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New Zealand Wine Annual Tasting 2008 Part 1

Ever since New Zealand burst onto the UK wine scene with its gloriously gooseberryish Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc it has remained a immutable part of the wine trader's portfolio. As I wrote last year, however, New Zealand is today much more than a source of Sauvignon Blanc; Pinot Noir continues to be a major player, and there are more and more convincing wines from other red varieties on show. Nevertheless Sauvignon Blanc is - and I suspect always will be - vital to the New Zealand wine industry.

Several features of the annual Wines of New Zealand tasting - which was held in Edinburgh very recently- served to suggest that this is the case. First, the day featured a walk-through tasting of Sauvignon Blanc from the length and breadth of New Zealand, a showcase for New Zealand terroir as expressed by this variety. This tasting included a number of sub-regional examples. No longer is it sufficient for some to label a wine as from Marlborough; New Zealand's largest wine region, a huge, silty, gravelly alluvial river valley which was first planted in 1973, is seeing the first stages of division into sub-regions based on a finer understanding of the terroir. Perhaps the best examples of this shown at the tasting were the wines from the Winegrowers of Ara, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir sourced from Ara, a clay-gravel river terrace. Thirdly, when one looks at these wines and those from the likes of Craggy Range, which move away from the fruit-driven to a more vinous, mineral style, it seems likely that the upper echelons of quality of Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand have not yet been reached. New Zealand has, it seems to me, a huge amount of untapped potential where Sauvignon Blanc is concerned.

Leaving aside Sauvignon Blanc there were also a fair number of Rieslings and Chardonnays on show. I have issues with the way each of these varieties are handled, although on the whole the quality of the wines was good. The Rieslings seem to come in two broad styles, low alcohol with high residual sugar, often touted as 'Mosel-like', and drier, firmer wines with lower sugar and higher alcohol. The former style confuses me; why imitate a style born out of necessity in the cool climes of the Mosel, when clearly New Zealand has the ability to ripen the fruit and produce lively, modern Rieslings, a savoury and food-friendly style? It seems to me to be a look backwards, rather than a move forwards. And in many cases the Chardonnays continue to show huge barrel-ferment characteristics, although there were a couple of notable exceptions; first one from Huia which was less overt than others and which may come good with time, although this was trumped by the elegant wine from Felton Road, which put every other Chardonnay on show on the day to shame. In my limited experience, this was the best New Zealand Chardonnay I have ever tasted.

In part two I will focus on the red wines. (21/10/08)

New Zealand Whites 2008 - Tasting Notes

Tasted in October 2008. Click to locate stockists.

The last four wines are multi-regional blends, although I believe they are dominated by Marlborough fruit.

Deutz Marlborough Cuvée (Marlborough) NV: A pale, yellow-golden colour, with a stony nose. The palate is crisply clean and nicely composed, showing a soft mousse cut through by some good acidity. This has appeal, with a little lemon cream element to the flavour, combined with a nice texture. Good. 16/20

Lindauer Brut NV: This is 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. An interesting nose here, rather honeyed and ripe in style, with notes of peach and pear. The wine has a fresh character though, with a touch of herbs on entry, before the distinctly chalky and yet still slightly tropical fruit. Good crisp definition, and a firm mousse. Interesting wine which will no doubt appeal. 15/20

Lindauer Rosé NV: This is 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. A very pale pink, with a chalky-talcy nose, not really showing any fruit at present. The palate is fresh, very firm, full, crisp and loaded with acidity. Overall this is a hard and stony wine very different to the style of the Brut NV, although they are both of approachable quality. 15/20

Lindauer Special Select NV: This is 40% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir. It has a very pale, sunset pink-orange hue. The nose is quite reserved, showing just a little honeycomb-cinder toffee richness, although otherwise it is fairly dumb. It is full and creamier than the preceding wines, showing a nice weight and a good, rounded, mallowy flesh. This certainly has some appeal. 15.5/20

Lindauer Blanc de Blancs NV: Obviously 100% Chardonnay. More of that honeycomb toffee character on the nose, paradoxically in combination with green and grassy fruit. The palate is surprisingly lean and crisp after such a sweet nose, showing a rather full midpalate with a touch of cream soda, perhaps dosage-related, but it has a nice depth. 15.5/20

