Vavasour, Sanctuary, Dashwood and Goldwater Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Releases

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Dashwood Marlborough Chardonnay 2016
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Marlborough

  Review Date : 10-May-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, light straw-yellow colour with slight green hues, paler on the rim. The nose is soft and even with fresh and straightforward aroma of white stonefruits along with subtle nutty notes and hints of chalky minerals. Medium-full bodied, the palate is uncomplicated with clear and clean flavours of white stonefruits, along with nutty and mineral detail forming an elegant core. The flavours build, revealing some lemon-curd MLF and citrus fruit notes, and the wine flows along a fine-textured line with fresh, balancing acidity, leading to a clean finish of stonefruits and citrus fruit. This is a straightforward, clean Chardonnay with flavours of white stonefruits, nuts and mineral detail. Serve as an aperitif and with most white meat dishes over the next 2+ years. A blend of Awatere and Wairau Valley fruit fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 9 months with 10% new oak, 70% undergoing MLF. 16.5/20 May 2017 RRP $15.00
• Sanctuary Nelson Chardonnay 2016
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Nelson

  Review Date : 10-May-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Brilliant, light straw-yellow colour with slight lemon-gold hues, lighter edged. The nose is elegantly presented with fresh aromas of white stonefruits and citrus fruit, forming a good heart, unfolding a positive layering of lemon-curd MLF. The nose is tightly bound and possesses a steely freshness. Medium-bodied, the palate is finely proportioned with flavours of stonefruits and citrus fruits entwined with lemon-curd MLF and subtle nutty oak notes. The mouthfeel is slippery, with smooth textures and lacy acidity providing energy and tension. The wine carries to a fine, taut and delicately nuanced finish. This is an elegant, refreshing Chardonnay with citrus and stonefruit flavours along with lemon-curd and nutty notes on a smooth-flowing palate. Serve as n aperitif and with seafood over the next 2-3 years. Fruit from Moutere clay soils, fully barrel-fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 9 months in 15% new French oak, 70% undergoing MLF. 17.0-/20 May 2017 RRP $18.00
• Goldwater Nelson Chardonnay 2016
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Nelson

  Review Date : 10-May-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, light straw-yellow colour with pale gold hues, lighter on the rim. This has a soft and gently expressed nose that unfolds aromas of ripe peaches and citrus fruits, entwined with subtle creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak notes, and an amalgam of minerals and lemon-curd MLF. The aromatics build in depth and richness with aeration. Medium-bodied, the palate features elegantly concentrated and layered flavours of white peaches, yellow stonefruits and citrus fruit, melded with creamy, nutty oak and mealy complexities, unveiling lemon-curd MLF nuances. The wine flows smoothly along a fine-featured line with fresh underlying acidity, leading to a lingering finish of citrus fruits, mealy detail and nutty oak. This is an elegantly concentrated and layered Chardonnay with fine, complex flavours of citrus and stonefruits, nutty and mealy elements and MLF notes. Match with poultry, pork and veal over the next 4 years. Fruit from Moutere clay soils, fully barrel-fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged10 months in 15% new French oak barriques, 80% undergoing MLF. 18.0-/20 May 2017 RRP $23.00
• Vavasour Awatere Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2016
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Marlborough

  Review Date : 10-May-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, even straw-yellow colour with pale green-gold hues, lighter on the edge. The nose is softly voluminous with layers of ripe yellow peaches and citrus fruits along with complexing mealy detail, entwined with creamy barrel-ferment, and nutty, toasty oak elements. The aromatics are very harmonious in expression and subtly build in presence in the glass. Medium-full bodied, the palate has good weight and depth of white and yellow stonefruit flavours intermixed with savoury, mealy notes, creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak elements. The flavours are stylishly restrained but gently fill the mouth. The fruit forms a finely detailed and textured core with good concentration, and the wine flows positively with balancing acid freshness, leading to a sustained finish of stonefruits and nuts. This is a subtly flavoured, complex-layered Chardonnay with stonefruit, mealy, creamy and nutty flavours on a finely textured and concentrated palate. Serve with grilled and roasted seafood, poultry and pork dishes over the next 4+ years. Clone Mendoza and 95 fruit from the Awatere Valley, from original Vavasour vines, planted 1986, hand-picked, WBP, and fully barrel-fermented to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 18% new French oak barriques, 80% undergoing MLF. 18.5/20 May 2017 RRP $31.00
• Sanctuary Marlborough Pinot Noir 2016
  Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Marlborough

  Review Date : 10-May-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Even ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is softly full with gentle, ripe dark-red berry and blackberry fruit aromas entwined with redcurrant and red liquorice notes, along with herbs and a suggestion of minerally reduction. The aromatics are harmoniously melded together. Medium-bodied, the palate has up-front and uncomplicated fruit flavours of red berries and redcurrants intermingling with subtle herb elements. The fruit forms a soft heart with light, supple tannin extraction, and the mouthfeel is enlivened by fresh, lacy acidity. Some reductive nuances emerge to add interest. The wine flows to a sweet-fruited finish of red fruits, florals and herbs. This is an up-front, soft, red berry fruited Pinot Noir with light, supple tannins and a fresh mouthfeel. Serve with antipasto, tapas, pasta and risotto over the next 2-3 years. Predominantly clones 115, 667, 5 and 114, from the Wairau and Awatere Valleys, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine spending 5-10 days on skins post ferment, then matured 10 months in French oak. 16.5/20 May 2017 RRP $20.00
• Vavasour Awatere Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015
  Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Marlborough

  Review Date : 05-Nov-2017

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Ruby-red colour with some depth and slight purple hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is elegantly concentrated with good volume of ripe, dark-red berry and cherry fruit with raspberry notes, and a fine thread of dark herbs and subtle whole bunch stalk, unfolding a little savoury earthiness. Medium-full bodied, the palate is well-proportioned with good depth of dark-red berry fruit entwined with black cherry notes and suggestions of herbs and whole bunch stalk complexities. The fruit is rich with moderate depth, fine concentration and balanced, fine-grained tannin structure and soft acidity. As the wine flows, nuances of spice and savoury earth emerge and carry to a soft, ethereal finish. This is an elegant and well-proportioned Pinot Noir with dark-red berry and cherry fruit, fine herbal and spicy-earthy notes on a fine-textured palate. Match with pork, veal and beef dishes over the next 5-6 years. 100% Awatere Valley fruit, clones 115, 667, 5, 113 and 777, hand-picked, given a 10 day cold soak and fermented with 20% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 20% new French oak. 18.0+/20 Nov 2017 RRP $30.00 Dark, even ruby-red colour with light purple hues and some depth, lighter edged. This has an elegantly concentrated nose with aromas of ripe dark-red and black-berried fruit along with spicy dark herbs and notes of liquorice and nutty oak. The nose has good intensity and unfolds some subtle resinous oak detail. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a richly concentrated core of dark-red berry and black cherry fruit entwined with liquorice, plum and dark herb notes, along with some nutty oak. The fruit is supported by fine-grained tannin structure that forms a refined lime with integrated acidity. The wine flows with positive energy to a restrained, but lingering finish of dark-red and black fruits and flavours of liquorice. This is a well-concentrated, rich Pinot Noir with dark-red and black fruits on a fine-grained palate with good drive and energy. Match with duck and pork, and beef and lamb dishes over the next 5-6 years. Clones 115, 777, 5, 114 and 667 from the Awatere Valley, the fruit hand-picked and fermented with approx. 20% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 5-10 days on skins post ferment and aged10 months in 20% new French oak barriques. 18.0/20 May 2017 RRP $31.00