, and will hold for 5 – 8 years, I think. GK 10/05
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.4%; $65 [ screwcap; CS 51%, Me 45, CF 4, hand-picked at 2.1 ± 0.3 t/ac; s/s ferment, then c.20 months in "predominantly" French oak 50% new; www.goldwater.co.nz ]
Ruby, a little deeper than the Goldwater Esslin. This wine is so northern Medoc in approach, Potensac or Senejac maybe, fragrant and nearly floral, the cassisy cabernet showing through. Palate is firm, a touch riper with darker red fruits than the Esslin, in the lean and elegant style Kim Goldwater set out to achieve, yet ripe. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, a little deeper than the Goldwater Esslin. This wine is so northern Medoc in approach, Potensac or Senejac maybe, fragrant and nearly floral, the cassisy cabernet showing through. Palate is firm, a touch riper with darker red fruits than the Esslin, in the lean and elegant style Kim Goldwater set out to achieve, yet ripe. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/08
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ supercritical 'cork'; 25 days cuvaison including 3 cold soak; c. 12 months in 50% new oak, 90% French, 10 American ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah / Viognier. This wine benefits from decanting, to reveal such a fragrant bouquet that (in the blind tasting) one wonders if there is some viognier in it. Not so, apparently. Both bouquet and palate suggest cassis and blueberry, with attractive wood-handling, which is both subtle and very clean, plus firm acid. There are people out there who dismiss all Waiheke reds so far as not worth considering, since some wines show brett character to greater or lesser degree. This view overlooks the fact that the average wine drinker likes brett complexity (as does the London wine trade), so it is a bit vexing to Waiheke winemakers to be told your favourite red is contemptible, due to a technical fault which may be of academic significance only. Anyway, Awaroa seems to be one winery that has sorted this issue, so doubters should seek out their fine pure recent syrahs. Mail order, mainly. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, similar in weight to the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah / Viognier. This wine benefits from decanting, to reveal such a fragrant bouquet that (in the blind tasting) one wonders if there is some viognier in it. Not so, apparently. Both bouquet and palate suggest cassis and blueberry, with attractive wood-handling, which is both subtle and very clean, plus firm acid. There are people out there who dismiss all Waiheke reds so far as not worth considering, since some wines show brett character to greater or lesser degree. This view overlooks the fact that the average wine drinker likes brett complexity (as does the London wine trade), so it is a bit vexing to Waiheke winemakers to be told your favourite red is contemptible, due to a technical fault which may be of academic significance only. Anyway, Awaroa seems to be one winery that has sorted this issue, so doubters should seek out their fine pure recent syrahs. Mail order, mainly. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/08
Ay, Champagne, France: 12%; $204 [ cork; Ch 100%; www.champagne-billecart.fr ]
Paleish lemon, one of the lightest. Bouquet is obviously a chardonnay-dominant wine, showing chablis-like fruit complexed by clearcut baguette crust autolysis. There is the faintest hint of toasty complexity, citric aromas, and the MLF component, adding depth. Palate is firm, again clearly chardonnay, tending acid, lowish dosage, the citric notes increasing. As for the bouquet, within the pale purity of chardonnay there are subtle complexity flavours, button mushrooms, best marzipan maybe. Not quite magical, but very good, good dry extract, and more-ish as one tries to pin down the many subtle flavours. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 12/06
Paleish lemon, one of the lightest. Bouquet is obviously a chardonnay-dominant wine, showing chablis-like fruit complexed by clearcut baguette crust autolysis. There is the faintest hint of toasty complexity, citric aromas, and the MLF component, adding depth. Palate is firm, again clearly chardonnay, tending acid, lowish dosage, the citric notes increasing. As for the bouquet, within the pale purity of chardonnay there are subtle complexity flavours, button mushrooms, best marzipan maybe. Not quite magical, but very good, good dry extract, and more-ish as one tries to pin down the many subtle flavours. Cellar 5 – 20 + years. GK 12/06
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $36 [ cork; Ch 100%, mostly mendoza clone, hand-harvested, lees contact in tank, followed by just over 3 years en tirage; dosage not given on website; www.pernod-ricard-nz.com ]
Lemon, one of the palest in the batch. Bouquet is clearly in the chardonnay / blanc de blancs style, with a greater depth of autolysis than the Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs – more baguette crust than crumb, and with a delicate hint of popcorn (+ve). Palate is similarly more sophisticated than the Lindauer version, the fruit much the same but showing more autolysis and less residual / dosage, all a little crisper (though not as brut as the top French). This will cellar 5 – 15 years too. Like the Hunter’s Miru Miru Reserve 2002, this is another clear illustration of just how good New Zealand sparkling wine is going to be. GK 12/06
Lemon, one of the palest in the batch. Bouquet is clearly in the chardonnay / blanc de blancs style, with a greater depth of autolysis than the Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs – more baguette crust than crumb, and with a delicate hint of popcorn (+ve). Palate is similarly more sophisticated than the Lindauer version, the fruit much the same but showing more autolysis and less residual / dosage, all a little crisper (though not as brut as the top French). This will cellar 5 – 15 years too. Like the Hunter’s Miru Miru Reserve 2002, this is another clear illustration of just how good New Zealand sparkling wine is going to be. GK 12/06
Tours-sur-Marne, Champagne, France: 12%; $112 [ cork; Ch 55%, PN 45; www.laurent-perrier.fr ]
Lemon to pale lemonstraw. Bouquet on this bubbly shows clearcut influence of red cherry pinot noir, along with a clear toasty note akin to barrel-fermented chardonnay. A highly sensitive taster might find a subliminal whisper of mercaptan, but for most, it is ‘toasty’. Palate is one of the gentler ones, good cherry fruit, attractive softish acid, lingering long on cherry and baguette flavours, mainstream dosage. Just lacks the magic and purity of the Pol Roger. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/06
Lemon to pale lemonstraw. Bouquet on this bubbly shows clearcut influence of red cherry pinot noir, along with a clear toasty note akin to barrel-fermented chardonnay. A highly sensitive taster might find a subliminal whisper of mercaptan, but for most, it is ‘toasty’. Palate is one of the gentler ones, good cherry fruit, attractive softish acid, lingering long on cherry and baguette flavours, mainstream dosage. Just lacks the magic and purity of the Pol Roger. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 12/06
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $ – [ cork; 100% Sy, wine bought-in immediately post-fermentation, suppliers included Verset and Michel; made from 80 and 100-year old vines, 24 months in new oak; not filtered; R. Parker: There is no need to worry about the harmony among the diverse elements in the spectacularly black/purple-colored 1998 Cornas Vieilles Vignes (125 cases produced). It boasts an extraordinary bouquet of violets, truffles, black raspberries, cassis, and blackberries. Super-rich and extremely full-bodied (it achieved 13% natural alcohol), this profound Cornas needs 5-6 years of cellaring, and will keep for 20-25 years. An amazing effort! 92 – 94. L.-Learmonth rates this wine 5-stars (in a 6-star system, and 5 rarely given); www.tardieu-laurent.com ]
Ruby and appreciable garnet, older than expected. Bouquet is dramatically Rhone syrah, pinpoint wallflower / dianthus florals augmented by some brett, plus crisp cassis, all very fragrant indeed. Palate contrasts with the Courbis Eygats, being much leaner than expected for this negociant, just a hint of stalkyness, but a gorgeous flavour. Though it will keep for some years, it will become leaner and stalkier, so best to start using. Cellar 2 – 5 years, say. GK 03/08
Ruby and appreciable garnet, older than expected. Bouquet is dramatically Rhone syrah, pinpoint wallflower / dianthus florals augmented by some brett, plus crisp cassis, all very fragrant indeed. Palate contrasts with the Courbis Eygats, being much leaner than expected for this negociant, just a hint of stalkyness, but a gorgeous flavour. Though it will keep for some years, it will become leaner and stalkier, so best to start using. Cellar 2 – 5 years, say. GK 03/08
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; clone mendoza predominates, mostly hand-harvested; most of the juice is wild-yeast fermented in French oak with a small percentage new, a smaller percentage starts fermentation inoculated in s/s, but all of it completes fermentation in barrel; most of the wine through MLF; 12 months LA and some batonnage in barrel, then a further month or two in barrel; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw, younger than the 2005 Felton, older than the 2005 Parr & Simpson. This is a less subtle chardonnay than the 2006 wine, primarily on account of the prominent charred oak quality, which is a little more acrid than the Felton wine. But the fruit quality and richness is so good, it is not hard to forgive it this artefact character, and indeed many people actively like it, finding it walnutty. Palate likewise is oakier than some wines here, but the great fruit wraps it all up attractively into a buttered-Vogel's-toast rich chardonnay, more mature naturally than the 2006, but still with lots of life. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 03/08
Lemonstraw, younger than the 2005 Felton, older than the 2005 Parr & Simpson. This is a less subtle chardonnay than the 2006 wine, primarily on account of the prominent charred oak quality, which is a little more acrid than the Felton wine. But the fruit quality and richness is so good, it is not hard to forgive it this artefact character, and indeed many people actively like it, finding it walnutty. Palate likewise is oakier than some wines here, but the great fruit wraps it all up attractively into a buttered-Vogel's-toast rich chardonnay, more mature naturally than the 2006, but still with lots of life. Cellar 1 – 5 years. GK 03/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.8%; $100 [ cork; hand-picked @ c. 1 t/ac; whole-bunch pressed, 100% BF with wild yeasts in French oak 100% new; 100% MLF, and 15 months LA and batonnage; pH 3.6; www.trinityhill.com ]
Straw flushed with gold. Bouquet is rich, dramatically mendoza / golden queen peach, fully mature but beautifully complexed with mealy lees-autolysis, barrel fermentation, and MLF into a toasted Vogel's wholegrain bouquet. Palate shows the fruit at fractionally past peak maturity, total golden queen, still mouth-filling and rich, just starting to dry a little – partly because of the very high alcohol. Verging on an OTT chardonnay, lots to like but not the finesse the price almost demands. Drink up. GK 10/07
Straw flushed with gold. Bouquet is rich, dramatically mendoza / golden queen peach, fully mature but beautifully complexed with mealy lees-autolysis, barrel fermentation, and MLF into a toasted Vogel's wholegrain bouquet. Palate shows the fruit at fractionally past peak maturity, total golden queen, still mouth-filling and rich, just starting to dry a little – partly because of the very high alcohol. Verging on an OTT chardonnay, lots to like but not the finesse the price almost demands. Drink up. GK 10/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; no info on winery ]
Lemongreen. Bouquet is clear-cut ripe sauvignon blanc, ripened almost past red capsicum to honeysuckle, black passionfruit and stonefruit. It is very fragrant, as if a dash of riesling has been blended in (which can work well with sauvignon, augmenting the honeysuckle notes of really ripe sauvignon). Palate shows good fruit richness, in a pure stainless steel wine contrasting well with the Culley, yet it is equally good. Finish is dryer than most Marlborough sauvignons, approaching nil residual sugar, yet the wine is not too acid. Great drinking. Cellar 3 – 8 years, as desired. GK 03/06
Lemongreen. Bouquet is clear-cut ripe sauvignon blanc, ripened almost past red capsicum to honeysuckle, black passionfruit and stonefruit. It is very fragrant, as if a dash of riesling has been blended in (which can work well with sauvignon, augmenting the honeysuckle notes of really ripe sauvignon). Palate shows good fruit richness, in a pure stainless steel wine contrasting well with the Culley, yet it is equally good. Finish is dryer than most Marlborough sauvignons, approaching nil residual sugar, yet the wine is not too acid. Great drinking. Cellar 3 – 8 years, as desired. GK 03/06
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.8%; $45 [ supercritical cork; hand-picked; fermented in French oak cuves; 11 months in French oak 30% new; dry extract 30.2 g/L, RS < 1 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, not too different from Kupe in hue and weight. In the blind tasting of 13 pinots, this was my fifth of the top five, and those five were all Escarpment – an astonishing performance for the label. Total style and achievement is incredibly close to the individual vineyard and Kupe reserve wines – the wine only missing out on gold pointing by a whisker, and in other company could easily point to that level. My notes and score this time were uncannily similar to the October review (not checked before the tasting), which is always a pleasant outcome from a blind tasting. That was dated 10/07. GK 03/08
Good pinot noir ruby, not too different from Kupe in hue and weight. In the blind tasting of 13 pinots, this was my fifth of the top five, and those five were all Escarpment – an astonishing performance for the label. Total style and achievement is incredibly close to the individual vineyard and Kupe reserve wines – the wine only missing out on gold pointing by a whisker, and in other company could easily point to that level. My notes and score this time were uncannily similar to the October review (not checked before the tasting), which is always a pleasant outcome from a blind tasting. That was dated 10/07. GK 03/08
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $33 [ screwcap; mostly hand-picked; some wild-yeast fermentations; mostly BF in mostly older French oak; 12 months full LA; www.cloudybay.co.nz ]
Full straw, developed for its age. Bouquet is complexed on extended lees-autolysis, in a Puligny style (loosely speaking) with considerable breadcrust character, on stonefruit chardonnay. Palate is really stonefruit, golden queen peaches, the mealy autolysis rich and delicious, but again the whole wine too forward. Cellar 1 – 3 years only, probably, for the flavours are softening already. GK 03/07
Full straw, developed for its age. Bouquet is complexed on extended lees-autolysis, in a Puligny style (loosely speaking) with considerable breadcrust character, on stonefruit chardonnay. Palate is really stonefruit, golden queen peaches, the mealy autolysis rich and delicious, but again the whole wine too forward. Cellar 1 – 3 years only, probably, for the flavours are softening already. GK 03/07
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12%; $35 [ supercritical cork; PN & Ch 50% each, hand-picked; 50% BF French oak, balance s/s; 3 years en tirage; RS 6 g/L; www.highfield.co.nz ]
Straw. Bouquet has attractive and clear-cut autolysis, a bit more 'wholegrain' than white baguette crust, subtly reflecting the barrel-ferment component, delightful. Palate is fresh, rich, clearly brut, tasting chardonnay-dominant at this stage, again with very attractive autolysis complexity, and lovely acid balance, not too tart. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Straw. Bouquet has attractive and clear-cut autolysis, a bit more 'wholegrain' than white baguette crust, subtly reflecting the barrel-ferment component, delightful. Palate is fresh, rich, clearly brut, tasting chardonnay-dominant at this stage, again with very attractive autolysis complexity, and lovely acid balance, not too tart. Cellar 2 – 10 years. GK 03/07
Lenswood, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia: 14%; $89 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 88%, CS 12; Halliday rates Adelaide Hills 8 /10 in 2004; www.henschke.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, older than the Henry's Seven. Bouquet is completely astonishing, a real merlot from Australia. There are suggestions of florals and pipe tobacco on deeply plummy fruit, plus a touch of dark chocolate from the oak. It is not euc'y, though. Palate is fresh, crisp on acid adjustment in the Australian way but not overdone, a little oaky in youth, but attractively berry-fruited. Aftertaste is long and lovely, varietal, lingering on the fruit. Anyone who objects to the trace of complexing brett in this wine is too picky. This is that rare concept, an Australian bordeaux-blend worthy of running in international tastings of the style. Cellar 5 – 15 years at least. GK 02/08
Ruby and velvet, older than the Henry's Seven. Bouquet is completely astonishing, a real merlot from Australia. There are suggestions of florals and pipe tobacco on deeply plummy fruit, plus a touch of dark chocolate from the oak. It is not euc'y, though. Palate is fresh, crisp on acid adjustment in the Australian way but not overdone, a little oaky in youth, but attractively berry-fruited. Aftertaste is long and lovely, varietal, lingering on the fruit. Anyone who objects to the trace of complexing brett in this wine is too picky. This is that rare concept, an Australian bordeaux-blend worthy of running in international tastings of the style. Cellar 5 – 15 years at least. GK 02/08
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14%; $275 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Good ruby and some velvet, older than the 2006, below midway in depth. This is another edition on the smaller side, and more forward than some older vintages. Bouquet is nearly floral (though oak vanillin is contributing), with bright berry character hinting at cassis, more clearly dark bottled plums, plus just the beginning of some secondary characters. Palate brings up the oak rather much, with suggestions of the leathery fruit / oak interaction character which detracts from the Chapoutier winestyle, for me, but there is fair berry too, and quite good length. One person rated this their top wine of the first flight, but two their least. It is a slightly shorter-term cellar prospect, 5 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 91. GK 10/18
Good ruby and some velvet, older than the 2006, below midway in depth. This is another edition on the smaller side, and more forward than some older vintages. Bouquet is nearly floral (though oak vanillin is contributing), with bright berry character hinting at cassis, more clearly dark bottled plums, plus just the beginning of some secondary characters. Palate brings up the oak rather much, with suggestions of the leathery fruit / oak interaction character which detracts from the Chapoutier winestyle, for me, but there is fair berry too, and quite good length. One person rated this their top wine of the first flight, but two their least. It is a slightly shorter-term cellar prospect, 5 – 20 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 91. GK 10/18
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $307 [ cork, 50mm; Sy 100%; cropping and wine-making details as in the introductory ‘Background’ section; www.chapoutier.com ]
Good ruby, a little garnet too, in the fourth quarter for depth. Bouquet shows one of the fresher wines in the second flight, with clear plummy berry and a suggestion of blueberry too, and oak not too prominent. Palate brings up the oak more, hints of the leathery Chapoutier factor, in a quite good weight of fruit finishing on an unexpected acid streak. This seems a richer wine than the 2006, more like the 2007. It was well-liked in the second flight, two first places, five second. The 1997 is some way along its plateau of maturity, cellar 5 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 88. GK 10/18
Good ruby, a little garnet too, in the fourth quarter for depth. Bouquet shows one of the fresher wines in the second flight, with clear plummy berry and a suggestion of blueberry too, and oak not too prominent. Palate brings up the oak more, hints of the leathery Chapoutier factor, in a quite good weight of fruit finishing on an unexpected acid streak. This seems a richer wine than the 2006, more like the 2007. It was well-liked in the second flight, two first places, five second. The 1997 is some way along its plateau of maturity, cellar 5 – 15 years. Wine Spectator quality rating for the vintage 88. GK 10/18
Gimblett Gravels mainly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $27 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all de-stemmed; MLF and c. 16 months in oak; RS nil; Catalogue: Black pepper, spice, violet and cherry aromas lead into a palate showing intensity and purity of fruit. This Hawkes Bay Syrah is defined, balanced and well-supported with fine-grained tannins. … will cellar well for at least five years; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter and less oak-affected than the Reserve. Bouquet is delightfully varietal, explicit dianthus and wallflower florals and almost roses, clear pepper, attractive cassis, great purity. In mouth the wine is not as rich as the Reserve, but the varietal character is still exciting, on a slightly fresher finish with much less oak. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, brighter and less oak-affected than the Reserve. Bouquet is delightfully varietal, explicit dianthus and wallflower florals and almost roses, clear pepper, attractive cassis, great purity. In mouth the wine is not as rich as the Reserve, but the varietal character is still exciting, on a slightly fresher finish with much less oak. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $65 [ screwcap; CS 80%, Me 20, 53% hand-picked from c.13-year old vines cropped @ 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 19 months in French oak c.50% new; RS nil g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production 500 x 9-L cases; release date not yet decided; www.vidal.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet, the second to lightest. Bouquet is intriguing, beautifully sweet vanillin, floral and fragrant, at the blind stage the mind idly noting … hmmm … Coleraine style ... . The purity is great, red roses, almost a pinot noir delight to the wine, red fruits more than black. In mouth one is not quite so sure, the wine showing lovely elegance and balance, but it seems lighter and less substantial than is desired in a cabernet / merlot cellar wine. But on checking, notwithstanding the low cropping rate it seems about the same weight as Coleraine, and that wine has shown that size and weight alone do not predicate cellar worthiness. Intriguing, one thing is for sure with its subtle oak handling, this will be a good food wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, some velvet, the second to lightest. Bouquet is intriguing, beautifully sweet vanillin, floral and fragrant, at the blind stage the mind idly noting … hmmm … Coleraine style ... . The purity is great, red roses, almost a pinot noir delight to the wine, red fruits more than black. In mouth one is not quite so sure, the wine showing lovely elegance and balance, but it seems lighter and less substantial than is desired in a cabernet / merlot cellar wine. But on checking, notwithstanding the low cropping rate it seems about the same weight as Coleraine, and that wine has shown that size and weight alone do not predicate cellar worthiness. Intriguing, one thing is for sure with its subtle oak handling, this will be a good food wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Clare Valley, Australia: 13%; $ – [ screwcap; was $47; vineyard at 460m; 2002 was an exceptional year in South Australia, the Clare Valley whites rated 10/10 by James Halliday (rare); J. Grosset at release: All the indications are that, with time, this will come to be regarded as the greatest Polish Hill Riesling of them all … intense lime aromas; tight, focused and lean with minerally, slatey, lime juice flavours and racy, bracing lingering acidity … austere … coiled power, varietal purity …and Polish Hill’s characteristic steely backbone. Jancis Robinson, 2013: Very lightly honeyed nose but very low key nose at first - worryingly so. Bone dry. Austere. A bit fruitless at first but it grew in the glass to provide a very vibrant, delineated - still bone dry - mouthful of refined dry grapefruit flavour. Super clean, 17.5; James Halliday: Light straw-green; the toasty but discreet bouquet has crisp apple and mineral notes, but is far from flamboyant; the palate is already offering much more power than the bouquet, with flavours running through from apple to lime and a long finish, 95; the website is sparing with factual information; www.grosset.com.au ]
Lemon, the third to youngest. Bouquet is very much Australian riesling, a warmer climate aroma, with much vanillin and clear terpenes reminiscent of lager hops, but lacking the delicate cool-climate white-flowers complexity notes of the Howard Park and the Glover. Palate is still youthful, still riesling austere, perhaps some added acid, the texture not quite matching the 1984 Grosset, hints of lime and citrus. This should develop well, as dry Clare Valley riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Lemon, the third to youngest. Bouquet is very much Australian riesling, a warmer climate aroma, with much vanillin and clear terpenes reminiscent of lager hops, but lacking the delicate cool-climate white-flowers complexity notes of the Howard Park and the Glover. Palate is still youthful, still riesling austere, perhaps some added acid, the texture not quite matching the 1984 Grosset, hints of lime and citrus. This should develop well, as dry Clare Valley riesling. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 03/14
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14.1%; $ – [ cork; CS 61, Me 23, CF 9, Ma 4, PV 3, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in French 60% and American oak c. 40% new; the middle wine of the three tiers, with less pressings than Magna Praemia and a greater role sought from merlot; great info on website; price not given, since like Stonyridge Larose it is complex, and primarily aimed at the serious wine-lover who will buy 6 or more bottles before release on an en primeur basis, similarly to the Bordeaux procedure. The en primeur price is half or slightly more the final retail price, details via website under 'Patron Club'. The point of difference from Bordeaux is that there, reliable tasters from both sides of the Atlantic report on the wines, and the prospective buyer can identify with a taster who matches the buyer's taste preferences, and act accordingly. In New Zealand that quality of guidance is not readily achievable. It is best therefore to give the price as a range: $80 – $150; www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, a little deeper and younger than the Magna Praemia. Bouquet is very fragrant, with a clear citrus component reminiscent of Riserva Spanish reds with American oak. Below are complex berry suggestions including blueberry, confusing. Flavours are delicious, soft supple berry fruit, juicier than Magna Praemia, long, seductive, not the authority of the top wine, however. Total style here is so outside the bordeaux or New Zealand cabernet / merlot square, it is hard to score. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, a little deeper and younger than the Magna Praemia. Bouquet is very fragrant, with a clear citrus component reminiscent of Riserva Spanish reds with American oak. Below are complex berry suggestions including blueberry, confusing. Flavours are delicious, soft supple berry fruit, juicier than Magna Praemia, long, seductive, not the authority of the top wine, however. Total style here is so outside the bordeaux or New Zealand cabernet / merlot square, it is hard to score. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $24 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ 1.5 – 2 t/ac, 100% de-stemmed, up to 6 hours cold-soak, 80% barrel-fermented in French oak 25% new, 40% of the total wine through MLF, 10 months LA and occasional batonnage; RS 1.8 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemon. Bouquet is simply beautiful, showing wonderful citrus and mock orange blossom aromas swirling from the glass, on an underpinning of yellow-ripe apricots and other stonefruits. This really demonstrates viognier. In mouth the richness is attractive but not compelling compared with the same firm's Reserve bottling, clearly yellow (though slightly austere) apricot flavours, the nett impression augmented by skilful palate enhancement via lees-autolysis and partial MLF-fermentation. This Villa Maria wine is dramatically more varietal but slightly less rich than the same-year Domaine J M Gerin Condrieu La Loye ($80), currently on Maison Vauron's books. It highlighted just how great the potential for viognier is in New Zealand, if our people would take the grape and winestyle seriously, taste good examples regularly, and stop growing the grape in places totally unsuited to it. Villa Maria have shown themselves to be the most skilful and enterprising viognier-makers in New Zealand, aided by a more reliable climate in their Gimblett Gravels vineyards than Passage Rock enjoy on Waiheke Island. Villa's wines have had an edge and depth of character and consistency which is impressive, relative to longer-standing players such as Te Mata, or Church Road latterly. Because of its acid balance and subtle MLF flavours (and I am guessing, the more familiar New Zealand style of the wine), this was seen by the group as the best viognier, on the day. Fully mature, hold a year or two only. GK 09/13
Lemon. Bouquet is simply beautiful, showing wonderful citrus and mock orange blossom aromas swirling from the glass, on an underpinning of yellow-ripe apricots and other stonefruits. This really demonstrates viognier. In mouth the richness is attractive but not compelling compared with the same firm's Reserve bottling, clearly yellow (though slightly austere) apricot flavours, the nett impression augmented by skilful palate enhancement via lees-autolysis and partial MLF-fermentation. This Villa Maria wine is dramatically more varietal but slightly less rich than the same-year Domaine J M Gerin Condrieu La Loye ($80), currently on Maison Vauron's books. It highlighted just how great the potential for viognier is in New Zealand, if our people would take the grape and winestyle seriously, taste good examples regularly, and stop growing the grape in places totally unsuited to it. Villa Maria have shown themselves to be the most skilful and enterprising viognier-makers in New Zealand, aided by a more reliable climate in their Gimblett Gravels vineyards than Passage Rock enjoy on Waiheke Island. Villa's wines have had an edge and depth of character and consistency which is impressive, relative to longer-standing players such as Te Mata, or Church Road latterly. Because of its acid balance and subtle MLF flavours (and I am guessing, the more familiar New Zealand style of the wine), this was seen by the group as the best viognier, on the day. Fully mature, hold a year or two only. GK 09/13
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; Sy 95%, Vi 5, hand-picked; cuvaison up to 21 days; 12 – 14 months in predominantly French oak, 35% new; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as fresh and dense as the standard syrah, as if more oak influence. Bouquet confirms that thought, wonderful berry, but a lot of very fragrant oak. Palate is rich in cassisy and plummy fruit, with significant oak and a trace of brett. There is a dark streak in this wine which adds depth and interest, though I'm not totally sure I like it, and the fruit richness is impressive. An intriguing choice to be made here, whether one invests in the standard wine or the Reserve. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as fresh and dense as the standard syrah, as if more oak influence. Bouquet confirms that thought, wonderful berry, but a lot of very fragrant oak. Palate is rich in cassisy and plummy fruit, with significant oak and a trace of brett. There is a dark streak in this wine which adds depth and interest, though I'm not totally sure I like it, and the fruit richness is impressive. An intriguing choice to be made here, whether one invests in the standard wine or the Reserve. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 10/12
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $78 [ cork; The Fromm winery and vineyard dates in concept from the late 1980s, and in practice from 1992, when Swiss wine man Georg Fromm set out with Swiss winemaker Hatsch Kalberer (then at Matawhero) to create an antipodean vineyard reflecting European practices rather than new world. The emphasis has been on closer planting than standard New Zealand practice, lower yields, and all hand-harvesting. Hatsch now has an associate winemaker Adam Balasoglou. In recent years Georg has been joined by two other Swiss partners, who now have more active day-to-day involvement. All vineyards are now certified organic, dating from 2013. The website does not appear to give any information on individual wines, but Adam advises the wine is all hand-picked fruit, wild-yeast fermentations with up to 30% whole berries, long cuvaison for pinot noir up to four weeks, then 16 – 18 months in larger barrels with only 10% new. RS is well below 1 g/L, dry extract not available; www.frommwinery.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, below midway. This wine stands out in the set as epitomising red cherry pinot. It smells of roses including tea-roses, without the aromatic complexity of boronia. The fruit quality is all red, a hint of strawberry and raspberry but centred firmly on red cherry, and thus contrasting beautifully with the 'cooler' red fruits of the Te Mania. In mouth it is identical, and there is a soft succulent charm to the wine which along with the red fruits, speaks clearly of Pommard. The oak component is very gentle, serious Pommard might have a greater oak structure in the wine, but the exact quality of the red pinot fruit without acid or stalk is exciting – hence the high score. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 06/14
Pinot noir ruby, below midway. This wine stands out in the set as epitomising red cherry pinot. It smells of roses including tea-roses, without the aromatic complexity of boronia. The fruit quality is all red, a hint of strawberry and raspberry but centred firmly on red cherry, and thus contrasting beautifully with the 'cooler' red fruits of the Te Mania. In mouth it is identical, and there is a soft succulent charm to the wine which along with the red fruits, speaks clearly of Pommard. The oak component is very gentle, serious Pommard might have a greater oak structure in the wine, but the exact quality of the red pinot fruit without acid or stalk is exciting – hence the high score. Cellar 2 – 8 years. GK 06/14
Cornas, Northern Rhone Valley, New Zealand: 13%; $110 [ cork; price is simple conversion from US$77; Sy 100% from vines 25 – 60 years age on granite; whole-bunch fermentation and c.14 days cuvaison; MLF and 18 months in French oak mostly foudre size, minimal new oak or none some years; Yapps describe the wine as showing: rugged tannins, which soften and sweeten with age; WA / Parker, 2007: ... zesty acidity, full-bodied power, and wonderful sweet blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with some smoke, scorched earth, and new saddle leather. It’s a beauty, rich, full ... 12-15 years. 92; no website found ]
Ruby and velvet, much the same as the d'Ampuis. What a joy virtually every bottle of Clape Cornas is, year in and year out, the essence of wine. For this vintage, bouquet is classic and traditional Cornas, clearly floral and cassisy syrah, beautifully subtle oak, and just a little brett to add savoury charm and complexity. Palate is not as rich as great years of Clape, being more the weight of the 2008 Bullnose (age allowed for), but fruit, acid and oak are in wonderful balance compared with even Bullnose. Quite apart from the quality of bouquet, noting this is a producer who does not de-stem his syrah, I wish our oak-obsessed winemakers would pay more attention to some of the subtler syrahs from the northern Rhone. Producers such as Clape who in some years buys no new oak at all, show what can be done with fine aromatic syrah grapes, whereas (in general) Australians use oak to make their over-ripe and hence bland shiraz more aromatic. In contrast, we like the Northern Rhone can (ideally) achieve real aromatics in the grape, and in the vineyard. Australian over-use of oak is therefore not something we need to emulate here. The (at best) pinot-like beauty of syrah is the aspect we need to optimise in New Zealand's climate. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/10
Ruby and velvet, much the same as the d'Ampuis. What a joy virtually every bottle of Clape Cornas is, year in and year out, the essence of wine. For this vintage, bouquet is classic and traditional Cornas, clearly floral and cassisy syrah, beautifully subtle oak, and just a little brett to add savoury charm and complexity. Palate is not as rich as great years of Clape, being more the weight of the 2008 Bullnose (age allowed for), but fruit, acid and oak are in wonderful balance compared with even Bullnose. Quite apart from the quality of bouquet, noting this is a producer who does not de-stem his syrah, I wish our oak-obsessed winemakers would pay more attention to some of the subtler syrahs from the northern Rhone. Producers such as Clape who in some years buys no new oak at all, show what can be done with fine aromatic syrah grapes, whereas (in general) Australians use oak to make their over-ripe and hence bland shiraz more aromatic. In contrast, we like the Northern Rhone can (ideally) achieve real aromatics in the grape, and in the vineyard. Australian over-use of oak is therefore not something we need to emulate here. The (at best) pinot-like beauty of syrah is the aspect we need to optimise in New Zealand's climate. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 01/10
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; up to 50% BF, only small percentage new oak, up to 50% MLF, 4 – 5 months LA; RS 4 g/L; 250 cases; ‘A full bodied partially barrel fermented Viognier with rich aromatics and lovely soft finish’; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Elegant pale lemon. Bouquet on this wine is enchantingly varietal, real citrus complexity including orange blossom and fresh-cut apricot, a hint of yellow honeysuckle, and lightest oak. Palate brings up the apricot delightfully, both fresh and canned and not over-ripe, the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components beautifully illustrating the need for these techniques if viognier is to have texture and palate complexity and satisfaction (given sufficient ripeness in the first place). Not a big or bold example of the grape, but absolutely of Condrieu quality, very more-ish and food-friendly, with a neat ‘dry’ finish. Some viogniers are exciting to taste, but quickly pall. This is one to drink right through the meal. Cellar to three years or so. GK 06/09
Elegant pale lemon. Bouquet on this wine is enchantingly varietal, real citrus complexity including orange blossom and fresh-cut apricot, a hint of yellow honeysuckle, and lightest oak. Palate brings up the apricot delightfully, both fresh and canned and not over-ripe, the barrel-ferment, lees-autolysis and MLF components beautifully illustrating the need for these techniques if viognier is to have texture and palate complexity and satisfaction (given sufficient ripeness in the first place). Not a big or bold example of the grape, but absolutely of Condrieu quality, very more-ish and food-friendly, with a neat ‘dry’ finish. Some viogniers are exciting to taste, but quickly pall. This is one to drink right through the meal. Cellar to three years or so. GK 06/09
Cote de Blancs, Champagne, France: 12%; $129 [ laminated champagne cork; Ch 100%, hand-picked from four vineyards, Le Mesnil, Avize, Cramant, Oger; all s/s elevation; full MLF; c.5 years en tirage; dosage c.5 g/L; www.champagne-peters.com ]
This is the most straw of the wines, deeper even than the Oubliée. Bouquet accordingly is much more developed, and much more Vogel's wholegrain, even a hint of toasted wholegrain, than even the Chétillons, almost worryingly so for a relatively recent vintage. There is just a trace of Marmite, marzipan and crushed wine biscuit, but it is subtle. In mouth however the richness of the wine makes you want to forgive everything: the body and length of flavour is impressive and seductive – until you go back to the Les Chétillons and see that L'Esprit is arguably a bit broad and developed for its age. This presumably reflects the warm season 2009 produced in Europe. This is less likely to cellar as well as the Extra Brut particularly, or Les Chétillons, offering instead some risk of becoming too flavourful, so perhaps 3 – 8 years might be best. GK 10/15