Felton Road Riesling (Central Otago) 2007: This was described as a ‘Mosel Kabinet-style’ and has 50 g/l of residual sugar. Fresh and stylish nose, redolent of citrus peel, and yes redolent of the Mosel too. Soft and yet weighty on the palate, with lovely character. It is fresh and gently composed, with the rounding effect of that sugar evident. An interesting wine. 16+/20

Felton Road Chardonnay (Central Otago) 2007: This wine has a very stylish and restrained nose, showing just a little oatmeal and cashew nut aroma. The palate is similarly refined; it has a great composition, showing a fine structure despite this wine’s evident youth, and a balanced, harmonious character. Certainly – acknowledging limited experience – this is the best New Zealand Chardonnay I have tasted in as long as I can remember. 18+/20

Craggy Range Glasnevin Gravels Vineyard Riesling (Waipara) 2006: This is described as Mosel-style, with 9.9% ABV and 25 g/l residual sugar. I tasted it last year and since then it has really tautened up; it has a clean nose, slightly steely in character, and aromatic. It has an unsurprisingly full and fleshy palate as previously noted, but is bright and fresh and really appealing. Nicely composed, well balanced, this is a must-try for fans of this style. 16.5+/20

Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2008: A good nose here, surprisingly with quite a warm, rounded, welcoming nature. The palate has a fresh style, perhaps just a touch lean in the midpalate, but gentle, well defined, with just a little bitter grip. Fairly good. 15.5/20

Craggy Range Avery Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2008: This wine has a creamy nose, slightly smoky-minerally, but is also showing much more green fruit than I expected. It is balanced, gentle, fleshy but overall a little subdued. I learnt that it has just been bottled, which perhaps explains its fruity nose rather than the mineral decorum that distinguishes Craggy Range's wines. There are notes of pepper, mineral and spice on the finish, and I expect with time in bottle this will show much better. 17.5+/20

Delta Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: An unusual nose here, slightly earthy-minerally, certainly deep and characterful on reflection. The palate shows similar nuances, with a more stony feel to it. It has a good substance, lots of grip and overall has some style. A wine with some atypical features which I find quite attractive. 16.5/20

Envoy Riesling (Marlborough) 2008: This wine has just 9% ABV and 57 g/l residual sugar. A very aromatic nose here, sweet fruit, and plenty of style. Full, appealing, with a residual-influenced texture, although it is very clean and has a gentle, low-alcohol style. This is good. 16.5/20

Envoy Gewurztraminer (Marlborough) 2007: This has 22 g/l residual sugar. Rather muted on the nose, particularly so for the variety in question. The palate, though, has some good points; it has weight but also definition, and there is even some acidity in evidence here. And it culminates in a good, peppery finish. Decent. 14/20

Envoy Chardonnay (Marlborough) 2006: Lots of roasted fennel and characterful oak-related aromas on the nose here. There is a sweet, honey-roasted, meaty element to it. The palate is attractive though, fresh with some grip. There is oak evident here too, a bitter element, but certainly some appeal. This will be good for oak-lovers. 16+/20

Huia Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: Very chalky, slightly talcy, certainly mineral in style. A lovely palate, gentle and stylish, full and nicely balanced. Composed rather than in-your-face, but with a full texture. Good finish. Overall this has a very good style, and an elegance which I find very appealing. 17.5/20

Huia Gewurztraminer (Marlborough) 2007: Not a particularly exuberant nose, more gently aromatic, with notes of rose petals and Turkish Delight perfume. A well rounded palate, fat and a little blowsy in all honesty. Very low acidity. Good character, but this lacks definition. 13/20

Huia Chardonnay (Marlborough) 2006: An appealing nose although it is another wine that will appeal most to oak fans, with all its butter and toffee elements. The palate has style though, is well judged, with oatmeal and fennel elements adding spice to a full but well balanced wine. With a little time this could be really lovely. 17+/20

Spy Valley Riesling (Marlborough) 2006: This has 15 g/l residual sugar. A very subdued nose here, a little steel and chalk. Full and fleshy palate, with obvious residual on show, alongside notes of pepper and spice. It has rather soft acidity but nevertheless seems fresh and has a nice, chalky appeal. Good. 15/20

