Introduction

New Zealand Wine has a great representation here in Australia, running two principle events per year; the "Taste of New Zealand Wine Fairs" in early Autumn, which is for both the trade and public; and the New Zealand Wine New Release Tasting; which is a trade-only event that is held in September.

The Melbourne leg of this year's New Release Tasting was held in one of the function rooms of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and it was a magnificent event.

This event is a contrast from normal events, where there are winemakers or distributors presenting the wines. It is just you and the wines. The wines are all presented by variety. As such we were able to compare 9 Rieslings side by side; 34 Sauvignon Blancs and 23 Pinot Noirs head to head among the 100+ wines presented.

The setup of the room was excellent; the wines were grouped on tables; with around 10-15 bottles per table which had sawdust-filled buckets at each end; plenty of water, and plenty of palate-freshening nibbles available.

This was the perfect setup for a large-scale wine tasting. Elmira Curin of New Zealand Wine and Carole Ruta of Champagne Charlies in Sydney deserve great credit for the setup and running of the event.

I was able to taste through all wines on offer; which took around 4 ½ hours. Even then I don't feel that I've done justice to all the wines presented and will be presenting first-level impressions in the Tasting Notes.

In terms of the wine on offer there was a good spread on show; although I was surprised to see only one Syrah was presented. Given the promising rumblings we've been hearing from across the Tasman I had expected a broader representation of this variety.

The other noteworthy factor was the number of wines presented in screwcap in preference to (cork); especially in the aromatic wines; and more so from the 2002 and 2003 vintages presented.

New Zealand Wineries have taken great strides in embracing screwcaps; which is to their credit. For all my well-documented enthusiasm for screwcap I've previously allowed that the (cork) did not further colour the flavour of the wine; unless the (cork) was faulty. Having tasted through the selection here I'm coming around to the conclusion that a (cork) does have an impact on the flavour of the wine, and it's not a good thing. Why spend $1,000 on fine French oak only to have the flavour affected by a 60 cent (cork)? I've denoted the wines bottled with (cork) within the tasting notes.

My short notes on the wine presented for the New Zealand Wine New Release tasting can be accessed from the hyperlinks below.

The ratings are my general impressions of the wine, noting the mass-tasting context is not the most ideal for thorough consideration of the wine. If anything I may be a touch conservative with the ratings, taste them yourself and compare.

Sparkling
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinotage, Merlot, Red Blend, Syrah and Dessert Wine

Sparkling Wine

Just two sparkling wines were presented at the New Zealand New Release Tasting; which was a bit of a pity as I've found great quality coming from the New Zealand bubblies.

Lindauer Grandeur NV
A new label for one of the giants in the NZ market. Pale colour, fine bead, slightly muted on the nose and quite acidic on the palate. Very good styling in the shaper, more acidic style, with a good finish. Very Good

Huia Marlborough Brut Marlborough 1999
Very nice yeasty nose. Good acidic mouthfeel although with a very pronounced green apple character which is a touch off putting. Good finish. Good

Riesling

There were nine Rieslings lined up for the event, with a mixture of vintages from 2002 and 2003. As noted below, the presence of the (cork) was noticed as I moved through to lineup.

Forrest Estate Dry Riesling 2002
Good Riesling nose of lemon and lime. Medium to full-bodied wine with strong acid and good fruit with lean mouthfeel before a good finish. Very Good.

Spy Valley Riesling Marlborough 2003
Acid mouthfeel with leaner stylings. Way young yet, should age very well. Very Good

Babich Riesling Marlborough 2003
Pale straw colour. Again a leaner nose and a touch spritzy on the palate. A touch green. Very Good

Waipara Springs Hardwick Riesling 2002 (cork)
More muted on the nose with a slight woody character. Nice sweeter style fruit on the palate with good balance and finish. Very Good

Muddy Water 'James Hardwick' Riesling 2002
Lean lemon/lime nose. Strong spritz on the palate, lean acid with green apple. Needs time. Good

Kim Crawford Riesling Marlborough 2003
Clare-style aromas on the nose. Nice palate structure, good balance of fruit and acid. Very Good

Seifried Riesling Nelson 2003
Pale straw colour, intriguing herbaceous nose. Sweeter than others, good fruit along tropical lines, and acid although there is something a little bit artificial about the overall impression. Very Good

Framingham Classic Riesling Marlborough 2002
Cool lean lemon and lime on the nose. Nice quality fruit showing apple, nicely structured acid and a lovely long finish. Great stuff. Excellent

Pegasus Bay Riesling Waipara 2002 (cork)
Slightly muted nose, almost a touch of spice. Spritzy tinned pineapple with a slight miss at the back palate. Medium finish with some residual sugar showing. Good

Pinot Gris

The Pinot Gris wines on show were a mixed bag, with the Kim Crawford standing out.

