Reviews

A rich and dense nose displaying dark cherry, spice and subtle mushroom characters. It's succulent and beautifully textured on the palate with lovely mid palate weight and fine, supple tannins. It's youthful and well flavoured with a lingering delicious finish. A stylish Pinot that's sure to mature gracefully. At its best: now to 2014

Good deep red with ruby highlights. Sexy perfume of cherry, raspberry, woodsmoke and underbrush; this reminded me a bit of a northern Rhone syrah. Then rich, chewy and dry on the palate, with a pliant texture but more saline soil tones showing today than sweet primary fruits. Finishes smoky and long, with good fat. (Incidentally, an earlier sample, with its notes of woodsmoke, violet and olive, was even more reminiscent of syrah. I would almost have guessed the bottle was mislabeled but this producer does not offer a syrah.)

Intensely rich and complex nose displaying dark plum, spice, floral and a touch of cedar notes. With time in the glass the wine developed subtle black truffle aromas. The palate is succulent and richly textured with excellent weight and satin smooth mouthfeel. A powerful Pinot yet with refinement and elegant structure. Very impressive. At its best: now to 2013

Strong red and black cherry with ripe plum flavours supported by classy oak. An elegant, supple wine that’s shows more concentration then in past vintages. Silken textured Pinot Noir with a lingering finish.

Elegant, youthful wine with deep, bright colour and a strong surge of cherry, plum, dried herb and spice flavours, seasoned with toasty oak. Savoury and complex, with ripe, supple tannins.

I wish I could say that all ten reds on show were worthy of a detour. Sadly, they are not. Of four Pinot Noir, only two received a thumbs up. There is the crowd-pleasing Palliser Estate 2006 Pinot Noir (120766) at $28.95, which comes from the prestigious North Island Martinborough vineyards. It has a perfectly balanced14% alcohol and a **+ rating. Very spicy,slightly cedary, baked red cherry purée nose with some sandalwood notes. Dry, lively, bright, medium to medium-light bodied, gently juicy, dried ripe black cherry flavours with good length. An accessible and ready-to-drink style with a screwcap closure

I’ve long been a fan of Palliser Estate. The Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2006 is a pinot that sits somewhere between the austere Burgundian style and the fruity seduction of sunnier New World regions such as California’s Russian River Valley. Its medium bodied, with ripe berry-like flavour studded with a spice nuance reminiscent of clove. Good concentration and perfect acidity.

Good full red. Minerals and spices currently overshadow red fruits on the nose. Suave and silky in the mouth, with an enticing tangy quality and lovely definition to the red fruit, spice, floral and game flavors. This is about much more than just fruit. The classically dry finish features very good length and lingering spice character. All these wines are quite reasonably priced. (Negociants U.S.A., Napa, CA) 90

Decanter - Wine of the Month (Aug 08). Article: 50 Reasons to love screwcaps. Palliser Estate, Pinot Noir 2006 (4 stars) Red cherry/strawberry nose with smoky balsamic notes. Finely judged tannins compliment a concentrated, savoury plum palate.

The wonderful 2006 Pinot Noir comes with a lovely, pure nose of wild strawberry, red cherry, limestone and a touch of rose petal - superb definition and sophistication. The palate is medium-bodied, very good acidity. Harmonious, delicate on the poised, well-defined palate with a bright finish embellished with cherry, strawberry and minerals. Superb length once again, this is a divine Pinot Noir. Palliser Estate is one of Martinborough's respected names, its first vines planted back in 1984. They presently have 85 hectares under vine with new Pinot Noir Dijon clones (115 and 667) beginning to add more complexity. The winemaker is Allan Johnson, who has overseen the winemaking since 1991 and was voted New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2002. Due to time restraints I was unable to visit the estate, so the following notes were all taken single blind in Martinborough and the quality in their superb Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir shone brightly

This well-established winery in Martinborough has fashioned another glorious Pinot Noir from this excellent vintage. Warm and generous, it’s so comforting on the nose revealing ripe cherries and prunes with gently fragrant spice. The palate boasts a sweet fruit core with satin smooth texture and a delicious long finish. The wine is impeccably balanced, magnificently poised and already looking stunning. At its best: now to 2010

Well, this is the one - the one that really knocked me socks off. After tasting my way through millions of the buggers, I have to say that this is one hell of a Pinot. Oozing varietal definition, it has the most amazing depth of sweet fruit. Integration of oak (33% new) is seamless, mouthfeel is what you would expect from a top Burgundy - comfit of Pinot, tannins that could sell sand to Arabs, and acidity that is the perfect politician: understated, yet resolute in belief. “It's our best to date”.

