Results tagged “Central Otago”

It wasn't too long ago that Central Otago Pinot invariably came with an elevated price tag. One of the surprises, then, of our visit to the region a year or so ago was the range of reasonably priced wines on offer. Indeed, from an accessibility perspective the region seemed to have come of age, with plenty of wines available at all price points.

There's not much to do in Te Anau, New Zealand, on the night of your very quiet wedding except hunt down a nice restaurant and order the flashest-looking bottle on the list. So it was that I ended up drinking this very wine a couple of years ago. I've since tried it a couple of times (most recently in New Zealand with Chris) and it continues to provide enjoyment. Wine's funny like that; it can be as much about the circumstance as anything else, and often I give in to this subjectivity.

This label is one of Chard Farm's lesser Pinot labels, though this doesn't imply any less integrity in terms of region or winemaking approach. 100% Central Otago fruit, from the Parkburn area, which is nearer to Cromwell than it is to the winery's location in Gibbston. I mentioned in my writeup of Central Otago wineries that, often, I have enjoyed lesser labels in preference to their "reserve" siblings, because they can represent a fresher, less scaled-up expression of Central Otago fruit, and so showcase the essential attractiveness of this region's character more directly. 

Bang, we're back in Central Otago. The nose is fragrant, meaty, with a big dose of pepper and dark spice. There's also a bit of vanilla, a sprig of fresh thyme and rather savoury fruit. Though I've listed a lot of descriptors, this isn't an overwhelmingly complex wine, or perhaps I should write that it's not an overtly complex wine. There is a fair bit going on here, but its aroma profile has a coherence and integrity that suggests itself more than a collection of independent notes. It's also quite similar to some cool climate Shirazes I've tasted. 

There seems to be two types of Sauvignon Blanc made by Central Otago producers: those using local grapes and those made from Marlborough fruit. This wine is the only regional blend I've tasted. I must admit, I wasn't especially taken with this at cellar door, but the other half requested we purchase a bottle, and I'm nothing if not obliging when it comes to purchasing wine. Much to my wallet's chagrin.

<< Back to part 1

A hop over to Cairnmuir Road and we were soon tasting more wines, this time at Akarua. Most unexpectedly, we were seriously impressed with the 2005 Chardonnay. Quite worked, it nonetheless has a spine-tingling thrust of acidity on the palate that props up all the elements and allows the various fruit, lees, oak and malo notes to shine. A steal at $NZ25. Both Pinots were also very impressive. The 2006 Gullies is balanced for easy drinking but possesses some sophistication. The 2006 Cadence is just a lovely wine, powerful without being cumbersome, very much of its region, unforced and elegant. It had me wishing for extra money in the bank or, at least, more time to sit and enjoy it. Again, reasonable prices.

It was a relief to visit Bannock Brae Estate after a string of larger operations, for it is determinedly boutique. Four wines, all made in a relatively idiosyncratic style, and a friendly labrador to greet you at cellar door (which doubles as the residence of the owners). All very down to earth. The wines themselves, made by Olssens, are excellent. The 2007 Goldfields Riesling is made in a dry style, fermented in old oak barrels with some lees stirring. The result is a crisp, minerally, fascinatingly textured wine of considerable interest. The two Pinots are interesting. The 2006 Goldfields, another second label wine, is more serious than some of its "drink now" brethren, showing less voluptuousness of fruit and a relatively savoury flavour profile. The 2006 Barrel Selection is quite striking, and different from any other Pinot tasted on the day. Chris quite rightly identified a Nebbiolo-like flavour profile that shows elements of tar and rose petals. It's almost entirely savoury and finely textured in its presentation. A real "detail" wine and one that was purchased on the day.

Our last stop in the Bannockburn sub-region was Carrick. Although the cellar door was crowded, we quickly tasted the Pinot and found it perhaps a little lacking compared to some of the elegant and individual wines just sampled. Certainly well-made, though.

Driving as quickly as possible through Cromwell to its light commercial heart reveals (quite unexpectedly, given the landscape) more wineries, including Rockburn. I tasted the current release Rockburn Pinot recently on Full Pour and, whilst I found it a pleasant wine, in the context of the day's tastings its overly sweet flavour profile was more evident and less attractive. In fact, the whole Rockburn range seemed to aim for sweetness of one or other sort, and left us underwhelmed. In particular, the second label Pinot was clumsily oaked (using oak chips) and quite inferior to several other second labels tasted on the day.

Happily, we drove the hundred metres or so to the Central Otago Wine Company, which has an array of wines that piqued our interest. The Central Otago Wine Company, or CowCo for short, is a contract winemaking facility that makes wine for a range of producers across most sub-regions of Central Otago. Consequently, it's possible to taste your way across the region quite easily. First up for us was the 2007 Sleeping Dogs Chardonnay which, frankly, is superb. A powerful wine, quite worked with vanilla oak, caramel, assertive lemon-like fruit and tingly acid. We were all in agreement on this one. Other wines were tasted, including a range of Pinots the highlight of which for me was probably the 2006 De Vine Pinot Noir, a sappy, acid-driven wine that refreshed my palate after a long day's tasting. Although there's romance associated with small wineries that "do it all," it's also valuable to have a top contract winemaking service availiable to small growers, and from a consumer's perspective, I love being able to taste different vineyards' expressions through the lens of top quality, "hands off" winemaking.  A long chat with the helpful lady at cellar door ensued after tasting had ended, fuelled no doubt by the very generous pours. What a great experience.

