Someone else likes our wine

Joelle Thomson had this to say about two of our wines in the Dompost Weekend 12/02/11:

2009 Pencarrow Martinborough Pinot Noir $21
This is top value. Soft, supple, light in style but very refreshing… you could lightly chill this pinot noir on a steamy day and enjoy its soft structure and gorgeous cherry flavours with good brie on the side. Do yourself and this pinot noir a favour and decant it first.

2010 Pencarrow Chardonnay $15
Talk about great value for money and deliciously good chardonnay from one of New Zealand’s most consistent top shelf wineries; Palliser Estate in Martinborough. This affordable everyday drop offers freshness and depth of flavour, which is an impressive achievement for $15.

Author: Carla

GOLD

A big thank you to all our supporters who sent congratulations on our success in the latest Air New Zealand Wine Awards (Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2009 – Gold, Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2008 – Pure Gold,  Palliser Estate Pinot Gris 2009 – Silver, Palliser Estate Chardonnay 2009 – Silver, Palliser Estate Chardonnay 2008 – Pure Bronze). Many congratulations to our very talented Winemaking team Allan Pip and all those in the vineyard which is where our wines are born.Its a complex business so success is sweet given the current global economic conditions.

Some winemakers, and remember we are an individualistic lot, seem to suffer from award fatigue and do not enter what are undoubtedly some the country’s quality wines. I have to say I regret this. We are a small nation trying to make a living in a very big and indifferent world. When a major corporate like Air New Zealand sticks with the wine industry during these difficult times and does everything it can to showcase the country’s best they deserve not just our thanks but our support too.

Now I have a confession to make. I was one of those lucky enough to attend the Direct Capital event at Papakura last week. I can’t reveal the exact venue but some of you may have read about it on the front page of the Sunday Star Times. I have to say it was a privilege to be with that extraordinary group of young New Zealanders who have done so much for our reputation around the world. We have not always been very generous to our military so I was glad that the group could make contribution to the appropriate trust fund which helps make life a little bit easier for their families.

Reflecting on Air New Zealand’s loyal support for encouraging the very best in our industry and thinking back on the people I met a Papakura last week makes me feel very positive about this country.

Author: Richard

The Great Marco is out of barrel.

The fifth in our Great Dog Pinot noir series is out of barrel. The 6 barrels of the 2009 Great Marco Pinot noir was selected by myself & Allan in April. We left it in barrel for another 5 months (16 months in total) before transferring to tank last week in preparation for bottling in mid-October. It is named Great Marco after Marco the black labrador king of Mercury Island.  Like it’s namesake this wine is the king of our 2009 Pinot’s, is full, round, velvety, complex and could well live to be 120! Due to be released in December but it will be a wine that will benefit from some bottle age.

Author: Pip

4 stars for Pencarrow Sauvignon

Winestate Magazine has given our Pencarrow 2009 Sauvignon Blanc 4 stars.

5 stars from Winestate for our Sauvignon

Winestate Magazine has given our Palliser Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc 5 stars.

Author: Pip