Tim and Judy Finn celebrating 30 years of winemaking

I cannot think of another New Zealand wine producer that has been making top wines across their entire range as consistently as Neudorf over three decades. Chardonnay is the star with Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc very close behind.

To celebrate this significant milestone Tim and Judy presented vertical tastings of selected wines over the last decade for their Moutere Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Here is a brief summary of my tasting notes:

Moutere Chardonnay (08, 04, 02 and 99)

Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay is in a class of its own. It’s could easily be (and has frequently been) mistaken for Puligny Montrachet, or at least very good white burgundy. My favourite was the 2002. Not as powerful as the 04 or 08 but pure burgundy from head to toe and exhibiting real power with great subtlety. A truly beautiful wine. The 99 (the only wine under cork) was the least impressive and probably approaching the end of its life although still giving great pleasure.

Moutere Pinot Gris (09, 04 and 01)

I love the purity of flavour and textural qualities in all the wines. All showed a little sweetness but it was beautifully managed by sugar-coated tannins to give a drying, though not tannic, finish. There are also hints of spice – perhaps star anise? The 04 was my marginally top wine closely followed by the 09 with the 01 only marginally behind. All are under screwcap.

Moutere Riesling (09, 05 and 02)

I recall staying with Tim and Judy a couple of years ago when Tim served the 05 Riesling with dinner. I was profoundly impressed with the wine. Tim shrugged his shoulders and said “the current vintage (07) will be exactly the same with a bit of bottle age”. I bought a case.

The 05 was my favourite. It balances sweetness against beautiful fruity acidity achieving an exquisite, mouth-watering tension. I love it. Both the 09 and 02 showed similar characteristics – the 02 was still remarkably youthful.

Moutere Pinot Noir (08, 05, 03 and 01)

If Chardonnay is Neudorf’s top wine which is second, Riesling or Pinot Noir? It’s a hard call but I pick Riesling by a narrow margin although their Pinot Noir is a world class wine. I like the edginess of the Pinot – its hints of floral and vibrant acidity. When I first tasted this flight the 05 was a clear winner but as the wines sat in the glass the 08 opened up magnificently. Potentially I think the 08 will be a better wine but right now I still put the 05 slightly ahead. The 01 and 03 were lighter/more elegant styles with 01 my preference.

Neudorf's Moutere vineyard

View from Neudorf's vineyard in the Moutere Hills

Nelson wines have traditionally maintained a low profile. Wine production is small while wineries are mostly boutique and all family-owned. The region boasts one winemaking hero. Neudorf is to Nelson what Chateau d’Yquem is to Sauternes – way out in front of the field. Greenhough has always been a distant second although the gap appears to be closing a little.

In recent years the region has experienced a minor revolution with a number of new wineries, and one or two existing players, beginning to demonstrate that they may one day challenge the leader. Blackenbrook, Brightwater, Himmelsfeld, Renato, Rimu Grove, Seifried, Waimea and Woollaston are all showing flashes of brilliance. Put those flashes together and Nelson’s potential as a fine wine region is clearly evident.

I recently attended a tasting in Auckland with some of Nelson’s more serious producers. Neudorf and Greenhough were notably absent – perhaps you don’t have to try quite as hard when you’re on top. I heard a rumour that Neudorf originally planned to attend but withdrew when they heard that Martinborough producers were staging a similar event on the same day. That’s a pity. It takes a hero to pull the crowds, although there did seem to be plenty of key wine trade people sipping Nelson wine and engaging in earnest discussion with the makers.

I had previously tasted most of the wines on offer (see my wine notes on this website) but made a few happy discoveries, including a new winery, Redoubt Hill, that has got off to a flying start. They boast Nelson’s steepest vineyard of modest (5-6 hectares) dimension. It is, according to owner Daniel Jackson, the only vineyard in New Zealand with separation point granite soils. I’m not entirely sure what that means but their first release 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris merited scores of 86 and 85 respectively while their 08 Riesling narrowly missed silver medal status with a score of 84.

Other standout wines included Waimea 2008 Gewurztraminer $25 (wonderfully pure Turkish delight flavours), Kahurangi 2007 Mt Arthur Riesling $20.50 (dry with strong lime and mineral flavours, great acidity and an ethereal texture) and Seifried’s celebrated 2008 Pinot Gris $22 (Off/dry wine with a soft texture and masses of tropical fruit and spice flavours – very impressive).