Before leaving Cromwell behind, we swung by Wooing Tree for a swirl through the range. A fun producer, this one. The 2008 Blondie (a still Blanc de Noir) and 2008 rosé are fun, fruity wines that don't repell more contemplative tasting, though it should be said the entire range aims for hedonistic enjoyment more than anything else. The 2007 Beetle Juice Pinot Noir and 2007 Estate Pinot Noir are both luscious wines, fruit-driven in the most attractive manner. We nicknamed this producer Shagging Tree upon leaving, and with wines like these, why not? Totally seductive, and well priced too.

Our palates were a little tired at this stage, so we retired to the comfort and warmth of Amisfield. Though Amisfield is located close to Queenstown, most of its grapes are sourced from vineyards located in Cromwell. Quite a large range here, part of which we tasted with the assistance of refreshingly rambunctious cellar door staff. Whilst some of the wines were excellent, the main attraction for us here was dinner. Utterly unpretentious food with a focus on simple ingredients and flavours, excellent service and comfortable surrounds. It was a fabulous way to end the day.

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A couple of reflections to close:

• I've complained in the past about the price of good Central Otago Pinot Noir. No longer. Although there are many premium wines in the $NZ50+ price bracket, there's now a large range of excellent wines in the $NZ20-40 range. CowCo on its own has several. If only more were exported to Australia.
• We often enjoyed second label Pinot Noirs more than their premium counterparts. Whilst this may be due to a balance that favours immediate consumption, it also has something to do with the tendency in many more expensive wines to mask the essential, highly attractive regional fruit character with excess oak, acidity and extract. Why hide what makes the region's Pinots so distinctive and tasty? Indeed, in my opinion the best premiums placed their complex, savoury and delicious fruit on centre stage.
  
• On a more personal note, it really is excellent to taste with others, especially someone with a high level of vinous acuity like Chris. A pleasure from start to finish.
  

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 >>

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

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

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

Peregrine's second label Pinot, composed of Central Otago and Marlborough fruit. I've noticed this blend of regions in a few Central Otago producers' lesser wines. It's an interesting mix in theory, with both regions having quite distinctive Pinot flavour profiles in their own right. Second tasting of this wine, with more positive results this time around.

Initially stinky and somewhat unattractive, with stale spice notes dominating a nose of disjointed fruit flavours. After a few minutes, though, the wine is cleaner and more delicious. The Marlborough influence is evident, with a tamarillo-like note in amongst the more Central Otago cola and plum flavours. Good intensity and enough complexity to make it worth smelling repeatedly.

Good, flavoursome entry that shows more bright, moderately sweet fruit flavour alongside slightly smokey, spice notes. Certainly prominent acidity, but not overwhelmingly so. Entry continues to a fruit-driven, medium bodied mid-palate of tasty tamarillo and red fruits. Moderate intensity of flavour, and although flavours are bright, they are also dense enough to be mouthfilling. Mouthfeel is quite velvety and sophisticated. The fruit intensity drops off rather precipitously through the after palate, and the finish is consequently a bit hollow.

Perhaps not a wine for regional purists, as it's neither here nor there when it comes to communicating a sense of place. If you can get past that, however, you'll find a tasty wine of distinctive character and reasonable price. Try it with pork.

Peregrine
Price: $NZ25
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: May 2008

For those visiting the Central Otago region, do drop by Peregrine's cellar door, as much for the spectacular setting and architecture as the wines. I enjoyed a wide range of wines when there last year, but right now we have the key label in its portfolio: the Pinot Noir.

This wine, made from fruit of the Cromwell Basin (Northburn) and Gibbston Valley sub-regions, makes an interesting stylistic comparison with well known wines from the Bannockburn sub-region (specifically, the 2006 Mount Difficulty and Felton Road Pinots previously tasted here at Full Pour). On the nose, this wine is a detailed, perfumed wine of impressive complexity. There are notes of bright sour plum, spice, sap, sausage and citrus mixed into a well integrated flavour profile. It's a delicate nose, and if I were to compare it with the Bannockburn Pinots, I would say this wine shows greater finesse and complexity, perhaps at the expense of outright impact.

Initially, I found the palate to be structurally overwhelming, with prominent acidity and tannins washing away any substantial trace of fruit flavour. Some vigorous swirling, though, has helped to rebalance the palate, and through the evening it has become more drinkable, if still highly structured. Acidity and bright fruit weave in and out of each other on entry, creating a very focussed first impression. As the wine moves to the mid-palate, it remains quite driven in its line, but the fruit relaxes somewhat to express hints of sweetness amongst the primarily savoury, sour flavour profile. There's a lot going on here, flavour-wise, with more sour plum and spice, plus a strong mineral streak. The flavour continues to build towards the after palate, where a clean, attractive burst of red fruit presents, before velvet tannins whisk the wine away to a lengthy finish.

