New Zealand
Marlborough 
South Island                                                                            sister site to WineDiva.ca
posted May 2011
By Daenna Van Mulligen


Pristine vineyard in Marlborough

Marlborough needs no real introduction.
It introduced the world to Sauvignon Blanc after all.
I know, Sauvignon Blanc has been grown in France for eons longer (notably in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley) but it has never had the same impact on the new world and new wine drinkers as Marlborough has.
While the wine media and trade are yawning and looking for what else New Zealand has to offer, casual consumers are still completely enamored with these crisp and pungently aromatic wines.

I'm an anomaly when it comes to Marlborough's famed Savvy (as the locals call it) as I never drank it. I reviewed it, but never actually sat down with a glass and enjoyed it.
Now, I too, have fallen under its heady spell.

Why? I'm not sure actually. But now that I have visited to holy land of this rather herbaceous, grassy, tropical and tangy style I appreciate it much more - I am playing catch-up.

I like the slap-you-in-the-face racy, piquant style as much as I do the more austere, the more mineral focused and sometimes lightly-oaked or lees-stirred  styles that many winemakers are now leaning toward.

When I flew into Blenheim, on a windy (typical), but blue-skied day in a small aircraft that I had boarded in Christchurch about an hour before, I noticed a significant difference from my last destination, Central Otago. Here, as we flew in over Cloudy Bay toward the runway I could see endless rows of vibrant green vines lined up like leafy soldiers.
Anchored by the town of Blenheim, Marlborough is actually a pretty easy region to maneuver around. In general, it is a v-shaped valley protected on both sides by low ranges known as the Richmond Ranges (to the north) and the Wither Hill range (to the south).

Its primary sub-regions are the: Wairau Valley, Southern Valleys and Awatere Valley.

Wairau Valley, the most established sub-region is home to some of the most famous vineyards and the first commercial vines were planted here in 1973.
Wairau is named for the Wairau River that runs from the mountains, westward toward Cloudy Bay. Much of the soil here is alluvial river stone terraces. Those stones help radiate heat upward toward the vines, which gives character to the vines on this somewhat wetter, Wairau side of Marlborough.

The Wairau Valley runs parallel to the Southern Valleys which hug the more southerly Wither Hill range. These valleys break into the Wither Hill range in smaller valleys such as: Benmorven, Brancott, Fairhall, Omaka and Waihopi. Here higher levels of clay are found in the soils and vineyards move gently up the hillsides where altitude changes. Also, here Marlborough's first commercially planted Sauvignon Blanc vines took root in 1973, planted by Montana (now Brancott Estate).
This, dryer, but slightly cooler side of Marlborough Valley has become increasingly more popular, especially with Pinot Noir due to its soil types and longer ripening season.

Awatere Valley is a relatively short distance from Blenheim and sits farther south-east, closer to the Ocean. This region is the coolest, yet driest of all three sub-regions and is far less populated than the other two. Here, alluvial gravel and windblown loess (mineral and clay particulates) form the terroir of this windy region.

Marlborough produces the majority of wine made in New Zealand.
In 2010 69% of the country's wines were made here by 130 wineries. Of that wine, the vest majority (more than 80%) was Sauvignon Blanc (no surprise) followed by Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and the largest growth category, Pinot Gris.
Marlborough is considered to have the most consistent weather of New Zealand growing regions, with low rainfall and more hours of sunshine despite being a cool-climate region.

Staete Landt

Ruud Maasdam and Dorian Vermass arrived in Marlborough from Holland in 1996.
In 1997 they founded State Landt. Their 21 hectare vineyard is located on Rapaura Road, northeast of Blenheim in what is considered the "Golden Mile" or "Golden Triangle" in the heart of Wairau that lies between the Wairau River and the much smaller Opawa River.
The vineyard is comprised of 24 blocks of primarily Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir with lesser amounts of
Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and some
very rare (for this area) Syrah and Viognier.

Staete Landt simply means "state land", which was so titled after two Dutch ships, the Heemskerck and the Zeehan under Commander Abel Tasman (of the Dutch Republic), discovered this far off land on December 13th, 1642. Tasman was the first to map New Zealand's coastline which is why Massdam and Vermass proudly produce estate-only wines under the Staete Landt label and since 2008, they also make wine from grapes sourced from Bendigo Central Otago and the Rapura vineyard for their newer Map Maker label.

Now, with their three children, a dog, two sheep and numerous chickens, Vermass and Maasdam have become an integral part of this land and the community itself. They live a simple life on a quiet acreage, outside of the central growing region, near a bend in the river.
Here, Ruud can barbecue on the verandah as Dorian flips through her prized collection of cookbooks while a visiting city-based journalist enjoys the hospitality and soaks up the serenity of a star-laden sky, in a land way down-under, that truly is like no other.

What pairs perfectly with Map Maker Sauvignon Blanc? Dorian's basil, tomato & cheese tarts...

