Martinborough - 20th February

After a weekend layover in Melbourne – great dinner with Mum and brother David at trendy bistro PM24, across the ditch on Sunday, it was time for a hop skip and a jump around some favourite viticultural spots in New Zealand.

I had the great privilege of being chauffeured by one of New Zealand’s leading palates, Raymond Chan. Perhaps the very first inkling I ever had that a career in wine might even be possible came when reading my King’s High School yearbook for 1987. Old boy Raymond’s team had just won the Wilson Neil (?) wine challenge – and early confirmation of his prowess as a blind taster. Along with Geoff Kelly, he was later to become a mentor to me as I slowly converted my wine hobby into a wine habit into a wine obsession. So I was especially glad to have the chance not only to catch up with an old friend, but to have the benefit of his comments, questions and insights during our visits for the day.

Martinborough (the heart of the Wairarapa wine district) is a stomach-churning 40 minute drive out of Wellington, over the Rimutaka Hills. These form an important divide, a rain shadow flank to a shallow bowl, noticeably warmer and dryer though just as blustery as the capital below. The once sleepy little town still felt quiet, but wine regions near cities – worldwide – provide a local tourism draw, and Martinborough felt a little more urbane, a little more swish today than I recall ten years ago. The proximity of the wineries to the little township make it an ideal wine holiday (take note!), with many located within a long walk, or short bicycle ride of the boutique hotels and B&Bs which dot the place.

Two of our visits today would be with Martinborough classics - Ata Rangi and Dry River (who together with Palliser Estate, as I recall in the early 1990s, formed what was affectionately known then as Martinborough’s “Holy Trinity”). But first stop would be with someone I’d never met and whose wines I’d never tasted, but who I’d read a little about, and who intrigued me greatly.

Hiro Kusuda, does not fit the normal profile in Martinborough, and not just for the obvious reason that he is Japanese, though that goes a long way in explaining his aesthetic preferences, and attention to detail. Japanese traits yes, but it would be easy to get caught up cliché.

It’s a classic story of how wine can get into your veins. From Keio to Fujitsu (read Ivy League to Silicon Valley, or Oxbridge to City), you might say Kusuda-san was on the gilded track. A switch to work with Japan’s Foreign Office in Sydney in the ‘90s simply a side-step. But all the while wine was working its way in. It had been a “passion” as Kusuda-san put it, since he was eighteen. By 21 he had visited Europe classic sites, including a pivotal visit to the Mosel and tasting with Egon Müller (III). Meanwhile his brother got involved, importing for a short time, and translating Robert Parker Jr.’s first edition of Bordeaux into Japanese. “During the 1990s I visited New Zealand four times. Ata Rangi’s 1992 was the first Pinot Noir outside Burgundy I thought smelled like Burgundy. Then, at a tasting with Len Evans in Australia I began to think about wine pre-bottling for the first time. I knew if I chose a career in wine I wouldn’t get bored. It was either an MW, or become a winemaker.”

“My English was okay, but when I approached [Australian and US wine schools] Roseworthy and Davis they wanted $20,000 more in fees for foreign students. So I went to Geisenheim! First I had to learn to count - eins zwei drei…!” He finished his 100 page thesis, in German, just a few days before the birth of his daughter. Hiroic!

After that it seems everything happened quickly. Work with Kai Schubert at Schubert Wines  in Martinborough during his studies led to the Kusuda family upping sticks and moving to Martinborough in 2001. By 2002, Kusuda Wines was born and the first harvest in.

Sitting at Kusuda-san’s dining table, rows of immaculately polished wine glasses stand at the ready – an appropriate size and shape for each wine type we are to taste. His fastidiousness is already becoming quite well known. Some 40 Japanese devotees descend on Martinborough every year as to assist with his demanding picking and sorting regime. “We inspect every berry. Anything marked doesn’t go into the wine. I think you can taste the difference in the grape, so you will taste the difference in the wine. For example, bunches often have berries that sit up next to the wire and it marks the skin where there is contact. We remove those.”

On one level this creates an embryo for a cult wine I think. Those 40 Japanese stagiaires no doubt make pretty good ambassadors for Kusuda Wines back in Japan. For a country that values deeply purity and simplicity in aesthetics, it is little wonder that that market has embraced one of their own to the tune of 70% of Kusuda sales. The remaining 30% is split evenly between export to Australia and domestics sales. But I suspect that is more out of deference than necessity.

High ideals are one thing, but the tasting, for me, demonstrated easily that Kusuda-san’s vision and discipline translate into some very individual wines of very high quality. We bagan with what would turn out to be my favourite of the line up –

2011 Kusuda Riesling

10.5% abv, 7 g/l RS

Very pale gold; gently fragrant, stony nose, gently honeyed; crisp, fine, some phenolic grip here but this remains tender, tingly grapefruit expression and acidity, buffered by a fine coating of honey, long flavoured and very finely textured Riesling. One of the finest Rieslings I have ever tasted in New Zealand. 93/100

2010 Kusuda Riesling

11.5% abv, 6 g/l RS

Green gold; fine, quite creamy nose, a higher level of ripeness than the ’11 perhaps, white flowers; crisp, firm, grippy middle, broader texture than the ’11, has more weight, but also a touch of leaness. There is plenty of material here, seemingly in balance but the wine is closed and difficult to judge. 90+/100?

Kusuda-san was surprised at this wine’s showing – feeling that it has just now begun to shut down.

2008 Kusuda Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon

64% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon. 22 months in French oak barriques, 30$ new. 13% abv. From the vineyard of the now defunct Benfield & Delamare.

Fine clear ruby; fine nose, fresh, piquant, plummy; fresh, a bit taut, not herbaceous as such, but very high register in flavor and acidity – tart cranberry amongst the plums and currants. A very fine, pure elegant texture and style. It will be interesting to see the aromatics unfurl with a few years in the cellar. 91/100

2010 Kusuda Pinot Noir

 A Christmas Eve frost meant 50% of the potential Te Muna site crop was lost. Some “townside” fruit purchased. 15 months in French oak barriques, 24% new.