Frankly, this wine isn't ready to drink now and, as excited as I am about it, I should note that its best days are ahead of it. Having made that point, this is an excellent wine that has enormous potential to become superb with a few years in bottle. It's already complex, and just needs time for its structure to soften and let the fruit emerge from its cage. One that's worth waiting for (and excellent value).

Peregrine
Price: $NZ39
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: April 2008

So I'm back in Brisbane but I keep buying New Zealand wines. Go figure. It's New Year's Eve here and we're having baked salmon, so I thought some Central Otago Pinot Noir might be the go. 

One thing that bugs me about Central Otago Pinot is the lack of what I would call "everyday" or quaffing wines. There has, in recent years, been an emergence of affordable, quality Australian Pinot Noir, so the scarcety of Central Otago cheapies has become more evident. I nabbed this one at the local supermarket, as it was well priced and the label talks about ecologically friendly farming practices, etc. Good on paper for sure.

This wine shows good typicity of fruit flavour on the nose, so from the perspective of a "sense of place" in wine, it's doing the right thing. The nose lacks impact, though, as the fruit flavour is both rather simple and somewhat dilute in character. The palate continues this impression, with a promising entry leading to a middle palate that never quite delivers the goods. It's light to medium bodied, again a bit simple and dilute in flavour, and with acidity that is too aggressive for the wine's intensity. Tannins are very fine and even, length is acceptable.

It's nice to be able to buy an obviously "Central Otago" Pinot Noir for a smidge under $NZ25, so I shouldn't grumble too much, I suppose. It's just not an especially compelling wine.

Stockman's Station
Price: $NZ24
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007

I couldn't resist picking up a few bottles of wine at the Auckland duty free stores. In fact, the selection had quite a few little numbers that were of interest. I grabbed this one immediately. Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of visiting Central Otago and the Mount Difficulty cellar door. I quite enjoyed the wines there, and so jumped at the chance to taste this one (at local prices too!).

Lovely, expressive nose, showing distinctively Central Otago "sweet sour plum" fruit character, with edges of forest floor and the opulent sweetness of something like creme brulee. Absolutely seductive. The entry is quite striking in its immediacy and, although the wine is obviously young, it's not holding anything back, with the middle palate showing lots of fruit flavour. It is perhaps a bit unfocussed, but strongly regional and delicious. There's a good whack of caramel oak too. The wine's flavour continues strongly through the after palate and lengthy finish. There's a roughness to the mouthfeel that is part acid, part chunky tannin. The alcohol also protrudes a little, at times masking the fruit. I suppose one could accuse the wine of being a bit overdone, and if your taste runs to light to medium bodied pinots of finesse, you may not especially enjoy this one.  I'm more inclined, though, to accept and enjoy it for what it is: a big, flavourful Central Otago Pinot that will probably respond to a couple of years in the bottle.

Other half, who generally enjoys full bodied red wines, loved it.

Mount Difficulty
Price: $NZ38
Closure: Stelvin
Date tasted: December 2007

In addition to some lovely Pinot Noir, one of the delights of my trip to Central Otago earlier this year was tasting the range of delicious, aromatic whites. Although I noted a degree of inconsistency between producers, the region in general seems to produce full, generous Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer that are often notably different in style to those produced in Australia. In particular, producers in Central Otago seem more inclined to a range of styles that include varying degrees of residual sugar. Now to the Peregrine, from the 2005 vintage.

Signs of age are already appearing on the wine's nose, with toast and perhaps even a slight kero edge infiltrating the wine's otherwise heady honeysuckle-like nose. No shrinking violet, this wine. Despite the generosity, I thought it was initially all over the place and quite disjointed. After about half an hour with it, I wouldn't say it's entirely resolved, but it's much more coherent than it was on opening.

The wine's entry immediately introduces vivid, somewhat coarse acidity onto the palate, along with intense citrus and apple flavours. The middle palate is quite full and it's here the wine's residual sugar starts to influence the flavour profile. It thickens the fruit and introduces a tropical fruit element into the wine, not at all unpleasant. This may sound odd, but this wine has a sweet and sour line running through it that strongly reminds me of some New Zealand Pinot Noir. Flavours persist well through the after palate, winding up in a neat, surprisingly soft finish.

There's no denying this is a tasty wine with plenty of flavour. I would have preferred a tad more elegance, though, and would happily trade some of this wine's intensity of flavour for a greater sense of poise and balance. Despite the modest residual sweetness, the wine still comes in at 13.5% alcohol.

I don't have any food to go with this wine right now, but I bet some Asian canapes would be perfect.

Peregrine
Price: $A22
Closure: Stelvin
Tasted: November 2007