2006 Matahiwi Pinot Noir

Region: New Zealand
Country: Wairarapa
Alcohol: 13%
Price: €12,00
Closure: Screwtop

This wine has been produced by Matahiwi Estate from Wairarapa. At 75 hectares Matahiwi Estate is one of the largest family-owned estates in the region. Located on the Southern tip of the North Island of New Zealand, Wairarapa was "discovered" as a wine possible wine region in the 1970's making it quite a young region. It contains the Martinborough sub-region home to some of New Zealands best Pinot Noir producers among others Dry River, Ata Tangi and Palliser.

This wine is a 100% Pinot Noir produced from a variety of clones and rootstocks (over 40 I read somewhere) grown at the Estate. The Pinot Noir variety makes up the 30% of the vines with the remaining 70% being Sauvignon Blanc. Here's what I thought of the wine:

Typically of Pinot it is quite light red in colour. Attractive, youthful and quite pronounced nose with the ripe cherry fruit along with some earthy tones. The same ripe, soft, young cherry fruit on the palate along with smokey oak. Not complex but a well balanced wine with good acidity. A nice length completes a really attractive wine that is lovely drinking right now.

WBW#46 Rhone Whites

This month the theme is Rhone whites and is presented by dr debbs of goodwineunder20. I chose two wines one Australian and the other a Rhone. The wines ended up being totally different in style which made for interesting comparisons; one was quite fresh with good acidity as opposed to the other which was fatter and rounder with clearly less acidity.

2005 Yering Station M.V.R

Region: Australia
Country: Yarra Valley
Alcohol: 14%
Price: €16,00
Closure: Screwtop

Yering Station has some of the oldest vines in Victoria and was one of the first wineries in Victoria having been established in 1838 by the Scottish-born Ryrie brothers. While certainly better known for it Pinot Noir, Yering Station have a reputation for quality across the entire range. This wine has been matured for 3 months in oak of which 22% was fermented in oak
and the remaining 78% in tank. The cepage of this wine are the classic northern Rhone varieties of Marsanne, Viognier and Roussanne.

Pale, straw-like in colour. Really fresh on the nose with plenty of peach and pear fruit. The same pear and peach fruits show up on the palate along with some citrus and mineral characters. The wine is lean and very fresh with good acidity. A lovely wine for a warm summers day.

2003 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche

Region: Rhone
Country: France
Alcohol: 14%
Price: €19,00
Closure: Cork

This estate also have a long history with evidence suggesting that winery was found in the early 19th century. Until 2005 the estate was in the hands of the Jaboulet family when it was sold to the Frey family, who also own Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux.

Of interest is that the comes from the days when mules where used as pack horses in the vineyard. The wine is a blend of Marsanne 50% and Roussanne 50% sourced from a 7 hectare vineyard where vine age is between 40 and 60 years. It spends nine months in oak.

Bright intense yellow-golden in colour. Butter and honied melon on the nose backed up with some hints of oak. The palate is quite thick and oily with the same buttery creaminess and plenty of honey-like fruit. Acidity is quite low but the wine is not flabby. Oak gives the wine structure. Interesting, attractive wine that I would be more than happy to drink again in the future. Good stuff.