A Selection of Reviews

FOR TASTING NOTES ON ALL INDIVIDUAL WINES GO TO SHOP PAGE

*******

JOELLE THOMSON frequently visits Martinborough vineyards to taste and review wines for VINO, her on-line wine magazine.

Joelle previewed the Te Muna Valley Methode Traditionelle in Wellington’s Capital magazine, and in 2014 she wrote this about one of our Pinot Noirs for the Dominion Post “Your Weekend” magazine:

“Treat of the week

2008 Redbank Estate James Pinot Noir $40

This wine does Colin Carruthers proud with its velvet smoothness, its luscious core of red fruit and its drink-me-now style. Six years old and just coming into its own, it’s a lovely drink now.”

And this about the Pinot Gris: “Simon Groves …has made three styles of pinot gris from Redbank Vineyard. The first is bone dry. It’s a wine he describes as Martinborough meets Northern Italy and it will be labelled Pinot Grigio, accordingly. Then there’s the off dry French inspired pinot gris. And last but not least, there’s a sensational wild dessert pinot gris. Quantities are tiny – just 600 bottles all up. But the wine’s big taste makes up for that.”

******

DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2016

In 2016 we entered the Decanter Awards for the first time. These are the only awards in which we enter our wines and we were not displeased with the results.

(Hundreds of wines from all over the world are assessed; awards.decanter.com).

We entered the Redbank Te Muna Valley James Pinot Noir 2013, Redbank Te Muna Valley James Pinot Noir 2014, the Redbank Te Muna Valley James Pinot Gris 2013, and Redbank Te Muna Valley Syrah 2013.

The Syrah and Pinot Gris received soft praise and both achieved a ‘Commended’ but the two Pinot Noirs did well.

The results are as follows:

James Pinot Noir 2014 SILVER 90/100 “Rich, fleshy, soft-textured wine with moderately concentrated plum, cherry berry and toasted oak flavours. Attractive wine with a creamy palate – though not showing typical Martinborough tannins* – and a soft, lingering finish.”

*This is what we mean by our Pinot Noir being influenced more by the Burgundy style than typical heavy Martinborough fruity style.

James Pinot Noir 2013: BRONZE 87/100 “Rich and moderately complex with sweet fruit, firm tannins and layers of subtle raspberry fruit and herbal/savoury complexity. Good depth and length.

******

Noted independent New Zealand wine critic Raymond Chan has a highly regarded website and in July 2015 he was most kind about our 2013 James Pinot Noir:

“Te Muna Valley ‘James’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2013

Pinot Noir from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington
Review Date – 27-Jul-2015
18/20
The top label for Redbank Estate, the wine made by Simon Groves. 18 months in 40-45% new oak. Dark, deep ruby-red colour, the nose is tightly constructed with firmness and depth. The black and dark red berry fruits have a dusty, earthy minerality and spicy oak layering. This intensity of the aromatics suggest much to unfold. Firmly bound and tightly concentrated on palate, this is elegant with considerable depth. Black and red fruits are entwined with spicy, toasty, cedary oak. The tannins are fine-grained and add to the firm linearity. 18.0/20 Jul 2015 RRP $42.00″

********

Further ratings and reviews of all our wines can be viewed on BOB CAMPBELL MV’s website bobcampbell.nz (we don’t pay for Bob Campbell’s ratings).