Warming to colder whites

Wine tastings can be a fascinating experience and expectations can often go out the window.

Is it the fault of the wine/s going through a surly phase, or is it the fault of the tasters going through a surly phase (just as possible)?

Sometimes the wines just seem hard to judge.

A few of the wines today showed quite marked and sharply bracing acidity at first.

Thankfully, my panel and I afford ourselves the time to go back to each wine three, four or more times and the improvement in some of them was palpable.

Messrs Collins and McLaren joined me to taste these wines blind on a bitterly cold early spring day.

I suspect that warmer days and appropriate food will provide a more beneficial opportunity for them to shine.

 

 


2013 Framingham Classic

Price: About $25
Rating: Good to very good

Attractive nose with honeysuckle and beeswax.

Some secondary characters rather than primary fruit.

The palate develops notes of apple, citrus and cinnamon spice with a funky undercurrent.

Rather bracing acidity here at first with a firm finish.

This took some time but blossomed from its acidic chrysalis.

www.framingham.co.nz

 

 

 

 

2014 Roaring Meg Central Otago

Price: About $23
Rating: Very good

Herbal tea; camomile perhaps with a touch of apricot and apricot kernel.

Textural and sweet fruited entry with orange and mandarin to the fore: the acidity rushes in to follow.

Fresh, crisp style with a nice zing in the mouth.

Not the longest finish, but rather appealing and nice drinking.

www.mtdifficulty.co.nz

 

 

 

 

2014 Julicher Martinborough

Price: About $20
Rating: Fair

Subtle nose with honeyed hints.

The palate developed a Wests pineapple and pear cordial note with bruised apple.

Quite simple on the nose and palate.

Clean and innocuous.

www.julicher.co.nz

 

 

 

 

2010 Peregrine Rastaburn

Price: About $25
Rating: Very good

Musk and honeysuckle with beeswax and spices.

Rich mouthfeel: honeyed at first then moving into the orange and ripe, almost tropical fruit spectrum.

A youthful fruit jube note.

Nicely judged acidity neatly balances the honeyed fruit finish.

A tasty overall package that is very drinkable.

www.peregrinewines.co.nz

 

 

 

 

2013 Domaine Rewa Central Otago

Price: $23-$25
Rating: Very good

First nosing gave hints of kero, then bread dough and wild yeast notes with bush honey and minerality bringing up the rear.

Rose's lime cordial on the palate.

Mouthfilling, concentrated palate; fresh and well structured with honey and then sweet ripe apple on the finish.

Crisp and delicious.

www.domainerewa.com

 

 

 

 

2013 Riverby Estate Sali's Block Marlborough

Price: About $20
Rating: Good

Funky sulphur notes on first pour with wild yeast notes.

This recedes as florals, rose petal and honey come up on the nose.

Honey and caraway seed with lime notes initially on the palate, then baked apple with musk and straw on the finish.

Quite firm on the finish but this does mellow with time.

www.riverbyestate.com

 

 

 

 

2013 Carrick Bannockburn Riesling

Price: About $25
Rating: Excellent

Subtle nose at first; honey, lanolin and talc appearing with aeration.

Lovely sweet fruit entry with a zesty core.

Bush honey and sweet grapefruit.

Delightful and concentrated fruit sweetness balanced by the crisp acidity and the citrus pith grip with good length.

Very appealing and moreish.

Rather delicious.

www.carrick.co.nz 

 

 


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