New look for Esk Valley

Villa Maria/Esk Valley/Vidal owner, Sir George, and Esk Valley winemaker, Gordon Russell, dropped around to show off the new Esk Valley label design and share some of the new release wines. The label is a great improvment on its rather old-fashioned replacement (Reserve label shown above – regular label is similar without the numbers and without the word “Winemakers” which replaces “Reserve”).

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 was pleasingly intense although just a tad too sweaty to earn a top score from me. I particularly liked Esk Valley Verdelho ($22.99), a wine I’ve been fairly lukewarm about in the past. Quite complex, dry and with a pleasing mineral character. It was significantly better than a Spanish Verdelho opened alongside it (Valdeorras Godello 2008 Gaba do Xil – weighty but too phenolic and drying). A dry-ish Marlborough Riesling 2009 ($22.99) also impressed. Nice purity, great acidity (how do you descibe acidity that is the opposite of hard? Somehow “sweet” doesn’t quite work. The acid was quite strong but pure and taut – it made me shiver slightly and salivate gently – I liked it very much). A weighty and cleverly balanced Pinot Gris 2008 ($22.99) followed. A touch of barrel fermentation added extra interest to a rich, velvet-textured wine that Gordon describes as his best yet. I’ve always liked the Esk Chardonnay and the 2008 regular label ($22.99) didn’t disappoint although it was out-gunned by the deliciously complex Esk Valley Winemaker 2008 Chardonnay.

On to the red wines starting with a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec 2007 ($22.99) that punched well above its weight thanks to a cracker of a vintage. Very Bordeaux-like wine with dusty tannins and an attractive sappy complexity. Syrah 2007 ($22.99) was a wine that Gordon accurately describes as a “Shiraz for Pinot Noir drinkers” – a peppery, supple wine with silky tannins. There was certainly nothing Pinot Noir-like about Esk Valley Winemakers Syrah Gimblett Gravels 2007  which was as bold as its $60 price tag. This is a powerful red in a peppery Rhone-like style with masses of fruit supported by subtle, classy oak.

Esk Valley is in good shape under the enthusiastic stewardship of Gordon Russell.

Sir George (left) and Gordon Russell

Top-of-the line Pinot due for release in February 2010

Seresin winemaker, Clive Dougall, dropped by with an armful of soon-to-be-released Pinots that impressed. The fruit comes from three vineyards; Home (on a terrace below the winery), Tatou (5 Kms from the winery on stony plains) and the flagship hillside vineyard, Raupo, in the Omaka Valley on clay-rich soils.

We kicked off with a white wine, Chiaroscura 2007 $65. It’s an unusual blend of three varieties; Chardonnay 40%, Pinot Gris 40%, Riesling 15% and Pinot Meunier 5%. Clive explained that they hold the juice of the earlier varieties under refrigeration until all of the grapes have been picked then blend and co-ferment in barrel before the wine spends 17 months in oak on the yeast lees. It’s more about a rich mouth-filling texture than taste with attractive but rather muted fruit flavours that get a little mixed up with yeast aultolysis and subtle oak characters. An intriguing wine that clearly demands to be enjoyed with food. I liked it, awarding 93 points on the day although I’d like to taste it again blind. (Not officially reviewed because a winemaker was whispering sweet nothings in my ear). Only 30 cases made. Not made in 2008 “the fruit wasn’t good enough” but a similar blend was made this year without the Riesling.

Leah Pinot Noir 2007 $35     This is Seresin’s “commercial” Pinot Noir if you can call a biodynamically grown, hand-made red commercial. All Seresin’s Pinot’s are made using the same winemaking techniques with the vineyards making the difference. Elegant, spicy, supple wine with red cherry and wild herb flavours. Pretty good now but will probably shake off a little adolescent akwardness in another year or so.

Raupo Creek 2007 Pinot Noir $50    (400 cases mostly sold from cellar door). Fleshier, richer and riper than Leah with a much richer texture. This is a class act with fragrant cherry and floral aromas plus savoury, earthy nuacnces.

Home Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir $50    (50 cases only) Smooth, silky wine with less herb character and generally riper flavours. Integrated, lengthy, fragrant and surprisingly accessible. I liked it very much.

Tatou 2007 Pinot Noir $50     (50 cases) A big, chunky and grainy-textured wine with firm, ripe tannins. Classy red but not hugely Pinot Noir-like.

Rachel 2007 Pinot Noir $55     Made from grapes grown in the flagship vineyard – a blend of three hillside sections. Impressively sweet fruit, very concentrated, supple, and attractive. It has a Musigny-like texture which is high praise indeed. Worth the extra $5 in my view.

Sun & Moon 2007 Pinot Noir $120    (71 cases, to be released in February 2010). From grapes grown on the highest part of the hillside vineyard plus 20% of the Home vineyard. Great weight and concentration with more complexity than Rachel. Impressive length and layers of “peacock’s tail” flavours on the finish.

Clive left me a full glass of Sun & Moon with instructions to “taste it in a couple of hours”. Unfortunately Marion tipped the contents down the sink when she was cleaning up after us. Damn!!