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Wines of New Zealand from Hellion Wines

New Zealand continues to be a country I examine from time to time, thanks primarily to Jim Ledwith of Hellion Wines (07765 47 22 63), who has furnished me with the latest vintages from some of the country's top estates, including Ra Nui, Waipara Springs, Clearview Estate, Black Ridge and more. It has been fascinating to track some of these estates through several vintages, and also to see the early vintages from new arrivals on the New Zealand wine stage, such as Lowburn Ferry and The Aurora Vineyard, the latter having already been featured as wine of the week very recently.

Hellion Wines, New Zealand wines

Below is my most recent collection of tasting notes for Jim's wines. Some, as indicated in each case below, are not yet shipped and are expected to arrive in November 2007. The Hellion Wine prices are included in brackets, and for transparency I have links to wine-searcher () also. Here I shall make the usual disclaimer; I write about wine, I don't sell it. I have no commercial connection or deal with Jim regarding these wines. (25/10/07)

Wines of New Zealand from Hellion Wines - Tasting Notes

Tasted in October 2007. Click to locate stockists.

White Wines

Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc (Canterbury) 2007: There is a change in style this year, as this now sees fermentation in 100% stainless steel, previous vintages having been a blend of oak-fermented and steel-fermented fruit. Bottled under screwcap. I am unsure whether it is this change, or a vintage effect, but I feel the 2007 pushes the quality of this wine just that little bit higher. The nose has a fantastic exuberance, intense, grassy and yet creamy, with yellow capsicum, greengage and herbs, all presented in a very in-your-face fashion. The palate is thus just as you would expect, bright and vibrant, with a piercing, shockwave of Sauvignon style. Forceful acidity, providing a fine an zippy frame for lots of flavour. Most important of all, this is fun to drink. 17/20 (£8.95, available Nov 2007)

Clearview Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (Hawke's Bay) 2006: Mostly Sauvignon in fact, with 9% Semillon blended in, from Hawke's Bay rather than the seemingly ubiquitous Marlborough, barrel-fermented and then aged in oak for ten months. So this isn't your typical New Zealand Sauvignon. Bottled under screwcap. A moderately pale lightly straw-tinged hue in the glass. Although it starts with some very classic, pungent Sauvignon character, the true face of this wine is the subtle spice and honey that follows, although it always retains that weedy, nettly freshness. On the palate the barrel-ferment also shows through, but it is not overpowering, but rather rich and characterful, with a really very forceful midpalate acidity which keeps the wine on track, providing definition and zip. A good nettly, capsicum-infused flavour reminds us of the variety right through to the finish. A step away from the traditional face of New Zealand Sauvignon, and attractive too. Very good. 16.5/20 (£13.95, available Nov 2007)

Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay (Hawke's Bay) 2006: Another barrel-fermented wine, with 40% of the fruit receiving some skin contact for up to ten hours, then aged in oak for eleven months. Bottled under a DIAM cork. Pale golden-straw appearance. On the nose, nutty barrel-ferment aromas play a prominent role, with notes of honeyed tropical fruit rather less obvious. The palate certainly has appeal, as it still has freshness, although there is a certain weight and some grip too, no doubt part wood-derived and part from skin-contact perhaps. There is a dense, tightly compacted texture and a fairly resinous mouthfeel, and notes of mealy, slightly honeyed, oak. Lots of toasty, spicy character on the finish. The style is more oak-dominated than the Sauvignon where the fruit acids and character showed through more firmly, but this has a purity of style, freshness and lightness gives it appeal. I would like to see it cellared for a year or two when I suspect it would have a more harmonious feel to it, but it is good now for those that like a mealy, oak-influenced style, and I found myself warming to its rather serious composition over a couple of glasses. Very good. 16.5+/20 (£21.95, available Nov 2007)

Ra Nui Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) 2007: I have enjoyed a previous vintage of Ra Nui's Sauvignon, the 2005, which was a single vineyard wine from the Roughan-Lee vineyard near Renwick. Since the 2006 vintage the fruit of the Summer Valley near Wither Hills has also been incorporated, and I believe the blending continues with the 2007. Bottled under screwcap. This has a very pale, green-tinged hue, and quite simply lovely appeal on the nose, with classic aromas of grass and gooseberry, but with a little ripe and sweet tropical fruit sitting behind it. After this vibrant, open, scented and stylish nose the palate has a lot to live up to, but it does well with a dry character laden with attractive, sappy green and yellow fruits, supported by weight, texture and fresh acidity. This makes for delicious drinking, and shows that quality has been maintained here at Ra Nui. 17/20 (£9.50)

Ra Nui Wairau Valley Chardonnay (Marlborough) 2006: For this bottling, which I have not tasted in previous vintages, grapes were sourced from the Thainstone vineyard situated near the Wairau River. Then it is fermented in steel, with only some wines undergoing malolactic which no doubts contributes to this restrained and bright and lively style. Bottled under screwcap. It is very pale but vibrant and shimmering hue. The nose starts off in a delightful fashion, and this characteristic isn't really lost at any point. It has a lot of zip, with smoky, mineral, powdered rocks alongside lots of green, nettly, weedy elements. There is a lovely freshness on the palate, with great tingling acidity and a bitter grip through the midpalate and finish. An abundance of peachy fruit. It has a lovely weight but not the overbearing texture or resinous quality that comes with excessive oak. This is pretty fine, straddling Old World and New in character. 17.5+/20 (£9.95)

