The Home of Renowned Tasting

Wither Hills are in fine form at the moment. I like the whole range. Every egg a bird you might say.

Not exactly backwards in coming forwards this has immediate, if not obvious, appeal with nectarine, citrus, mango, a touch of funk, spicy oak and some savoury lees characters. In the mouth full bodied and equally full flavoured - tropical fruit, juicy sweet lime, spice and creme caramel all taking part in the riot of flavours that’s settled and controlled by a good hosing down of crisp clean acidity. Good long aftertaste of spice, mango and citrus to close. It’s a lovely wine, action packed and fun to drink. Definitely a crowd pleaser..and something of a bargain too.

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Gary wrote this up in 2006 so I thought it time for another look. Very bright shade of red in the glass. The nose leaps out with cherry and that edgy character that is like raspberry but with a bit of dried herb, maybe even tomato leaf but that’s a bit harsh really. It was quite alive. The palate was fresh, crisp, clean and the integration between oak and fruit still needing more time. Great length, a fine example of Central Otago.

Other vintages : 2005

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I believe that there is no place called Gibbston Valley but there is a place called Gibbston! But this is a real Pinot Noir of quality. The colour is moderate to dark red on the David Pinot scale of colour. The nose has the ripe red and dark cherry aspect with a hint of dried herb. The palate is very long and quite moreish as Oliver would say. The flavours show superb integration of fruit and oak, almost seamless in fact. The fruit begins with the red cherry and moves along through dark cherry and finishes with a hint of blueberry and cinnamon. Long and lovely. The wine is still available at cellar door at the price listed below.

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I like Marlborough Pinot (but not as much as Martinborough) and quite often prefer it to more glamorous (and expensive) Central Otago offerings…

It smells of juicy plum and cherry fruit, mulchy autumn leaves, a typical Marlborough tamarillo tartness and spicy toasty oak . On the palate good weight and texture with a particularly attractive spread of fine grained tannin. It has tart acidity and excellent freshness with a slightly bitter cola/chinotto flavour adding to those found on the nose. Highly enjoyable.

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The 2007 season in Central Otago was essentially excellent. Some producers reported a bit of shrivel but generally intense flavours and a lot of mid palate richness will be the go. Felton Road are great believers in biodynamic principles especially those of Steiner and feel that this vintage demonstrates its worth. I gather the wine was only bottled three or four weeks ago and for this reason I suggest waiting a little while at which stage I feel a better picture will emerge. The nose has loads of ripe red cherry and char with a hint of sour Morello style cherry. The palate shows sweet fruit that is very big across the mid palate, cherry flavours, a bit of dried herbs and a lovely silky texture. The mid palate grunt doesn’t translate through to the end at this stage and hopefully will fill out over the next few months. The oak is more subtle on the palate than indicated by the nose.

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I had a glass at lunch and that’s when I liked it best - crisp, chilled and refreshing - and later that evening for a re-taste warm but without quite the same effect.

It smells of passionfruit, Pez, fennel, lime and a bit of wee on cut grass. On the palate fine and shapely with a mix of pineapple, lime and passionfruit although not overtly tropical or brash - more subdued and refined. It also has a little spice and mineral with fine acid and a bit of flinty textural interest. It drinks really well and feels balanced and vinous, not falling into the Marlborough sweet and sour trap like many. Dry white first, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc second and a good version of both.

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Friend Peter brought this wine for dinner (duck). I have not tried the Neudorf Pinot before but know the owner is very serious about Pinot from when I bumped into him at another winery I was visiting two years ago. The colour was bright cherry red and most enticing. The aromas were red cherry based with a mix of oak on top and maybe a hint of plum. The palate provided a rather well put together flavour experience that begins with bright cherry, rolls into a little cola style oak and finishes with a wisp of satsuma plum. The oak and fruit mix went really well with the duck.

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Bright red colour that gets my interest right away. The aromas are clean and red berry fruits with a hint of oak. The palate is rich with good mid palate feel although slightly short. It does open up quite well and finishes with a good bit of red cherry. A great value Pinot.