Fine hue, mid depth of Pinot colour; bright, lifted, cool expression of Pinot Noir, raspberry and a touch of plum; very bright acidity on entry, lovely silky texture and focus, fine intensity, quite a pure varietal expression of red fruit spectrum flavours. Super definition. 91/100

2009 Kusuda Syrah

96% de-stemmed, stainless steel fermentation, 21 month French oak barrique maturation, 31% new. 14.5% abv

Clear, mid+ ruby; bright, fresh spicy plum nose, just a touch of sulphur reduction; layered fruit texture, Black Doris plum, fresh vibrant acidity, mouthfilling and intense but stays lively, energetic all the way through, moderate weight (no sense of the 14.5% abv), this has an almost piercing intensity. 90+/100

2006 Kusuda Pinot Noir

95% de-stemmed, 14 month French oak barrique maturation, 40% new. 14% abv

Fine-hued, mid-depth of colour; lovely pure red fruit spectrum nose, a little touch of sous bois now; very fine, pure, elegant on the palate, lovely fruit – a richness of fruit, luminous and intense, the acidity and fruit pushing to a long fine finish. Enjoyable now, but no rush. 92/100

Kusuda-san said he would have picked this a little earlier if made today, to emphasize tou-mei-kan (see below), but to me, this was in perfect equilibrium, revealing just what a barbarian I am!

2006 Kusuda Syrah

100% de-stemmed without crushing, 18 months French oak barriques, 40% new.

Fine clear ruby – still a fresh youthful appearance; really lovely Syrah nose, blackberry, black pepper, a touch of beef stock – a very fine, subtly expressed nose; fine, elegant, juicy, lovely expression of fruit, superb harmony, and a long finish with a crisp cut of acidity. Exceptional, finely tailored Syrah! 94/100

I think that last ‘finely tailored’ note for the ’06 Syrah could be used to describe the “Kusuda style”, if something like that could be deduced from tasting seven wines. There’s no fuzziness of definition, freshness is emphasized, and with it quite crisp acidity levels that for some would border the pleasure / pain threshold. But the result is wines with a translucent clarity of expression. Kusuda-san is aiming for tou-mei-kan  (透明感)*  as he puts it, a Japanese term meaning in English, in Kusuda-san’s words, “purity and transparency”. If that is his aim he is achieving it. And what a great addition to the range of interpretations of grape and soil in New Zealand.

*thanks to my wife Aiko for helping to clarify these, and for the links.

With Hiro Kusuda’s clear bright notes still resonating in my mind, Raymond and I switched timbres with a visit to Martinborough classic, Dry River. Planting began in 1979 at this boutique estate founded by Dawn and Dr Neil McCallum. McCallum, a Phd graduate in organic chemistry from Oxford University, like Kusuda-san, had firm ideas and high ideals from the start, and was more interested in realizing those, than following the winemaking fashions of the day. So while he became known in part for his benchmark quality Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, for me he was the grower that helped turn the light on for aromatic whites from Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Riesling.

Raymond and I were met by Poppy Hammond, who has just finished her twelve year tenure here, latterly at the helm, and has just handed over to former assistant winemaker Wilco Lam. (Dry River sold in 2002 and the McCallums left in 2011). It was reassuring to see the fastidiousness, careful empirical approach, and passion still at the heart of this, the pinnacle of New Zealand wine. It’s an approach aided in part by the estate’s resistance to expansion – for a reputation so big, this estate remains astonishingly small – just 2,500 cases in total, from a 10 acres home vineyard, plus a share of the Craighall Vineyard down the road (shared with Ata Rangi).

Poppy Hammond shows Martinborough Terrace alluvial soil at Dry River

Poppy showed us the immaculate vines. Dry River sits on the Martinborough Terrace, just outside the Martinborough township, on fairly deep alluvial soils with a thin covering of wind-blown loess. Roots have been found to at least 6 metres deep (they stopped digging). “We’re farming phenolics”, said Poppy - a simple, neat statement but an oh so important one as it encapsulates the combined notion of flavour and texture. It's one thing to pick ripe grapes, stick them in a tank and bottle the result. To encourage and retain all that the grape can give in aroma, flavour and texture is entirely another order of effort, skill and good fortune. Dry River are working to that order.

2011 Dry River Riesling

Long dry autumn, then three instances of rain at harvest. Had to wait and then dry out. 12% abv, 4.5 g/l RS.

Pale straw; vibrantly aromatic nose, stone fruit, grapefruit and a touch of honey; fine, racy on the palate, very lime-led citrus flavor, lovely texture, long grapefruity finish. Complex. 93/100

2009 Dry River Viognier

2006 was the first vintage. 14.13% abv

Pale green gold; a really fresh nose, honeysuckle; the textured weight and feel of Condrieu here, fragrant, but subtly so for viognier, very mouth-filling and generous, delicious bittersweet finish. 91/100

2010 Dry River Pinot Gris

From 32 year old home block vines and 25 year old Craighall vines, Mission clone which gives really small berries. 13.5% abv, 18g/l RS.

Pale gold; opulent fresh nose of ripe fragrant pears; juicy sweet pears and spice on the palate, decadently rich vendange tardive opulence to the texture and tone. Delicious. 92/100

2011 Dry River Gewurztraminer

20 year old vines from the Lovat Vineyard. 14% abv, 20g/l RS.

Light gold; bright spicy varietally pronounced Gewurztraminer in the high register floral end of the spectrum, really fresh and inviting; honeysuckle, layered flavour and texture here, lovely balance and freshness, lushness and weight, spicy, floral, musky finish. Gorgeous. 92/100

2010 Dry River Pinot Noir

A new release about to be shown. Actual 12.76% abv (labeled 13% to comply of course!). Mostly Pommard (UCD 5) clone, with some 10/5 (Swiss), and some Dijon clones.