Fat, with cerise colour and fruit to match, this is the sort of big warm stylish pinot that will make New Zealand’s future. At the moment it is a turbulent agglomeration of oak and fruit and unrepentant youth but there is enough tannic finesse to suggest that its deep fruit character and wild manners will mature into a wine of grace and guile. Buy this for winter 2006.

Attractive well-rounded and harmonious. Full ruby with cherry spice and slight herbal flavours, good oak integration and impressive depth and complexity.

Very good quality fruit. Deep cherry colour with a sweet ripe fruit bouquet. Well-made, complex and interesting. Quite deep, pure essence of fruit flavours throughout.

Jane McQuitty Best 20 Under £12.50 Martinborough Pinot Noir, from a region just north of Wellington on the North Island, has almost the same world-wide renown as Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and with reason. Blessed with sunny summers, long, dry autumns, and fine, gravelly, free-draining soils, Martinborough’s almost Burgundian climate has produced some superb Chardonnays and Pinot Noir. This is a classic example of a top-drawer Martinborough pinot aged for a year in large French Burgundian-style oak barrels and heaving with plenty of the ripe, juicy, exuberant fruit flavours you would expect from a New World wine, coupled with the classic savoury, gamey, almost Marmitey spice of a top-flight Burgundian Pinot Noir.

While Dry River, Martinborough Vineyard and Ata Rangi all receive more press and fanfare for their Martinborough Pinots, over the past few years Richard Riddiford and his winemaker, Allan Johnson have consistently made their own excellent and very good value version. The Palliser Pinot 2001 oozes class with its attractive fruit-driven nose of raspberries, cherries, well judged oak and a nice touch of spice. Thanks to a supple, balanced and ripe palate you will struggle to find a similarly complex Pinot at the same price among the Australians.

A perfumed, graceful and very harmonious Martinborough red, richly flavoured, supple and relatively well priced. The 1996 and later vintages have been by far the best reflecting the company's move to a lower cropping level. Wood maturation is for a year in French oak barriques (25% new). Another winner, the 2001 vintage ***** is a generous wine (14% alcohol) full coloured and ripely fragrant with sweet fruit delights, rich raspberry plum and spice flavours, smoky oak adding complexity, firm underlying tannins and a lasting finish. Best drinking 2004+ A Potential Classic.

A deep ruby, for pinot. One sniff and there is no doubt this is pinot noir, with excellent cherry fruit combining some florals with maraschino aromatics and soft furry oak, the whole fragrant and appealing. Fruit in mouth is good, mouthfeel is soft with acid and oak beautifully balanced, and the flavour even introduces hints of the savoury complexity which characterises fine pinot noir. Once again Palliser has produced one of the district’s most compelling pinots. Their track record with the variety makes one wonder why they are not universally regarded as up there with the so-called big three. Meanwhile, wine-lovers benefit with a more accessible price. Cellar 5 – 15

WINE ‘2001, a pinot odyssey’ by Paul White Consistently great value, this vintage is packed with succulent berry fruits and oak-derived milk chocolate notes. Rich, fleshy and neatly polished. It’s beautifully structured with supportive acids and preserving tannins.

Classic Palliser Pinot. Wonderfully rounded with seductive, gamey, plum and cherry characters. A beautifully silky palate. A veritable bargain by Martinborough standards these days.

The 2000 won several awards and rave reviews, this pearler will surely surpass those achievements. Classy underpriced Pinot.

A more aristocratic, complex nose - more opulent and generous but with restrained elegance indicating that the wine will age gracefully. The palate is more powerful and intense but again with fineness and balance. Seamless. Lovely texture and length. It is varietally pure and showing signs of complexity and depth of flavour. A sensational effort by the growers and the winemaking team.

An intensely aromatic nose displaying stonefruit, vanilla, cream and elegantly integrated toasty oak characters. It's full and rich on the palate with creamy texture, expansive mouthfeel and a magnificently long finish. The wine is fruit forward yet has lovely complex mealy notes as well as seamlessly flowing mouthfeel. Simply gorgeous. At its best: now to 2012

Pure grapefruit and stone fruit flavours are cleverly enhanced with a subtle seasoning of oak and bready yeast lees characters to produce a complex and satisfying Chardonnay. A hint of mineral character adds extra class.

Fleshy, slightly toasty and buttery, with concentrated, ripe citrus and tropical fruit flavours enriched but not dominated by spicy, nutty oak. Deliciously flavoursome, finely balanced and well-rounded. Drinking well now

The standout chardonnay. Nutty oak and tropical fruit characters, and a hint of butter on the nose. Rich weight in the mouth and balanced mineral and fruit notes.

