Winery - Villa Maria
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Opens with a powerful explosion of lime, grass, gooseberry and apple aromas. In the mouth, it shows the fantastic concentration and extraction of an atom bomb, yet it’s balanced, complex and harmonious. It’s quite dry, with extraordinarily high acidity.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This medium-bodied dry Riesling is nicely balanced between apple and lime, with hints of petrol and spice to bring home its Rieslingness. Drink now for the vibrance and freshness of the fruit, but it should age well for at least a few years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
VM’s Clifford Bay bottling almost always has a pronounced herbal-vegetal streak running through it, and the 2008 is no exception. The bell-pepper note is balanced by melon and fig in this medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp and assertive on the finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the first year that this wine is available in the U.S. Scents of passion fruit and orange zest burst from the glass, while the flavors are ripe—more toward the melon and fig side of the SB spectrum. It’s round in the mouth, just lightly green, with an underlying sense of minerality that closes long and crisp.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
With its relatively modest alcohol (10.5%) and lovely sugar-acid balance, this Riesling could pass for an excellent spätlese. Aromas are floral and fruit-filled, yielding hints of apple, pineapple and even a suggestion of red berries, while the flavors echo with apples, stone fruit and strawberries. Clean and fresh on the finish. This is delicious now, but should hold at least 5–6 years, maybe longer.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A complex, relatively soft Syrah that’s a new offering for Villa Maria here in the U.S. The aromas feature smoke, vanilla, meat and mushroom, while the flavors add cola to the mix. It’s a creamy-textured wine that seems destined for early consumption.
Tags:
Villa Maria Syrah - 2004
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A good warning against holding Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc too long. This wine is already losing some fruit, showing a touch of asparagus or green bean. It's still impressively complex and weighty, with a rich, slightly oily mouthfeel, but deserved to be tasted earlier in its life.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the middle tier of Villa Maria’s three Sauvignon Blancs and it seems to be caught in the middle stylistically, as well. It’s full-bodied and creamy in the mouth, yet shows the sort of green, herbal flavors that seem to work better with racy, light-weight versions. The end result is good, but it lacks the sense of harmony that would elevate it to the next level.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This workhorse NZ Savvy delivers just what you’d expect: an initial blast of pungent herbal and passion fruit scents, followed by bright tropical fruit on the palate and a crisp, clean finish. Good value. Imported by Vineyard Brands.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The first SB of the new vintage to cross our tasting table, and hopefully a sign of good things to come, with bold gooseberry aromas and hints of melon, peach and sweat. Medium-bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel and a long, spicy finish. Drink now.
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