After a series of low yield, frost –affected vintages, it is
pleasing to see Martinborough experience two consecutive ‘normal’ harvests with
2008 and 2009. There has been no doubt
over the quality of the wines over the last decade, just that often, there was
very little of them. A point in case are
the 2007s, magnificently concentrated, but minuscule in quantity. The 2008 harvest was a return to average
yields, with excellent fruit health and ripening. The Pinot Noir wines are particularly
attractive, with succulent red and black fruit aromas and flavours, and a
suppleness of tannins, which will enable earlier drinking, while one waits for
the 2006s and 2007s to fully mature. In
many cases, the 2008s will be entering their best approximately as the 2006s
will, but many of the latter will last longer.
However, as in every vintage, some producers have made some exceptional
wines, and winegrowers with those aspirations, willing to lower yields to
achieve greater concentration, have succeeded in 2008. The style of the fruit lends itself to good
aging, and there are whispers of some magnificent 2008 Pinot Noirs in the
pipeline. We offer four such wines, in
the vanguard. The quality at the
different price points indicates the consistency of the fruit at a broad
level. This is a vintage that will
restore our faith in the drinkability and pleasure offered by Martinborough
Pinot Noirs, after a period of scarcity.
Pencarrow Pinot Noir
2008
As wine writer Michael Cooper says “Palliser Estate’s second
tier red is as good as many wineries top labels”. It offers extremely good value, even as the
premium label does, against its peers.
This 2008 Pencarrow Pinot Noir, made wholly from Martinborough fruit, is
one out of the box. Good full ruby
coloured, this is full of solidly rich red and black berry fruits with plum notes
and is juicy and round with archetype savoury, game notes on a fleshy, up-front
palate with supple tannin backbone.
Veteran winemaker Allan Johnson employed the traditional burgundian
techniques of pre-fermentation maceration, wild yeast fermentation and
maturation for 9 months in French oak casks to make this very flavoursome
wine. The premium Palliser Estate Pinot
Noir is more elegant and refined, and will age better, but this Pencarrow wine
is a minor marvel.
Vynfields Martinborough
Pinot Noir 2008
Judging by Kaye McAulay and John Bell’s track record, their
Vynfields Pinot Noir can be reckoned to join the top tier of Martinborough
Pinot Noirs soon. The last half dozen
vintages, whether designated as their ‘regular’ Estate Pinot Noir, or ageworthy
‘Reserve Pinot Noir, have all won gold medals or have been rated 5 stars in
authoritative judgings. Kai Schubert and
Marion Deimling are the winemakers for Kaye and John who biodynamically grow
their grapes from their certified organic vineyard sited in the heart of the
Martinborough Terrace. The 2008 was 100%
hand-picked, totally destemmed, undergoing cold maceration and aged 14 months
in 40% new French oak barriques.
Black-ruby red in colour, this has aromatics and flavours in the dark
end of the spectrum, expressing fully ripened fruit and a healthy element of
oak toasting in the form of liquorice, chocolate and mocha nuances. Supple and fine-grained in its extraction,
the sweetness of the fruit makes it immediately appealing, but this will
improve over the next 5-8 years. The
2008 was recently awarded 5 stars in Cuisine magazine.
Escarpment Vineyard
Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008
The 2008 Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Noir is yet again another
rock solid effort from Larry McKenna.
The wine is justification of the Escarpment Vineyard being awarded
Regional Wines & Spirits’ ‘Winery of the Year’ in 2008. The vintage was a particularly benevolent one
for Larry, and he has been able to utilize the fruit in the evolution of the
Escarpment label. Larry’s aim is to make
his ‘regular’ label a little more elegant and approachable, with a true
burgundian sense of elegance, finesse and accessibility. Made from 70% Te Muna fruit blended with
fruit from selected Martinborough sites, all hand-picked, this was an adventurous
20% whole bunch and totally indigenous yeast fermented. Aged for 11 months in 30% new French oak
barriques, the resultant wine is a restrained 13.4% alc. The wine is full of black cherry flavours,
rich and juicy, yet with excellent grip and backbone to ensure 6-8 years of
cellaring easily. For those who hanker
after the very individual wines that Larry is known to make, we are pleased to
know that a range of ‘Insight’ single vineyard Pinot Noirs, including a
flagship ‘Kupe’ was made in 2008. We will
have Larry hosting a tasting of these wines at Regional early next year.
Ata Rangi Martinborough
Pinot Noir 2008
Impeccable. Ata Rangi’s
2008 Pinot Noir would be a contender for the best Pinot Noir in New Zealand
from the 2008 vintage. In a vintage that
provides good quantities of beautifully ripened fruit, it takes extreme
dedication and discipline to make the strictest of selection of fruit to go
into a supreme label, and this is what Clive Paton and Helen Masters at Ata
Rangi have done to create this outstanding wine. This was made predominantly from the oldest
home blocks, with Abel clone nearing 30 years of age with some Pommard and
Dijon clone, and a little 10/5 material for added complexity. 5-8 days pre-fermentation cold maceration, 5%
whole bunch, indigenous yeast fermentation to a peak of 32°C and 12 months in
25% new oak, with bottling unfiltered.
At 13.5% alc., this is an elegant, but extremely concentrated Pinot Noir
of exquisite finesse and silky mouthfeel.
Beautifully perfumed with ethereal florals and a core of red and dark
fruits adding to the aromatic nature of this wine, there is no lack of
substance. The tannin extraction is
extremely refined, yet substantial.
Aromas and flavours unfold in the glass and with each sip. The balance is nigh on perfect and allows
immediate enjoyment, but make no mistake, this will age effortlessly and gracefully over the next 7-9 years.