Neudorf Maggie’s Block Pinot Gris 2014

Description

The pristine and spectacularly beautiful Nelson region in the south island of NZ and in particular the Clay Gravel Moutere Hills area receive lots of sun (more than 2300 hours a year) making it one of New Zealand’s sunniest regions a real bonus for such a cool climate region. Clear skies allow for rapid cooling at night, nurturing the slow development of flavours and a gradual reduction in fruit acids. This combination of climate and soil type produces white wines of concentration and texture, and rich savoury Pinot Noir with a fingerprint of textured minerally fruit acid.

Established in 1978 by Tim and Judy Finn, Neudorf use sustainable practices and the winery is accredited under the Sustainable Winery NZ scheme, which Tim was instrumental in establishing back in the early 80’s.   Winemaker Todd Stevens aim is always to allow the site to speak.  Great wines have a basis of fruit concentration, length and sense of place – characters which can be formed only in the vineyard.

From the winemaker:  “Great Pinot Gris comes from low cropped vines in a cool climate. With our Neudorf Maggie’s Block we tie together the opulent Pinot Gris mouthfeel with a steely spine to hold the wine upright.

Notes of cinnamon, white pepper, roses and the inevitable quince fill the nose, rising from the glass in a seductive whorl and the creamy palate provides enough “stuffing” to wrap itself around a multiplicity of foods. It is a walk along a very fine line and offers great structure and push through to a racy finish.

Try it with a chunk of nutty, hard cheese. Pinot Gris can be so “affable” in its youth that it can be seen as a bit of a pussy. But it cellars well – gaining in complexity and purpose. 

A moderate winter followed by a warm spring and dry summer produced one of the earliest vintages on record. Fruit was harvested from Maggies Block on the Waimea plains and a portion from the Moutere Hills. Conditions were excellent and we see wines with great textural character and poise.”

Bob Campbell MW “Flavoursome Pinot Gris in a truly Alsace-like style with plenty of weight and richness. Ripe tree fruit/ pear/quince flavours with a seasoning of exotic spices. A little alcohol sweetness is restrained by fine sugar-coated tannins. Classy Pinot Gris.”

18.5/20 points, Raymond Chan “Tim and Judy Finn and their team at Neudorf give the same degree of care and attention to the making of Pinot Gris as they do with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. The differences between the ‘Maggie’s Block’ and Moutere bottlings are as with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, where style and origin are separated and enhanced in their expression. The ‘Maggie’s Block’ is the drier wine, and shows the Waimea Plains provenance, whereas the Moutere can be sweeter, naturally and in balance of course, but highlighting the Moutere soil and climate. Judy Finn tells me winemaker Todd Stevens is pursuing the idea of their Pinot Gris “leaving a refreshing finish”. This is a welcome direction with many examples of the variety resting on residual sugar. 

Bright, very pale straw colour with slight green hues, pale on rim. The nose is elegant, refreshing and penetrating with white and yellow stonefruits entwined with subtle exotic floral nuances and a mouthwatering minerally note, the aromatics showing detail and intensity. Off-dry to taste and medium-bodied, fresh, juicy, up-front fruit flavours of white and yellow stonefruits unfold floral and honeysuckle elements. This has refined, flowing textures and linearity. The mouthfeel is beautifully balanced and poised with delicate fruit lusciousness and thirst-quenching lacy acidity. This has excellent energy, and the flavours are carried to a very long, sustained finish. This is a beautifully luscious and refreshing, off-dry Pinot Gris with detailed aromas and flavours. Serve with most white meat courses and mildly spicy Asian cuisine over the next 3-4 years. Hand-picked fruit, 67% from the ‘Balquidder’ vineyard on Waimea alluvial gravels and 33% from the ‘Helm’ vineyard on Moutere clay gravels, WBP and 80% stainless-steel fermented with 20% fermented in seasoned puncheons, 27% by indigenous yeasts to 14.0% alc. and 5.4 g/L RS, the wine undergoing partial MLF,  Nov 2014″

RRP $39