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Friend Peter had an NZ holiday in March and brought some vinous treasures when he came to stay at the weekend. Wendy and I have fond memories of consuming this wine when we went on a walking trip with Abel Tasman Walks at night in the lodges. The style appears to have changed a little but it is still very drinkable. It opens with lovely lemon aromas and a little grapefruit. The palate is all about fruit that is exactly as the nose suggested except that the oak can be discerned and the acid is quite high in tune with the so called minerality style. It was great with food (tapas) and the fruit was lovely. The alcohol is listed at 14.5% yet I did not see it as being intrusive.

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A curiously cork sealed Central Otago pinot from the Bendigo and Pisa sub-regions. Very good though and perhaps a bit more refined than you would expect of a Central Otago.

Lots going on here with black cherry, plum, sarsaparilla, pepper, spice, smoke, flowers and pencilly oak all making their contributions to this aromatically action packed wine. It’s medium bodied with bright fresh acidity, smooth lightly chalky tannins and excellent flow through the mouth. Not heavy or sweet with flavours of black cherry, graphite, liquorice, spice, a little cocoa and a long clean spicy finish. It’s a very impressive wine.

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Anthony at Boccaccio Cellars told me to get onto this wine because he said it was a match made in heaven with his signature dish of Findus Ham ‘n Cheese Crispy Pancakes. My culinary skills are not quite as advanced as his so I had to make do with oven roast duck breast and steamed Asian greens on a bed of spiced couscous. I usually like to add that I think Marlborough is generally under-rated as a region for Pinot Noir…so I will.

It smells of ripe cherry, spice, cocoa, tamarillo, smoke and Autumn leaves - at once both typically Pinot and NZ. On the palate medium to full bodied with bright sappy sour edged cherry and plum fruit that’s rich, mouthfilling and complemented by spice, cola and dried herbs. With smooth fine grained tannins, a velvet texture and excellent length of flavour this delivers the complete Pinot package - satisfaction guaranteed.

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Made from a 5 acre vineyard in Clevedon, about 40 minutes by car from Auckland, and blended to reflect the relative proportions of Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec in the vineyard.

A fascinating nose, showing red currants, tobacco leaf, not quite tomato leaf, dried herbs and faintly smoky stalks. There are also hints of blackcurrants, and some mulch and leaf. A glass swirler. A sensual and sensational palate, red currant, blackcurrant, blackberry, cedary dryness, herby and savoury, and some stalk on the finish (but it’s not green). Very tasty stuff, but it is the velvety tannins, the fantastic mouthfeel and the length that just goes on and on that makes this an outstanding wine. Well worth having a few in the cellar.

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Beautiful packaging featuring the leaves and a flower of the rata and pohutukawa, New Zealand’s native ‘Christmas trees’, and there is no mistaking it for anything other than a Kiwi pinot on tasting either. It’s the second wine from Ata Rangi made with younger vine material.

Opens a little smoky with bright spicy cherry fruit, cola, dried herb and leaf litter smells. On the palate light to medium bodied with tangy flavours of dark cherry and spice, smoke and slightly bitter dried herb flavours - sort of Campari like in some ways. Nice ripe fruit but with an attractive green twiggy edge. It feels fresh with light but firm tannin and finishes long with a surprising expansion on the back palate. A very stylish and (relatively) affordable wine.

Other vintages : 2005

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Curiously I found myself in the unusual position of really wanting a nice cooling glass of Sauvignon Blanc this afternoon. Doesn’t happen that often but I feel a bit frazzled today. Wither Hills usually do a nice line in the old SB so I picked this out of the 1,274 bottles (or thereabouts) of Sauvignon Blanc that seem to be floating around. Good choice.

Pale and crystal clear it strikes a fine balance between the herbal capsicum and snow pea smells and the fruity ones of gooseberry, citrus and fresh pineapple. It’s a bit spicy too and I always like that. On the palate precise and clean with good drive and attractive flavours of light tropical fruit, lime and capsicum spice. Nice and dry with a little roughing up providing a bit of textural interest. Finishes clean and long with a lick of spice. A great example of the ‘classic’ Marlborough style.