The Wines:
*check your local private wine stores for availability

Staete Landt Riesling Dry, 2010 A crisp, mineral focused wine with delicate floral notes, citrus and tart apple. The palate is taut and mouth-watering.

Staete Landt Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 passion fruit, guava and the expected citrus and herbal/capsicum notes but not "in-your-face". Like the Riesling, there is lovely minerality here with nice finesse and a long snappy finish.

Map Maker Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 is more punchy than the more elegant Staete Landt but is very fulfilling - stone fruit, passion fruit , grass clippings and floral notes. The palate is juicy and fresh with a slight roundness to the palate and approachable acidity.
*2009 is available in BCLDB stores $20

Staete Landt Pinot Gris, 2009 - lovely pear compote aromas, lees and just a hint of savoury undertones. Creamy fruit on the palate, attractively weighted with hints of fine spice and caramel. Fully barrel fermented with lees stirring for eight months and one-third went through malolactic fermentation.


Staete Landt Viognier, 2010 offers soft stone fruit and fragrant floral notes with a slick weight on the palate, ripe fruit and slightly peppery spice lingering. Nice balance here, refreshing acidity - not a fat Viognier.

Staete Landt Pinot Noir, 2008 lively, juicy berry aromas, sweet spice, violets and forest floor. The palate has a silky texture and pristine berry flavours with fine, sweet tannins. Lovely.

Staete Landt Syrah, 2009 this is an obvious
cool-climate style. Aromas of peppery green olives, black berries and cedar notes with some dried herbs. It has a lovely weight on the palate and bright fruit, grounded with savoury/peppery flavours.


Staete Landt Riesling Auslese, 2008 late harvested followed by a long slow ferment. Truly vibrant aromas - apples, honey and mineral with chamomile flowers and lemon drops.
The palate is rich and lemony, it is sweet but nicely carved out with crackling acidity.
 

Wither Hills

I arrived at Wither Hills with winemaker Sally Williams
early one morning while the staff was still cleaning up from a wedding the day before.
It is a beautiful venue for such occasions and they have a full restaurant on site.

Wither Hills is not a small producer, which is why we get to see a significant amount of their wine here in Canada.

Wither Hills is under the umbrella of the Lion Nathan Group who also own St. Hallett in Barossa, Knappstein in Clare Valley and Petaluma in Adelaide Hills as well as Tatachilla in McLaren Vale, Stonier in Mornington Peninsula and Mitchelton in Western Australia.

                                                                                looking out across the valley from Wither Hills

Established in 1994, the cellar door and winery was built in 2005. The first wines were crushed in Marlborough in 2000 while in prior vintages the grapes were taken to Auckland to be crushed and made into wine at a sister winery.

Sally Williams (right), a South Australian, looks after the winemaking for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Andy Petrie is the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and sparkling winemaker, Matt Large oversees the winery while Ben Glover, with Wither Hills since 1995, became the Chief Winemaker in 2007.

To illustrate the growth of Wither Hills Williams
explained to me that when she started as a cellar
hand in 2004 the winery was crushing 2000
tonnes of grapes per vintage.
Today, that number is closer to 8000 tonnes.

Wither Hills has a dozen vineyards around Marlborough that they pull grapes from.
On the Wairau Valley side they get Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay while the Southern Valleys provide mostly Pinot Noir  but also Pinot Gris as well as some Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Along the coastline, in the new Rarangi  vineyard (northeast of Blenheim), Wither Hills controls a significant 250 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling.                                                                           inside the restaurant at Wither Hills

The Wines:
Two Tracks Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 fresh and appealing style with gooseberry, elderflower, capsicum and citrus notes. The palate is juicy and vibrant with bright, not aggressive acidity.
New $16

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley 2010
Here you can expect lots of capsicum, grass clippings and nettle with passion fruit and floral notes. Crisp citrus and while fruit flavours are spiked with herbal flavours. Fresh and enjoyable.
$20

Wither Hills Pinot Gris, Wairau Valley 2010
Very pretty pear, guava and floral notes loaded with
honey. The palate is ripe and almost oily in texture
with honey, apple and pear compote flavours.
The acidity pops on the finish. Very good.
$18

Wither Hills Rarangi Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 from a single, cool site close to the Ocean, this version is very pungent - jalapeno, nettles and passion fruit lead to a unique slate/mineral flavoured palate with layers of tropical fruit, nettle, grass clippings and a hint of white pepper. There is an interesting salinity here too.

Two Tracks Pinot Noir, 2008 Juicy and sensuous cherry and sweet spice, vanilla and undertones of forest floor. Nicely rounded on the palate with plenty
of fresh acidity and flavours of cherry and red briary
berries with a finely spiced finish.

