Bay Harbour: October 21, 2020

Wednesday October 21 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 15
Wine
Otago pinot noirs on parade
• By Mark Henderson
OFTEN WHEN I’m deciding on
what I’m going to taste for this
column, I endeavour to maintain
a bit of variety.
I’ve been working on a few
different wine styles, which will
make their appearance in the
weeks to come so a flight of pinot
noir beckoned.
(yet not underpowered) style.
Juicy and vibrant, the sweet
fruit, acid drops and wild herbtinged
palate shifting to savoury
characters with a sweet ’n’ sour
tanginess on the close. In the slot
to enjoy now.
www.chardfarm.co.nz
2017 Aurum Mathilde
Organic Central Otago
2018 Chard Farm River
Run Central Otago
Price: $34
Rating: Very good
Fragrance, earthy touches, red
fruits, a savoury backdrop. A
tingly, prickly note on the tongue
leads this light to medium-bodied
Price: $55
Rating: Excellent
A beguiling nose draws you
in. Darker fruits, dustiness,
savoury elements, oak nuances
and perfume growing. A
crunchy, chewiness to the palate
with richness and depth of
flavour, the dark fruits joined by
cherry, savoury and wild herb
undercurrents and a hint of black
tea. The sweetly fruited finish is
balanced by refreshing acidity.
Nicely done.
www.aurumwines.com
2018 Wooing Tree
Central Otago
Price: $48
Rating: Excellent to
outstanding
Menthol, cool mint, a wholebunch
sappy note, bread dough/
umami, darker brooding notes as
fragrance builds. Very appealing.
Powerfully expressed palate,
some serious tannic grip yet fruit
intensity to support it, ripe with
an attractive dryness. The tannins
build so perhaps best with food
for now, and should sing with a
little cellar time.
www.wooingtree.co.nz
2016 Aurum Madeleine
Organic Central Otago
Price: $88
Rating: Excellent to
outstanding
Perfume leads, a savoury/
umami element quickly grows,
with darker fruits and hints of
leaf. A burst of flavour, layers
of complexity, fresh lift, power
without heaviness. A chalky
element to the texture and a zesty,
lip- smacking close adds to the
whole and while there is lovely
integration here, there’s clear
potential too.
www.aurumwines.com
2018 Domain Road Central
Otago
Price: $40
Rating: Excellent
A wild hint, earthiness, savoury
nuances, evolving to delightful
violet-like florality; a little warm
leather with time. Vibrancy, juicy,
chewy, a sweetly fruited front
palate builds quiet depth as it
flows to a long, dry finish. Nicely
balanced and an each- way bet
showing drinkability now, yet
potential too. A slow burner that
really grows on me.
www.domainroad.co.nz
2018 Aurum Organic
Central Otago
Price: $38
Rating: Very good to excellent
Toffee/caramel gives way to
a cool aspect as blackberry and
berry fruits mingle with fruit
liqueur and leaf/ coolmint.
Not quite the complexity of its
siblings, yet lovely fruit purity, a
crunchy brightness to the drying
tannins and racy acidity.
www.aurumwines.com
Discover our heritage
this Labour weekend
Orton Bradley Park Spring Fair, Christchurch Tram and more.
Explore your neighbourhood and region this Heritage Festival.
Sat 24 Oct – Sun 8 Nov 2020
Image: PH18-WeJi-26. Wei Li Jiang. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
Check out the full programme:
ccc.govt.nz/heritagefestival