(2024) A fine rosé, blended from 78% Pinot Noir along with Pinot Meunier and 5% Pinot Précoce, a.k.a Frühburgunder. The base wine was partially fermented in Burgundian oak barrels and stayed on the lees for 53 months. The wine has only 6g/l dosage, yet there's such a strawberry shortcake impression of creamy and sweet summer pudding fruit on the nose, the autolysis sits very nicely. In the mouth the mousse is gently persistent, and that strawberry fruit edges into a sharper raspberry and lemon acidity, a touch of barrel spice and elegant, cool length.
(2023) A more or less equal blend of the three classic Champagne grapes, aged two years, with fruit from the Marne Valley. There's a fairly deep yellow/gold hue to this. Modest bubbles rise from the glass. The nose is relatively reserved, with a little buttery biscuit and lemony fruit. In the mouth this is racy enough, though there's a sweet-fruited ripeness on the mid-palate. I find something a little bitter in the finish that detracts here, from anotherwise enjoyable wine.
(2023) Made from 100% Chardonnay, this is sourced from easterly planted vineyards in the Côtes de Blancs and stays three years on the lees. Very biscuity, those yeasty, umami notes of autolysis are nicely balanced against lemon fruit. The palate is dry - not sure of the dosage here, but seems low - allowing the citrus to power through, though always over a nutty, yeasty background. Probably my favourite wine of this trio.
(2023) The blend is 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay for this wine, fruit from the Vallée de la Marne. The dosage is modest at 7g/l. Coppery pink in colour, the mousse is modest, and the immediate aromas are of bruised apple and mushroom, a hint of cranberry fruit. In the mouth this has a lively streak of lemony acidity that is the first impression. Quite rounded, there is a nuttiness and that bruised, oxidative character again. Not a rosé for those who look for a pretty summer fruit style, quite meaty.
(2021) Also from Bridge Pa in Hawke's Bay, made from whole-bunch fermentation of the Chave clone of Syrah, and aged 12 to 14 months in a mix of 225-litre and 500-litre French oak barrels, 50% new. Again, a fine sense of lifted, more delicate fruit character here, but beneath a more solid blackberry weight comes through and just a nice little herbal note of stemminess. In the mouth relatively plush and smooth, a darker fruit quality than the Te Mata, and a liquoricy stripe of tannin and tart, plum-skin acidity gives it some length too.
