29-Nov-2012
The Waimea Estates team led by Ben Bolitho is focussed on the fruit from the Waimea Plains region of Nelson, supplied by their four vineyards, the 80 ha ‘Home' block, the 20 ha ‘Hunter', 40 ha ‘Hope' and the 20 ha ‘Lansdowne' blocks, all situated near the winery. Successive vintages have identified different characteristics in the wines from these sites, which have provided excellent blending options for complete and characterful wines. The wines, crafted by Trudy Sheild continue to feature consistently at the top level in shows and competitions. Here, I review a selection of new 2012 releases, mainly aromatics, under the premium ‘Waimea Estates ‘ and the second tier ‘Spinyback' labels. www.waimeaestates.co.nz