There is true craftsmanship on display here, with a savoury backdrop of oak and firm, finely poised, textural tannins engineered for a strong future. Two unirrigated vineyards in Marlborough’s southern Waihopai Valley contribute impressive depth of ripe black cherry and plum fruits, lingering with impressive vibrancy and persistence. $32 at Cellar d’Or.
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Juicy and lively black cherry and black plum fruit is well supported by firm oak and supple, silky, fine-grained tannins, calling for some time to integrate. Notes of brambles and liquorice provide depth and interest to a long finish. $36 at Discount Wines.
read2011 was a rustic vintage, yielding bold wines in Central Otago, here bolstered in no small part by firm oak tannins, though showing more confident balance than most in this season. An accurate black cherry fruits bouquet, with oak lurking closely behind, leads into a honed and taut palate, with black cherry/berry fruit pulled in […]
readAn impressively complete vintage for Two Paddocks, and my favourite in some years. Juicy plum, black cherry and tangy red berry fruits meet the complexity of exotic spice and beautifully silky, fine tannins. It coasts with considerable persistence and harmony. $48 at East End Cellars.
readAn expertly assembled pinot noir, with good fruit length and everything in its proper place. This is a supple, friendly and fruit-focused style to unscrew right away and bathe yourself in impressive violet and black cherry fruit allusions, gently underlined by soft, fine and silky tannins, finishing with lingering, crunchy fruit vibrancy. $35 at Discount […]
readJust across the road from Ata Rangi, Martinborough’s finest estate, Te Rehua is the warmest and richest of Escarpment’s vineyards. Larry McKenna skilfully offsets its black and red berry and cherry fruits intensity and drive with the dried herb and lifted exotic spice complexity of whole bunch fermentation. Structure is wonderfully textured and firm, and […]
readI once believed that a lighter-bodied, red fruits expression was a regional signature of Marlborough pinot noir, but I have a rising feeling that this is simply a consequence of young vines and inexperience with the variety. As Marlborough comes of age, its pinots are becoming deeper, darker and more harmonious, and Villa Maria exemplifies […]
readPlanted at three times the density of most NZ vines, this is the best corner of Escarpment’s estate vineyard. Just one kilogram of fruit per vine produces incredible complexity and understated density. Black olives, coal, liquorice, exotic spice and black berries are all present here, drawn out by vibrant, taut acid structure and finely poised, […]
readLet’s be honest, robust reds aren’t everyone’s bag.
The wine world is increasingly prizing diversity and subtlety.
If there’s a word to sum up our food and wine tastes of the past decade it has to be “experimentation.”
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