Mid+ depth of Pinot colour, fresh appearance; lovely, quite aromatic, perfumed nose, blue floral edge, dark cherry core; fine, silky textured, quite concentrated, intense, very fresh, primary, fine fruit, real persistence on the finish. Super quality. 93+/100

2006 Dry River Pinot Noir

Wet spring then drought summer. 13.5% abv

Fairly clear, fairly deep shade for Pinot Noir; vibrant dark cherry and dark plum nose; quite lush and fleshy on the palate, velvety, seductively-styled. Fine acidity carries the line well though. Softly sticky fine Pommard-like tannin, though a little silkier – like a very fine Rugiens perhaps. This is all about generosity and seduction rather than ethereal grace. Does it well. 92/100

2009 Dry River Lovat Vineyard Syrah

13% abv

Deep, fairly clear appearance, still some blue in the colour tone; ripe, quite fragrant nose, dark plum, blackberry, and with a mineral note in the background; mouthfillingly fresh plummy fruit, mouthcoating intensity, freshness, real tenderness in the texture, very supple but present tannins, no sense of heaviness, persistent finish. Will be interesting to follow in the cellar. 92/100

As expected, this was a line up of superb quality right across the range and across the vintages sampled. Having followed these wines since the mid-90s, it was exciting to get beyond the gate and to see up close and to taste. My advice if you live in the UK, be sure to receive Justerini & Brooks and/or Raeburn Fine Wine’s offer when these are released. If you are in New Zealand and you aren’t on the mailing list, what have you been doing!?

Opposite Dry River: In N.Z. 'moving house' means "drop it off at no.24 please"

Cyclists at Vynfields

Time for a breather, and Raymond and I settled down to a wonderful vineyard platter of goodies at certified organic winery Vynfields. John Bell and Kaye McAuley have an idyllic slice of the Martinborough Terrace here, which a landmark wooden homestead open as their cellar door and lunch spot (Raymond and I escaped as the cyclist invasion began). Perhaps it was my growing hunger, or perhaps it was the use of ISO XL5 tasting glasses (which were great in their day I suppose, but which are just too small to let the wines shine), and perhaps any range would have trouble after the peaks experienced at Dry River, but for me the Vynfield wines were solidly good rather than standout in quality or style. Vynfield have picked up a string of awards recently however, so perhaps a re-taste is in order some day. I would certainly be back for lunch in any case.

Bottles at cellar door, Ata Rangi

Re-charged, Raymond and I headed off to our final appointment for the day at Ata Rangi.  This 32 year old estate sits alongside Dry River at the top of the quality stakes in Martinborough. The ‘mad’ project of former dairy farmer Clive Paton – joined by sister Ali, and wife Phyll Pattie – Ata Rangi made famous – and in part was made famous by – a particular clone of Pinot Noir – the Abel, or Gumboot clone. The full story is here, but essentially it is believed to be a DRC clone that gives a particular structure and savouriness to the wine, and characteristic I have long appreciated here.

Winemaker Helen Masters met us in the garden terrace between the cellar door and the winery, for an outdoor run through the range…

2011 Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc

Hand picked from 20 year old blocks.

Light green gold; fresh, fairly creamy Sauvignon nose; crisp, light, zingy and juicy, this has New Zealand vibrancy but with creamy-textured interest and a toned-down, more subtle expression. Very good. 89/100

2011 Ata Rangi ‘Lismore’ vineyard Pinot Gris

Made since 1998. 20% barrel fermented. 8g/l RS.

Fresh ripe pear with a touch of creaminess on the nose; juicy on the palate with real mid-palate presence, pear fruit, generous – indeed there is some warmth of alcohol, but it is in check. Good. 88/100

2010 Ata Rangi ‘Petrie’ vineyard Chardonnay

From the greater Wairarapa zone, not Martinborough.

Ripe peach, buttered toast nose – if I hadn’t been told that while this is barrel fermented only 18% of the barrels are new I would have thought this an overt oak character, but it turns out it is vineyard specific – some grapefruit notes; ripe, richly textured, candied lemon, really lively through the richness, creamy long finish. Intensely flavoured chardonnay. Good. 90/100

2009 Ata Rangi ‘Craighall’ vineyard Chardonnay

100% Mendoza clone, 27 year old vines.

A fine nose, subdued after the Petrie, quite mealy in tone; fairly concentrated, creamy-textured, fine, round mouthfeel, though subdued in expression, still very youthful, soft generous finish. Good. 90/100

2010 Ata Rangi ‘Craighall’ vineyard Chardonnay

Fine ripe apple nose, a touch of barrel spice; taut, focused, bright and concentrated chardonnay, this has superb definition and intensity. Would be my pick over the ’09 for the cellar. 91/100

2011 Ata Rangi ‘Petrie’ vineyard Chardonnay

Tank sample.

Grapefruit and lemon on the extrovert nose; rich, intense and juicy, quite fruit-forward in expression. 89-90/100

2008 Ata Rangi ‘McCrone’ vineyard Pinot Noir

A joint venture with Oegan family the McCrones, planted in 2001 to 40% Abel clone, 30% Dijon clones and some Pommard (UCD 5) clone. A little more clay in the soil. 2006 was the first vintage. There was no 2007 due to frost. Waiting to see if this 2008 is justifiable as a release under its own designated label.

Mid Pinot colour range; bright piquant plum and cherry nose; there is intensity in the attack, quite spicy plums with a candied edge, from the mid-palate on the fruit feels quite compote-like, some warmth on the finish, which I felt lacked a bit in drive. Good. 88/100

2010 Ata Rangi ‘Crimson’ Pinot Noir

Our earlier drinking label from young vines sites that by nature – more top soil for example – offer more perfumed fruit, less structure, lovely bright aromatics and less weight and concentration, explained Helen. The label also helps support charitable work to promote the conservation of native trees – Rata and Pohutukawa.

