These tasting notes accompany our feature on Central Otago as part of our New Zealand 2020 series
White
Rippon, Mature Vine Riesling 2019
Central Otago, New Zealand, Dry White, DIAM, 13.0% abv(2020) Intense, generous, flowing but pure, a Riesling showing the ripeness of a warm vintage. Creamy, with custard apple and the merest hint of sweetness from a little residual sugar. Fabulous dry finish, stony, a touch of apricot and peach stone dryness against the saline acidity. Terrific. Price and stockist is for the previous vintage at time of review.
Rippon, Gewurztraminer 2019
Central Otago, New Zealand, Dry White, DIAM, 13.0% abv(2020) Does not have the typical Gewurz aromatics - the esters and floral top notes - but that’s because the body has been built up with warm, wild yeast ferment and extended lees contact. The palate is creamy and then the Gewürztraminer character shines through, it’s a substantial wine, but terrific acidity cracks through to a long flowing finish. No UK stockists listed at time of review.
Rippon, Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Central Otago, New Zealand, Dry White, DIAM, 12.5% abv(2020) Here's another New Zealand Sauvignon that bucks the stereotype, 50% barrel-fermented in old barrels. Only a minimal herbaceous character, much more about stone fruit, a touch of cherry and beautifully saline, pure and citrussy acidity. Fine texture too. Price and stockist for previous vintage at time of review.
Red Wines
Rippon, Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2016
Central Otago, New Zealand, Dry Red, DIAM, 13.5% abv(2020) From schist soils, this has a fine cherry aroma, a taut precision and juiciness, just a lovely line of tannin and acidity. Lovely acidity pulls this through to the finish, deep and quite muscular fruit, but an edge of articulation and detail. Price and stockist is for previous vintage at time of review.
Rippon, Pinot Noir 2010
Central Otago, New Zealand, Dry Red, DIAM, 13.5% abv(2020) Just softening in colour, not the decaying fragrance of very old Pinot, but a rounder, slightly more giving quality, the plushness and the sweetness of the fruit - again cherry and red plum developing more flesh, but gorgeous juicy character, long. This vintage not available in the UK, so price and stockist is for the current vintage at time of review.
(2020) Really even more expressive of the terroir than the straight Pinot, and the quality barrel component adding a tiny touch of smoke and then some more floral and cherry character. Really plush, ripe cherry flesh fruit, but then the taut power of the tannins, concentration and sheer acidity powers the finish giving tension and compression. Tinker’s Field boasts the oldest vines on the property and is named after Rippon’s founder, Rolfe Mills (Tink to his friends). No vintage stated by the only UK retailer at time of review.
(2020) From an east-facing block on the lake front, this has a chestnutty and salty note, cherry pits and bright red fruit, and there's gravel and earth in the mix too. Fine-grained tannins here, such lovely acidity, with a tension and tauness that gives that agile character. Only one retailier in the UK at time of review, but they do not give a vintage.
Back to Rippon profile in our feature on Central Otago