Pinot noir with five-star flavour

SCOTT HAMMOND
SOUTHERN VALLEYS: Dog Point Vineyard co-owner Margie Sutherland and TerraVin Wines co-owner Mike Eaton have had their pinot noir wines given the seal of approval in the top international wine magazine Decanter.

Two Marlborough pinot noir wines scored five stars in a vintage report on 2009 Kiwi pinot noir printed in prestigious wine magazine Decanter.

New Zealand's top wine authority, Master of Wine Bob Campbell, wrote the report and judged 2009 pinot noir from Dog Point Vineyard and TerraVin Wines the best in Marlborough. The article appeared in the July edition of the international wine magazine, and is yet to hit Blenheim news-stands.

Four stars were awarded to Jukes Taylor, The Wrekin; Nautilus and Spy Valley 2009 pinot noir wines.

In the article, Mr Campbell says pinot noir was probably New Zealand's most successful wine of 2009. Six Central Otago wines were awarded five stars, five from Martinborough, two from Marlborough, three from Waipara, and one from Nelson.

"Winemakers in each of New Zealand's five main pinot regions are incontinent with joy about their 2009 wines. Some even claim to have made their best pinot noir ever," he says in the article.

TerraVin co-owner Mike Eaton was pleased his wine was highly regarded and was proud that Marlborough was represented in the line-up of New Zealand's best pinot noir.

The strength of Marlborough will be in its continuing diversity and being able to produce many quality wines other than sauvignon blanc, for which it already has an overwhelming reputation, he said.

"There's no market for poor-quality pinot noir. It's expensive to grow and work with so you may as well focus on the quality."

New Zealand pinot noir producers needed to continue in the collaborative way they had begun, he said.

There were many workshops and a lot of idea sharing through New Zealand Winegrowers and personal relationships that helped Kiwi pinot noir flourish, he said.

"There's very much a camaraderie about the pinot producers in New Zealand, and the longer that we continue in that way, the better it is for everyone."

Dog Point winemakers Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, are in the United States visiting buyers. Marketing manager Margie Sutherland said Dog Point was about less is more and keeping a close hand on the wine in all its stages from vineyard through winemaking and marketing.

"It's a thrill to know that Marlborough can produce wines that can stand up well on the international stage."

DECANTER VINTAGE REPORT MARLBOROUGH: Five stars TerraVin Wines 19 (out of 20) Dog Point Vineyard 18.5 Four stars Jukes Taylor, The Wrekin 18 Nautilus 18 Spy Valley 17.5 .