A very promising young Chardonnay with vibrant fruit characters and a delicious palate. The wine opens up with a very attractive bouquet of ripe peaches and mangos with subtle oak, followed by an opulent palate showing succulent fruit flavours and round, creamy texture. It is wonderfully well balanced and has elegance and grace. The concentration of fruit, overall balance and the long, lingering finish are indicative of a wine that will get better with bottle age, even though it is immensely drinkable and appealing now. At its best: now to 2009.

Palliser Estate Chardonnay 2006 (13.5% alc, $34) is full of smoky, barrel-ferment scents with a hint of grilled peach while melons are to the fore in the palate. It's a bold style with emphasis on the fruit and a long smoky finish with a hint of butterscotch and a sweet grilled peach and pineapple aftertaste. A very well-balanced and satisfying wine.

Ripe almost sweet in its bounty of bold, cheerful fruit flavours good balance and enormous drinkability already. A wine partly fermented with natural yeasts and the malo-lactic content was kept down to just a few barrels. It has worked beautifully a Chardonnay everyone can enjoy. In a word; Ripe almost sweet in its bounty of bold cheerful fruit flavours enormous drinkability already. Wide appeal.

Classy Chardonnay - Palliser Estate Martinborough Chardonnay 2002. Weighty, refined Chardonnay with concentrated fruit flavours, finely integrated French oak and a rich finish. *****

Pale green straw colour. An intensely aromatic wine displaying honey, marmalade and lime zest on the nose. The sweetness is not overpowering and is well balanced by the refreshing acidity. A lush and sumptuous sweet wine. At it best: now to 2011

Late harvest style from Martinborough with lemony, appley, slightly honeyed aromas and flavours and gentle acidity. Light style, fresh and elegant, with aging potential.

It's intensely aromatic on the nose displaying lime zest, floral and subtle honey characters with a hint of toasty notes. The palate is vibrant and succulent with a modest sweetness (9.3 g/l) and seamlessly integrated acidity. You cannot help but be seduced by the wine's charm and drinkability, and its amazing value for money. At its best: now to 2012

Rieslings from Martinborough, on the North Island, are often richer and more honeyed. Palliser Estate 2007 ($45) sets the standard: It’s just what a riesling should be. Lovely fruit, full-flavored, but with excellent acid backbone

Floral, finely balanced, lively wine with very good depth of lemon, spice and passionfruit flavours, slightly sweet and crisp. Verging on four stars.

A beautifully elegant and fresh Riesling bouquet showing lime and mandarin notes with a hint of mineral. The impact on the palate is excellent showing concentration, gentle sweetness and fine texture with crisp apply acidity. A very.stylish Riesling already beautifully drinking and will not doubt age gracefully

Palliser’s long standing winemaker Allan Johnson’s special love for Riesling comes through in this powerfully aromatic, seductively textured wine, alive with notes of tropical fruits and squeezed lime. Excellent aperitif style.

The superb 2006 Riesling has an attractive, relatively phenolic nose with touches of beeswax, kerosene, honey and peony. Good definition but it demands some coaxing from the glass. The palate is concentrated with good acidity, quite viscous in texture with very good definition. Honeyed and very Germanic on the finish with outstanding length, this put many a New Zealand Riesling in the shade.

A Riesling with purity and precision. Very attractive aromas of ripe lemons and limes with a touch of mineral. It’s fragrant and floral too. The vibrant palate has excellent concentration of fruit and medium sweetness, and they are beautifully contrasted by the succulent lemon acidity. Perfect balance and great length of flavour. With a wine like this I always think of eating cold savoury dishes such as terrines and carpaccios. They are so delicious together. At its best: now to 2009.

Palliser Estate Riesling 2006 (12% alc, $27) smells honeyed and rich yet the taste is crisp and zesty with sweet grapefruit and tangelo. Tropical fruit adds sweetness but there is clean, crisp, balancing acidity and a lemon honey richness to the finish. It has 7.9g/l residual sugar and approx. 8g/l total acidity.

Full-bodied, gently sweet style, citrusy, minerally, slightly honeyed and spicy, with a crisp finish

The nose is pungent and beautifully lifted showing passionfruit, musk and currant characters. It's powerful and rich on the palate showing excellent concentration, lush fruity mouthfeel and a lingering finish. A phenomenal wine showing extraordinary intensity and vibrancy. At its best: now to 2012

Bright pale yellow. Captivating aromas of lemon, grapefruit, orange, caraway seed and pink peppercorn. Rich, layered and fresh; broad, ripe and mouthfilling for sauvignon, with lovely concentration and chewiness to the flavors of pineapple, grapefruit and tropical fruits. Finishes aromatic and strong, with sneaky tactile persistence and none of the vegetal side of the variety.

