Home > Trade Tastings > Wines of New Zealand from Hellion Wines

Wines of New Zealand from Hellion Wines

I am grateful to Jim Ledwith of Hellion Wines (07765 47 22 63), an independent merchant operating in Lancashire, for once again increasing my exposure to the wines of New Zealand. Jim maintains a small list of high quality wines, with Pinot Noir and even some of New Zealand's newly emerging Bordeaux blends a strong feature, alongside the more usual Sauvignon Blanc and other white varieties.

With such an array of delicious fruit-driven styles and a clearly defined signature wine in Sauvignon Blanc (two such wines if you include Central Otago Pinot Noir, which certainly deserves wider recognition) it is no wonder that the wines of New Zealand are enjoying such rampant worldwide success. Exports increased again during 2006, up 30% on 2005, which itself saw a 55% increase on the preceding year. The wines tasted below give some indication as to why they are so increasingly appreciated.

The Hellion Wine prices are included in brackets, and for transparency I have links to wine-searcher here also. The usual disclaimer; I write about wine, I don't sell it. I have no commercial connection or deal with Jim regarding these wines. (9/3/07)

Wines of New Zealand from Hellion Wines - Tasting Notes

Tasted in March 2007. Click to locate stockists.

White Wines

Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc (Canterbury) 2006: A 50/50 blend of estate fruit, partly fermented in used oak, and fruit purchased from a local grower, fermented in stainless steel. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. A quite typical nose, rather green, with notes of capsicum, broadening out to become quite grassy with asparagus and green bean on the side. Full bodied, rather muscular style on the palate, forceful rather than delicate, with a firm backbone of alcohol. A touch creamy but always with that solid grip beneath. This would be a fine match with powerful or salty foods. 16/20 (£8.95)

Waipara Springs Premo Riesling (Canterbury) 2005: Fermented in stainless steel, arrested by chilling to 0ºC to retain a little residual sugar. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. A very pale hue, with a little retained carbon dioxide apparent. Seems a little withdrawn on the nose, with some peachy fruit and perhaps a very faint trace of sulphur although it is very subtle and fleeting. An attractive palate, with a fleshy middle around a crisp, fresh, vibrant acidity which comes out through the midpalate. Slightly sherbetty peach fruit. It lingers nicely on the finish. Really rather attractive. 16.5/20 (£8.95)

Red Wines

Waipara Springs Pinot Noir Premo (Canterbury) 2005: Hand-harvested fruit, cold macerated for four days and then fermented in open top vats and aged in French oak (40% new) for ten months. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. A moderately deep and vibrant colour, with a youthful blue-pink rim. The bouquet develops and opens up in the glass in a delightful fashion, first giving a blast of black cherry and intense beetroot, before super-ripe yet fresh raspberries come to the fore, before more complex mushroom notes and some sweet oak. Fresh and vibrant on the palate also, with a firm, beetroot character dominant over some bright fruit. Well made, quite fine, clean, with a well polished texture. Some gentle grip on the finish. Very good indeed. 18/20 (£13.50)

Pisa Range Estate Black Poplar Block (Central Otago) 2004: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. A deep colour, dark and brooding rather than vibrant. A similar character on the nose, which has a muted style, showing slightly high-toned notes of macerated strawberry and cherry, and still showing a little liquorice note, possibly from the barrel? Some mushroom too. Very firmly composed on the palate, with a masculine backbone of alcohol (14.5%) which provides much of the texture of the wine, and which talks rather loudly over the fruit. A larger-than-life example of Otago Pinot, which to my palate struggles to achieve a completely harmonious balance. But it does have some good points. 16/20 (£18.95)

Pisa Range Estate Black Poplar Block (Central Otago) 2005: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. This has more appeal than the 2004, starting with a more vibrant, deep cherry red hue. Lots of intense, bright and fresh fruit on the nose, cherries and strawberries and beetroot too, with a little hint of dark chocolate. A well structured palate, showing a raft of reserved, mushroomy, beetrooty fruit in a lovely, ripe tannic frame. Gorgeously fresh acidity too. Elegantly styled, not plump but it certainly has enough flesh through the midpalate with a clean, cottony texture, leading up to a slightly drying, tannin infused finish. Without doubt this would do very well short-term in the cellar. Very good indeed. 17.5+/20 (£18.95)

Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir (Central Otago) 2005: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. This wine is an earlier drinking cuvée than the estate wine. It has a deep, cherry red hue. The nose is quite open and developed, with notes of smoky chocolate, roasted berries and coffee. Full, grippy and peppery, with plenty of spice, and some sweet fruit. A lovely presence on the palate, with firm, fresh acidity. It is cleanly done, and all told is rather forward and flashy, in an attractive way. Very good for current drinking, or over the next few years. 17/20 (£12.95)

Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir (Central Otago) 2005: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. A vibrant, deeply coloured core, with a deep cherry rim. The nose too is vibrant and bright, with plenty of strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit, and there is still some evident oak. On the palate it is bright, fresh and packed with fruit, but without being overly rich and obvious. It has an admirably fresh style, with a little grip, and a pleasing, beetrooty fruit complexity. Crisp and delicious. This has a lovely style and is a very complete wine, approachable now, but doubtless it would be better with a few years in the cellar. 18/20 (£16.95)

Redmetal Vineyards Merlot Cabernet Franc (Hawkes Bay) 2005: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap (the first vintage that Redmetal have moved over from cork). A deep, garnet colour. This wine has a plummy and peppery bouquet, with a little hint of greenness, but with lots of berry fruit, smoke and slightly medicinal black olive notes alongside. Reserved, slightly austere on entry, hard-edged, with a slightly green tannic structure. There is a sweet, rounded, creamy midpalate and some good fruit, but overall it seems a little detached and gives a flurry of tannins on the finish. A lot of structure here; would benefit from 3-5 years in the cellar I think. 16+/20 (£8.95)

Redmetal Vineyards Mount Erin Merlot Cabernet Franc (Hawkes Bay) 2005: Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. Another dark, richly coloured wine. Dark, rather svelte nose, lined with plums and roasted coffee, giving a rather flashy and full impression. No greenness here. This is rich and creamy on entry, although it flattens out a little on the midpalate. Still, there is a lot of texture here, not so hard, although also firm acidity, and some ripe and meaty tannins, and a mouthfilling style. This is really very enjoyable, but again will improve over a few years in the cellar. 16.5+/20 (£11.50)