Winery - Matua Valley
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Lean and racy, Matua has chosen to go for an extremely pungent, herbal style that may please some consumers more than me. Lime and green pea flavors are buttressed by bracing acidity in this crisp, citrusy wine. Imported by Beringer Blass.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Finding good Pinot Gris at this price is a challenge, but Matua Valley, part of Beringer-Blass Wine Estates, has hit a home run with its fresh herb- and citrus-laced 2004. There’s just enough plumpness to make it satisfying in the mouth, while the flavors of pear and apple end on a clean, refreshing note. Imported by Beringer Blass.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Gisborne made its reputation with Chardonnay, and this is a decent representative. There’s a bit of matchstick scent to get past on the nose, then reined-in apple and melon fruit, a bit of sweet corn and butter and some oaky notes that turn slightly varnishy on the finish.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
An interesting wine that blends some super ripe notes of stone fruit with underripe herbal elements that come dangerously close to being vegetal. Yet the mouthfeel is supple and smooth, and the peach notes on the finish are intriguing.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
An excellent example of Gisborne Chardonnay, with lush peach and tropical fruit framed by warm vanilla oak. Finishes with flourishes of butter, honey and caramel, along with bracing tartness.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
It’s supple, smooth and the price is right, but the flavors are herbaceous and menthol-like, with sour cherry fruit and white gumdrop notes.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smoky aromas mix with scents of green herbs in an offering that’s reminiscent of some Chinons. Shows good depth on the palate and admirable complexity, mixing in coffee, black currants, and dark earth components.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Oaky at first sniff, with plenty of vanilla and cinnamon aromas over black currants. The atypically warm vintage has yielded a wine that lacks the herbaceous character of many New Zealand reds, yet still retains excellent acidity. Ripe fruit flavors are countered by lemony acids, resulting in a wine that shows a pleasant yin-yang character.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smoke and toast dress up scents of black currants tinged with herbs. One taste and you know it comes from a cool-climate region (though Hawkes Bay is considered warm by NZ standards); the acids are prominent, but should allow the wine to age gracefully once it settles down. Now it’s a raw blend of 70% Cab and 30% Merlot that needs rich or acidic foods to tame it.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Leans heavily toward the tobacco-herbaceous side of the Bordeaux-blend spectrum, although it does blend in some black-cherry notes. Shrill acidity and somewhat green and earthy flavors steer this offering a trifle off course.
0 out of 0 people thought this note was helpful.