Huia Pinot Gris Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Very closed on the nose. Fruit sweetness on the palate although a bit bland, although a reasonable finish. Average

Spy Valley Pinot Gris Marlborough 2003
Slight spice characters on the nose. Medium-full mouthfeel, good acid with a very good finish with some muted bitterness that provides further complexity. Very Good

Kim Crawford Pinot Gris Marlborough 2003
Very pale straw colour, nice fruity nose. Lively mouthfeel with a hint of passionfruit, very nice long finish. Very enjoyable food-friendly wine. Excellent

Seifried Pinot Gris Nelson 2003
Very pale salmon in colour, with nice spicy aromas on the nose. Nice fruity stylings with good complexity, medium finish. Very Good

Amor Bendall Pinot Gris Gisborne 2003 (cork)
Pale straw colour with typical spicy aromas on the nose. The palate is decidedly odd, the lean acid is not integrated at all the flavours are all over the place. Perhaps the (cork) is having an increased influence here. Average

Gewürztraminer

Nice spicey characters showed for the Gewürztraminer wines which provide a nice contrast in the aromatic range.

Huia Gewürztraminer Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Pale straw colour, nice and mineral hint which extend through the palate with a slight touch of lanolin coming through, medium finish. The overall impression is let down by some unattractive bitterness on the back palate. Good

Spy Valley Gewürztraminer Marlborough 2003
The aroma is like sticking your nose in a bunch of roses with jasmine decoration. Spice palate and a good long finish. A really interesting wine. Very Good

Amor Bendall Gewürztraminer Gisborne 2003 (cork)
Quite floral on the nose with spice underneath. Nice fruit on the palate, good mix of flavours and a medium-full finish. Very food friendly. Very Good

Seifried Gewürztraminer Nelson 2003
Pale straw colour, again the spicy rose petals showing. Semi sweet fruit character on the palate with a medium-full finish. Good flavours, but needs some more breadth. Good

Babich Winemakers Reserve Gewürztraminer Hawke's Bay 2002
A different style of spice on the nose. More Alsace in style, nice complexity and breadth and a medium-full finish. Very good added complexity with some feral characters showing. I liked it. Excellent

Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon

Sauvignon Blanc had by far the biggest representation at the tasting; reflecting the importance of the variety for the New Zealand Wine Industry. The wines overall were not as blowsy as I was expecting and were consistently enjoyable.

Vavasour Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Classy grassy nose. Good middleweight palate with a hint of Teddy Bear biscuit. Nice complexity at the back palate and a spritzy finish. Very Good

Montana Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (cork)
Grassy capsicum on the nose. Good palate structure and a decent finish. Very pleasant drinking. Very Good

Villa Maria Cellar Select Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2002
Very good grass & green capsicum on the nose. Nicely structure mouthfeel with good acid on the palate and a good long finish. Excellent

Drylands Winemakers Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Mid grassy nose with good herbacousness. Leaner style mouthfeel and not as broad as expected. Slightly one-dimensional. Good

Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc Hawkes Bay 2003
Just a touch muted on the nose. Very good fruit characters on the palate, medium full finish. Enjoyable lighter style drinking. Very Good

Seifried Sauvignon Blanc Nelson 2003
Light straw colour. Gooseberry and passionfruit on the nose. Good lively mouthfeel, quite acidic with a long finish. Very Good

Cairnbrae 'The Stones' Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Herbaceous nose. Spritzy mouthfeel. Good palate structure, nice balance, good long finish. A classy wine. Excellent

Clos Marguerite Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Very classy label on this wine. Pale straw colour. I can sense the woodiness of the (cork) without looking at the seal. Medium full on the palate, promising more but indistinct on the palate. The finish is good. Good