This is the most straw of the wines, deeper even than the Oubliée. Bouquet accordingly is much more developed, and much more Vogel's wholegrain, even a hint of toasted wholegrain, than even the Chétillons, almost worryingly so for a relatively recent vintage. There is just a trace of Marmite, marzipan and crushed wine biscuit, but it is subtle. In mouth however the richness of the wine makes you want to forgive everything: the body and length of flavour is impressive and seductive – until you go back to the Les Chétillons and see that L'Esprit is arguably a bit broad and developed for its age. This presumably reflects the warm season 2009 produced in Europe. This is less likely to cellar as well as the Extra Brut particularly, or Les Chétillons, offering instead some risk of becoming too flavourful, so perhaps 3 – 8 years might be best. GK 10/15
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ screwcap; PG 86%, Gw 6, Ri 5, Ch 3; 85% is the threshold for labelling the wine as a single varietal; most of the fruit hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed, and cool-fermented with solids, a small part in old oak; balance machine-picked, cool-fermented in s/s without solids, then put through MLF; RS 7.5 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw. I knew nothing of the background to this exciting New Zealand pinot gris when I tasted the wine. The websites are visited only at the stage of preparing the typescript. I will put the hand-written tasting notes in inverted commas totally unedited, because the background info above explains perfectly why a taster would be confused. "This is a hard wine to pin down, in a blind tasting with lots of rieslings and several viogniers, as well as pinot gris, chardonnay etc. The detail that raises this wine in the ranks is the pale white-ish / pink nectarine component, on both bouquet and flavour. This is a vast step forward on the innocuous New Zealand average of pearflesh and even nashi (vulgar) pinot gris interpretations. In mouth there is real body and presence, careful phenolics, perhaps a hint of MLF at a level that is compatible with the variety, and a ‘riesling-dry’ finish." I think it is fantastic that a top-notch winery such as Astrolabe is so open in telling us how it makes the wine, and then how it can offer such a thoughtful pinot gris at an appropriate bottle age, contrasting with the prematurely-released wines from most of the industry. It is great too that the firm is going to such lengths to make a silk purse out of a wine and grape that so commonly is lowest common denominator in New Zealand. And the price is good, too. This is the kind of wine that makes wine interpretation perilous, but fun. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Lemonstraw. I knew nothing of the background to this exciting New Zealand pinot gris when I tasted the wine. The websites are visited only at the stage of preparing the typescript. I will put the hand-written tasting notes in inverted commas totally unedited, because the background info above explains perfectly why a taster would be confused. "This is a hard wine to pin down, in a blind tasting with lots of rieslings and several viogniers, as well as pinot gris, chardonnay etc. The detail that raises this wine in the ranks is the pale white-ish / pink nectarine component, on both bouquet and flavour. This is a vast step forward on the innocuous New Zealand average of pearflesh and even nashi (vulgar) pinot gris interpretations. In mouth there is real body and presence, careful phenolics, perhaps a hint of MLF at a level that is compatible with the variety, and a ‘riesling-dry’ finish." I think it is fantastic that a top-notch winery such as Astrolabe is so open in telling us how it makes the wine, and then how it can offer such a thoughtful pinot gris at an appropriate bottle age, contrasting with the prematurely-released wines from most of the industry. It is great too that the firm is going to such lengths to make a silk purse out of a wine and grape that so commonly is lowest common denominator in New Zealand. And the price is good, too. This is the kind of wine that makes wine interpretation perilous, but fun. Cellar 2 – 5 years. GK 04/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $38 [ 45 mm supercritical cork (Diam); Ch 100%, 85% clone mendoza, hand-harvested; all BF with significant new oak; 100% MLF; 11 months in barrel, with lees work; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Lemon, exactly the same weight as the Neudorf but with a fresh green wash. Bouquet is tauter than the wines thus far reviewed, showing a tight integration of barrel-ferment, lees autolysis and pale chardonnay fruit which is closest to the Neudorf in style, and like the latter but slightly more so, has a thread of reduction. This is more apparent in this bottle than the wine shown in their release. It is pitched at a level just sufficient to get people using the trendy descriptor 'mineral', but not so much as to offend those sensitive to reduce sulphurs. It should marry away. Palate is firmer and narrower than the Neudorf Moutere, however, total acid seeming higher and (again) higher than I recollect it in the Te Mata release tasting. Dry extract is good without being exemplary, more like the Kumeu Estate. I expect this wine to fill out gracefully in bottle for at least another 10 years, maybe 15. GK 06/16
Lemon, exactly the same weight as the Neudorf but with a fresh green wash. Bouquet is tauter than the wines thus far reviewed, showing a tight integration of barrel-ferment, lees autolysis and pale chardonnay fruit which is closest to the Neudorf in style, and like the latter but slightly more so, has a thread of reduction. This is more apparent in this bottle than the wine shown in their release. It is pitched at a level just sufficient to get people using the trendy descriptor 'mineral', but not so much as to offend those sensitive to reduce sulphurs. It should marry away. Palate is firmer and narrower than the Neudorf Moutere, however, total acid seeming higher and (again) higher than I recollect it in the Te Mata release tasting. Dry extract is good without being exemplary, more like the Kumeu Estate. I expect this wine to fill out gracefully in bottle for at least another 10 years, maybe 15. GK 06/16
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $40 [ cork; Wine Importer; Sy 100%; Parker 156: … “wild aromatics … funky spices (pepper, allspice, and a hint of hash) jump from the glass of this dense ruby/purple-colored St.-Joseph. With airing, notes of licorice and sweet black currants … full-bodied, powerful, impressive red … 90–92” ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, middling in weight. Like nearly all Saint Cosme wines, this is immediately floral and fragrant on bouquet, but with an intriguing hint of spearmint amidst the herbes de Provence and carnations. Behind the florals are crisp cassis berries, and light new oak. Palate is aromatic cassis, not as rich as the Yann Chave pair, but similarly illustrating the aromatic beauty of the syrah grape when not over-ripened. No worries about 2003 being Australian-hot in the northern Rhone, on this evidence. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, middling in weight. Like nearly all Saint Cosme wines, this is immediately floral and fragrant on bouquet, but with an intriguing hint of spearmint amidst the herbes de Provence and carnations. Behind the florals are crisp cassis berries, and light new oak. Palate is aromatic cassis, not as rich as the Yann Chave pair, but similarly illustrating the aromatic beauty of the syrah grape when not over-ripened. No worries about 2003 being Australian-hot in the northern Rhone, on this evidence. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; CS 69%, Me 29, Ma 2; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a very attractive colour. This wine benefits from a swirl or two in glass, to reveal a mellow and gentle wine in a merlot cast, plummy and fragrant on bouquet, but with just a hint of something lesser around the oak – I can't find the right word without sounding too negative. Palate brings out some cassis, and oak, the wine tasting older than it looks, already mellowing nicely. The odd character does not presage anything negative, probably just an oak factor yet to marry in fully. The actual level of oak is higher than some, in the current Villa style, but well within bounds. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a very attractive colour. This wine benefits from a swirl or two in glass, to reveal a mellow and gentle wine in a merlot cast, plummy and fragrant on bouquet, but with just a hint of something lesser around the oak – I can't find the right word without sounding too negative. Palate brings out some cassis, and oak, the wine tasting older than it looks, already mellowing nicely. The odd character does not presage anything negative, probably just an oak factor yet to marry in fully. The actual level of oak is higher than some, in the current Villa style, but well within bounds. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.9%; $26 [ screwcap; Me 85%, CF 15, hand-picked, sorted; 16 months in 90% new and 10% one year barrels; 1260 cases; www.alluviale.com ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine. This is a fresher and more obviously new world Bordeaux blend than the Church Road and Mills Reef examples in this batch. In the blind tasting cassis is to the fore, notwithstanding the cepage, so the wine is confuseable with subtle syrah in its attractive florality. Palate is cassis and bottled dark plums, showing good richness, weight and flavour for its price-point. It therefore continues the trend set up under its previous Blake Family Vineyard ownership, and is one to seek out. The new owners include winemaker David Ramonteau-Chiros, a graduate of the University of Bordeaux, so the winestyles of that district are uppermost in his mind. The aromatics on this wine yet again remind us how exceptional merlot can be in New Zealand, and with a cepage as above, how closely wines like this can approach St Emilion or maybe Pomerol winestyles. Present evidence is more for the former. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/08
Ruby and velvet, some carmine. This is a fresher and more obviously new world Bordeaux blend than the Church Road and Mills Reef examples in this batch. In the blind tasting cassis is to the fore, notwithstanding the cepage, so the wine is confuseable with subtle syrah in its attractive florality. Palate is cassis and bottled dark plums, showing good richness, weight and flavour for its price-point. It therefore continues the trend set up under its previous Blake Family Vineyard ownership, and is one to seek out. The new owners include winemaker David Ramonteau-Chiros, a graduate of the University of Bordeaux, so the winestyles of that district are uppermost in his mind. The aromatics on this wine yet again remind us how exceptional merlot can be in New Zealand, and with a cepage as above, how closely wines like this can approach St Emilion or maybe Pomerol winestyles. Present evidence is more for the former. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/08
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Block 3 has somewhat more oak exposure than the standard wine, but less than Block 5, and can seem more balanced. Campbell 2008, 95: Although I often prefer the regular label to the “Block” wines on first release this tasting has shown the latters superiority after a few years in bottle. This is altogether better than the regular label with greater intensity, complexity and structure; Robinson 2009, 17: Very deep crimson still. Rather racy and still muscular. Lots of density and ripeness. Round and a little simple. Certainly not delicate! Bit of a block indeed!; www.feltonroad.com ]
Colour is deep going on too deep for fine pinot noir, the third deepest wine, and it is distinctly less ruby than the standard Felton. Bouquet however is in exactly the same style as that wine, with a similar volume of aroma, but is more vibrant and less softly floral. Palate tells us why, simply a result of more oak relative to similar fruit, so the wine is slightly firmer and crisp. The oak tannins may soften, but rather I suspect the fruit will recede gradually, leaving the oak more noticeable as with several of the other wines. In some ways this is the most impressive pinot noir in the set, but pinot noir being about beauty, and Burgundy still providing the benchmark examples, this wine loses a little in charm relative to the top wines. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 10/12
Colour is deep going on too deep for fine pinot noir, the third deepest wine, and it is distinctly less ruby than the standard Felton. Bouquet however is in exactly the same style as that wine, with a similar volume of aroma, but is more vibrant and less softly floral. Palate tells us why, simply a result of more oak relative to similar fruit, so the wine is slightly firmer and crisp. The oak tannins may soften, but rather I suspect the fruit will recede gradually, leaving the oak more noticeable as with several of the other wines. In some ways this is the most impressive pinot noir in the set, but pinot noir being about beauty, and Burgundy still providing the benchmark examples, this wine loses a little in charm relative to the top wines. Cellar 3 – 5 years. GK 10/12
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $84 [ screwcap; Abel clone c.45%, assorted Dijon clones 40, UCD 5 15, planted at varying densities 2,800 – 4,400 vines/ha, average age c.23 years; all hand-picked @ c.4.1 t/ha (1.6 t/ac), 15 – 40% whole-bunch (depending on fruit-ripeness and year etc), pre-ferment cold soak 5 – 10 days, then 15 – 20 days cuvaison with 100% wild yeast; c.15 months in French oak c.35% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS 0.5 g/L; dry extract 30.7 g/L; production c.2,500 cases; www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, just a little more oak-affected in hue (one supposes), but just above midway in depth. This is the second of the wines to show faint pennyroyal on bouquet, mingled with clear French tea-rose and red rose florals, lovely. Fruit character is more red cherry than black, and this leads through to a palate which is fresher than some of the wines rated more highly, but no less concentrated. It is important to note that respected pinot noir authorities vary a good deal in their preference for red vs black fruit (meaning cherry) qualities in pinot noir. For those more in the red fruits camp, this wine would rate more highly, particularly given its concentration. I take the view that provided there is florality, I am very happy with either hue of cherry. The tannin structure in this wine is subtler than the Escarpment, more 'feminine' maybe, but no less present. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 2): 4 first places, none second, 2 least. GK 11/15
Pinot noir ruby, just a little more oak-affected in hue (one supposes), but just above midway in depth. This is the second of the wines to show faint pennyroyal on bouquet, mingled with clear French tea-rose and red rose florals, lovely. Fruit character is more red cherry than black, and this leads through to a palate which is fresher than some of the wines rated more highly, but no less concentrated. It is important to note that respected pinot noir authorities vary a good deal in their preference for red vs black fruit (meaning cherry) qualities in pinot noir. For those more in the red fruits camp, this wine would rate more highly, particularly given its concentration. I take the view that provided there is florality, I am very happy with either hue of cherry. The tannin structure in this wine is subtler than the Escarpment, more 'feminine' maybe, but no less present. Cellar 5 – 15 years. Group View (Flight 2): 4 first places, none second, 2 least. GK 11/15
Padthaway, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 13.2%; $172 [ cork 45mm; CS 100%, matured in 30% new, second and third-year French and American oak (all hogsheads) for 12 months; this is the inaugural vintage of this now-famous label, which though modelled as a 'junior' Bin 707, is sometimes better balanced (less oaky); Penfolds 'Rewards of Patience' book, 2000: Blackcurrant and licorice-like aromas with touches of earth and mint. Beautifully concentrated, tangy palate with deep-set blackcurrant fruit, 'satin-and-velvet' mid-palate and good length. To 2005, a Preferred Vintage; Halliday, not on website, irritatingly, but referred to as: fractionally richer and sweeter than the 1991, which he rated 92; Victoria Daskal, 2008 (on Robinson website): Delicate nose with peppery and minty aromas coming forward. Earthiness and black currants persisting underneath. At first very elegant and soft, but a puckering acidity develops - resulting from Padthaway and Coonawarra's cool climates. Medium, soft and supple tannins. Rich in blackberries and black currants. Slightly chalky finish, 16.5; Wine Spectator, 1993: A rustic, coarse style, with generous Cabernet flavors overlaid with menthol and mint notes, finishing coarse in texture and short; 78; www.penfolds.com ]
Dark ruby and velvet, amazingly youthful, and the second deepest wine. The volume of bouquet here is remarkable, a wonderful demonstration of the concept 'cassis' as the key descriptor for mature cabernet sauvignon. The oak ratio on bouquet for this wine is appropriate, and it is only slightly affected by mint notes. Palate is classic unblended cabernet sauvignon, lots of flavour, but a tendency to a 'hole in the middle', with the aromatic berry crying out for merlot to soften and fill out the middle. Towards the later flavour, a hint of the dreaded Australian euc'y taint creeps in, but because the oak is appropriate, it doesn't sabotage the wine. Later still on the palate, tartaric adjustment detracts a little. This will cellar for another 15 – 20 years easily, a surprisingly lovely Australian cabernet. 'Surprising' because at that stage and for some years, Bin 407 was priced along with Bin 28 as the cheapest of the Bin wines. Five votes, none top. GK 10/15
Dark ruby and velvet, amazingly youthful, and the second deepest wine. The volume of bouquet here is remarkable, a wonderful demonstration of the concept 'cassis' as the key descriptor for mature cabernet sauvignon. The oak ratio on bouquet for this wine is appropriate, and it is only slightly affected by mint notes. Palate is classic unblended cabernet sauvignon, lots of flavour, but a tendency to a 'hole in the middle', with the aromatic berry crying out for merlot to soften and fill out the middle. Towards the later flavour, a hint of the dreaded Australian euc'y taint creeps in, but because the oak is appropriate, it doesn't sabotage the wine. Later still on the palate, tartaric adjustment detracts a little. This will cellar for another 15 – 20 years easily, a surprisingly lovely Australian cabernet. 'Surprising' because at that stage and for some years, Bin 407 was priced along with Bin 28 as the cheapest of the Bin wines. Five votes, none top. GK 10/15
Meursault Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: – %; $134 [ cork ]
Lemonstraw. Intriguing having two white burgundies amongst the New Zealand chardonnays, in the subsequent blind tasting. The smells and flavours are a little different in style, but are they any better in terms of achievement ? The key thing is the French wines do not have the glorious golden queen peachy fruit so many of the mendoza-influenced New Zealand wines show – their fruit is more white peach and nectarine. And the better French wines have this crushed limestone minerality on bouquet and palate which is very attractive, and is not to be confused with the so-called minerality of old-fashioned sulphurs. This is where the new world has so profoundly influenced old world wine-making. These Jadot examples are every bit as clean as the Villa wines, unlike a generation ago. The Genevrieres shows white nectarine fruit and oatmealy texture, with the mineral thread interacting with the oak. There is the same chardonnay texture and viscosity on tongue, but the wine is not as big as the Villa Group wines, and is certainly less alcoholic. This subtlety makes it more versatile with food. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Lemonstraw. Intriguing having two white burgundies amongst the New Zealand chardonnays, in the subsequent blind tasting. The smells and flavours are a little different in style, but are they any better in terms of achievement ? The key thing is the French wines do not have the glorious golden queen peachy fruit so many of the mendoza-influenced New Zealand wines show – their fruit is more white peach and nectarine. And the better French wines have this crushed limestone minerality on bouquet and palate which is very attractive, and is not to be confused with the so-called minerality of old-fashioned sulphurs. This is where the new world has so profoundly influenced old world wine-making. These Jadot examples are every bit as clean as the Villa wines, unlike a generation ago. The Genevrieres shows white nectarine fruit and oatmealy texture, with the mineral thread interacting with the oak. There is the same chardonnay texture and viscosity on tongue, but the wine is not as big as the Villa Group wines, and is certainly less alcoholic. This subtlety makes it more versatile with food. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 02/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ supercritical Diam 'cork'; Me 60, CS 17, CF 16, PV 4, Ma 3; hand-picked; the grapes de-stemmed, average vine age 14 years; c.28 days cuvaison; 18 months in 'predominantly' French oak 35% new; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, lighter than the 2009 and 2013 Gimbletts, deeper than the 2010 Homage. Bouquet is clean and pure, but a little smaller in scale than the 2009 and 2013 The Gimblett. Cassis is the dominant note with red and black plum, fragrant oak, and a suggestion of brown tobacco. Palate is fractionally shorter and harder than the other wines, a suggestion of stems in the cassis which interacts negatively with new oak to give a hardness now. This firmness makes the wine seem shorter, but checking closely, I think it is as rich as 2010 Homage, just fractionally less ripe. It has the body to mellow beautifully in cellar. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, lighter than the 2009 and 2013 Gimbletts, deeper than the 2010 Homage. Bouquet is clean and pure, but a little smaller in scale than the 2009 and 2013 The Gimblett. Cassis is the dominant note with red and black plum, fragrant oak, and a suggestion of brown tobacco. Palate is fractionally shorter and harder than the other wines, a suggestion of stems in the cassis which interacts negatively with new oak to give a hardness now. This firmness makes the wine seem shorter, but checking closely, I think it is as rich as 2010 Homage, just fractionally less ripe. It has the body to mellow beautifully in cellar. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $155 [ 54mm cork; hand-picked from young vines as well as the main 40 – 60 year vines at mostly <3 t/ha (1.2 t/ac); website not forthcoming as to elevage, beyond 15 – 18 months in barrel; essentially the wines not making the now severely-tightened cut for La Chapelle proper, including younger and higher-cropping vines; Parker: 92; www.jaboulet.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the third deepest of the Jaboulets. This wine needs decanting, to reveal an aromatic cassisy wine tending to the same style as the 2010 La Chapelle, but the bouquet not quite achieving the same clarity, focus and perfect ripeness as that wine. Once tasted you can see why: there is all the cassis but also a touch of hardness here, a touch of stalk there, and not quite the beauty and amplitude of the senior wine. It shows great selection in the winery, therefore. It is still highly varietal and shows a lot of cellar potential. In the absence of La Chapelle proper one might think it a gold medal level wine. With time in cellar it will be even more pleasing. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe 25. It has greater varietal focus than the 2009. GK 06/14
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, the third deepest of the Jaboulets. This wine needs decanting, to reveal an aromatic cassisy wine tending to the same style as the 2010 La Chapelle, but the bouquet not quite achieving the same clarity, focus and perfect ripeness as that wine. Once tasted you can see why: there is all the cassis but also a touch of hardness here, a touch of stalk there, and not quite the beauty and amplitude of the senior wine. It shows great selection in the winery, therefore. It is still highly varietal and shows a lot of cellar potential. In the absence of La Chapelle proper one might think it a gold medal level wine. With time in cellar it will be even more pleasing. Cellar 5 – 20 years, maybe 25. It has greater varietal focus than the 2009. GK 06/14
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $51 [ supercritical 'cork'; 2010 'as good as it gets' says Larry; hand-harvested; 70% Te Muna Road, mix of clones, c.35% whole bunch, wild yeast, 18-day cuvaison; 11 months in French oak, 30% new; dry extract 31.3 g/L (fabulous !), RS 1 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Substantial pinot noir ruby, the second deepest of the Escarpment wines. It was never revealed why Larry McKenna chose to show the 2010 district wine in the Regional Wines presentation, to introduce the 2011 individual vineyard wines. In the company the 2010 looked the ripest of the wines, with noticeable suggestions of bottled black doris plums evident in black cherry fruit. Palate shows a much more Otago-style pinot noir, thoughts of the Bendigo terraces again, black cherry and plums, even a hint of prune, yet the late aftertaste is still beautifully varietal. It is not quite as supple and burgundian as the Black Grape Society 'The Central Otago', there is some tannin to lose, but this is pretty serious youthful pinot which may well score more highly in 3 – 5 years. Worth looking out for, still around in some wine shops. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Substantial pinot noir ruby, the second deepest of the Escarpment wines. It was never revealed why Larry McKenna chose to show the 2010 district wine in the Regional Wines presentation, to introduce the 2011 individual vineyard wines. In the company the 2010 looked the ripest of the wines, with noticeable suggestions of bottled black doris plums evident in black cherry fruit. Palate shows a much more Otago-style pinot noir, thoughts of the Bendigo terraces again, black cherry and plums, even a hint of prune, yet the late aftertaste is still beautifully varietal. It is not quite as supple and burgundian as the Black Grape Society 'The Central Otago', there is some tannin to lose, but this is pretty serious youthful pinot which may well score more highly in 3 – 5 years. Worth looking out for, still around in some wine shops. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 04/13
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $90 [ laminated champagne cork; PN 35%, PM 25, Ch 40, usually spanning three maybe four vintages; tailles from Ch only, now much reduced to a max of 10%; MLF throughout; en tirage 36 months or a little more; the house has reservations about Diam, so far; dosage 9 g/L; 333,000 cases; www.taittinger.com ]
One of the most lemon colours, well below midway in depth. Bouquet here is a classic lighter nearly floral champagne bouquet, suggesting higher chardonnay at the blind stage, and proving to be so. The quality of autolysis is lovely, subtler than the top two, paler crust-of-baguette, some crumb. Palate is distinctly lighter than the Bollinger, as one would expect, but the flavours include crumb-of-baguette and hints of white button mushrooms and palest nectarines, lingering beautifully and belying the wine's apparent lightness. The whole approach in this wine will appeal to 'delicacy' fans, though the finish is on the sweet side. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
One of the most lemon colours, well below midway in depth. Bouquet here is a classic lighter nearly floral champagne bouquet, suggesting higher chardonnay at the blind stage, and proving to be so. The quality of autolysis is lovely, subtler than the top two, paler crust-of-baguette, some crumb. Palate is distinctly lighter than the Bollinger, as one would expect, but the flavours include crumb-of-baguette and hints of white button mushrooms and palest nectarines, lingering beautifully and belying the wine's apparent lightness. The whole approach in this wine will appeal to 'delicacy' fans, though the finish is on the sweet side. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Southern Rhone Valley, France: 14.5%; $38 [ cork, 50mm; Gr 65%, Sy 35, all hand-picked, 3 ha in Gigondas, planted at 5,400 vines / ha, hand-picked at 4.55 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; no de-stemming, 3 – 4 week cuvaison, the grenache raised in vat, the syrah in large barrels for 6 – 8 months, usually not filtered; Robinson, Nov. 2015: Quite concentrated but with dry tannins on the end, 15.5; a Belgian website says: Balance in elegance. Aromas of red fruits, thyme and laurel. A solid structure with well build tannins and a long finish; bottle weight 615 g; http://p.cartoux.free.fr/domaine_des_espiers_gigondas.htm ]
The lightest wine, ruby, reflecting the high percentage of grenache in the cepage. Bouquet here was thrilling, capturing exactly what makes the better wines of the southern Rhône Valley so beautiful, and so matchable with food. This is floral, savoury, aromatic, with delightful garrigue complexity which makes the wine cry out for coq au vin complete with bouquet garni. Like the Aphillanthes, it is all red fruits, beautiful cedary oaking, wonderful depth. Palate captures all these elements effortlessly, a beautiful drinking wine, though perhaps not the perfect richness of a better year. Nonetheless, tasters declared: this is the style I want, six first places, five second. At $38 this is affordable for Gigondas, now that it is the second-most-favoured address in the southern Rhône Valley. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/18
The lightest wine, ruby, reflecting the high percentage of grenache in the cepage. Bouquet here was thrilling, capturing exactly what makes the better wines of the southern Rhône Valley so beautiful, and so matchable with food. This is floral, savoury, aromatic, with delightful garrigue complexity which makes the wine cry out for coq au vin complete with bouquet garni. Like the Aphillanthes, it is all red fruits, beautiful cedary oaking, wonderful depth. Palate captures all these elements effortlessly, a beautiful drinking wine, though perhaps not the perfect richness of a better year. Nonetheless, tasters declared: this is the style I want, six first places, five second. At $38 this is affordable for Gigondas, now that it is the second-most-favoured address in the southern Rhône Valley. A wine to buy by the case, and cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 04/18
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; sequentially hand-harvested; BF in French oak, plus a further 5 or so months LA in barrel; RS 132 g/L; www.trinityhill.com ]
Lemon-gold. Bouquet is wonderfully clean and ripe, in a winestyle where undesirable complications are frequent. It is nectary and honeyed, showing ample clean botrytis, but not completely convincing in its varietal quality. There are hints of canned apricots and fresh mandarins, only. On palate, the reason is perhaps the wine seems to include some less-ripe berries, just a hint of leafyness, which refreshes the wine nicely and provides a neat finish against the sugar, but also subtracts from the specific ripe-fruit (dried apricots) character it should show to be totally international botrytised viognier in quality. As food wine, it works very well indeed. The nett achievement does not really deserve gold medal, if judged strictly as botrytised viognier. As a botrytised wine in general, yes, for it is technically excellent. The Catalogue lists a swag of gold medals and equivalent rankings, but none of the 'authorities' quoted are likely to have specific understanding of viognier the grape, and its exact varietal qualities when ideally ripe and botrytised. Cuilleron is again a reference point for this winestyle – Ayguets. Hold a year or two only, probably, before the fruit flavours fade and the phenolics show. GK 06/13
Lemon-gold. Bouquet is wonderfully clean and ripe, in a winestyle where undesirable complications are frequent. It is nectary and honeyed, showing ample clean botrytis, but not completely convincing in its varietal quality. There are hints of canned apricots and fresh mandarins, only. On palate, the reason is perhaps the wine seems to include some less-ripe berries, just a hint of leafyness, which refreshes the wine nicely and provides a neat finish against the sugar, but also subtracts from the specific ripe-fruit (dried apricots) character it should show to be totally international botrytised viognier in quality. As food wine, it works very well indeed. The nett achievement does not really deserve gold medal, if judged strictly as botrytised viognier. As a botrytised wine in general, yes, for it is technically excellent. The Catalogue lists a swag of gold medals and equivalent rankings, but none of the 'authorities' quoted are likely to have specific understanding of viognier the grape, and its exact varietal qualities when ideally ripe and botrytised. Cuilleron is again a reference point for this winestyle – Ayguets. Hold a year or two only, probably, before the fruit flavours fade and the phenolics show. GK 06/13
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $110 [ cork 50mm; hand-harvested CS 60%, Me 28, CF 12; extended cuvaison; average vine age 25 + years; 17 months in French oak c.75% new; RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally deeper than 2013 Coleraine, one of the deeper wines. Te Mata honourably set the tasting up to invite comparison between the 2013 and 2014 editions. Both wines are wonderfully floral, as expanded on for the 2013. The 2014 is not quite so enchantingly sweet in its florals though, there being the faintest hint of leaf in the aroma. That attribute carries through to the palate, so whereas the 2013 now seems 'ripe', the 2014 is fractionally crisper, more aromatic, and cooler. There is still exemplary cassisy berry, and the subtle oak handling for which Te Mata is famous. I concede I thought 2013 Coleraine fractionally under-ripe last year, and it has sweetened / fattened up / jumped the hurdle in the intervening year. Will the 2014 achieve that feat also ? The similarity of achievement in the two wines for the two years is remarkable, in marked contrast to Awatea. The selection for 2014 Coleraine must have been searching in the extreme, since 2014 does not seem to be quite such a cabernet year. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, fractionally deeper than 2013 Coleraine, one of the deeper wines. Te Mata honourably set the tasting up to invite comparison between the 2013 and 2014 editions. Both wines are wonderfully floral, as expanded on for the 2013. The 2014 is not quite so enchantingly sweet in its florals though, there being the faintest hint of leaf in the aroma. That attribute carries through to the palate, so whereas the 2013 now seems 'ripe', the 2014 is fractionally crisper, more aromatic, and cooler. There is still exemplary cassisy berry, and the subtle oak handling for which Te Mata is famous. I concede I thought 2013 Coleraine fractionally under-ripe last year, and it has sweetened / fattened up / jumped the hurdle in the intervening year. Will the 2014 achieve that feat also ? The similarity of achievement in the two wines for the two years is remarkable, in marked contrast to Awatea. The selection for 2014 Coleraine must have been searching in the extreme, since 2014 does not seem to be quite such a cabernet year. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/16
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $40 [ cork; PN 72%, Ch 28, all hand-picked; 43 months en tirage; 100% MLF in the base wine; 5% of the base fermented in old oak barrels; no blending-in of reserve wines; RS 6 g/L; www.daniellebrun.co.nz ]
Palest lemon. Bouquet is exquisitely pure and fine, a pale wine like the lightest of grande marque champagnes, the first sniff seeming more a blanc de blanc. There are hints of white flowers and fresh-cut cooking apples, and a touch of yeast autolysis, paler than baguette. Palate is quite different, immediately the firmness of pinot noir and a hint of white cherry and tannin, fresh acid, and one can imagine the trace oak used in elevation – maybe ? This wine is really champagne-like, a youthful pale crisp one. Of the two bubblies, 10 tasters preferred this wine. To judge from the 2000 Daniel Le Brun (made by Daniel himself before sale of the winery to Lion, so a different style from this quite clinical wine) this will cellar for 10 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Palest lemon. Bouquet is exquisitely pure and fine, a pale wine like the lightest of grande marque champagnes, the first sniff seeming more a blanc de blanc. There are hints of white flowers and fresh-cut cooking apples, and a touch of yeast autolysis, paler than baguette. Palate is quite different, immediately the firmness of pinot noir and a hint of white cherry and tannin, fresh acid, and one can imagine the trace oak used in elevation – maybe ? This wine is really champagne-like, a youthful pale crisp one. Of the two bubblies, 10 tasters preferred this wine. To judge from the 2000 Daniel Le Brun (made by Daniel himself before sale of the winery to Lion, so a different style from this quite clinical wine) this will cellar for 10 – 15 years. GK 04/13
Maraekakaho, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; hand-picked from a vineyard immediately west of the Bridge Pa Triangle, maybe fractionally cooler than the Gimblett Gravels, clone 15 60%, clone 95 28%, balance mendoza; average vine age 16 years; whole-bunch pressed, some juice settling and some juice oxidation; 100% barrique-ferment and wild-yeast ferments maintained 18 – 24°, all through MLF; 10 months in French oak 43% new, plus older oak to 2 years, batonnage weekly throughout; RS 2 g/L; sterile-filtered; one of New Zealand's high-profile chardonnays; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Rich pale lemon, fractionally deeper than the Taylors Pass wine. Keltern is a contentious wine. It has become trendy / fashionable to mark up reduced sulphur complexities in 'complexed' chardonnays, under the influence of winemaker-judges sitting on judging and writing panels. These people in discussion (and sometimes with a measure of vested interest) resort to oxymoron sophistries such as the term 'noble sulphides'. And sheep-like, both wine judges and winewriters immediately tag along. What these people overlook is, there is a large percentage of the population who are sensitive to reduced sulphurs, and anything related to the Rotorua pong, and simply do not like these smells at all. It is a simple fact that surprisingly many winemakers, wine judges and winewriters (let alone wine journalists) are insensitive to, or even blind to, reduction in wine. So people are misled.
Happily the Villa Maria winemakers do not fall into this camp, but are exploratory, and versatile. Since their famous / infamous 2010 Keltern Chardonnay, which was undrinkable to any normal palate but still won gold medals and Trophies (the sheep syndrome again), they have backed off this aspect of 'complexity' in Keltern – somewhat. They now consciously practice it as a seduction technique, since medals in Competitions are important to them. Personally, I still protest, but it works for them, as explained. So … freshly opened the wine is still pretty stinky. If you are going to try one for dinner, open it at midday, pour it into a jug, take another jug, and pour the wine back and forth 8 – 10 times as splashily as you can. Then leave it uncovered in a wide mouth jug till dinner-time. On return you will find a transformation, a wine with rich golden queen peach / stonefruit qualities remarkably entwined with mealy / toasty / barrel-ferment characters, still some burnt toast, but now all on the right side of the line. Palate in youth is still a little hard, but there is tactile rich Hawkes Bay-quality fruit of great length, the fruit richness extended by barrel-ferment and perfect MLF practice to give a long, long aftertaste. If it tasted like this freshly opened, it would be clearly a gold-medal wine, and marked accordingly here, but it doesn't, so it isn't. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20, in the sense I have shown 1986 Villa Maria Reserve Chardonnays (from Gisborne) twice in the last two years in formal tastings of 12 chardonnays, and they still have much to say, as old golden wines. GK 11/15
Rich pale lemon, fractionally deeper than the Taylors Pass wine. Keltern is a contentious wine. It has become trendy / fashionable to mark up reduced sulphur complexities in 'complexed' chardonnays, under the influence of winemaker-judges sitting on judging and writing panels. These people in discussion (and sometimes with a measure of vested interest) resort to oxymoron sophistries such as the term 'noble sulphides'. And sheep-like, both wine judges and winewriters immediately tag along. What these people overlook is, there is a large percentage of the population who are sensitive to reduced sulphurs, and anything related to the Rotorua pong, and simply do not like these smells at all. It is a simple fact that surprisingly many winemakers, wine judges and winewriters (let alone wine journalists) are insensitive to, or even blind to, reduction in wine. So people are misled.
