Wines of Carrick Estate, Central Otago

(2020) The very first release of this new wine. Fresh green colour. Citrus and melon, all made in old oak, gives a nice earthiness and touch of creaminess. A serious edge to this, though the dry apple and melon fruit is bountiful. Lots of structure and richness in a dry but rich style. NO UK retail stockists listed at time of review.

(2020) Aged and made in old oak. Fine beeswax and paraffin style, a little lime jelly note, but quite a dry, full flavoured style on the palate, loads of acidity, bracing and salty, into a balanced, long finish. No UK retail listing at time of review.

(2020) Still a tinge of green to the youthful colour, whole bunch pressed into oak, 10% new. Nice pungent nose, a touch of green fig and melon, a little passion fruit, Incredibly sweet, ripe fruit, but the lemony thrust of the acidity, just a hint of flint and minerality, and a long, balanced finish.

(2020) EBM = 'extended barrel maturation'. Leesy and rich notes initially, a touch of Brazil nut butteriness (though still only 15% new oak), the extended aging in barrel rounding the wine and perhaps softening the aromatics, though still quite punchy and figgy, intense and rich, though that acidity still cuts through wonderfully, real tang and verve into a long finish. No UK retailer at time of review.

(2020) Another natural wine made from Riesling from the main vineyard outside the winery. Rosie Menzies takes a small fermenter out to the vineyard and packs it with fruit, then it is sealed with shrink wrap and left for months before pressing and bottling unfiltered or fined. Quite a deep buttercup yellow note to this. Sherbet, rose water aromatics, peachy, with a touch of quinine and loads of fascinating and complex aromatics. Long and delicious. No UK stockists at time of review.

(2020) Sister to the Pot de Fleur, but this time fruit 100% destemmed and made from a mix of Pinot clones, spending nine months in barrel, with "no additions whatsoever," according to Rosie. Very pleasing, perfumed nose, some old roses and cherry and raspberry fruit, a nice bitter edge of chicory, quite mouthwatering, with firm tannins and juicy acids.

(2020) A natural wine, from Dijon clones and fruit 100% whole-bunch pressed, made in small 500 litre pots. Quite racy, lifted herbal and lightly herbaceous, cherry fruit. Quite plush on the palate, with a juicy orange or grapefruit nip of acidity, giving it clarity and freshness. Delightful.

(2020) Rosie says this is made with the same recipe and care as the other Pinots, but from "weaker blocks." Proper Pinot aromatics, warm and chestnutty, a touch of truffle, onto the palate plenty of flavour, not quite the intensity of the bigger wines, but absolutely charming and well made.

(2020) From the old vines opposite the winery, rich and warm, a little meat-stock and truffle depth, the fruit has a stripe of seriousness, the tannins quite firm and the acid has that orange tang and bite, cherry pits and a touch of endive bittersweetness. Price quoted is for the 2017 vintage.

(2020) A barrel selection like the EBM Chardonnay, and spends 18 months in barrel. Lovely nose, cherry and soft, small red berries suffused with chestnut and smoke. There are higher, floral notes in there that come through as you work the aroma. Sweet and intense on the palate, the tannins very polished, the intensity feeling very natural and unforced - not over extracted, but polished and concentrated, the finish well balanced. Really good length. Not UK stockists listed at time of review.