Fairhall Downs Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Nice fresh palate with mid-strength herbaceousness. Good balance and a nice long natural finish in the leaner style. Excellent

Forrest Estate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Nice refined nose with good Sauvignon Blanc characters. Medium-full mouthfeel, good balance, long cleansing finish. Nicely structured and food friendly. Very Good

Framingham Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Lifted nose. Rich palate with quite strong acidity. Rich acidic palate but lacking in fruit on this impression. Good

Ngatawara Glazebrook Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Nice fruit aromas on the nose. Spritzy mouthfeel showing more lemon and lime than other characters, decent finish. Very Good

Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Very pale straw colour. Grassy herbaceous on the nose. Fresh palate structure with a lean back palate and a good finish. Quite a whack of acid on it which hasn't integrated, marring the other quality characters in the wine. Good

Huia Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Pale straw colour. Muted herbacousness. Nice palate structure with good acid balance and a long finish. Very enjoyable and would suit a range of foods. Very Good

Hunters Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Mid grassy characters. Nice fruit on the front palate but loses character on the back palate before a reasonable finish. Good

Kathy Lynskey Wines Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Very pale in the glass. The fruit is struggling to be shown. Quite pleasant on the palate with a medium finish. Pleasant if uninspiring. Good

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Nice herbacousness on the nose. Very good quality fruit on the palate showing complexity and lifted gooseberry/pineapple and passionfruit before lovely long finish. A really good wine. Excellent

Konrad & Co Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Pale straw in colour. Medium full nose showing fruity characters which carry through the palate with cleansing acidity, lifted back palate although a bitter back palate mars the finish. Should be better. Good

Lake Chalice Wines Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Grassy herbaceous nose. Full weight fruit on the palate although a touch unripe. Nice finish. Very Good

Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Pale straw colour. A touch of spice on the nose with rich characters on the palate. Clean drinking, Pleasurable refreshing drinking. Very Good

Matua Shingle Peak Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Herbaceous characters on the nose. Very nicely structure on the palate with good cleansing acidity and finish. A very classy drop for early drinking. Excellent

Mudhouse Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Rich character on the nose. Fairly ripe on the palate with rich good characters, balanced and a good finish. Very Enjoyable. Very Good

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Grassy gooseberry on the nose. Rich palate with a lot of acid. Delivers nicely on the palate with a hint of greenness, good finish. Pleasant leaner style drinking Very Good

Selaks Premium Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (compound cork)
Slight lanolin character on the nose. Quite broad on the palate with the acid overlaying the fruit. Medium finish. Good

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Herbaceous nose . Nice full fruit character on the palate with balanced acid before a good long finish. Enjoyable in an easy drinking style. Very Good

Staete Landt Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Quite closed on the nose. Strong acid on the palate, which significantly overplays the fruit, perhaps some age will help here. Indistinct fruit flavours, medium finish. Average

Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Herbaceous gooseberry on the nose. Rich fruit characters with spicy overtones. Good balance, nice long finish. Good drinking Very Good

Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Very good structure on the wine, slightly spritzy palate, good finish. Nicely structured drinking. Very Good

Le Grys Traditional Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003 (cork)
Fairly muted nose with typical Sauvignon Blanc stylings. Good palate structure with plate acid; good length. Very nice. Very Good

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Nice full nose showing full breadth of Sauvignon Blanc flavours. Full weight on the palate with very good balance and lovely long finish. Classy stuff. Excellent

Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
Cool grassiness. On the rich nose. Lean palate with refined fruit. Fairly acidic and lively on the palate, good finish. Very Good

And there was one lonely Sauvignon Blanc blend waiting at the end of the table.