Happily the Villa Maria winemakers do not fall into this camp, but are exploratory, and versatile. Since their famous / infamous 2010 Keltern Chardonnay, which was undrinkable to any normal palate but still won gold medals and Trophies (the sheep syndrome again), they have backed off this aspect of 'complexity' in Keltern – somewhat. They now consciously practice it as a seduction technique, since medals in Competitions are important to them. Personally, I still protest, but it works for them, as explained. So … freshly opened the wine is still pretty stinky. If you are going to try one for dinner, open it at midday, pour it into a jug, take another jug, and pour the wine back and forth 8 – 10 times as splashily as you can. Then leave it uncovered in a wide mouth jug till dinner-time. On return you will find a transformation, a wine with rich golden queen peach / stonefruit qualities remarkably entwined with mealy / toasty / barrel-ferment characters, still some burnt toast, but now all on the right side of the line. Palate in youth is still a little hard, but there is tactile rich Hawkes Bay-quality fruit of great length, the fruit richness extended by barrel-ferment and perfect MLF practice to give a long, long aftertaste. If it tasted like this freshly opened, it would be clearly a gold-medal wine, and marked accordingly here, but it doesn't, so it isn't. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20, in the sense I have shown 1986 Villa Maria Reserve Chardonnays (from Gisborne) twice in the last two years in formal tastings of 12 chardonnays, and they still have much to say, as old golden wines. GK 11/15
Te Muna Valley, Martinborough district, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 14%; $82 [ cork; tenth release of Kupe, just released; close-planted in 1999 at 6,600 vines / ha; hand-picked; fermented with around 40% whole bunches in oak cuves, 18 months in French oak 50% new; RS <1 g/L, dry extract an exemplary 31.3 g/L, not fined or filtered; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Much the deepest wine of the set, deepish ruby and velvet, the colour here reminding for a moment of earlier Martinborough pinot noir producers who put size ahead of varietal precision. Bouquet and palate immediately put that thought to rest. This wine is seriously different from the other eight, due to 3 factors: the impression of a high whole bunch component is more apparent than in the other wines, and you can smell it; the dry extract / richness is greater than the other wines; and the level of oaking is pro rata to those two factors. So the wine is so big now as to seem gawky / adolescent, an impression exacerbated by this wine too showing a suggestion of pennyroyal. Fruit flavours are in the darker Abel clone dominant style. The technical perfection here coupled with the remarkable dry extract figure (for pinot noir) suggests that in 6 – 8 years this wine will score appreciably higher, and is highly likely to end up the best wine of the set of nine (were the identical testing to be repeated in 6 – 8 years). A wine to invest in, therefore. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Much the deepest wine of the set, deepish ruby and velvet, the colour here reminding for a moment of earlier Martinborough pinot noir producers who put size ahead of varietal precision. Bouquet and palate immediately put that thought to rest. This wine is seriously different from the other eight, due to 3 factors: the impression of a high whole bunch component is more apparent than in the other wines, and you can smell it; the dry extract / richness is greater than the other wines; and the level of oaking is pro rata to those two factors. So the wine is so big now as to seem gawky / adolescent, an impression exacerbated by this wine too showing a suggestion of pennyroyal. Fruit flavours are in the darker Abel clone dominant style. The technical perfection here coupled with the remarkable dry extract figure (for pinot noir) suggests that in 6 – 8 years this wine will score appreciably higher, and is highly likely to end up the best wine of the set of nine (were the identical testing to be repeated in 6 – 8 years). A wine to invest in, therefore. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Bridge Pa Triangle & Woodthorpe, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $22 [ screwcap; SB virtually 100%, all s/s-fermented; 3 months on lees; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Light lemon. Bouquet is immediately sweet ripe sauvignon, ripened to the white nectarine and black passionfruit level of ripeness, yet still retaining a slight sweet-basil freshness and tang. It is therefore highly varietal, in a riper phase than most Marlborough examples, but not totally removed from the ripest of them. Palate is richer than I remember this wine in the past, a beautiful balance of fruit to refreshing phenolics, a long juicy finish yet 'dry'. This is very good straightforward Hawkes Bay sauvignon, to cellar several years. GK 03/16
Light lemon. Bouquet is immediately sweet ripe sauvignon, ripened to the white nectarine and black passionfruit level of ripeness, yet still retaining a slight sweet-basil freshness and tang. It is therefore highly varietal, in a riper phase than most Marlborough examples, but not totally removed from the ripest of them. Palate is richer than I remember this wine in the past, a beautiful balance of fruit to refreshing phenolics, a long juicy finish yet 'dry'. This is very good straightforward Hawkes Bay sauvignon, to cellar several years. GK 03/16
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $72 [ cork 49mm; CS 37%, CF 27, Me 18, Ma 18; 20 months in French oak, 75% new; www.alphadomus.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the top quarter for depth of colour, and thus reflecting an enormous change in the Alpha Domus approach to cropping. Bouquet continues that impression, once breathed, showing a concentration and ripeness of berry which is very different from say the 2000 vintage. There is still a lot of oak, though. Details on bouquet include aromatic dark cassisy berry, considerable fruit complexity, and no mint at all. In mouth the oak jumps up another notch: the fruit is good but not quite rich enough to handle this level of new oak. Comparison of this wine with the Cyril Cabernet on the one hand, and the contrasting Barry Veto Cabernet wine, is enlightening, both the latter having greater dry extract and thus better balance with their oak, even though the ratio varies greatly in the Australian pair. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just in the top quarter for depth of colour, and thus reflecting an enormous change in the Alpha Domus approach to cropping. Bouquet continues that impression, once breathed, showing a concentration and ripeness of berry which is very different from say the 2000 vintage. There is still a lot of oak, though. Details on bouquet include aromatic dark cassisy berry, considerable fruit complexity, and no mint at all. In mouth the oak jumps up another notch: the fruit is good but not quite rich enough to handle this level of new oak. Comparison of this wine with the Cyril Cabernet on the one hand, and the contrasting Barry Veto Cabernet wine, is enlightening, both the latter having greater dry extract and thus better balance with their oak, even though the ratio varies greatly in the Australian pair. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, New Zealand: 14%; $ – [ cork 49mm, ullage 21mm; this wine has the distinction of including fruit from the oldest semi-commercial pinot noir vineyard in Canterbury, c.0.3 ha planted 1979 by Graeme Steans then of Lincoln University, expanded mid-1990s by Grant Whelan to 2-ish ha; the winery has ceased to exist, the winemaker Grant Whelan not traced, so very little info for the Table; Cooper, 2001: This consistently impressive Canterbury red … is deep; the bouquet spicy; the plate is sturdy, with firm tannins underpinning its strong plum/spice flavours. It’s a serious, complex, structured style with warmth and length, ****½ ; weight bottle, no closure 576 g; no website ]
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. Like the Martinborough wine, the bouquet on this wine had an aromatic component, wine-maker Larry McKenna instantly nailing it as: ‘has to be the Kaituna Valley wine’. That assessment referred to the eucalyptus which formerly edged the vineyard, which Grant Whelan cut down not long after taking over. For most tasters however, this character was not apparent – it is very subtle – and the wine seemed to have the exciting aromatic lifted quality of bouquet one associates with the Cote de Nuits, rather than the Cote de Beaune. Palate is particularly attractive, supple pinot fruit blending red and black cherries, and an attractive fruit / oak balance. Still comfortably on its plateau of maturity, with several years in hand. Three first places, but two least, while 16 thought it New Zealand, and two France. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, below midway in depth. Like the Martinborough wine, the bouquet on this wine had an aromatic component, wine-maker Larry McKenna instantly nailing it as: ‘has to be the Kaituna Valley wine’. That assessment referred to the eucalyptus which formerly edged the vineyard, which Grant Whelan cut down not long after taking over. For most tasters however, this character was not apparent – it is very subtle – and the wine seemed to have the exciting aromatic lifted quality of bouquet one associates with the Cote de Nuits, rather than the Cote de Beaune. Palate is particularly attractive, supple pinot fruit blending red and black cherries, and an attractive fruit / oak balance. Still comfortably on its plateau of maturity, with several years in hand. Three first places, but two least, while 16 thought it New Zealand, and two France. GK 09/19
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, a little more age showing here, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is almost sweetly floral, nearly roses, with red fruits dominant, plus a gentle fumey lift. Palate continues the bouquet, softish red fruits, and even though the tannin structure is so different from pinot noir, there is a reminder of that grape all through. Aftertaste is a little shorter, on the lighter tannins. Cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine was the group favourite. GK 05/16
Ruby, a little more age showing here, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is almost sweetly floral, nearly roses, with red fruits dominant, plus a gentle fumey lift. Palate continues the bouquet, softish red fruits, and even though the tannin structure is so different from pinot noir, there is a reminder of that grape all through. Aftertaste is a little shorter, on the lighter tannins. Cellar 5 – 15 years. This wine was the group favourite. GK 05/16
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 14%; $38 [ screwcap; cepage in 2013 CS 90%, Ma 7, PV 3, hand-picked; up to 28 days cuvaison for one third of the blend, balance less; MLF partly in s/s, partly in barrel, c.14 months in French small oak, 40% new; vintage rating 9/10 by Halliday; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 759 g; www.xanaduwines.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, lighter than the Xanadu Reserve, in the lightest half dozen. Bouquet however is very close in style to the Reserve wine, the cassis if anything seeming slightly more evident, implying less oak influence, and the whole wine beautifully fragrant, faintly aromatic, clear-cut cabernet. On palate the fractionally lower ratio of new oak is expressed in a vividly varietal cassisy flavour, which is an absolute delight, especially when thinking about display wines for presenting varietal tastings. It is perhaps not quite as rich and 'serious' as the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, but the nett achievement is so similar, it is hard to mark this wine any lower. An exceptional buying opportunity, therefore. Halliday marks this wine 96, Sept. 2015. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, lighter than the Xanadu Reserve, in the lightest half dozen. Bouquet however is very close in style to the Reserve wine, the cassis if anything seeming slightly more evident, implying less oak influence, and the whole wine beautifully fragrant, faintly aromatic, clear-cut cabernet. On palate the fractionally lower ratio of new oak is expressed in a vividly varietal cassisy flavour, which is an absolute delight, especially when thinking about display wines for presenting varietal tastings. It is perhaps not quite as rich and 'serious' as the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, but the nett achievement is so similar, it is hard to mark this wine any lower. An exceptional buying opportunity, therefore. Halliday marks this wine 96, Sept. 2015. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 08/16
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $179 [ cork; 20% whole bunch; 10 months in French oak 50% new, plus 8 months in second and third-year oak; www.martinborough-vineyard.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, above midway for a depth, some age apparent. Bouquet is very fragrant indeed, with complex floral and cherry notes mingled with oak and some Martinborough mintyness (pennyroyal). It is clearly pinot noir, yet there is a touch of the Penfolds about it in its oak handling. Palate shows rich red and black cherry fruit of good precision, all fractionally riper than the 2003 Marie Zelie, but not going as far as 2006 Prima Donna. But despite the richness, and thankfully cutting the new oak to 50% relative to the 2003 of this label, it is still very oaky for pinot noir – even though many will like the wine for that. There is the slightest suggestion of almond, like some burgundies. The two things that give me pause in this wine are the persistence of the mint, and the level of the oak, good though the oak is. That is where wines like the wonderfully pure (and affordable) Black Poplar wine bespeak New Zealand pinot more dramatically, to me. As a trophy wine, bought by those for whom rarity and price influence its enjoyment, it succeeds in one sense, but there is an element of grandiosity in pricing this wine at the $180 mark. It is worth noting that recent tastings suggest the similarly aggressively-priced 1998 Reserve ($100 at release) is now not quite such an attractively balanced wine as the standard 1998 bottling, due to excess oak. Food for thought. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, above midway for a depth, some age apparent. Bouquet is very fragrant indeed, with complex floral and cherry notes mingled with oak and some Martinborough mintyness (pennyroyal). It is clearly pinot noir, yet there is a touch of the Penfolds about it in its oak handling. Palate shows rich red and black cherry fruit of good precision, all fractionally riper than the 2003 Marie Zelie, but not going as far as 2006 Prima Donna. But despite the richness, and thankfully cutting the new oak to 50% relative to the 2003 of this label, it is still very oaky for pinot noir – even though many will like the wine for that. There is the slightest suggestion of almond, like some burgundies. The two things that give me pause in this wine are the persistence of the mint, and the level of the oak, good though the oak is. That is where wines like the wonderfully pure (and affordable) Black Poplar wine bespeak New Zealand pinot more dramatically, to me. As a trophy wine, bought by those for whom rarity and price influence its enjoyment, it succeeds in one sense, but there is an element of grandiosity in pricing this wine at the $180 mark. It is worth noting that recent tastings suggest the similarly aggressively-priced 1998 Reserve ($100 at release) is now not quite such an attractively balanced wine as the standard 1998 bottling, due to excess oak. Food for thought. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 02/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.1%; $100 [ cork 50mm; DFB; Sy 100%, all hand-picked from c.13-year old vines cropped @ c.7.1 t/ha = 2.8 t/ac; some ferments in oak cuves, in previous years cuvaison of c.20 days, wild and cultured-yeast ferments; MLF preferences not known; 18 months in French oak c.32% new; RS nil g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract 26.8 g/L; production believed to be 500 – 1,000 cases; released 1 June 2015; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. One sniff and this is a very different interpretation of syrah. It is fragrant but not exactly floral, with the dominant berry note being canned South African guavas, and blueberry. Most unusual, but within spec, so to speak, at the riper end of the syrah spectrum. Palate is delicate in comparison with some Le Sols which have gone before, seemingly very 'free-run', pleasing fruit weight, fragrant vanillin oak, and lovely balance. It seems nearly succulent. Like the Bullnose, this should become a great food wine. It's just a bit off-centre in its aroma and flavour characters, for classic syrah, and tending petite by previous Le Sol standards. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, below midway in depth of colour. One sniff and this is a very different interpretation of syrah. It is fragrant but not exactly floral, with the dominant berry note being canned South African guavas, and blueberry. Most unusual, but within spec, so to speak, at the riper end of the syrah spectrum. Palate is delicate in comparison with some Le Sols which have gone before, seemingly very 'free-run', pleasing fruit weight, fragrant vanillin oak, and lovely balance. It seems nearly succulent. Like the Bullnose, this should become a great food wine. It's just a bit off-centre in its aroma and flavour characters, for classic syrah, and tending petite by previous Le Sol standards. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $35 [ screwcap; chardonnay clones 95, 15 and mendoza; whole-bunch pressed to French oak, the 25% new component all puncheons to reduce oak influence; 100% BF including some wild yeast fermentations; 10 months lees ageing and stirring in barrel, plus 40% MLF, all to add body, texture and minerality; pH 3.23, RS 1g/L; www.trinityhill.com ]
Elegant lemon. Bouquet shows classical chardonnay pale stonefruit flesh raised in subtlest oak, the varietal quality of the grape dominating totally, with beautiful vinosity and appeal. The fruit is supported by barrel-fermentation and lees-autolysis in mostly older oak, plus some MLF. In mouth it is not a big wine, but there is elegance and finesse, and surprisingly long fruit, given the lightness of the wine. It needs another year or two to really harmonise, when it will be dangerously drinkable. Model New Zealand chardonnay to cellar longer than expected, 3 – 12 years, if you like older wine. GK 03/13
Elegant lemon. Bouquet shows classical chardonnay pale stonefruit flesh raised in subtlest oak, the varietal quality of the grape dominating totally, with beautiful vinosity and appeal. The fruit is supported by barrel-fermentation and lees-autolysis in mostly older oak, plus some MLF. In mouth it is not a big wine, but there is elegance and finesse, and surprisingly long fruit, given the lightness of the wine. It needs another year or two to really harmonise, when it will be dangerously drinkable. Model New Zealand chardonnay to cellar longer than expected, 3 – 12 years, if you like older wine. GK 03/13
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14.5%; $42 [ screwcap; www.greywacke.com ]
Lemon, the deepest of the five chardonnays. Bouquet here immediately steps into the reductive lees autolysis approach to chardonnay, and one has to decide to what extent this hint of the gasworks / tar / creosote component is acceptable complexity, or objectionable trendy fetish. It is certainly hard to detect much about the fruit quality, on bouquet. On palate the wine redeems itself considerably: the fruit is rich and nearly dominant to the fermentation characters, the length of flavour is spectacular, and I can concede that the reductive component here is adding to complexity in mouth. In five years time I envisage this wine demonstrating quite different qualities, smelling of toasted Vogel's Multigrain, and tasting of fruit, oatmeal and walnuts, rather than cashew as you would have in a less reductive kind of lees autolysis regime. It may well score higher, in five years. Meanwhile, wonderfully interesting wine which will divide tasters. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. GK 06/16
Lemon, the deepest of the five chardonnays. Bouquet here immediately steps into the reductive lees autolysis approach to chardonnay, and one has to decide to what extent this hint of the gasworks / tar / creosote component is acceptable complexity, or objectionable trendy fetish. It is certainly hard to detect much about the fruit quality, on bouquet. On palate the wine redeems itself considerably: the fruit is rich and nearly dominant to the fermentation characters, the length of flavour is spectacular, and I can concede that the reductive component here is adding to complexity in mouth. In five years time I envisage this wine demonstrating quite different qualities, smelling of toasted Vogel's Multigrain, and tasting of fruit, oatmeal and walnuts, rather than cashew as you would have in a less reductive kind of lees autolysis regime. It may well score higher, in five years. Meanwhile, wonderfully interesting wine which will divide tasters. Cellar 5 – 15, maybe 20 years. GK 06/16
Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $300 [ Sy 100% from 4 famous hillside vineyards; vine age 40 - 90 years; 42 months in new French oak; production info not on website; Tanzer notes from a visit to the winery that alcohol is 14%, as opposed to the doctrinaire 13% across all but one of these northern Rhone labels; Ex Voto would appear to convey the thought: a thanksgiving for securing vineyards on the hill of Hermitage; www.guigal.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of all the ‘01 Guigals. I was hoping for great things from this new ‘grand cru’ label from Hermitage, having been bewitched by the top Cote Roties over the last few years. But first reaction to sniffing the glass was disappointment - it is as if Guigal (of all people) wanted to compete with Australia, instead of being justifiably aloof from them. The wine shows both VA and new oak in unsubtle amounts. There is good fruit below, but this youthful unknit bouquet is too rough to reveal much of it. All comes to life on the palate, where there is marvellous cassis and dark berry, and very rich flavours. The high acid of the year exacerbates the excess new oak, though, so it is a rough ride through the exciting flavours and excellent richness. Only the fruit richness prompts me to mark up to 18, now. However, this should be an exciting bottle in 10 years time when it has mellowed, and will cellar for 20 +. As the two village wines make a complementary pair, likewise Ex Voto teams up well with la Turque, sharing much in style and approach, yet illustrating the character of the appellations too. GK 07/05
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the deepest of all the ‘01 Guigals. I was hoping for great things from this new ‘grand cru’ label from Hermitage, having been bewitched by the top Cote Roties over the last few years. But first reaction to sniffing the glass was disappointment - it is as if Guigal (of all people) wanted to compete with Australia, instead of being justifiably aloof from them. The wine shows both VA and new oak in unsubtle amounts. There is good fruit below, but this youthful unknit bouquet is too rough to reveal much of it. All comes to life on the palate, where there is marvellous cassis and dark berry, and very rich flavours. The high acid of the year exacerbates the excess new oak, though, so it is a rough ride through the exciting flavours and excellent richness. Only the fruit richness prompts me to mark up to 18, now. However, this should be an exciting bottle in 10 years time when it has mellowed, and will cellar for 20 +. As the two village wines make a complementary pair, likewise Ex Voto teams up well with la Turque, sharing much in style and approach, yet illustrating the character of the appellations too. GK 07/05
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all hand-harvested at c.1.6 t/ha (3.25 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; cuvaison extending to 6 weeks for some parcels; 17 months in French oak air-dried 3 years, 50% new; RS nil; minimal fining and filtration; RS < 1 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an amazing depth for the year, at the top of the middle tier for weight. With syrah and cabernet sauvignon sharing cassis as a descriptor when perfectly ripe, it's not as easy as you might suppose to accurately identify which wines are cabernet and which syrah in a rigorously blind line-up of 60 samples. And sometimes not even merlot for that matter, for when cool-climate syrah is fractionally riper than cassis, it acquires glorious fragrant dark plum notes. But this wine is clearly varietal from the outset, clear-cut carnation and violets florals, lovely cassis, clear white more than black pepper on bouquet. In mouth the flavours complement the bouquet totally, and the style is cooler-year Cote Rotie exactly, e.g. Yves Cuilleron though not one of his most concentrated / expensive sites. It says volumes about Villa Maria's viticulture that they have achieved potentially Reserve quality fruit from the 2012 vintage, and even more about the palates of the winemakers, that they made the cut so perfectly to exclude any stalky flavours. Surely any Reserve wines were a gamble in 2012. This wine is therefore remarkable, the only tell-tale being the thread of white pepper on the palate, and there is not quite the concentration and weight of a better year. The flavours are lovely, in their cool-year style. Simply cellar it a shorter time, 3 – 12 years. This 2012 shares some details with the 2010 La Petite Chapelle, but is both more oaky and higher acid. GK 06/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, an amazing depth for the year, at the top of the middle tier for weight. With syrah and cabernet sauvignon sharing cassis as a descriptor when perfectly ripe, it's not as easy as you might suppose to accurately identify which wines are cabernet and which syrah in a rigorously blind line-up of 60 samples. And sometimes not even merlot for that matter, for when cool-climate syrah is fractionally riper than cassis, it acquires glorious fragrant dark plum notes. But this wine is clearly varietal from the outset, clear-cut carnation and violets florals, lovely cassis, clear white more than black pepper on bouquet. In mouth the flavours complement the bouquet totally, and the style is cooler-year Cote Rotie exactly, e.g. Yves Cuilleron though not one of his most concentrated / expensive sites. It says volumes about Villa Maria's viticulture that they have achieved potentially Reserve quality fruit from the 2012 vintage, and even more about the palates of the winemakers, that they made the cut so perfectly to exclude any stalky flavours. Surely any Reserve wines were a gamble in 2012. This wine is therefore remarkable, the only tell-tale being the thread of white pepper on the palate, and there is not quite the concentration and weight of a better year. The flavours are lovely, in their cool-year style. Simply cellar it a shorter time, 3 – 12 years. This 2012 shares some details with the 2010 La Petite Chapelle, but is both more oaky and higher acid. GK 06/14
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $32 [ screwcap; clone 15 predominates, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel some new but mostly 1-year for the Estate; RS nil; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is firm, both oak and lees autolysis complexity being as evident in the aroma as actual fruit. It is beautifully clean. Palate does not show quite the fruit richness of the top wines, and the oak is more prominent than is ideal in chardonnay. Length of flavour is good, though, even if the oak is sustaining it. The oak also accentuates the acid, shortening the finish. Given the lighter body relative to the top wines, on reflection, the wine is a bit too oaky, at least at this young stage. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Lemon, below midway in depth. Bouquet is firm, both oak and lees autolysis complexity being as evident in the aroma as actual fruit. It is beautifully clean. Palate does not show quite the fruit richness of the top wines, and the oak is more prominent than is ideal in chardonnay. Length of flavour is good, though, even if the oak is sustaining it. The oak also accentuates the acid, shortening the finish. Given the lighter body relative to the top wines, on reflection, the wine is a bit too oaky, at least at this young stage. Cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $28 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 91%, CS 9, 80% machine-harvested; 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in s/s; 17 months in French oak 21% new; RS nil; fined and filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic claret colour, above midway in depth. Bouquet is aromatic / very faintly minty, putting one on guard in a mixed Australian / New Zealand red wine tasting. But the wine is also floral, deeply violets on cassis and bottled black doris plum fruit, very fragrant, and fruit dominant to oak. Palate continues the appealing fruit richness, the wine nearly being succulent, oak beautifully in proportion to the fruit, great length of flavour. This is very much a Saint Emilion balance of smell and flavours. It is clearly more plummy / less cassisy than The Gimblett, and overall a bit simpler. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic claret colour, above midway in depth. Bouquet is aromatic / very faintly minty, putting one on guard in a mixed Australian / New Zealand red wine tasting. But the wine is also floral, deeply violets on cassis and bottled black doris plum fruit, very fragrant, and fruit dominant to oak. Palate continues the appealing fruit richness, the wine nearly being succulent, oak beautifully in proportion to the fruit, great length of flavour. This is very much a Saint Emilion balance of smell and flavours. It is clearly more plummy / less cassisy than The Gimblett, and overall a bit simpler. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 08/16
Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 14%; $54 [ screwcap; www.palliser.co.nz ]
Classic pinot noir ruby, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is beautifully clean, soft, yet faintly aromatic and very varietal pinot noir, rose and boronia florals, red grading to black cherry fruit, more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune. Palate shows a lovely balance of fruit to careful oak, good but not exemplary richness and dry extract, and a long highly varietal flavour. This is as good as any Palliser Pinot Noir I have tasted, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Classic pinot noir ruby, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is beautifully clean, soft, yet faintly aromatic and very varietal pinot noir, rose and boronia florals, red grading to black cherry fruit, more Cote de Nuits than Cote de Beaune. Palate shows a lovely balance of fruit to careful oak, good but not exemplary richness and dry extract, and a long highly varietal flavour. This is as good as any Palliser Pinot Noir I have tasted, cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Upper Moutere Valley, Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $63 [ screwcap; main clones UCD 5, 10/5, Dijon 667, planted at 2,400 – 3100 vines/ha, age-range 15 – 34 years; all hand-picked @ c.5 t/ha (2 t/ac), nil whole-bunch component, pre-ferment cold soak 5 days, then 14 – 17 days cuvaison with 100% wild yeast; all of the wine c.11 months in all-French oak c.21% new, medium toast, MLF in barrel the following spring; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS <1 g/L: dry extract 28 g/L; production 790 9-L cases; www.neudorf.co.nz ]
Light pinot noir ruby, the lightest of all the wines, totally burgundian. Bouquet shows a lighter spectrum of floral components than the top two wines, more buddleia, certainly no boronia, on an all-red-fruits varietal matrix. Palate shows gorgeous fruit totally belying the colour, a good length of delicate / subtle floral and again red-fruits qualities, not the depth of The Fusilier but still really fragrant in mouth. Cellar 5 – 12 years. No first or second places, four thought it from Otago. GK 08/16
Light pinot noir ruby, the lightest of all the wines, totally burgundian. Bouquet shows a lighter spectrum of floral components than the top two wines, more buddleia, certainly no boronia, on an all-red-fruits varietal matrix. Palate shows gorgeous fruit totally belying the colour, a good length of delicate / subtle floral and again red-fruits qualities, not the depth of The Fusilier but still really fragrant in mouth. Cellar 5 – 12 years. No first or second places, four thought it from Otago. GK 08/16
Gladstone, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 14%; $61 [ screwcap; www.urlar.co.nz ]
Lovely pinot noir ruby, well below midway in depth, classic. Bouquet is intriguingly old-fashioned, both floral in a medium-hued roses sense, but also slightly spicy / piquant, as if trace brett. Below are fragrant red fruits. In mouth there is more depth than the bouquet suggests, plus an aromatic quality almost like a hint of cinnamon, a reminder of elegant grenache. Oaking is a little higher than ideal for the fruit weight, but fits in with the savoury aspect of the wine. Finish is just a little drying. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Lovely pinot noir ruby, well below midway in depth, classic. Bouquet is intriguingly old-fashioned, both floral in a medium-hued roses sense, but also slightly spicy / piquant, as if trace brett. Below are fragrant red fruits. In mouth there is more depth than the bouquet suggests, plus an aromatic quality almost like a hint of cinnamon, a reminder of elegant grenache. Oaking is a little higher than ideal for the fruit weight, but fits in with the savoury aspect of the wine. Finish is just a little drying. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/16
Bendigo district, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Medium pinot noir ruby, a little age showing, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated yet holds the promise of the wine being powerful, some red rose florals, clear red more than black cherry fruit, beautifully balanced. In mouth the wine grows in size, tactile red fruits pinot noir of good weight and concentration, with oak perhaps at a max to match that concentration. There are thoughts here of Gevrey-Chambertin, but just a trace of stalk letting that idea down. Intriguing. It will be interesting to see if it gains in stature with further bottle age, and if the tannins assimilate, or crust. GK 06/16
Medium pinot noir ruby, a little age showing, clearly above midway in depth. Bouquet is understated yet holds the promise of the wine being powerful, some red rose florals, clear red more than black cherry fruit, beautifully balanced. In mouth the wine grows in size, tactile red fruits pinot noir of good weight and concentration, with oak perhaps at a max to match that concentration. There are thoughts here of Gevrey-Chambertin, but just a trace of stalk letting that idea down. Intriguing. It will be interesting to see if it gains in stature with further bottle age, and if the tannins assimilate, or crust. GK 06/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $116 [ cork 45mm, ullage 16mm; original price c.$47; winemaker Blair Walter; winemaking, see Table; HS@WS, 2000: Ripe and generous, plump with black currant and plum flavors on a lithe, polished frame, showing a note of black pepper on the finish. Drink now through 2006. 40 cases imported, 88; Cooper, 2001: … this is a majestic wine, rivalling Gibbston Valley Reserve at the top of the Otago Pinot Noir hierarchy … The 1999 … is darker than the standard bottling, with splendid intensity and complexity. Showing great overall power, it has concentrated, spicy, cherryish flavours and firm tannins. Its sweet fruit characters give early approachability, but the wine’s arresting depth suggest it will richly repay cellaring, *****; weight bottle, no closure 589 g; www.feltonroad.com ]
Ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth. In one sense this was the most fragrant and varietal of the wines, markedly floral / buddleia as well as pink roses but also slightly leafy, raising the worry, would it be stalky ? Palate shows supple red more than black fruits, the flavour not stalky but slightly tanniny. One winemaker thought the wine lacking in body, which would correlate with the given cropping rate (NB: Blair advises “almost double of today’s yields”), but it is pretty supple and very varietal. That was reflected in the voting: one first place, four second, while 10 thought it France, and eight New Zealand. Still holding well, near the end of its plateau of maturity. GK 09/19
Ruby and garnet, in the middle for depth. In one sense this was the most fragrant and varietal of the wines, markedly floral / buddleia as well as pink roses but also slightly leafy, raising the worry, would it be stalky ? Palate shows supple red more than black fruits, the flavour not stalky but slightly tanniny. One winemaker thought the wine lacking in body, which would correlate with the given cropping rate (NB: Blair advises “almost double of today’s yields”), but it is pretty supple and very varietal. That was reflected in the voting: one first place, four second, while 10 thought it France, and eight New Zealand. Still holding well, near the end of its plateau of maturity. GK 09/19
Havelock North district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $29 [ screwcap; www.blackbarn.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top quarter for depth. This wine needs decanting, being a little disorganised freshly poured, as if recently bottled. Bouquet is then 'sweet', ripely plummy, rich, reminding yet again in this Australian-dominated set of 'other reds', just how wonderful the transformation in New Zealand red wines is, since around the year 2000. Fruit and berry on bouquet here is totally pure, no minty taints, deeply ripe, still a bit oaky but not as obviously oaky as earlier years of Black Barn premium reds. Palate is plummy and merlot-dominant, the subtlety of the more red-fruited cabernet franc a bit lost in the fruit weight, and also the oak showing more now in mouth. It is much less oaky than Aviator, yet of similar richness. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, in the top quarter for depth. This wine needs decanting, being a little disorganised freshly poured, as if recently bottled. Bouquet is then 'sweet', ripely plummy, rich, reminding yet again in this Australian-dominated set of 'other reds', just how wonderful the transformation in New Zealand red wines is, since around the year 2000. Fruit and berry on bouquet here is totally pure, no minty taints, deeply ripe, still a bit oaky but not as obviously oaky as earlier years of Black Barn premium reds. Palate is plummy and merlot-dominant, the subtlety of the more red-fruited cabernet franc a bit lost in the fruit weight, and also the oak showing more now in mouth. It is much less oaky than Aviator, yet of similar richness. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 06/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $36 [ supercritical Diam 'cork'; 6.5 g/L dosage; www.huiavineyards.com ]
Evaluation of the Negociants' methodes was facilitated by Glengarry Wines showing another set of 'grower' champagnes, the same week. Quite deep straw, the deepest of the New Zealand methodes, deeper than any of the champagnes it was tasted with, including the two rosés. Bouquet is intriguing, showing a quality and depth of autolysis I have seen only once before in the Huia methodes, beautifully clean deepest baguette in style, really much more Vogel's Multigrain lightly toasted. Palate has a presence and weight to it which bespeaks a Bollinger model, and a considerable barrel-ferment component in the primary fermentation. The degree of this component will not please the delicacy brigade one little bit. Maybe it is a bit big ... yet … the whole wine is fresh, pleasing in mouth, with refreshing dosage maybe 7 g/L, and surprisingly low phenolics given the degree of character and development. The oak does creep up a bit on the long finish. I imagine it would be fantastic with flavoursome savouries. This wine shows a new level of achievement for complex New Zealand methode champenoise. Reined-in slightly on the colour and oak side, even less new oak maybe, this approach will go on to great things. Exciting wine. Claire Allan advises the next release, the 2010, is a blanc de blancs, so we can await that with great anticipation. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/16
Evaluation of the Negociants' methodes was facilitated by Glengarry Wines showing another set of 'grower' champagnes, the same week. Quite deep straw, the deepest of the New Zealand methodes, deeper than any of the champagnes it was tasted with, including the two rosés. Bouquet is intriguing, showing a quality and depth of autolysis I have seen only once before in the Huia methodes, beautifully clean deepest baguette in style, really much more Vogel's Multigrain lightly toasted. Palate has a presence and weight to it which bespeaks a Bollinger model, and a considerable barrel-ferment component in the primary fermentation. The degree of this component will not please the delicacy brigade one little bit. Maybe it is a bit big ... yet … the whole wine is fresh, pleasing in mouth, with refreshing dosage maybe 7 g/L, and surprisingly low phenolics given the degree of character and development. The oak does creep up a bit on the long finish. I imagine it would be fantastic with flavoursome savouries. This wine shows a new level of achievement for complex New Zealand methode champenoise. Reined-in slightly on the colour and oak side, even less new oak maybe, this approach will go on to great things. Exciting wine. Claire Allan advises the next release, the 2010, is a blanc de blancs, so we can await that with great anticipation. Cellar 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. GK 06/16
Margaret River, West Australia, New Zealand: 14%; $85 [ screwcap; cepage in 2013 CS 90%, CF 5, Ma 5, hand-picked; c.28 days cuvaison ; MLF and c.14 months in French small oak, 50% new, then 2 months post-blending in older oak to marry up; vintage rating 9/10 by Halliday; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 710 g; www.xanaduwines.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, exactly midway in depth. In the field of 27, this wine is clearly cassis-led, but slightly aromatic too, at the Prostanthera (Australian flowering mint) level only. This lifts the bouquet, so to first sight the wine seems more clearly cabernet than the Moss Wood. Palate shows great cassis in this slightly aromatic context, and lovely cedary oak, but all in a fractionally lighter winestyle than the Moss Wood, the flavours lingering delightfully. Text-book serious Australian cabernet, though the same caveat re dry extract. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, exactly midway in depth. In the field of 27, this wine is clearly cassis-led, but slightly aromatic too, at the Prostanthera (Australian flowering mint) level only. This lifts the bouquet, so to first sight the wine seems more clearly cabernet than the Moss Wood. Palate shows great cassis in this slightly aromatic context, and lovely cedary oak, but all in a fractionally lighter winestyle than the Moss Wood, the flavours lingering delightfully. Text-book serious Australian cabernet, though the same caveat re dry extract. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 08/16
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $49 [ Screwcap; hand-harvested at 5.3 t/ha = 2.1 t/ac, 20% whole-bunch, wild-yeast fermentations; 11 months in French oak, 30% new; not fined or filtered; this is the main bottling, a blend of approx. one third Elms, Cornish Point and Calvert vineyards, and the most widely available Felton Road pinot, production 4,375 x 9-L cases; not fined or filtered; dry extract 27.1 g/L; Julia Harding @ Jancis Robinson, 2011: This was my favourite Pinot of this tasting but I did not pick it out as the Kiwi among the Ozzies (in fact only 2 out of around 50 tasters did so). Deeply coloured. Slightly savoury and oaky on the nose but with ripe red fruit too. Raspberry-ripple ice cream. Fragrant on the mid palate. Soft, elegant and very pure fruited. Good length. Fine grained and beautifully balanced, 17.5; Cooper, 2012: The 2009 is beautifully floral and supple, with vibrant, concentrated cherry, plum and spice flavours that build to a long finish, *****; weight bottle and closure: 558 g; www.feltonroad.com ]
Good pinot noir ruby, midway in the field. This wine is overtly floral, fragrant, and highly varietal. First impression is a knockout. When you study the wine more closely, you see that the floral notes are in fact quite diverse, spanning the range from buddleia to roses, hints of boronia, but also traces of leafyness, making you wonder if there will be any green notes in the taste. Palate is red grading to black cherry, very lively, fruit more dominant to oak relative to the wines marked more highly, but yes, there is the faintest hint of stalkyness / green in the flavour too. This presumably reflects winemaker Blair Walter's belief in using a percentage of whole-bunch in the fermentation. Palate weight seems less than some of the wines, but the quality of flavour makes one overlook that. You end up feeling the fruit was picked fractionally early, and the wine needs higher dry extract to match grand cru wines from Burgundy. I was asked why not one of the the Block wines in the tasting, but (generalising) I prefer the greater fruit expression of the slightly less-oaked main Bannockburn label. Cellar 3 – 8 years. Six people rated this their top or second wine, one thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Good pinot noir ruby, midway in the field. This wine is overtly floral, fragrant, and highly varietal. First impression is a knockout. When you study the wine more closely, you see that the floral notes are in fact quite diverse, spanning the range from buddleia to roses, hints of boronia, but also traces of leafyness, making you wonder if there will be any green notes in the taste. Palate is red grading to black cherry, very lively, fruit more dominant to oak relative to the wines marked more highly, but yes, there is the faintest hint of stalkyness / green in the flavour too. This presumably reflects winemaker Blair Walter's belief in using a percentage of whole-bunch in the fermentation. Palate weight seems less than some of the wines, but the quality of flavour makes one overlook that. You end up feeling the fruit was picked fractionally early, and the wine needs higher dry extract to match grand cru wines from Burgundy. I was asked why not one of the the Block wines in the tasting, but (generalising) I prefer the greater fruit expression of the slightly less-oaked main Bannockburn label. Cellar 3 – 8 years. Six people rated this their top or second wine, one thought it French, and five thought it a $100-plus bottle. GK 07/16
Murrumbateman, Canberra district, New South Wales, Australia: 14%; $ – [ screwcap; bottle courtesy Geoff Wilson, cost $A90; Sh 95%, Vi 5%, co-fermented; 20% whole-bunches retained in fermentations; 12 months in French oak, 30% new; the website has little or no wine information and no previous vintages, disappointing for such a highly-regarded winery. Reference to the Guigal or Te Mata sites would show how it should be done; www.clonakilla.com.au ]
Ruby, with the interloper 2013 Pask Declaration, clearly the lightest wine. As a highly-regarded and highly sought-after Australian shiraz, tasting convener Geoff Wilson included this wine as a kind of sighter, even matching the vintage. A thrill to taste it, particularly blind. The wine immediately sits alongside the Te Mata Bullnose as transparently Cote Rotie in styling, and thus extraordinary for Australia. It is very fragrant on red and some darker berries, clear blueberry, some cassis, some plum, not as dark as the New Zealand syrahs – interestingly. There is no hint of euc'y taints – a matter for rejoicing – and no more pennyroyal / aromatic / minty qualities than the Villa Maria shows. Palate shows a gentle melding of red fruits, berry and oak which again is extraordinarily Cote Rotie, nearly Burgundy, and likewise the wine is very food-friendly, unlike many Australian reds (when seen overseas), irrespective of their popularity. The wine is so delicate, it is hard to be sure of its cellar potential: again the New Zealand pinot noir model comes to mind, 5 – 12 years maybe. GK 07/16
