A much anticipated wine, following the inaugural 2003 ‘Marie Zelie’, this
second release is from the exceptional 2006 harvest, one of the best ever in
Martinborough. Marie Zelie Hermance
Frere was the first winemaker in the Wairarapa in the late 19th
century; her great, great niece marrying Derek Milne, one of the founders of
Martinborough Vineyard. The wine was made
by Claire Mulholland (now at
Amisfield) and Paul Mason, being a selection of the four very best barrels of
Pinot Noir wine from the vintage. The
fruit was sourced from three sites, 26 year old 10/5 from the ‘Home Block’, 16
y.o. clone 5 from ‘Duncan’s
Paddock’ and 4 y.o. Abel clone from the ‘Brewery Block’. 20% whole bunch, given a cool
pre-fermentation maceration, native yeast fermentation with a peak temperature
of 33°C, resulted in a wine at 14.0% alc.
The wine was given 10 months maturation in 50% new French oak followed
by a further 8 months in one and two year old oak. Only 984 bottles (82 dozen) were made.
Dark ruby red, almost impenetrable in colour. This like the 2003 ‘Marie
Zelie’, captures the essence of Martinborough, with superbly complex dark plum
and berry aromas, intermixed with savoury, forest floor nuances which unfold
with time in the glass. On palate, the
richness of the fruit is to the fore.
Absolutely mouth-filling, with flavours of dark fruits, game and forest
complexities. The wine has considerable
extract and structure, yet the tannin presence is secondary to the fruit. If anything, it is the freshness and
youthfulness of the wine in the mouth that is remarkable and a feature. This wine is an outstanding expression of
Martinborough Pinot Noir at its best. It
has the ability to develop greater interest over the next decade and more. A superb effort from one of the pioneer
labels of the region. RC Nov 09
Browse all Martinborough Vineyard Wines