WTN: 2005 Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir Bannockburn Vineyards New Zealand.

WTN: 2005 Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir Bannockburn Vineyards Central Otago New Zealand. $13 a glass at Endless Vine. 14% alcohol. Screw cap. http://www.mtdifficulty.co.nz/

Deep red color, medium hue, lovely intense aroma of berries dried herbs, earth and mushroom notes; intense flavor of berries, a sense of sweetness, supported by very good mushroom, forest and licorice notes, medium mouth feel, good acidity and tannins, perhaps just a bit out of balance suggesting a year or two more of aging for peak performance, long intense berry finish with notes of earth and minerals -- and at the end a rather bitter taste, nettles or brambles -- I wasn't sure I liked that note at first, but it grew on me as I dawdled. A very interesting wine. 4*.

Regards, Bob

Notes: Winemaking Considerations. The grapes for this wine come from our Bannockburn vineyards. The poor weather experienced in December meant that crop levels were extremely low with our average yield being 3.5 Tonne/Ha. The long fine autumn meant that we began harvesting our Pinot Noir in mid April, and continued through to early May. Individual clonal lots were kept in separate parcels from each vineyard. The majority of these lots were destemmed only; a reasonable proportion of the lots contained 15-20% whole clusters. The must underwent 5-7 days of cold maceration during which time it was hand plunged once daily. The ferments were heated after day five and most fermented with indigenous yeasts. The ferments lasted for an average of 6 days with the temperature peaking at 350C. During this time the ferment was hand plunged three to four times per day. The wine stayed on skins for a further 8-10 days post-dryness, and was plunged once or twice a day with increasing ease. When the wine tasted in harmony it was pressed off to barrel where it resided on full lees for 11 months. It underwent malolactic fermentation in the spring, was racked out of barrel in late summer and lightly fined with egg white prior to filtration and bottling. Alc. 13.8% T/A 5.9 gL-1 pH 3.65 Residual sugar <1 gL-1

Hi Bob,
Always interesting for me to read tasting notes of familiar wines from the other wide of the world. The bitter note you got at the end is interesting. Something I didn't find. Perhaps it is the pinot's acidity showing through.

I tasted this last November - here's my note if you are interested...

Deep bright Burgundy red. It smells ripe and sweet with vanillin oak and plums, while ripe plum and berry fruit fill the palate with earthy, savoury herbal notes and a zesty, spicy finish. This is a big, bold style of pinot with a beautiful silky tannin structure and deliciously juicy fruit that melds into the long savoury, dry, spicy (anise -like) finish.

It's reasonably pricey here at $42 a bottle. Did you taste from a newly opened bottle?

Cheers,
Sue

Hi Sue,

It runs around $30 to $38 US here, Sue. There's a Roaring Meg label from the same winery that is about half that price, and it is worth checking labels to be sure of which which wine you are buying.

I don't think that the bitterness is acidity -- it's a sharper, less persistent note than acidity would be. I sometimes get that same note in Zinfandels and in ports -- Parker I think calls it "brambley".

The wine really brought New Zealand back in my memory -- what a great trip that was.

Thanks and my best to you both. Regards, Bob

I Know the Roaring Meg. Nice little quaffer. Mount Difficulty also have two Single Vineyard pinot noirs at much elevated prices. I haven't tried the latest releases from 2005, but the Pipeclay Terrace from the 2002 vintage was quite outstanding.

I tasted the 2004 Pipeclay Terrace and liked it Sue. But, at $80 US, it struck me as just too expensive for its quality.

I'm surprised they made one from 2004. It wasn't the greatest of seasons for Central Otago (very cold summer with frosts at each end of the season).

I didn't see the label itself, just going by the list at the little tasting at the shop. They still have it in stock, but of course there may be an error in their listing.

[url=http://www.wineaccess.com/store/canalsmarlton/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=10916974#|price_d[vin]]See listing here.[/url]

Regards, Bob