Wither Hills Pinot Noir, 2009 sweet fresh nose, loads of cherries and sweet spice, cocoa and pepper with just hints of forest floor and capsicum. The palate is utterly silky upon entry and then the power grows throughout the mid-palate and finish. Smooth, fine tannins and balanced acidity.
Made from the Southern Valley's Benmoven and Taylor River vineyards.
 

Montana/Brancott Estate
 

Formerly Montana, the pioneers of Marlborough's wine industry are now named Brancott Estate for the vineyard that they first planted with Sauvignon Blanc in 1973, which catapulted this region to fame. This vineyard was selected from within the 1000 acres (six sheep farms) Montana had purchased in 1970-71.

The Brancott Estate lies to the east of Blenheim and is home to one of just over a dozen winery restaurants in the region.
It's an impressive cellar door and conference center attached to a significantly sized winery.
The winery is set up to accommodate large tours in the tasting room and there is plenty of seating inside and out in the adjoining restaurant.
Brancott is now owned by Pernod-Ricard (or Corby), who also owns Stoneleigh in Marlborough as well as other brands made all over the world including Mumm Champagne and Perriet-Jouet. Brancott Estate also has a relationship with Deutz Champagne which allows them to make Deutz-labeled sparkling wines in Marlborough.

Regional winemaker Jamie Marfelle (right) led me through a tasting of still and sparkling wines from Triplebank, Stoneleigh, Brancott Estate and Deutz, before we sat down to a delicious lunch. Marfelle noted that Brancott Estate are leaders in sparkling wine production and the growth of the category has been quite remarkable. The company sold the well-known sparkling brand Lindauer in 2010.

The wines:

Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Stoneleigh is named for the vineyards planted the mid-80s in the stony "Golden Mile"  section of the Wairau Valley, this recognizable bottle offers aromatic white peaches, nettle, cut grass and capsicum. Crisp white fruit is spiked with herbal flavours. This is a very refreshing, approachable style.
$17

Brancott Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Here is a more pungent version of Savvy that offers passion fruit, guava, plenty of grass, mineral and capsicum. There is some impressive structure and power with an appealing roundness in the mouth.
From 25 year-old vines

Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc, Ataware Valley, 2010 Ataware is a less established sub-region that is cooler, closer to the Ocean and sits south-east of Blenheim. This wine again differs greatly from the fruit forward Stoneleigh and Brancott Estate versions. Very mineral focused, soft orchard fruit aromas with some nettle/herbal undertones. The palate is finer but also more angular with some saline minerality and fresh fruit lingering across the finish.
$20

Stoneleigh Rapaura Savignon Blanc, 2010 From the Rapura (Wairau Valley sub-region) where the famous river stones line the base of the vines, this wine is very aromatic - tropical passion fruit and guava, a fruit-cup of aromas with honey blossoms. The palate has
ripe citric and mineral flavours but less fruit than
appears on the nose. The finish is mouth-
watering.

Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Sparkling NV this bubbly has a touch of Pinot Gris added. The aromas are verdant grass and nettle, creamy pears and some mineral notes. The palate is zesty and has a full mousse with flavours of Asian pear and citrus. Off-dry.
*arriving in Canada soon.


Deutz Marlborough Cuvee Brut NV offers lovely fine bubbles with bright fruit and leesy, toasty undertones. Very nice complexity with a creamy texture and flavours of apple peel and citrus.
Exceptional value in NZ for about $26, made from equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a splash of Pinot Meunier.
 

            
           Lunch at Brancott Estate bread with ducca, hummus and Evoo, Grilled vegetable stack

Yealands


How windy is it on Yealands Estate in Awatere? Look at the tree in the background.


Taking a trip south east from Blenheim, over Redwood Pass and a stunning view of Cloudy Bay and the Marlborough Sound, I traveled 25 kilometers to the sub-region of Awatare and the stunning Yealands Estate.

Peter Yealands provides a compelling story of a man who started with very little and became extremely wealthy by pioneering the New Zealand Marine Farming industry. He is a man whose vision and drive is widely known and his innovations applauded.
Peter Yealand does not do things by half. He planted his first vines in this lesser-known sub-region in 2001; by the time the winery opened in 2008, New Zealand (like much of the world) was in a recession and he had invested in 1000 hectares, making Yealands the largest single vineyard in all of the country.
Using GPS technology, Peter planted his vineyards in the Awatere foothills where others refused to. Awatere is drier but cooler than the other sub-regions of Marlborough and the winds that blow off the Cook Strait onto Yealands plateau Seaview Vineyard (located on the northeastern-most tip of the South Island) are fierce. Here the vines look like saplings and the berries, harvested at least two weeks later than the rest of Marlborough, are tiny, thick-skinned and tough.
The other important story here is Yealands' commitment to the environment and sustainability. The estate for all its size is Carbon Neutral (CarboNZero), one of the first in the world to be recognized as such and the only winery to offset all their emissions since day one.
All of this includes: wined and solar power, highly evolved technology in the winery to control efficiency, wetlands that are home to White Herons and Black Swans, vineyard mulching and the use of tiny "Babydoll" sheep (originally known as Southdown from Sussex UK)  to mow the lawns between the vines.


