Another great result for our Methode

We are thrilled with the results from Dish magazine’s sparkling tasting (Dec/Jan issue). We love this wine ourselves, and its wonderful to know that others enjoy it as much as we do. Here’s what the panel said:

“No question this was a truly seductive wine right from the outset. Pretty and golden in the glass with aromas of pastry, toasted croissant and rising dough,it was one of those wines that made an immediate impression. Created by Allan Johnson from a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, the “Attractive yeast autolysis backbone andstonefruit intensity” wowed Cameron Douglas while Yvonne Lorkin loved the incredibly clean and balanced mouthfeel with its lovely biscuity, creamy character and James Rowan was rather taken with its “nice mousse and fantastic depth of flavour”. A very sophisticated and ultimately satisfying sparkler.”

Author: Carla

Palliser 2007 Methode Traditionnelle

Great to hear that our delicious bubbly has been awarded 5 stars in the Christmas issue of Cuisine magazine. We can always find an occasion to celebrate and share this lovely drop.

Author: Carla

2012 Sauvignons out now

We have just released out 2012 Sauvignon Blanc’s and are delighted with the wines. Noted wine scribe Raymond Chan had this to say about the wines:

Pencarrow and Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012

The most high profile and successful producer of Sauvignon Blanc in Martinborough is Palliser Estate.  The Palliser Estate wine has headed off examples from the Marlborough region many times in judgings to take top awards both nationally and overseas.  To me, the Palliser style has all the fruit exuberance of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs without being excessively so, and it possesses a greater texture and palate presence than wines from further south.  It’s a similar situation to the Pinot Noir wines of the region too.  As the company’s Sauvignon Blanc vines  mature, as well as those of Palliser’s regular contracted growers, there has been an abundance of quality fruit which has made its way into the second tier ‘Pencarrow’.  There’s not much between the Pencarrow and Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blancs in quality now from my recent tastings.  Differentiation must be made in stylistic terms only.  Here are my reviews of the 2012 wines.  www.palliser.co.nz

Palliser Estate Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 *****                               100% Martinborough fruit from the company vineyards with contract fruit included, cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 12.5% alc. and 4.5 g/L rs, the wine undergoing batonnage just over 8 weeks.  Bright, even straw-yellow colour with slight green hues, pale on rim.  This has an elegant but firmly concentrated nose of fresh, fragrant passionfruit, lime and floral aromas along with a delicate flinty, mineral lees-contact note.  The bouquet is one of finesse and clarity.  Dry to taste, elegantly proportion and very fine-featured, aromatic passionfruit, lime and gooseberry fruit flavours are enhanced by bright, lacy acidity, highlighting the detail and providing tension and energy.  There is an underlying richness and concentration that is driven to a very long, delicately nuanced finish with complexing minerally elements.  This is a refined, lively Sauvignon Blanc with aromatic tropical and gooseberry fruit flavours that is too easy to drink.  It is the most elegant Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc to date.  Serve with fine Asian and Pacific Rim influenced cuisine over the next 2-3 years.  18.5/20

Pencarrow Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 ****                                   Brilliant, pale straw-yellow colour with slight green hues.  The nose is very full with deep, rich, pungent aromas of passionfruit and savoury tropical fruits unfolding to reveal gooseberry and dark herbal detail.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is packed with soft, rich flavours of passionfruit, limes and sweet grass and herbal elements.  The flavours open to become voluminous and mouthfilling, and are enlivened by fresh acidity.  The palate flows seamlessly to a long, lingering and full finish brimming with gooseberry and grassy nuances.  This is a gently voluminous and smooth Sauvignon Blanc packed with lush passionfruit flavours.  Match with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare over the next 2+ years.  Fruit from company vineyards and contract growers in Martinborough, cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 12.5% alc. and 3.9 g/L rs, the wine undergoing batonnage approx. 8 weeks.  18.0+/20

Author: Carla

Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2011

The talented wine scribe Raymond Chan recently tasted a bottle of our 2011 Pencarrow Pinot Noir. This is what he had to say:

The Pencarrow Pinot Noir has upstaged its more prestigious sibling over the last few years. Its success on the wine show circuit has no doubt been a result of the wine’s bold fruity style and reasonable accessibility, the latter attribute a result of less intensive tannin management and the selection of barrels that have the balance for earlier drinking than the ‘Estate’ wine. Winning gold medals and trophies has astounded some critics, but this second label’s consistent performance cannot be denied. Either the criteria for wine show competitions must be changed, or all of the judges sacked!

Teasing aside, the other reasons for the Pencarrow Pinot Noir accomplishments are increasing fruit quality from improving viticulture and the greater availability of high grade fruit. Consumers are not going to question the quality and value pricing, which should be celebrated.

Pencarrow Martinborough Pinot Noir 2011
Clones 114, 115, 667, 777, Abel and 10/5, all Martinborough, predominantly from company vineyards, the fruit given a cold soak and mostly indigenous yeast fermented to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 17 days on skins and aged 10 months in French oak. Dark, deep, black-hued red colour, lighter on rim. This has a tightly bound, but intense and penetrating nose of ripe black fruits with dark herb and spice notes as well as violet-like florals. Medium-full bodied, the flavours promise to unfold and reveal more with time. There are flavours of black fruits and florals, concentrated and densely packed, and supported by fine-grained, but firm tannins. The oaking is sensitive and the youthful acidity carries the flavours on a long, lingering finish featuring spicy black fruits and hints of liquorice. This is a tightly concentrated, brooding and firmly textured Pinot Noir that needs another year to become accessible. It will then develop for another 4-5+ years. Serve with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean styled red meat dishes

Author: Carla

Peter Saunders review of 2011 Pinot gris

Peter Saunders described our 2011 Pinot gris as follows in the March 2012 edition of MG Business:

 “Moderate alcohol level of 12.5%, light spicey with the legendary pear tones seeping through. Young, still fresh, a delicious example of understated pinot gris which offers subtlety as well as spine and seriousness. Just off dry.”

Author: Pip