They say it will age ... but will it?

A chance remark resulted in an extensive tasting of 41 examples of Central Otago Pinot Noir from 2003 or earlier. The objective of the tasting … to determine whether we should drink Central Otago Pinot Noir now or later.

When the question of ageworthiness was raised, Ruenell Rapoza, marketing and events co-ordinator of Central Otago Pinot Noir Ltd (COPL), swung into action. Member wineries were contacted and invited to send Pinot Noir from 2003 or earlier to me for a tasting that might determine just how well these wines age.

Wineries that sent samples were: Akarua, Amisfield, Carrick, Chard Farm, Desert Heart, Felton Road, Mount Edward, Mt Difficulty, Olssens, Peregrine, Pisa Range Estate, Quartz Reef, Rippon and Two Paddocks. 13 wineries sounds like a good turnout although my database reveals a further 20 wineries made wine from 2003 or before. They may not have had stocks to share or perhaps they were not members of COPL (two no longer exist).

Why is ageability an issue? Central Otago Pinot Noir is often so drop-dead delicious when it’s released why not just drink it? Ageing is an issue because it ADDS VALUE. Central Otago is already a probationary member of the Pinot Noir Big Boys Club. To gain full membership it must demonstrate that its wines improve with age. Not just hang-on-in-there with age, but improve.

Check out the president of the Pinot Noir Big Boys Club – Burgundy. Grand Cru burgundy of stature is parctically undrinkable when first released. It’s expected to be cellared for at least 10-15 years by when it will be mellow and (with luck) very complex. Would anyone shell out $1000 for a bottle of La Tache if it was best enjoyed two years after vintage? Even Premier Cru burgundy undergoes a metamorphosis from ugly egg to beautiful butterfly. Village burgundy is best enjoyed within a few years of release – but most of it cowers well under the $50 price point.

The tasting was complicated by vintage variation, a transition to screwcaps in 2001 or 2002 and, I guess, vine age plus the expected evolution in vineyard and winery that tends to create a lumpy playing field. Cutting to the chase, here are my conclusions from the tasting:

• 2002 was such a good vintage generally that it frequently emerged as the best wine in a single winery vertical. In general terms Pinot from the 2002 vintage are ageing well depite predictions that they would become over-blown and be short-lived.
• 14 out of the 41 wines were sealed with a cork. None were corked although two wines had a noticable woody cork flavour that did them no good. The two oldest wines in the tasting, both from 1999 and under cork, looked very good. I believe that both had improved significantly since they were released.
• Many wines that had seductive fruit flavours and were deliciously drinkable on release (Akarua 2002 is an example) still looked good although they hadn’t gained much benefit from bottle age.
• Felton Road “Block” wines that are (in my opinion) often over-shaddowed by the winery’s regular label upon first release seem to have outstripped the less expensive wine with bottle age. They showed very good bottle development. Conversely, I regard the recently tasted Felton Road 2007 Block 5 Pinot Noir as the best New Zealand Pinot Noir I have ever tasted. Will it get even better. You bet!

Finally … not all Central Otago Pinots are equal. Some deliciously fruity wines will never be much more than that – deliciously fruity and seem destined to decline in quality (quality = fruit) with bottle age. Others did seem to improve markedly with bottle age (Felton Block 3 & 5 are examples). I wonder whether the increasing use of stems during fermentation, in vintages that allow it, will add an extra dimension of complexity? More work needs to be done and winemakers who wish to build ageing potential into their wines need to keep a close eye on those who are already able to build wines with a future.

Tasting notes, with scores, are on my website database.