Spade Oak Methode Blanc de Blancs NV and Tempranillo Rosé 2017

19-Jan-2018

Steve Voysey is a winemaker’s winemaker in that he is ever-innovative and keen to take on the challenge of the more sophisticated and technically difficult styles as well as working with new varieties. This has resulted in Steve’s excellent track record with some of this country’s most significant wines while working, starting with Montana and ending up at Pernod-Ricard. It has also led to him planting emerging varieties such as Albarino, Petit Manseng, St Laurent and Tempranillo in his and his wife Eileen’s own ‘Spade Oak’ venture in Gisborne. Here, I review two new Spade Oak releases, demonstrating the Voyseys’ foresight and keenness to innovate. With regard to the method traditionnelle, it is actually a single vintage wine, but is labelled ‘NV’ as Steve thinks the wine is about its style primarily, rather than year of production. However future labelling is planned to include the ‘top ‘Vigneron’ tier, and will have a code to show the disgorgement date, these all critical points in such quality sparkling wines. www.spadeoak.co.nz

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Spade Oak Gisborne Methode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blancs NV
Sparkling Wine from New Zealand - Gisborn
Review Date : 18-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright straw-yellow colour with pale lemon-gold hues and some depth, the bubbles moderately fine an persistent. The bouquet is very fresh and vibrant with fragrant aromas of white stonefruits and florals harmoniously entwined with a very fine and intense thread of yeasty autolysis. This is refreshing and mouthwatering, showing purity, taut intensity and finesse. Dry to taste, the palate is elegant and tightly bound with a pure and fresh core of thirst-quenching white stonefruits and aromatic florals, with gentle yeast autolysis. The flavours are vibrant in expression with bright, lacy acidity and fine mousse, all underlined by fine phenolic textures lending a dry, mouthwatering line. The wine carries to a fresh, lingering, nuanced finish. This is a taut, refined, pure Blanc de Blancs method traditionnelle with white stonefruit and florals, and a thirst-quenching core guided by fine textures and fresh acidity. Serve as an ateritif over the next 3-4 years. 100% hand-picked Mendosa fruit from the ‘Ashwood’ estate, from the 2016 vintage, primary fermented in 2.500 L oak cuve with 100% MLF, the wine aged 12 months on lees and dosage by 2.7% 2012 ‘Vigneron’ Chardonnay wine to 8 g/L RS. Lot 3416324. 18.0+/20 Jan 2018 RRP $30.00 Disclaimer: This wine is distributed by ‘Wine2Trade’, the company under which ‘Raymond Chan Wine Reviews’ operates
Spade Oak ‘Heart of Gold’ Gisborne Tempranillo Rosé 2017
Rose from New Zealand - Gisborn
Review Date : 18-Jan-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, pale strawberry-pink colour with some depth and hints of purple on the rim. The nose is delicate in presentation with delicate, fragrant aromas of strawberries and cream with soft red florals and subtle notes of confectionary. This is pretty and has beauty. Off-dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has subtly sweet and rich, but poised flavours of strawberries and cream ans an amalgam of aromatic red florals, with cherry confectionary. The fruitiness and sweetness is balanced by soft, refreshing acidity, and the wine flows with tension and vibrancy, leading to a long, fragrant finish of red florals and confectionary. This is a gently rich, but poised, off-dry rosé with strawberries and cream, soft red florals and confectionary notes on a smooth-flowing palate. Serve with antipasto, tapas, and Asian cuisine over the next 2 years. Saignee wine, the fruit from the ‘Spade Oak’ vineyard, tank-fermented to 12.0% alc. and 8.5 g/L RS, the wine aged 7 months on light lees. 18.0+/20 Jan 2018 RRP $24.95 Disclaimer: This wine is distributed by ‘Wine2Trade’, the company under which ‘Raymond Chan Wine Reviews’ operates

Spade Oak Methode Blanc de Blancs NV and Tempranillo Rosé 2017

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

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