Black Ridge Gewurztraminer (Central Otago) 2006: Bottled under a DIAM cork. This has a very pale, almost water-clear colour. On the nose, nobody could fail to spot this as Gewurztraminer - it has a very typical perfumed, rather soapy nose, with plenty of lychee too. The palate has a good structure, fresh and lively, with some residual carbon dioxide providing a valuable lift. Overall though, it has a rather soft presence, and a slightly bitter, weighty, resinous style. It is certainly interesting. 14.5/20 (£10.95, available Nov 2007)

Red Wines

Black Ridge Pinot Noir (Central Otago) 2006: Bottled under a DIAM cork. This has a vibrant, ruby-red garnet hue, and a nose as bright as anything, brimming over with leafy cherry, raspberry, cranberry and beetroot character, this is quite delightful. The palate has a fresh and leaner style than many wines out of Central Otago - or possibly this is a characteristic of the 2006 vintage? Lots of pithy acidity, cranberry brightness, and an incisive character, underpinned by a soft and chalky spine of tannins. Fresh and clean, with just a little extract for weight, this is another wine fine for drinking now although there is no hurry. 16.5/20 (£14.95, available Nov 2007)

Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir (Central Otago) 2006: This wine is now made using fruit sourced from the Lowburn Ferry Home Block vineyard. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. This has a moderately dense hue, not opaque by any means, but there is a lot of pigment here, and a glossy appearance. The nose is bright, full of cranberry, beetroot and cherry aromas. The latter comes through onto the palate in a mouth-watering sour character, together with notes of fine, slightly bitter chocolate, supported by a raft of smoothly integrated, ripe, but perhaps slightly chalky tannins. Coating it all is a lovely, vinous, almost resinous texture. I don't think it has the density of some previous vintages, but then I think it has a more lifted, elegant, brighter style, which will be a plus point for many fans of Burgundy I am sure. Very good. 17/20 (£16.95)

Ra Nui Wairau Valley Pinot Noir (Marlborough) 2006: As with the 2005 this is predominantly Baldy Vineyard fruit, but with this vintage the produce of the Summer Valley vineyard has also been utilised, as is the case with the Sauvignon Blanc. Hand-harvested on March 14th and 15th. Bottled under screwcap. This has a vibrant red hue, with a red-purple core. Lots of vibrant character on the nose, plenty of bright red fruits, cherries and also an appealing note of beetroot. It is perfumed, stony, spiky and nettly, with a sense of chalk if that is possible. I certainly find this attractive. The texture that caresses the palate is divine and velvety, combined with a lovely weight, but with a balancing apply acidity. Throughout, little waves of flavour build up to the finish, providing complexity, before then ebbing away. This is very good. 17/20 (£10.95)

Clearview Estate Old Olive Block (Hawke's Bay) 2005: This is also Merlot dominated, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec making the balance. Bottled under a DIAM cork. Here we have a dense, glossy, red-black wine, rich in colour but not quite opaque. The nose is quite plummy, dense, smoky and concentrated, with notes of white pepper, violets and a little meaty edge. This has appeal! An attractive, creamy but lifted palate follows on, nicely composed with sappy fruit and a mouth-watering structure, buoyed up by cranberry freshness. Very nice indeed. It doesn't have a long finish, but there is a fine texture and extract and overall plenty of pleasure to be had here. Again, good for drinking now, but there is no rush. 17.5/20 (£19.95, available Nov 2007)

Clearview Estate Enigma (Hawke's Bay) 2005: This is a Merlot dominated blend, with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc making the balance. Bottled under a DIAM cork. This has a dark, red-black hue, and a sweet and smoky nose. There are intense aromas of blackcurrant, mint, leather and a little jammy richness. This is dense, pure and enticing. On the palate, a bright yet creamy style, with an appealing structure of soft velvety tannins and gentle acidity, leading through to a subtly grippy finish. There is blackcurrant and cherry fruit, a little leather, and a seductive texture. Very good indeed for drinking now, but it would do in the cellar short term. 17.5/20 (£22.95, available Nov 2007)

The Aurora Vineyard Syrah (Central Otago) 2006: Bottled under screwcap. This wine has It has a fine, dark, enticing core which gives way at the rim to a dark, pink-purple rim. The nose is also appealing, with aromas of white pepper and plums, and blackberries just on the edge of ripeness, so that they retain their refreshing tang. But this is not a wine characterised by simple fruit, as there are little nuances of roasted meat and a smoky-flinty-mineral note alongside these characteristics. The palate has a lovely style, not at all short on texture or weight, and is in fact a little creamy, but it is cut through with a cool and incisive acidity which runs right through the midpalate and lingers on the finish. There is plenty of dark fruit flavour, plenty of spice and pepper, and overall it is delicious...and maybe it would do well in the cellar too? For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17+/20 (£14.95)