Offcuts: tasting Central Otago (1 of 2)

When one isn’t holidaying exclusively with wine in mind, it can be a challenge to balance the amount of time devoted to things vinous versus more generalised tourism, especially when one happens to pass through exciting wine regions. Chris and I have just finished travelling the southern-most tip of New Zealand’s South Island with our respective partners, and whilst a large amount of time was spent drinking, we limited our cellar door visits to a single, rather action-packed day in Central Otago. Here follows a brief summary (in two parts) of the day, with equally brief and, given the tasting format, somewhat rushed impressions. Unsurprisingly, our handwritten notes became less meaningful towards the end of the day.

After some uncharacteristically energetic heckling at the Kawarau Bridge bungy, we stopped at Peregrine right on opening hour (ten o’clock). It’s an impressive facility, with award-winning architecture and an abundance of landscaping. Looking at my notebook, I see scribbled in Dan’s handwriting: Julian needs to buy Dan a present.  A consistent, reasonably priced range of aromatic whites and Pinot Noirs. Standouts were the 2008 Pinot Gris, which is very flavoursome and not at all coarse, plus a correct and lightfooted 2008 Gewürztraminer. We enjoyed all three levels of Pinot, though I found the premium quite closed. The standard Pinot less so, however the current release (2007) is very young and brings with its age a degree of awkwardness. For drinking now, the second tier 2007 Saddleback is all one could wish for. Attractively fruit-driven, light-ish in body and quite delicious.

On to Gibbston Valley Wines, about which I choose to be concise. Aside from a distractingly Frass Canyon-like vibe at cellar door, the wines were uneven and, at worst, quite unappealing. We tried some charming Pinots from older vintages, though, which were gently glowing and talc-like in aroma (or was it the scented soaps?). We had tasted the 2006 Pinot at some length earlier in the week and agreed it is a very well made, correct wine.

Chard Farm, by contrast, was the ideal cellar door experience. Anyone who has visited this winery knows the winding road one takes to get there, and our risk-taking was amply rewarded by friendly, enthusiastic cellar door staff and, more importantly, an excellent range of wines. Chris nominated this as his favourite cellar door experience of the day, and it would be hard to disagree. All the wines tasted were worthwhile, even a fun, one-off 2005 vintage sparkling that is a little sweet for my taste but still enjoyable. Going from notes kindly penned by Dan, we especially enjoyed the 2008 Pinot Gris, which is firmly structured and flavoursome, with an especially interesting, velvety texture. Also a highlight amongst the whites is the 2006 Gewürztraminer, which for me was the best Gewürztraminer of the day: aromatic, tight and curiously herb-driven.

Chard Farm does at least four Pinot Noirs, starting with the 2007 River Run label at the low end. Very easy drinking, fruity and well finished. A step up brings us to the 2007 Finla Mor, which, although drinking well now, is a bigger wine all over. There’s greater density of fruit and quite chewy tannins, yet it retains an essentially fruit-driven character that makes for straightforward enjoyment. Two single vineyard wines from the 2006 vintage, The Tiger and The Viper, both excellent, are subtly different too. I loved the savouriness of these wines, and in terms of premium Pinots, they seemed less overwrought than some others tasted on the day. We left with several bottles.

On to Mount Difficulty for a brief cellar door tasting and a not so brief lunch. I wasn’t terribly fussed with the whites here (although the rosé was delicious). We had already done a detailed tasting of the 2007 Mount Difficulty Pinot by this stage in our travels. Initially, I found it quite acidic, though the quality of the fruit is evident immediately. Chris had less trouble with the structure and liked this wine from day one. We both agreed that, by day three, it had settled into a thing of luscious beauty, glowing with supple fruit. As an aside, you really can’t beat the view from this cellar door. Well worth a visit for that alone.

On to part 2 >>

Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay 2007

One of New Zealand’s higher profile Chardonnays.

Rich aromas that include yellow peach, matchstick, vanilla, toasted nuts and more. There’s certainly a lot going on here. Despite the aroma profile, it’s a little reticent in terms of expressiveness. Not so on the palate, where an impressive intensity of flavour is present almost immediately. Masses of peach and nougat flood the mouth, helped by a relatively viscous mouthfeel and tingly, yet subservient, acid. This is much more forward than my recollection of the 2006, and really quite complex. It’s also pretty worked and this, as with most things vinous, will be a matter of taste. From a full mid palate, the wine moves through an equally flavoursome after palate, more acid driven here, and on to a finish that tapers quite elegantly. Perhaps a little blousy for me, but there’s no denying the power of this fruit, nor the complexity and (relative) balance achieved through winemaking.

