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Wine Review

Neudorf Vineyard With Verticals Of Moutere Chardonnay And Moutere Pinot Noir

By Raymond Chan
On of New Zealand’s very top producers, Neudorf has refined and made consistent their range of wines. Stylistically, there is the fine tuning and enhancing of the wines adapting them in terms of harmony and balance with the vineyard and environment as well as the ever-maturing wine consuming public. Tim and Judy Finn have been doing this for over 25 years, and it was a pleasure to have such strength and stability come through in our tasting of Neudorf wines with Tim Finn. It must be emphasised that Neudorf is a true boutique winery. The quantities of the wine made is tiny, but this allows a hands-on approach which ensures top quality. Here are my notes on the wines tasted:

Introduction: Sauvignon Blanc


In an international sense, the most important wine for Neudorf and indeed 35% of Neudorf’s plantings are devoted to this variety. The Neudorf Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (18.0/20) with 13.5% alc., and 2 g/l rs was pale coloured, dry with aromas and flavours of gooseberries, herbs and minerals with a nettlely note. The wine possessed good freshness and softened textures, finishing tight and long. This style benefits with a year of bottle age, and it will keep.

Pinot Gris


The new varietal for Neudorf. Two wines presented for interest only. Yields were tiny, and the quantity for commercialization. The Neudorf Brightwater Pinot Gris 2007 (17.5/20) was crisp, dry and tight with stonefruit and spice aromas and flavours plus a little reductive-like funkiness. Good palate weight and warmth as is varietal. This was 13.5% alc. with 4.7 g/l rs. Only 260 cases were made. The Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris 2007 (18.0+/20) wcarried 13.5% alc. and 13 g/l rs. Brilliantly limpid in appearance, this was Alsatian-like with spices and pears, lush but savoury, and some phenolic textures holding the richness, while adding concentration an presence. Only 140 cases made.

Riesling


A top performing varietal for Neudorf. The Neudorf Brightwater Riesling 2007 (18.5/20) was beautifully clear with precise lime and floral aromas and flavours. Elegant, clear and crisp, this was textbook stuff. Made from 12 y.o. vines, 11.0% alc, 10 g/l rs and 740 cases made. The Neudorf Moutere Riesling 2007 (17.5+/20) was very Germanic in style with 10% alc. and 39 g/l rs. Minerally and citrusy, this had a delicacy, and again as with the Pinot Gris, some funky reduction, this will undoubtedly live well. 245 cases made.

Chardonnay


The signature variety for Neudorf. A treat to try some older vintages of the Moutere Chardonnay as well. Leading this flight was the Neudorf Nelson Chardonnay 2007 (18.0+/20) at 14.05 alc., and seeing 18% new oak. This is 90% Moutere fruit, but the other clones apart from Mendoza. Still youthful and tightly bound, this displayed ripe mealy, citrus and stonefruit flavours with excellent oak presence. A wine that will unfold and soften. Then a mini-vertical of the flagship beginning with the Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2006 (19.5-/20). All Mendoza fruit, seeing 35% new oak. 14.5% alc., from a good vintage and decent crops, resulting in 750 cases made. Beautifully elegant and tight, mealy, nutty fruit, youthful, with lovely barrel notes and complexing nuances. A wine of great class, finesse, concentration and proportion, its presence mouthfilling, yet still to develop. This was marginally the most preferred of the Moutere wines in this flight for the group of tasters. The Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2005 (18.5+/20) was the product of a late smallest vintage for the Finns. 14.5% alc. and 40% new oak. Light golden straw colour, this was dense and weight with plenty of oak alongside the sweeter, tropical amd mealy fruit flavours. A wine of great power and coming forward in development. The lesser preferred wine of the flight. Next came the Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2004 (19.0-/20), from a wet year with dilution pressure from the large crop. 14.5% alc., 35% new oak, this was full, solidly rich with tropical fruit and mealy notes along with toasty oak and funky elements adding real interest. Coming together and now developing secondary complexities. Pipped into second preferred wine of the flight for the tasters.

Pinot Noir


Tim took us through a vertical of his Moutere Pinot Noir, now regarded pretty much joint-flagship varietal with his Chardonnay. Starting with the Neudorf ‘Tom’s Block’ Pinot Noir 2006 (18.5-/20) weighing in at 13.5% alc., this had bright cherry, berry and herby fruit with good richness and fresh acidity. Medium weighted, but with fullness and great proportion. The Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2006 (18.5/20) at 13.5% alc. was fresh with ethereal florals and red fruits on a supple but juicy palate. Medium weight, elegant and fine-grained, with very good length. The Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2005 (19.0+/20) at 14.5% alc., was very dark coloured and powerful on the nose with dense berry fruits. This is a wine that is backward, fully-structured and with concentration and firmness. The Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2004 (18.0+/20) also at 14.5% alc., was lighter in colour with garnet hues with strawberry and cherry aromas and flavours. An elegant wine, cooler with strawberryish flavours, this had a richness underneath. It has been fascinating following how this wine has fluctuated in apparent sweetness of fruit and dryness over time. From a special vintage, the Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2003 (19.0/20) displayed gorgeously rich and ripe fruit flavours now developing secondary savoury complexities. Game, forest floor and mushroom notes were present along with sweetness and a tannin structure that was just beginning to soften out. It was a fabulous finish to the tasting.
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