Alexander 2016 Martinborough Pinot Noir and Merlot

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Alexander Martinborough Pinot Noir 2016
  Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Wairarapa & Wellington

  Review Date : 18-Jun-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Very dark, deep, near impenetrable black-red colour with purple hues, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is deeply concentrated and packed, intense aromas of ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit along with dark plums entwined with nutty oak with resinous nuances, unfolding notes of liquorice, dark herbs, some earthy hints and suggestions of savoury whole bunch stalks. Medium-full bodied, the palate is well-packed and concentrated with rich, ripe and deep flavours of blackberries, black cherries, plums and liquorice, entwined with nutty oak, unveiling dark herbs and spices. The palate has very good fruit depth and intensity forming a firm-textured core with drive and linearity, the acidity ripe and well-integrated. The wine carries to a long, concentrated black-fruited finish. This is a very firmly concentrated ripe, black berry, cherry and liquorice-fruited Pinot Noir on a fine-structured, linear palate. Match with roasted and grilled game meat dishes over the next 7-9+ years. A selection of the 9 best barrels. A blend of 44% clone 5, 23% Abel, 23% mix of 6 and 113, and a 10% mix of 115 and 667, the fruit hand-picked, the clone 5 with 10% as whole bunches and indigenous yeast fermented to 13.6% alc., the wine on skins approx. 24 days and aged 11 months in 33% new Alliers oak. 219 cases made. 18.5/20 Jun 2017 RRP $39.00
• Alexander Martinborough Merlot 2016
  Merlot from New Zealand - Wairarapa & Wellington

  Review Date : 18-Jun-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Full, near saturated black-red colour with slight purple hues on the edge, very youthful in appearance. The nose is subtly restrained in expression with well-concentrated and elegantly packed aromas of ripe blackberries, along with black and dark-red plums. The fruit unveils notes of dark herbs, spiced, and cedary and pencilly oak, moving to blackberry liqueur. Medium-full bodied, the palate has ripe and sweetly rich flavours of blackberries and black plum fruit, along with notes of spice and cedary oak. The fruit has real concentration, forming an elegantly packed heart, the fruit richness balanced by considerable fine-grained tannin structure, with fresh, underlying acidity. The wine carries to a well-proportioned, sustained finish of black fruits and plenty of fine structure. This is a ripe blackberry and black plum fruited Merlot with notes of liquorice, soces and cedary oak, on a fine-grained, considerably structured palate with freshness and energy. Serve with lamb, beef and venison over the next 8-10 years. Clone 481 fruit, hand-picked and fermented to 13.8% alc., the wine spending 24 days on skins and aged 10 months in 33% new Alliers oak. 965 bottles made. 18.5+/20 Jun 2017 RRP $29.00