A fabulous wine if you’re in the mood for full-on New World Chardonnay.

Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ40
Closure: Diam
Date tasted: December 2008

Te Mata Estate Woodthorpe Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008

I’ve occasionally written up Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc wines on this site and have expressed some reservations about the style in light of its more famous cousin to the South. I’ve been waiting for a wine to change my mind and I may have found it in this Te Mata number.

Prickly, rich aromas of passionfruit with a bit of herbal astrigency. On its own terms, this is a very sniffable aroma, quite different from the Marlborough wines but no lesser for it. It’s a bright wine, but less aggressive in comparison and consequently more approachable. On entry, good impact both via structure and flavour intensity. There’s no shortage of fruit here, passionfruit jumping onto the tongue along with a nice line of fine acid and some other complexing flavours. Quite impressive. It reminds me a bit of Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc in its clean, bright and fruit-driven flavour profile. Not as rich as some Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blancs I’ve had, and I like this leaner profile, as it successfully avoids the laziness observed in some other wines. Not especially long.

Nice wine and, for me, a viable alternative to Marlborough.

Te Mata Estate
Price: $NZ20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2007

Mount Difficulty’s second label Pinot. I understand some Central Otago makers use fruit from a variety of regions for their second label wines but, according to the back label here, fruit is 100% Central Otago.

Bright aroma that shows a good whack of what I presume is stalk in addition to clean red fruit. The fruit doesn’t strike me as assertively “Central Otago” in character; it’s varietal but lacks the distinctive flavours I associate with Pinot from this region. Still, an attractive and fun aroma profile, albeit one that may not please those with an aversion to funky stalky notes.

In the mouth, very acid driven and in this respect a little coarse in mouthfeel. Bright, crunchy red fruits and more stalk. It’s dry in the mouth and, interestingly, although tannins are clearly an influence in this regard, they aren’t an obvious textural influence. Lots of flavour, impact and presence. It tapers on the after palate and finish, which are subdued in comparison to the entry and middle palate. I’ve heard Central Otago Pinot referred to as “tadpole” wines in structure, this being a good illustration. Very good value and an excellent, flavoursome wine that went very well with a lamb roast.

Mount Difficulty
Price: $NZ27
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Mission Estate Gewürztraminer 2008

Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer from a label that appears to have a considerable presence at the lower end of the market here in New Zealand. Varietal lychee on the nose is quite promising. Beyond this, however, the aroma profile becomes dull, lacking the character and assertiveness one might wish for in this variety. There’s some floral influence but otherwise it’s all a bit simple and blunt.

Things don’t get a lot better in the mouth, unfortunately. It’s thick and a bit flabby, owing to an acid structure that is overwhelmed by the wine’s viscosity and what appears to be some alcohol heat too. There doesn’t seem to be much intensity of flavour either, with wisps of lychee and spice disappearing into a vortex of blandness.

Disappointing, and overpriced too.

Mission Estate
Price: $NZ20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Esk Valley Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2007

I confess I loved many of the Hawkes Bay reds tasted on my last visit to New Zealand, so I’ve been keen to try a few more this visit. Whilst Gimblett Gravels Syrah is a spectacular style and very appealing me, tonight I’m trying a Bordeaux blend, which is historically more typical to this region.

Lovely bright purple colour, not overly dense, almost garish in its purity. On the nose, sweet red fruit and a distinctively Gimblett Gravels spice that reminds me of pot pourri. There’s a nice savoury edge to the fruit too. The more I sniff the deeper the aroma profile becomes, adding layers of complexity as I swirl. Very nice. The palate is currently highly structured with ripe yet very assertive tannins emerging quite early in the line. On entry, more bright fruit that edges towards confectionary but is held in check by spice and savouriness. Then the tannins come, powdery and even, masking the flavour profile a bit. That’s ok though, all it takes it some energetic swirling and chewing for a rush of fruit to register on the tongue, along with a well-judged amount of vanilla oak. It’s medium bodied, consistent in line and coherent. Reasonable finish.

A lovely return to Hawkes Bay.

Esk Valley
Price: $NZ30
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Stoneleigh Rapura Series Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Interesting wine, this one. To pontificate for a moment, the potential for obviousness with this style tends to produce a couple of extremes: wines that capitalise on the most outre aspects of the typical flavour profile, and wines that play down the astrigency and aromatic dimension to the point where they become almost apologetic for what they are. Of course, in most cases one seeks a happy medium, and I was happy to discover this wine falls at neither end of the spectrum.