Clear, mid+ depth of fresh youthful colour; quite ripe and fragrant on the nose; juicy bright red and dark cherry fruit flavours, quite ripe, decadently styled, bright, fulsome soft Pinot with a warmish finish. Very nice. 87/100

2010 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir

From vines aged 32 to 20 years, mostly Abel clone.

Fresh yellow apple and red cherry on the nose; fine, tautly-structured acids and tannins, very perfumed aromatically expansive palate, beautifully silky-textured finish. Very fine. 93/100

Clouds! Ata Rangi

This was all a treat enough, and just in time on this warm afternoon, as my gaze became transfixed by the extraordinarily puffy billowing clouds looming over the vineyard, Helen ushered us into the cellar, for a series of barrel tastings which were as fascinating and educational as I have ever experienced anywhere – it was a masterclass in Pinot assemblage componentry and one further – major – lesson, which I will come to.

We began with a barrel sample of 2011 ‘Seriously Nuts’ vineyard (Dijon clones, making up 25% to 30% of the final blend) – A bit toasty on the nose; palate shows attractive upfront sweetness, I wrote. Then from a barrel of 2011 ‘Walnut Ridge’ vineyard (22 year old Pommard – UCD 5 – clone). ‘Not especially fragrant, or sweet, or long!’, I noted, ‘but interesting mid-palate fruit and texture, and side-of-the-mouth tannins’. (A small component Helen noted as ‘we cannot get it to do more’). Next up, from a barrel of 2011 (Abel clone). ‘Lovely nose, spicy and floral; fine fruit, real depth and length, though quite elegant.’

At this point I asked if, after 30 years, Ata Rangi was considering pulling certain blocks or barrels out to make ‘reserve’ or vineyard designate labels. “We’re still finding our way with what we’ve got – we don’t want to pull it apart. We don’t want these to be marketing decisions and something we cannot reverse. We want Ata Rangi to be a great wine, and not pull out a small part to create some cult wine”. Fair play!

Helen Masters: Ata Rangi assemblage masterclass

What Helen showed us next was something I’d not seen before – the impact of early or late malolactic fermentation. We’d just tried a range of ‘early’ (for “brighter aromatics”), and were now to try ‘late’ (for complexity from greater aldehydes and “more richness and structure”). First up, a comparative ‘late’ barrel of that 2011 ‘Seriously Nut’s vineyard – ‘denser fruit’ I noted. Then 2011 McCrone Vineyard, 30% whole bunches, Abel and Dijon 115 clones – ‘spicy fragrant dark cherry; dense structure and dark fruit expression’. Next, 2011 ‘Lismore’ vineyard from Swiss clone 10/5 (upright version), 22 year old vines: ‘high note register fruit, top sweet notes, but lacks grace’.

I felt pretty jubilant after such a fantastic lesson, and happy to see that Ata Rangi are still making such lovely wines.

Raymond kindly drove me back over those gut-wrenching Rimutaka Hills and off to Wellington Airport for a flight to Christchurch, but with enough time to reflect and discuss the day. I was really struck by the openness and seemingly unguarded unupholstered way today’s winemakers shared their thoughts on where things are at. It’s funny how often the producers who make the very best wines are also so often the most humble, reflective, inquisitive, and constantly improvement-oriented out there. They’re good Kiwi traits I’d like to think, and along with good (especially alluvial) soils, and good winemaking climate, the best asset New Zealand has for continuing to climb the quality rungs. The Ata Rangi and Dry River visits were reassuring for that, and the Kusuda visit exciting for the new dimension he is bringing.

Many thanks to everyone for their time and generosity on today’s visits, and especially to Raymond Chan whose reports on Ata Rangi, Kusuda, and Dry River you can find by clicking on the links. 

Mornington Peninsula - 17th February 2012

To a non-Australian, the drive down to Mornington Peninsula this morning was as unmistakably Australian a scene as yesterday’s drive to the Yarra Valley. But on this, my first visit, it felt somewhat more genteel, wealthier, as well as more scenic, with glimpses of Port Phillip Bay coming in and out of view. The road in the morning breeze, in parts canopied by giant gum trees swaying like some game of Oranges and Lemons. It’s rural, but dotted by grand architectural statements to aspiration, it doesn’t have the farmland feel of Yarra Valley, it’s more weekender, or triumphant retirement.

Nat White at Main Ridge

My first appointment is with Nathanial White at Main Ridge, who was both first in here in wine, and who remains at the top of the hierarchy for quality and reputation. He seems bemused by the encroaching Grand Designs. Gently spoken and thoughtful in tone, Nat explained “I was a civil engineer and I lived in London for a year in the 1960s. We spent 8 months travelling wine regions in a tent. My ‘moment’ came in Burgundy on a visit to Château de Pommard. When I came back I thought the climate looked similar in Mornington Peninsula. I began planting in 1975 with a range of varieties – Merlot, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, but Pinot Noir and Chardonnay did best, and that is what we expanded with.” The original planting in Pinot on the “Half Acre” was to UC Davis clones D2V5, D2V6, G5V15, and Burgundy clone MV6, with later plantings from Dijon clones 777, 114 and 115 in the newer “One Acre” block.

Though he clearly had an astute eye for the suitability of the land, he points to simple good luck as part of his success, as the region has turned out to be very successful for both Pinot and Chardonnay. His timing was also fortunate to be an early correspondent student of Brian Croser’s oenology course at what is today Charles Sturt University. “I enrolled in 1977 and took nine years to complete it. At the time there were no wineries in Mornington Peninsula, so this practical course was very useful.”