The Wines:

Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 the cooler Awatere climate shows in this wine with tart white fruit, mineral, capsicum and nervy citric aromas. Assertive acidity on the palate with citrus and blackcurrent leaf flavours and a mouth-watering finish.
$18-$20 BC, MB, ON, AB

Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 More fragrant than the classic Sauvignon Blanc with white peach and nectarine, blackcurrent leaf and mineral aromas. The palate is richer as well - loads of fruit and mineral flavours with a racy finish.

Yealands Estate Pinot Gris, 2010  has lovely ripe
pear notes with flinty minerality. The palate has a rounded and slightly creamy weight and good concentration with lively, but not assertive acidity. The finish has fantastic lingering pear flavours.

Yealands Riesling, 2010 offers mouth-watering aromas of apricot and pear, honey and orchard blossoms. It is a drier style but there is some sweetness to soften the acidity. Nice complexity and a snappy finish.

Yealands Estate Gewurztraminer, 2009 is a
concentrated and aromatic version with plenty of rose oil, cold cream, star anise and ginger with grapefruit peel. Very tasty.

Yealands Estate Pinot Noir, 2009 has a bright ruby colour and presents wild red berries and cherry aromas, bacon fat and blackcurrent leaf. Very nice freshness, juicy fruit leads the way, followed with black pepper, smoked bacon and roasted coffee bean flavours.
$22+ BC private stores $22 ON


Looking out over the Cook Strait from Yealands stunning but blustery Seaview Vineyard. The most northeastern tip of the South Island.


Spy Valley




Slightly tongue-in-cheek, Spy Valley is named for the United States run Satellite Monitoring Station (right) that sits smack in the middle of the best known Sauvignon Blanc growing region in the world.
Two massive, eerie-looking, golf ball shaped domes take up residence in this beautiful agricultural land - and those who enter are bussed in, no one knows who they are and where they are from....
In other words those that work inside are not hanging out at the local watering hole drinking Savvy with the locals.


Chief Winemaker Paul Bourgeois showed me the modern cellar door and winery, located in the Southern Valleys, Waihopi Valley. Wellington businessman, Brian Johnson purchased the 380 acre estate and began planting vines in 1998 and Spy Valley's first vintage was made in a neighbors winery in 2000. The current winery and tasting room was built in 2003.
Spy Valley has already been in the market in Canada for several years and are recognizable to New Zealand wine drinkers. Having tasted the wines before I was prepared for the quality, but after sampling the range I was extremely impressed.
In fact, across the board, they were some of my favorite wines in Marlborough.
(right: delicious olive oil at Spy Valley)

The Wines:
(check for availability in private wine stores)

Spy Valley Echelon Method Traditionelle, 2008 is made from almost equal parts of estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. It offers delicate aromas - soft floral and talc, mineral and vague fruit notes. It is a mouth-filling wine with toast and brioche flavours surrounded in citrus. The finish is lively and mouth-watering.

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Tangy aromas of guava and nettle, elderflowers and just a hint of capsicum. The palate has a lovely weight and flavours of pomelo and pink grapefruit peel with lively acidity.
$19

Spy Valley Riesling 2010 Wonderful stone fruit and lemon curd aromas, honey and marmalade with lime zest. There is a lovely, almost oily, weight in the mouth with plenty of bright citrus flavours. Nice elegance and a mouth-watering finish.


Spy Valley Gewurztraminer, 2010 Wow! Aromas of lychee, Turkish Delight, rose cream and orange blossoms pop out of the glass. The palate is rich and off-dry with a long, delightful finish.

Spy Valley 'Envoy' Gewurztraminer, 2009 Exotic spices, lychee, Turkish Delight and cold cream, rose petals and orange blossoms on the nose. Sweet, plump fruit leads the palate supported by juicy tangerine and oodles of sweet spice. The sweetness here is balanced with lively acidity, it is a powerful wine with a lengthy finish.

Spy Valley 'Envoy' Pinot Gris, 2009 a pleasing mix of apple and pear, white flowers and forest floor/mushroomy notes. It is rich and supple on the palate with attractive spiced fruit and fairly significant phenolics. Again, a long and attractive finish.

Spy Valley 'Envoy' Riesling, 2008 An impressive "Mosel-style' Riesling with steely, slate driven mineral notes, lemon curd, lanoline, honey and lime. There are bright lemondrop and pink grapefruit flavours on the palate and the sweetness is nicely offset with tangy acidity.

