Visiting
New Zealand's
wine regions
Part 6: Millton Vineyards, New Zealand's biodynamic pioneer -
tasting the wines
(...continued
from part 5)
Biodynamics
aside, what about the wines? In short, they’re great – I’d count
this among one of New Zealand’s top estates. What is remarkable is
the sheer diversity of varieties that Millton seem to be able to get
to work here, ranging from Syrah, to Riesling, to Pinot Noir, to
Chenin Blanc.
The first set of notes are those from the visit in Novermber 2007; the
second set are from a tasting in London with UK agent Vintage Roots in
March 2008.
Millton
Opou Vineyard Chardonnay 2006
Complex nose of apples and herbs which is nutty and broad. The palate
is fresh and minerally with lovely focus and purity. There’s a nice
texture here: this is fantastic stuff with real presence and
freshness. ‘I think we can do a hell of a lot better than this, but
I’m happy with it’, says James Millton. 90/100
Millton Clos Ste. Anne Viognier2005
Made in 600 litre barrels. This is precise, aromatic and a bit
minerally, with notes of herbs and straw. The palate has lovely focus
and texture with a bit of nut and straw. Rounded personality. It’s
not at all blowsy, with lovely smoothness and elegance. 92/100
Millton
Clos Ste. Anne ‘The Crucible’ Syrah 2005
From a narrow strip at the top of Clos Ste. Anne, this is a really
serious wine. Fantastic nose of pepper and spice with bright red
fruits. There’s some ferrous character, and a whiff of meatiness.
The palate is peppery and fresh with lovely savoury presence and
brightness, as well as quite firm tannins. Fresh, precise, peppery and
exciting. 95/100
Millton
Clos Ste. Anne Pinot Noir ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 2003
Quite a brooding earthy, spicy nose, with some elegant cherryish
fruit. The palate has spicy depth with nice earthiness and quite firm
tannins. It’s a very expressive wine with old world in profile with
lovely freshness and presence. 91/100
A short film about James Millton's
compost heap. This is made with the help
of biodynamic preparations, and the microbial activity means
that
temperatures of 70 degrees Centigrade are reached.
Tasted
in March 2008:
Millton
Chardonnay Riverpoint 2006 Gisborne
80% fermented in stainless steel, 20% in oak. Deep yellow colour.
Rich, slightly reductive nose with bold, peachy, nutty fruit. The
palate is fresh and a bit herby with lots of personality. 88/100
(£7.99)
Millton
Opou Riesling 2007 Gisborne
18 hours skin contact. Beautifully aromatic: expressive, perfumed and
a bit limey, with some honeyed, melony notes. The palate is off-dry
with pure, delicate citrussy fruit. Lovely. 90/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Te Arai Chenin Blanc 2006 Gisborne
Half fermented in 600 litre oak demi-muids, half in stainless steel.
Deep coloured. Lovely nose with some cheese, some straw and herby
complexity. The palate is quite dense and savoury with focused fresh
fruit, good minerality and a sense of structure. Lovely. 92/100
(£10.99)
Millton
Opou Chardonnay 2005 Gisborne
Fermented in 228 litre barriques, 15% of which were new. Half went
through malolactic fermentation. Very rich, creamy, toasty nose, which
is generous yet taut at the same time. The palate is broad, creamy and
toasty with lovely freshness and great fruit expression. 92/100
(£10.99)
Millton
Clos de Ste. Anne Viognier 2005 Gisborne
Fermented in 600 litre barrels. Quite an unusual, distinctive, broad,
rich style of Viognier with textured pear and peach fruit. Rich but
still fresh. 89/100 (£18.95)
Millton
Te Arai Malbec 2005 Gisborne
80% Malbec, 20% Merlot. Fresh, bright, assertive nose is cherryish and
fresh. The palate is bright, fresh and peppery with grippy tannins. A
light, savoury style. 88/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Clos de Ste. Anne Pinot Noir 2005 Gisborne
Complex, intense spicy, cherryish fruit on the nose. Lively and
interesting. The palate is complex, savoury and quite spicy with
brilliant freshness and some attractive earthiness. Lovely. 92/100
(£18.95)
