Riesling from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington  17.5+/20Fruit from the ‘Winery Block' from 25 y.o. vines, hand-picked and WBP, then cool-fermented to 11.9% alc. and 7 g/L rs. The TA is high 9.3 g/L with a low 2.85 pH. Very pale straw colour with green hues, this has a delicate and fine, tightly bound, pure nose of lime juice, green apples, acacia florals and minerals. Very dry and tightly crisp, the acidity is mouthwatering. Concentrated and fine-textured, the palate features a flavour core of apples and limes infused with minerals. Nuances unfold slowly with time in the glass and the wine has excellent line and good length. The wine is youthful and somewhat austere at present, but will develop to show much greater interest and become richer with bottle age. It is a good candidate for the cellar, and will keep another 6-8+ years and no doubt merit a higher rating. Serve as an aperitif or with shellfish. 17.5+/20 Feb 2012 RRP $25.00
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Viognier from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington17+/20Bright, pale, green-hued straw-yellow colour, pale on edge. This is elegant and well-proportioned on bouquet with good depth of exotic floral perfumes with notes of fresh herbs. Very tight, pure and minerally, this is clearly youthful. Dry to taste and medium-weighted, the flavours are tightly bound, but intense and penetrating. Attractive pure floral-infused nectarine and apricot notes show, and the palate is linear and driven with fresh, lively acidity which leads to a moderately long, steely finish. A tight, linear and racy Viognier, showing cool elegance and cut. This will become richer over the next 3+ years. Match with seafood and poultry. ‘Dakins Road' block fruit hand-picked, WBP and stainless-steel fermented to 13.3% alc. and 1.79 g/L rs, the wine given lees work. 17.0+/20 Feb 2012 RRP $28.00
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Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington18.5-/20Clones 5, 6, 13, 115, 667, 777 and Abel from the ‘Dakins Road' and ‘Gladstone' blocks, hand-picked, given a cold soak and fermented to 14.5% alc., the wine spending up to 4 weeks on skins. The wine was aged 10 months in 30% new French oak. Moderately deep ruby-red colour with purple hues, light on rim. This has a bold and lively nose of dark red berry fruits along with savoury dried herb and spice aromas, the oak in good balance, all forming a concentrated and deep amalgam of interest. Medium-full bodied, this has a concentrated and rich array of flavours with dark red berry fruits, herbs, game and spicy oak that unfold and fill the palate. The wine has balanced tannin extraction, the textures tending soft and round, providing attractive suppleness, with restrained acidity enhancing the richness. The wine carries a sustained finish of savoury red fruits. This is a full-flavoured and bold wine showing an array of complex flavours that will match mushroom and duckdishes over the next 4-6 years. 18.5-/20 Feb 2012 RRP $45.00
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Merlot from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington18-/20‘Auld Alliance' recalls France and Scotland's historical connection against the English, but is also a recognition of Scottish owner Christine Kernohan making wine with classical Bordeaux varieties. This is 50% Merlot, 25% Malbec and 25% Cabernet Franc all from the ‘Dakins Road' block fermented to 14.85% alc., the wine aged 14 months in 90% French and 10% American oak. Dark, deep, full ruby-red colour, the bouquet is soft and densely packed with sappy blackcurrant, savoury dark herb and green olive aromas, the fruit with a cool profile, but well-integrated with oak cedar. Medium-full bodied, this has a very appealing lusciousness, the palate a harmonious mix of dark currant fruit, herbs and spicy, cedary oak that opens to reveal layers of nuance. Fine-grained, supple tannins and fresh acidity provide a well-proportioned structure that allows the fruit and oak sweetness feature. The finish is long and lingering. This is a cleverly-crafted claret-style wine that matches cool fruit and spicy oak with appeal. Serve with herb marinated roasted lamb over the next 5-7 years. 18.0-/20 Feb 2012 RRP $45.00
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