A New Zealand Diary – Day Five

By Jamie Drummond

8.30am Welcome to Pinot Noir 2010 – Keynote 1

Chair: Alistair Maling MW

Keynote: Kevin Roberts (Global CEO Saatchi and Saatchi)

Speakers: Matthew Jukes, Nick Stock

Jamie and Matthew Jukes

Click below to listen To Matthew Jukes’ introductory presentation:

[Audio http://goodfoodmedia.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/welcome-to-pinot-noir-2010.mp3]

Nick Stock and Jamie

Click below to listen To Nick Stock’s introductory presentation:

[Audio http://goodfoodmedia.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/nick-stock-welcome-to-pinot-noir-2010.mp3]

10.45am Formal Tasting 1: Our New Zealand Pinot Noir Regions

Chair: Patrick Materman

Panel: Olly Masters (Wairarapa/Martinborough), Tim Finn (Nelson), Brian Bicknell (Marlborough), Lynette Hudson (Canterbury/Waipara), Blair Walter (Central Otago)

(Tasted blind)

2007 Waipara Valley Pinot Noir Waipara
Cherry, incredible spice with a herbal vein.boysenberry, rhubarb, slight tar but not dominant, probably from medium toast new French oak. Vibrant acidity with appealing juicy fruit on palate.

2007 Craggy Range “Aroha” Pinot Noir Martinborough
Primary cherry characteristics. Savoury, with dark brooding intensity of fruit. Nice and dense but with finesse. Oak is certainly there but nicely integrated.

2007 Neudorf “Moutere” Pinot Noir Nelson
Herbal, High-toned cherry fruit, cooking spices, good complexity on nose. Very pleasing satin-like tannins. A many layered wine with good ageing potential.

2007 Peregrine Pinot Noir Central Otago
Raspberries, buckets and buckets of squishy almost too ripe raspberries! Very attractive on the nose with rose petals. Some herbal nuances. Raspberries follow through to palate. Subtle oak influence. Elegant and precise. Pleasant lengthy finish.

2007 Te Whare Ra Pinot Noir Marlborough
Exotically perfumed, savoury notes, star anise, violets, floral and black fruit notes. Good purity of fruit. Nice tannic grip for a Pinot Noir. Chewy tannins. Quite a mouthful.

2007 Valli Vineyards “Bannockburn Vineyard” Pinot Noir Central Otago
Intense darker fruits, stemmy (from whole bunch ferment?), earthy with dried herbs. Some chocolate on the palate. Quite complex on the palate.

2007 Villa Maria “Taylor’s Pass” Pinot Noir Marlborough
Initially shy on nose, eventually I found quite a bit of red and black fruit with some very pleasant herbaceous nuances. Nice oak influence.

12.15pm The Mayor’s Lunch

Jamie and Tim Atkin MW

2.15pm Formal Tasting 2: Pinot Noir Seven Years On

Chair: Blair Walter

Panel: Leslie Sbrocco, James Halliday, Matthew Jukes, Bob Campbell MW

(Tasted Blind)

2003 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough
Dark plum, smokey, tobacco, iodine, stewed prunes, tea, earth, good acidity.


2003 Craggy Range “Te Muna Road Vineyard” Pinot Noir Martinborugh
Dark cherry, pepper, spice, maybe over the hill, quite short.


2003 Te Kairanga “Reserve” Pinot Noir Martinborough
Compost, damp hay, “over the top… in the mist” according to Matthew Jukes. I sort-of dismissed this one.

2003 Staete Landt “Estate” Pinot Noir Marlborough
Still quite bright and vivacious, dark fruits, good acidity and juciness. Really enjoyed this.


2003 Wither Hills Pinot Noir Marlborough
Quite intense fruit with some interesting tertiary notes, evident barrel char, red fruits decaying.

2003 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir Waipara
Tar, smoke, funkiness, quite powerful dark fruits, silky tannins, shows benefit of age.

2003 Pegasus Bay “Prima Donna” Pinot Noir Waipara
Primary fruits of cherry and black nora plum, licorice, sweetness on palate, cocoa, medium finish.

2003 Felton Road “Block 5” Pinot Noir Central Otago
Fruit is all still there, red spangles (that old candy from my childhood), ginger, coffee, good fruit density, velocity and freshness.

2003 Mount Difficulty “Target Gully” Pinot Noir Central Otago
Nice sweet fruit on the front of the palate, bobs and gobs of fruit, quite overwhelming, oak sits well with fruit.

2003 Rippon Pinot Noir Central Otago
Great acidity and vivacity, still full of life, my favourite of the flight, silky dry tannins. Superb structure and poise.