Black Estate

30-Aug-2020

Home Vines and Restaurant - Raymond Chan Wine Reviews

The Naish family are making exciting and contemporary wines in the Waipara Valley. Core to their approach is the distinctiveness of the three estate vineyards they source fruit from. The ‘Home’ vineyard was originally planted in 1994 with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and more recently to Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. The soils are sedimentary clay fan. The ‘Damsteep’ vineyard was established in 1999, and Riesling and Pinot Noir are grown. The soil is sandstone and fractured limestone. The ‘Netherwood’ vineyard was planted in 1986 with Pinot Noir and a mass selection of Chardonnay, thought to be Mendoza clone. The soil is mudstone and sandstone. All three sites are farmed organically and biodynamically, the ‘Home’ and ‘Damsteep vineyards since 2010, and the ‘Netherwood’ since 2012, and all sites will be BioGro certified March 2017.

www.blackestate.co.nz

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Black Estate Home Chenin Blanc 2019, North Canterbury
Chenin Blanc from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, medium yellow-straw with depth, even throughout. The nose is gently soft with aromas of hay, bonfire, dried florals, quite mealy; along with beeswax, yellow stonefruit and a light note of talcum powder. Medium-bodied, dry to taste, there's a good core of lemon, apricot and honey; entwined with dried florals, mead, finished with a lifted tone of old ginger and white pepper. Lively acidity flows with great energy, carries stony minerals and a light waxy phenolic texture line to linearity. This Chenin Blanc has a lovely concentration of fruit, balanced acid and rich detail of mead on a textural palate, very moreish. Match with whitebait fritters and salmon gravlax over the next 4-6 years. Organic certified. Barrel fermented to 12.5% alc. Unfined, unfiltered. 19-/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $45
Black Estate Home Young Vines Chardonnay 2019, North Canterbury
Chardonnay from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, medium yellow with depth, slightly paler on the rim. The nose is gently upfront with aromas of yellow florals, stonefruit, lemonade, mandarin entwined with warm honey and a light note of fresh corn. Medium-bodied, the palate is soft with nuances of stonefruit, lemonade, along with yellow florals, citrus peels underlying subtle spices, warm honey and fresh corn. The fruit is fresh and young with a good core of energy, flows with balanced, lively acidity smoothly, carries warm honey and spice to a lingering finish. The mouthfeel is light with a skin phenolic texture line, added textural detail. This is a young Chardonnay with fresh flavours of stonefruit and lemonade, lively acidity and subtle details. Match with buttermilk fried chicken and crumbed blue cod over the next 2-3 years. Handpicked, whole bunch pressed, 100% barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc. Unfined, unfiltered. Certified organic. 18/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $39
Black Estate Home Chardonnay 2019, North Canterbury
Chardonnay from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, even, medium yellow with some depth. The bouquet is gently full with nuances of chamomile, stonefruit, pear, along with raw fennel bulb, light honey, creamed corn and a hazelnut undertone. Complexing flavour unfolding and deepen as it aerated. Medium-full bodied, there is a concentrated core of sweet fruit of peaches, nectarines, lemon, melded with chamomile, fennel, warmed hazelnuts, chalky mineral and delicate spices. The palate has weight and concentration, balanced by lightly creamed texture and soft phenolic grip. Lacy acidity shows freshness and support, carries notes of light honey and hazelnut across the palate and brings delicate spices to a lifted, lingering finish. This is a smooth-flowing medium-full bodied Chardonnay with complexing flavours and interests. Match with chicken & corn and prawn laksa over the next 3-5 years. Handpicked, whole bunch pressed. 100% barrel-fermented to 14.5% alc, aged in barrels. Unfined, unfiltered. 18.5/20 pts Aug 2020
Black Estate Treble Rosé 2020, North Canterbury
Rosé from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, medium watermelon pink with some depth, paler on the rim. The bouquet is gently soft with fragrances of red blossoms of hibiscus and rose petals, along with fresh herbs, strawberries and cherries, candied orange peels and a thin dusting of spices. Medium-bodied, pretty florals have a positive core, melded with red plums, hibiscus, cherries, along with delicate spices flows to an attractive mild spicy finish. The mouthfeel is textural with a dusty phenolic texture line, added weight and structure to the palate. The acidity is lively and balanced, carries the flavours to a satisfying, lingering, dry finish. This is not your typical rosé; it has complexing flavours of primary fruit and florals along with fresh herbs, spices on a fine dusty tannin texture line. A versatile wine to match with a range of lean meat and tapas selection over the next 3-4 years. A blend of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. Co-fermented to 12.5% alc. 80% whole cluster, 1-28 days on skins. 18.5/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $32
Black Estate Damsteep Pinot Noir 2018, North Canterbury
Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Deep, medium ruby-red with depth, youthful, even colour throughout. The nose is elegant, densely packed with fragrances of deep florals, dark herbs, thyme; along with perfumes of dark plums, cherries and raspberries, unfolding earthy mineral undertone. Medium-bodied, lacy acidity flows with good energy, carries sweet and vibrant flavours of red berries, blackberries, raspberries, along with thyme, black pepper and spice element. The mouthfeel is with substance, good firm grip of tannin extraction silkily coated the palate. The fruit is succulent, underlined by lacy acidity, unveiling liquorice, thyme and spice to a sustained finish. This is a vibrant Pinot Noir with flavours of dark berries, and raspberries fruit, complexing detail of floral and herb note flows with lively acid cut with silky tannin palate. Match with lamb liver and ragu over the next 6-8 years. Organic certified. Unfined, unfiltered. 18.5+/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $45
Black Estate Home Pinot Noir 2018, North Canterbury
Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara
Review Date : 04-Aug-2020
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, light ruby-red, even throughout. This bouquet is elegantly vibrant with freshly crushed raspberries, red cherries, red blossoms, melded with a dusting of earth, game, dark herbs, bark and roots. Pretty floral nuances fill the glass as it aerated. Medium-bodied, vibrant fresh berries, cherries, raspberries interweaved with black pepper, bark and dark herbs, underlying earthy mineral. The wine is youthful with a good core of red fruit with juicy acidity balance. Finely weaved dusty tannin structure supportive backbone is silken with a good grip. This is a young Pinot Noir with juicy red fruit, earth and dark tones, will benefit from another couple years of bottle ageing. Match with game fowls and roasted root vegetables over the next 5 years. 12% alc. Unfined, unfiltered. Organic certified. 18.5-/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $45

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

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