Country: New Zealand
2013 Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay
( £15, 14% )Winemaker Gordon Russell is better known for his skills with Bordeaux than Rhône varieties, but he’s very bit as adept at both. This is a classic Kiwi Syrah, combining intensity with freshness, perfume with fruit weight. Pepper spicy, firm and focused, it’s more Cornas than Crozes-Hermitage in style, with the structure to age.
2013 Trinity Hill The Gimblett, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay
( £17, 13.5% )An impressive, four-way blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, assisted by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a dash of Petit Verdot, that nods towards the Médoc as much as its native New World. Floral, refined and well balanced with stylish, savoury oak, a solid backbone of tannin and a tangy, refreshing finish. A wien that slides over the tongue.
2013 Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay
( N/A, 13.5% )Inky, youthful and richly oaked, this is an impressive Gimblett Gravels blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec that needs a year or two to marry in bottle. Spicy, vanilla-scented notes are complemented by flavours of graphite, dark plums and cassis with bright, underlying freshness.
2013 Te Awa Single Estate Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay
( £17, 13.5% )Bold, inky and dark, with aromas of clove spice and hot stones, this is a rich, complex Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels, packed with stony complexity, firm tannins, refreshing acidity and brooding blackberry fruit. Why don’t more people plant Syrah in New Zealand?
On wine and wondering
Marlborough: The Fear of France?
by Matt Walls2010 Seresin Sun & Moon Pinot Noir, Marlborough
( £52.99, 14%, Armit Wines )Sun & Moon is the top Pinot from Seresin (made in this instance from the Raupo Creek vineyard) with a price tag to match. It is consistently among the best New Zealand reds and that’s the case here with this outstanding 2010, which is maturing with grace and elegance. Concentrated, savoury, yet also refreshing this combines structure with succulence, sustained by acidity and not afraid of tannin. A wine that will age for another ten years.
Braver New World
by Matt Walls2011 Seresin, Leah Pinot Noir, Marlborough
( £20.99, 14%, Armit Wines )Leah is a blend of the three Seresin estate vineyards (Home, Tatou and Raupo Creek) and is often the most forward of the Pinots from this outstanding Marlborough producer. 2011 was a tricky vintage for Pinot in New Zealand, but this top-notch biodynamic producer has excelled. This is concentrated, spicy and textured with notes of white pepper and red fruits, plenty of concentration, well integrated oak and a complex, earthy finish.
2011 Pegasus Bay, Bel Canto Dry Riesling, Waipara Valley
( £13-£17, 14%, New Generation Wines )An evocative name for a delicious wine. This full-bodied “dry” Riesling from the Waipara Valley is actually off-dry, but it’s none the worse for that. This is exotic and rich, with old vine complexity and flavours of lime, peach and nectarine. It’s especially good with spicy food, but is also delicious as an aperitif.
2012 Pegasus Bay, Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Waipara Valley
( £15, 14.5%, New Generation Wines )There aren’t many producers around the world who can make Bordeaux blends to rival the stuff that’s made in Pessac-Léognan, but Pegasus Bay is one of them. This delicately oaked, full-bodied cuvée is rich and sumptuous, with waxy, herbal flavours, a hint of vanilla and a tangy, refeshing finish. On past form, this should age well too.