By Raymond Chan
Our annual
tastings of Craggy
Range wines are always
eagerly anticipated. The wines are truly
representative of the site and region.
The cool-climate wines, highly expressive of aromatic character are
particularly clear and pure in this, and as such, are wonderful to taste. The individuality of the superb, little
parcels of vines throughout the country are displayed wonderfully by the art
and craft of Craggy Range’s cool-climate winemaker Adrian Baker, who is
responsible for all the company’s wines from vineyards from Martinborough
south.. It was again a pleasure to have Adrian take us through a
great selection of his wines. This year,
he excelled himself with a group of Pinot Noir wines that displayed site,
region and vintage variation in a way seldom seen before. Here are my notes on the wines tasted:
Flight One: Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc
A starter
wine to show the style of Sauvignon wine that comes from Martinborough and how
it is worlds apart from that of Marlborough.
The Te Muna site of Martinborough was planted in 2000 and its 100 hectares
nearly doubled the regions acreage of vines at the time.
The Craggy Range ‘Te Muna’ Martinborough
Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (18.0+/20) at 13.5% alc and an imperceptible 1.7 g/l
rs was 45% whole cluster pressed and 24% indigenous yeast fermented in 12% oak,
and matured on lees for 4 months in 4% new French barriques. Pale straw with green hues, this had a tight,
but solid nose of gooseberries and herbs along with mineral nuances. Dry, tight and restrained in flavour, this
had a softness of texture allied to freshness and excellent weight and length,
making it a “more than one glasser” Sauvignon.
Here, there is no explosively rich, pungent fruit, and there is real
body and texture for food matching ability.
Flight Two: The Fletcher Family Rieslings
Colin and
Chris Fletcher with their children manage their vineyard on gravel influenced
soils on Old Renwick Road
in the Wairau Valley.
The vines, were planted in 1984 and the fruit totally contracted to Craggy Range.
Two variants
of Riesling from the 2008 vintage were served, with the aim of detecting any
vineyard character and similarity. The Craggy Range
‘Fletcher’ Marlborough
Riesling 2008 (17.5/20) at 11.4% alc and 13.5 g/l rs was still youthful in
appearance with its green hues. Very
fine, firm and intense aromas of limes and minerals, this was quite dry to
taste with an almost austere showing of peaches, limes and chalk. The acidity is prominent, but this should
develop well and come together over the next 6+ years. The Craggy
Range ‘Fletcher’ Marlborough Noble Riesling 2008 (19.0-/20) at 11.0% alc
and 115 g/l rs had a straw yellow colour with golden hints. On bouquet, this had limes, florals, minerals
and honey from the botrytis. Quite
restrained at first, the nose grew in the glass, emerging superbly. Very sweet, but fine-grained, this combined
honey and talc with citrus marmalade flavours on a palate that hinted at
decadence with stylishness. Excellent
acidity to prevent cloying, and a family chalk note.
Flight Three: The Otago Station Pinots
Situated
inland in north Otago is the Waitaki
Valley vignoble,
limestone foothills with gravel, and a maritime influenced climate. Overall there are less than 100 ha planted,
of which Craggy Range has 12 ha. The other producers are significant, Grant
Taylor of Valli, Jeff Sinnott at Ostler, John Forrest, and Michelle Richardson at Waitaki Braids.
The Craggy Range
‘Otago Station’ Waitaki
Valley Pinot Gris 2009
( 17.5-/20) was 13.6% alc and 6.0 g/l rs.
Straw yellow with some depth to the colour, this was quite Pinot Grigio
in style with its steely, flinty, kernel nose and dry, crisp, minerally palate. Elegant and delicate, this possessed an unctuous
mouthfeel underneath. The Craggy Range
‘Otago Station’ Waitaki
Valley Pinot Noir 2008
(18.0-20) was 13.7% alc after the fruit was all destemmed and native yeast
fermented, then aged 9 months in 33% new French barriques. Light ruby red with gentle purple hues, the
nose was light and elegant with an ethereal aspect to the bright, light red
fruit and rose flavours. Fine textures,
gentle tannins and good acidity were features.
These two
wines were seen by several of the group to have real “precision, delicacy and
poise".
Flight Four: Pinot Noir Pairs
This was a
fascinating flight of six Pinot Noir wines demonstrating three different
terroirs over two different vintages.
The first two
pairs of wines came from Central Otago. 2008 was a high cropping vintage which
required heavy crop thinning to produce quality, concentrated wines. 2007 was a very good, warm, low yield season
producing concentrated, structured wines.
The Zebra Vineyard is situated in a cooler section of Bendigo, established in 2001 and 2002, and is
regarded as a cooler, late-ripening site.