Other vintages: 2005

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I was flicking through the current issue of AGT wine and saw that Bob Campbell MW had given this a big 95 point rating. ‘Oh’ I thought, ‘I think I might have one of these in the pile’. So I looked and I found one. What’s in the box Carl Cox? Certainly one of these.

Pretty and slightly floral with apple, lemon biscuits, a little honeycomb and a bit of spice. On the palate again light and fresh with apple, lemon and lime, pastry crust flecked with cinnamon and a little yeasty complexity. Fairly dry with a light foamy mouthfeel and balanced clean acidity (although just a little coarse) and a good dry finish with a yeast and lemon aftertaste. Not especially complex but makes for a nice refreshing drink.

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This is a blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot and I grabbed a bottle (last year I think) from the Auckland duty free to give it a whizz at some stage. Last night seemed as good a night as any for a bit of whizzing so we took it out to dinner and had it with some Chinese roast duck.

Aromas of blackcurrant and weak raspberry cordial, dusty cigar box and some green leafy smells. On the palate medium bodied with blueberry and blackcurrant fruit that comes across looking a bit confected, some cedar oak and leafy green flavours. It has light tannins that are again slightly green and hard and don’t provide sufficient shape. On the positive side it is quite refined and classically styled which makes for easy drinking and food friendliness. Pleasant but not great.

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From the Gimblett Gravels in the Hawke’s Bay region. A big dose of crushed white pepper and spices on the nose, with creamy red cherries and some dry woody nuances. The palate shows lovely cool climate characteristics, fresh red cherries and spices, and though the acid does show through a bit there is some lovely balance. An enjoyable wine at a tidy price - I am sure Trevor Chappell would love to tuck into a bottle or two.

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I have had a crack at this particular wine twice now. The first out of big glasses (next to the 2006 PHI Pinot) at an informal tasting and the second out of little glasses at an informal dinner. I know I am bad and I should pay more attention, but no matter which way you slice the old tamarillo, this is an outstanding wine that stands up and performs every time.

Aromas of dark cherry, spice, dark chocolate, violet and a tangy orange peel top note. A bit earthy, fruity and fragrant all in one. On the palate smooth fine talc-like tannins and a lithe muscular frame with expansive and mouth filling fruit. Plenty of flavour, but not heavy or clumsy. There are flavours of dark cherry and berry, spice, undergrowth and tamarillo with a light (and very attractive) sarsaparilla character adding regional interest. Long and persistent (Are we finished yet? Are we finished yet?). I wasted no time buying a few bottles for the cellar.

Other vintages: 2005, 2003

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This is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc (35%), syrah (35%) and merlot (30%) which threw me into a flat spin trying to work out which category to put it under. A very interesting wine this one. I’d suggest that a few Australian tasters might find it a little too herbal and sappy for their tastes but the more I had of it, the more I liked it. It’s a quality wine, and one that I found strangely compelling.

Garnet red with crushed berry, blackcurrant, pepper, dried herb and spices with a little licorice root richness. A bright and sappy wine with a distinctly grassy edge. On the palate light to medium bodied with fresh tart red berries, blackcurrant, pepper and grassy flavours. It has a firm backbone of dry lightly chalky tannin and lively acidity. Good length of flavour with a fresh dried herb aftertaste. A refreshing wine that complements rather than combats food.

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Martinborough does a good line in Sauvignon Blanc. This is hand picked from four vineyards with 15% fermented in three year old oak.

Juicy and fruity with mango, gooseberry and pineapple fruit and a little spiced capsicum and dried herb. On the palate a softer, rounder expression of Sauvignon with excellent weight and texture and lovely tropical fruit, sweet ripe limes and some spicy grassy flavours in support. Finishes with a tropical fruit and spice aftertaste. Juicy and delicious.

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