It’s well known that Central Otago does bloody good Pinot Noir so I’m not going to bore you with telling you about its lovely black cherry hue, dark fruits, herbal and savoury notes, and impressive backbone of acidity….Instead, I’m going to talk about its whites.
Sparklers, dry and off-dry Rieslings, and Pinot Gris give this region more strings to its bow. It does some decent Gewurz and a bit of Chardonnay but the Pinots and Rieslings stand out. Inevitably the whites are overshadowed by the Pinot Noirs, which dominate planting and give the region its prestige. But, as more markets and consumers get to know the Pinots of Central, they’ll start to ask ‘What else do you do?’ And the good news is, it ain’t Sauvignon Blanc.
Duncan Forsyth, winemaker at Mount Edward who has a disco ball in his barrel cellar and is making his own chorizo-type sausage, said “We have a name that can carry our region with our reds. Sauvignon Blanc is the leader for New Zealand. We will always be Sauvignon-centric simply because of the volumes of wine but for me the future is all about Riesling.â€
David Hogg, director of Amisfield added, “If we just have Pinot Noir at our table that would be too straight. I think we have pretty special Pinot Gris and Riesling.â€
Wines that stood out for me (although I can’t mention them all here or I’ll put you to sleep).
Sparkling:
Amisfield Arcadia Brut NV
50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay. A great palate cleanser after a long day’s tasting. Apple skin, savoury note, lean and crisp with elegant mousse and fresh acidity. 17.5/20
2007 Mount Edward Riesling, (£12, Laytons)
A crisp little number. Zesty on entry with green apple, citrus, white flowers and minerally . Lovely texture and concentration. Tight finish thanks to a very low pH of 2.95. Alcohol at 12.5 makes for a wine you can drink plenty of… 18/20
2008 Quartz Reef Pinot Gris
The biodynamic Austrian winemaker makes this in a tight Germanic style with no malo and no oak. It sits somewhere between a Gris and a Grigio style. Full of citrus, apple and pear with a little creaminess. Medium-full body with an alcohol of 14.5% but it’s well balanced so you don’t end up breathing fire after drinking. 17.5/20
Ok so I said I wouldn’t talk about reds but I can’t help but mention Felton Road because all of its Pinots would get you excited (its whites are great too)
2008 Calvert Pinot Noir, Felton Road
Ok, so the jury’s still out on whether I preferred the more expensive Block 3 Pinot or this but, as I’m a tight northerner, I’ve gone for the Calvert. Lovely bright colour. It’s minerally, almost chalky, with sweet fruit on entry with a generous and supple mid-palate. It ends with a lean and smoky, French-oak finish. 18/20