The Craggy Range
‘Zebra’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008
(18.0-/20) at 14.2% alc was totally destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts
and aged 10 months in 40% new French barriqies.
Medium deep ruby red with purple hues, this had a full nose showing a
touch of alcohol with bright dark cherry fruit aromas. Supple and elegant, the bright cherryish
fruit showed good concentration, fresh acidity and low extraction, allowing
accessibility. The Craggy Range ‘Zebra’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 (18.5+/20) at
14.1% alc, also totally destemmed and fermented with native yeast, was aged 10
months in 42% new French oak. It was
full and deeply coloured, youthful purple-ruby in appearance. The nose was intense, deep and spicy with its
dark cherry aromas and firmly tannic palate.
Matching the full structure was concentrated, but rounded fruit with
density and richness. The two ‘Zebra’
wines shared a linear dark cherry character.
The Calvert
vineyard is a warmer site in Bannockburn,
situated on Felton Road. It is managed biodynamically by the Felton Road team
and is reckoned to have a “life and vitality” according to Adrian.
The Craggy Range
‘Calvert’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008
(18.0+/20) is 14.2% alc with 15% whole bunch fermented by indigenous yeasts
then aged 10 months in 33% new French barriques. It was medium deep ruby red with lighter edge
of purple hues. Fresh on nose with a
juicily ripe nose of dark plums and fruits, this was a plump, lush wine with
full, rounded plum flavours. Supple and
lowish in acidity, this was delicious.
The Craggy Range
‘Calvert’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007
(19.0-/20) was 13.9% alc made from totally destemmed fruit, native yeast
fermented and aged 10 months in 38% new French oak. Dark and deep hearted in dark ruby colour,
this had a touch of garnet. Very
concentrated and deep, with blood and dark plum aromas, this was a fully
structured wine with rich fruit of dark plums and spices, florals and hints of
game, there was a little oak toastiness.
Very fine-grained. The ‘Calvert’
wines certainly share the trait of opulent dark plum flavours.
The Te Muna
vineyard, planted in 2000, is on old Martinborough Terrace soils. The mixed clones contribute to the
complexity. 2008 was a ‘dream season’
producing low yields, but balanced crops.
2007 was a harvest of extremely low yields, around 15% of normal. The Craggy
Range ‘Te Muna’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008 (19.0-/20) was 13.7% alc, had
5% whole bunch, native yeast fermented and aged 10 months in 33% new French
oak. Deep ruby red in colour with purple
hues, this had a fabulous full nose of dark fruits, herbs, game, savoury spices
all ripely and sweetly expressed. The
palate was one of balance, harmony and integration. Richly concentrated, but supple and drinkable
now. This will age 6-8 years. The Craggy
Range ‘Te Muna’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2007 (19.0-/20) at 13.5% alc, was
totally destemmed and fermented with native yeasts, then aged 10 months in 38%
new French oak. Dark, deep garnet hued
ruby red, this was powerful on bouquet with bright dark berry fruits alongside
savoury, forest notes, herbs and game.
The wine was remarkable fresh and youthful, yet complex, with layers
unfolding. A wine of good structure,
tannic grip and acidity, the fruit was firm too, and this will age a decade. The Te Muna wines shared the traits of complex
savoury fruit, layers of flavour and good structure.
Flight Five: The Prestige Wines
The cream of
the crop, and made in small quantities, usually low hundreds of cases. First was the Craggy Range ‘Aroha’ Te Muna Martinborough Pinot Noir 2007
(19.0+/20), at 13.5% alc, employing totally destemmed fruit, indigenous yeast
fermented with 14 months on 42% new French oak. Dark, deep, ruby red colour with purple hues,
this was very powerful, with full, broad, amazingly rich and deep fruit aromas
of dark berry fruits, and game, quite complex.
Intense, full and plump, this had sweetness of fruit with firm tannin
backbone. Yet the wine is velvety,
supple and plush, quite decadent. Just
richer, more plush, more interesting than the regular label. The Craggy Range ‘Le Sol’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah
2007 (19.5/20), with 14.21% alc, native yeast fermented and aged 20 months
in 42% new French oak. Dark, deep, black
red in colour, this has all the Syrah attributes of black and blue fruits,
black pepper, spices and florals on bouquet.
Intense, yet refined and classy.
On the palate, this is a concentrated and fully structured wine, the
extract serious, but with great finesse.
The fruit is rich, vibrant and powerful; dark fruits, pepper and
perfumed, liquorice and meat.
Wonderfully fresh with its acidity giving a lusciousness. Very long finishing indeed. Magnificent and capable of 20 years aging. Though from the warm-climate Gimblett Gravels
site, it is cool-climate Syrah.