As promised in my last blog, I am putting myself on the line here with some unadulterated tasting notes from Monday’s NZ Pinot Noir blind tasting. The day showed that wine is very subjective – all these supposed wine experts and no-one could agree. It almost became comical.
I did learn one thing that cannot be argued over – Southend-on-Sea in Essex has the longest pier in the world, measuring 2.158km (thanks to fellow wine journo and former Southend-er Jo Burzynska for that gem. Turns out Neal Martin of erobertparker.com is also from Southend).
Anyway from piers to Pinot. My overarching thoughts on the first dozen wines, which turned out to be North Island and Nelson Pinots were: all have some structure, some acidity, many are too heavy on the oak for the fruit, herbal notes keep coming up, damson/plum fruit and sometimes violets.
Wine A9 reads: Pure, vibrant damson fruit, floral, parma violets, good concentration, but a lovely chalky texture, quite delicate on mid palate, well balanced with fresh acidity. Cedar oak on the finsih but not overpowering. I like this for the structure. 18.5/20. Turns out it’s Ata Rangi 2006 from Martinborough and it’s no surprise really.
There was an imposter in the line up: Bruno Clavelier 2006 Corton Le Rognet Grand Cru. While many people loved it, I wasn’t keen. My notes read: ‘Starting to brown in the glass. Strange banana aroma, elastoplast, violets, medicinal aroma, low yield good concentration with brett. Some underripe tannins – French? 14/20. Oh dear, 14/20 for a Grand Cru. It was one of the top wines of the day but I don’t like elastoplasts in my wine.
Flight 2 had good colour for Pinot but many lacked mid palate focus and structure. I thought the use of oak was better than in the first flight. Sweet red and black fruits, moderate plus acidity. Turns out of be Marlborough and Canterbury. This was a confused set of wines. Some tasted like they were from Australia they were so powerful while Seresin’s Sun & Moon which I thought was awesome when I had the bottle in front of me, seemed more Merlot-like than Pinot: ‘Deep colour. Fresh black cherry and blackcurrants with a touch of violets mouthfilling, rich, is this really Pinot Noir? Fresh acidity, soft ripe tannins, short length. Oak well integrated. Clearly expensively made with good concentration and power but this isn’t what Pinot is about for me that’s why I’m marking it down. 16/20’ Oh dear. $120 a bottle as well. Sorry, Seresin.
Bell Hill which everyone raves about also did poorly. ‘Overoaked lime toast, Stilton cheese, gamey South African thing going on. Lacks concentration and structure. Medium plus acidity, alcohol balanced, silky, ripe. 15/20.
Then came the Central Otago flight. The deep colour was a bit of a giveaway. The overall standard of the wines was higher than previous flights but there were plenty of disappointments. At the top of the table sat Lindis River’s 2006 One by One. Paler than the rest of the flight. Restrained nose, tastes somewhat metallic/steely, lacks generosity, dry, savoury, French?. Not feminine at all, earthy, vinous. 17.5/20.
Quartz Reef’s 2007 Bendigo Estate brought up the rear of the Central tasting. ‘Moderate concentration, quite oaky, low tannin some grain, lacks fruit, tight finish, fresh acid, parma violets, lacked definition on mid palate,’ said my notes. Isn’t it amazing that I’ve been to see the lovely winemaker Rudi Bauer and quite enjoyed his wines in situ? Just goes to show how much preconceptions do alter the marks.
