09.06.2020 Views

Selwyn Times: June 10, 2020

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

16<br />

Wine<br />

Wednesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>10</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz<br />

SELWYN TIMES<br />

Isolation heightens focus<br />

• By Mark Henderson<br />

LIKE MANY OF you, I took part in<br />

a number of Zoom meetings during<br />

lockdown, including wine tastings.<br />

The latter involved far more intellectual<br />

rigour than I had imagined — using one’s<br />

senses to explain a wine to others (who<br />

do not have the wine in front of them) is<br />

surprisingly difficult, yet heightens the<br />

focus on the wine in your glass.<br />

For whatever reason, I haven’t tackled<br />

many reds in this column recently, so<br />

it seemed appropriate to explore a few<br />

Central Otago pinot noirs.<br />

2018 Carrick<br />

Billet Doux<br />

Central Otago<br />

Pinot Noir<br />

Price: $36<br />

Rating:<br />

Excellent to<br />

outstanding<br />

Fascinating<br />

nose, humus, a wild and feral quality; delicious<br />

purity of fruit.<br />

Silky and textural entry with a little<br />

prickle on the tongue, showcasing loganberry,<br />

plum and wood smoke with nice<br />

chewiness from the tannins.<br />

Time adds dark chocolate and charcuterie<br />

to the brightness and vivacity, while the<br />

tannins are very fine.<br />

Rather delicious. No sulphur<br />

added.<br />

www.carrick.co.nz<br />

017 Judge<br />

Rock<br />

Alexandra<br />

Pinot Noir<br />

Price: $45<br />

Rating: Very<br />

good<br />

A little shy at<br />

first, building a<br />

quietly alluring perfume.<br />

There’s richness yet a sense of coolness<br />

as well, the fruit mingling with earth and<br />

wild herb notes; a touch of tea leaf/pencil<br />

lead too.<br />

A juiciness to the palate with a tangy<br />

element framing the finish as the tannic<br />

structure quietly builds. Time in bottle<br />

should meld this together nicely.<br />

www.judgerock.co.nz<br />

2017 Maori<br />

Point Gold<br />

Digger<br />

Central Otago<br />

Pinot Noir<br />

Price: $29.95<br />

Rating: Very<br />

good to excellent<br />

Smoke, a little funky wildness, wild herbs<br />

and red fruits in support.<br />

Red fruits and raspberry lead the palate,<br />

with hints of Christmas fruit mix and oak<br />

notes.<br />

There’s fruit sweetness her, the tannins<br />

nicely melded into the wine and a fresh lift<br />

on the spicy close. In the slot and drinking<br />

nicely now. Well priced.<br />

www.maoripoint.co.nz<br />

2019<br />

Hawkshead<br />

Central Otago<br />

Pinot Noir<br />

Price: $45<br />

Rating: Very<br />

good to excellent<br />

Dusty, smoke,<br />

dried herbs,<br />

fragrance building with light cherry tones;<br />

a toffee note with aeration.<br />

Youthfully crunchy and juicy, highlighting<br />

cherry and blackberry, along with a<br />

little herbal backdrop, moving to spice on<br />

the close. Good flavour intensity and while<br />

this shows its youthful brashness, there is<br />

drinkability too.<br />

www.hawksheadwine.com<br />

2018 Misha’s<br />

Vineyard<br />

Cantata<br />

Central<br />

Otago Pinot<br />

Noir<br />

Price: $30<br />

Rating:<br />

Excellent<br />

A deeper, darker register to the nose,<br />

raspberry, dark berries, wood smoke, oak<br />

nuances; quite engaging.<br />

The palate brings out its youthful side,<br />

raspberry and oak spices joined by a lavender-like<br />

wild herb influence with bright<br />

acidity and growing, chewy tannins closing<br />

on a smoky note. Youthful puppy fat here,<br />

but a lot of ingredient for the price.<br />

www.mishasvineyard.com<br />

2018 Burn<br />

Cottage<br />

Moonlight<br />

Race Central<br />

Otago Pinot<br />

Noir<br />

Price: $49.99<br />

Rating:<br />

Excellent to<br />

outstanding<br />

Fragrant and floral nose of mixed berries,<br />

spice and perfumed oak.<br />

Textural entry, berryfruit, wild herbs and<br />

spices are framed by a delightfully lively<br />

palate with fine-grained tannins in<br />

support. Supple, nicely integrated already,<br />

there’s lightness and airiness to this; depth<br />

of flavour without weight, as cherry fruit<br />

and stony minerality grows.<br />

www.burncottage.com<br />

APRIL <strong>2020</strong><br />

TIME TO GET<br />

GROwING<br />

BEGINNER’S GuIDE<br />

TO DIY vEGES<br />

THE FASHION ISSuE<br />

OuR LEADING<br />

LADIES<br />

DUNEDIN’S FASHION<br />

GODMOTHERS<br />

ONLINE<br />

A FEAST FOR<br />

THE EYES<br />

KIwI lAbElS IN<br />

CHRISTCHURCH<br />

lOCATIONS<br />

with the South Island’s premier<br />

lifestyle magazine<br />

FASHION<br />

THROUGH<br />

THE AGES<br />

IcONIc pOp cuLTuRE<br />

mOmENTS<br />

Read us on style.kiwi<br />

Follow us @stylechristchurch

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!