Winery - Dry River
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Toasty and mealy on the nose, but those characters are well balanced by honeyed peach and citrus scents. Tasted over two days, on the first it seemed quite open and welcoming, lush and richly textured, while on the second it had closed down a bit and seemed tighter and more citrusy. Finishes long, with marked smoky notes.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A luscious wine with considerable residual sugar that manages to stay balanced because of its healthy acid levels. The rich pear and citrus flavors are thick in texture. Stylistically, this is reminiscent of Zind-Humbrecht's vieilles vignes bottling from Alsace.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A mild disappointment from one of New Zealand's storied wineries, the 1999 Pinot Noir seems a touch overripe, with aromas and flavors of black cherries and plum pudding. A touch of alcoholic warmth shows up on the finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Boasts a flamboyant bouquet of blackberries and black pepper upon opening, then settles down into a medium-bodied wine with nice density and flavor persistence. There's no question that it's well balanced and has a lovely nose, but this is not a great wine, merely very good.
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Dry River Syrah - 2000
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This, one of New Zealand’s cult wines, should retail for about $85 when it hits a select few retailers’ shelves this fall. Although not perhaps the strongest vintage in Martinborough, the 2004 Dry River Pinot Noir features incredibly kaleidoscopic forward fruit that ranges from cherry to plum to mixed berries and back again. It’s lush and round, yet still structured to age, with a long, silky finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
NZ Syrahs are often called Rhône-like, but while this one does show some lovely floral and hickory-smoke nuances, it also comes across as slightly raisiny or jammy, with cassis notes that even lean toward being chocolaty. Whatever you think of the aromas and flavors, it’s a richly concentrated, velvety textured wine with plenty to recommend it.
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Dry River Syrah - 2006
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From specific rows of the Te Awa estate farmed to Dry River’s exacting specifications, this is a concentrated Merlot that offers black cherry, mocha and leather notes. The acids are crisp, the tannins firm, so give it a few years in the cellar to soften.
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Dry River Merlot - 2006
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Dry River’s 2007 Pinot Noir reveals a slight herbal tinge to its dark fruit aromas and flavors, but it’s a nuance that adds complexity and should develop into hints of tea and spice with additional bottle age. As always, it’s not overly big or richly textured, but it is concentrated and intense. Drink 2012–2020.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Plump and slightly sweet, this late-harvest Riesling comes in at 10% alcohol—something along the lines of a rich spätlese in terms of its alcohol-acid-sugar balance. Notes of pineapple and crushed stone open up to melon fruit on the palate and finish long, with a bit of cinnamon or ginger spice.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This vintage of Dry River’s Gewürz is almost tropical in style, with mango and pineapple elements accented by gingery spice and a dash of white pepper. It’s off dry in style, with plenty of body without being at all blowsy. Drink it over the next few years.
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