Spy Valley 'Envoy' Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 I found that most wineries were playing with Sauvignon Blanc and attempting new styles, outside of the "typical" Marlborough style, by using wild yeasts, ageing or fermenting in oak barrels or experimenting with harvesting times.
Here, Spy Valley is using Bordeaux clones,
putting the wine through a secondary fermentation
and aging the wine in one-year-old oak. The aromatics are different - wild and kind of earthy with savoury herbs and banana peel. The palate is smoother, the flavours are savoury here as well, the finish is racy but trails flavours of sage and thyme.

Spy Valley Pinot Noir, 2010 Juicy cherries, violets and pepper, sweet spice and earthy beet aromas. Sweet, approachable fruit in the mouth with balanced acidity and silky tannins. Very enjoyable.

Spy Valley 'Envoy Outpost' Pinot Noir, 2008 Cherries, raspberries, violets and sweet oak spice notes translate into a silky, delicate palate with juicy berry flavours and fine tannins.


Seresin


A very fertile looking shot on a rainy day at a Seresin vineyard with the ranges in the background


There are some places I visit that stay with me, long after I'm settled back into my routine at home. Writing about them always brings back good memories - Seresin is one of those.
It was a cool but sunny Sunday, I had walked around Blenheim and enjoyed a light lunch at Raupo Riverside Cafe before meeting up with Colin Ross, the Estate Manager at Seresin.
Just as we arrived at the edge of the estate it began to rain a cleansing mist over the Wairau Valley, just past Renwick.

right: entrance to the Seresin Estate in Marlborough

Colin (below right with Tom & Bill Clydesdalel) explained that Michael Seresin had traveled to Italy in the 1960s and he became enamored with the culture and the deep emotional connection Italian shared with the land.
He loved their idea of an estate - somewhere that was
home to trees, vines, animals, gardens, olive trees,
fruits and vegetables
In 1992 Seresin purchased the
Marlborough estate and accumulated 163 hectares
of which 103 hectares is currently under vine.

One thing Seresin was not as enamored with was the use of pesticides in European vineyards, so in 1995 he decided to make the estate organic. Over the next 15 years he transitioned all the vineyards to organic and on May 21, 2010 the estate was completely certified. Along the way, in 2000 Seresin also began to convert the estate to biodynamic and on July 21, 2010 the estate was certified biodynamic by Demeter.

Those who work at Seresin walk the walk. The estate is nearly self sufficient; a cow for milking, pigs to turn up the soil, two six year-old Clydesdales (named Tom and Bill) to pull a two wheeled sprayer, chickens for eggs, sheep to help mow the grass between vines, quince and olive trees. What they don't have or grow, they trade, like Avocadoes from a farm on the North Island.
They feed the people who work on the estate, from the estate.

right: Estate Manager Colin Ross and Assistant Winemaker Carlos Orgiles tending to the Barbecue in Waterfall Bay

But more than that, Seresin produces excellent wines, wines I sampled at Michael Seresin's residence on 100 acres in Waterfall Bay alongside a feast prepared by Colin's long time partner Diana.
A short boat ride from Picton, north of Marlborough, landed us at a small private dock where Assistant Winemaker Carlos Orgiles and Moir Laird (both at right), Colin and Diana and I disembarked for the late afternoon and evening.

The Wines:

Seresin Momo Sauvignon Blanc, 2010
Momo means offspring. Momo is the offspring of the Seresin label. Here is a perfumed wine - fresh and sweet with guava, stonefruit, nettle and citrus. The palate offers pleasing concentration and the flavours echo its aromas of stonefruit, grapefruit and hint of cut grass.

Seresin Estate Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 This wine has the addition of 6% Semillon is made with mostly natural yeasts and 15% is barrel fermented (including all of the Semillon). Creamy fruit and citrus, a sweet leesy entry with buttery corn and lanolin, nice complexity with gentle acidity.

Seresin Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 offers smoky white fruit, citrus, nettle, green leaf and a focus on minerality. The texture is creamy and the acidity racy.

Seresin Estate Reserve Chardonnay, 2009 goldish glints greet the eye while toasted cashew, citrus, some leesy notes from the wild ferment, present 
on the nose. Nice balance of supple sweet fruit on palate propped lightly up by oak.

Seresin Estate Viognier, 2009 the initial oak notes blow off and are replaced with ripe pear and stone fruit aromas and exotic spice and citrus. The palate is full by balaced with lively acidity and is hemmed in by hints of oak and some impressive phenolics on the finish.

Seresin Estate 'Leah' Pinot Noir, 2009 is named for Michael Seresin's daughter. Slightly russet in colour with aromas of black cherry, plum and raspberry with leather and an earthy core. Sweet juicy fruit on the palate with spice lingering on the finish alongside long, silky tannins.

Seresin Estate 'Rachel' Pinot Noir, 2008 is named
for Michael Seresin's mother. Here mixed fruit
presides - notably plums, cherry and purple berries, earth and attractive mineral aromas with fine spice, cedar and leathery undertones. Fine but firm tannins in the mouth harness ripe berry fruit. The tannins grab on and don't let go.