It's youthful on the nose showing lime zest, dried herb and subtle grapefruit characters. The palate is lush and full with excellent concentration, vibrant acidity and a lovely juicy mouthfeel that lingers for so long. What else would you want from a classy Sauvignon? At its best: now to 2011.

Slightly ‘sweaty’ aromas. Fleshy, vibrant and sweet-fruited, in a powerful, yet very elegant style with concentrated, ripe passionfruit, citrus, lime and herb flavours, and a sustained finish. Rated highly by all judges

This is one of the most aromatic of the 2008 NZ Sauvignons, with passionfruit, pink grapefruit and lime zest on the front palate. It shows some stylish restraint, with tropical fruits moving in slowly on the finish, alongside spicy notes which carry its flavours on and on.

Pale yellow. Aromas of green tropical fruits, peppercorn and dusty stone. Rich, tactile and fairly mouthfilling, showing more stone and herbal character than primary fruit. But there's also a subtle sweetness here and a lingering, smooth finish. Grown-up and rather idiosyncratic sauvignon blanc. 90

The wine displays beautiful sweet fragrance of passion fruit, fresh herbs and floral notes. It’s succulent and textured on the palate with vibrant acidity and excellent mid palate weight. A very attractive wine showing classic Sauvignon flavours with wonderful balance and structure. At its best: now to 2010

The 2007 Sauvignon Blanc has a fragrant, rather herbaceous nose infused with apple, elderflower, gooseberry and wild hedgerow. Good intensity and what you might describe as a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc bouquet. The palate is well-balanced with good acidity with notes of lime, apricot and citrus fruits and very good delineation on the crisp, focused finish. An excellent Sauvignon Blanc from the top drawer.

A prima ballerina of a wine – graceful and supple and light on its feet. Citrus flavours edge out Sauvignon Blanc’s traditionally dominant herbaceousness, but what really sets this Martinborough wine apart is its sheer elegance and refinement. This is about as good as Sauvignon Blanc gets outside Marlborough – or for that matter, anywhere.

Fresh cut grass and herbaceous capsicum aromas. Very pure fruit character in the mouth, rich grapefruit and a touch of minerality. Good length.

Integrated hazelnut and honey dew melon aromas with a hint of apple, and in the mouth so many flavours: cherry, almond, toffee, buttery popcorn and hokey pokey. It’s full-bodied and creamy from two years on yeast lees. Delicious with pork wrapped in smoky bacon.

Fragrant, yeasty bouquet, showing good complexity. Rich, vibrant flavours, fresh, nutty, crisp and long. A stylish Martinborough blend of pinot noir and chardonnay.

Palliser Estate Methode Traditionelle 2003 ($42). The yeasty-rich nose is fragrant and floral and in the mouth the bright, spicy, zesty fizz is warm and full-bodied with a rich, bready, fragrant finish. A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

A gorgeous bouquet displaying ripe peach, pear and a hint of spice characters. It's full and lush on the palate with gentle sweetness (8.5 g/l) and fine acidity. The wine is nicely textured and finishes pleasantly long. Very appealing and supple on the palate. At its best: now to 2010

A delightful Pinot Gris with a lovely fragrant nose showing citrus, pear and floral characters. The palate has a touch of sweetness, a beautifully rounded mid palate and well balanced acidity. The wine flows very nicely showing superb texture and a lingering finish. At its best: now to 2010.

Delicious wine with succulent canned pear and a hint of clove/spice characters. Very slightly sweet but in no way cloying. Lovely pure fruit and an ethereal texture. Wonderful pinot gris from a light vintage.

A delightful Pinot Gris with a lovely fragrant nose showing citrus, pear and floral characters. The palate has a touch of sweetness, beautifully rounded mid palate and well balanced acidity. The wine flows so nicely showing superb texture and a lingering finish.

A honied sweetness on the nose leads to a palate with caramel and ripe pear notes.

This is a wonderful expression of New Zealand Pinot Gris - it is absolutely delicious. A superb blend of pears, peaches, and pineapple with a touch of honey on the nose followed by an unctuous palate. It’s juicy, succulent and there’s good mid palate weight which makes it so silky and smooth. Moderate sweetness (medium-dry) is beautifully balanced by the acidity. A great aperitif wine to sip but it will go well with many different types of dishes. This will be lovely with antipasto as the wine’s sweetness goes so brilliantly with dried meats. But this style of Pinot Gris is also perfect with many Asian dishes, particularly Cantonese and Thai. It works beautifully with green curries and red curries as well as stir fries. A lovely Pinot Gris like this one is more versatile than Gewurztraminer when matched with Asian dishes. At its best: now to 2008.

