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Wine Review

Escarpment Vineyard ‘Insight’ Pinot Noir

By Raymond Chan
As one of the southern hemisphere’s top Pinot Noir makers, it was only a matter of time before Larry McKenna began to explore the concepts of single vineyard wines and the expression of terroir. In his time at Martinborough Vineyard, Larry helped establish some of the oldest Pinot Noir plantings in the country. The philosophies at the time meant that the individual properties of site were the building blocks of the assemblage of a wine that could be greater than the sum of its parts. In fact, in building the Martinborough Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noirs, Larry achieved this goal. However the model of Burgundy is the expression of site and terroir, and this concept has been at the core of some of the finest and most interesting wines made in New Zealand in recent times. Larry, at Escarpment Vineyard has propelled himself into the forefront of New Zealand Pinot Noir production with the release of his ‘Insight Series’ single vineyard Pinot Noirs. They are unique expressions of three special sites on the Martinborough Terrace; sites which Larry has had involvement with from their beginnings. The three ‘Insight Series’ wines join the ‘Kupe’ flagship single vineyard wine, and these four Pinot Noirs have become the first exploration of terroir in Martinborough, ironically New Zealand’s first seriously recognized Pinot Noir producing region. The Escarpment wines begin the process of insight of this special vignoble.

Regional Wines was extremely pleased to conduct a tasting of the whole Escarpment Vineyard range of wines, the first ever conducted, since Larry began the Escarpment label. The tasting signaled the blossoming and maturity of the Escarpment Vineyard label. The tasting was fully subscribed in record time, an indication of the strength of following by the informed wine public. It was a most informative and thought-provoking tasting indeed, a reflection of the commitment that Larry McKenna has to making some of the world’s top Pinot Noir wines. Following are my notes on the wines tasted:

Flight One: White Varietals


Two very different whites, the Riesling of great purity, the Pinot Gris a fully winemaker-made wine. While not enjoyed by many tasters, the Pinot Gris was still appreciated for its different style.

Escarpment Vineyard Riesling 2007
12.0% alc, 15 g/l rs, pH 2.84, TA 8.8 g/l, fruit from Escarpment’s Te Muna Road site. Very pale straw yellow colour. Very fine, elegant, minerally nose with florals, limes and some slate notes, lovely delicacy. Dry on palate, this is very fine and tight with elegant minerally flavours, but excellent depth and concentration. Beautifully textured, the acidity gives lovely freshness and balance. A refined Riesling of real class and finesse. 19.0/20

Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Gris 2006
14.0% alc, <1 g/l rs, pH 3.39, TA 5.4 g/l, barrel fermented, 100% MLF. Light, golden straw yellow colour. Full, broad nose, complex and savoury with ripe nutty and stonefruit aromas, some oak and leesy notes, deep and rich, some oxidative elements. Dry and full-bodied, this has rich stonefruit flavours, with oak and lees, quite savoury and nutty with the oxidation component showing. Robust, but with good acidity. Winemaker made, and will be food-friendly. My score 17.5-/20

Flight Two: Chardonnay


Two classic Chardonnays, the district blend wine accessible, whereas the ‘Kupe’ a wine of immense concentration and one that will develop well with time in the bottle.

Escarpment Vineyard Chardonnay 2006
14.2% alc, 4 g/l rs, pH 3.4, TA 5.6 g/L, 100% BF in 30% new oak, 100% MLF. Fullish even straw yellow colour. Very fine and elegant nose, with peachy, citrus and mealy fruit aromas, balanced with malolactic component adding to the interest. Full citrus, mealy, peach and MLF flavours, but with elegance. Warm and rich, this is open and accessible, but very harmonious. This has lovely freshness and acidity. Excellent flavours and balance and drinking well now. 18.5-/20

Escarpment Vineyard ‘Kupe’ Chardonnay 2006
14.1% alc, <1 g/l rs, pH 3.27, TA 6.2 g/l, Clone 95, single vineyard wine, 100% BF in 50% new oak, 100% MLF. Brilliant, pale straw yellow colour. Very refined and tightly bound nose, stonefruit and minerals, very white Burgundian, pure and subtle. Tightly constructed wine, with real power on the palate, yet with restraint and style. Rich and firm stonefruit and nutty flavours and beautifully expressed powerful oak in good balance. There is concentration and length here, and this will unfold and develop over the next 3-5 years. Superb Chardonnay. 19.0-/20

Flight Three: Pinot Noir


A fascinating flight of wines, showing increasing finesse and interest as one tastes up the hierarchy. The three ‘Insight’ single-vineyard wines were served ‘blind’ and with the order randomized to negate any preconceptions about the wines from media press and critical reviews already released. Reviews from some quarters have favoured some wines over others. In discussion with Larry McKenna, all three wines are worthy of interest in his opinion, and the order of presentation may have had an influence on their perception of ‘quality’. Judgements at this level are probably subjective.

Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
13.8% alc, 11 months in 30% new French oak. Dark, deep, ruby red with garnet hues, but also purple on edge. Full, solid, dense nose of black fruits along with some savoury, game elements. This is solid and robust, quite firm, but still is has aromatic lift. Full and firm on the palate, with dark berry fruit flavours, concentrated and rich. This has a firmness and concentration. The acidity is fresh and lifts the fruit expression. Medium length. 18.0+/20

Escarpment Vineyard ‘Moana’ Pinot Noir 2006
13.5% alc, fruit from the Cleland vineyard, Cambridge Street, from 25 y.o. vines, Clones UCD 5, 6 and 12. 16 days vat time, 12 months in 30% new French oak. Very dark, deep, ruby red with a little garnet. Youthful purple hues. Very full, powerful nose with meat and game. Black fruits, animal-like almost funky in expression. Very European in expression. Full and soft on palate, rich and quite mellow with game and savoury, forest-floor flavours. Quite complex, this is well-balanced and shows integration. There is depth and concentration here. The wine is velvety and very accessible. On this showing, this was the third preferred of the three blind wines for the group. My score 18.5+/20

Escarpment Vineyard ‘Voyager’ Pinot Noir 2006
13.9% alc, fruit from the McCreanor vineyard, Princess Street, from vines 25 y.o., Clone 10/5. 19 days vat time, 12 months in 30% new French oak. Dark, deep, ruby red with a lighter edge to the colour. Very fine and elegant on bouquet, with lifted red florals, and soft red berry fruits. Tight, fragrant and elegant, pretty in expression. Elegantly proportioned palate with purity of florals, almost a mineral aspect. The tannin extraction is extremely fine, but there is depth and considerable concentration here. Very modern and with lovely fruit aromatic character coming to the fore. The most preferred wine of the three blind wines for the tasters. My score 18.5-/20

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