Green bunch thinning at Main Ridge

Nat points to two key developments in the past thirty years that have been a boost to quality. Firstly, bunch thinning. “We understood that bunch thinning put the vine’s energy into better ripening and flavour development in the remaining bunches, but it wasn’t until a visit to Burgundy in 2003 that we realised that is wasn’t simply a matter of reducing the number of bunches, but in selectively removing the green bunches.” My timing  - about a month from the start of harvest – was excellent to see exactly what he meant. “You see all these bunches have changed colour, but a few are still green. We go through now and drop these bunches. In a week or two they would also change colour and we wouldn’t no the difference, but they won’t be as fully ripe, so this is our chance to go through and remove them.” As an added bonus, Nat found that the wines made after bunch thinning didn’t require egg white fining as they settled and clarified naturally, and no longer had the “metallic” (as Nat characterises them) tannins to remove they used to have. The second development he points to came twenty years ago. “We began netting the vines. Before that we had to pick to beat the birds, but the nets give us protection to wait an extra crucial week.”

Main Ridge is a small, single family-scaled estate, set out immaculately with a beautiful, mature flower garden dividing the vineyard “backyard” from the small house winery and cellar. Though not quite as bijou as the “one acre” and “half acre” labels suggest (there are eight acres planted equally to Pinot and Chardonnay – and a barrel’s worth of Pinot Meunier), it has the feel of a tranquil English-styled country cottage retreat.

The tasting confirmed in the glass the careful, thoughtful, quiet tone set by this fascinating visit. The chardonnays are 100% barrel fermented in French oak barriques, 40% new. 100% malolactic fermentation.

2009 Main Ridge Chardonnay

Light, bright clear appearance; lovely fresh nose of apple pie, open and inviting; crisp apple on the palate, buffered by a round textured mid-palate, this finishes taut, with a ripe but high acid spine. It feels structured for ageing. Very fine. 92+/100

Nat feels that ten to twelve years ageing is optimal in most vintages. He especially doesn’t want to see with ageing what he describes as “bronze” colour notes, and “toffee / honeycomb” on the nose or palate. With age, they fill out and become a little honeyed, but generally don’t develop the characters he seeks to avoid, he claimed.

2008 Main Ridge Chardonnay

Pale and bright appearance; lovely complex and very fine nose, apple, with mealy notes, a touch of nut oil, this is complex and fresh and showing a little bottle age complexity on the nose; round-textured, gentley caressing texture, fine acid spine keeps it animated, good fruit – restrained, ripe, complex, mealy, sophisticated chardonnay. 93/100

2010 Main Ridge ‘The Acre’ Pinot Noir

AU$60 on the mailing list, AU$55 “at the dozen rate”

Fine pale fresh appearance; lovely perfumed nose, pure red cherry and raspberry, fragrant and fresh; fine, elegant, red fruit expression, silky mouthfeel with sapid natural acidity and a gently savoury edge on the finish. Lovely lacy silkiness right through. Reminded me of a very fine Volnay 1er Cru ‘Les Mitans’. Very fine, sophisticated Pinot. 92/100

2010 Main Ridge ‘Half Acre’ Pinot Noir

AU$70 on the mailing list, AU$65 “at the dozen rate”

Fine, light fresh colour; a bit more intensity on the nose compared to The Acre; a deeper shade of fruit and a little more spice on the nose; that same silkiness on the palate but deeper fruit expression and a wild / sauvage element. This is very fine, focused with real Pinot Noir vinosity and purity, fine tannins on the long finish. Just lovely. One of the finest Pinots I’ve had from Australia. 94/100

Also at the top of the quality stakes is Port Phillip Estate, just ten minutes down the road, but a world away. No English tranquillity here. There’s no sight of an impenetrable forest either, but I still feel like I’ve arrived on the wrong side of the Maginot Line, France’s ill-fated and obsolete defence against the 1940 Wehrmacht invasion. I see no guns, no pill-boxes, just concrete. Surveying its flowing length it begins to look more Memorial than Maginot, but I still can’t find the door.

One of these is Port Phillip Estate, one is the Maginot Line, one is the Australian War Memorial in London

I approach the only break in the fortress and then, quite unsettlingly in an Orwellian sort of way, a large door automatically swings open.

Inside it’s a complete juxtaposition, the flowing line of the wall softening the large double-height space, and a wall of glass on the other side of the restaurant-cum-wine tasting room opening up to the softness of the bush, pond, vineyard and rolling horizon beyond. It’s a neat trick. Here, it seems, is Mornington Peninsula’s bold statement, like Yarra’s Giant Steps felt yesterday. Not quite the buzz though, but very cool. Perhaps they need Phil Sexton’s iPod, or a woodfire pizza oven. Before I put my finger on it though I’m greeted by Tessa Brown, part of the winemaking team at Port Philip Estate and sister estate Kooyong.

Tessa Brown and her map, Port Phillip Estate

Homework

We begin at the beginning of Mornington Peninsula – the Paleozoic Age, some 350 million years ago, her tracing paper sketch over a map of the peninsular pointing out the key geological developments. “Two fault lines pushed up the peninsula’s soft curved spine. Extrusive [love that word!] volcanic flows made the basalt bedrock…” It was a wonderfully simplified, visually-aided lesson in important, and different, soil types at Port Phillip Estate and Kooyong, but as my eyes glazed over just a little, also a reminder that I need some remedial reading on the subject if I’m going to keep up. A+ Tessa, C- Linden.

Anyway, it’s important to know there are some key soil types here, ahem, and yes, that ridge line down the peninsula, offering different orientations to the climate-moderating influence of all that maritime stuff not far beyond. That’s about as much as I was able to absorb today, though did gain the impression (incorrectly?) that Port Phillip Bay perhaps spares Mornington Peninsula some of the extremes of frost and bushfire suffered in the slightly more inland Yarra Valley to the north.