Seresin Estate Home Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2007 this single vineyard Pinot Offers loads of pleasing red berries and some violet notes with leather, forest floor and tomato leaf. The palate is sweet with ripe berries, cherry  and roasted cocoa - it is a finely woven but firm wine with concentration and focus and silky tannins.



Dog Point
From Dog Point Vineyard overlooking the Brancott Valley in the Southern Valleys of Marlborough

Dog Point is a truly lovely, organic estate in the Southern Valleys' Benmorven Valley that is home to native Ti Kouka (Cabbage Trees) and a hilltop plateau vineyard that looks down over Brancott Estate/Montana's original 1973 Sauvignon Blanc vineyard planted in Brancott Valley.

Margaret Southerland (right) and her husband Ivan bought the property and began growing grapes in 1979. Ivan was a viticulturalist with Cloudy Bay until 2004 and along the way he met James Healy, who along with his wife Wendy are partners with the Southerland's.

Although Dog Point has always considered itself a
sustainable estate, in 2009 they made the transition
to organic and will be fully certified in 2012.

(right: Viticulturalist since 2002, Nigel Sowman)

The Wines:
*Check for availability in private wine stores

Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 *Note the gorgeous native Ti Kouka (Cabbage Tree) logo on the Dog Point labels.
Fantastic vibrancy in this Savvy - passion fruit, gooseberry, grass clippings and capsicum. The palate is snappy and juicy too but maintains a nice roundness in the mouth. Nice weight and structure and a mouth-watering finish.


Dog Point Vineyard 'Section 94', Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 this wine underwent a natural fermentation in both stainless steel and oak followed by 18 months in older oak barrels. There is some very nice citrus curd and toasted spice followed by capsicum and grass clippings. A lovely weight here with fantastic
acidity and obvious balanced oak.
Nice complexity and a long lively finish.


Dog Point Vineyard Chardonnay, 2008 this wine has undergone a natural ferment and spent 18 months in oak. Aromas of citrus, apple and pear supported by toast, leesy notes and spiced caramel. The palate is mouth-watering, it is balanced and smooth with vibrant citrus and toasted hazelnut flavours.


Dog Point Vineyard Chardonnay, 2006 showing nicely with a bit of age showing engaging aromas of creamed caramel, toasted nuts and spice. The palate follows suit - integrated flavours, creamy, rounded and elegant with soft acidity.


Dog Point Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2008 a fantastic
Pinot Noir that offers aromas of tea leaves,
cherry, warm sweet spice and freshly turned earth.
On the palate, red plums and cherries, vanilla and
spice harnessed with earthy tones. A silky, feminine
style that is still surprisingly powerful. It is also an
approachable style but still complex.


Dog Point Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2006 nicely woven aromas and flavours here - cherries and cocoa sweet spice and hints of toffee with hints of tobacco leaf. It is a feminine Pinot, silky and elegant with a long finish.

 

Oyster Bay




It can be a bit overwhelming driving up the lane toward Oyster Bay, a sprawling modern winery that was nearing completion when I visited in February.
It's a impressive building that houses some of the most complex winemaking equipment and technology in the world. The wine here is made with minimal manual labour compared to other wineries - hoses and pumps and sky high tanks are controlled by computerized panels. I've seen hundreds of wineries around the world, but few as complex (or as new) as this one. In this state of the art winery is where, arguably, the most recognized Marlborough wine brand in the world is made.

right: Large tanks need some significant seismic bolts to keep them upright in case of an earthquake

Fourth generation winemaker Michael Ivicevich is not only the chief winemaker for Oyster Bay but he was integral in the design of this winery and he is suitably proud of what he has made. Many Dalmatian (from Croatia) families like Ivicevich's who settled on the North Island brought with them the skills to make wine, thereby becoming the driving force behind today's flourishing industry.

Oyster Bay is owned by the Delgats family - brother and sister Jim and Rosemari whose own parents emigrated to New Zealand from Croatia in the 1930s. The bought their first land and planted a vineyard in 1947 near Auckland and now own vineyards in Hawkes Bay and Marlborough.
Oyster Bay's first vintage was in 1991.


The Wines:

Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Brut, NV made from 100% Hawkes Bay Chardonnay this new bubbly offers melon, apple and stone fruit with floral and leesy hints on the back. The palate is juicy with nice fruit expression and some candied notes. A snappy finish trails citrus peel flavours.

Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Brut Rosé, NV is made of Mostly Hawkes Bay Chardonnay with some Marlborough Pinot Noir. A pretty, peachy-pink colour with sweet berry, Candied citrus peel and lilac notes that reoccur in the mouth. It has consistent, continuous bubbles and a lovely finish.

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 made from 100% Marlborough fruit. Aromas of passion fruit and melon, peach, blackcurrent leaf and capsicum.
There is a nicely rounded weight on the palate with balanced acidity and a citrusy finish.

