When a number of Central Otago Pinot Noir producers began releasing super-premium Pinot Noir bottlings, there followed questions on the validity, quality and longevity of the wines, especially for a vignoble without the track record enjoyed by other regions. However two decades of winegrowing and winemaking make the beginnings of history and proof, and there are a number of wines from Central Otago that have stood the test of time, notably some of the early Rippon and Gibbston Valley releases. Early on in the piece, Gibbston Valley set a standard in quality and price with their Reserve Pinot Noir which retailed significantly over the $100.00 mark, and comfortably so, given its recognition and sales especially internationally. Peregrine also made its mark with a sensational 2005 release of its ‘Pinnacle’ Pinot Noir with the 2005 vintage, possibly the most expensive New Zealand Pinot Noir at nearly $175.00 per bottle. This too, along with the 2007 has great quality built into it and can stand scrutiny alongside similarly priced Pinot Noirs from around the world.
The 2006 vintage in Central Otago was one of the earliest on record, the fruit ripening quickly, and one of abundance. This led to an early appraisal of high quality, which in turn led to a number of super-premium Pinot Noir releases. Generally, the 2006 Central Otago Pinot Noirs are now developing wonderful secondary complexities, and many of the wines are on a plateau, as indicated by our recent tasting of the three ‘Calvert’ Pinot Noirs from Craggy Range, Felton Road and Pyramid Valley. (To see Raymond’s notes, click here). How about the super-premium wines? How are they showing now? Do they show top quality? Will they still keep and develop? Three wines provide some clues:
Quartz Reef ‘Bendigo Estate’ Pinot Noir 2006
Rudi Bauer is one of the veterans of the Central Otago Pinot Noir scene, making the early Rippon wines of Wanaka. His passion is now for the superb Burgundy-like slopes of the Bendigo region off the eastern shores of Lake Dunstan, near Cromwell, where he sees potential greatness. It is agreed the Bendigo wines require time to show their unique style, and Rudi’s premium wine, the ‘Bendigo Estate’ is the perfect example. Made from clones 777 and 115, this included 20% whole bunch in the ferment to 14.5% alc. The wine was then aged 14 months in 28% new French oak. Even ruby-garnet in colour, this has a fresh, fragrant and aromatic nose of youthful red fruits. On palate, this was very finely textured with racy acidity alongside fresh, lifted florals. The wine is very clear-cut with a minerality of expression. An alcohol cut is noticeable, but adds to the underlying firmness and tightly bound fruit. These features will integrate over the next 6-8 years; the wine should exhibit considerable forest-floor complexity as it ages. This is exactly how Rudi wants his wines to grow in the bottle.
Carrick ‘Excelsior’ Pinot Noir 2006
Based at Bannockburn, the Cairnmuir vineyard site has proven to be a special one, providing the fruit for a series of outstanding Pinot Noirs for Steve Green and Barbara Robertson. A selection portion of the vineyard, with a further barrel selection resulted in the first ‘Excelsior’ wine under the Carrick label. The wine adorns artwork by Grahame Sydney whose Central Otago scenes are famous. At 13.5% alc, winemaker Steve Davies included around 15% whole bunch, then aged the wine in 50% new French oak barrels for 18 months. The wine has a dark, deep, full ruby-garnet colour and a dense, concentrated bouquet of soft, savoury red fruits with forest complexities. The wine is soft and full on palate with a mass of red fruits, florals intermingling with dark plums and oak toast. There is excellent grip behind the fruit sweetness, but the wine appears as a bit of a ‘big softie’ and thus quite hedonistic. Don’t be misled, this has the class and hidden elegance to see it go another 5-6 years easily. With Jane Docherty ex-Felton Road installed as winemaker now, future ‘Excelsior’ wines will be exciting!
Amisfield ‘Rocky Knoll’ Pinot Noir 2006
Grand Cru Burgundy was the model for this release from the Amisfield winery. Winemaker at the time Jeff Sinnott recognized the special mature of a site within a site at Lowburn, on the western slopes off Lake Dunstan, based on the glacial soils, and selected its fruit for the very best of treatment. Based on Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777, Jeff applied adventurous winemaking with portions of the fruit having around 30% whole bunches in the ferment, indigenous yeasts and 45 days on skins. The wine reached 14.0% alc, and was then aged 15 months in 44% new French oak barriques. Deep ruby red in colour, with just the lightest garnet hue appearing, this has a wonderful bouquet redolent of dark red fruits, cherries, plums and Asian spices that is still quite primary in expression. This has immense concentration allied to finesse, the tannins considerable, but extremely refined and therefore very supple. The sweetness and freshness of the fruit is the feature, but it is in no way over the top. It is perfect in proportion. This is a sensational wine that should develop superbly over the next decade.