Skipping forward +/- 350 million years, the estate’s modernity is more than a metre thick. “We are 100% ‘passive’ – it’s all solar energy, the drinking water is collected rainwater, and ‘black water’ is reclaimed and re-used here…”. Down the very expensive art gallery-like concrete stairs, that slide down that wall to the cool cellar and winery below. A large state-of-the-art bottling line is in full swing. Reassuringly, the cellar is not a showroom for new oak barriques – it’s sophisticated and sensitive in approach than that. The first thing I see is a beautiful new 6,000 litre oak fudre.

There’s an old saying that if you want to make a small fortune in the wine making business, start with a large one. It’s quite evident here that Giorgio and Dianne Gjergja, who bought Port Phillip Estate in 2000 and Kooyong in 2004, and who built that amazing winery in 2009, have deep pockets. Winemaker Sandro Mosele gets the toys he wants.

All this might appear as vanity, or outright fantasy, if not for the fact that the  line up of wines is both interesting and good as I was about to discover.

2011 Port Phillip Estate Sauvignon Blanc

“80% fermentation in tanks plus some barrels for complexity. We look for minerality and a textural feel that’s good with food.” AU$24 at the cellar door.

Pale, bright; gently aromatic on the nose, creamy, vegetal with  a touch of blackcurrant leaf and passionfruit; quite round in style and texture, the acidity pulls in the finish though there is no greenness. Good, quite stylish sauvignon. 88/100

Tessa: “2011 was a La Niña year with more of that tropical monsoon weather driving further south, including Victoria. It was the wettest year since 1974 and extremely cool, but with humidity and rain. We had problems with botrytis and downy mildew. But for a hard season we pulled through okay. We did a lot of fruit dropping to ensure a clear crop. On the flipside we got great acidities and hardly had to acidify anything.”

2011 ‘Clonale by Kooyong’ Chardonnay

Tessa: “Less of a mineral line, more fruit-forward style.” Whole bunch pressed, native yeast ferment in French oak, 12% new. AU$30 at the cellar door.

Bright, light appearance; fresh, slightly flinty nose; quite juicy on the palate, good fruit, touch of just-ripe banana and juicy just-ripe banana acidity, fruit-driven with appealing freshness and vivacity. Quite expressive and sumptuous too. This is a very nice chardonnay, great value too. 89/100

2010 Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay

From a 1.82ha block planted in 1987. Whole bunch pressed, native yeast, French oak maturation, 15% new. AU$32 at the cellar door.

Pale, green-gold; lovely complex nose, low key with plenty of mineral detail; taut and fine on the palate, a finely-honed chardonnay showing both concentration and elegance. Reserved now, it feels not far from coming more fruit forward in say, 1 – 3 years. Very good. 90/100

Tessa: “2010 was as close to textbook as we could ask for – rain at the right intervals, no need to crop thin, no surprises. The Pinots in particular are built for ageing.”

2009 Kooyong Estate Chardonnay

Estate only fruit, whole bunch pressed, barrel fermented in French oak, 25% new, native yeast. AU$38 at the cellar door.

Green gold; a fairly ripe expression in contrast to the PPE ’10, but still with good freshness; a fairly voluptuous middle here, concentrated fruit, round and fleshy, nice juicy stone fruit flavour and acidity on the finish. Good, bold, drink now. 89/100

Tessa: “2009 gave a small flowering, so a small crop to begin with, and then summer heat meant we had some burn issues. The wines have realy intense fruit.”

2007 Kooyong  Estate ‘Faultline’ Chardonnay

Single vineyard wine (1.02ha), as per ‘regular’, 30% new oak. AU$60 at the cellar door.

A touch of colour development; peachy on the nose and showing development, some savoury notes, fairly opulent; tauter in acid structure that expected from the nose, with fairly developed flavours. Fully evolved. Drink up. 86/100

2011 ‘Massale by Kooyong’ Pinot Noir

Froom Kooyong and Ballewindi vineyards, 16.27ha. 100% de-stemmed, native yeast, French oak, 15% new. AU$32 at the cellar door.

Fine, brightly clear glinting ruby; a ripe, spicy nose, sherberty raspberry and beetroot expression, though a little sulphur reduction too; taut, slightly sharp acidity, raspberry, though fruit weight and expression a little masked by reduction right now, some savouriness. Perhaps not showing quite right at the moment? 85+/100?

2010 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir

From a 5.08ha vineyard planted in 1988. 100% de-stemmed, native yeast and native malolactic, 12 months in French oak, 20% new. AU$38 at the cellar door.

Bright clear mid-depth Pinot ruby; lovely fragrant nose, at the ripe generous end of the Pinot spectrum but still varietally expressed, crystalline raspberry and dark cherry, a touch of leafy complexity, aromatic; juicy and ripe on the palate, generous with attractively flavoursome sticky-edged muscular yet supple tannins. After this opened a little more in the glass a distinctively pine needle-like note on the nose and palate developed. Very good. 91/100

2009 Kooyong  Estate Pinot Noir

100% estate grown, winemaking per ‘Massale’, 25% new oak. AU$44 at the cellar door.

Quite full-coloured; a touch reduced on the nose, rich dark fruit underneath; fleshy, bright, intense fruit, cherries burst forth, plush, velvety-textured though quite pure still, some spiciness at the end. Long finish. This has broad appeal, “yum yum!” I wrote, underlined. 90/100

2009 Port Phillip Estate ‘Morillon’ Pinot Noir

From a 1.01ha vineyard within the estate, planted 1987. Per the regular bottling, 30% new oak. AU$50 at the cellar door.