Oyster Bay Chardonnay, 2010 Made from Marlborough fruit, the Chardonnay has peachy fruit aromas, vanilla, candied citrus peel on a background of toasted oak and caramel.

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, 2010 Bright cherry and berry fruit aromas, sweet spice and minty herbs. Smooth entry with bright berry flavours followed by cedar and blackcurrent leaf. Marlborough Pinot Noir.

Oyster Bay Merlot, 2010 Made from Hawkes Bay fruit, this Merlot offers nice ripe plum and black berries, vanilla and sweet spice with undertones of leather and smoked meat. Smooth and round in the mouth with firm, ripe tannins and flavours of ripe berry and mocha.

Cloudy Bay


The Cloudy Bay Estate & Vineyard. Here you can relax with some wine and a picnic platter

A classic name (and label), one that many wine lovers recall as being their first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc experience.

Cloudy Bay was named for the nearby bay in the Marlborough Sounds, the Richmond Ranges in the background are featured on these recognizable labels.

Located smack in the heart of Marlborough in the Wairau Valley, the estate is cozy and warm, a place to lounge on the lawn under massive trees while you sip Cloudy Bay wines with  picnic platters available in the cellar door.

Cloudy Bay's Sauvignon Blanc focus began in
1985 then shifted to sparkling wines and
Chardonnay in 1987 and in the early 1990s
Pinot Noir took center stage. Up until 1985
the original Rapaura estate  vineyard was grazing
land (like most of the region) until planting began.
Cloudy Bay also owns the Widow's Block vineyard
in nearby Renwick, (a block that
was purchased by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
prior to their partnership with Cloudy Bay), Mustang Vineyard in Southern Valleys' Brancott Valley and Barracks Block in Omaka Valley.

The Wines:

Cloudy Bay Pelorus Method Traditionelle, 2005 A delicious sparkling dominated by Pinot Noir with about one-third Chardonnay. White fruit and wild
honey, mineral, floral scented talc and pomelo
citrus. The palate offers musky/earthy flavours,
bright fruit and citrus with pleasing complexity. This wine spends three years on its lees.

Cloudy Bay  Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Fresh cut grass, passion fruit and gooseberry - very bright aromas. The palate has a wonderfully creamy texture with guava, passion fruit and citrus. The acid is nicely integrated, not assertive.

Cloudy Bay TeKoko Sauvignon Blanc, 2006 is a really fantastic wine - subtle oak and lees layered with citrus and herbs. It is very fluid across the palate with faint toast and spice flavours followed by a mouth-watering finish. This wine spent 18 months on its lees and a further 18 months in bottle. The 2007 is quite different - buttery corn, savoury wild herbs and musky, leesy notes. The palate is smooth and creamy layered with peach and guava, vanilla and citrus peel on the finish.

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2007 offers vibrant grassy notes, oak spice, toasted hazelnut and citrus. Bright citrus flavours lead the palate, its is a finely woven wine with bright tree fruit and lemon meringue flavours. Elegant, creamy textured with a mouth-watering finish but tightly leashed. The 2008 was quite reserved on the nose with vague citrus and fine toast. More austere in the mouth as well, with focused acidity and tangy grapefruit flavours.

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir, 2006 from the Southern Valleys sub-region of Marlborough this glorious, superb Pinot Noir presents juicy raspberry, black cherry, violets and cocoa with a hint of pepper. Flavours of berry, mocha and spice, fine tannins hold firm across the palate.
The 2007 has more red fruit than the 2006 with some tomato leaf notes. The entry is smooth, the wine quite supple and mouth-filling. Flavours of spice, tobacco and fine pepper linger.

Astrolabe

Only a day after their daughter's wedding Jane Forrest Waghorn and Simon Waghorn (right) welcomed me into their home not far outside of Blenheim, where we tasted the Astrolabe wines.
I was impressed the couple was still standing after all the organization and hosting they had completed in the days prior.

Simon had been a winemaker in Gisborn for a large brand winery but longed to return to the South island to escape corporate winemaking. In 1995 He and Jane moved to Marlborough and launched Astrolabe with some old college friends, Paul Davenport and Sally Lewis. Simon explained that the name Astolabe comes from, "an ancient instrument of navigation that measures the altitude of the stars, and also the name of an early sailing ship exploring the Marlborough coast."

Astolabe is more than attractive labels and well-made wine, it is a team of committed like-minds corralled by General Manager, Jason Yank.
The Astrolabe label comes in three variations - Black "Voyage" labels are regional (or provincial) blends. Valley's and sub-regional wines are relegated to the coloured "Discovery" labels and the white labels are for single vineyard "Experience" production.
Astrolabe is 100% Marlborough.

The Wines:

Astrolabe Discovery Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc, 2010
is a Discovery label wine with significant minerality, passion fruit,
buttery corn and gooseberry with nettle and savoury undertones.
The vineyard is only 500 meters from the coast and it
shows with some interesting saline minerality layered with plenty of sweet fruit and a long finish.

Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 offers typical Marlborough notes of passion fruit, gooseberry, capsicum and grass clippings. Again, plenty of fruit on the palate with citrus and blackcurrent leaf. Juicy in the mouth.
About $22

Astrolabe Discovery Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley, 2010 is a taut and tangy version with delicate floral notes, passion fruit, chalky
minerals and jalapeno. The palate is racy with mineral and
sweet ripe fruit flavours.

Astrolabe Voyage Pinot Gris, 2010 one of many fine examples of the recent popular surge of Pinot Gris' I came across in New Zealand. Lovely aromatics - pretty floral and honey with ripe pear. There is a pleasing creamy weight on the palate with oodles of ripe fruit and hints fine spice. The finish is zesty and mouth-watering.
coming soon to Canada


Astrolabe Voyage Chardonnay, 2008 offers gobs of pineapple chunks, sweet spice, caramel, vanilla and toasted nuts. Rounded on the palate,
there is some appealing fresh fruit here but the oak dominates and
lingers across the finish.


Astrolabe Voyage Pinot Noir, 2008 offers red cherries and juicy berry aromas, spice, leather, some forest floor and blackcurrent leaf. Plenty of fruit on the palate, sweet spice and cedar and  roasted coffee lingers. Nice bright acidity and smooth texture.



Kim Crawford/Monkey Bay/The People's Wine


Kim Crawford Winemaker, Anthony Walkenhorst & Darryl Wooley, Group Winemaking and Viticulture Manager for Constellation New Zealand


Kim Crawford is undoubtedly a well-recognized and well-loved label in Canada.
Kim Crawford the brand, was launched in 1996 by Kim Crawford and his South African wife Erica with 4000 cases of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
In 1997 the first Canadian shipments arrived in Vancouver and Toronto - which is probably why we have such a love of the Kim Crawford wines.

Amongst a list of other notable events, in 2003 Vincor International took ownership of Kim Crawford, Kim remained as winemaker until 2008 when Constellation Brand gained full control.
Anthony Walkenhorst is the current winemaker for Kim Crawford, he started in 2005 and worked with Kim and Matt Large (now at Wither Hills)
Part of Constellation's Marlborough  portfolio is Kim Crawford, Monkey Bay and the new (not yet released in Canada at that time) The People's Wine - started with a quirky label envisioned by Kiwi artist
Martin Poppelwell.

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Vibrant tangerine, gooseberry and passion fruit with undertones of grass clippings. Lovely weight in the mouth with flavours of nettle, gooseberry and jalapeno with a slightly savoury, saline finish. Mouth-watering.

Kim Crawford 'Spitfire' Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 More overt capsicum and gooseberry, citrus peel and passion fruit than the classic Savvy. Minerality pops on the palate with similar capsicum, citrus, grass and white pepper with some sweaty Sauvignon flavours. Very focused and direct with a long finish.

Kim Crawford Pinot Noir, 2009 offers juicy red berries and mixed red fruit, leather and some pepper and cola spice with undertones of tomato leaf.
Finely textured with flavours that echo the aromas - lighter weight ad very fresh.


Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, 2010 Some sweaty Sauvignon Blanc aromas with soft fruit, citrus and gooseberry. Fruit driven palate with soft, approachable acidity and a hint of sweetness.


Monkey Bay Pinot Gris, Gisborne, 2010 offers fresh and juicy aromas of pear, citrus and pink grapefruit. The palate has a slightly creamy entry, it is soft and approachable with a zesty linger.

The People's Wine Pinot Gris, 2010 - aromas of soft orchard fruit, floral, citrus and mineral hints. Sweet
ripe fruit leads the palate, white grapefruit and
caramel hints and a nicely rounded weight. The Pinot Gris grapes come from Hawkes Bay.


The People's Wine Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris, 2010 Obvious passion fruit, nettle, ripe stone fruits and citrus with hints of jalapeno. Nice weight on the
palate with bright acidity and a clean, Pinot Gris finish.
Grapes come from Marlborough.


The People's Wine Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 The fruit for this wine comes from the Marlborough sub-region Awatere Valley. Verdant aromas of grass and citrus with nice guava, floral notes and mineral. Nicely rounded in the mouth - full-on fruit, hints of pepper and grapefruit zest with mineral flavours lingering on the finish.



Looking out from Redwood Pass on the way to Awatere Valley at Cloudy Bay and the Marlborough Sounds.

An Intro to New Zealand read here
South Island
Wairapa/Canterbury - Christchurch's wine region read here
Central Otago The Land of Pinot Noir read here

North Island
Wairarapa (Martinborough) - a little known gem read here
Hawkes Bay - bold reds and elegant whites from Hill, Range & Gravels here
Auckland & Waiheke Island - where history is made read here                              

WineScores.ca is the sister site of WineDiva.ca