Over 100 wineries with over 370 wines, a remarkable opportunity at The Westin Hotel in Sydney. The "New Zealand in a glass" event was held on the 26-27th of Feb 2007. I only had a limited time there so I tasted what I could, my brief impressions below in alphabetical order and all prices quoted in Australian dollars. Please note, I don't score wines that in my view fall below 90 points.
2006 BABICH Winemakers reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Sweet sauvignon fruit, ripe and round with loose structure. Fine acid finish. Drink now to 2008. Pleasant. 91 points. $26
2005 BABICH Winemakers reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir
Pristine cherry flavours. Light to medium weighted. Short term Pinot, now to 2009. Very nice vanilla aftertaste from the oak. 91 points. $30
2004 BILANCIA Hawke's Bay Syrah
Made with 2% Viognier. Medium bodied and soft, a pinot structured wine. Velvety with smooth elegance. Now to 5 years. 92 points. $39
2004 BILANCIA 'La Collina' Hawke's Bay Syrah
"The Little Hill" is a serious(ly expensive) wine. This flagship was first made in 2002 but this is the first wine with 2% Viognier added to the blend. A single vineyard red with good 100% new grainy oak finish. More fragrant and more concentrated than the standard release. Smooth beautiful red fruits and excellent balance. Need 10 years. Very Rhone like, I don't remember tasting anything Australian like it. 95 points. $95.
2004 CARRICK Central Otago Pinot Noir
Reserved nose. Closed right now. Good concentration and body. Lovely balance. Seriously built wine with lasting power. Smooth, long finish with good oak. Expertly made, needs time, will score higher in 4 years time. 93 points. $50.
2006 CLIFFORD BAY Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Superbly aromatic, inviting nose. Promising. Soft easy drinking palate that seems a little flat, lacking excitement. Good long finish though. $21
2004 CLIFFORD BAY Estate Marlborough Chardonnay
Bistro style. Soft, round and ready. Must be drunk now. Lovely ripe and mature drinking. 90 points. $21
2006 CLIFFORD BAY Estate Marlborough Riesling
With 7.8 residual sugar. Very aromatic and very German Riesling. Fine and juicy, just lovely to drink. Balanced with fresh acid structure. Now to 3 years. 92 points. $21
2005 CLIFFORD BAY Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir
One of the great pinot bargains at this tasting. When you see it, buy it! Excellent sappy varietal structure, medium bodied, flavourful and very well made Pinot with tasty cherry flavours. Excellent style with lovely spicy French oak on the finish. Liked this! 94 points. $35
2005 COOPERS CREEK Hawke's Bay Reserve Chardonnay
Lovely Burgundy nose. Fragrant and varietal. Elegant but fairly light bodied, lacks serious structure and length on the finish but quite good for current drinking. $28
2006 COOPERS CREEK Hawke's Bay Merlot
Very Italian style Merlot with good grippy tannins and fine structure. Excellent food wine and it is quite a bargain as this wine is varietal and good honest drinking. Needs one or two years in the cellar. 90 points. $19
2005 COTTIER Wairarapa Pinot Noir
No distribution in Australia as far as I know but should get it as the wine is very good. Another bargain wine after the Clifford Bay. Masses of black cherries on the palate, dark focussed Pinot flavours. Tight and complex, very well made. Needs 3 years to become even better. Very Burgundian. 94 points. $35
2006 GIBBSTON VALLEY Central Otago Pinot Gris
I still remember this cellar door I visited on my last trip to NZ. I remembered better wines then. Very fragrant and inviting. Fruity, Alsace like palate. Easy to like and understand, sweet palate. Drink now. 90 points. $28
2004 GIBBSTON VALLEY Central Otago Pinot Noir
Even the colour looked too light. Gamey nose with cherry conserve. Light bodied Pinot, lacking richness, fruit structure, power and length. Finishes slightly green and watery. $48
2005 GUNN ESTATE 'Skeetfield' Hawke's Bay Chardonnay
Opens with beautifully cool fruit flavours. Excellent focus, extract and varietal definition. Very tasty, Burgundian style. The short finish comes as a total disappointment, ruining an otherwise great wine. 91 points. $50
2005 HUIA Marlborough Pinot Noir
Very disappointing. Beautifully fragrant but very simple soft wine, needs to be drunk now. No concentration, no focus, no future. Lacks just about everything to be taken seriously. $35
2006 MUDDY WATER Waipara Sauvignon Blanc
One of the most exciting wines I tried at this tasting. Said this last year, Jane East is a seriously good winemaker.
Grassy, fresh with barrel ferment aromas. Beautifully fragrant and inviting wine. Amazing freshness and character. Very exciting, fresh and vigorous style. Lovely fruit flavours, very zippy, absolutely superb drinking now. Invigorating experience, this tastes like the elixir of life. 96 points. $28
Anyone knows where to find this in Sydney, please let me know ASAP.
