These tasting notes accompany our feature on Central Otago as part of our New Zealand 2020 series
White
(2020) With 10.2g/l of residual sugar and 12.8% alcohol by volume, this is a gossamer-light and delicious off-dry blend, 67% Riesling. Fresh apple nose, a touch of lime, a little bit of skin contact on the Riesling gives some apple skin and melon rind character, but the acidity is beautifully limey and rosy apple-fresh, balanced against that touch of sweetness. Long and delicious.
Red Wines
(2020) Here there were 22% whole bunches in the ferment, and it spent 12 months in French oak, one quarter of it new barrels. A blend of fruit from the Burn Cottage and Sauvage Vineyards. Beautifully pale colour, soft, delicate, seductive Pinot style, rose and cranberry, the spice is notable, as is the silkiness of tannin. Delicious.
(2020) An intriguing wine: made from fruit from the vineyard of Valli estate in Gibbston, while Valli make a wine from Burn Cottage fruit too. No whole cluster in the ferment because bunches so small in a difficult year. More striking violet tone, more sour orange fresh, crisp acids, more taut if less earthy or gently Burgundian.
(2020) A very primary, bright crimson colour, this has more lift and florals than the 2016 Midnight Race. The palate has a cooler character, a line of fine liquorice and raspberry fruit, a herbal touch, but the tannins are so fine, elegant, and the balance excellent.
(2020) Tasted from a half bottle, which the estate prepares for such tastings. Only around 19% new oak for ageing, and around a third fermented with whole bunches. The colour is softening to a pale ruby, lots of spices and rose notes, touches of clove and incense. The palate has a generous, ripe and sweet fruit, cherryish with soft rhubarb notes, little touches of chocolate and spice, finishing with a tang of juicy orange acidity. Price and stockist at time of reveiw are for the 2017 vintage.
Back to Burn Cottage profile in our feature on Central Otago