Bright, clear, fairly deep colour; a real dark sweet spice signature to this, a touch of pine, dark fruit, quite fresh; fairly richly-fruited, firmly-structured, opulent, with a somewhat chewy structure and some obtrusive warmth of alcohol* on the spicy, pine-laced finish. (* only 13% despite this impression). Perhaps I didn’t get the right read on this, but it seemed a little exaggerated in style. 85/100

2009 Kooyong Estate ‘Meres’ Pinot Noir

From single, 2.7ha vineyard, winemaking per ‘regular’, 30% new oak. AU$68 at the cellar door.

Clear, deepish ruby; a savoury top note on the nose, fine red cherry fruit, a fragrant note of celery leaf; soft, velvet, fleshy palate, zippy acidity, red cherry like fruit, fine sticky tannins. Good. 89/100

2008 Kooyong Estate Pinot Noir

AU$44 at the cellar door.

Bright garnet, a touch of colour development at the rim; mature aromas, red cherry with savoury notes overlaid; soft, fuzzy-focus fleshy-feel, the freshness of fruit has dissipated, savoury, leafy-edged tannins and a touch of dryness on the slightly austere finish. A bit disappointing. 85/100

I was too busy chatting to take a note on the 2009 Port Phillip Estate Shiraz, except that I really liked its meaty-savoury edge, cool expression and natural feel. A bit Cornas-like I thought and no bad thing.

On the whole, a good line up I thought with the Port Phillip Estate wines seeming to have an edge of the Kooyong Estate examples, at least as far as my palate is concerned. Kooyong’s “Clonale” bottling offered some of the best chardonnay for the price I’ve had in Australia and I wouldn’t hesitate if I saw it on a restaurant wine list. I’d also be really interested to see that 2010 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir again in a couple of years. Serious stuff.

Next up a short cellar-door visit to Stonier, the estate with the early export reach to help put Mornington Peninsula on the international wine map.

2008 Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay Pinot Noir

Sparkling. 70% Ch / 30% P.N.

A fresh bready nose with a touch of nougat; fresh, vibrant mousse, soft-edged ripe acidity, grapefruity tone, still quite yeasty and fresh. Good 88/100

2010 Stonier Chardonnay

A fine, fruit-forward style, stone fruit expression, round, ready. 87/100

2009 Stonier ‘KBS’ Single Vineyard Chardonnay

27 year old vines from the original planting.

Stone fruit expression again though a little more mealy than the regular bottling on the nose; focused but fleshy, quite round. 90/100

2009 Stonier ‘Lyncroft’ Single Vineyard Chardonnay

From an elevated East-facing site, 10km away

Mineral notes on the nose; cool, fresh, fine textured, well focused, unupholstered chardonnay that should reward a year or two more in bottle. Impressive. 91/100

2009 Stonier Reserve Chardonnay

“A barrel selection from all sites”.

Quite rich, mouthfilling and mealy. 88/100

At this point I manage to snag assistant winemaker Robin Gardner as he stepped into the tasting room and I asked a few quick questions –

“We whole bunch press the fruit, settle the juice at 14 degress Celcius, inoculate with two yeast strains – though we are not looking for a yeast ‘character’. We rack. Around November or December we take the regular Stonier bottling out, blend the barrels for the reserve and return that to barrel for around 6 months. Malolactic is natural, but we pull some up. The regular Stonier sees around 5% new barrels, the single vineyard and Reserve bottlings around 30% - all French oak. We use 4 coopers selectively, with medium to medium+ toast.”

Well, that was my 5 minute download. The team were getting everything ready in the winery. “Picking begins next week”. Back to the wines…

2010 Stonier ‘Peninsula’ Rose

100% Pinot Noir.

Pale and pink – juicy strawberry on nose and palate, nice acidity. 86/100

2009 Stonier Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir

“We buy in some local fruit from long term growing contracts”.

Fine garnet ruby, mid depth of colour; bright cherryish fruit – a floral and attractive nose; ripe, soft, supple and delicious fruit, easy but fragrant in style, soft finish. Very nice. 87/100

2009 Stonier ‘Lyncroft’ Pinot Noir

“A cooler, East-facing site at 135 metres.”

Mid colour, blue-fruit expression, sweet perfume; juicy, fairly complex, soft-tectured, the definition is a bit smudged but with good ripe acidity. Good Pinot. 90/100

2009 Stonier ‘Windmill’ Vineyard Pinot Noir

Fine mid-hued appearance; sweet, leafy-edged nose, a touch of pine / eucalypt in the aromatics; fine, quite focused – a very fine seam of pure fruit, fragrant, well structured on lively acidity and ripe supple tannin. Long. Very very good – wait 3 to 4 years. 92/100

2007 Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir

“A blend of the best fruit”.

Mid clear garnet, with a touch of development showing at the edge of the rim; a rich nose, darkish expression, plum, dark cherry and smoke; soft-textured on entry, sweet, a touch of tea and some savoury elements. Showing a little development. This is good, though not as clearly focused as the two ‘09s. 89/100

Cafe at Merrick General Store building

With a little time to spare on the way to my next appointment, I stopped for lunch at the Merrick’s General Wine Store, which more or less is Merrick, if you’re looking at a map. Once the rural gabled, corrugated iron-clad hub for newspapers and supplies, it has seen a ground up sympathetic restoration and today operates as the cellar door for three small wineries. But I wasn’t here ot taste, I was here to eat. A happy choice as it turned out, the simple but sophisticated modern Australian fare reminding me a little of Prue Leith’s good sense recipes. The cake cabinet had me drooling. I’ll be back!

My final stop for the day was Paringa Estate, where Business Manager Samantha Bourke and her colleague had everything lined up for me to taste when I got there in the late afternoon, so I was straight in –

Goose escort to cellar door, Paringa Estate

2011 Paringa Estate Riesling

From a 20 year old vineyard nearby, cool temperature fermentation in stainless steel. AU$20 at the cellar door.

Water clear and bright; red apple and citrus on the nose; taut, leanish and dry on the palate. Not especially long. Clean and tidy. 84/100

2010 Paringa Estate Pinot Gris

Cool temperature fermentation in stainless steel. AU$20 at the cellar door.

