It's been said that people who talk about the weather are actually referring to something else entirely and don't want to name it but where wine is concerned, the weather really is an ongoing conversation because it plays one of the biggest roles in winemaking. The newest wines from one of the coolest climate wine regions on Earth prove the point as they come from Central Otago. It's usually home to the hottest temperatures and the coldest ones each year, both of which give it a relatively narrow band of grape varieties to focus on. Climate change is making its presence felt in Central and broadening the range of grapes grown there but for now, Pinot Noir remains the grape of choice with about 80 per cent of the region's vineyard areas.
These two wines each form part of a larger story of tasting impressions but, for now, they were each the stand outs from Chard Farm Winery and Felton Road, respectively. They also highlight the extreme differences in taste and style that can be achieved within a relatively short geographical distance. The 2023 Chard Farm The Tiger Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard in Lowburn. The 2023 Felton Road Felton Road Pinot Noir comes from Bannockburn. Winemaking varies but the style of the wines shows a more profound difference in terms of style, weight, the taste of the fruit that grows one each of these areas. They each prove that Pinot Noir and Central Otago are far from a one trick pony.
I personally love the flavour differences that wines such as these show because they show what great wine is all about. Other beverages can taste of beautiful botanical aromas or herbaceous hoppy flavours or caramelised ageing processes but wine is, often frustratingly, difficult to pin down sometimes because it is an expression of grapes growing in a certain place. A place where the temperatures, wind, sunshine, rainfall and soil moisture vary widely from one year to the next; and that's just for starters.
The last few years have been a roller coaster for many wine regions in New Zealand and around the world. Strangely, though, Central Otago has emerged relatively unscathed and has not had wildly dramatic vintage differences over the past three years for its best wines, as this week's best of the bunch show.
Wines of the week
19/20
2023 Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir RRP $102
Calvert Vineyard is on the right hand side of Felton Road when driving towards Felton Road winery and is a site that is now divided into three distinct vineyards; two go by the name Calvert and one has been separated and renamed MacMuir; all three wines show incredible differences in style but all have seductively lifted dark fruit aromas and approachability in their youth. This is a wine of outstanding structure. Its full body, weighty mid palate and fleshy silky texture are all underpinned by firm fresh acidity that adds depth and length to every sip. It's a keeper for at least eight to nine years+.
18.5/20
2022 Chard Farm The Tiger Pinot Noir RRP $99
Delicate and light in colour, The Tiger has power and complex layers of flavour that unfold as it sits in the glass. Its full body is supported by structure from its vibrant acidity and flavours of summer berries appear in layers on the palate. This wine will evolve well for five to six years+ and also drinks beautifully now. Best decanted.