Ruby, with the interloper 2013 Pask Declaration, clearly the lightest wine. As a highly-regarded and highly sought-after Australian shiraz, tasting convener Geoff Wilson included this wine as a kind of sighter, even matching the vintage. A thrill to taste it, particularly blind. The wine immediately sits alongside the Te Mata Bullnose as transparently Cote Rotie in styling, and thus extraordinary for Australia. It is very fragrant on red and some darker berries, clear blueberry, some cassis, some plum, not as dark as the New Zealand syrahs – interestingly. There is no hint of euc'y taints – a matter for rejoicing – and no more pennyroyal / aromatic / minty qualities than the Villa Maria shows. Palate shows a gentle melding of red fruits, berry and oak which again is extraordinarily Cote Rotie, nearly Burgundy, and likewise the wine is very food-friendly, unlike many Australian reds (when seen overseas), irrespective of their popularity. The wine is so delicate, it is hard to be sure of its cellar potential: again the New Zealand pinot noir model comes to mind, 5 – 12 years maybe. GK 07/16
Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13.5%; $102 [ cork 50mm; www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Fromm Fromm Vineyard Syrah, by far the deepest pinot, too deep for pinot noir. When you find out the name on the label, you can't help sighing, having hoped for a new approach under new management. At the blind stage, my handwritten notes say: 'big burly wine, could be syrah … give benefit of doubt' … and as you taste it, and think about the qualities the wine shows, it is in fact nearly floral in a deep dusky way (but so is fine syrah), and it does smell and taste of rich tending over-ripe pinot noir, on the tannin structure. The oak handling is beautiful, and the black cherry fruit manages to avoid being too darkly plummy. So I'm going to assume that there has been serious saignée in this wine, and that if you cellar it and wait for it to become less burly, it will end up as convincing big pinot noir. It is therefore the best Dry River Pinot Noir I have tasted, but nonetheless it is a mistake to continue the perverse style of previous management. Good pinot noir never was like those wines, no matter what an ill-informed (or rather, easily misled) New Zealand public and auction market thinks. I acknowledge the wine is fresher and more varietal than many previous examples, but less ripeness and less colour will be better still. Cellar 8 – 18 years. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than the Fromm Fromm Vineyard Syrah, by far the deepest pinot, too deep for pinot noir. When you find out the name on the label, you can't help sighing, having hoped for a new approach under new management. At the blind stage, my handwritten notes say: 'big burly wine, could be syrah … give benefit of doubt' … and as you taste it, and think about the qualities the wine shows, it is in fact nearly floral in a deep dusky way (but so is fine syrah), and it does smell and taste of rich tending over-ripe pinot noir, on the tannin structure. The oak handling is beautiful, and the black cherry fruit manages to avoid being too darkly plummy. So I'm going to assume that there has been serious saignée in this wine, and that if you cellar it and wait for it to become less burly, it will end up as convincing big pinot noir. It is therefore the best Dry River Pinot Noir I have tasted, but nonetheless it is a mistake to continue the perverse style of previous management. Good pinot noir never was like those wines, no matter what an ill-informed (or rather, easily misled) New Zealand public and auction market thinks. I acknowledge the wine is fresher and more varietal than many previous examples, but less ripeness and less colour will be better still. Cellar 8 – 18 years. GK 06/16
Gavilan Range, Monterey County, California: 12.8%; $80 [ 49mm cork; grown at c.600 m in very low rainfall, on limestone; at the time regarded as amongst the best expressions of the variety in California; no info; www.chalonevineyard.com ]
Garnet and ruby, the second deepest. Bouquet is intensely aromatic in a darkly floral, black cherry and browning way, yet highly varietal too. There is quite a spicy component to the aromatic florals, and on the third or fourth pass the penny drops, ah yes, trace nutmeg aroma of the 4-EG phase of brett metabolites aroma, but at the level most people find elusive, enticing and saliva-inducing. Palate is flavoursome, dark cherry, some oak showing, hints of spice again, in a dramatically Cote de Nuits texture and style, very legitimate. Like the Corton, it is at the end of its plateau of maturity, and essentially for the same reason – more new oak now showing. The Chalone was the top wine for four on the night, and this is winemakers speaking. So there is a lesson here for pretentious amateurs, who having learnt to recognise brett metabolite aromas, then affect the stance the wine is unacceptable to their rarefied sensibilities. A wonderful wine with more flavoursome foods, the parallel to Cote de Nuits being uncanny. No hurry. GK 10/14
Garnet and ruby, the second deepest. Bouquet is intensely aromatic in a darkly floral, black cherry and browning way, yet highly varietal too. There is quite a spicy component to the aromatic florals, and on the third or fourth pass the penny drops, ah yes, trace nutmeg aroma of the 4-EG phase of brett metabolites aroma, but at the level most people find elusive, enticing and saliva-inducing. Palate is flavoursome, dark cherry, some oak showing, hints of spice again, in a dramatically Cote de Nuits texture and style, very legitimate. Like the Corton, it is at the end of its plateau of maturity, and essentially for the same reason – more new oak now showing. The Chalone was the top wine for four on the night, and this is winemakers speaking. So there is a lesson here for pretentious amateurs, who having learnt to recognise brett metabolite aromas, then affect the stance the wine is unacceptable to their rarefied sensibilities. A wonderful wine with more flavoursome foods, the parallel to Cote de Nuits being uncanny. No hurry. GK 10/14
Moteo / Puketapu district, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 12.5%; $45 [ Stelvin Lux; Sy 100%, cropped at 6.3 t/ha (2.5 t/ac); 100% whole-bunch fermented in concrete 'eggs', cuvaison 8 weeks; elevation 80% in concrete, 20% in new oak for 12 months. Included to illustrate the distinctive aromas and flavours the whole-bunch fermentation technique introduces to syrah (or pinot noir), yet the wine retains varietal florality and a suggestion of black pepper in a darker tending-European way. Some cassis and black olive aromas and flavours; www.easthope.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Te Awa. The bouquet is immediately totally different from the preceding wines, displaying a very dark berry character, hard to describe but suggestions of darkest brown mushrooms and black olives, as well as black pepper, tapenade and muted cassis and dark plum. The nett impression is most unusual for New Zealand reds, but is not quite so strange in a French context. Oak is near invisible, the unusual fermentation characters dominating. Palate brings up the black pepper component of the flavour, in a wine which seems fractionally harder or more acid than the Te Awa, on dark berry and dark plum fruit. The nett balance of smells and flavours continues unusual in new world terms, but it works with food. It needs more time to come together. Meanwhile this is the go-to wine for demonstrating whole-bunch fermentation characters in syrah. While on this showing 100% whole-bunch is too much for easy general acceptance, nonetheless it is a great teaching wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. I have yet to understand why high whole-bunch syrah ferments display a character reminiscent of brett. GK 10/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not quite as deep as the Te Awa. The bouquet is immediately totally different from the preceding wines, displaying a very dark berry character, hard to describe but suggestions of darkest brown mushrooms and black olives, as well as black pepper, tapenade and muted cassis and dark plum. The nett impression is most unusual for New Zealand reds, but is not quite so strange in a French context. Oak is near invisible, the unusual fermentation characters dominating. Palate brings up the black pepper component of the flavour, in a wine which seems fractionally harder or more acid than the Te Awa, on dark berry and dark plum fruit. The nett balance of smells and flavours continues unusual in new world terms, but it works with food. It needs more time to come together. Meanwhile this is the go-to wine for demonstrating whole-bunch fermentation characters in syrah. While on this showing 100% whole-bunch is too much for easy general acceptance, nonetheless it is a great teaching wine. Cellar 5 – 15 years. I have yet to understand why high whole-bunch syrah ferments display a character reminiscent of brett. GK 10/16
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; 5 hours skin contact, wild yeast fermentation in French oak 20% new, 5 months LA and weekly batonnage, RS 13 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. This is less aromatic gewurz than the Corbans and Lawsons, with rose petal and Turkish delight bouquet qualities and light stonefruits, plus some VA lift, on good total fruit. Palate is more flavoursome than the bouquet initially suggests, with good lychee fruit and some root ginger, and attractive mouth-feel helped by residual sugar (and possibly an MLF fraction). Palate develops some gewurz bite on the finish, making it even more clearly varietal. Medium-dry. It is inspiring to read of the effort that goes into making a wine like this, and the result is great. It should become more impressive in cellar, 3 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Lemongreen. This is less aromatic gewurz than the Corbans and Lawsons, with rose petal and Turkish delight bouquet qualities and light stonefruits, plus some VA lift, on good total fruit. Palate is more flavoursome than the bouquet initially suggests, with good lychee fruit and some root ginger, and attractive mouth-feel helped by residual sugar (and possibly an MLF fraction). Palate develops some gewurz bite on the finish, making it even more clearly varietal. Medium-dry. It is inspiring to read of the effort that goes into making a wine like this, and the result is great. It should become more impressive in cellar, 3 – 10 years. GK 11/05
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ cork; hand-harvested CS 53%, Me 28, CF 19; extended cuvaison; average vine age 22 + years; 19 months in French oak c.75% new; pH 3.60, RS nil; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a rich wine, but good. Bouquet is sweetly fragrant, clearly modelled on the Margaux style of Bordeaux, darkest roses and even violets in the floral component, clear cassis, a mix of red and dark berry fruits including plum. Bouquet is very fresh, and on palate that translates into a lighter wine than the best Hawke's Bay 2009s (or 2007 Coleraine, for example), but there is a Bordeaux balance and precision to the flavour which is beguiling. Oak handling shows the customary Te Mata restraint. This wine reminds that the primary goal of claret is to be food-friendly, rather than immediately impressive or a block-buster. Even so, it is considerably lighter than I imagine the better second, third and fourth growth 2010 Bordeaux will be. It would be great if Te Mata bit the bullet on cropping rates, for although a wine like this is beautiful, there is always the old adage that a good big 'un will beat a good little 'un. The dry extract on a wine like the 2009 Church Road Cabernet / Merlot Reserve is so much greater than 2010 Coleraine. That is what this wine needs if it is to compete at the highest level. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not a rich wine, but good. Bouquet is sweetly fragrant, clearly modelled on the Margaux style of Bordeaux, darkest roses and even violets in the floral component, clear cassis, a mix of red and dark berry fruits including plum. Bouquet is very fresh, and on palate that translates into a lighter wine than the best Hawke's Bay 2009s (or 2007 Coleraine, for example), but there is a Bordeaux balance and precision to the flavour which is beguiling. Oak handling shows the customary Te Mata restraint. This wine reminds that the primary goal of claret is to be food-friendly, rather than immediately impressive or a block-buster. Even so, it is considerably lighter than I imagine the better second, third and fourth growth 2010 Bordeaux will be. It would be great if Te Mata bit the bullet on cropping rates, for although a wine like this is beautiful, there is always the old adage that a good big 'un will beat a good little 'un. The dry extract on a wine like the 2009 Church Road Cabernet / Merlot Reserve is so much greater than 2010 Coleraine. That is what this wine needs if it is to compete at the highest level. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe longer. GK 03/12
Pisa district, Cromwell Basin, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $55 [ screwcap; oldest vines 11 years; no whole bunch; c.11 months in French oak c.33% new; Cooper, 2007: Deeply coloured and attractively fragrant, it is weighty, fleshy sweet-fruited and supple, with plummy, spicy flavours, fresh and strong, ****; weight bottle and closure: 706 g; www.pisarangeestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, one of the older colours, above midway in depth. Bouquet is simply astonishing on this wine, a dramatic evocation not only of pinot noir the variety, but burgundy the winestyle. And specifically, in its excitement and zing, it reminds of the Cote de Nuits, not the Cote de Beaune. It is floral, but it is stretching the analogy to say boronia, the fragrant and maturing components being so married into the wine. There is also an autumnal suggestion, fitting with the colour, but it does not smell old in any negative sense. Red and black cherry fruits are now seamlessly complexed with oak, the wine at full maturity. Palate is rich alongside the burgundies, with the total acid up fractionally, though well covered by the mature fruit flavours. There is a suggestion of stalky complexity, only a trace, markedly less so than the other New Zealand wine. Eight people rated this their top or second wine, the second-highest group rating, and six thought it could be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Ruby and garnet, one of the older colours, above midway in depth. Bouquet is simply astonishing on this wine, a dramatic evocation not only of pinot noir the variety, but burgundy the winestyle. And specifically, in its excitement and zing, it reminds of the Cote de Nuits, not the Cote de Beaune. It is floral, but it is stretching the analogy to say boronia, the fragrant and maturing components being so married into the wine. There is also an autumnal suggestion, fitting with the colour, but it does not smell old in any negative sense. Red and black cherry fruits are now seamlessly complexed with oak, the wine at full maturity. Palate is rich alongside the burgundies, with the total acid up fractionally, though well covered by the mature fruit flavours. There is a suggestion of stalky complexity, only a trace, markedly less so than the other New Zealand wine. Eight people rated this their top or second wine, the second-highest group rating, and six thought it could be a New Zealand wine. GK 10/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $100 [ 49mm cork; Sy 100%, but this year not the New Zealand mass-selection clone, hand-harvested @ 6.2 t/ha (2.5 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top oak cuves, 22 days cuvaison including cold-soak; no BF component; MLF and 20 months in French oak 50% new; RS nil; filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby. Bouquet is clean, aromatic, highly black peppery on cassisy fruit, the oak showing a little much. Flavour dispels the oak concern, the ratio of berry to oak being attractive, cassis browning a little now, black pepper, good but not exemplary concentration, a long flavour on the black pepper particularly. From the bouquet, I imagine the oak may come to the fore with extended cellaring, cellar 3 – 8 years more. This bottle seems a little different (sweeter and riper, black rather than white pepper) from the bottle in the Le Sol vs Homage vertical the previous night. GK 09/16
Ruby. Bouquet is clean, aromatic, highly black peppery on cassisy fruit, the oak showing a little much. Flavour dispels the oak concern, the ratio of berry to oak being attractive, cassis browning a little now, black pepper, good but not exemplary concentration, a long flavour on the black pepper particularly. From the bouquet, I imagine the oak may come to the fore with extended cellaring, cellar 3 – 8 years more. This bottle seems a little different (sweeter and riper, black rather than white pepper) from the bottle in the Le Sol vs Homage vertical the previous night. GK 09/16
Calatayud, Spain: 15%; $45 [ cork 50mm; Sy 97%, Vi 3, hand-picked, and grown at 950m altitude; 10 days cold soak, c. 4 weeks cuvaison; 20 months in all-French oak second and third year, none new; RS 1.6 g/L; 296 9-L case production; imported by Bennett & Deller, Auckland; clarity of labelling not the strong point of this now well-established wine; weight bottle and closure: 644 g; www.escocesvolante.es/dosdedos.html ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second darkest wine. In a mixed blind tasting of cabernets, syrah and Chateauneuf-du-Papes, at the blind stage this wine presents as a dark Chateauneuf-du-Pape, partly because it is a bit spirity. Once the IDs are revealed, it is astonishingly deep for syrah, with great purity plus the alcohol lift. It is not exactly floral, though, more vanillin from oak, the style being warmer-climate. It is only in mouth you get a clearer expression of the smells and flavours. It is syrah, not shiraz, but it is all immensely dark, more currants than grapes, so you don't think of cassis as such. It is riper and oakier than the Yering Reserve, but it is not pruney, at all. Oaking is pro-rata to the richness and body, so it is a much bigger, darker, denser wine than any rated more highly. I imagine there are some Washington syrahs like this. Those who are unaware (or uncaring) of concepts like florality in syrah, and look only for richness and size, will mark this beautifully-made wine more highly. It will cellar for many years, and may surprise in years to come. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second darkest wine. In a mixed blind tasting of cabernets, syrah and Chateauneuf-du-Papes, at the blind stage this wine presents as a dark Chateauneuf-du-Pape, partly because it is a bit spirity. Once the IDs are revealed, it is astonishingly deep for syrah, with great purity plus the alcohol lift. It is not exactly floral, though, more vanillin from oak, the style being warmer-climate. It is only in mouth you get a clearer expression of the smells and flavours. It is syrah, not shiraz, but it is all immensely dark, more currants than grapes, so you don't think of cassis as such. It is riper and oakier than the Yering Reserve, but it is not pruney, at all. Oaking is pro-rata to the richness and body, so it is a much bigger, darker, denser wine than any rated more highly. I imagine there are some Washington syrahs like this. Those who are unaware (or uncaring) of concepts like florality in syrah, and look only for richness and size, will mark this beautifully-made wine more highly. It will cellar for many years, and may surprise in years to come. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 08/16
South Australia, Australia: 14%; $44 [ mainly Padthaway, Bordertown and McLaren Vale, plus some Barossa, Kalimna and Robe; 13 months in new (22%), and older US oak; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet. A very rich, deeply floral, ripe, fruity and nearly raisiny bouquet creates a good first impression, chock-full of cassisy berry and darkly plummy fruit. One can nearly imagine violets in the depths of this. Palate is deeply skinsy, very dry with the cassis showing the raisiny edge again, not excessively oaky, and some of the oak older. A classic example of the better Penfolds styles, though not quite matching the best of recent years. In this instant gratification age, good to see even Penfolds saying this wine will cellar for 20 years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Deep ruby, carmine and velvet. A very rich, deeply floral, ripe, fruity and nearly raisiny bouquet creates a good first impression, chock-full of cassisy berry and darkly plummy fruit. One can nearly imagine violets in the depths of this. Palate is deeply skinsy, very dry with the cassis showing the raisiny edge again, not excessively oaky, and some of the oak older. A classic example of the better Penfolds styles, though not quite matching the best of recent years. In this instant gratification age, good to see even Penfolds saying this wine will cellar for 20 years. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 05/04
Grampians, Victoria, Australia: 14.5%; $62 [ Screwcap; rated Outstanding in the Langton's Australian wine classification, the second-level group of 52 wines; Halliday rates the 2012 vintage 8 for The Grampians (a famous west Victoria wine district including Great Western, 180 km east of Coonawarra); this is the top wine in the Seppelt red range, a long-established wine name in Victoria now part of Treasury Wine Estates (along with Penfolds); vines were first planted in the district in 1863; the Great Western winery was founded by Joseph Best in 1865; the tunnels were dug by gold-miners, and sparkling wine production, for which the district first became famous, commenced in 1890. The Seppelt family bought the winery in 1918; this wine includes fruit from vineyards planted in the 1930s; the label traces its history back to the (then) black-label Seppelt Great Western Hermitage first released in 1964; winemaking includes retaining some whole-bunches and berries, and some hand-methods, followed by 14 months in both larger vats, and barriques, all French and 40% new; the makers estimate a 50-year lifespan, unusual; Halliday, 2014: Sourced from the 90-year-old block adjacent to the winery and from other old plantings in the region; open-fermented and hand-plunged, matured in new and used French barriques for 14 months. The black fruit iron fist in the flowery, spicy velvet glove will guarantee the wine a prodigiously long life; it has the innate balance and length the region can provide like few others. Drink by 2062, 97; Kyte-Powell, 2014: Seppelt Great Western Shiraz has a long, impressive heritage and this 2012 is a great example. The nose has raspberry, plum, gentle spice and chocolatey notes, with a suggestion of the granite earth of the region. Its a traditional regional style at its best, with a velvety, medium-weight palate, fine tannins and a long finish, 96; bottle weight 813 g; www.seppelt.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, a little older than some, near the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, nearly floral, some flowering mint, blueberry the dominant fruit analogy. Palate picks up the mintyness on a fruit weight more Cape Mentelle than McLaren Vale, but the higher alcohol accentuates the oak and mint a little much. There are still syrah suggestions in this wine, though. Nobody rated it top, two second, nobody least, two thought it Penfolds, and none New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Ruby and velvet, a little older than some, near the middle for depth. Bouquet is quiet, nearly floral, some flowering mint, blueberry the dominant fruit analogy. Palate picks up the mintyness on a fruit weight more Cape Mentelle than McLaren Vale, but the higher alcohol accentuates the oak and mint a little much. There are still syrah suggestions in this wine, though. Nobody rated it top, two second, nobody least, two thought it Penfolds, and none New Zealand. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 04/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $106 [ cork 49mm; release price $124; hand-picked at about 2.5 t/ha (1 t/ac) from Sy 100%; the grapes de-stemmed, lightly crushed to leave whole berries; shortish cuvaison; c.15 months in French oak mostly new, some lees stirring, not a lot of racking; this wine is the largest volume yet made of Homage, nearly 600 cases; J Robinson, 2013: Unnecessarily heavy bottle but the wine itself is lightening up. Brooding crimson. Savoury, lifted nose. Lots of liquorice and sap. Still quite young but confident enough to make it to old age. Very juicy. Well managed tannins present on the finish: 17; Lisa Perrotti-Brown @ R Parker, 2012: ... a little closed, with notes of blueberries and plums plus hints of allspice, chocolate and toast. Medium to full-bodied, it gives a good core of mid-palate flesh supported by medium to high acid and a medium to firm level of rounded tannins, going savory / earthy in the long finish. Drink it now to 2018+: 91; M Cooper, 2013: One of the country's most distinguished – and expensive – reds … a '7 out of 7' year, believes winemaker John Hancock … powerful, with great depth of superbly ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, framed by ripe, supple tannins. Still a baby, its already approachable, but well worth cellaring to at least 2015+: *****; weight bottle and closure: 1035 g; www.trinityhill.com ]
Ruby and velvet, much less vivid than 2010 Le Sol, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is quieter too, a more evolved winestyle with darker berry notes and even black olive creeping into the cassis and black pepper. Palate shows furry tannins again more European than new-world, and the wine is drying a little to the finish. The question of low-level brett was raised, but winemaker Warren Gibson says there is none. It will be interesting to see how these two (the 2010 Le Sol and 2010 Homage) compare in the years to come. Two tasters rated this their top or second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Ruby and velvet, much less vivid than 2010 Le Sol, just above midway in depth. Bouquet is quieter too, a more evolved winestyle with darker berry notes and even black olive creeping into the cassis and black pepper. Palate shows furry tannins again more European than new-world, and the wine is drying a little to the finish. The question of low-level brett was raised, but winemaker Warren Gibson says there is none. It will be interesting to see how these two (the 2010 Le Sol and 2010 Homage) compare in the years to come. Two tasters rated this their top or second-favourite wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Gimblett Gravels 65%, Te Awanga 35%, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $90 [ cork 50mm; Sy 98.7%, Vi 1.3, co-fermented where possible; all hand-picked from vines of average age 13 years; on average 4 days cold-soak, approximately 25% whole-bunch, cuvaison averaged 14 days, all cultured-yeast; wild-MLF in barrel; 18 months in oak c.40% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered to bottle; dry extract 31.9 g/L; production 273 cases; www.elephanthill.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. This is the most distinctive wine in the set, and also another to look very different from this time last year. There is rich berry with a strong whole-bunch ferment component to it now, much more apparent than a year ago. I expect that to marry away with another 3 – 5 years in cellar. It is a strange smell, which can easily be interpreted negatively, as in for example a reminder of burning perspex. Looked at another way however, it is nearly floral (this is the goal of the whole-bunch approach), exploring the dusky aromatics of cassis and dark plum fruit. Palate is berry dominant, with the oaking seeming low, in this company. There are clear reminders here of the new-style Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage wines being made by Maxime Graillot under the Domaine des Lises label, as well as 2013 Trinity Hills Syrah Homage and Rod Easthope's 2014 Syrah Moteo. They add a new dimension to New Zealand syrah, which some will find hard to embrace. Palate richness in this wine is exemplary. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest wine. This is the most distinctive wine in the set, and also another to look very different from this time last year. There is rich berry with a strong whole-bunch ferment component to it now, much more apparent than a year ago. I expect that to marry away with another 3 – 5 years in cellar. It is a strange smell, which can easily be interpreted negatively, as in for example a reminder of burning perspex. Looked at another way however, it is nearly floral (this is the goal of the whole-bunch approach), exploring the dusky aromatics of cassis and dark plum fruit. Palate is berry dominant, with the oaking seeming low, in this company. There are clear reminders here of the new-style Cornas and Crozes-Hermitage wines being made by Maxime Graillot under the Domaine des Lises label, as well as 2013 Trinity Hills Syrah Homage and Rod Easthope's 2014 Syrah Moteo. They add a new dimension to New Zealand syrah, which some will find hard to embrace. Palate richness in this wine is exemplary. Cellar 5 – 15 years, maybe 20. GK 06/16
Rheinhessen, Germany: 13.5%; $47 [ cork; organic and biodynamic, the Wittmans have been winemakers in Westhofen since at least 1663, with 90% of production riesling; Nierstein soils tend to slate and sandstone; the website is more illustrative, hard to get factual info for each wine; www.weingutwittmann.de ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is immediately holygrass (Hierochloe) / linalool / vanillin varietal, sweet and fragrant, almost a hint of grapefruit and even botrytis, highly varietal. Palate is big, flavoursome, noticeable lees character, phenolics higher than ideal but covered pretty well by the saturation of flavour, a wine dramatically illustrating the difference in cropping rate between these European wines and most sugar-enhanced (even when said to be dry) New Zealand rieslings. Really interesting wine, in a big way. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/17
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is immediately holygrass (Hierochloe) / linalool / vanillin varietal, sweet and fragrant, almost a hint of grapefruit and even botrytis, highly varietal. Palate is big, flavoursome, noticeable lees character, phenolics higher than ideal but covered pretty well by the saturation of flavour, a wine dramatically illustrating the difference in cropping rate between these European wines and most sugar-enhanced (even when said to be dry) New Zealand rieslings. Really interesting wine, in a big way. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 03/17
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $55 [ screwcap; all hand-picked from a more closely-planted (by NZ standards) part of the vineyard, 6,000 vines / ha, 11 years age, later-picked than the average of the standard Grasshopper, this part producing smaller bunches and hence giving a higher skin to juice ratio; no whole-bunch component; 13 months in French oak 33% new; dry; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, in the second quarter for depth. Initially opened, there is a reticence, a faint muskiness, which quickly dispels with swirling / decanting. The wine opens to fragrant red grading to black cherry pinot noir, suggestions of dusky rose florals but not as explicit as the top wines, some new oak. Palate immediately reveals more oak, so the initial musky note on bouquet is probably just the hessian of new French oak, yet to marry in. There is a fair weight of cherry fruit on palate, oak maybe to a max, the whole winestyle more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits. This may mark higher, once married up. It is both richer and riper than the standard 2014 Grasshopper, but ideally it needs a little more richness still. It is a first trial for a future Reserve wine, only 64 cases made, not generally sold but available on request. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Good pinot noir ruby, in the second quarter for depth. Initially opened, there is a reticence, a faint muskiness, which quickly dispels with swirling / decanting. The wine opens to fragrant red grading to black cherry pinot noir, suggestions of dusky rose florals but not as explicit as the top wines, some new oak. Palate immediately reveals more oak, so the initial musky note on bouquet is probably just the hessian of new French oak, yet to marry in. There is a fair weight of cherry fruit on palate, oak maybe to a max, the whole winestyle more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits. This may mark higher, once married up. It is both richer and riper than the standard 2014 Grasshopper, but ideally it needs a little more richness still. It is a first trial for a future Reserve wine, only 64 cases made, not generally sold but available on request. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.2%; $94 [ cork 49mm; release price $100; Sy 100% Limmer clone, hand-harvested @ 2.2 t/ac from a stony part of the vineyard; 100% de-stemmed, 2 days cold soak, wild-yeast fermentation in open-top oak cuves, 22 days cuvaison including cold-soak; no BF component; MLF and 20 months in French oak 42% new; RS nil; filtered; c. 1000 x 9-L cases in 2007; J Robinson, 2009: 'Later picking and showing off', is how Easthope described this bottling. Meaty, nice dry finish, succulent and lots of liquorice. Great balance. Sweeter than the Collina but perhaps not quite as sophisticated: 17.5; N Martin @ R Parker, 2009: ... very intense, almost introverted on the nose, closed compared to the Block 14 but the palate is full-bodied with immense chewy tannins, real weight and concentration but good acidity. Huge grip, pure black cherry, cassis and plum but velvety and caressing on the finish. Iron first/velvet glove etc. Unreal: 96; M Cooper, 2010: Craggy Range views the 2007 vintage as its greatest syrah yet – and it's hard to argue … a voluminous bouquet of cassis, spice and black pepper. Full-bodied and supple, it has concentrated, ripe, spicy, nutty flavours, showing superb density, elegance and length: *****; weight bottle and closure: 975 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet shows fragrant, aromatic, clean maturing syrah, some cassis browning slightly now, some black pepper, beautifully pure. Flavours grade from cassis to bottled black doris plum, softer, riper and richer than the 2006s, maybe a thought of ripening to the blueberry level with an associated fleshy finish, even though the tannins do creep up too. This is very much a new-world syrah, to cellar 3 – 12 years more. It attracted four first or second-place votes. GK 09/16
Ruby, carmine and velvet, well below midway in depth. Bouquet shows fragrant, aromatic, clean maturing syrah, some cassis browning slightly now, some black pepper, beautifully pure. Flavours grade from cassis to bottled black doris plum, softer, riper and richer than the 2006s, maybe a thought of ripening to the blueberry level with an associated fleshy finish, even though the tannins do creep up too. This is very much a new-world syrah, to cellar 3 – 12 years more. It attracted four first or second-place votes. GK 09/16
Saint-Julien Second Growth, Bordeaux, France: – %; $265 [ cork 52mm; original price $32.95; cepage then approx. CS 67%, Me 17, CF 13, PV 3, planted at 8,000 vines / ha; 12 – 24 months in barrel, 50 – 100% new oak, depending on the vintage; Broadbent, 2002: … recently, spicy nose but hard to get to grips with. Dry, now losing body weight, not bad but unexciting. At best ****; Coates, 2000: Very classy on the nose. This is very lovely. Pure, rich, concentrated Cabernet fruit. Full, composed and aristocratic. This is still very vigorous. Lots of depth. Very long. Very fine indeed: 19; R. Parker, 1995: The nose is more complex and penetrating than the flavors. The wine offers classic, mineral, lead pencil, smoky, earthy scents, with plenty of ripe fruit, and none of the vegetal herbaceousness that many 1978s have begun to exhibit. The attack offers good ripeness, medium to full body, higher acidity than many more recent vintages, and considerable tannin in the hard finish. Although this wine possesses outstanding complexity, the high tannin level may never fully melt away. While it will last another 15-20 years, the 1978 is at its apogee and will slowly dry out over the next two decades: 90; www.domaines-delon.com ]
Ruby and garnet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises 'concept claret', more particularly the Medoc, with an incredible volume of cassisy berry and other dark fruits melded with cedary oak, wonderfully fragrant. Palate shows perfect balance for a medium-weight-only west bank wine, the berry softening the cedary oak and the oak lengthening the fruit wonderfully. But yes, you could wish for a little more plumpness / flesh, at this point, for the tannin is starting to show. Ripeness is near-perfect for temperate climate cabernet, not quite matching the top three. Fully mature, can only lose flesh now. Six people rated this their top or second wine. GK 08/16
Ruby and garnet, the second deepest wine. Bouquet epitomises 'concept claret', more particularly the Medoc, with an incredible volume of cassisy berry and other dark fruits melded with cedary oak, wonderfully fragrant. Palate shows perfect balance for a medium-weight-only west bank wine, the berry softening the cedary oak and the oak lengthening the fruit wonderfully. But yes, you could wish for a little more plumpness / flesh, at this point, for the tannin is starting to show. Ripeness is near-perfect for temperate climate cabernet, not quite matching the top three. Fully mature, can only lose flesh now. Six people rated this their top or second wine. GK 08/16
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $104 [ cork, 50 mm; original price $100; Sy 100%, all hand-picked from c.13-year old vines cropped @ c.7.1 t/ha = 2.8 t/ac; some ferments in oak cuves, in previous years cuvaison of c.20 days, wild and cultured-yeast ferments; 18 months in French oak c.32% new; RS nil g/L; sterile-filtered; Harding @ Robinson, 2016: Inviting peppery aroma with darkest of cherry fruit. Both floral and peppery on the palate with a dry, dark peppery texture but super-subtle. Dusty/stony finish and the finest of tannins, 2016 – 2023, 17.5; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2015: ... a very pretty nose of violets and red roses over a core of red and black cherries plus hints of cinnamon stick and star anise. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully crafted with elegant, perfumed red fruits supported by ripe, rounded tannins. It finishes with great length, 2015 – 2023, 94+; dry extract 26.8 g/L; production understood to be c. 500-plus x 9-litre cases; weight bottle and closure: 974 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. This is a fragrant wine, but the smells are not quite ‘varietal’. The florals are attractive though, and the wine smells as if it has a significant whole bunch component, though none is admitted to. There is bright red berry fruit, almost red currant and loganberry, as well as red and black plum. Palate is fresh, reasonable richness, not exactly cassis though, and there is a hint of stalks hard to separate from white and black pepper, with elegant oak. This wine seems the polar opposite of Tom, as if fractionally more ripeness before picking would have achieved more accurate floral, berry, and varietal rendition. One person rated Le Sol their favourite wine, three their second, none thought it French, and interestingly, seven, by far the highest vote, thought it the 100% whole bunch wine. It certainly shares characteristics with La Collina, but is not as rich. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, carmine and velvet, above midway in depth. This is a fragrant wine, but the smells are not quite ‘varietal’. The florals are attractive though, and the wine smells as if it has a significant whole bunch component, though none is admitted to. There is bright red berry fruit, almost red currant and loganberry, as well as red and black plum. Palate is fresh, reasonable richness, not exactly cassis though, and there is a hint of stalks hard to separate from white and black pepper, with elegant oak. This wine seems the polar opposite of Tom, as if fractionally more ripeness before picking would have achieved more accurate floral, berry, and varietal rendition. One person rated Le Sol their favourite wine, three their second, none thought it French, and interestingly, seven, by far the highest vote, thought it the 100% whole bunch wine. It certainly shares characteristics with La Collina, but is not as rich. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $78 [ 50mm cork; DFB; Me 63%, CS 27, CF 8, PV 2, hand-harvested @ 5.6 t/ha (2.25 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in s/s; 18 months in French oak 44% new; RS nil; fined and filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and some velvet, lighter than ideal, clearly below midway in depth. Bouquet is clean, berry-fragrant, but seemingly under-fruited relative to the 2014. It is hard to detect a floral component, the oak being nearly as 'loud' as the berry – the new world approach. Palate nonetheless shows a good harmony of berry and oak at this stage of the wine's evolution. The balance is very much in the Saint-Emilion merlot-led style, darkly plummy fruit extended by oak, but over-oaked by good Saint-Emilion standards. The oak is likely to become more apparent with further cellaring, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Ruby and some velvet, lighter than ideal, clearly below midway in depth. Bouquet is clean, berry-fragrant, but seemingly under-fruited relative to the 2014. It is hard to detect a floral component, the oak being nearly as 'loud' as the berry – the new world approach. Palate nonetheless shows a good harmony of berry and oak at this stage of the wine's evolution. The balance is very much in the Saint-Emilion merlot-led style, darkly plummy fruit extended by oak, but over-oaked by good Saint-Emilion standards. The oak is likely to become more apparent with further cellaring, 5 – 12 years. GK 09/16
Condrieu, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $92 [ cork; the wine shown a 50/50 blend of the 2009 and 2011 vintages; hand-picked from sites above Chavanay, all BF on low-solids in older oak 2 – 5 years, 100% MLF plus LA, batonnage and 9 months in barrel; www.cuilleron.com ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet on this wine is much deeper, and in the context of these wines illustrating a ripening gradient through to orange-ripe apricots, it spoke eloquently. Since for this tasting the presentation of tasting concepts was more important than vintage veracity, the wine shown was in fact a 50 / 50 blend of the 2009 (much riper) and 2011 (standard) vintages. The latter introduced some citrus blossom notes, and relative freshness, thus bridging the wine wonderfully to the Villa Maria. Palate however with its sensational ripe apricot flavours was a complete contrast to the Villa Maria, the 100% malo producing a broader and softer palate than the Villa, even though the orange apricot – even dried apricot – qualities persisted very well indeed. The wine communicated well, but was less well liked, though some allowance must be made for unfamiliarity. All good food for thought (and discussion), on the winemaking side. [ The 2009 is already fully to slightly over-mature but more dramatically and varietally flavoursome, the 2011 lighter and fresher, and can be held a year or two ]. GK 09/13
Lemonstraw. Bouquet on this wine is much deeper, and in the context of these wines illustrating a ripening gradient through to orange-ripe apricots, it spoke eloquently. Since for this tasting the presentation of tasting concepts was more important than vintage veracity, the wine shown was in fact a 50 / 50 blend of the 2009 (much riper) and 2011 (standard) vintages. The latter introduced some citrus blossom notes, and relative freshness, thus bridging the wine wonderfully to the Villa Maria. Palate however with its sensational ripe apricot flavours was a complete contrast to the Villa Maria, the 100% malo producing a broader and softer palate than the Villa, even though the orange apricot – even dried apricot – qualities persisted very well indeed. The wine communicated well, but was less well liked, though some allowance must be made for unfamiliarity. All good food for thought (and discussion), on the winemaking side. [ The 2009 is already fully to slightly over-mature but more dramatically and varietally flavoursome, the 2011 lighter and fresher, and can be held a year or two ]. GK 09/13
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 14%; $84 [ screwcap; Abel clone c.40%, assorted Dijon clones 40, UCD 5 15, planted at varying densities 2,800 – 4,400 vines/ha, average age c.23 years; all hand-picked @ c.4.1 t/ha (1.6 t/ac), 25% whole-bunch (the ratio depending on fruit-ripeness and year etc), pre-ferment cold soak 5 – 6 days, then 15 – 20 days cuvaison with 100% wild yeast; c.11 months in French oak c.35% new, medium toast; not sterile-filtered to bottle; RS <1 g/L; www.atarangi.co.nz ]
Good ruby, getting deep for pinot noir, clearly above midway. Bouquet on the 2014 Ata Rangi is extraordinarily close to the 2013, but the wine being less together, the pennyroyal is more obtrusive, rather masking any quality of florality the wine might show. I wonder which parcels of fruit in this Ata Rangi top wine are located close by eucalypts – as a starting point. Palate is potentially supple, the quality of cherry fruit here seeming a little more black cherry than the 2013, the concentration rich and rewarding. Like the Craggy two but less markedly so, the 2014 Ata Rangi seems fractionally cooler than the 2013. But I'm hard-put to differentiate between the 2013 and 2014 in quality, once the 12 months difference in age is adjusted for. They show wonderful consistency in winemaking. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Good ruby, getting deep for pinot noir, clearly above midway. Bouquet on the 2014 Ata Rangi is extraordinarily close to the 2013, but the wine being less together, the pennyroyal is more obtrusive, rather masking any quality of florality the wine might show. I wonder which parcels of fruit in this Ata Rangi top wine are located close by eucalypts – as a starting point. Palate is potentially supple, the quality of cherry fruit here seeming a little more black cherry than the 2013, the concentration rich and rewarding. Like the Craggy two but less markedly so, the 2014 Ata Rangi seems fractionally cooler than the 2013. But I'm hard-put to differentiate between the 2013 and 2014 in quality, once the 12 months difference in age is adjusted for. They show wonderful consistency in winemaking. Cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 09/16
Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Cru, Cotes de Nuits, Burgundy, France: 13%; $206 [ cork; 30 – 35 hl/ha (1.5 – 1.8 t/ac); 10% whole-bunch, c. 15 day cuvaison in s/s; MLF and up 22 months in French oak 25% new; Coates: Even more impressive on the nose. Profound, rich, full, concentrated and elegant. Very pure and very virile. Fullish body on the palate. Excellent balance. Gently oaky. Very long. A very lovely wine. Very fine plus. From 2011; Parker / Rovani: 89 – 92; www.domaine-rousseau.com ]
Pinot noir ruby, the average of the Rousseaus. This wine stands out a little in the bunch, with a very floral and fragrant bouquet pitched at a lighter level than the top wines: buddleia as opposed to boronia and violets. This is a quality of bouquet evident in many good but not top New Zealand pinots. Palate is crisp red cherries, subtle oak, some succulence and weight, thoroughly attractive burgundy in the lighter, fragrant, more typically Rousseau style. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Pinot noir ruby, the average of the Rousseaus. This wine stands out a little in the bunch, with a very floral and fragrant bouquet pitched at a lighter level than the top wines: buddleia as opposed to boronia and violets. This is a quality of bouquet evident in many good but not top New Zealand pinots. Palate is crisp red cherries, subtle oak, some succulence and weight, thoroughly attractive burgundy in the lighter, fragrant, more typically Rousseau style. Cellar 3 – 15 years. GK 07/06
Woodthorpe, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ 46 mm supercritical cork (Diam); all hand-harvested and BF in 4 – 5-year old French oak; nearly complete MLF; <6 months in barrel, with lees autolysis; 12 barrels only, hence the wine being hard to locate, and selling out quickly; <2 g/L RS; www.temata.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon, not quite as deep as Elston. Bouquet is wonderfully clean, and clearly varietal, showing that exhilarating blend of wild ginger blossom florality and both fresh and dried Otago apricots (plus other stonefruits) which characterise the variety viognier, when appropriately ripened. In mouth one can only rejoice that every year, the percentage of MLF component in the wine is now increasing, giving this edition a fruit richness and texture it simply did not have 10 years ago. There is still just a hint of leaf, implying even more ripeness would help despite the increase in alcohol, but this wine shows why Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island) are well suited to producing subtle yet highly varietal interpretations of this demanding and fickle grape, of a quality rare on the world stage. Toby Buck mentioned it combines thrillingly with slightly sweet curries. Cellar 1 – 4 years, don't hold it too long. GK 03/17