Palliser Estate Pinot Gris 2006 (13.5% alc, $27) is golden hued and honey scented - the honeyed sweetness on the nose carries through to the rich, bready palate with lemon honey, tropical guava, a hint of pineapple sage and hints of vanillin oak. Ripe, rich, soft - a very exciting Pinot Gris with fabulous length and a little bit of floral spice pleasing the mouth as it lingers.

Fleshy, oily, slightly honeyed Martinborough wine with a hint of botrytis amidst its peach, spice and toast flavours

Good bright, full red. Raspberry and milk chocolate aromas are lifted by a floral note, with some smoky oak emerging with air. Juicy, dry and nicely ripe, with raspberry fruit given lift and definition by pepper and spice notes. Finishes clean, juicy and persistent, with tangy notes of red fruits and white pepper.

A lovely expression of Pinot exhibiting dark cherry, game, spice and a hint of cedary oak characters. It's full and concentrated on the palate showing satin smooth texture and beautifully harmonised acidity and fine tannins. The finish is long and expansive. Amazing value for money. At its best: now to 2014.

Elegant, youthful wine with deep, bright colour and a strong surge of cherry, plum, dried herb and spice flavours, seasoned with toasty oak. Savoury and complex, with ripe, supple tannins.

Good medium red. Plum, smoke and spicy oak on the nose. Supple, sweet and rather easygoing, with good depth to its red fruit and spice flavors. An appealing wine with modest grip. 88

The 2006 Pencarrow Pinot Noir has a rustic nose of earth, red currants and cherry and is rather subdued. The palate is medium-bodied with furry tannins. Good depth and concentration with wild strawberry, cranberry and a touch of blueberry on a floral refined finish. I am certain that this will improve with more bottle age so give it a couple of years.

Heavy aroma of dark plum and cherry. Sour cherry and tannin in the mouth with a mineral note and good length.

Heavy aroma of dark plum and cherry. Sour cherry and tannin in the mouth with a mineral note and good length.

This is one of the most consistent Pinot Noirs offering outstanding value every year, and this new vintage is another winner. A youthful-looking Pinot displaying ripe dark cherries and strawberries on the nose. It’s ripe on the palate with refreshing acidity, supple texture and gently firm tannins providing good structure. It’s attractive and approachable but will get better with further time in the bottle. At its best: now to 2009.

This label always delivers excellent quality at such great price, and this vintage is no exception. A gently fragrant nose displaying ripe peach, cream and nutty oak characters. The palate is well fruited and smooth with creamy texture and balanced acidity. A satisfying Chardonnay with plenty of mouth-pleasing flavours. At its best: now to 2011

Fleshy, softly structured wine with generous, grapefruit-like flavours, some oak complexity and a slightly creamy texture. A bargain from Palliser Estate

A fresh and lifted nose displaying lime zest, currant and feijoa characters. The palate is lively and zesty with lovely fruity mouthfeel and bright acidity leading to a lingering dry finish. The wine is so tasty and appealing. At its best: now to 2012

The nose is intensely aromatic displaying lime zest, passionfruit and subtle musky characters. It's succulent and lush on the palate with refreshing acidity and a lingering fruity finish. The wine is immensely appealing with loads of mouth-pleasing flavours. Simply delicious. At its best: now to 2010

From Palliser Estate, this is a crisp, lively wine with a ‘sweaty’ nose, mouthfilling body and tropical fruit flavours showing excellent freshness, vigour and richness. Great value.

An exuberant Sauvignon exhibiting intense aromas of passion fruit, capsicum and sweet herb flavours on the nose. It’s explosive and intense on the palate showing loads of ripe fruits and mouth-watering acidity. The finish is gorgeously long

STAR BUY 2007 Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, New Zealand, Justerini & Brooks (020-7484 6400), £7.20. British drinkers cannot get enough of the sauvignon blanc grape and frankly, having tasted this sensational Kiwi edition, I can see why. I was bowled over by the quality of this glorious, ripe, spritzy sauvignon, whose elegant, herby fruit leads on to all manner of nettle, flowering currant, lemon zest and faint tropical fruit flavours.

The 2007 Pencarrow Sauvignon Blanc is endowed with an attractive, perfumed, minerally nose with touches of limestone, granite and gooseberry. The palate is well-balanced, feminine, good acidity with subtle notes of white peach, citrus fruits, a touch of apricot and gooseberry towards the finish. Harmonious with good length, this is very well crafted wine.

Rich, pungent tropical fruit aromas,with a hint of sweat. A mouth of smooth passionfruit.

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