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2002 (cork)
Full grassy nose. Straw becoming evident on the palate with a medium full finish. Enjoyable drinking with food Very Good

Chardonnay

There was quite a stylistic range across the Chardonnays offered for the New Zealand New Release Tasting

Kim Crawford Chardonnay (Unoaked) Marlborough 2003
Clean melon fruit on the nose. The palate is a touch lollyish in character alongside decent fruit. Cleansing finish. Enjoyable early drinking style. Good

Hunters Chardonnay Marlborough 2001 (cork)
Classic Chardonnay nose although with a slight nuttiness. The palate is indistinct with a medium short finish. Average

Carrick Chardonnay Central Otago 2002
classic fruit evident on the nose. Nicely structured palate in the cool climate style. Very much on the young lean style at present. Will be excellent with age. Very Good

Muddy Water Chardonnay Waipara 2002
Rich full palate structure, well structured styling showing a fruit backbone and a long finish. Should develop well with age, which will see an improvement in rating. Very Good

Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Full melon and citrus on the nose. Full palate and malo character, lifted acid and good length. Enjoyable wine. Very Good

Staete Landt Chardonnay Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Melon and oak on the nose. Full bodied, good balance of oak and fruit, good finish. Very Good

Wither Hills Chardonnay Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Rockmelon on the nose with oak. Good mainstream Chardonnay styling with a medium-full finish. Very Good

Selaks Premium Selection Chardonnay Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Medium straw colour. Slightly muted on the nose. Middle weight on the palate with a medium short finish. Good

Babich Unoaked Chardonnay East Coast 2002
Sharp soapy nose. Sharp on the palate, medium finish. Didn't really go for it at all. Poor

Amor Bendall Reserve Chardonnay Gisborne 2003 (cork)
Classic Chardonnay nose. Sweet fruit on the palate and quite obvious oak. Leaner styled wine. Medium finish. Good

Mills Reef Reserve Chardonnay Hawkes Bay 2002 (cork)
Medium straw colour. Full melon peach citrus and firm oak on the nose. Full malo style on the palate again heavy on the oak. One for the full-on Chardonnay lover. Very Good

Villa Maria Reserve Chardonnay Marlborough 2002
Spritzy palate, nice styling good leaner style with citrus overtones before a long finish. Very Good

Kumeu River "Maté's Vineyard" Chardonnay Kumeu 2002
Melon and pear on the nose with vanillin oak. Nicely balanced palate with classy complexity, good length. Great now and will further improve with age. Excellent

Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu 2002
Nice melon and peach aromas. Classy palate structure, rich flavours and a great long finish. Just below the standard of 'Maté's'. Excellent

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir was second only to Sauvignon Blanc for representation at the New Release tasting; reflecting it's importance to the export market for New Zealand Wine. The Central Otago wines were at the end of the row but they were worth waiting for.

Hunters Pinot Noir Marlborough 2001 (cork)
Cherry and tar on the nose, middleweight acidic palate, nice length with a nice touch of richness although it could deliver more. Good

Kumeu River Village Pinot Noir Kumeu 2002
Nice cherry characters with spritzy ness on the palate. Good styling and a nice long finish. Needs time to show it's true character. Very Good

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir Waipara 2001 (cork)
Dark cherry characters on the nose. Rich palate structure, nice length. Finishes just a touch shorter than it should. Very Good

Kumeu River Pinot Noir Kumeu 2002
Pale red colour in the glass. Nicely structured nose, rich mouthfeel with heaps of funky acidity. Needs age to settle when the ample improvement will show. Very Good

Seifried Winemakers Collection Pinot Noir Nelson 2003
Medium-dark in the glass. Nice berry nose and earthy characters. Sweet fruit on the palate with rich characters before a good long finish. Medium term cellaring. Very Good

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Charred cherry on the nose with fresh plum. Semi-sweet fruit with rich characters. Good structure and a long finish. Nicely style wine. Very Good

Framingham Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002
Medium cherry in the glass. Red cherry and oak on the nose. Fruit sweetness shows on the palate, which lifts the aromas on the wine. Will see improvement to Excellent with medium term aging Very Good

Babich Winemaker's Reserve Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Good sweet fruit on the nose and palate. Quite obvious tart citric acid on the palate overplays the fruit. Medium-full finish. Good

Drylands Winemaker's Reserve Pinot Noir Marlborough (cork)
Quite spritzy on the palate with heaps of acid on the wine. Seems a touch disjointed at present, which might come together with age if the fruit can triumph over the acid. Good

Fairhall Downs Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Medium full weight in the glass. Muted nose of cherry and brambles. Full sweet palate with soft tannin structure. Medium full finish. Very Good

Montana Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Pinot Noir 2002 (cork)
Fairly full on the nose with dark cherry. Good fruit structure match to fine oak. Medium-firm tannins and a decent finish. Enjoyable drinking Very Good