Very pale; apple and little crisp pear on the clean low key nose; bright, zingy fresh, green apple, some breadth and texture, taut finish. 85/100

2009 Paringa Estate Viognier

From the Robinson Vineyard. Barrel-fermented in 4 year old oak. AU$28 at the cellar door.

Pale green gold; fairly cool fresh appley nose, not especially fragrant; seems quite tight and lean for Viognier on the palate, a little hint of oiliness the clue to variety. A bit austere for this variety I think. 82/100

2009 Paringa Estate ‘Peninsula’ Chardonnay

Barrel fermentation and 10 months in used barriques. AU$22 at the cellar door

From managed contract vineyards in Mornington Peninsula

Pale green gold; low key nose led by a little burnt match stick; fairly crisp expression on the palate, generous fruit concentration fairly taut and tightly wrapped right now. Good. 88/100

2010 Paringa Estate Chardonnay

Barrel fermentation, 40% new, 60% one year old. AU$35 at the cellar door.

Fresh with a touch of vanilla oak on the nose, hint of caramel – fairly rich; a good combination of focus and creaminess on the palate, fairly concentrated, banana-spectrum fruit, quite long. Very good. 90/100

2008 Paringa Estate ‘The Paringa’ Chardonnay

Barrel fermented “high percentage” of new oak, 20% malolactic fermentation. AU$50 at the cellar door.

Bright green-gold; fresh, youthful and oaky on the nose; generous, glycerine-laden texture on the palate, mouthcoating with lots of small-berry extract, ripe expression with banana-like fruit, tangy ripe acidity, and noticeable but manageable alcohol (14.5%) on the finish. This is a big, bold, fairly old school chardonnay, well made within the context of that style. 90/100

2011 Paringa Estate Rose

AU$18 at the cellar door. From Pinot Noir and Shiraz – the 2011 saw quite a lot of Pinot Noir.

Pale rose; strawberry nose with a bit a whiff of sulphur dioxide; crisp, a bit hard in texture, some ferment flavours, some alcohol elbowing the finish which finishes a touch bitter. Clean and crisp, but a bit stern. 79/100

2010 Paringa Estate ‘Peninsula’ Pinot Noir

AU$27 at the cellar door.

Bright, very clear mid-spectrum Pinot colour; bright raspberry, leaf, red cherry nose; quite big, voluptuous and soft, glycerine-laden though some juicy acidity carries the middle along to a satisfyingly fruity and fragrant finish. A youthfully appealing, fleshy Pinot. 89/100

2009 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir

AU$60 at the cellar door.

Clear, deepish Pinot shade of ruby; opulent dark cherry nose, quite sexy and spicy and bold; bold ripe fleshy Pinot on the palate, held into shape by finely structured tannins. Long, fragrant, spicy finish. A very good Pinot in the fleshy, spicy camp. 90/100

2008 Paringa Estate ‘The Paringa’ Pinot Noir

AU$90 at the cellar door.

Richly-scented dark cherry spectrum Pinot nose; complex and fragrant – ripe cherry, quite scented, good flesh, high quality fruit, a touch of leafiness, finely structured, cherry pit notes, seductively scented finish. This offers plenty of complexity and pleasure now, but should reward cellaring. 91/100

2010 Paringa Estate ‘The Paringa’ Pinot Noir

In bottle but not yet released – kindly opened for me by Lindsay McCall

This took some time to get going in the glass. A cool, floral edged aromatic profile emerged from the glass, leafy notes, very fine; juicy, taut, red cherry fruit, with the floral, scented notes building with time, finely structured, quite fulsome weight (14.5% abv), but stays juicy right through to the long finish. 92+/100

2009 Paringa Estate ‘Peninsula’ Shiraz

AU$25 at the cellar door.

Licorice-edged blackberry nose with a touch of meat and black pepper; blackberry fruit on the palate, coolish expression, a little dryness in the tannins at the end. 87/100

2008 Paringa Estate Shiraz

AU$50 at the cellar door.

Fine blackberry and white pepper nose follows through to the palate which is fleshy and bright. A lively, aromatically pleasing shiraz, though with fine underlying structure for mid-term ageing. Very good. 91/100

2007 Paringa Estate ‘The Paringa’ Shiraz

AU$80 at the cellar door.

Quite spicy, though the sweet and savoury-edged fruit has swallowed all that new oak (100%) well, leaving this with a “La Chapelle”-like combination of sweet blackberry fruit, meatiness and savoury edge. A bold (14.5% abv), Hermitage-like wine, it is good, though not as graceful as the ’08 ‘regular’ estate bottling. 90/100

The Paringa Estate was founded by former school teacher Lindsay McCall, who began planting in this ex-orchard in 1985. The venture has been a great success, with numerous trophies and championship wins on the Australian judging circuit, and a solid following in the domestic secondary market at Langton’s. (Paringa Estate is distributed in the UK by my old friend Amelia Jukes at Hallowed Ground and in Hong Kong by Ponti Trading)

Paringa Estate's Lindsay McCall

Lindsay gave generously of his time with me after he popped in to see me in the tasting room half way through the whites. I mentioned that on my way in to see him at No.44 Paringa Road, I had noticed a large house and vineyard for sale just up the road at No.52. “They want AU$3.5 million for it – the house has pretty commanding views of the bay, and it comes with seven acres under vine – which we manage under contract.” It seems growth in Mornington Peninsula as a wine district may be constrained when vineyard land must be bought at Melbourne playground prices. While the Lucky Country continues to dig all that rare stuff out of the ground, that trend seems unlikely to change.

What a couple of days I had in Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula. To say that was a bit quick would be a bit of an understatement. But the taster I experienced left me wanting more.

Next stop, Martinborough, New Zealand…