I have to admit I have been questioning Central Otago’s credentials of late. I have been underwhelmed and overpowered by too many massive, alcoholic, oaky examples that are more like Barossa Shiraz than Pinot Noir.
Today my faith has been restored. The 2010 vintage is a cracker and subregion Gibbston has excelled.
Gibbston is the coolest subregion in Central and fruit often struggles to ripen. When the weather gods are being kind, it makes the best wines in the region, if not the country. “It was the best summer we have had in Central for a long time,” says Duncan Forsyth of Mount Edward. “We had four weeks in summer sitting outside then it cooled down towards the end of the season so you could pick it without having excess sugar. If you flower before Christmas you know you have a good chance and it flowered in early December so we could move away from that edge of ripe/unripe.”
Even in the warmer areas of Central Otago around the town of Cromwell and up into Alexandra, there’s a finesse throughout the wines. Perhaps it was the weather – or, is it a growing maturity in the region? There’s more experimentation with early picking, whole bunch fermentation and a move away from oak-fuelled wines.
Blair Walter, winemaker at Felton Road for the past 17 years, pilot and Messerschmitt driver (when it isn’t in pieces) explains: “We have been working on more finesse, early picking. We are blessed being established and having a reputation, which gives me the confidence to go and do what I want with the wines.” Today, the winery generally uses around 25% whole bunch in its fermentations and the wine stays on skins for around 21 days “which is critical to give velvety tannins,” he says.
There appears to be a changing mindset as the region matures and I hope it isn’t premature of me to say that this seems to be reflected in this vintage.
Forsyth believes things have changed. “You get so much natural big fruit which is a lovely thing for a lot of people and a lovely thing for consumers. It’s a nice place to be but as you grow up a bit, you don’t want to be there any longer. I think that the key producers have been finding out what it is to have restraint in the last few years.”
My Top 2010 Wines from Central Otago
2010 First Paddock by Two Paddocks (Gibbston)
Bloody hell New Zealand really can make make restrained and taut Pinot. Hooray. This is a triumph – pure and fragrant, tight and elegant. Restrained and taut – perhaps due to 50 percent whole bunch fermentation providing linearity and drive. Like your best knickers for a special occasion, it is both silky and delicate. The damson and especially black cherry aromas are quintessentially Central Otago. And it’s only 13% which means you can potentially drink more than two glasses – but no more, or you may lose your knickers. 19/20
2010 Rippon Estate Tinker’s Field
Fine and driven, or ‘compacted without the volume’ says producer Nick Mills. It has linearity, focus and admirable purity. Texturally interesting with a fine chalk-like grained tannin – it’s like I’m licking stones. Brilliant. 19/20
2010 Felton Block 5 Pinot Noir
Okay it might seem a bit predictable but Felton Road really does know how to make Pinot. This is still relatively closed on the nose but there’s plenty of good stuff going on in the mouth. It is particularly elegant and delicate for Central Otago. 25% whole bunch provides a linear focused structure and more than 3 weeks on skins gives abundant,velvety, mouth-coating tannins, this has a long life ahead. 19/20
2010 Mount Edward Stevens Vineyard
If you can get your hands on one of the 42 cases produced, consider yourself darned lucky. At the risk of sounding sexist, this is a classy, feminine pinot noir, showing elegance and delicacy. The aromas are pure and focused, reminiscent of black cherry and damson with an attractive herbal lift. The tannins are fine and the oak provides an appealing spice but fades into the background – like it should always do. 18.5+/20
2010 Burn Cottage Pinot Noir
Another elegant little number. It is highly aromatic with red fruits and lifted florals on the nose. Relatively light bodied for a Central Otago wine which is a nice change. But it’s the texture that really gets me: it is slightly chalky and has very fine, mouthcoating tannins. There’s plenty of tannin too which will give this vino longevity. Great drive across the palate and fresh acidity on the finish. 18.5/20
2010 Prophets Rock Pinot Noir Reserve
Fragrant and incredibly pure with with wild flowers, damson, orange peel and black cherry bopping you on the nose as soon as you stick your hooter in the glass. Full bodied yet manages to retain its elegance – which makes for an unusual combination. Texturally, it has abundant tannins and a very interesting chalky texture on the mid palate akin to soluble aspirin in water. And hooray for just 13.5% alcohol. 18.5/20