A soft aroma profile that nonetheless shows a range of typical notes: grass, passionfruit and other slightly tropical delights. As a style, it definitely tends towards subtlety, perhaps even dilution, but compensation comes in the form of considerable complexity and delicacy. It’s a nice wine to smell. On the palate, if its tendency towards dilution is confirmed, so too is its complexity, impressive in the context of this style. Entry is driven more by structure than flavour, but this trend is reversed as the wine gains pace. More aromatic and slightly astringent tropical fruits cascade over the middle palate, generating some satisfaction. The after palate and finish gently stroke the palate, fairly subued.

I wonder if the lack of flavour intensity is a result of the vintage? In any case, a very drinkable wine that shows good complexity and well judged balance.

Stoneleigh
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Vidal Sauvignon Blanc 2008

It’s fashionable to bash Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but I confess I’m a fan. At their best, they represent the sort of flamboyant vulgarity that is its own reward. I think their style misleads some into thinking all examples are equivalent, but I’d suggest their outré character makes things like balance and scale more important than many other, perhaps more forgiving, wine styles. When Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc goes off the rails, it really shows.

All of which is a less than promising introduction to this wine, made by a Hawkes Bay winery from Marlborough fruit. From what I understand, 2008 wasn’t a spectacular year, many wines showing the challenges of the vintage. This is the first I’ve tried, and it’s not a disaster by any means, but it is firmly tilted towards the sort of herbal grassiness I associate more with Margaret River than Marlborough, and which I have trouble with in excessive quantities.

On the nose, typically forthright yet showing a strident grassiness that sits atop the aroma profile, dominating other notes of crisp passionfruit and gooseberry. This somehow makes it more astringent yet duller at the same time; not a great outcome. It says something for the resilience of this style that, despite the odd balance, this wine is still quite clearly a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The palate shows a softer wine that, whist remaining shackled to grassy notes, also remains quite drinkable through clever winemaking. By tempering any excess of acidity, the winemakers have softened this wine’s inherently astringent flavour profile to the point where it goes down quite easily. It continues to lack substance in terms of fruit notes, but it’s crisp and clean and refreshing. One could do a lot worse.

As an aside, I must come up with some form of shorthand for “Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,” as it’s quite cumbersome to type over and over again. Any suggestions?

Vidal Estate
Price: $NZ20
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007

Typical Central Otago aroma that reminds me of sweet and sour plums. Very clean and straightforward, and a little subdued perhaps. There are some herbal edges that add up to a moderately complex aroma profile.

On entry, a lovely sizzle of acidity and flavour. It’s lighter in tone than some other Central Pinot Noirs, which can tend towards larger scale, dark fruit. No, this wine is lightfooted by comparison, and one of its pleasures is that it has presence and impact without heaviness. Flavour intensity reaches a peak on the middle palate, where red fruits alternate deftly between sweet and tart. The whole is light to medium bodied. Alas, things start to go amiss on the after palate, where intensity drops too suddenly towards a finish that doesn’t match the scale of the entry and mid palate. It’s still quite a young wine, though, and I wonder if it might fill out a little with some time.

There’s a lot to like here but, for me, this wine lacks a sense of excitement and character that would make it truly compelling. Still, not a bad way to get your Central Otago fix.

Rockburn
Price: $NZ40
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008

Rockburn Pinot Gris 2007

As a Canberran, I grew up with the civilised notion of a well-stocked supermarket liquor section. After years of living in other, less advanced cities (Sydney, Brisbane), I’ve largely forgotten this convenience, and it’s a pleasant surprise, when visiting home or, as now, New Zealand, to rediscover the efficiency of purchasing red wine and Berocca in the same transaction. Indeed, popping into the Papakura Countdown supermarket yesterday evening revealed a relative treasure-trove of wine, perhaps not as wide ranging as a dedicated alcohol shop, but quite serviceable nonetheless. I wasted no time in choosing a few bottles to have with dinner.

I’ve had some nice Pinot Gris from Central Otago, tending towards rusticity perhaps, but full of flavour and generosity. Chard Farm and Peregrine spring to mind, and there are no doubt others. This one, though, isdisappointing. Its nose is a largely mute, revealing wisps of grapey flavour, and a higher toned dimension alongside, but nothing especially well defined. On the palate, good acidity, a little rough and ready but firm and lively too. On one level, it’s quite flavoursome. As I sip, though, I find I’m unable to focus on specific notes, not because I don’t recognise key flavour components but because the whole is vague and blurry in character. There’s no significant definition here, no precision or clear framework for the flavours to relate to one another. So, although it has reasonable presence in the mouth, it’s not a wine that rewards close examination or leisurely contemplation. The bottle states 13.3% alcohol, but I wonder if there isn’t a slight alcohol burn on the finish.

Rockburn
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2008