Winemakers getting hi-tech(2)
Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($25.99)
An intense, sweaty and appealing aroma; lifted gooseberry and grass notes team up with melon.
The palate has some luscious fruitiness teamed up with classic Marlborough acidity and prickliness – the herbaceous zing sits well with some fresh, lively tropical flavours – melon, citrus and gooseberry combine in this stylish wine. It has intensity and a satisfying aftertaste.
Bannock Brae Estate Central Otago Goldfields Pinot Noir 2009 ($29.95)
The colour is an attractive dark red on a black background. It displays a perfumed aroma enriched by dark berry-fruit, old barrel and smoky oak notes. Ripe, plummy and enticing.
Perfumed aromatics, firm acids and soft tannins are very appealing. This unfiltered, un-fined wine has a velvety, chewy mouth feel and the rich ripe dark cherry, berry-fruit and almond flavours keep delivering on the aftertaste. Some seductive spiciness wraps up this fleshy and moreish wine. Worth seeking out – bannockbrae.co.nz.
Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010 ($26.99)
Deep, clear red in the glass; the aroma is predominantly cherry, earth, fresh mushroom and vanilla. Some floral notes and crisp varietal characters add up to a complex nose.
The palate is a tale of two halves. It begins with ripe plum, mocha and earthy flavours supported by fine tannins, and then becomes crisper and greener towards the finish. This crispness disappeared, replaced by a smooth roundness after the bottle had been open a few hours. Once again we emphasise the need for wine to be given a little time to breathe once it is released from its airtight screw cap.
Seresin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($28)
The tight aroma is floral and a little sweet with some gentle grassiness – the sharper varietal characters shine through after a vigorous swirl in the glass.
The palate is luscious. Firm acidity and sweet, ripe tropical fruitiness team up with some crisper citrus notes that cleanse the palate while the finish and aftertaste deliver a delightful grassiness backed up with ripe white currants.
A complex and interesting wine to spend time with.
Brancott Estate Brancott B Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($27.99)
The aroma is a luscious, tropical and slightly dusty blend of passionfruit and ripe melon.
The palate is interesting – a gentle acid tingle sits alongside jammy gooseberry, ripe citrus and very ripe tropical notes.
All the ripe, unctuous and honeyed characters we would expect to find in a dessert wine are there and the finish is sweet with a hint of apple in the aftertaste.
There was a difference of opinion as we reviewed this wine – Peter found the mid-palate "a bit too funky, the taste of the [noble] rot comes through", whereas I was quite enthusiastic about this sweet version of sauvignon blanc. It was different and quite distinctive.