Spy Valley Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Full ripe cherry fruit on the palate with full flavours, medium full finish. Will benefit with medium-term cellaring. Very Good

Vavasour Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002 (cork)
Nice dark toasty nose. Rich mouthfeel with young fruit characters, good styling before a medium length finish. Very Good

Wither Hills Pinot Noir Marlborough 2002
Cherry and charred oak characters on the nose. Good fresh mouthfeel with good acid balance to the wine. Nice back palate and a long finish. Very Good

Murdoch James 'Waiata' Pinot Noir Martinborough 2002 (cork)
Muted nose with light strawberry and a bit cardboard boxy, although this doesn't show on the palate. Slightly tart. Medium finish. Average

Murdoch James 'Blue Rock' Pinot Noir Martinborough 2002 (cork)
Again slightly boxy but with better characters. Good fruit structure with sweetness and a decent finish. Good

Murdoch James 'Fraser' Pinot Noir Martinborough 2002 (cork)
Much better on the nose showing good fruit characters. Spritzy acid on the palate with slightly lollyish fruit before a decent finish. Very Good

Quartz Reef Pinot Noir Central Otago 2002
Good characters on the nose with slightly overripe fruit with quality oak before medium-full finish. Tastes a touch forced on the fruit. Very Good

Pisa Range Estate Black Poplar Block Pinot Noir Central Otago 2002 (cork)
Good balance on the palate with outstanding fruit matched to fine oak, lovely long finish. Very good drinking. Excellent

2002 Olssens 'Jackson Barry' Pinot Noir Central Otago 2002 (cork)
Very stylish nose with cherry and plum. Beautifully weighted palate with balanced acid; fine-grained oak and fine tannins before a long finish. Should age well. Excellent

2002 Olssens 'Slapjack Creek' Pinot Noir Central Otago 2002 (cork)
Slightly more restrained nose. Stunning balance on the palate. Beautifully structure, classical Pinot noir styling before a lovely long finish. A fantastic wine. Exceptional

Carrick Pinot Noir Central Otago 2002
Quite dusky on the nose with dark cherry. Quite tannic on the palate but with the structure to carry it. Should develop and improve with age. Excellent

Pinotage, Merlot, Red Blend, Syrah and Dessert Wine

The final table of the New Zealand new Release Tasting was a mixed bag of reds and a sweet wine. As I noted in the introduction I had expected more Syrah wines to be represented here however the single sample presented showed very nicely.

Muddy Water Pinotage Waipara 2002
A rare showing from the predominant red from South Africa. Spiced plum on the nose. Spritzy palate with medium full-bodied structure. Firm tannins before a long finish. Way young yet, needs time. Very Good

Kim Crawford Merlot Hawkes' Bay 2002
Dark red in the glass. Soft plum on the nose, quite tannic on the palate and a touch green in style. Very Good

Matua Valley 'Bullrush' Merlot Hawkes Bay 2002 (cork)
Meaty nose of raw eye fillet. Medium weight on the slightly green palate, aggressive back palate with a medium finish. Good

Obsidian Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Waiheke Island 2000 (cork)
Meat on the nose and a touch lean with chocolate undertones. Middleweight palate. Pleasant flavours without being really exciting. Should develop better with age. Very Good

Vin Alto Celaio Sangiovese Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Auckland 1998 (cork)
Spicey Italian styling on the nose. Lifted palate of medium weight spiced sour cherry, soft tannins and a medium back palate. Enjoyable for something a little different. Very Good

Mills Reef 'Elspeth' Syrah Hawkes Bay 2001 (cork)
Full dark red in colour. Quality berry nose on the ripe side of green. This is completely redeemed by the palate, which shows high quality cool climate fruit, classy French oak before a good finish. Very enjoyable drinking and a good aging prospect. Excellent

Siefried Winemaker's Collection Riesling Ice Wine Nelson 2003 (cork)
Pale straw colour. Ripe lime nose. Nice full mouthfeel with rich characters, good palate structure and a good long finish. Very good drinking and will develop further complexity with age. Excellent

Murray Almond

© Murray Almond
5 October 2003

Any feedback? Send it to Murray at fromtheleftisland@yahoo.com.au