Elegant lemon, not quite as deep as Elston. Bouquet is wonderfully clean, and clearly varietal, showing that exhilarating blend of wild ginger blossom florality and both fresh and dried Otago apricots (plus other stonefruits) which characterise the variety viognier, when appropriately ripened. In mouth one can only rejoice that every year, the percentage of MLF component in the wine is now increasing, giving this edition a fruit richness and texture it simply did not have 10 years ago. There is still just a hint of leaf, implying even more ripeness would help despite the increase in alcohol, but this wine shows why Hawkes Bay (and Waiheke Island) are well suited to producing subtle yet highly varietal interpretations of this demanding and fickle grape, of a quality rare on the world stage. Toby Buck mentioned it combines thrillingly with slightly sweet curries. Cellar 1 – 4 years, don't hold it too long. GK 03/17
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13.2%; $85 [ cork; to be released in March '07; no info on website yet; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good colour for Martinborough. Bouquet has a clear pennyroyal aromatic, which I'm starting to think must reflect a subliminal eucalyptus component. Additionally, there is a great floral and spicy lift with almost a black pepper overtone. On palate all these factors come together in a deliciously rich, slightly buttery (+ve) mouthfeel, as if the wine has lees enrichment / batonnage. The black pepper note on bouquet continues, and while it could be pinot noir in an aromatic sense, it is also reminiscent of syrah in a floral Cote Rotie styling. A bit confusing therefore, different from the '03 Kupe, but this is going to be attractive wine, which should cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet, a good colour for Martinborough. Bouquet has a clear pennyroyal aromatic, which I'm starting to think must reflect a subliminal eucalyptus component. Additionally, there is a great floral and spicy lift with almost a black pepper overtone. On palate all these factors come together in a deliciously rich, slightly buttery (+ve) mouthfeel, as if the wine has lees enrichment / batonnage. The black pepper note on bouquet continues, and while it could be pinot noir in an aromatic sense, it is also reminiscent of syrah in a floral Cote Rotie styling. A bit confusing therefore, different from the '03 Kupe, but this is going to be attractive wine, which should cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/07
Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra & McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia: 14.5%; $38 [ screwcap; DFB; CS 52%, Sh 48; 12 months in American oak 22% new, all hogsheads; some BF material from the Grange, Bin 707 and other top-end red wine programmes; www.penfolds.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, much the same colour and weight as 2007 The Quarry. Bouquet however is very different from that wine, being more overtly minty than the best vintages of Bin 389. Below there is clear-cut cassis which melds with aromatics at the level of mint rather well (though not with euc.), and quite bold oak. And we must remember that subtle floral mint is regarded as part of the spectrum of straight cabernet descriptors, and is recorded even from certain famous Medoc wines. Palate is as oaky as The Quarry, but not quite so berry saturated, the shiraz body not showing up yet so it seems a little harder and shorter at this stage. Total acid balance and texture is good relative to most South Australian Cabernet / Shiraz wines, though Quarry is finer-grained on the acid. Like the Te Mata 2007s, Penfolds are offering the 2006s at a lower price than the 2005s. Cellar 5 – 20 years at least, for Bin 389 has a great cellar record. GK 03/09
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, much the same colour and weight as 2007 The Quarry. Bouquet however is very different from that wine, being more overtly minty than the best vintages of Bin 389. Below there is clear-cut cassis which melds with aromatics at the level of mint rather well (though not with euc.), and quite bold oak. And we must remember that subtle floral mint is regarded as part of the spectrum of straight cabernet descriptors, and is recorded even from certain famous Medoc wines. Palate is as oaky as The Quarry, but not quite so berry saturated, the shiraz body not showing up yet so it seems a little harder and shorter at this stage. Total acid balance and texture is good relative to most South Australian Cabernet / Shiraz wines, though Quarry is finer-grained on the acid. Like the Te Mata 2007s, Penfolds are offering the 2006s at a lower price than the 2005s. Cellar 5 – 20 years at least, for Bin 389 has a great cellar record. GK 03/09
Kumeu, north of Auckland, New Zealand: 13.1%; $ – [ screwcap; release May ’06, ’04 c. $18; 100% BF in 10% new oak, 100% MLF, RS nil; formerly labelled Brajkovich Chardonnay; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon. A clean, fragrant and vividly varietal chardonnay bouquet, showing white grading to yellow stonefruits, plus mealy lees-autolysis and oak complexities. Palate shows a beautiful integration of chardonnay fruit with mealy and baguette-crust fermentation complexities and light oak, coupled with a super acid balance. This is quite the best Village / Brajkovich Chardonnay yet, and will cellar to five years easily. The standard of the wine is so good, because the crop was much reduced in 2005. Thus all the wine was fermented in oak. In normal years more than half of it is tank-fermented. The Brajkovich’s misfortune therefore presents a golden opportunity to buy a (in effect) much more serious wine at the introductory price the Village wine carries. GK 02/06
Lemon. A clean, fragrant and vividly varietal chardonnay bouquet, showing white grading to yellow stonefruits, plus mealy lees-autolysis and oak complexities. Palate shows a beautiful integration of chardonnay fruit with mealy and baguette-crust fermentation complexities and light oak, coupled with a super acid balance. This is quite the best Village / Brajkovich Chardonnay yet, and will cellar to five years easily. The standard of the wine is so good, because the crop was much reduced in 2005. Thus all the wine was fermented in oak. In normal years more than half of it is tank-fermented. The Brajkovich’s misfortune therefore presents a golden opportunity to buy a (in effect) much more serious wine at the introductory price the Village wine carries. GK 02/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.3%; $38 [ cork; CS 45%, Me 31, CF 20, PV 4, hand-harvested at low yields; inoculated yeast, cuvaison up to 30 days; c. 15 months in French oak 73% new; RS nil; Catalogue: …berry and dark chocolate aromas. The palate is rich with good structure. The Cabernet provides the wine’s backbone and depth on the palate. The Cabernet Franc gives fragrant red currant aromas with fine tannins and the Merlot lends soft aromas and good mid palate. The Petit Verdot has vibrant fruit cake aromas and muscular tannins; Awards: Gold @ Air New Zealand 2008; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is darkly plummy, very ripe to over-ripe, lacking the freshness and excitement that comes from floral notes at perfect ripeness. Palate is sumptuous on its fat black texture, but again is lacking in vibrancy. This is a wine to illustrate the view previously expressed in these pages, that unthinkable though it would have been 20 years ago, the Gimblett Gravels in some years will produce over-ripe fruit which takes our wines uncomfortably close to Australian styles. For me the descriptor ‘chocolate’ lately much used as a positive attribute in wine by winemakers and wine-writers alike is a symptom of the growing Americanisation of wine taste and popular appreciation – where size, depth of colour and its associated (almost obligatory) over-ripeness and lushness prevail, and freshness is lesser. This Mission wine is moving in that direction, but beautiful oaking and natural acid help differentiate it from overseas examples. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, dense. Bouquet is darkly plummy, very ripe to over-ripe, lacking the freshness and excitement that comes from floral notes at perfect ripeness. Palate is sumptuous on its fat black texture, but again is lacking in vibrancy. This is a wine to illustrate the view previously expressed in these pages, that unthinkable though it would have been 20 years ago, the Gimblett Gravels in some years will produce over-ripe fruit which takes our wines uncomfortably close to Australian styles. For me the descriptor ‘chocolate’ lately much used as a positive attribute in wine by winemakers and wine-writers alike is a symptom of the growing Americanisation of wine taste and popular appreciation – where size, depth of colour and its associated (almost obligatory) over-ripeness and lushness prevail, and freshness is lesser. This Mission wine is moving in that direction, but beautiful oaking and natural acid help differentiate it from overseas examples. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 07/09
Martinborough, New Zealand: 13%; $70 [ screwcap; 28-year old vines, Pahi vineyard in Martinborough proper; wild-yeast fermented in wooden cuves, 17 days cuvaison, 18 months in French oak 30% new; RS < 1 g/L, dry extract 28.3 g/L, not filtered; this is the last vintage of Pahi, Escarpment having lost access to the fruit; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Quite big pinot noir ruby, in the first quarter for depth. Freshly opened this one is oaky too, but it breathes up more quickly than some of the Escarpments, such that dusky rose florals on black cherry fruit can be said to dominate the bouquet. Palate is a little cooler and leaner than Te Rehua, with the oak thus more noticeable. Here though this oak is not overtly nutmeggy, being more regular in style. This has the building blocks to become fragrant Martinborough pinot in five years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/17
Quite big pinot noir ruby, in the first quarter for depth. Freshly opened this one is oaky too, but it breathes up more quickly than some of the Escarpments, such that dusky rose florals on black cherry fruit can be said to dominate the bouquet. Palate is a little cooler and leaner than Te Rehua, with the oak thus more noticeable. Here though this oak is not overtly nutmeggy, being more regular in style. This has the building blocks to become fragrant Martinborough pinot in five years. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/17
Reims, Champagne, France: 12%; $95 [ standard compound cork; PN 55%, Ch 45, mostly premier or grand cru vineyards; MLF employed; en tirage c.6 – 7 years; dosage 9.5 g/L; www.piper-heidsieck.com ]
A deeper colour, one of two wines to be more straw than lemon. Bouquet is intriguing, beautifully clean, nearly floral, some citrus, a hint of mandarin, all suggesting high chardonnay. The autolysis side is slightly strange at first, but settles down in glass to be convincing, improving in mouth to give quite a mealy quality, a hint of citrus zest, and trace cashew. This tasted the sweetest of the eight wines, but at 9.5 g/L is still within bounds. A good all-round champagne, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/17
A deeper colour, one of two wines to be more straw than lemon. Bouquet is intriguing, beautifully clean, nearly floral, some citrus, a hint of mandarin, all suggesting high chardonnay. The autolysis side is slightly strange at first, but settles down in glass to be convincing, improving in mouth to give quite a mealy quality, a hint of citrus zest, and trace cashew. This tasted the sweetest of the eight wines, but at 9.5 g/L is still within bounds. A good all-round champagne, to cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 05/17
Margaret River, West Australia, Australia: 12.8%; $ – [ Cork, 45 mm; original price $23.66; a highly-regarded label, first produced in 1972 – the first red wine from Margaret River; this wine blended from several vineyards within the Margaret River region. Even then it was noted for its French oak and finesse, at a time when American oak was still common. It sometimes has a few percent of merlot, malbec and shiraz added for complexity; no reviews found in the time available; bottle weight 568 g; www.vassefelix.com.au ]
Garnet and ruby, midway in depth. Never did a bottle more dramatically illustrate the benefits of decanting and air. Freshly opened this wine was massive and dull. Yet it fairly quickly cleared to reveal dramatic cassis – perhaps the definitive example of cassis in the tasting, the wine being nearly 100% cabernet sauvignon. In mouth there is not quite the harmony of the top cooler-climate wines, the thought of acid adjustment being apparent, but the pinpoint ripeness of the cabernet is simply a delight. It contrasted vividly with the Ch La Lagune, where there is evident sur-maturité, blackberry being the dominant fruit note. Length of flavour is good though oak handling is to a max, but considering the era in the new world, all pretty good. I did hear a winemaker mention brett, but I am disinclined to believe it. Anyway, in a dinner context that thought would not upset at all – just vinosity / complexity. Lovely wine, so much what I expect from West Australia, and thus contrasting vividly with the recent vintages of Vasse Felix cabernets shown recently in Wellington, and reported on in an article on the Negociants Tour, July 2016. Five rated this wine their first or second favourite, 14 thought it from France, and nobody thought it Australian. You can't ask for a better result than that. Cellar 5 – 25 years, also to lose tannin. GK 08/16
Garnet and ruby, midway in depth. Never did a bottle more dramatically illustrate the benefits of decanting and air. Freshly opened this wine was massive and dull. Yet it fairly quickly cleared to reveal dramatic cassis – perhaps the definitive example of cassis in the tasting, the wine being nearly 100% cabernet sauvignon. In mouth there is not quite the harmony of the top cooler-climate wines, the thought of acid adjustment being apparent, but the pinpoint ripeness of the cabernet is simply a delight. It contrasted vividly with the Ch La Lagune, where there is evident sur-maturité, blackberry being the dominant fruit note. Length of flavour is good though oak handling is to a max, but considering the era in the new world, all pretty good. I did hear a winemaker mention brett, but I am disinclined to believe it. Anyway, in a dinner context that thought would not upset at all – just vinosity / complexity. Lovely wine, so much what I expect from West Australia, and thus contrasting vividly with the recent vintages of Vasse Felix cabernets shown recently in Wellington, and reported on in an article on the Negociants Tour, July 2016. Five rated this wine their first or second favourite, 14 thought it from France, and nobody thought it Australian. You can't ask for a better result than that. Cellar 5 – 25 years, also to lose tannin. GK 08/16
Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13.5%; $150 [ Cork, 49 mm; now Sy 96%, Vi 4, average age 35 years, typically cropped at 4.8 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; Parker rating for year 89; c. 21 days cuvaison, elevation three years in barrel, 50% new; Robinson, 2016: Mid ruby. Relatively fragile nose. Lots of strawberry fruit with an overlay of umami. Gentle and sweet. This has lasted amazingly well. A bit too sweet on the finish to be refreshing. But it has certainly lasted, 17; Parker, 1997: I preferred this wine during its first 10 years of life, as it has now lost some of its fat and succulence. Still a healthy dark ruby color, with only minor amber at the edge, the nose offers a spicy, earthy, sweet red-fruit character. It possesses the dry tannin that is found in so many wines of this vintage, but some fruit remains, as well as medium to full body, and a spicy, austere finish. Anticipated maturity: now-2004. Last tasted 12/93, 87; Wine Spectator, 1995: Ripe, thick and tannic. Vanilla and floral aromas are still young, and the plum and sweet licorice flavors promise long development. Drinkable now, but better in 1998, 90; www.guigal.com ]
Garnet and ruby, the second lightest wine, but clearly redder than the 1985. This wine benefits from a splashy decanting, to reveal a fragrant bouquet which is still nearly floral like the 1998, but there is just a hint of tannin creeping in too, betraying its age. You can see it was cassisy, but the berry is browning now. Palate is markedly fresher and better than the bouquet, the berry clearly related to the 1998, just appropriately older. As is his wont, Gordon Russell (Esk Valley) made the most perceptive comment on this wine: yes it is old, but it's not drying, it still has fruit. You can't help feeling sad that so few people see these wines in full maturity. This example is at the far edge of its plateau of maturity. One person had it as their second favourite, in the entire set. GK 05/17
Garnet and ruby, the second lightest wine, but clearly redder than the 1985. This wine benefits from a splashy decanting, to reveal a fragrant bouquet which is still nearly floral like the 1998, but there is just a hint of tannin creeping in too, betraying its age. You can see it was cassisy, but the berry is browning now. Palate is markedly fresher and better than the bouquet, the berry clearly related to the 1998, just appropriately older. As is his wont, Gordon Russell (Esk Valley) made the most perceptive comment on this wine: yes it is old, but it's not drying, it still has fruit. You can't help feeling sad that so few people see these wines in full maturity. This example is at the far edge of its plateau of maturity. One person had it as their second favourite, in the entire set. GK 05/17
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $25 [ screwcap; all de-stemmed, long cold-soak, includes wild-yeast fractions; c.10 months in barrel, c.20% new; RS typically below 1 g/L; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the first quarter / darkest bracket. Bouquet is quiet but satisfying, the more you explore it, the more it reveals. The floral component is roses and violets, sweet but subtle, on an attractively harmonious cherry / oak interaction. Both lead into an almost ideal palate ripeness and weight for affordable pinot noir, with much more sophisticated oak handling than the floral but simpler wines such as the Gunn Reserve. Total style reminds of Pommard. One is getting much of the quality of the Villa Maria Reserve pinots here at half the price. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/17
Good pinot noir ruby, the lightest of the first quarter / darkest bracket. Bouquet is quiet but satisfying, the more you explore it, the more it reveals. The floral component is roses and violets, sweet but subtle, on an attractively harmonious cherry / oak interaction. Both lead into an almost ideal palate ripeness and weight for affordable pinot noir, with much more sophisticated oak handling than the floral but simpler wines such as the Gunn Reserve. Total style reminds of Pommard. One is getting much of the quality of the Villa Maria Reserve pinots here at half the price. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 06/17
Bendigo Terraces, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; wild-yeast ferments, c.10 months in hogsheads, 38% new; www.mishasvineyard.com ]
Quite big pinot noir ruby, in the first quarter for depth. Bouquet is big by pinot noir standards, quite a ‘meaty’ even burly approach to pinot noir, fragrant but not really floral, more plummy than cherry, a lot of oak, a bigger winestyle altogether. Palate confirms bouquet, a rich solid wine reminding of Gigondas as much as pinot noir, the later palate a little tannic and drying. It is not a winestyle you associate with Olly Masters. It is appreciably fresher and ‘cooler’ than the hotter-year 2009 from Wooing Tree, but they make an interesting comparison, side by side. Olly’s wines stay youthful a surprisingly long time, like the wines of Burgundy, so this is only now showing some maturity. Expect it to lighten up and be more lissome once the tannins crust in bottle. Notwithstanding the lack of precise pinot noir beauty, this is an attractive mouth-filling wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/17
Quite big pinot noir ruby, in the first quarter for depth. Bouquet is big by pinot noir standards, quite a ‘meaty’ even burly approach to pinot noir, fragrant but not really floral, more plummy than cherry, a lot of oak, a bigger winestyle altogether. Palate confirms bouquet, a rich solid wine reminding of Gigondas as much as pinot noir, the later palate a little tannic and drying. It is not a winestyle you associate with Olly Masters. It is appreciably fresher and ‘cooler’ than the hotter-year 2009 from Wooing Tree, but they make an interesting comparison, side by side. Olly’s wines stay youthful a surprisingly long time, like the wines of Burgundy, so this is only now showing some maturity. Expect it to lighten up and be more lissome once the tannins crust in bottle. Notwithstanding the lack of precise pinot noir beauty, this is an attractive mouth-filling wine. Cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 06/17
Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Northern Italy, Italy: 14.5%; $82 [ 50mm cork; the cellar approach to the wines is consistent across all the crus, but detail varies with the season. In general cuvaisons are 3 - 4 weeks, in lined concrete vats, followed by at least 3 years in older large oak variously 2,500 - 7,500 litres; www.produttoridelbarbaresco.com ]
Ruby, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little quieter on this one, but with the same stunning purity, red fruits, savoury aromatic herbes, and alcohol lift. Flavours are aromatic, not quite as plump as the top wines, but still highly varietal on both the berry aromatics and the lovely ripe tannin structure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Ruby, midway in depth. Bouquet is a little quieter on this one, but with the same stunning purity, red fruits, savoury aromatic herbes, and alcohol lift. Flavours are aromatic, not quite as plump as the top wines, but still highly varietal on both the berry aromatics and the lovely ripe tannin structure. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 05/16
Grampians district, West Victoria, Australia: 14.3%; $106 [ screwcap; DFB; original price $136; Sh 100%, hand-picked and sorted from a single vineyard 'Old Block', vines 50 years old, on granite; previous vintages have had a significant whole-bunch component and c.13 months in French oak 45% new, the website now less informative; Halliday, 2015: Ripe but medium-weight, impeccably well balanced ... assorted spices, fruits, leathers and woods, but it's simultaneously neat, fresh ... elegant, even ... It will continue to impress for decades, to 2038, 96; Huon Hooke, for Decanter, 2015: Chocolatey and decadently complex nose with lots of vanilla oak, spice and pepper. The palate is mouthfilling and deep: a gorgeous, decadent Shiraz with fleshy softness and density, and huge length, 19; imported by MacVine International, Auckland; weight bottle and closure: 775 g; www.langi.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly the oldest-looking wine, and the second lightest. Bouquet is as different from the set of syrahs as the colour. The wine is very fragrant, and mercifully devoid of coarse euc'y taints, just a hint of Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera) fragrance, on blueberry fruit. Mingled with the blueberry is loganberry. So the bouquet is quite light and lifted in character, and attractive. Palate is different, very good fruit richness, subtle oak, great length of flavour resting on blueberry more than oak, tapering away elegantly still on fruit. It is as if in this location, tartaric adjustment is not needed. Alcohol is less obtrusive than Tom. Blueberry is part of my syrah ripening curve, just past the optimal point of cassis, so this is both an attractive syrah, and an interesting demonstration / teaching wine. Four people rated the Langi the top wine of the evening, and three their second. Eight thought it Australian … interesting ... in the sense it was specifically bought as an un-Australian shiraz. Cellar 10 – 25, maybe 30 years. GK 06/17
Ruby and velvet, clearly the oldest-looking wine, and the second lightest. Bouquet is as different from the set of syrahs as the colour. The wine is very fragrant, and mercifully devoid of coarse euc'y taints, just a hint of Australian flowering mint (Prostanthera) fragrance, on blueberry fruit. Mingled with the blueberry is loganberry. So the bouquet is quite light and lifted in character, and attractive. Palate is different, very good fruit richness, subtle oak, great length of flavour resting on blueberry more than oak, tapering away elegantly still on fruit. It is as if in this location, tartaric adjustment is not needed. Alcohol is less obtrusive than Tom. Blueberry is part of my syrah ripening curve, just past the optimal point of cassis, so this is both an attractive syrah, and an interesting demonstration / teaching wine. Four people rated the Langi the top wine of the evening, and three their second. Eight thought it Australian … interesting ... in the sense it was specifically bought as an un-Australian shiraz. Cellar 10 – 25, maybe 30 years. GK 06/17
The Triangle, Hawkes Bay,, New Zealand: 15%; $60 [ screwcap; DFB; Me 100%, machine-picked from c.15-year old vines planted at 2,525 vines / ha and cropped @ 6.2 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison 30 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in barrel; 15 months in French oak c.40% new; RS 0.8 g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract 33.1 g/L; production 270 x 9-L cases; not exactly released yet but available on request at the winery; pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Grant Edmonds; www.sileni.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, below midway in depth, and showing more oak influence than the Church Road Merlot, even in colour. And the bouquet confirms huge spicy oak. Initially opened, this wine is oaky to a fault, seemingly youthful, unknit, and not at all ready for release. There are some reminders of a modern-in-style Chateauneuf-du-Pape, grenache with too much new oak, suggesting the fruit is very ripe. But when it is tasted, there is this astonishing richness (as the dry extract measurement confirms), and you have to conclude simply, that this wine is far too young. The fruit does seem very ripe for merlot, there is not the florality that the Villa Maria Merlot Reserve or the Brokenstone show. That would correlate with over-ripeness, as would the alcohol. But the richness is such that, who can say what charms this wine will show in 10 years ? This is quite the most dramatic Merlot EV Sileni have so far made, and it shows great cellar potential. The main worry is whether it will end up reflecting a warmer-country winestyle than is ideal for the subtle merlot grape. There is a reminder of 1976 Ch Petrus in this, which was a hot year for that famous high-merlot wine (Petrus at that time was at least 95% merlot, but is now 100%). This Sileni EV may later need re-rating upwards, if the oak marries in and the alcohol does not intrude. Even now, it was the second-most favoured wine for the group, if only first place rankings are counted. Again, oak may be playing a role in this assessment. In the Regional Wines tasting, four people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Ruby and velvet, below midway in depth, and showing more oak influence than the Church Road Merlot, even in colour. And the bouquet confirms huge spicy oak. Initially opened, this wine is oaky to a fault, seemingly youthful, unknit, and not at all ready for release. There are some reminders of a modern-in-style Chateauneuf-du-Pape, grenache with too much new oak, suggesting the fruit is very ripe. But when it is tasted, there is this astonishing richness (as the dry extract measurement confirms), and you have to conclude simply, that this wine is far too young. The fruit does seem very ripe for merlot, there is not the florality that the Villa Maria Merlot Reserve or the Brokenstone show. That would correlate with over-ripeness, as would the alcohol. But the richness is such that, who can say what charms this wine will show in 10 years ? This is quite the most dramatic Merlot EV Sileni have so far made, and it shows great cellar potential. The main worry is whether it will end up reflecting a warmer-country winestyle than is ideal for the subtle merlot grape. There is a reminder of 1976 Ch Petrus in this, which was a hot year for that famous high-merlot wine (Petrus at that time was at least 95% merlot, but is now 100%). This Sileni EV may later need re-rating upwards, if the oak marries in and the alcohol does not intrude. Even now, it was the second-most favoured wine for the group, if only first place rankings are counted. Again, oak may be playing a role in this assessment. In the Regional Wines tasting, four people rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. Cellar 10 – 30 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.8%; $84 [ cork, 50mm; DFB; original price $75; Me 62%, CS 19, CF 18, PV 1, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cultured-yeast; 19 months in French oak c.42% new; RS nil; sterile-filtered; Robinson, 2015: … bright fruit … beautifully balanced … fresh … ripe but not sweet … Really very accomplished … lovely wine that lasted well in an opened bottle; to 2027, 17.5; Perrotti-Brown @ Parker, 2015: ... intensely scented of crushed blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of cloves, cedar and violets plus a touch of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied and laden with muscular fruit, it has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and tons of vivacity in the long, multi-layered finish, to 2025, 93+; Cooper, 2016: … powerful, very harmonious wine with concentrated, ripe plum, spice and nutty oak flavours and a long, savoury, finely textured finish, *****; dry extract 25.9 g/L; production not disclosed; weight bottle and closure: 1,030 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. This wine has an enchanting bouquet, tending to red fruits like the Puriri Hills, exquisite purity, subtle oak, understated, in fact not a big bouquet, you have to work at it. Flavour however is a little less: there are attractive berry flavours well balanced to oak, but basically the wine lacks stuffing, and there is just a hint of austerity on the later palate. You couldn’t say it was stalky, but after the bouquet, you wish for more amplitude. Curious that none of the reviews touch on this aspect of the wine. Te Mata have shown with Coleraine that wines with this set of attributes in fact cellar remarkably well, so the advice is simple: don't touch a bottle until the traditional Bordeaux maxim for quality wines is met – 2023. Being merlot-led, it may well end up more a Saint-Emilion style to Coleraine’s Margaux / Saint-Julien, but both will be fragrant and food-friendly wines, of similar weight. Sophia snuck into the tasting as first reserve, the 2013 Coleraine in the original line-up being TCA-affected. Nobody rated this their top wine, but four had it as their second-favourite. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/17
Ruby, a flush of carmine and velvet, below midway in depth. This wine has an enchanting bouquet, tending to red fruits like the Puriri Hills, exquisite purity, subtle oak, understated, in fact not a big bouquet, you have to work at it. Flavour however is a little less: there are attractive berry flavours well balanced to oak, but basically the wine lacks stuffing, and there is just a hint of austerity on the later palate. You couldn’t say it was stalky, but after the bouquet, you wish for more amplitude. Curious that none of the reviews touch on this aspect of the wine. Te Mata have shown with Coleraine that wines with this set of attributes in fact cellar remarkably well, so the advice is simple: don't touch a bottle until the traditional Bordeaux maxim for quality wines is met – 2023. Being merlot-led, it may well end up more a Saint-Emilion style to Coleraine’s Margaux / Saint-Julien, but both will be fragrant and food-friendly wines, of similar weight. Sophia snuck into the tasting as first reserve, the 2013 Coleraine in the original line-up being TCA-affected. Nobody rated this their top wine, but four had it as their second-favourite. Cellar 10 – 25 years. GK 06/17
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 13.2%; $36 [ screwcap; Se 100%; 12% aged on lees in older French oak for 6 months; Halliday rates Eden Valley 9 /10 for whites in 2005; www.henschke.com.au ]
Lemon to lemonstraw. Freshly opened, there is a slight burgundian heaviness suggesting a barrel ferment component (confirmed), on good but not instantly recognisable fruit. Decanted / well swirled, it opens up gratifyingly to the vanillin-rich fragrance of holygrass / semillon and trace lanolin. In mouth there is a fruit richness which is chardonnay-like, but also clear semillon flavours extended by this beautifully subtle oak – great to see this from Henschke. This should be a fine food wine, which will cellar 5 – 10 years. It is not absolutely bone dry, but close. GK 02/08
Lemon to lemonstraw. Freshly opened, there is a slight burgundian heaviness suggesting a barrel ferment component (confirmed), on good but not instantly recognisable fruit. Decanted / well swirled, it opens up gratifyingly to the vanillin-rich fragrance of holygrass / semillon and trace lanolin. In mouth there is a fruit richness which is chardonnay-like, but also clear semillon flavours extended by this beautifully subtle oak – great to see this from Henschke. This should be a fine food wine, which will cellar 5 – 10 years. It is not absolutely bone dry, but close. GK 02/08
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; Me 50%, CS 50, all hand-harvested @ 6 t/ha (2.4 t/ac); vinified @ Mangere, 100% de-stemmed; s/s fermentation, up to 42 days cuvaison for cabernet; MLF and 20 months in 3-year air dried French oak 70% new; RS nil; filtration coarse only; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the four cabernet / merlots. Bouquet needs decanting and air, to become full and almost bordeaux-like in its suggestions of violets and cassisy berry in noticeable oak. In mouth, the ratio of oak is excessive, but the concentration of cassisy berry is first-class. How great it will be when the leading new world winemakers more closely model themselves on the old world masters, especially in New Zealand where in the great years we can achieve bordeaux blends which combine delicacy with richness, and achieve a winestyle rare on the world stage. The quality of fruit here is simply remarkable, the tactile richness being great. With its large holding of Gimblett Gravels soils now amounting to 35% of the total area of this delimited zone, we can expect stellar wines from the Villa Maria group in the years to come. Cellar this wine 5 – 20 years. GK 05/13
Ruby and velvet, the deepest of the four cabernet / merlots. Bouquet needs decanting and air, to become full and almost bordeaux-like in its suggestions of violets and cassisy berry in noticeable oak. In mouth, the ratio of oak is excessive, but the concentration of cassisy berry is first-class. How great it will be when the leading new world winemakers more closely model themselves on the old world masters, especially in New Zealand where in the great years we can achieve bordeaux blends which combine delicacy with richness, and achieve a winestyle rare on the world stage. The quality of fruit here is simply remarkable, the tactile richness being great. With its large holding of Gimblett Gravels soils now amounting to 35% of the total area of this delimited zone, we can expect stellar wines from the Villa Maria group in the years to come. Cellar this wine 5 – 20 years. GK 05/13
Bridge Pa Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $45 [ Cork 45mm ; 3 clones of syrah hand-harvested from 13 – 21-year old vines, 100% de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 months in French oak 35 – 40% new; RS nil; the 2009 selected for this tasting, since fractionally riper / more depth than the 2010; Campbell, 2011: Lovely elegant yet dense red with white and black pepper adding spice to red berry flavours. There's also a touch of floral/violet character adding extra complexity. Lovely vibrant and slightly edgy red that will age splendidly. It has a great, rich and velvety texture. Terrific!, 96; Chan, 2011: This is arguably the best Syrah yet for Te Mata. Fruit from the ‘Bullnose' site on old red iron soils, from vines up to 19 y.o., this was fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged in new and seasoned French oak for 15 months. Dark purple-red in colour, this has a beautifully perfumed, primary fruited nose of violets, black and white pepper, spices and dark fruits. The palate is rich, but stylishly elegant, the ethereal florals lifting the dark berry fruit flavours. The wine has velvety textures and a sustained finish. This will keep 7-10 years, 19+/20 ; Cooper, 2012: The 2009 is a top vintage. Its a very graceful wine, dark and concentrated, with beautifully rich, ripe plum and black pepper flavours, good tannin backbone and a long, finely textured finish. Well worth cellaring, 5-stars; www.temata.co.nz ]
Fresh ruby, the lightest of the contemporary wines. I placed this wine alongside the Cuilleron Cote Rotie, to emphasise the extraordinary similarity of style the best Bridge Pa Triangle syrahs show to that district. Bullnose has been consistent in this respect for many years. Being fractionally cooler (maybe) than the Gimblett Gravels (though my Hot Reds review, July 2014, discounts this as more apparent than real), but certainly slightly different viticulturally, the Triangle may be more suited to fine floral and subtle syrah than the Gimblett Gravels, at least in the warm years. The florality on bouquet, dusky roses and wallflower, is nearly as great as the Cuilleron, and much riper than the Jamet, in a positive sense. Palate is textbook Cote Rotie, centred on cassis, a shadow of black pepper, hints of red fruits and plums. Oaking is perfect, as Te Mata so often achieves with their top syrah. Florality on bouquet is enhanced by a whisper of VA, threshold only, not significant. It is not a big wine, but finesse not weight has been the Bullnose goal all through. Because it is not a big wine, a couple of tasters felt the oak showed a little much. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/14
Fresh ruby, the lightest of the contemporary wines. I placed this wine alongside the Cuilleron Cote Rotie, to emphasise the extraordinary similarity of style the best Bridge Pa Triangle syrahs show to that district. Bullnose has been consistent in this respect for many years. Being fractionally cooler (maybe) than the Gimblett Gravels (though my Hot Reds review, July 2014, discounts this as more apparent than real), but certainly slightly different viticulturally, the Triangle may be more suited to fine floral and subtle syrah than the Gimblett Gravels, at least in the warm years. The florality on bouquet, dusky roses and wallflower, is nearly as great as the Cuilleron, and much riper than the Jamet, in a positive sense. Palate is textbook Cote Rotie, centred on cassis, a shadow of black pepper, hints of red fruits and plums. Oaking is perfect, as Te Mata so often achieves with their top syrah. Florality on bouquet is enhanced by a whisper of VA, threshold only, not significant. It is not a big wine, but finesse not weight has been the Bullnose goal all through. Because it is not a big wine, a couple of tasters felt the oak showed a little much. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/14
Southern Valleys, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 14%; $45 [ screwcap; hand-picked; 20% whole bunches; wild yeast ferments; 16 months in French oak 30 – 40% new; www.greywacke.com ]
Ruby, a little maturity showing, the second to lightest wine. Like the Neudorf, in the blind tasting this is dramatically pinot noir-varietal, but not showing quite the complex Cote de Nuits-like florals of that wine. Instead it is more fragrantly red cherry centred, and Pommard in style. Palate shows fair red berry flavours, good tannins, a slightly drier wine than the Neudorf. The emergence of Marlborough pinot noir is exciting. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/18
Ruby, a little maturity showing, the second to lightest wine. Like the Neudorf, in the blind tasting this is dramatically pinot noir-varietal, but not showing quite the complex Cote de Nuits-like florals of that wine. Instead it is more fragrantly red cherry centred, and Pommard in style. Palate shows fair red berry flavours, good tannins, a slightly drier wine than the Neudorf. The emergence of Marlborough pinot noir is exciting. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 03/18
Central Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.8%; $ – [ screwcap; CS 54, Me 40, PV 4, Ma 2, hand-harvested, all de-stemmed, cuvaison c.15 days, cultured yeast; MLF and 10 months in barrel all French < 15% new; 500 cases, release date c. mid-2010; ‘Unreleased bottled example to highlight the excellent vintage of 2008’; www.obsidian.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, close to the Mudbrick. The similarity between this wine and the Mudbrick is so close, that if one were given them in repeated triangular blind tests, I doubt many tasters would win through. Looking very closely, the cassis and berry components are near-identical, but the Weeping Sands is a little leaner, and so reveals its acid more. Both are modern firm-year Bordeaux interpretations of cabernet / merlot, surprisingly comparable in weight and style. Total acid is still higher than ideal on this Weeping Sands though. In five years time this will be fragrant and refreshing wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Ruby, carmine and velvet, close to the Mudbrick. The similarity between this wine and the Mudbrick is so close, that if one were given them in repeated triangular blind tests, I doubt many tasters would win through. Looking very closely, the cassis and berry components are near-identical, but the Weeping Sands is a little leaner, and so reveals its acid more. Both are modern firm-year Bordeaux interpretations of cabernet / merlot, surprisingly comparable in weight and style. Total acid is still higher than ideal on this Weeping Sands though. In five years time this will be fragrant and refreshing wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 06/09
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $18 [ screwcap; the website implies the wine is all s/s, but detail is lacking and the evidence in the glass contradicts; www.culleywines.co.nz ]
Pale straw, out of line with typical Marlborough sauvignon blanc. On bouquet, the reason is obvious: oak. Bouquet is thus complexed, presumably barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis for at least a component, introducing wholegrain bread and honey suggestions to clear red capsicum and the passion fruit smells – interesting. Palate is quite big, fatter than many Marlborough sauvignons, the varietal character broadened by oak, yet firmed by clean acid, leaving flavours almost of stonefruit and black passionfruit fruit salad, lingering well, 'dry' but not as dry as some. This will be more complex in a year, and should cellar well, to taste. A worthwhile style complement to the Ferry Bridge wine, which will be great with smoked seafoods. GK 03/06
Pale straw, out of line with typical Marlborough sauvignon blanc. On bouquet, the reason is obvious: oak. Bouquet is thus complexed, presumably barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis for at least a component, introducing wholegrain bread and honey suggestions to clear red capsicum and the passion fruit smells – interesting. Palate is quite big, fatter than many Marlborough sauvignons, the varietal character broadened by oak, yet firmed by clean acid, leaving flavours almost of stonefruit and black passionfruit fruit salad, lingering well, 'dry' but not as dry as some. This will be more complex in a year, and should cellar well, to taste. A worthwhile style complement to the Ferry Bridge wine, which will be great with smoked seafoods. GK 03/06
Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.9%; $43 [ supercritical cork; hand-harvested; 7 days cold-soak, BF and 10 months in French oak 23% new; www.amisfield.co.nz ]
A deep pinot noir ruby, about the maximum desirable for the variety. Bouquet is very ripe, flirting with being over-ripe, my notes in the blind tasting saying for bouquet, more plummy than cherry. Floral components are therefore less apparent, but not entirely absent – there is a dusky dark rose sweetness, which is very attractive, plus a suggestion of almonds, less so. On palate a more desirable black cherry quality becomes apparent, giving a very rich flavour braced by oak to a maximum. It is richer and softer than any of the Feltons, but not so vibrantly varietal. Nonetheless, this big wine will give a lot of pleasure, and cellar well. It would have been more complex with a little less ripeness (or a component less ripe), I suspect, though bouquet may build in cellar. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
A deep pinot noir ruby, about the maximum desirable for the variety. Bouquet is very ripe, flirting with being over-ripe, my notes in the blind tasting saying for bouquet, more plummy than cherry. Floral components are therefore less apparent, but not entirely absent – there is a dusky dark rose sweetness, which is very attractive, plus a suggestion of almonds, less so. On palate a more desirable black cherry quality becomes apparent, giving a very rich flavour braced by oak to a maximum. It is richer and softer than any of the Feltons, but not so vibrantly varietal. Nonetheless, this big wine will give a lot of pleasure, and cellar well. It would have been more complex with a little less ripeness (or a component less ripe), I suspect, though bouquet may build in cellar. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/05
Mosel Valley, Germany: – %; $9.60 [ cork, 45mm; cork willing, this is the all-important auslese measuring-stick, against which the trockenbeerenauslese from the same firm, vineyard and year may be compared. The von Kesselstatt estate formerly head-quartered in Trier (Mosel Valley), but now in the Ruwer Valley, dates back to 1349. In 1978 it passed from Reichsgrafen (imperial counts) of Kesselstatt to the Gunther-Reh family. Though the estate was already well-regarded, the new owners concentrated on improving quality further, by consolidating the estate, and lowering yields. The firm now owns 36 ha, 12 each in Ruwer, Saar and Mosel Valleys. Vineyards are planted 98% to riesling, 2% experimental varieties. Fermentations where possible are wild-yeast, invariably in stainless steel, there is no deacidification and since 1994 no suss-reserve, and extended lees-ageing is favoured. Traditional oak elevation is used for some of the finest wines. The website carefully says: 'We categorically reject so-called new oenological procedures.' Annual production ranges from 20,000 – 26,500 9-litre cases. The large Josephshof site in Graach was acquired in 1858. Brook notes that he usually prefers the wines from Nies’chen and Goldtropfchen to the rich, broader Josephshof. We have both Goldtropfchen and Josephshof at the auslese level, so a rare and glorious opportunity to form our own opinion, corks willing. Josephshof is 4.7 ha (11.6 ac). The von Kesselstatt website describes the monopole vineyard thus: Josephshof lies between the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Graacher Domprobst sites. It is a south-facing and steep site with an angle of inclination up to 60 – 70 degrees, at an altitude of up to 180 meters. The soils are deep, weathered Devonian slate with a high percentage of fine earth – relatively heavy soils compared with those of the region as a whole. They yield full-bodied, spicy wines with incredible ageing potential. Often the wines have an unmistakable peach aroma with a hint of wild herbs and earthy, spicy components; a measure of the rarity of our tasting is that neither Robinson, Robert Parker in aggregate or Wine Spectator have tasted this or any 1971 von Kesselstatt wines, despite their high ranking in the USA; www.kesselstatt.com ]
Lightish gold, below midway in depth. Bouquet is intriguingly one-dimensional on this wine, not really floral, yet a lovely depth of honeyed peachy fruit. Palate amplifies the bouquet, quite strange, a sensation of weight, yet you feel you can now taste the freshness of a Mosel wine, suggestions of mandarin rind on the stonefruits, hops too, excellent acid balance though hidden in the relatively rich fruit. At a peak now, but should hold its form for a while yet, subject to noting the corks are already very frail, in all the von Kesselstatt bottlings of the time. One of two only wines with no votes at all, for rank. GK 11/17
