01-Aug-2017
Mills Reef have introduced a new range of wines named ‘Bespoke’. They will be positioned between the ‘Elspeth’ and ‘Reserve’ tiers and they aim to offer wines that "venture from the norm” says Mills Reef’s general manager Nick Aleksich. These will be "abstract and tailor-made” wines where the winemaking team are given free rein to craft smaller lots of high-quality wines of distinctive character, which can be unconventional is varietal composition or style. According to winemaker Tim Preston, the wines are an avenue to be creative and experimental. In wineries where this approach is taken, many of the techniques employed are often incorporated into the established tiers, thus increasing interest, complexity and quality. The labels bear the winemaker’s fingerprint, representing their uniqueness. Here, I review the two inaugural Mills Reef ‘Bespoke’ wines, a Chardonnay evoking the voluptuous style of old, and a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc which combines the respective strength of structure and aromatics. www.millsreef.co.nz
