Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington  18/20Bright straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, this has a fine, bright and intense nose of mineral infused gooseberries, mint, white florals along with very subtle smoke and barrel-ferment notes. Dry and elegantly proportioned, restrained citrus, gooseberry and nectarine fruit flavours are complexed by delicate toasty barrel nuances. While fresh and lively, the mouthfeel has a gentle creaminess to the texture which leads to a sustained finish of lime fruit, nuts and spices. Fruit from 5 blocks, some given limited skin contact, cool-fermented in stainless-steel, with 20% in 3 y.o. oak to 13.5% alc., the BF portion aged on lees. This is an elegant and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with subtle barrel work adding delicate complexities and textures. Match with seafood, poultry and creamy cheeses over the next 2-3+ years. 18.0/20 Jan 2012 RRP $24.00
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Pinot Gris from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington19-/20Predominantly fruit from Ro and Lyle Griffiths' ‘Lismore' vineyard on the Martinborough Terrace, hand-picked and WBP, cool-fermented with 20% in 3 y.o. oak to 13.5% alc. and 8 g/L rs. No MLF. Brilliant, even, straw-yellow colour with light golden hues, this has a superb, fresh, lively and penetrating bouquet of refined, aromatic yellow florals and spiced pears with hints of exotic tropical fruits. Dry to taste, this is extremely fine featured and textured with subtle, detailed flavours of flowers, pears and stonefruits. The palate is elegant and proportioned, with excellent concentration and a tight core that is still to unfold. Discreet acidity carries the flavours and adds an element of lusciousness, but the wine has a sustained, dry finish. This is a vibrant, classy and detailed Pinot Gris, the most stylish to date from Ata Rangi. It should develop well over the next 4-5 years. Serve with fine Asian cuisine. 19.0-/20 Jan 2012 RRP $28.00
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Chardonnay from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington18.5/20Brilliant straw-yellow colour with light golden hues, the nose is tightly bound, but shows intense aromas of yellow stonefruits, mealy, nutty, nougat and hints of toast and bacon-like oak that develops in volume in the glass. Dry and initially a little shy, the palate has concentrated ripe stonefruit flavours with mealy, nutty layers and oak toast harmoniously interwoven. The textures are smooth, seamless and fine, and with bright acidity, the wine has energy and drive. The finish is very long, with some alcohol warmth and nutty oak showing. Mendoza clone fruit from vines nearly 30 y.o. from the ‘Craighall' vineyard on the Martinborough Terrace, hand-picked and WBP, fully barrel-fermented by indigenous yeasts to 13.5% alc., and aged in 25% new French oak barriques, with 40% MLF. This is an elegant and graceful, but concentrated Chardonnay with layers of interest that unfold with breathing. Match with grilled seafood and roasted poultry or pork over the next 4-5 years. 18.5/20 Jan 2012 RRP $38.00
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Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington18.5-/20Named for ‘Project Crimson', aimed at the protection of the red-flowering native Pohutakawa and Rata trees. Made from 100% Martinborough fruit, clones 5, 10/5, Abel and Dijon, from vines 10-20 y.o., hand-picked and fully destemmed and given a cold soak. The wine was indigenous yeast fermented including a portion of whole berries to 13.5% alc., and aged 9 months in 20% new French oak. Dark, deep, black hued ruby-red with light purple hues on rim. This is elegantly proportioned on nose with bright, vibrant dark raspberry and cherry fruit aromas, along with notes of fresh herbs and a hint of flinty, minerally reduction and oak spice adding layers of interest. Medium-full bodied, this is bright and juicy with up-front and mouthfilling, rich, dark berry fruit flavours which are enhanced by fresh, lively acidity. Very fine, supple tannins underline the palate, forming a subtle density and concentration. The finish is long and sustained with succulent fruit flavours, balanced by fine tannins. This is a vibrantly fruity Pinot Noir with an underlying fine structure that will offer enjoyment over the next 5-6 years. Serve with tuna, duck and pork. 18.5-/20 Jan 2012 RRP $35.00
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Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington19/20Fullish, dark, black-hued ruby-red with youthful purple hues. This has a tightly bound, restrained nose that unfolds to reveal aromas of dark red plum and berry fruits with complex layers of violetty florals, herbs, mushrooms and game. Medium-full bodied and a little shy initially, this is an elegantly proportioned wine that builds on the palate to show succulently sweet flavours of dark plums with dark herbs and liquorice. Silky, fine tannins provide a seamless texture and the wine exudes refinement, driven by an underlying concentration. The flavours flow to a Peacock's tail of flavours featuring an array of floral notes. Abel, clone 5, Dijon clones and 10/5 from the ‘Ata Rangi', ‘Champ Ali', ‘Di Mattina', ‘Cambrae', ‘Lismore' and ‘Dodd' vineyards, from vines up to 30 y.o. 10% whole bunch, given a cool soak and indigenous yeast fermented to 13.8% alc. Peak temperatures 32°C, with 3-4 weeks on skins. The wine was aged 12 months in 25% new French oak barrels. This is a beautifully elegant and refined, but concentrated Pinot Noir that will evolve with layers of interest over the next 6-8 years. Outstanding for the vintage. 19.0/20 Jan 2012 RRP $65.00
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Blended Red from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington17/20A blend of 50% Syrah, from four different blocks, 40% Merlot, from three blocks, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, from two blocks, given a pre-fermentation maceration and fermented to 14.0% alc., with 21 days on skins, then aged 17 months in 20% new French oak barriques. Bright, deep, purple-hued ruby-red colour, youthful in appearance. The bouquet is marked by reduction, but has warm, earthy, black and red fruits, predominantly in the plum range, with some tobacco notes and restrained layers of spice and dark herbs underneath. Medium-full bodied, the fruit is a little subdued, but luscious flavours of spiced black plums and pepper clearly show the Syrah component, with support from gentle red fruits, and earth. The palate has density and concentration, with a firm, driven palate line, and soft textures and mouthfeel from the supple tannin extraction. The reductive notes lend a little bitterness to the expression, but aromatic spice and pepper nuances and good acid balance emerge on the finish. This is a medium-bodied, gently concentrated ‘Célèbre' which will show complexity with bottle development. Serve with game meat over the next 5-7+ years. 17.0/20 Jan 2012 RRP $32.00
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