Lightish gold, below midway in depth. Bouquet is intriguingly one-dimensional on this wine, not really floral, yet a lovely depth of honeyed peachy fruit. Palate amplifies the bouquet, quite strange, a sensation of weight, yet you feel you can now taste the freshness of a Mosel wine, suggestions of mandarin rind on the stonefruits, hops too, excellent acid balance though hidden in the relatively rich fruit. At a peak now, but should hold its form for a while yet, subject to noting the corks are already very frail, in all the von Kesselstatt bottlings of the time. One of two only wines with no votes at all, for rank. GK 11/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 15%; $ – [ cork; a contentious wine from a warm year, which I discuss more fully in a Sept. 2016 report. It seems destined to continue to provoke (hopefully) delighted debate; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby and velvet, fractionally fresher and deeper than the RunRig. Bouquet is exciting, showing fumey and huge berry character reflecting ripening of the syrah to a point where cassis is grading to blueberry. Oak is apparent, but seems well covered by fruit. Le Sol has the dubious privilege here of being more alcoholic than the South Australian wine, but the aromatics on the latter make it seem more aggressive. Palate however is harder than the Torbreck, more new oak than syrah needs, but time should soften it. Exciting but bold wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/17
Ruby and velvet, fractionally fresher and deeper than the RunRig. Bouquet is exciting, showing fumey and huge berry character reflecting ripening of the syrah to a point where cassis is grading to blueberry. Oak is apparent, but seems well covered by fruit. Le Sol has the dubious privilege here of being more alcoholic than the South Australian wine, but the aromatics on the latter make it seem more aggressive. Palate however is harder than the Torbreck, more new oak than syrah needs, but time should soften it. Exciting but bold wine, to cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 12/17
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.5%; $57 [ screwcap; average vine age just under 13 years; slow start to season, good flowering and fruit set; February and March unusual for reduced diurnal fluctuation, which in theory at least should affect the character of the wines; average crop; www.feltonroad.com ]
Very bright youthful pinot noir ruby (reasonably), in the middle for weight. The proprietors left the 2013 out of the formal assessment, thinking it too young and recently bottled. Instead in a nice touch it was provided at the outset to rinse out the glasses (stored in cardboard), and wet (and whet) the palate. This seems totally a red cherry pinot, fragrant, aromatic and fresh, no complexity yet. In mouth it initially seemed lighter than I expected, having assumed 2013 was a good red wine year in Central as for nearly all New Zealand. Perhaps more a standard year, in Central. With air and time the wine grew in stature, and later seemed potentially more like a red-fruited version of the 2010 in balance, but for now awaiting complexity / development in bottle. It may need re-rating, therefore. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/14
Very bright youthful pinot noir ruby (reasonably), in the middle for weight. The proprietors left the 2013 out of the formal assessment, thinking it too young and recently bottled. Instead in a nice touch it was provided at the outset to rinse out the glasses (stored in cardboard), and wet (and whet) the palate. This seems totally a red cherry pinot, fragrant, aromatic and fresh, no complexity yet. In mouth it initially seemed lighter than I expected, having assumed 2013 was a good red wine year in Central as for nearly all New Zealand. Perhaps more a standard year, in Central. With air and time the wine grew in stature, and later seemed potentially more like a red-fruited version of the 2010 in balance, but for now awaiting complexity / development in bottle. It may need re-rating, therefore. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 08/14
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap, 15% BF in old French oak (youngest 4 years) with 5 months LA and stirring to enhance texture, balance s/s aerated as needed; no wild yeast component, no MLF; RS 6 g/L; www.babichwines.co.nz ]
Straw, a faint orange flush. Bouquet is gorgeous, exactly what one of the now well-established styles of good New Zealand pinot gris smells like, even allowing there may be a splash of gewurztraminer in it [ yes – later inquiry shows that like the lovely Astrolabe wine, there are augmenting varieties in this wine ]. Bouquet therefore shows the varietal complexity such pinot gris can have, when not over-ripened. There is good fruit with aromas of rosepetal, white nectarines and sultanas steeped in warm water, and a suggestion of high solids which at this level can be positive. There are reminders here of Alsatian pinot gris taken through to the vendage tardive stage too, just a suggestion of dried peaches. Palate wraps all these characters into a fruit-rich flavour, the varietal phenolics covered by subtle residual sugar, the whole wine long with some body as befits its pinot heritage, but not quite as rich as the bouquet promised. This is exciting wine, illustrating a delightful light fragrant style contrasting with all-too-often overly alcoholic pear-flesh examples – usually as a consequence of over-ripening it. Finish is long on stonefruits, surprisingly ‘dry’, inside the dry riesling class. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/09
Straw, a faint orange flush. Bouquet is gorgeous, exactly what one of the now well-established styles of good New Zealand pinot gris smells like, even allowing there may be a splash of gewurztraminer in it [ yes – later inquiry shows that like the lovely Astrolabe wine, there are augmenting varieties in this wine ]. Bouquet therefore shows the varietal complexity such pinot gris can have, when not over-ripened. There is good fruit with aromas of rosepetal, white nectarines and sultanas steeped in warm water, and a suggestion of high solids which at this level can be positive. There are reminders here of Alsatian pinot gris taken through to the vendage tardive stage too, just a suggestion of dried peaches. Palate wraps all these characters into a fruit-rich flavour, the varietal phenolics covered by subtle residual sugar, the whole wine long with some body as befits its pinot heritage, but not quite as rich as the bouquet promised. This is exciting wine, illustrating a delightful light fragrant style contrasting with all-too-often overly alcoholic pear-flesh examples – usually as a consequence of over-ripening it. Finish is long on stonefruits, surprisingly ‘dry’, inside the dry riesling class. Cellar 2 – 6 years. GK 05/09
Eastern Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $90 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-picked; 15 months in French and American oak about equal, 100% new; 98 cases; www.expatrius.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the top syrahs. Whereas the top syrahs rest on berry more than oak, in this one the beautiful fruit is carrying more oak, including fragrant vanillin American. In mouth the berry is clearly cassisy, but the oak contribution masks the variety to a degree. Whether the variety is cabernet sauvignon or syrah, though, you have to conclude this is good wine. Concentration of berry is good, not as great as the top Passage Rock wines, but the oak speaks too loudly. Being a new winery, perhaps they too have the problem of lacking top-notch older barrels. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, not as deep as the top syrahs. Whereas the top syrahs rest on berry more than oak, in this one the beautiful fruit is carrying more oak, including fragrant vanillin American. In mouth the berry is clearly cassisy, but the oak contribution masks the variety to a degree. Whether the variety is cabernet sauvignon or syrah, though, you have to conclude this is good wine. Concentration of berry is good, not as great as the top Passage Rock wines, but the oak speaks too loudly. Being a new winery, perhaps they too have the problem of lacking top-notch older barrels. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/12
Douro, Portugal: – %; $227 [ cork, 50mm; no info on cepage; Warre’s is said to be the first British port company to establish in Portugal; Chris Kissack, 2012: The 1977 Warre's Vintage Port has a lovely vibrancy ... only showing its age with the suggestion that it is fading to a red translucency rather than any deepening or browning of the colour. The nose is vibrant and fresh, showing smoky fruits ... Later it shows a brighter character, with tinges of raspberry, smoke, bay leaf and black liquorice. There are also little touches of raisin, but this is faint and not suggestive of over-ripeness, with mature leather and clove tones. ... The palate sweet and rounded, remaining full and softly textured into the middle, with increasing spice and pepper through the midpalate, and there is still a firm seam of acid and alcohol backbone through the middle. With more exposure to the air the alcohol does become somewhat more prominent ... 16.5; Parker, 1989: This house makes rather restrained yet rich, flavorful vintage port … [which] … seem slow to develop, and while they never quite have the voluptuous richness of a Dow, Graham, or Fonseca, they have a unique mineral-scented character that gives them their own complexity and style. The 1977 is quite powerful, very deep and intense, particularly for Warre, 92; www.warre.com ]
Glowing ruby and garnet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet is fragrant and rich on this wine, more lively than the Croft, both browning red fruits and sultanas / dried peaches, plus thoughts of glacé figs and cooked prunes again, and subtle oak. The palate however is not quite as promising, good richness, length and flavour initially, but then an intrusive tannic quality to the late flavour, making the wine seem a little clumsy (relative to the top wines) and one-dimensional. With food you would not notice this factor at all. The colour suggests the wine has plenty of time ahead of it, and there is good fruit flavour, so the tannic quality noticeable now may well condense / fall out with more time in cellar. One person had this as their second-favourite wine. GK 05/18
Glowing ruby and garnet, the second-deepest wine. Bouquet is fragrant and rich on this wine, more lively than the Croft, both browning red fruits and sultanas / dried peaches, plus thoughts of glacé figs and cooked prunes again, and subtle oak. The palate however is not quite as promising, good richness, length and flavour initially, but then an intrusive tannic quality to the late flavour, making the wine seem a little clumsy (relative to the top wines) and one-dimensional. With food you would not notice this factor at all. The colour suggests the wine has plenty of time ahead of it, and there is good fruit flavour, so the tannic quality noticeable now may well condense / fall out with more time in cellar. One person had this as their second-favourite wine. GK 05/18
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia: 13%; $47 [ supercritical Diam one-piece 'cork'; cepage usually Ch fractionally more than PN, handpicked at c.2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; primary fermentation in s/s, no MLF, then c.15% of the base wine is held a month or two in 5,500-litre oak vessels, to add subtle complexity; 4 years en tirage; dosage 3.2 g/L; regarded as one of the finest two methodes in Australia; distributed in New Zealand by MacVine, Auckland; www.yering.com ]
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is citrussy with fine baguette-quality autolysis, initially inclining to a blanc de blancs style, but later hinting at red fruits complexity below, all of exquisite purity. Palate is superbly fine-grained, clearly a much higher free-run fraction (or less press component) than the two Delormes, very low phenolics, yet great mouthfeel and body. Palate brings up the red cherry / pinot noir component in a subtle way, with the baguette notes extending the flavour remarkably. This is a wonderful methode champenoise, to cellar 5 – 15 years. The dosage is low, but fruit and dry extract (from that extraordinary cropping rate) are so good you think it is just at a 'normal' premium methode level, say 7 g/L. A challenge here for premium New Zealand methode champenoise producers. GK 03/17
Lemonstraw. Bouquet is citrussy with fine baguette-quality autolysis, initially inclining to a blanc de blancs style, but later hinting at red fruits complexity below, all of exquisite purity. Palate is superbly fine-grained, clearly a much higher free-run fraction (or less press component) than the two Delormes, very low phenolics, yet great mouthfeel and body. Palate brings up the red cherry / pinot noir component in a subtle way, with the baguette notes extending the flavour remarkably. This is a wonderful methode champenoise, to cellar 5 – 15 years. The dosage is low, but fruit and dry extract (from that extraordinary cropping rate) are so good you think it is just at a 'normal' premium methode level, say 7 g/L. A challenge here for premium New Zealand methode champenoise producers. GK 03/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 15%; $ – [ cork; c. US$55; Sy 100%; 8 – 10 day cold soak, MLF in barrel, 17 months in French oak 55% new; Parker 155: "All of Syrah’s characteristics – smoke, licorice, pepper, blackberries, and currants – are present in this beautifully knit, pure, concentrated 2002. 94"; Spectator: 89; earlier reviews on this website; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby and velvet, still some carmine, amongst the deepest. Initially opened and unaired, the wine is muted, hot climate in style, remarkably reminiscent of the best years of 1960s Stonyfell Metala from Langhorne Creek (back when this was absolutely the premium wine in the firm's portfolio). It is enormously rich, chocolatey and clearly sur-maturité, and very tannic – obviously Californian in the first blind tasting. Decanted a time or two, and well aired, it expands delightfully, so that in the second blind tasting, it shows slightly raisined cassis and dark plum on bouquet (but no florals), rich dark cassis and plums again on palate, and a dominance of somewhat spirity berry over oak. The wine is wonderfully rich, and will cellar for decades, but it is not explicitly varietal on bouquet due to the sur-maturité component. Thus, it does not provide the best interpretation of an optimal New Zealand climatic style for syrah, as I also implied when first reviewing it on this site 12/04. Well aired / breathed, however, there is no denying it is a dramatic and impressive winestyle, which meshes in seamlessly in a Californian tasting, and shows finer tannins than the Pax. For a more sensitive handling of the Le Sol syrah fruit, which better reflects a guideline for the kind of syrah we need to typically aim for in New Zealand, look out for the 2005 vintage, to be released June 2007. This 2002 will cellar for 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/07
Dense ruby and velvet, still some carmine, amongst the deepest. Initially opened and unaired, the wine is muted, hot climate in style, remarkably reminiscent of the best years of 1960s Stonyfell Metala from Langhorne Creek (back when this was absolutely the premium wine in the firm's portfolio). It is enormously rich, chocolatey and clearly sur-maturité, and very tannic – obviously Californian in the first blind tasting. Decanted a time or two, and well aired, it expands delightfully, so that in the second blind tasting, it shows slightly raisined cassis and dark plum on bouquet (but no florals), rich dark cassis and plums again on palate, and a dominance of somewhat spirity berry over oak. The wine is wonderfully rich, and will cellar for decades, but it is not explicitly varietal on bouquet due to the sur-maturité component. Thus, it does not provide the best interpretation of an optimal New Zealand climatic style for syrah, as I also implied when first reviewing it on this site 12/04. Well aired / breathed, however, there is no denying it is a dramatic and impressive winestyle, which meshes in seamlessly in a Californian tasting, and shows finer tannins than the Pax. For a more sensitive handling of the Le Sol syrah fruit, which better reflects a guideline for the kind of syrah we need to typically aim for in New Zealand, look out for the 2005 vintage, to be released June 2007. This 2002 will cellar for 5 – 20 + years. GK 04/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 15.4%; $70 [ Sy 100%; 8 – 10 day cold soak, MLF in barrel, 17 months in French oak 55% new; www.craggyrange.com ]
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. First impressions (in a blind tasting) are of a massive wine, much too oaky and much too spirity for finesse, a wine designed for Australians / Americans. Compared against the top wines more carefully, there is definite sur-maturité, with loss of the floral and black pepper-spicy characters which make good syrah great. Palate however is incredibly dense and rich, darkest cassis, blackest plum, darkest chocolate, yet all relatively fresh and attractive – the biggest wine in the set. The liqueur-like spirity finish detracts, making the wine awkward with food. I have discussed over-ripeness in this wine previously, but those archives are not currently available. It was good to see it again in somebody else's blind tasting, and put one's views to the test. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Dense ruby, carmine and velvet. First impressions (in a blind tasting) are of a massive wine, much too oaky and much too spirity for finesse, a wine designed for Australians / Americans. Compared against the top wines more carefully, there is definite sur-maturité, with loss of the floral and black pepper-spicy characters which make good syrah great. Palate however is incredibly dense and rich, darkest cassis, blackest plum, darkest chocolate, yet all relatively fresh and attractive – the biggest wine in the set. The liqueur-like spirity finish detracts, making the wine awkward with food. I have discussed over-ripeness in this wine previously, but those archives are not currently available. It was good to see it again in somebody else's blind tasting, and put one's views to the test. Cellar 10 – 20 years. GK 12/04
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork, 46mm; all clone mendoza planted in 1990, in a designated vineyard to honour founder Maté Brajkovich, 1925 – 1992; hand-harvested at a lower cropping rate than the mainstream Kumeu wine; whole-bunch pressed, wild-yeast and barrel-fermented in French oak c.20% new, 100% MLF, 12 months on lees in barrel. Wine Spectator, 2000: Juicy and elegant. A mouthwatering wine that layers apple, citrus and spice flavors on a delicate frame. Fruit echoes nicely on the finish, 90; M. Cooper, 2000: ...a very opulent wine with splendidly concentrated flavours of grapefruit, peach and butterscotch, with an almost apricot-like ripeness and richness. It's all there for majestic drinking, 2002+, *****; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Straw with a gold wash, near the middle in depth. First impression on bouquet is a lot of MLF, detracting a little and just hinting at custard, in good golden queen peachy fruit plus some lees autolysis complexity and mealyness. In mouth the freshness of peachy flavour is startling, these are more canned golden queen peaches than dried ones. There is not the depth of flavour and elevation complexity / mealyness the more highly-ranked wines show, and thus the palate seems narrower, but with very pure clone mendoza flavours. Oak handling is subtle, with no thought of untoward tannins let alone bitterness to the tail. The purity of ripe fruit flavour against a natural acid balance makes an interesting comparison with the richer Leeuwin, using the same clone. No first places, one second, nobody thought it French. GK 08/18
Straw with a gold wash, near the middle in depth. First impression on bouquet is a lot of MLF, detracting a little and just hinting at custard, in good golden queen peachy fruit plus some lees autolysis complexity and mealyness. In mouth the freshness of peachy flavour is startling, these are more canned golden queen peaches than dried ones. There is not the depth of flavour and elevation complexity / mealyness the more highly-ranked wines show, and thus the palate seems narrower, but with very pure clone mendoza flavours. Oak handling is subtle, with no thought of untoward tannins let alone bitterness to the tail. The purity of ripe fruit flavour against a natural acid balance makes an interesting comparison with the richer Leeuwin, using the same clone. No first places, one second, nobody thought it French. GK 08/18
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.5%; $27 [ cork; Ch 48%, PN 47, PM 5; hand-picked; s/s ferment and full MLF, c. 4 years en tirage; dosage 9 – 10 g/L; www.hunters.co.nz ]
Lemon more than lemonstraw. Bouquet is lighter and milder on this wine, seemingly more chardonnay-dominant than the cepage would suggest, very pure, showing a little more autolysis complexity than the ’03 Miru Miru. Palate flavour, length and style are all chardonnay-influenced, more cashew and richness than the ’03 wine or Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs, with good mouthfeel but not fruity. This is lovely lightish methode. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/06
Lemon more than lemonstraw. Bouquet is lighter and milder on this wine, seemingly more chardonnay-dominant than the cepage would suggest, very pure, showing a little more autolysis complexity than the ’03 Miru Miru. Palate flavour, length and style are all chardonnay-influenced, more cashew and richness than the ’03 wine or Lindauer Reserve Blanc de Blancs, with good mouthfeel but not fruity. This is lovely lightish methode. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/06
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $16 [ screwcap; ex 4 vineyards, some wild yeast ferment; BF in French oak; www.mortonestatewines.co.nz ]
Light straw. First impressions are a complex barrel-fermented and lees-autolysis etc chardonnay bouquet, with good underlying freshness and white stonefruits, and attractive mealyness grading into cashew. Palate picks up all these flavours, and melds them seamlessly into an attractive slightly acid wine which is quite European in style, not unduly oaky, and delightfully long-flavoured. Button mushrooms develop on the aftertaste. At this price, this is a dramatic illustration of just how far New Zealand chardonnay has travelled in the last 25 years. Delicious wine, lighter and fresher than the Martinborough Vineyard, though some of the same winemaking components can be tasted. What a difference the extra year makes. Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/06
Light straw. First impressions are a complex barrel-fermented and lees-autolysis etc chardonnay bouquet, with good underlying freshness and white stonefruits, and attractive mealyness grading into cashew. Palate picks up all these flavours, and melds them seamlessly into an attractive slightly acid wine which is quite European in style, not unduly oaky, and delightfully long-flavoured. Button mushrooms develop on the aftertaste. At this price, this is a dramatic illustration of just how far New Zealand chardonnay has travelled in the last 25 years. Delicious wine, lighter and fresher than the Martinborough Vineyard, though some of the same winemaking components can be tasted. What a difference the extra year makes. Cellar 5 – 8 years. VALUE GK 02/06
Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $20 [ machine-harvested; cool-fermented and c. 2 months LA in s/s; RS 2.2 g/L; www.matua.co.nz ]
Lemongreen, a standard good Marlborough sauvignon blanc colour. This wine is still too young to show its best, needing a good decanting. It is a much more fruit-dominated and familiar Marlborough sauvignon style than Te Koko, but the point of ripeness achieved shows some white honeysuckle florals, with fragrant black passionfruit pulp, a hint of ripest red capsicum, and again some sweet basil savoury complexity. Palate follows-on well, and it is only here that perhaps one might think there is some trace of sweet fragrant gentle oak, reinforcing the grape aromatics [again, no]. This sauvignon seems to be coming together compared with the previous note, is conventional alongside the Section 94, and will look even better in a year. Cellar 2 – 8 years, perhaps longer. A 'Search' function would be handy on the Matua website, since the range of labels is now wide, and the criteria for naming them not totally consistent – for example the term Reserve is used under several headings. GK 05/08
Lemongreen, a standard good Marlborough sauvignon blanc colour. This wine is still too young to show its best, needing a good decanting. It is a much more fruit-dominated and familiar Marlborough sauvignon style than Te Koko, but the point of ripeness achieved shows some white honeysuckle florals, with fragrant black passionfruit pulp, a hint of ripest red capsicum, and again some sweet basil savoury complexity. Palate follows-on well, and it is only here that perhaps one might think there is some trace of sweet fragrant gentle oak, reinforcing the grape aromatics [again, no]. This sauvignon seems to be coming together compared with the previous note, is conventional alongside the Section 94, and will look even better in a year. Cellar 2 – 8 years, perhaps longer. A 'Search' function would be handy on the Matua website, since the range of labels is now wide, and the criteria for naming them not totally consistent – for example the term Reserve is used under several headings. GK 05/08
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia: – %; $ – [ cork, 46mm; ullage c.20mm below base neck; at the time, the company’s top red wine label. All the fruit grown near Angaston on the east side of the Barossa Valley, towards the Eden Valley. The winery comments that the light colour is due to the 1968 vintage. Three and one quarter years in ‘large oak’ … size not given but presumably older American. Saltram reds earned passing mention in Lake’s book, but didn't quite qualify. Evans is more positive: A top dry red … and I don’t think we have seen the best of it yet. … The 1968 vintage was a lighter style … However, the Eden Valley fullness and liquorice character and that nice touch of oak are still there. … Altogether the Mamre Brook style, within a matter of years, has impressed and Peter Lehmann has established it as one of the major wine styles of Australia. Saltram became wholly owned by Stonyfell in 1941, yet the wineries maintained separate identities for some years. The Saltram name is now favoured. ]
Garnet and ruby, just below midway in depth. This wine opened in an interesting way symptomatic of a red wine at full stretch, at one moment smelling faded, at the next clear browning berry, and yet when you went back to it, quite different again, with for example enticing brown sautéed portobello mushrooms showing. Unlike the top three wines, it was more clearly (but not too much so) Australian in character, suggestions of the characteristic boysenberry of over-ripe shiraz noticeable, but the whole wine not too oaky. Palate has delightful richness, length and balance, not too weighty, but again the fading fruit / berry flavours pointing to shiraz rather than the syrah the Tahbilk hints at. The cabernet component is hard to identify, but presumably adds to the finesse and high rating of the wine. The length of the browning berry and its dominance over oak is attractive. Two first places, and one second. Fully mature, not a great cork, so we were lucky. The Stuyvesant House restaurant in Sydney has the 1986 of this label on their list at $AU120. Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 53 mm. GK 04/19
Garnet and ruby, just below midway in depth. This wine opened in an interesting way symptomatic of a red wine at full stretch, at one moment smelling faded, at the next clear browning berry, and yet when you went back to it, quite different again, with for example enticing brown sautéed portobello mushrooms showing. Unlike the top three wines, it was more clearly (but not too much so) Australian in character, suggestions of the characteristic boysenberry of over-ripe shiraz noticeable, but the whole wine not too oaky. Palate has delightful richness, length and balance, not too weighty, but again the fading fruit / berry flavours pointing to shiraz rather than the syrah the Tahbilk hints at. The cabernet component is hard to identify, but presumably adds to the finesse and high rating of the wine. The length of the browning berry and its dominance over oak is attractive. Two first places, and one second. Fully mature, not a great cork, so we were lucky. The Stuyvesant House restaurant in Sydney has the 1986 of this label on their list at $AU120. Ullage base of cork to top of wine, 53 mm. GK 04/19
Martinborough Terrace, Wairarapa, New Zealand: 13%; $ – [ Cork, 44mm, ullage 28mm; weight bottle and cork, 546 g; release price c.$43; Arapoff is the vineyard; Cooper, 2001: … the accentuated peppery bouquet of cool-climate Syrah. Mouthfilling, with fresh acidity and very impressive depth of blackcurrant, dark plum and spice flavours, it’s slightly less ripe-tasting than the magisterial 1998, but still a top effort and worthy of lengthy cellaring, ****(½); www.dryriver.co.nz ]
Ruby, much fresher but only faintly deeper than the 1999 Pinot Noir. This bouquet has clear florals, both dianthus and pale rose-like aromas, nearly a hint of pepper but hard to decide if black or white, and a superb ratio of berry to oak. Palate is gorgeous, delicate yet not light, beautiful ripeness and length, silky texture, all faintly cooler and more subtle than the 2001. Again it is total Cote Rotie in style. Three people rated it their second-favourite wine. Tasters found it particularly hard to decide if this wine was pinot noir or syrah, the latter winning by one vote. In the comparison for the year, the syrah wins hands down. Beautifully mature, but will cellar some years. GK 05/19
Ruby, much fresher but only faintly deeper than the 1999 Pinot Noir. This bouquet has clear florals, both dianthus and pale rose-like aromas, nearly a hint of pepper but hard to decide if black or white, and a superb ratio of berry to oak. Palate is gorgeous, delicate yet not light, beautiful ripeness and length, silky texture, all faintly cooler and more subtle than the 2001. Again it is total Cote Rotie in style. Three people rated it their second-favourite wine. Tasters found it particularly hard to decide if this wine was pinot noir or syrah, the latter winning by one vote. In the comparison for the year, the syrah wins hands down. Beautifully mature, but will cellar some years. GK 05/19
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $38 [ supercritical 'cork'; CS 45%, Me 31, CF 20, PV 4; inoculated yeast, cuvaison up to 30 days; c. 15 months in French oak 73% new; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a rich claret colour. This wine along with another 2007 stood out in the tasting more as a work in progress, having not had the time in bottle to develop a little complexity. Bouquet is both floral and fleshy, bottled black doris plum dominant, but so youthful. Palate is soft ripe and rich, both juicy and unsophisticated as yet, the oak scarcely showing. The fruit quality is there for a much more exciting bottle in a couple of years, but perhaps the wine is a bit soft for long cellaring, beyond maybe 12 years or so. If this is a forerunner of the quality in the 2007 vintage in Hawkes Bay, we have much to look forward to it – as Hawkes Bay winemakers have been saying for some time. GK 11/08
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a rich claret colour. This wine along with another 2007 stood out in the tasting more as a work in progress, having not had the time in bottle to develop a little complexity. Bouquet is both floral and fleshy, bottled black doris plum dominant, but so youthful. Palate is soft ripe and rich, both juicy and unsophisticated as yet, the oak scarcely showing. The fruit quality is there for a much more exciting bottle in a couple of years, but perhaps the wine is a bit soft for long cellaring, beyond maybe 12 years or so. If this is a forerunner of the quality in the 2007 vintage in Hawkes Bay, we have much to look forward to it – as Hawkes Bay winemakers have been saying for some time. GK 11/08
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $23 [ screwcap; not on website, previous vintages suggest around 10 months in new and old French oak, and c.3 g/L RS; www.charleswiffenwines.co.nz ]
Deep lemon, fresher than the Greystone. Bouquet has that intriguing Marlborough chardonnay quality to it, both slightly floral yet is their trace leafyness too ? Below are complex mealy quite burgundian aromas, white stonefruits, some oak, fragrant. Palate brings up the stonefruits, even some yellow peach notes, and dispels any thoughts of under-ripeness. Fruit on palate is weightier than the two chablis-like wines, the mealyness from lees-autolysis, barrel-ferment and MLF components reminding of Meursault, and the length of flavour is attractive. Oak and acid become slightly obtrusive later on the palate, but the richness covers that. The wine is not as dry as the Felton pair, and might be more popular on that account. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Deep lemon, fresher than the Greystone. Bouquet has that intriguing Marlborough chardonnay quality to it, both slightly floral yet is their trace leafyness too ? Below are complex mealy quite burgundian aromas, white stonefruits, some oak, fragrant. Palate brings up the stonefruits, even some yellow peach notes, and dispels any thoughts of under-ripeness. Fruit on palate is weightier than the two chablis-like wines, the mealyness from lees-autolysis, barrel-ferment and MLF components reminding of Meursault, and the length of flavour is attractive. Oak and acid become slightly obtrusive later on the palate, but the richness covers that. The wine is not as dry as the Felton pair, and might be more popular on that account. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/11
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.9%; $80 [ cork; CS 46, Me 22, CF 15, Ma 17, hand-harvested; c. 12 months in American 50% and French oak c. 50% new; en primeur offer date 1 April 2009 "significantly" below the above price, release date 1 April 2010; Destinae alludes to one’s destiny, or perhaps more the notion of arrival into nirvana (maybe in the sense of enjoying this wine); www.destinybaywine.com ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little fresher than the 2007 Mystae, very youthful, some cassis, more dark plum and aromatic oak. Palate darkens the fruit considerably, good ripeness and seemingly a better oak balance at this stage than some of the more serious labels, all in a firm Medoc style. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] This should cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is a little fresher than the 2007 Mystae, very youthful, some cassis, more dark plum and aromatic oak. Palate darkens the fruit considerably, good ripeness and seemingly a better oak balance at this stage than some of the more serious labels, all in a firm Medoc style. [ NB: the finished wine may differ from this barrel sample.] This should cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 06/08
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $42 [ 21 – 28 days cuvaison; MLF in barrel; 20 months in oak; www.villamaria.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little brighter than the matching Vidal Reserve from the same vintage. Bouquet is quieter than some, integrated and harmonious, cassis and aromatic berry dominant, the oak beautifully understated. Palate is taut and very cassisy, attractively balanced, great berry, good length though not the richest, style winning out over weight. This will cellar for 10 – 15 years, and be readily confusable with some classed growths from Bordeaux. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a little brighter than the matching Vidal Reserve from the same vintage. Bouquet is quieter than some, integrated and harmonious, cassis and aromatic berry dominant, the oak beautifully understated. Palate is taut and very cassisy, attractively balanced, great berry, good length though not the richest, style winning out over weight. This will cellar for 10 – 15 years, and be readily confusable with some classed growths from Bordeaux. GK 05/04
Havelock North district mostly, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork; CS 52%, Me 31%, CF 16, PV 1, hand-harvested; c. 18 months in French oak some new; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and some velvet, a touch of age. Alongside the squeaky-clean and modern 2006 Awatea, this 2000 Awatea is wonderful. Many will pick this up, smell it, drink in the wonderfully enticing savoury aromas which almost induce salivation, and wonder: why don't modern wines have this magical complexity – it's hard to know if it is New Zealand or Bordeaux. And the answer is our little yeasty friend Brettanomyces, which this wine shows at an optimal level, with wonderful complexity, no shortening of palate as a consequence, just magical. Unfortunately, the wine technologists are so brow-beating us into their preferred sterile modern wines, that beauty and complexity are being sacrificed on the altar of high technology. But as to the wine, there is fine cassisy berry, plum, and nearly cedary oak on bouquet (plus the savoury casserole note of the brett), melded tobacco-y and plummy richness on palate, and a long savoury aftertaste, all beautifully balanced. This is one of the best Awateas of recent years. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/08
Ruby and some velvet, a touch of age. Alongside the squeaky-clean and modern 2006 Awatea, this 2000 Awatea is wonderful. Many will pick this up, smell it, drink in the wonderfully enticing savoury aromas which almost induce salivation, and wonder: why don't modern wines have this magical complexity – it's hard to know if it is New Zealand or Bordeaux. And the answer is our little yeasty friend Brettanomyces, which this wine shows at an optimal level, with wonderful complexity, no shortening of palate as a consequence, just magical. Unfortunately, the wine technologists are so brow-beating us into their preferred sterile modern wines, that beauty and complexity are being sacrificed on the altar of high technology. But as to the wine, there is fine cassisy berry, plum, and nearly cedary oak on bouquet (plus the savoury casserole note of the brett), melded tobacco-y and plummy richness on palate, and a long savoury aftertaste, all beautifully balanced. This is one of the best Awateas of recent years. Cellar 5 – 8 years. GK 03/08
Havelock North Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $ – [ cork, 49mm; CS 94, Me 6; good summer, lesser April, GDD 1457, harvest early April, wine made and finished by Michael Bennett; release price $15; Cowley, 2017: dark and ripe; Kelly, in Wineglass April/May 1984: Why … can 1982 Te Mata Coleraine be suggested as New Zealand’s best red? Simply because it smells and tastes of really ripe fruit without any trace of herbaceous character; it has good extract and depth and length of flavour consistent with a quality cropping rate, and all the flavours are in accord with world opinion of what the Cabernet style should be; Chan, 2008 review: a fine, concentrated nose, identifiably blackcurranty Cabernet Sauvignon, some volatility adding lift to the perfumes, liquorice, tobacco and cedar on bouquet ... Drying a little now on palate, refined cedar notes, quite elegant in style ... Tannins are fine-grained ... remaining bottles should be consumed, 17.5+; www.temata.co.nz ]
Garnet and ruby, the lightest colour, good for its age. There is a question mark on the quality of the corks in the first couple of years of Coleraine, as the proprietors established the new labels Coleraine and Awatea. Accordingly, the two bottles differed considerably between the two nights, and a third 1982 had to be rejected, not for TCA, but for oxidation. But the better bottle, on the second night, was sensational. It showed all the mellow fragrant magic that makes the claret winestyle, bordeaux, the most-loved red wine in the world. The melding of browning cassis, cedary oak and tobacco on this better bottle was magic on bouquet, and the quality of the complexed, browning but still cassisy fruit on palate remarkable. You ended up feeling a good bottle of this 1982 Coleraine could still usefully be presented blind in a 1982 Bordeaux tasting, provided good crus bourgeois were included, notwithstanding 1982 being a great year in that district. Both nights, tasters who like old wine rated this 1982 highly, five each night – a great result. It is a gamble to hold this wine any longer, due to the corks. Best to enjoy its full harmony and fragrance while it still has the fruit. And interestingly, there was no hint of the cabernet hole-in-the-middle palate in this wine, despite the cepage. Bottles cellared north of Taupo will be lesser. GK 08/17
Garnet and ruby, the lightest colour, good for its age. There is a question mark on the quality of the corks in the first couple of years of Coleraine, as the proprietors established the new labels Coleraine and Awatea. Accordingly, the two bottles differed considerably between the two nights, and a third 1982 had to be rejected, not for TCA, but for oxidation. But the better bottle, on the second night, was sensational. It showed all the mellow fragrant magic that makes the claret winestyle, bordeaux, the most-loved red wine in the world. The melding of browning cassis, cedary oak and tobacco on this better bottle was magic on bouquet, and the quality of the complexed, browning but still cassisy fruit on palate remarkable. You ended up feeling a good bottle of this 1982 Coleraine could still usefully be presented blind in a 1982 Bordeaux tasting, provided good crus bourgeois were included, notwithstanding 1982 being a great year in that district. Both nights, tasters who like old wine rated this 1982 highly, five each night – a great result. It is a gamble to hold this wine any longer, due to the corks. Best to enjoy its full harmony and fragrance while it still has the fruit. And interestingly, there was no hint of the cabernet hole-in-the-middle palate in this wine, despite the cepage. Bottles cellared north of Taupo will be lesser. GK 08/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $60 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all hand-picked from c.15-year old vines planted at c.2,645 vines / ha and cropped @ 4.85 t/ha = 1.9 t/ac; 2 – 3 days cold-soak, cuvaison 24 – 28 days, no whole-bunch component, wild-yeast ferments; MLF in barrel; 16 months in French oak c.35% new; RS 0.2 g/L; not sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured yet; production 350 x 9-L cases; released; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Oak vanillins are initially tending dominant on bouquet, at this stage of the wine's evolution. They mingle with a floral quality which is hard to characterise, on good aromatic berry. In mouth more time is definitely needed for the cassisy berry to creep up around the oak. It is less rich and more oaky than the Villa Reserve, at this stage. Flavours however are pure and varietal, oak aside. It should marry up well, and cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 05/15
Ruby, carmine and velvet, just above midway in depth. Oak vanillins are initially tending dominant on bouquet, at this stage of the wine's evolution. They mingle with a floral quality which is hard to characterise, on good aromatic berry. In mouth more time is definitely needed for the cassisy berry to creep up around the oak. It is less rich and more oaky than the Villa Reserve, at this stage. Flavours however are pure and varietal, oak aside. It should marry up well, and cellar 5 – 18 years. GK 05/15
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ supercritical cork; nearly two years in wood; www.unisonvineyard.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. Bouquet is distinctive on this wine, in the blind tasting showing the most evidence of higher toast on the oak, a hint of dark chocolate / coffee maybe, which adds to its immediate appeal for many people, but threatens to dominate and move the wine towards the 'international style' and away from varietal delicacy. The oak is backed by plenty of fruit, however, and the berry should win out and complexity re-build. On palate the fruit is plummy ripe, as rich and ripe as the somewhat similar Villa Maria Cellar Selection, but not as open and relaxed as that wine, the oak showing more. This Unison is richer than the Homage, and is another which should show much better in five years' time. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Ruby, carmine and velvet, the second deepest. Bouquet is distinctive on this wine, in the blind tasting showing the most evidence of higher toast on the oak, a hint of dark chocolate / coffee maybe, which adds to its immediate appeal for many people, but threatens to dominate and move the wine towards the 'international style' and away from varietal delicacy. The oak is backed by plenty of fruit, however, and the berry should win out and complexity re-build. On palate the fruit is plummy ripe, as rich and ripe as the somewhat similar Villa Maria Cellar Selection, but not as open and relaxed as that wine, the oak showing more. This Unison is richer than the Homage, and is another which should show much better in five years' time. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 11/06
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.8%; $ – [ cork; cuvaison c. 35 days; c. 14 months in 100% new French oak; MLF in tank; marketing being decided now, more expensive than Jewelstone, release latest ’09 / early 2010; Catalogue: not in; not on website yet; www.missionestate.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, rich, not as bright as some examples, suggesting more oak involvement. Bouquet is deep and dark, with dark chocolate notes on rich plummy fruit, confuseable with some big McLaren Vale syrahs, except this is not so alcoholic [ later, or seemed so ]. Flavours are ‘Black Forest Gateau’, blackest cherry and blackboy plums, wonderfully rich indeed and succulent, a winestyle which many will rate very highly. Looking at it from a classical Hermitage standpoint, personally I think it is tending over-ripe, losing florality and varietal precision and moving towards premium Australian shiraz / syrah, or a Napa one. But it is not over-oaky and is beautifully made in its chocolate-barrel way. There is still some black peppercorn spice. This is a wine on the scale of Craggy Range’s Le Sol (though perhaps bolder than the 2007), or Penfolds RWT. I am sure it will find favour in America. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Ruby and velvet, rich, not as bright as some examples, suggesting more oak involvement. Bouquet is deep and dark, with dark chocolate notes on rich plummy fruit, confuseable with some big McLaren Vale syrahs, except this is not so alcoholic [ later, or seemed so ]. Flavours are ‘Black Forest Gateau’, blackest cherry and blackboy plums, wonderfully rich indeed and succulent, a winestyle which many will rate very highly. Looking at it from a classical Hermitage standpoint, personally I think it is tending over-ripe, losing florality and varietal precision and moving towards premium Australian shiraz / syrah, or a Napa one. But it is not over-oaky and is beautifully made in its chocolate-barrel way. There is still some black peppercorn spice. This is a wine on the scale of Craggy Range’s Le Sol (though perhaps bolder than the 2007), or Penfolds RWT. I am sure it will find favour in America. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 07/09
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.8%; $65 [ screwcap; nil whole bunch; 14 months in French oak, 30% new; www.mountedward.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, about midway in depth. Bouquet shows an exciting interplay of boronia florals, red and black fruits, and noticeable new oak. Texture on palate is delightful, clear cherry, a little firm on the oak now, but shaping up to be a gold medal wine in another 6 – 12 months. This is a vast step forward on the 2007, showing much more appropriate ripening. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby, about midway in depth. Bouquet shows an exciting interplay of boronia florals, red and black fruits, and noticeable new oak. Texture on palate is delightful, clear cherry, a little firm on the oak now, but shaping up to be a gold medal wine in another 6 – 12 months. This is a vast step forward on the 2007, showing much more appropriate ripening. Cellar 3 – 8 years, maybe 10. GK 02/10
Waimea Plains, Nelson, New Zealand: 14%; $21 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; cool and stop-fermentation, 2 months LA on lees in s/s; RS 8.5 g/L; www.waimeaestates.co.nz ]
Palest straw. This pinot gris has a lovely bouquet, illustrating dramatically that pinot gris is indeed a pinot, and should display some of the floral qualities which characterise good pinot noir, but are lost in both pinot noir and pinot gris when the grape is over-ripened. This wine almost smells as if the bouquet might have been augmented with viognier, which is not such a silly idea. That grape could sit more happily with pinot gris than the gewurztraminer commonly used for titivation. Palate is firm, beautiful fruit, varietal phenolics perfectly judged against off-dry residual sugar. If you've ever wondered what pinot gris should actually smell and taste like, grab a bottle of this affordable wine. Make sure you leave a couple of inches in the bottle, and taste it again 24 hours later, to get the complete picture. Cellar 3 – 6 years. VALUE GK 03/08