Jane East's pride and joy is her 2006 MW Sauvignon Blanc
2005 MUDDY WATER Waipara Chardonnay
Wild yeast fermented. Reseved nose but massively full bodied, rich Chardonnay. Savaterre fans should take notice. Tasty drop. 92 points. $35
2006 MUDDY WATER Waipara Riesling
Very rich and slightly sweet, too sweet in fact for Clare trained Australian palates. Fresh and juicy, German style that needs to be chilled. Very well made. 92 points. $30
2004 MUDDY WATER Waipara Pinot Noir
Quite a letdown. Maybe the vintage. Soft and pleasant wine at its peak now. Needs backbone, concentration and power. Has none of it. $51
2004 OLSSENS Central Otago Riesling
Light weight easy Riesling. Good flavours and fine acid structure. Pleasant. $35
2006 OLSSENS Central Otago Riesling
Richer sweeter with more body and better acid structure than the 2004. 91 points. $35
2006 OLSSENS Central Otago Gewürztraminer
Fragrant, Alsace style nose. Lightweight palate, pleasant with good dry finish. $35
2004 OLSSENS Central Otago Pinot Noir
Gamey Burgundian nose with undergrowth. Palate a little light, needs more fruit in the middle palate and power. It may show better in 3 years. Pleasant lovely finish. 90 points. $55
2006 PEGASUS BAY Waipara Sauvignon/Semillon
Fragrant melon nose. Fresh spicy palate. Tasty wine but with a short finish. Drink within 3 years. Good and juicy wine but previous vintages have been better. 91 points. $32
2004 PEGASUS BAY Waipara Chardonnay
Fragrant Burgundian nose. Soft, full flavoured palate. Drink now. Lacks power and grip to go the distance but very drinkable. 90 points. $32
2003 PEGASUS BAY 'Prima Donna' Waipara Pinot Noir
Flagship, very expensive drop. 18 months in French oak. Morello cherries on the nose. Medium bodied, flavourful palate with cherry and bitter cherry flavours. Pleasant wine but lacks middle palate fullness, power and concentration. 92 points but no way I'd pay the price. $100
Very serious Bordeaux contender
2003 PEGASUS BAY 'Maestro' Waipara Merlot Malbec
The other flagship. Much more to my liking. 18 months in French oak. Closed nose with red berries and fruit candy nose. Superbly built, restrained and focussed Margaux like palate. Long haul, serious red. No sweet berry richness but it's not a problem, lovely cedary oak. Built like the classic Bordeaux of the 80's. Great potential, very tight and great tannin grip. Loved it. 94 points. $100
2006 PEGASUS BAY Waipara Riesling
Sweeter style. Too sweet in fact, especially for Australian palates. Grapey and juicy but the 2005 had a much better focus, structure and length. $32
2006 SAINT CLAIR Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Interesting style. Fragrant nose and surprisingly full bodied palate. Richly fruity and quite delicious. Satisfying. 90 points. $22
2006 SAINT CLAIR 'Pioneer Block 3' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Just arrived in Australia. This Sauvignon is simply the more concentrated version of the wine described above. Very delicious, ripe and round full bodied palate, no green characters whatsoever. Nice one. 92 points. $30
2006 SAINT CLAIR 'Wairau Reserve' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Another step up the Saint Clair Sauvignon ladder. Reserved nose here. Mineral, extremely dry, full bodied, serious palate. Massively concentrated with a long finish this is one great Sauvignon that will improve in the cellar for 3 years. No baby fat like the other two and no easy charm either, made for the serious drinker. 94 points. $35
2006 SAINT CLAIR 'Godfrey's Creek Reserve' Marlborough Pinot Gris
The vacuum cleaner salesperson at Godfrey's was an idiot the day before this tasting so I had a hard time looking at this label. Nicely built, trademark full bodied palate with power. Tasty wine that was built for a longer haul, cellar 3 years. Perhaps 91 points but this Pinot Gris is heavier and a unique style that may not appeal to everyone. $30
2004 SCHUBERT 'Block B' Wairarapa Pinot Noir
Chance encounter with a German winemaker who made the best 2004 vintage NZ Pinot I have encountered. Wow! Gamey, extremely Burgundian nose. Superbly built juicy and concentrated palate, extremely varietal and tasty. Tasty and complex red with a great finish. Serious stuff, Schubert must be watched! 95 points. $60
2005 SERESIN 'Marama' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
One enthusiastic British winemaker can create wonders! This is a brilliant Sauvignon. 100% Biodynamic viticulture, the wine spent 14 months in French oak, 25% new. Freshly cut grass and asparagus on the nose. Rich and juicy, seriously complex palate finishing with fine acid and excellent savouriness. Perfect food wine. Amazing length for a Sauvignon. 95 points. $35
Clive Dougall of England with his superb 2005 Marama Sauvignon Blanc
2005 SERESIN 'Raupo Creek' Marlborough Pinot Noir