Spy Valley Pinot Gris (Marlborough) 2008: Just 10 g/l residual sugar here. Chalky character, but not giving much away on the nose otherwise. The palate is rather fat, weighty, something I wasn’t expecting. It has a peppery grip behind a somewhat soapy fruit character. Decent wine. 14.5/20

Spy Valley Gewurztraminer (Marlborough) 2008: Notes of orange peel here, plus a somewhat medicinal character, and a slightly bitter aroma. The palate seems to have immediate freshness but in truth it has desperately low acidity. Combined with notes of orange peel, talcum powder and face cream it doesn't, overall, appeal. 13.5/20

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2008: Exuberant, creamy, green-fruit nose. Lots of methylpyrazine character, but it is vibrant and clean. The palate is true to this impression; fleshy, but well defined, fresh and appealing. There is a little savoury element to it which I like, and it is well balanced. Very good. 17/20

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: Very bright and very typical of the region on the nose, with plenty of green fruit and capsicum, with a touch of cream. The palate is beautifully fresh, bright and balanced, undoubtedly with methylpyrazine-influenced flavours, presented in a vibrant and vivacious fashion. This is really a very good wine; I like it. 17/20

Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: A very typical nose here, surely methylpyrazine-influenced, with crisp and juicy capsicum and fresh sugarsnap peas. Lots of similarly fresh character on the palate, which has a bright and herby nature. A good, fresh acid backbone and there is some substance to it. A clean, overtly Kiwi style. 16.5/20

Wild Rock The Infamous Goose Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2006: Essentially a second label from Craggy Range, using fruit blended from several vineyards, in this case five different sites. A very green and grassy nose, with lots of yellow capsicum and a little methylpyrazine character. Fresh, a touch lean and steely, a little less substance than I expected, but a good, crisp, incisive nature, with lots of pepper/capsicum. Good wine, showing better than when tasted last year. 16/20

Winegrowers of Ara Composite Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: A really appealing nose here, deep and with a minerally-earthy edge, but it has plenty of greengage and gooseberry fruit too. It is certainly interesting. Full, a touch softer than expected, rounded, rather grassy on the finish. This is quite savoury and certainly moreish, especially with its bitter-juicy finish. Very good indeed. 17.5/20

Winegrowers of Ara Resolute Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: Appealing character on the nose, notes of grass and cream, more restrained than the Composite. Firm, rather solid character on entry, but showing a softer, more gentle, rather detached midpalate. There is a lot of substance here, peppery spice and even some grip. This is a wine of serious intent. Very good indeed. 17.5+/20

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: This has a very fruity and very typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc nose. Plenty of green fruit, gooseberries and greengages. The palate is fresh, soft, creamy but nicely defined. This has a very good style and offers good value for money too. 16.5/20

Wither Hills Chardonnay (Marlborough) 2005: This is obviously barrel-fermented judging by the nose, although there is plenty of good fruit underneath. There is a soft palate which is attractive, although its butterscotch and oatmealy oak notes would not appeal to all. Nevertheless it has good texture and weight, and nicely balanced acidity. 16.5+/20

Craggy Range Te Muna Road Vineyard Riesling (Martinborough) 2007: Compared to the Glasnevin Gravels this is a more typically New World interpretation of Riesling, with just 7 g/l of sugar and 12.5% ABV. Firm and punchy on the nose is my first impression. Full, fruity, lots of substance on the palate, delicious and nicely balanced. Fresh and crisp with good acidity. This is also very good, the two wines distinguished only by style rather than by quality which is very close. 17+/20

Esk Valley Black Label Verdelho (Hawke's Bay) 2007: Some honey-tinged fruit on the nose here, although overall it is rather restrained. Full, with an appealing weight on the palate, a touch stony, and rather perfumed. Textured, almost creamy, with a nice bitter-pepper backbone. This wine has a good presence. 16+/20

Esk Valley Chenin Blanc (Hawke's Bay) 2008: This has a very organic nose, full of pepper and earth, seemingly creamy and slightly perfumed. The palate has a good substance, creamy but with fresh acidity, and is nicely rounded off. Balanced, bright, but with a good grippy finish, this has a surprising appeal. I recall I didn’t rate the 2006 vintage too highly, but this is certainly good. 16.5+/20