Palest straw. This pinot gris has a lovely bouquet, illustrating dramatically that pinot gris is indeed a pinot, and should display some of the floral qualities which characterise good pinot noir, but are lost in both pinot noir and pinot gris when the grape is over-ripened. This wine almost smells as if the bouquet might have been augmented with viognier, which is not such a silly idea. That grape could sit more happily with pinot gris than the gewurztraminer commonly used for titivation. Palate is firm, beautiful fruit, varietal phenolics perfectly judged against off-dry residual sugar. If you've ever wondered what pinot gris should actually smell and taste like, grab a bottle of this affordable wine. Make sure you leave a couple of inches in the bottle, and taste it again 24 hours later, to get the complete picture. Cellar 3 – 6 years. VALUE GK 03/08
Russian River Valley, California, USA: 13.9%; $125 [ cork; $US90; 10% whole bunch; 16 months French oak, 40% new; www.littorai.com ]
Pinot noir ruby. This is another beautiful face of pinot noir, not as dark and dramatic as the 2007 Felton Block 5 in the World tasting, in fact much more floral and red-fruited, Volnay-like. Bouquet includes mock orange blossom and roses, soft and sensual. Palate is red fruits as much as black, perfect burgundian palate weight, sensitive oak, a wine of precision and poise, optimising everything that is attractive in good French pinot noir, yet avoiding their faults. This more red-fruited phase of pinot noir is in many ways more attractive than the darkly-coloured wines New Zealand is pursuing – unwisely in my view. We need to avoid populist influences on our winemaking and style assessment in New Zealand, and particularly so for pinot noir the proposition that darker is better, since in this country the goal of a world-class winestyle can be foreseen. The exception to this stricture is winemakers whose aspirations go no further than supermarket volume. To a New Zealander, this was the most exciting wine in the Great Pinots of the World tasting, though not the best. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Pinot noir ruby. This is another beautiful face of pinot noir, not as dark and dramatic as the 2007 Felton Block 5 in the World tasting, in fact much more floral and red-fruited, Volnay-like. Bouquet includes mock orange blossom and roses, soft and sensual. Palate is red fruits as much as black, perfect burgundian palate weight, sensitive oak, a wine of precision and poise, optimising everything that is attractive in good French pinot noir, yet avoiding their faults. This more red-fruited phase of pinot noir is in many ways more attractive than the darkly-coloured wines New Zealand is pursuing – unwisely in my view. We need to avoid populist influences on our winemaking and style assessment in New Zealand, and particularly so for pinot noir the proposition that darker is better, since in this country the goal of a world-class winestyle can be foreseen. The exception to this stricture is winemakers whose aspirations go no further than supermarket volume. To a New Zealander, this was the most exciting wine in the Great Pinots of the World tasting, though not the best. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 02/10
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 9.5%; $31 [ screwcap; hand-harvested, all s/s ferments, 3 months LA on fine lees; pH 2.92, RS 55 g/L; www.feltonroad.com ]
Lemongreen, close to the Felton Dry. Bouquet is close to that wine too, but seems to smell a little sweeter and more nectary, but at the same time (and at this stage) less explicitly varietal. Curious. There are suggestions of sweet vernal and pearflesh, but no lime characters. Palate is the sweetest so far in this hierarchy, a full medium, juicy, low phenolics but flavoursome riesling more in a cooked sturmer apple way (+ve), clearly varietal but very youthful – naturally. The wine is delightfully pure, and should develop well in bottle for 3 – 12 years. It may need re-ranking, later on. GK 04/09
Lemongreen, close to the Felton Dry. Bouquet is close to that wine too, but seems to smell a little sweeter and more nectary, but at the same time (and at this stage) less explicitly varietal. Curious. There are suggestions of sweet vernal and pearflesh, but no lime characters. Palate is the sweetest so far in this hierarchy, a full medium, juicy, low phenolics but flavoursome riesling more in a cooked sturmer apple way (+ve), clearly varietal but very youthful – naturally. The wine is delightfully pure, and should develop well in bottle for 3 – 12 years. It may need re-ranking, later on. GK 04/09
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $20 [ screwcap; SB 100%, machine picked; cold-settled, s/s-fermented, RS 4 g/L; www.whitehaven.co.nz ]
Pale lemongreen, one of the lighter in these mixed whites. Bouquet is a little more clearly sauvignon blanc than the Mahi, not quite so ripe, fractionally more floral with suggestions of elderflower, plus herbes and trace capsicum, beautifully pure. Palate is narrower and sweeter than the Mahi, much more stainless steel and conventional Marlborough, but again showing good modern ripeness levels, and quite good fruit weight. Finish is ‘standard’ Marlborough ‘dry’ sauvignon blanc. You can see why it has won gold medals. Cellar 3 – 5 years, though will hold longer, for those who enjoy the changing flavours of older sauvignon. GK 06/19
Pale lemongreen, one of the lighter in these mixed whites. Bouquet is a little more clearly sauvignon blanc than the Mahi, not quite so ripe, fractionally more floral with suggestions of elderflower, plus herbes and trace capsicum, beautifully pure. Palate is narrower and sweeter than the Mahi, much more stainless steel and conventional Marlborough, but again showing good modern ripeness levels, and quite good fruit weight. Finish is ‘standard’ Marlborough ‘dry’ sauvignon blanc. You can see why it has won gold medals. Cellar 3 – 5 years, though will hold longer, for those who enjoy the changing flavours of older sauvignon. GK 06/19
Martinborough district, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; this wine reflects more an Alsace / Burgundy approach to the variety, again very different to inconsequential ‘beverage’ pinot gris in New Zealand; BF in older oak (perhaps not as old as the pinot gris), partial MLF; RS dry; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Slightly warm straw, alongside the Pinot Blanc. Bouquet is in the same subtle style as the Escarpment Pinot Blanc, but fleshier, less floral, more pear or nashi flesh, plus a more obvious barrel-ferment and lees autolysis component. Palate adds greengage to the fruits, equally as rich as the Pinot Blanc but with more phenolics and (it seems) more apparent oak, both lengthening the flavour. Alongside the Pinot Blanc, this seems a somewhat coarser grape / wine, but it is beautifully demonstrative of pinot gris. Another good food wine, and style-wise the phenolics would handle stronger flavours than the Pinot Blanc. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/19
Slightly warm straw, alongside the Pinot Blanc. Bouquet is in the same subtle style as the Escarpment Pinot Blanc, but fleshier, less floral, more pear or nashi flesh, plus a more obvious barrel-ferment and lees autolysis component. Palate adds greengage to the fruits, equally as rich as the Pinot Blanc but with more phenolics and (it seems) more apparent oak, both lengthening the flavour. Alongside the Pinot Blanc, this seems a somewhat coarser grape / wine, but it is beautifully demonstrative of pinot gris. Another good food wine, and style-wise the phenolics would handle stronger flavours than the Pinot Blanc. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 06/19
Jerez, Spain: 15.5%; $19 [ cork; pedro ximenez; 9 years in a sherry-style solera to produce a luscious wine of c 370 g/L RS; oak old American; www.gonzalezbyass.com ]
Colour is chestnut with a brassy edge. Bouquet is like wonderfully old muscat, illustrating long storage in mostly older oak, with some magic rancio complexity notes evident. Rancio is a very particular aroma more frequently talked about than encountered. Trying to get plain tasting sense out of chemists is one of life's great challenges, but my impression is the rancio character illustrates a state in wine evolution well short of oxidation or even maderisation, which is in effect almost stable if oxygen ingress is strictly limited. In mouth the wine is syrupy rich, flavours between golden syrup and treacle, but grapey too, some oak and nuttiness below. The total achievement is closest to old Rutherglen muscat, slightly marred here by trace staleness, like the faintest whiff of formalin. Special stuff, to be tasted at least once. Wines like this hold in bottle, but don't improve, rather gradually going 'flat' / developing stale notes. Once poured, it improves greatly in the glass, becoming 'refreshed – so leave some and try it again the next day. GK 08/11
Colour is chestnut with a brassy edge. Bouquet is like wonderfully old muscat, illustrating long storage in mostly older oak, with some magic rancio complexity notes evident. Rancio is a very particular aroma more frequently talked about than encountered. Trying to get plain tasting sense out of chemists is one of life's great challenges, but my impression is the rancio character illustrates a state in wine evolution well short of oxidation or even maderisation, which is in effect almost stable if oxygen ingress is strictly limited. In mouth the wine is syrupy rich, flavours between golden syrup and treacle, but grapey too, some oak and nuttiness below. The total achievement is closest to old Rutherglen muscat, slightly marred here by trace staleness, like the faintest whiff of formalin. Special stuff, to be tasted at least once. Wines like this hold in bottle, but don't improve, rather gradually going 'flat' / developing stale notes. Once poured, it improves greatly in the glass, becoming 'refreshed – so leave some and try it again the next day. GK 08/11
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $78 [ cork; DFB; Me 60%, CS 24, CF 14, PV 2, hand-harvested @ just under 6.25 t/ha (2.5 t/ac); 100% de-stemmed; inoculated ferments in s/s; 19 months in 37% new French oak (note lower ratio new oak than 5 years ago); fined and filtered; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, medium depth for a bordeaux blend, the lightest of these four. Being a young wine in the Bordeaux style, it is much better decanted and aired. This dissipates some of the oak vanillin and allows the deep sweet violets florals of merlot to shine through, on bottled black doris plum fruit. Palate is freshly plummy, uncannily so, textbook merlot though there are blending varieties. It is not as rich as the 2010 straight Gimblett Gravels Merlot, instead being a wine relying on beauty and finesse more than weight and size. The pinpoint fruit ripeness contrasts with so many Hawke's Bay merlots, but even here the oaking is on the noticeable side. Elegant wine, which will give much pleasure, cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Ruby, carmine and velvet, medium depth for a bordeaux blend, the lightest of these four. Being a young wine in the Bordeaux style, it is much better decanted and aired. This dissipates some of the oak vanillin and allows the deep sweet violets florals of merlot to shine through, on bottled black doris plum fruit. Palate is freshly plummy, uncannily so, textbook merlot though there are blending varieties. It is not as rich as the 2010 straight Gimblett Gravels Merlot, instead being a wine relying on beauty and finesse more than weight and size. The pinpoint fruit ripeness contrasts with so many Hawke's Bay merlots, but even here the oaking is on the noticeable side. Elegant wine, which will give much pleasure, cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 05/13
Martinborough, New Zealand: 14%; $46 [ screwcap; clones 10/5 and more modern burgundy clones; in general c. 4 days cold-soak; 12 months new and older French oak; not much winemaking info on website; www.palliser.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a little more mature than some. Bouquet is distinctly fruity, piquant and exciting, with clear-cut pinot varietal character. It is a little oaky, which makes it not so easy to characterise the floral component, but there are dark florals on clear red and black cherry fruit. Balance is aromatic and attractive, and it feels like pinot noir in mouth, so one can forgive it the oak and alcohol. The exciting thing about this wine, in the context of the other middle-latitude pinots is, there is full physiological maturity of the fruit, no hint of leafy / stalky components, yet the wine retains good florality. Earlier Palliser pinots were not as clean as this one, so all in all this is an attractive example of Martinborough pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Pinot noir ruby, a little more mature than some. Bouquet is distinctly fruity, piquant and exciting, with clear-cut pinot varietal character. It is a little oaky, which makes it not so easy to characterise the floral component, but there are dark florals on clear red and black cherry fruit. Balance is aromatic and attractive, and it feels like pinot noir in mouth, so one can forgive it the oak and alcohol. The exciting thing about this wine, in the context of the other middle-latitude pinots is, there is full physiological maturity of the fruit, no hint of leafy / stalky components, yet the wine retains good florality. Earlier Palliser pinots were not as clean as this one, so all in all this is an attractive example of Martinborough pinot noir, to cellar 5 – 10 years. GK 03/09
Lowburn, Otago, New Zealand: 13.8%; $45 [ screwcap; beyond a fair wine description, and a production of 491 x 9-litre cases; the website is again silent; www.pyramidvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir, deeper than the 2016 Esk Valley Syrah I put into the blind tasting to ‘calibrate’ the wines, the second deepest pinot. The bouquet is however deeply floral, port-wine magnolia and dark red roses, on black cherry grading to bottled black-doris plums fruit, all marginal for the (Allen Meadows’) concept ‘pinosity’. In mouth the wine lightens up in one sense, to astonishingly rich, deep, but still fairly authentic pinot noir, though it narrowly avoids a hint of sur-maturité / chocolate. Texture and fine-grained tannins are undoubtedly varietal, and the flavour is long and saturated, but at this stage furry on tannins. I just wish there had been a tranche of earlier-picked fruit, or more whole-bunches, or both, to lift and lighten the florals in the wine. It is tending burly / massive, darker for example than the Gigondas also put in to calibrate the tasting. Acid is just in balance, and oak is careful, subtle. This should be worth cellaring 8 – 20 years, to lighten up. GK 06/19
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep for pinot noir, deeper than the 2016 Esk Valley Syrah I put into the blind tasting to ‘calibrate’ the wines, the second deepest pinot. The bouquet is however deeply floral, port-wine magnolia and dark red roses, on black cherry grading to bottled black-doris plums fruit, all marginal for the (Allen Meadows’) concept ‘pinosity’. In mouth the wine lightens up in one sense, to astonishingly rich, deep, but still fairly authentic pinot noir, though it narrowly avoids a hint of sur-maturité / chocolate. Texture and fine-grained tannins are undoubtedly varietal, and the flavour is long and saturated, but at this stage furry on tannins. I just wish there had been a tranche of earlier-picked fruit, or more whole-bunches, or both, to lift and lighten the florals in the wine. It is tending burly / massive, darker for example than the Gigondas also put in to calibrate the tasting. Acid is just in balance, and oak is careful, subtle. This should be worth cellaring 8 – 20 years, to lighten up. GK 06/19
Martinborough district, New Zealand: 14%; $50 [ screwcap; all hand-harvested from assorted vines ranging in age from 17 years at Te Muna Road to some of the oldest in the district; all wild-yeast fermented, 15 days cuvaison, 11 months in French oak averaging 25% new; RS <1 g/L, dry extract 28 g/L; www.escarpment.co.nz ]
Pinot noir ruby, a lovely varietal depth and colour, towards the deeper end of the pinots. Bouquet is quieter than the best Otago wines, fresh and sweet suggesting red roses plus a hint of buddleia, on red and black cherry fruit, clearly both and clearly varietal. It smells not quite as ripe as Kupe. Palate has a freshness to it again producing the ‘crunchy cherry’ palate factor, indicating an ideal mix of picking times, and adding complexity to both bouquet and flavour. It seems not quite as rich as the top Otago wines, but the flavour is long. It is a very typical presentation of Martinborough pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Pinot noir ruby, a lovely varietal depth and colour, towards the deeper end of the pinots. Bouquet is quieter than the best Otago wines, fresh and sweet suggesting red roses plus a hint of buddleia, on red and black cherry fruit, clearly both and clearly varietal. It smells not quite as ripe as Kupe. Palate has a freshness to it again producing the ‘crunchy cherry’ palate factor, indicating an ideal mix of picking times, and adding complexity to both bouquet and flavour. It seems not quite as rich as the top Otago wines, but the flavour is long. It is a very typical presentation of Martinborough pinot noir. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/19
Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand: 13.3%; $40 [ screwcap; PN 100%, organic viticulture; all de-stemmed; added and wild-yeast ferments, cuvaison c.18 days; 10 months in French oak, 29% new; dry extract 24.9 g/L; not fined; www.grasshopperrock.co.nz ]
Almost a perfect pinot noir ruby, below midway among the pinots. Bouquet on this wine in the blind lineup differs in its faint sweet bouquet-garni notes, plus a delicate apple blossom quality which is lovely but so subtle that it will be missed by many. Palate shows mostly red fruits, long red cherry and pomegranate flavours, just a hint of black cherry adding interest and depth below. This wine is easy to underestimate: it needs air, and it grows on you. It is crisper than the Neudorf, not quite the body, but shows good ripening, though perhaps with the faintest hint of stalks, all optimised by subtle oaking. This is one of the clearest examples of Otago thyme complexity I have seen: you would not want any more. Later: this observation correlates with the owner's notes, that February in Alexandra was the hottest since the vineyard started. Cellar 5 – 20 years. On this showing Grasshopper Rock maintains its reputation as almost the definitive example of quality New Zealand pinot noir, at an unpretentious / affordable / realistic price. GK 06/19
Almost a perfect pinot noir ruby, below midway among the pinots. Bouquet on this wine in the blind lineup differs in its faint sweet bouquet-garni notes, plus a delicate apple blossom quality which is lovely but so subtle that it will be missed by many. Palate shows mostly red fruits, long red cherry and pomegranate flavours, just a hint of black cherry adding interest and depth below. This wine is easy to underestimate: it needs air, and it grows on you. It is crisper than the Neudorf, not quite the body, but shows good ripening, though perhaps with the faintest hint of stalks, all optimised by subtle oaking. This is one of the clearest examples of Otago thyme complexity I have seen: you would not want any more. Later: this observation correlates with the owner's notes, that February in Alexandra was the hottest since the vineyard started. Cellar 5 – 20 years. On this showing Grasshopper Rock maintains its reputation as almost the definitive example of quality New Zealand pinot noir, at an unpretentious / affordable / realistic price. GK 06/19
Malleco Valley, Chile: 13%; $43 [ cork, 50mm; Ch 100% planted in 1993, all hand-harvested at 4 t/ha = 1.6 t/ac (which is noteworthy for us in New Zealand); all BF in French oak 10 – 15% new, c.5% through MLF, twice-weekly batonnage, 8 months in barrel; production c.650 x 9-litre cases; www.aquitania.cl ]
Lemonstraw to straw. Note the vintage, yes, this is the current release. You feel the wine has had a somewhat reductive upbringing, but unlike the New Zealand market, the winemakers have the grace to not inflict it on the consumer while it is still offensively youthful and reductive. There is now some shy stonefruit augmented by lees-autolysis on bouquet, a smokey suggestion retaining threads of reduction, the whole bouquet understated. Palate manages to be both moderately rich, attractively ripe with suggestions of peach fruit even including golden queen, yet also austere, a chardonnay in the style of some grand cru chablis, but a little more oak. Some of the flavours also remind of certain West Australian chardonnays with little or no MLF, but the Chilean wine is tauter, with seemingly natural acid. Attractive and interesting wine which will cellar well, 5 – 15 years or longer, but at $43 it is looking expensive. GK 09/18
Lemonstraw to straw. Note the vintage, yes, this is the current release. You feel the wine has had a somewhat reductive upbringing, but unlike the New Zealand market, the winemakers have the grace to not inflict it on the consumer while it is still offensively youthful and reductive. There is now some shy stonefruit augmented by lees-autolysis on bouquet, a smokey suggestion retaining threads of reduction, the whole bouquet understated. Palate manages to be both moderately rich, attractively ripe with suggestions of peach fruit even including golden queen, yet also austere, a chardonnay in the style of some grand cru chablis, but a little more oak. Some of the flavours also remind of certain West Australian chardonnays with little or no MLF, but the Chilean wine is tauter, with seemingly natural acid. Attractive and interesting wine which will cellar well, 5 – 15 years or longer, but at $43 it is looking expensive. GK 09/18
Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand: 11.5%; $27 [ screwcap; Ri 100%, hand-harvested 24 May, whole-bunch pressed, cool-fermented all in s/s; pH 3.73, RS 214 g/L; www.astrolabewines.co.nz ]
Full gold. Bouquet is bigger and heavier than the soaring Riverby, more a bush honey analogy to the Riverby’s spring flower garden. In mouth, the weight is more sauternes, and I thought there might be some oak employed in the elevation of this wine. But no, it is just the marvellous alchemy of riesling terpenes and mini-tannins concentrated with botrytis in a wine like this. There is a suggestion of marmalade left to cook just a little too long, in the fruit component. The faintest hint of stalkyness detracts slightly too, but on the other hand, with the acid it gives the wine good length and freshness despite the weight. The chemistry and physiology of botrytised wines is so complex, it's a miracle when everything comes right. Enjoy this one for its sumptuous richness, though the pH might militate against longterm keeping. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe – hard to be sure. GK 04/09
Full gold. Bouquet is bigger and heavier than the soaring Riverby, more a bush honey analogy to the Riverby’s spring flower garden. In mouth, the weight is more sauternes, and I thought there might be some oak employed in the elevation of this wine. But no, it is just the marvellous alchemy of riesling terpenes and mini-tannins concentrated with botrytis in a wine like this. There is a suggestion of marmalade left to cook just a little too long, in the fruit component. The faintest hint of stalkyness detracts slightly too, but on the other hand, with the acid it gives the wine good length and freshness despite the weight. The chemistry and physiology of botrytised wines is so complex, it's a miracle when everything comes right. Enjoy this one for its sumptuous richness, though the pH might militate against longterm keeping. Cellar 2 – 5 years, maybe – hard to be sure. GK 04/09
Roy's Hill slopes, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ screwcap; Sy fermented on 8% viognier skins, so hard to establish a percentage of Vi; hand-picked from 17-year old vines planted at c.5,000 vines / ha and cropped @ 2.5 t/ha = 1 t/ac; no cold-soak, cuvaison averaged 10 days with 100% whole-bunches retained, cultured-yeast; MLF mostly in tank, finished in barrel; 15 months in French oak 75% new; RS <1.0 g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract not measured; production 100 x 9-L cases; release date November 2015; this pre-release evaluation bottle courtesy Warren Gibson; www.bilancia.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, less carmine than most, above midway in depth. This is another rather different interpretation of syrah in the augmented set, showing intense florality which contains a suggestion of leaf, like some Cote Roties. Below that is big berry, almost red plums as well as cassis and dark black doris plums. Flavours are distinctly cooler than the other wines, cooler even than the Huchet with which it shares some characteristics. The concentration of fruit is excellent, suggesting a low cropping rate and good dry extract. Nett flavours are very different from the Homage, yet both are clearly syrah. At this stage there is just a trace of bitterness from the stalk component, which Huchet avoids. Unusual syrah, until you think of Domaine Jamet, when the wine falls into place. I suspect UK writers will like this very much. Cellar 5 – 18 years, perhaps longer. GK 05/15
Ruby and velvet, less carmine than most, above midway in depth. This is another rather different interpretation of syrah in the augmented set, showing intense florality which contains a suggestion of leaf, like some Cote Roties. Below that is big berry, almost red plums as well as cassis and dark black doris plums. Flavours are distinctly cooler than the other wines, cooler even than the Huchet with which it shares some characteristics. The concentration of fruit is excellent, suggesting a low cropping rate and good dry extract. Nett flavours are very different from the Homage, yet both are clearly syrah. At this stage there is just a trace of bitterness from the stalk component, which Huchet avoids. Unusual syrah, until you think of Domaine Jamet, when the wine falls into place. I suspect UK writers will like this very much. Cellar 5 – 18 years, perhaps longer. GK 05/15
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 13.5%; $48
Ruby, a touch of carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this wine is just beautiful, everything pinot noir should be, great florals from jasmine to violets (i.e. lighter and more ethereal florals than the Chambertins), total purity of varietal character. Palate is lighter than the grands crus, but shows perfect balance of red and black cherries, and utmost respect for the floral beauty of the fruit – no clumsy over-oaking here. Morgeot has been one of the few Burgundy vineyards widely available here, during the dark decades of import licensing in New Zealand, so I can say that this is the most beautiful Morgeot I have seen here in the last 35 years. I can also imagine latterday commentators brought up on Barossa Shiraz dismissing this as light and inconsequential. But, taste it again, actually smell it: this is perfection in miniature, just beautiful pinot. At $48 it provides a pricing and reality check for many overly-expensive New Zealand pinots, few of which bear comparison with this. A copy-book wine, for those inclined to read. Cellar 15 years +. VALUE GK 08/04
Ruby, a touch of carmine and velvet. Bouquet on this wine is just beautiful, everything pinot noir should be, great florals from jasmine to violets (i.e. lighter and more ethereal florals than the Chambertins), total purity of varietal character. Palate is lighter than the grands crus, but shows perfect balance of red and black cherries, and utmost respect for the floral beauty of the fruit – no clumsy over-oaking here. Morgeot has been one of the few Burgundy vineyards widely available here, during the dark decades of import licensing in New Zealand, so I can say that this is the most beautiful Morgeot I have seen here in the last 35 years. I can also imagine latterday commentators brought up on Barossa Shiraz dismissing this as light and inconsequential. But, taste it again, actually smell it: this is perfection in miniature, just beautiful pinot. At $48 it provides a pricing and reality check for many overly-expensive New Zealand pinots, few of which bear comparison with this. A copy-book wine, for those inclined to read. Cellar 15 years +. VALUE GK 08/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ screwcap; Sy 100%; hand-harvested @ 3.2 t/ac; 100% de-stemmed, inoculated fermentation in open-top s/s fermenters and oak cuves; 18 months in French oak 40% new; RS <2 g/L; formerly labelled Block 14, but increased production has outgrown that supply alone; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another excellent colour, above midway in depth. Like the 2008 Te Mata Bullnose, this is a firmer and slightly leaner wine than the preceding vintage, and it shows a lot of oak, in fact too much given the fruit weight. Oak may be popular in the marketplace, but optimising syrah varietal quality is a longer-term goal to strive for. Fruit ripeness and richness is a little better than the Te Mata, but elegance from the oak viewpoint is less. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/10
Ruby, carmine and velvet, another excellent colour, above midway in depth. Like the 2008 Te Mata Bullnose, this is a firmer and slightly leaner wine than the preceding vintage, and it shows a lot of oak, in fact too much given the fruit weight. Oak may be popular in the marketplace, but optimising syrah varietal quality is a longer-term goal to strive for. Fruit ripeness and richness is a little better than the Te Mata, but elegance from the oak viewpoint is less. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 01/10
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $35 [ cork; SB 89%, Se 11, hand-picked typically @ c. 5 t/ha = 2 t/ac; a wine inspired by Bordeaux blanc; c.50% of the wine is barrel-fermented in French oak 20% new (i.e. 10% in the total blend), followed by considerable lees-work and 10 months in barrel; RS nil; www.kidnappercliffs.com ]
Straw. This wine is another intriguing step along the route to achieving more complex sauvignons in New Zealand, and more particularly sauvignons able to be compared with the age-worthy whites of Bordeaux generally, and Graves in particular. It thus follows in the footsteps of Te Mata Cape Crest, Cloudy Bay Te Koko, Sacred Hill's Sauvage, and a number of other latter-day examples. It includes beautifully ripe fruit, 50% barrel-fermentation, and extended lees contact. Bouquet is quite strange in the company cited, perfumed in an elderflower, grapefruit and other citrus plus camembert (+ve) way, possibly complexed by trace MLF. The intention was no MLF, but on enquiry, not 100% sure. There is just a touch of Te Koko about the wine, and the result is intriguing. Palate pulls one up short, bone dry as in the Bordeaux model, initially seeming hard and short, but on reflection, quite rich, just angular and youthful. The camembert notes reminiscent of top muscadet certainly will marry the wine to food delightfully. Exciting wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years, with great interest, perhaps to mark higher. GK 08/11
Straw. This wine is another intriguing step along the route to achieving more complex sauvignons in New Zealand, and more particularly sauvignons able to be compared with the age-worthy whites of Bordeaux generally, and Graves in particular. It thus follows in the footsteps of Te Mata Cape Crest, Cloudy Bay Te Koko, Sacred Hill's Sauvage, and a number of other latter-day examples. It includes beautifully ripe fruit, 50% barrel-fermentation, and extended lees contact. Bouquet is quite strange in the company cited, perfumed in an elderflower, grapefruit and other citrus plus camembert (+ve) way, possibly complexed by trace MLF. The intention was no MLF, but on enquiry, not 100% sure. There is just a touch of Te Koko about the wine, and the result is intriguing. Palate pulls one up short, bone dry as in the Bordeaux model, initially seeming hard and short, but on reflection, quite rich, just angular and youthful. The camembert notes reminiscent of top muscadet certainly will marry the wine to food delightfully. Exciting wine. Cellar 5 – 12 years, with great interest, perhaps to mark higher. GK 08/11
Triangle 81% and Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ cork 49mm; DFB; Me 77%, CS 19, CF 4, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines planted at 2,450 vines / ha and cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 38 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank mostly; 16 – 19 months in French oak c.55% new; RS <1 g/L; sterile-filtered; dry extract 27.6 g/L; production 350 x 9-L cases; release late 1916, pre-release tasting bottles courtesy Alwyn Corban; www.ngatarawa.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, not quite so much carmine, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a complex interaction of several factors: a slight lift from trace VA, a lot of dark berry, and just a suggestion of sur-maturité. There is not quite the freshness of cassis, for example, just a lot of dark red fruit, plus some oak. The wine becomes clearer in mouth, now clear aromatic berry, very ripe by New Zealand standards so there is some loss of freshness and aroma, but a lovely palate, skins dominant. The lingering aftertaste of aromatic cabernet skins is great, though there is a hint of raisins too, perhaps from the merlot. This wine too is completely different in style from the Alwyns of 10 years ago, showing unprecedented ripeness for the label. Its darker notes make you think of malbec, but inappropriately in this case. As for Patriarch, Alwyn too is an essential component of a representative 2013 Hawkes Bay red collection, adding a distinctive alternative (and this year, sturdy) view. In the Regional Wines tasting, one person rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. It will cellar for 10 – 25 years, at least. GK 05/15
Ruby and velvet, not quite so much carmine, just below midway in depth. Bouquet is a complex interaction of several factors: a slight lift from trace VA, a lot of dark berry, and just a suggestion of sur-maturité. There is not quite the freshness of cassis, for example, just a lot of dark red fruit, plus some oak. The wine becomes clearer in mouth, now clear aromatic berry, very ripe by New Zealand standards so there is some loss of freshness and aroma, but a lovely palate, skins dominant. The lingering aftertaste of aromatic cabernet skins is great, though there is a hint of raisins too, perhaps from the merlot. This wine too is completely different in style from the Alwyns of 10 years ago, showing unprecedented ripeness for the label. Its darker notes make you think of malbec, but inappropriately in this case. As for Patriarch, Alwyn too is an essential component of a representative 2013 Hawkes Bay red collection, adding a distinctive alternative (and this year, sturdy) view. In the Regional Wines tasting, one person rated this the top wine, at the blind stage. It will cellar for 10 – 25 years, at least. GK 05/15
Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley, France: 13%; $37 [ cork; Sy 100%, hand-harvested at a conservative cropping rate; reports vary but Maxime Graillot appears to use less whole-bunch than his father Alain; typically 3 weeks cuvaison; 12 months in French oak (burgundy barrels), none new; des Lises is a vineyard in Beaumont-Monteux, 8 km SE of the Hill of Hermitage and on gravels, being converted to organic production; Maxime is now responsible for vinification of the Alain Graillot wines also; no website found. ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep by Northern Rhone standards, but not alongside the Australian shirazes. Bouquet is just a little veiled on first opening, but quickly clears to a quite intense boronia, carnation and cassis florality, on dark cassisy fruit. It is more floral than the 2009 Equis Cornas. Palate is concentrated by Crozes-Hermitage standards, the cropping rate must be very low. Flavours are cassis and blackberry, clearly a notch less ripe than the boysenberry of Australian shiraz on my ripening curve, beautiful acid balance, subtlest oak really high-lighting the berry. What a joy to see syrah not hammered by new oak. This winemaker's syrahs give the impression of the lowest possible SO2, sometimes dangerously low as in the 2010 Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe, such that one checks and double-checks the purity. There might be trace brett here, but I think this one is otherwise OK, so it can be bought by the case. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/12
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deep by Northern Rhone standards, but not alongside the Australian shirazes. Bouquet is just a little veiled on first opening, but quickly clears to a quite intense boronia, carnation and cassis florality, on dark cassisy fruit. It is more floral than the 2009 Equis Cornas. Palate is concentrated by Crozes-Hermitage standards, the cropping rate must be very low. Flavours are cassis and blackberry, clearly a notch less ripe than the boysenberry of Australian shiraz on my ripening curve, beautiful acid balance, subtlest oak really high-lighting the berry. What a joy to see syrah not hammered by new oak. This winemaker's syrahs give the impression of the lowest possible SO2, sometimes dangerously low as in the 2010 Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe, such that one checks and double-checks the purity. There might be trace brett here, but I think this one is otherwise OK, so it can be bought by the case. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 08/12
Margaux Third Growth, Bordeaux, France: 13.5%; $525 [ cork 50mm; cepage this year Me 56%, CS 44, average age 35 – 40 years, planted @ 10,000 vines / ha, typically cropped @ c.6 t/ha = 2.4 t/ac; time spent in barrel in better years c.20 months, 45% new, light toast; now rated as one of the undoubted 'super-seconds'; www.chateau-palmer.com ]
Ruby and velvet, a hint of garnet starting, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant and focussed, the merlot complexly floral and dominating with hints of violets and port-wine magnolia, cassis, and cedar less apparent. There is lovely total harmony in a slightly less ample style than the top wines. On palate the smoothness and integration is wonderful: this wine is already approaching its plateau of maturity. There is the faintest suggestion of less ripe tannin, but the oak is so subtle, this character is not accentuated. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Ruby and velvet, a hint of garnet starting, the second to lightest wine. Bouquet is beautifully fragrant and focussed, the merlot complexly floral and dominating with hints of violets and port-wine magnolia, cassis, and cedar less apparent. There is lovely total harmony in a slightly less ample style than the top wines. On palate the smoothness and integration is wonderful: this wine is already approaching its plateau of maturity. There is the faintest suggestion of less ripe tannin, but the oak is so subtle, this character is not accentuated. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 11/15
Havelock Hills, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ cork (superb 55 mm); Me 45%, CS 39, CF 16; hand-harvested; two years in 75% new French oak; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is initially oaky and a little austere. With air it opens up to a cassisy Bordeaux style showing good berry richness and potentially cedary oak. On palate, however, there is not quite the fruit richness and ripeness hoped for, and though the plummy, cassis and tobacco flavours are pleasing, there is a slightly stalky undertone, which middling classed growths would not show in a good year such as 2004 (in Hawkes Bay). It is hard making such comparisons, but Coleraine invites them by its latter-day pricing, as well as the declared style aspirations. All that said, the elegance of the wine is beyond dispute, and it is clearly the richest of the three 2004 Te Mata cabernet / merlot blends, and the most cellar-worthy. It should cellar attractively for 10 – 20 years, marrying up the oak and becoming more cedary as it goes, but ending up a little lean – like the 1978 Medocs now. There is a nice point to be discussed as to whether the wine should be labelled Merlot / Cabernet. Using the reverse presumably implies the cabernets together, but popular useage would say that cabernet alone is cabernet sauvignon. Cabernets / Merlot would cover the issue. GK 03/06
Ruby and velvet. Bouquet is initially oaky and a little austere. With air it opens up to a cassisy Bordeaux style showing good berry richness and potentially cedary oak. On palate, however, there is not quite the fruit richness and ripeness hoped for, and though the plummy, cassis and tobacco flavours are pleasing, there is a slightly stalky undertone, which middling classed growths would not show in a good year such as 2004 (in Hawkes Bay). It is hard making such comparisons, but Coleraine invites them by its latter-day pricing, as well as the declared style aspirations. All that said, the elegance of the wine is beyond dispute, and it is clearly the richest of the three 2004 Te Mata cabernet / merlot blends, and the most cellar-worthy. It should cellar attractively for 10 – 20 years, marrying up the oak and becoming more cedary as it goes, but ending up a little lean – like the 1978 Medocs now. There is a nice point to be discussed as to whether the wine should be labelled Merlot / Cabernet. Using the reverse presumably implies the cabernets together, but popular useage would say that cabernet alone is cabernet sauvignon. Cabernets / Merlot would cover the issue. GK 03/06
Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $17 [ screwcap; chambourcin-dominant (chambourcin is a French / American hybrid introduced as recently as 1963, and noteworthy for being free of foxiness – it is grown in both Europe (though not approved) and North America and Canada); no further info on website; www.clearviewestate.co.nz ]
Good rosé, overly bright / lurid at four months from harvest, but that will settle down. Bouquet is already terrific, really rosy red cherry, red crabapple and raspberry highly reminiscent of Cabernet d'Anjou, exciting (the next day), so, with another six months in bottle it should open that way. Moving onto the palate in rosé wines is always a gamble, but this wine lives up to its bouquet, the youthfulness offset by perhaps 5 – 7 g / litre residual sugar. To be good, rosé should smell and taste of red grapes: this one does, attractively. It is part of the New Zealand immaturity with wine to say that rosé, like sauvignon, should be drunk as young as possible. In contrast, this wine will be lovely in a couple of years' time, and will cellar longer. GK 08/11
Good rosé, overly bright / lurid at four months from harvest, but that will settle down. Bouquet is already terrific, really rosy red cherry, red crabapple and raspberry highly reminiscent of Cabernet d'Anjou, exciting (the next day), so, with another six months in bottle it should open that way. Moving onto the palate in rosé wines is always a gamble, but this wine lives up to its bouquet, the youthfulness offset by perhaps 5 – 7 g / litre residual sugar. To be good, rosé should smell and taste of red grapes: this one does, attractively. It is part of the New Zealand immaturity with wine to say that rosé, like sauvignon, should be drunk as young as possible. In contrast, this wine will be lovely in a couple of years' time, and will cellar longer. GK 08/11
Ohiti Valley, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $30 [ Me 66%, CS 17, Ma 17; 18 months in French oak ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Beautiful soft berry is dominant on this wine, with cassis and plums highlighted by fragrant oak, all in a soft, forthcoming style reminiscent of some barrel-fermented reds. Flavour hasn’t quite the depth of the top wines, but is delightfully berryish and accessible, almost juicy, with subtle oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/04
Ruby, carmine and velvet. Beautiful soft berry is dominant on this wine, with cassis and plums highlighted by fragrant oak, all in a soft, forthcoming style reminiscent of some barrel-fermented reds. Flavour hasn’t quite the depth of the top wines, but is delightfully berryish and accessible, almost juicy, with subtle oak. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 05/04
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $28 [ screwcap; clone 95 more than mendoza, hand-harvested @ 2.3 t/ac in an excellent vintage; whole-bunch pressed, wild-yeast fermentation in French oak 42% new; 10 months LA, c. 50% MLF in spring, limited stirring; RS 2 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Elegant lemon. Bouquet is clean and fragrant, showing explicit chardonnay varietal character of white and yellow stonefruits, with potential mealy and cashew nut complexities yet to develop from the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis components. Palate is very close to the Waimea in richness, the alcohol at a maximum but better in hand than some Gravels chardonnays, and there is a potentially succulent undertone. In a year’s time this will be delicious understated wine, which should score higher. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Elegant lemon. Bouquet is clean and fragrant, showing explicit chardonnay varietal character of white and yellow stonefruits, with potential mealy and cashew nut complexities yet to develop from the barrel-ferment and lees-autolysis components. Palate is very close to the Waimea in richness, the alcohol at a maximum but better in hand than some Gravels chardonnays, and there is a potentially succulent undertone. In a year’s time this will be delicious understated wine, which should score higher. Cellar 3 – 8 years. GK 05/09
Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France: 14%; $80
Pale lemon. These top chardonnays are so similar, one is searching for descriptors to differentiate them. White nectarine and stonefruit are more prominent on the bouquet of this wine, but below there are the same suggestions of oatmeal and charry oak adding interest. Palate however differs, with an almost glucose-sweetness to the slightly citric and intensely white-peachy fruit. Richness is good, and the wine is well balanced, though not quite as complex as the Meursaults. Cellar 5 – 10 + years. GK 04/04
Pale lemon. These top chardonnays are so similar, one is searching for descriptors to differentiate them. White nectarine and stonefruit are more prominent on the bouquet of this wine, but below there are the same suggestions of oatmeal and charry oak adding interest. Palate however differs, with an almost glucose-sweetness to the slightly citric and intensely white-peachy fruit. Richness is good, and the wine is well balanced, though not quite as complex as the Meursaults. Cellar 5 – 10 + years. GK 04/04
Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand: 14.5%; $58 [ screwcap; several clones hand-harvested at varying yields c 2 t/ac; c.25% whole-bunch in some batches; up to 9 days cold-soak, cuvaison up to 23 days, all wild yeast; MLF also wild and 13 months in French oak c. 26% new; no fining or filtration; www.feltonroad.com ]
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is another showing the big 'is this over-ripe ?' approach, rather much plum for the ideal fragrant cherry approach to pinot noir, so the mind wanders to merlot. Palate is granular on the oak at this stage, yet it seems more varietal and fragrant than the darker and heavier Block 5. It is so hard assessing young wine, though, for I have thought other Calvert examples too big and dark when young, but they turned out beautifully. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Big pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is another showing the big 'is this over-ripe ?' approach, rather much plum for the ideal fragrant cherry approach to pinot noir, so the mind wanders to merlot. Palate is granular on the oak at this stage, yet it seems more varietal and fragrant than the darker and heavier Block 5. It is so hard assessing young wine, though, for I have thought other Calvert examples too big and dark when young, but they turned out beautifully. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 09/10
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13%; $25 [ screwcap; hand-harvested @ < 3 t/ac with 5% botrytis; whole-bunch fermentation in s/s, 3 months LA; pH 3.0, RS 4 g/L; www.craggyrange.com ]
Palest lemongreen. Bouquet is classical pure non-botrytis riesling, showing fresh-cut apple and lime-zest aromatic fruit, with a hint of the same kind of resins as in finest pale lager hops. Palate is richer and stronger than the Craggy Glasnevin, mainly because it is a dry style, and the resiny phenolics are more noticeable, a little boney at this youthful stage. It is exactly a wine to compare with the top Grosset rieslings, from the Clare Valley. Personally, I consider none of these rieslings should be released in their current year of vintage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/07