Reserved nose of black cherries. Flavourful wine like dark velvet. Seductively gamey and tasty. A short term Pinot, drink now. 93 points. $39
2006 STAETE LANDT Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Grassy, spicy Sauvignon. Textbook stuff. Good, fresh and satisfying in the classic mould. Needs something to be unique but still very well made. Drink now. 93 points. $25
2004 STAETE LANDT Marlborough Chardonnay
Ripe and golden wine with excellent Vosges-Alliers French oak. Round and harmonious with lovely creamy vanilla aftertaste. Delicious. 93 points. $29
2004 STAETE LANDT Marlborough Pinot Noir
Spicy and plummy Pinot, aromatic with lovely red berries and mulberries. Juicy and tasty, drink now. Nice oak spice on the finish. 92 points. $35
2005 TE KAIRANGA 'Casarina' Martinborough Reserve Chardonnay
Barrel fermented but no malolactic. Concentrated, varietal and juicy Chardonnay, slightly Chablis like. Lovely long finish. Tasty and very well made. 93 points. $35
2005 TE KAIRANGA 'John Martin' Martinborough Reserve Pinot Noir
Interesting Hunter Valley like burnt rubber on the nose and road tarmac. Gamey, very juicy and finely concentrated palate with excellent tannins and acid structure. I liked this a lot but the rubber came back again in the aftertaste. Still, 92 points. $42
2004 TRINITY HILL 'Homage' Hawke's Bay Syrah
Behold the super expensive flagship of the Holy Trinity. Extremely Rhone like nose, fragrant and gamey. Very smooth, delicious and darkly seductive palate. Amazing class and finesse. Superbly balanced, long and fine. Drink now and over the next 6 years. Suave, classy and polished. Not many wines in Australia are like this. 96 points. $110
2006 VILLA MARIA 'Cellar Selection' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Villa Maria is a huge and professional operation with very consistent winemaking. Lovely, spicy and mineral style. Good drinking. 92 points. $27
2006 VILLA MARIA 'Reserve Wairau Valley' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Powerful and fragrant grassy nose. Fresh and juicy palate. Very good concentration and extract. 92 points. $35
2006 VILLA MARIA Marlborough Reserve Chardonnay
Full bodied and juicy Chardonnay. Very well made. Nice extract and concentration, fine acid on the finish with gentle oak. 92 points. $40
2005 VILLA MARIA 'Cellar Selection' Hawke's Bay Gewürztraminer
Fragrant wine with lots of residual sweetness. Not quite Alsatian style palate. Finishing spcy and dry. 91 points. $30
2006 VILLA MARIA Single Vineyard 'Seddon" Marlborough Pinot Gris
Very fragrant, inviting and varietal. Extremely juicy, sweet palate. Delightful. Lovely and very tasty gooseberry finish. 92 points. $40
2005 VILLA MARIA 'Cellar Selection' Marlborough Pinot Noir
Very inviting, fragrant and gamey varietal nose. Soft and full, easy to love cuddly palate. Excellent spicy aftertaste with red berries but a slightly short finish. Drink now and enjoy. 92 points. $45
2005 VILLA MARIA Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir
Gamey nose. Loosely knit middle palate. Good concentration but this wine needs time to come together. Spicy finish with good oak grip. Cellaring style, wait 3 years before drinking. 93 points. $68
2006 VILLA MARIA 'Taylor's Pass' Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir
Now we're talking. A serious world class Pinot from a single vineyard in the Awatere Valley. Fragrant raspberry conserve on the nose. Extremely lush and concentrated palate. Round and silky. Beautiful concentration and sweetness. Wow. I'd be happy to drink this every day but apparently it's hard to find. 96 points. $70+
2005 VILLA MARIA 'Cellar Selection' Hawke's Bay Syrah
Only their second vintage. Great white pepper nose but slightly loose medium bodied palate. Needs concentration and length and better fruit definition. $45
2004 VILLA MARIA Hawke's Bay Reserve Merlot
This wine is my favourite of the show. Fruit sourced from the Omahu, Ngakirikiri and Twyford Gravels vineyard. Concentrated, fragrant Pomerol like nose. Massive, serious palate of unbelievable concentration and stature (especially for a merlot). Complex and exciting flavours, multi layered and delicious. Very powerful with excellent varietal flavours and lovely oak spice on the finish. The best Merlot I've tasted for a long time. Available in the UK but apparently only comes to Australia in August 2007. Superb wine. 97 points. $60
Serious Pomerol contender and beautiful drop
2005 WOOING TREE Central Otago Pinot Noir
Raspberry candy nose. Smooth and supple palate with a savoury finish. A young vines Pinot? Well made but the acid sticks out on the finish. Probably better with food. 90 points. $40
We've just had a new baby so it took me amazing strength and impossible hours to write this report but I'm glad it's finally done. Hope you enjoyed it and find it useful.
Cheers,
Attila
