(2023) Some granite and ironstone influence on the clay loam soils here, the wine whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 500L French puncheons. Matured for 10 months in barrel (20% new) it did not go through malolactic and there was no batonnage. Very clean and mineral and fruit driven on the nose, the oak less prominent on this one. Very juicy and ripe in style, though the sharpness of the acid structure gives lovely focus, a rounding touch of barrel character easing the finish. Stylish.
(2022) One of the best-known biodynamic certified estates in New Zealand, Felton Road's Calvert vineyard bottling comes from heavy silt soils. 25% of the blend was whole-bunch fermented, and the wine spent 16 months in barrel (30% new French oak). There is a certain wild, untamed nature to this wine, the nose lifted with wild berries and garrigue, but a sense of woodland and mushroom too. There's something firm in the aromatic picture - something vegetal perhaps, in the beetroot spectrum. On the palate much more straighforward in a way, with plenty of red and black berry fruits, firm at the core, with sweet and ripe tannins and acidity to balance. Oak is discreet, in a wine that has some genuine plushness, but always a bit of wiry but polished gravitas too.
(2022) A 'text book vintage' according to Vasse Felix, with consistent weather through the ripening season. Crop levels were good, despite some spring storms reducing cropping potential. 80% Cab with 16% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot, it spent 18 months in French oak, 62% new. A little more dense in colour that the 2013, this also is perfumed, but more on pure red and black fruits and florals than the more herbaceous character of the 2013, with raspberry and light anise notes. The palate is luxurious, sweet and creamy fruit and a soy character, a little sweet, damp earth. Lots of saltiness and seasoning on this wine, very gastronomic, very digestible, the tannins and cherry pit acdity of the finish are really quite elegant, though spicy and intense too.
(2021) From vineyards six kilometeres from the ocean, this is certified organic and comes from clay and gravel soils. It spends 12 months in French barriques, only 8% new, after fermentation with wild yeasts, and it goes through full malolactic. Quite a quiet, understated nose here, creamy ripe apple and pear, the merest touch of flint in the background. In the mouth an intense, concentrated wine in terms of both texture and flavour, a lot of salty, racing mineral acidity drives it at this stage, staying taut and linear. Should be better in a couple of years too.
(2021) At 15 kilometres from the ocean this single block wine is from a biodynamic estate, the vines planted on clay with chalk/limestone deposits. Whole-bunch pressed into tight-grained 500-litre French oak, and it sees 100% malolactic. Relatively dark in colour compared to the others here, with a lightly oxidised character, so I suspect this was another sample not in perfect condition. Toast and the oak certainly apparent, but an intriguing nuttiness and even some floral notes at the opposite extreme perhaps. The palate has a lovely blend of orange and grapefruit and something peachier and more exotic, then the acidity comes through nicely, so the finish dries on saltiness again with gastronomic effect. My score must be predicated on this being a less than perfect example. I look forward to another occasion and a different bottle.
(2020) Very discreet, apple, pear. Very taut, a sour apple and grapefruit juiciness, cool, direct, that apple and lemon citrus continues. I've been a huge fan of Tony's wines over the years, and though beautifully made, I confess I found this maybe a bit too restrained for its own good?