Palest lemongreen. Bouquet is classical pure non-botrytis riesling, showing fresh-cut apple and lime-zest aromatic fruit, with a hint of the same kind of resins as in finest pale lager hops. Palate is richer and stronger than the Craggy Glasnevin, mainly because it is a dry style, and the resiny phenolics are more noticeable, a little boney at this youthful stage. It is exactly a wine to compare with the top Grosset rieslings, from the Clare Valley. Personally, I consider none of these rieslings should be released in their current year of vintage. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 10/07
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia: 14%; $ – [ cork; c. AU$80; shiraz, small percentage of viognier and marsanne; R. Parker 168: The 2004 Dry Red Wine No. 2 (95% Shiraz and 5% Marsanne and Viognier) is more closed, tannic, and harder to fully penetrate … With aeration, the bouquet reveals notions of exotic Asian spices intermixed with flowers, blackberries, and cassis. In the mouth, the wine struts its stuff with a full-bodied, layered, broad, flavorful, concentrated style and moderately high tannin in the finish … two decades. 94; no website ]
Ruby, a flush of velvet, fractionally deeper than the 2004 Bullnose. Freshly opened, the bouquet is very floral and fragrant, not as ripe as most Australian shiraz, distinctive. Intertwined in its aromas is spicy nutmeg / cloves oak reminiscent of the kind Danny Schuster uses on his Omihi Pinot, which the following week in the Pinot Noir 2007 conference, the Australian Wine Research Institute convincingly demonstrated was part of the brett spectrum of aromas. Methinks we are almost learning too much about wine, to be able to enjoy it ! With air the bouquet tired a little, a varnishy thought creeping in. Palate suggests a higher percentage of viognier than some of the blends, the floral component blending into unusual blueberry succulence, all in older oak. There was also a reminder in this wine of some of the Ridges Zinfandels – intriguing, different, delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Ruby, a flush of velvet, fractionally deeper than the 2004 Bullnose. Freshly opened, the bouquet is very floral and fragrant, not as ripe as most Australian shiraz, distinctive. Intertwined in its aromas is spicy nutmeg / cloves oak reminiscent of the kind Danny Schuster uses on his Omihi Pinot, which the following week in the Pinot Noir 2007 conference, the Australian Wine Research Institute convincingly demonstrated was part of the brett spectrum of aromas. Methinks we are almost learning too much about wine, to be able to enjoy it ! With air the bouquet tired a little, a varnishy thought creeping in. Palate suggests a higher percentage of viognier than some of the blends, the floral component blending into unusual blueberry succulence, all in older oak. There was also a reminder in this wine of some of the Ridges Zinfandels – intriguing, different, delightful. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 01/07
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $34 [ cork 45mm; Ma 100%; 35 days cuvaison; MLF and 21 months in French oak 46% new; RS < 1 g/L; cuve refers to the oak fermenters (imported from France) in the winery, a premium Bordeaux approach; malbec now scarcely used in the Medoc, a little on the East Bank, but it is the dominant grape of Cahors ('the black wines' of Cahors … !); included to highlight the robust flavours and rustic tannins of malbec, when compared with the more highly-regarded mainstream varieties of Bordeaux; Cuve Series now re-named McDonald Series because cuve not understood, and Limited in the sense malbec of this quality can be made in only occasional vintages in New Zealand; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, incredibly dense. And then it was on to malbec, and a discussion of why the variety is scarcely grown in the Medoc now, and is rare east of the river. This malbec has the distinction of being (like Esk Valley The Terraces, though a blend) one of the few properly ripe malbecs ever commercialised in New Zealand. Not that you are allowed to say that, of course. Discussion centred on the darkly omega-plummy quality of the bouquet, then the big rich drying palate with its furry more rustic tannins. This was not quite so easy to illustrate or grasp, against the Menzies where that wine's varietal and new oak tannins are high in youth, but the display was convincing against the cabernet franc and both the merlots. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Ruby, carmine and velvet, incredibly dense. And then it was on to malbec, and a discussion of why the variety is scarcely grown in the Medoc now, and is rare east of the river. This malbec has the distinction of being (like Esk Valley The Terraces, though a blend) one of the few properly ripe malbecs ever commercialised in New Zealand. Not that you are allowed to say that, of course. Discussion centred on the darkly omega-plummy quality of the bouquet, then the big rich drying palate with its furry more rustic tannins. This was not quite so easy to illustrate or grasp, against the Menzies where that wine's varietal and new oak tannins are high in youth, but the display was convincing against the cabernet franc and both the merlots. Cellar 8 – 20 years. GK 09/14
Waiheke Island, Auckland district, New Zealand: 14%; $30 [ screwcap; hand-harvested; half the wine BF in 1 – 3 year oak both French and American, none new, balance s/s; up to 25% MLF; 2 months LA; 3 g/L RS; 220 cases; www.passagerockwines.co.nz ]
Elegant lemon. This is another wine to show the wonderful potential we have in New Zealand to achieve pinpoint viognier character. The floral complexity here is comparable with a fair example of viognier from the northern Rhone. Florality is a character which the Aussies find so climatically hard to achieve in viognier or syrah (hence their shiraz), whereas New Zealand has an enormous advantage, if we can achieve full physiological flavour maturity and ripeness to back up the bouquet. For New Zealand thus far, only Hawkes Bay has really qualified for clear viognier potential, but now here is a Waiheke wine displaying beautiful yellow honeysuckle florals, with good fresh apricot fruit. It does not have the depth of varietal character of the Chaillets, but is purer. It has a little more varietal character than the Vidal, even though the oak is more noticeable, more like the Craggy, but softer and more flavoursome (perhaps from the American side). The body is slightly less than the Vidal – which excels in that respect. Hard to score, no two people would rank them the same way, but that is the explanation for my scores falling the way they do. This is an exciting wine both for Waiheke, and to encourage other producers in warm-enough places. Cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 04/09
Elegant lemon. This is another wine to show the wonderful potential we have in New Zealand to achieve pinpoint viognier character. The floral complexity here is comparable with a fair example of viognier from the northern Rhone. Florality is a character which the Aussies find so climatically hard to achieve in viognier or syrah (hence their shiraz), whereas New Zealand has an enormous advantage, if we can achieve full physiological flavour maturity and ripeness to back up the bouquet. For New Zealand thus far, only Hawkes Bay has really qualified for clear viognier potential, but now here is a Waiheke wine displaying beautiful yellow honeysuckle florals, with good fresh apricot fruit. It does not have the depth of varietal character of the Chaillets, but is purer. It has a little more varietal character than the Vidal, even though the oak is more noticeable, more like the Craggy, but softer and more flavoursome (perhaps from the American side). The body is slightly less than the Vidal – which excels in that respect. Hard to score, no two people would rank them the same way, but that is the explanation for my scores falling the way they do. This is an exciting wine both for Waiheke, and to encourage other producers in warm-enough places. Cellar 1 – 4 years. GK 04/09
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13%; $21 [ cork; Me 73%, CS 17, Ma 6, CF 4; MLF and 13 months in French oak 47% new; winemaker Chris Scott; www.churchroad.co.nz ]
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is sensational, total violets and darkest roses, a beautiful expression of a merlot-dominant Hawkes Bay blend. Seen alongside this set of 2004 Bordeaux blends, the similarity of style is dramatic, the florals in this Church Road comparable with the best of them. On palate it is ripe and elegant, softer than the average of the Bordeaux, the florals grading through cassis to dark berry including bottled black doris plums. It is clearly riper than the 2004 Chateau Palmer, but not as concentrated. But then, this is the standard wine, for heaven's sake, and there is a Reserve Merlot / Cabernet above it (and then triumphantly richer again, the soon-to-be-reviewed preview of 2005 Tom Merlot / Cabernet). The Church Road standard wine is $20, give or take, and the 2004 Palmer is $231. This is probably the finest $20 Merlot / Cabernet blend ever offered in New Zealand. It is totally international in its Bordeaux-like styling, but naturally enough this basic label does not have quite the gravitas of highly-reputed French examples. Here it wins points on ripeness and balance. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 12/07
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is sensational, total violets and darkest roses, a beautiful expression of a merlot-dominant Hawkes Bay blend. Seen alongside this set of 2004 Bordeaux blends, the similarity of style is dramatic, the florals in this Church Road comparable with the best of them. On palate it is ripe and elegant, softer than the average of the Bordeaux, the florals grading through cassis to dark berry including bottled black doris plums. It is clearly riper than the 2004 Chateau Palmer, but not as concentrated. But then, this is the standard wine, for heaven's sake, and there is a Reserve Merlot / Cabernet above it (and then triumphantly richer again, the soon-to-be-reviewed preview of 2005 Tom Merlot / Cabernet). The Church Road standard wine is $20, give or take, and the 2004 Palmer is $231. This is probably the finest $20 Merlot / Cabernet blend ever offered in New Zealand. It is totally international in its Bordeaux-like styling, but naturally enough this basic label does not have quite the gravitas of highly-reputed French examples. Here it wins points on ripeness and balance. Cellar 3 – 12 years. GK 12/07
Casablanca Valley, Chile: 13.7%; $40 [ cork, 46 mm; Sy 100%, hand-picked from 10 – 15-year vines in the coolest-available hillside blocks (May harvest), cropped at 4.5 t/ha = 1.8 t/ac; fruit all de-stemmed, individual berry sorting, not crushed, cold-soaked for 7 days; inoculated ferments @ 32°, 16 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 65% new; presumably sterile-filtered since 3.1 g/L RS; bottle weight dry 578 grams; www.casasdelbosque.cl ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than all but one of the syrahs in the 'Round the World' tasting. The bouquet improves with decanting and air to reveal a syrah with elevation artefacts intruding to an extent which obscures exciting berry characters ripened to the cassis-grading-to-blueberry point. The degree to which the charry new oak introduces smoky chocolate and faintly bacon notes so beloved by American wine reviewers (who are less concerned with varietal accuracy) is regrettable, by European standards. Any floral quality the wine may have had is hidden. Palate is rich, good berry but again excessive artefact both in flavours and oak aromatics. Comparison with the exemplary 2013 Yann Chave Hermitage (used as a calibration wine in the 'Round the World' evaluation) confirms this assessment. On the plus side this wine avoids the Chilean suite of aromas and flavours that seem to stem from lesser (or non-oak) cooperage, the acid seems natural, and it will marry up into an exciting bottle of syrah (in its style). It could have been even better, however, to judge from the fruit quality. For example, the residual sugar is well-hidden, but why pander to American market ‘taste’, if the concept Gran Reserva is to mean anything in the European market ? Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 03/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, deeper than all but one of the syrahs in the 'Round the World' tasting. The bouquet improves with decanting and air to reveal a syrah with elevation artefacts intruding to an extent which obscures exciting berry characters ripened to the cassis-grading-to-blueberry point. The degree to which the charry new oak introduces smoky chocolate and faintly bacon notes so beloved by American wine reviewers (who are less concerned with varietal accuracy) is regrettable, by European standards. Any floral quality the wine may have had is hidden. Palate is rich, good berry but again excessive artefact both in flavours and oak aromatics. Comparison with the exemplary 2013 Yann Chave Hermitage (used as a calibration wine in the 'Round the World' evaluation) confirms this assessment. On the plus side this wine avoids the Chilean suite of aromas and flavours that seem to stem from lesser (or non-oak) cooperage, the acid seems natural, and it will marry up into an exciting bottle of syrah (in its style). It could have been even better, however, to judge from the fruit quality. For example, the residual sugar is well-hidden, but why pander to American market ‘taste’, if the concept Gran Reserva is to mean anything in the European market ? Cellar 15 – 25 years. GK 03/18
Nelson, New Zealand: 13.5%; $18 [ screwcap; 4 g/L RS; www.temaniawines.co.nz ]
Lemongreen. An understated, faintly freesia-like bouquet, very clean and pure, but not easy to pick the variety in the blind lineup. Palate clarifies matters considerably, with clear lime-zest flavours on attractive riesling fruit showing beautifully-handled phenolics, and a neat ‘dry’ sugar / acid balance. This wine might cellar surprisingly well, 5 – 10 years, in its understated and pure way. GK 03/06
Lemongreen. An understated, faintly freesia-like bouquet, very clean and pure, but not easy to pick the variety in the blind lineup. Palate clarifies matters considerably, with clear lime-zest flavours on attractive riesling fruit showing beautifully-handled phenolics, and a neat ‘dry’ sugar / acid balance. This wine might cellar surprisingly well, 5 – 10 years, in its understated and pure way. GK 03/06
Vosne-Romanée Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France: – %; $150 [ cork; vine age 40 – 68 years; wine-searcher valuation $275; www.mongeard.com ]
Pretty in the glass with a clear, pale and bright garnet hue. Clean nose with distinctive candied fruit characters, sugared plums, vanilla and milk chocolate. Herbal dried thyme and notes of pencil shavings, very fragrant. Dry palate, very pronounced in intensity with high juicy acid and a fine minerality. Lovely mix of red fruits, dried raspberry, red cherry and red plums, soft well-structured tannins and medium alcohol. Medium-plus length, quite a refined style, very enjoyable. RD 08/16
Pretty in the glass with a clear, pale and bright garnet hue. Clean nose with distinctive candied fruit characters, sugared plums, vanilla and milk chocolate. Herbal dried thyme and notes of pencil shavings, very fragrant. Dry palate, very pronounced in intensity with high juicy acid and a fine minerality. Lovely mix of red fruits, dried raspberry, red cherry and red plums, soft well-structured tannins and medium alcohol. Medium-plus length, quite a refined style, very enjoyable. RD 08/16
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $75 [ screwcap; Me 100%, all de-stemmed; extended cuvaison; 15 – 16 months in French oak; Catalogue: concentrated, ripe blackberry and Christmas cake characters. Warm and rich on the palate with mocha flavours and fine, supple tannins on the finish; www.sileni.co.nz ]
Ruby, but softly plush. Bouquet is understated but striking, being fragrant in the way classed Beaune can be. This is eminently reasonable, merlot having long been compared with (and in age, confused with) pinot noir, before elephantine American demands for what constitutes wine quality became de rigueur. Perhaps I should say in parentheses that Sileni chief winemaker Grant Edmonds’ view of the world is dramatically a polar opposite from the thought ‘bigger is better’. Often I have wished for more grunt in his wines, but even that is a trap, for the bigger a wine, the less food-friendly it is likely to be. Both the top Sileni wines and Grant’s personal label RedMetal can be deceptive, and critics must be careful, particularly with a wine like this. After all, Grant is in effect saying: I have put every effort into this wine, and in my view it is a $75 bottle. And in bouquet, it is, showing a red roses quality of merlot specific varietal quality which is totally St Emilion. Oaking is attractively subtle and winey, when compared with a wine such as the Pask Merlot Declaration. In mouth though, it is still just a bit light. Whereas the apparently light The Terraces wine is in fact surprisingly long and sustained on palate, this Merlot while good (and richer than The Triangle wine) is not really rich enough for the price, I feel. Sileni still regard their cropping rate of 2.5 – 3 kg / vine as “low”, whereas The Terraces is more like 1 kg. Comparison with the exemplary 2007 Craggy Range Merlots, where the cropping rate is also c. 1 kg / vine for Sophia, and maybe 1.5 for The Gimblett Gravels wine, is instructive at this point too. All that said, however, this EV is going to be delightful with food. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Ruby, but softly plush. Bouquet is understated but striking, being fragrant in the way classed Beaune can be. This is eminently reasonable, merlot having long been compared with (and in age, confused with) pinot noir, before elephantine American demands for what constitutes wine quality became de rigueur. Perhaps I should say in parentheses that Sileni chief winemaker Grant Edmonds’ view of the world is dramatically a polar opposite from the thought ‘bigger is better’. Often I have wished for more grunt in his wines, but even that is a trap, for the bigger a wine, the less food-friendly it is likely to be. Both the top Sileni wines and Grant’s personal label RedMetal can be deceptive, and critics must be careful, particularly with a wine like this. After all, Grant is in effect saying: I have put every effort into this wine, and in my view it is a $75 bottle. And in bouquet, it is, showing a red roses quality of merlot specific varietal quality which is totally St Emilion. Oaking is attractively subtle and winey, when compared with a wine such as the Pask Merlot Declaration. In mouth though, it is still just a bit light. Whereas the apparently light The Terraces wine is in fact surprisingly long and sustained on palate, this Merlot while good (and richer than The Triangle wine) is not really rich enough for the price, I feel. Sileni still regard their cropping rate of 2.5 – 3 kg / vine as “low”, whereas The Terraces is more like 1 kg. Comparison with the exemplary 2007 Craggy Range Merlots, where the cropping rate is also c. 1 kg / vine for Sophia, and maybe 1.5 for The Gimblett Gravels wine, is instructive at this point too. All that said, however, this EV is going to be delightful with food. Cellar 5 – 12 years. GK 07/09
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14.5%; $36 [ screwcap; original price $35; Sy 100% close-planted; hand-picked and sorted, wild-yeast ferments; cuvaison extended 20 - 30 days in open-top fermenters, MLF in barrel and 17 months in French oak 35% new; not fined or filtered; M Cooper, 2005: … pungently varietal … a very complete Hawkes Bay wine with a lovely creamy-rich texture, it has super-ripe flavours of black pepper, prunes, plums, dark chocolate and liquorice, showing exceptional fruit sweetness and depth: ****; P Rovani @ R Parker, 2004: The 2002 Syrah Block 14 (2,000 cases produced) possesses smoky bacon fat, blackberry, black currant, licorice, and pepper characteristics along with great fruit intensity, wonderful purity, and a long, textured finish. Malolactic occurred in barrel, and the wine was aged on its lees before being bottled unfiltered: 91; weight bottle and closure: 706 g; www.craggyrange.com ]
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just below midway in depth. This was the most clearly varietal syrah in the tasting, the bouquet showing fragrant berry freshness, suggestions of cassis, raspberry and dark plum, clear sweet black pepper, all remarkably pure. On palate the oak stands out a little, with the achieved ripeness fractionally less than the Vidal, so the latter wine seems fractionally more harmonious and complete. This Craggy wine is showing great form, considering it was the affordable / mainstream release. Cellar 5 – 12 years more. Two people had this as their favourite or second wine, but curiously many thought it malbec. GK 09/16
Ruby, garnet and velvet, just below midway in depth. This was the most clearly varietal syrah in the tasting, the bouquet showing fragrant berry freshness, suggestions of cassis, raspberry and dark plum, clear sweet black pepper, all remarkably pure. On palate the oak stands out a little, with the achieved ripeness fractionally less than the Vidal, so the latter wine seems fractionally more harmonious and complete. This Craggy wine is showing great form, considering it was the affordable / mainstream release. Cellar 5 – 12 years more. Two people had this as their favourite or second wine, but curiously many thought it malbec. GK 09/16
Colchagua Valley, Chile: 13.5%; $19 [ provisional score – pre-bottling tank sample; cork; Carmenere 85%, 6 other vars 15%; c. 7 months oak, 15% US; www.viumanent.cl/ingles ]
Bright carmine, ruby and velvet. A wonderful bouquet of cassis, blackberries, violets and deepest plums, really fragrant and sweet. Already one can smell some oak, but the reduced-oak regime of the non-traditional Secreto range of wines promises great things for the future. On palate, the plump fruit coarsens a little, on oak that is becoming prominent, and of a quality that with age might tend ashy rather than cedary. Nonetheless, this is one of the best balanced Viu Manent reds here, and illustrates carmenere beautifully. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Bright carmine, ruby and velvet. A wonderful bouquet of cassis, blackberries, violets and deepest plums, really fragrant and sweet. Already one can smell some oak, but the reduced-oak regime of the non-traditional Secreto range of wines promises great things for the future. On palate, the plump fruit coarsens a little, on oak that is becoming prominent, and of a quality that with age might tend ashy rather than cedary. Nonetheless, this is one of the best balanced Viu Manent reds here, and illustrates carmenere beautifully. Cellar 5 – 15 years. GK 12/04
Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand: 14%; $36 [ screwcap; mostly clone mendoza hand-picked @ c. 1 t/ac from vines averaging 24 years age, wild-yeast BF in 500L puncheons 30% new; MLF about 50% in spring and 12 months LA, no batonnage in barrel; 5 months in tank to harmonise; filtered; RS ‘dry’; www.pegasusbay.com ]
Lemonstraw. This is a chardonnay in a particular New Zealand style, quite extravagant. It is a big wine, with barrel-related winemaking artefacts at this early(ish) stage quite dominating rich stonefruit, including golden queen peaches. People who like this extreme artefact call it ‘toasty’, those less-inclined call it ‘charry’. By the time the wine has undergone barrel fermentation and then extended lees-autolysis and batonnage in such barrels, it may have picked up a lot of non-grape flavours, on top of mealy richness. In mouth, the texture is gorgeous – all that autolysis on top of conservative cropping rates – and the length of flavour remarkable. This is a bigger and richer wine than the Cloudy Bay, and for many it will be a better one, for these artefact characters are addictive. Alongside the Babich, some could think the Pegasus shows too much artefact, relative to the saturated fruit of the former. So you make your choice ! The reason for the lower score here is simply my quest is for the beauty of grape aroma and flavour first and foremost, then winemaking which optimises that rather than dominating it too much. Nonetheless, this Pegasus wine will be an exciting one to cellar, for it will marry up. Later it would be marvellous presented with a more conventional wine in a dinner format or similar – it would be a real conversation-turner. Cellar 3 – 6 years. GK 05/09
Lemonstraw. This is a chardonnay in a particular New Zealand style, quite extravagant. It is a big wine, with barrel-related winemaking artefacts at this early(ish) stage quite dominating rich stonefruit, including golden queen peaches. People who like this extreme artefact call it ‘toasty’, those less-inclined call it ‘charry’. By the time the wine has undergone barrel fermentation and then extended lees-autolysis and batonnage in such barrels, it may have picked up a lot of non-grape flavours, on top of mealy richness. In mouth, the texture is gorgeous – all that autolysis on top of conservative cropping rates – and the length of flavour remarkable. This is a bigger and richer wine than the Cloudy Bay, and for many it will be a better one, for these artefact characters are addictive. Alongside the Babich, some could think the Pegasus shows too much artefact, relative to the saturated fruit of the former. So you make your choice ! The reason for the lower score here is simply my quest is for the beauty of grape aroma and flavour first and foremost, then winemaking which optimises that rather than dominating it too much. Nonetheless, this Pegasus wine will be an exciting one to cellar, for it will marry up. Later it would be marvellous presented with a more conventional wine in a dinner format or similar – it would be a real conversation-turner. Cellar 3 – 6 years. GK 05/09
Bridge Pa Triangle 81% and Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $75 [ cork 49mm; DFB; Me 77%, CS 19, CF 4, hand-picked from c.14-year old vines cropped @ 6.25 t/ha = 2.5 t/ac; cuvaison 21 – 38 days, cultured-yeast; MLF in tank mostly; 16 – 19 months in French oak c.55% new; RS <1 g/L; sterile-filtered; production 350 x 9-L cases; release late 1916, pre-release tasting bottle courtesy Alwyn Corban; www.ngatarawa.co.nz ]
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, not as vibrant as 2013 Tom, below midway in depth. Bouquet has an awkward edge to it at this showing, a slightly stemmy note, on good cassis and dark plum fruit. Flavours in mouth are berry-dominant, but again you wonder (at the blind stage), is there malbec or something detracting in this wine (no). Again, body is good but not great, alongside 2013 Tom. Total style is aromatic, fair fruit and berry, but the wine seeming not completely together today. This happens with young wines, so I look forward to the next blind tasting of it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Ruby and velvet, some carmine, not as vibrant as 2013 Tom, below midway in depth. Bouquet has an awkward edge to it at this showing, a slightly stemmy note, on good cassis and dark plum fruit. Flavours in mouth are berry-dominant, but again you wonder (at the blind stage), is there malbec or something detracting in this wine (no). Again, body is good but not great, alongside 2013 Tom. Total style is aromatic, fair fruit and berry, but the wine seeming not completely together today. This happens with young wines, so I look forward to the next blind tasting of it. Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 06/16
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOC, Southern Rhone Valley, France: 15%; $38 [ plastic Normacorc; Mu 100%; RS 100 g/L; www.delas.com ]
Straw, a slight flush of orange. Bouquet is essence of oil of muscatel, very fragrant indeed, with an under-current of almond. Palate is fumey on the alcohol, naturally enough, but this has given great lift to strong but not coarse muscatel flavours, which linger remarkably long in mouth. One or two tasters thought the wine is tending forward for its age, and certainly the advanced colour suggests a little oxidation, but it doesn't taste so. Muscat a Petit Grains often has reddish skins, and this wine has had skin contact. The latter has provided good structure in the wine, the acid balance and tannin contrasting with the sweetness and fruit to provide a neat dry finish, which is particularly good. Cellar 1 – 3 years only, noting the plastic 'cork'. GK 07/10
Straw, a slight flush of orange. Bouquet is essence of oil of muscatel, very fragrant indeed, with an under-current of almond. Palate is fumey on the alcohol, naturally enough, but this has given great lift to strong but not coarse muscatel flavours, which linger remarkably long in mouth. One or two tasters thought the wine is tending forward for its age, and certainly the advanced colour suggests a little oxidation, but it doesn't taste so. Muscat a Petit Grains often has reddish skins, and this wine has had skin contact. The latter has provided good structure in the wine, the acid balance and tannin contrasting with the sweetness and fruit to provide a neat dry finish, which is particularly good. Cellar 1 – 3 years only, noting the plastic 'cork'. GK 07/10
Marlborough, New Zealand: 13.5%; $24 [ screwcap; ’05 wine not [then] on website; www.mountriley.co.nz ]
Lemonstraw flushed straw. Bouquet is very clean, and smells rich though it is not immediately varietal – just light rosepetal aromas a little more floral than the Chard Farm. Palate immediately jumps in quality, with great bottled nectarine fruit, and nicely judged phenolics against near-dry sweetness. Too casual taste, the wine is ‘dry’, with fine fruit richness. It has good pinot-family flavour, and more substance to it than the pearflesh of 'normal' New Zealand pinot gris. If there is oak in this, it is exquisitely done – perfection for the variety. Cellar 3 – 5 years, perhaps longer. GK 03/06
Lemonstraw flushed straw. Bouquet is very clean, and smells rich though it is not immediately varietal – just light rosepetal aromas a little more floral than the Chard Farm. Palate immediately jumps in quality, with great bottled nectarine fruit, and nicely judged phenolics against near-dry sweetness. Too casual taste, the wine is ‘dry’, with fine fruit richness. It has good pinot-family flavour, and more substance to it than the pearflesh of 'normal' New Zealand pinot gris. If there is oak in this, it is exquisitely done – perfection for the variety. Cellar 3 – 5 years, perhaps longer. GK 03/06
Alentejano, Portugal: 14%; $14 [ cork, 38mm; bottle-shape claret; cepage is touriga nacional, Sy, PV, alicante bouschet (a vinifera teinturier, Gr x petite bouschet), ratios not given; harvested from vines planted at 3,000 / ha, destemmed; fermentation in stainless steel with temperature control to 27º for 12 days, then 4 months ageing in French and American oak barriques; www.casasantoslima.com ]
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic young claret colour, well above midway in depth. Bouquet shows wonderfully rich deep red fruits, not as floral as some of the cabernet-led wines, more like dark bottled omega plums, shaped by subtle cedary oak. Alcohol is well-balanced on bouquet. The flavour is rich, long and deep, augmented by some residual sugar to the finish, and the flavours are slightly spicy when compared with the Bordeaux blends. The light oak handling is attractive: would that more Australasian producers had such a subtle approach. Even though the elevage does not suggest a wine made for long cellaring, the fruit richness coupled with the main varieties being touriga nacional and syrah suggest this wine should cellar 5 – 20 years. It will be accessible sooner than the cabernet blends. Bottle shape is appropriate. A Wine Direct selection. GK 03/18
Ruby, carmine and velvet, a classic young claret colour, well above midway in depth. Bouquet shows wonderfully rich deep red fruits, not as floral as some of the cabernet-led wines, more like dark bottled omega plums, shaped by subtle cedary oak. Alcohol is well-balanced on bouquet. The flavour is rich, long and deep, augmented by some residual sugar to the finish, and the flavours are slightly spicy when compared with the Bordeaux blends. The light oak handling is attractive: would that more Australasian producers had such a subtle approach. Even though the elevage does not suggest a wine made for long cellaring, the fruit richness coupled with the main varieties being touriga nacional and syrah suggest this wine should cellar 5 – 20 years. It will be accessible sooner than the cabernet blends. Bottle shape is appropriate. A Wine Direct selection. GK 03/18
Kumeu, Auckland district, New Zealand: 13.5%; $35 [ screwcap; clone 15 predominates but more of a mix than Coddington or Hunting Hill, all hand-harvested; wild-yeast fermentation and 100% BF, LA, and MLF; 11 months in barrel some new but mostly 1-year for the Estate; 2014 is seen as the best vintage so far for Kumeu River chardonnay, and in this vintage, combined volume with quality – c.5,500 cases; RS nil; this wine and / or Maté's are the first two chardonnays to convince America that New Zealand can make international-calibre examples of this variety; www.kumeuriver.co.nz ]
Lemon with a wash of straw. Bouquet in this wine is tiptoeing towards a more reductive chardonnay style, hints of gunsmoke, fresh-cracked greywacke and so forth, but it is within bounds. The first reaction therefore is to double-check to see how severe this negative character is. Nett richness and ripeness in mouth is better than Coddington, there clearly being the fruit and freshness to assimilate the 'minerality' with a couple of years in cellar, though that character will always leave a slight flinty edge. The Estate is actually quite rich, and unlike Coddington or Hunting Hill you feel there is more clone mendoza adding yellow stonefruit notes and complexity to the potentially mealy finish. I ended up liking this more than Coddington, once past the bouquet. It just needs two years in cellar to smooth out and integrate. Cellar 5 – 12 years, possibly 15. GK 03/16
Lemon with a wash of straw. Bouquet in this wine is tiptoeing towards a more reductive chardonnay style, hints of gunsmoke, fresh-cracked greywacke and so forth, but it is within bounds. The first reaction therefore is to double-check to see how severe this negative character is. Nett richness and ripeness in mouth is better than Coddington, there clearly being the fruit and freshness to assimilate the 'minerality' with a couple of years in cellar, though that character will always leave a slight flinty edge. The Estate is actually quite rich, and unlike Coddington or Hunting Hill you feel there is more clone mendoza adding yellow stonefruit notes and complexity to the potentially mealy finish. I ended up liking this more than Coddington, once past the bouquet. It just needs two years in cellar to smooth out and integrate. Cellar 5 – 12 years, possibly 15. GK 03/16
Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: 14.3%; $624 [ cork; DFB; Sh 100%, noteworthy for being based on pre-phylloxera vines c. 140 years old, dry-grown @ 400 m in an 8 hectare vineyard with 520 mm average annual rainfall, cropped @ 1 – 2 t/ac; open-vat fermentation followed by some barrel fermentation, and c. 18 months traditionally in American oak, but the ratio of French increasing; the key point of difference between Hill of Grace and Penfolds Grange, the two "first-growth" shirazes of Australia, is that Hill of Grace is a single-vineyard wine, and varies from year to year. Grange in contrast is a multi-region wine created to a style-standard, and can therefore be more consistent (though it still shows the impact of climate in some years); Halliday rates Eden Valley 9 /10 in 2001; www.henschke.com.au ]
Ruby and velvet, clearly older than the batch. Bouquet initially opened is one-dimensional, and too oaky by far. Decant this in the morning before going to work, and leave it (lightly covered against fruit flies) till the evening. It will then show a beautiful floral dimension of shiraz reminiscent of the Henry's Seven but older, and set in a richer and more complex wine with cassisy and plummy fruit. On palate, total oak remains on the high side, and there is some brett, but this is complexly flavoured wine, which should be good with many foods. It is not big wine, and (oak aside) there is quite a suggestion of Hermitage itself, though its origin is betrayed by subtle euc'y aromatics. At around $600, it is hard to see the value – see the Penfolds 2001 Bin 128 review. However, few trophy wines are tasted blind … Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Ruby and velvet, clearly older than the batch. Bouquet initially opened is one-dimensional, and too oaky by far. Decant this in the morning before going to work, and leave it (lightly covered against fruit flies) till the evening. It will then show a beautiful floral dimension of shiraz reminiscent of the Henry's Seven but older, and set in a richer and more complex wine with cassisy and plummy fruit. On palate, total oak remains on the high side, and there is some brett, but this is complexly flavoured wine, which should be good with many foods. It is not big wine, and (oak aside) there is quite a suggestion of Hermitage itself, though its origin is betrayed by subtle euc'y aromatics. At around $600, it is hard to see the value – see the Penfolds 2001 Bin 128 review. However, few trophy wines are tasted blind … Cellar 5 – 20 years. GK 02/08
Havelock North Hills mainly, some Triangle, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $120 [ cork, 55mm; Me 39%, CF 36, CS 25; modest early season, Indian autumn, GDD 1425, harvest late March to later April; release price $65; note cabernet franc ratio; Cooper, 2005: … highly fragrant, very complex and structured wine, with excellent concentration of plum, spice and coffee flavours and firm tannins. A generous wine with great depth, it should flourish for many years, *****; Chan, 2008 review: ... rich and very complex with dark plum and berry fruit aromas ... dense meaty, gamey ... The palate is fat and broad, with a full tannin profile. Tannins are fine-textured, with the complex animal and savoury plum-berry flavours behind. The flavours are forward, secondary and showing development signs. ... Complex, savoury and full drinking now, 18; www.temata.co.nz ]
Ruby and garnet, appreciably older than the 2005, midway in depth. The bottles on the two nights differed, the second night one being appreciably fresher and richer, and more berry-dominant. I have scored the second bottle. The concentration and ripeness of fruit in that bottle was reminiscent of the 1998, being ripely plummy and fragrant, though not exactly floral. There is also a suggestion of a savoury quality, which for the first night bottle was quite clearly savoury to the point of smelling like venison casserole (+ve). Palate is quite richly flavoured, furry tannins, drying just a little to the finish. These characters translate into a brett component, the wild yeast which wineries nowadays are hyper-vigilant to prevent. A very few people find this savoury brett character intrinsically disagreeable, rather more have ‘learnt’ to dislike it, but the vast majority of non-wine-industry people love it. They think it is the missing factor that makes many European wines so complex and wonderful with food, whereas the New World wines are more one-dimensional. The point about brett is, if you have a wine in your cellar showing it, just keep an eye on it, unless the wine has been sterile-filtered to bottle. Unlike ordinary yeast cells which stop working when there are no simple sugars left in the wine, brett cells can continue working on the complex sugars. At a certain point the wine will dry out prematurely, and sometimes unattractively. And no two bottles will be the same, as we found. This wine was the second-most-favoured wine on the second night, with seven votes for first or second place. Even the night one bottle had five people rating it first or second. Cellar 5 – 10 years only might be best. GK 08/17
Ruby and garnet, appreciably older than the 2005, midway in depth. The bottles on the two nights differed, the second night one being appreciably fresher and richer, and more berry-dominant. I have scored the second bottle. The concentration and ripeness of fruit in that bottle was reminiscent of the 1998, being ripely plummy and fragrant, though not exactly floral. There is also a suggestion of a savoury quality, which for the first night bottle was quite clearly savoury to the point of smelling like venison casserole (+ve). Palate is quite richly flavoured, furry tannins, drying just a little to the finish. These characters translate into a brett component, the wild yeast which wineries nowadays are hyper-vigilant to prevent. A very few people find this savoury brett character intrinsically disagreeable, rather more have ‘learnt’ to dislike it, but the vast majority of non-wine-industry people love it. They think it is the missing factor that makes many European wines so complex and wonderful with food, whereas the New World wines are more one-dimensional. The point about brett is, if you have a wine in your cellar showing it, just keep an eye on it, unless the wine has been sterile-filtered to bottle. Unlike ordinary yeast cells which stop working when there are no simple sugars left in the wine, brett cells can continue working on the complex sugars. At a certain point the wine will dry out prematurely, and sometimes unattractively. And no two bottles will be the same, as we found. This wine was the second-most-favoured wine on the second night, with seven votes for first or second place. Even the night one bottle had five people rating it first or second. Cellar 5 – 10 years only might be best. GK 08/17
Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 13.5%; $50 [ screwcap; Sy 100%, all machine-harvested; some cold soak, inoculated ferments, c.21 days cuvaison; 16 months in French oak 70% new; production 450 x 9-L cases; www.pask.co.nz ]
[ This wine was NOT in the Convivium baker's dozen. I added it on return to Wellington, since it has not been in any of my 2013 reviews. It was therefore not seen blind. ] Ruby, clearly the lightest (New Zealand) wine in the set, fractionally deeper than the Clonakilla. Bouquet is intriguing, almost blueberry dominant and thus close in style to the Clonakilla, and unbelievably out-of-style for the mental baggage I had been carrying round as to the Pask Declaration range. Like Bullnose, but even moreso, the oak is almost invisible. I do not know how or when this transformation in the way the oak comes through to the taster was initiated at Pask, since the numbers are not greatly different. Winemaker Kate Radburnd indicates the approach to the Declaration range has been re-thought. In mouth the whole wine seems to darken up, suggestions of cassis and plums now, but the acid a little noticeable. Does this correlate with the blueberry note, implying picking a little later than optimal for syrah varietal expression in 2013, and needing a touch of acid ? Flavours are firmer than Bullnose seems, even though the wine is lighter in colour, and it is younger in taste. It tastes of red fruits much more than black. This is quite a different interpretation of syrah from most in New Zealand, and hard to establish analogies for. I am more in Saint-Joseph than Cote Rotie, for example. I can't wait to see how this ages, since it has reasonable though not exemplary richness, and should cellar for 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. Once it softens, it should be very food-friendly. GK 07/16
[ This wine was NOT in the Convivium baker's dozen. I added it on return to Wellington, since it has not been in any of my 2013 reviews. It was therefore not seen blind. ] Ruby, clearly the lightest (New Zealand) wine in the set, fractionally deeper than the Clonakilla. Bouquet is intriguing, almost blueberry dominant and thus close in style to the Clonakilla, and unbelievably out-of-style for the mental baggage I had been carrying round as to the Pask Declaration range. Like Bullnose, but even moreso, the oak is almost invisible. I do not know how or when this transformation in the way the oak comes through to the taster was initiated at Pask, since the numbers are not greatly different. Winemaker Kate Radburnd indicates the approach to the Declaration range has been re-thought. In mouth the whole wine seems to darken up, suggestions of cassis and plums now, but the acid a little noticeable. Does this correlate with the blueberry note, implying picking a little later than optimal for syrah varietal expression in 2013, and needing a touch of acid ? Flavours are firmer than Bullnose seems, even though the wine is lighter in colour, and it is younger in taste. It tastes of red fruits much more than black. This is quite a different interpretation of syrah from most in New Zealand, and hard to establish analogies for. I am more in Saint-Joseph than Cote Rotie, for example. I can't wait to see how this ages, since it has reasonable though not exemplary richness, and should cellar for 5 – 12 years, maybe 15. Once it softens, it should be very food-friendly. GK 07/16
Bay View dissected coastal terrace, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand: 14%; $70 [ screwcap; Ma 58%, Me 26, CF 16, planted 1989, hand-harvested; all vars co-fermented as one batch; 100% new French oak c. 16 months; RS nil; around 250 cases; this wine is in effect The Terraces from years where there is not quite the richness or ripeness to maintain the standard achieved / desired in that now-famous label; weight bottle and closure: 587 g; www.eskvalley.co.nz ]
Ruby, some velvet, clearly deeper and younger than the 2010 Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but scarcely any hint of lurid dark malbec colours. Apart from a light mint suggestion, bouquet is attractive and almost totally bordeaux in styling. Berry is dominant over oak, the wine very fragrant, nearly floral, nearly cassis, a blend of red currants, cassis and red plums scarcely influenced by the all-French oak. Flavour follows on perfectly: it is not as rich as you would expect The Terraces to be (exactly the reason for this new label), but happily, it is not as oaky, either. Heaven knows exactly how Gordon Russell has achieved this, given the 100% new oak for 16 months: this implies a good dry extract analysis. The fruit-to-oak ratio is remarkably close to Bordeaux practice, just a little oakier. This is not a big wine, but for a slightly cool year it shows attractive, even surprising, ripeness and balance, the thought of stalks scarcely entering one's head. Rather, the wine is refreshing. It needs another five years to soften, and will cellar 5 – 20 years. It shows a style and complexity which should enable it to be competitive against 2010 Bordeaux in blind tastings. GK 10/16
Ruby, some velvet, clearly deeper and younger than the 2010 Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but scarcely any hint of lurid dark malbec colours. Apart from a light mint suggestion, bouquet is attractive and almost totally bordeaux in styling. Berry is dominant over oak, the wine very fragrant, nearly floral, nearly cassis, a blend of red currants, cassis and red plums scarcely influenced by the all-French oak. Flavour follows on perfectly: it is not as rich as you would expect The Terraces to be (exactly the reason for this new label), but happily, it is not as oaky, either. Heaven knows exactly how Gordon Russell has achieved this, given the 100% new oak for 16 months: this implies a good dry extract analysis. The fruit-to-oak ratio is remarkably close to Bordeaux practice, just a little oakier. This is not a big wine, but for a slightly cool year it shows attractive, even surprising, ripeness and balance, the thought of stalks scarcely entering one's head. Rather, the wine is refreshing. It needs another five years to soften, and will cellar 5 – 20 years. It shows a style and complexity which should enable it to be competitive against 2010 Bordeaux in blind tastings. GK 10/16
Marlborough, New Zealand: 12.1%; $36 [ cork; Ch 48%, PN 29, PM 23; hand-picked; full BF and MLF, plus 7 months LA in old French oak; 3.5 – 4.5 years en tirage; hand-riddled; dosage 6 g/L; www.huia.net.nz ]
Straw, deeper than the Pask. Bouquet is wonderful in its big style, great purity, cleaner and more Bollinger-like than some samples of Bollinger (e.g. the 1996 vintage in this suite of tastings), with great yeast autolysis and baguette complexity, the oak from the barrel ferment component reasonably well married away. Palate is rich an
Straw, deeper than the Pask. Bouquet is wonderful in its big style, great purity, cleaner and more Bollinger-like than some samples of Bollinger (e.g. the 1996 vintage in this suite of tastings), with great yeast autolysis and baguette complexity, the oak from the barrel ferment component reasonably well married away. Palate is rich an