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Newsletter
September 2001
Dear Nga Waka Friend,
Welcome to our Spring newsletter which sees the release of our new season wines, a report on the 2001 vintage, my annual cellaring update and some general news.
2001 Vintage Report
Despite a generally cold Spring in 2000, which included several frosts and hail (in November!), December was warm and flowering was the best we've experienced. Due to the good flowering the vines set a crop to rival 1996. The vintage 2001 growing season had three distinct phases. Before Christmas, conditions were typical, with plenty of wind and alternately cool and warm spells. Summer was exceedingly dry but cool and Autumn was dry and warm. With the drought conditions, irrigation was absolutely essential to maintain the vines in good health and to enable them to ripen the crop. The cool summer followed by a warm autumn produced ripe grapes with good levels of natural acidity and low pH's, very similar to the excellent 2000 vintage.
Spring Release
This offer sees the release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling from the 2000 vintage and Sauvignon Blanc from the 2001 vintage. Our mail order prices are set at $2 per bottle less than normal retail price. As a consequence of retail price increases for Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, the mail order price for these wines has also gone up. The bottle price includes the cost of freight for all mail orders. As our production of Pinot Noir is still small there is a limit of 6 bottles of Pinot Noir per mail order. All orders will be filled in order of receipt.
An order form for the wines is included with this newsletter.
As three of the wines in this release are from the 2000 vintage I thought it might also be useful to reprint the 2000 vintage report. Detailed information on each of the wines follows the vintage report.
2000 Vintage Report
The vintage 2000 growing season was very similar to the fine 1997 vintage with cooler summer temperatures and a warm, dry autumn, which was ideal for ripening grapes. With fewer of the cool and windy episodes we typically experience in spring and over flowering, crops were the best since 1996, averaging from 3-3.5 tonnes per acre. The cool summer, followed by a warm autumn produced ripe grapes with excellent levels of natural acidity and low pH's, a classic cool-climate vintage after the two warm-hot vintages 1998 and 1999. The vintage 2000 wines show real varietal zip and elegance and will age well.
2000 Chardonnay
A rich, complex Martinborough Chardonnay showing intense ripe stonefruit flavours underpinned by subtle oak, barrel fermentation and malolactic fermentation characters. Will improve in the cellar for 3-5 years.
| Harvest date: |
1/4/00 - 11/4/00 |
| Brix at harvest: |
23.8 - 25 |
| Bottled 22/3/01: |
13.6 % Alcohol, 7.4g/l Acidity, 3.25 pH |
| |
| Viticulture: |
| Clones: |
Mendoza, 2/23, UCD6 |
| Rootstocks: |
own roots, 101-14, 3309 |
| Training: |
Cane-pruned, 4 canes per vine |
| Canopy Management: |
Scott-Henry, trimming, leaf plucking |
| Irrigation: |
maximum water deficit 50% to veraison, 75% to harvest |
| Harvest: |
by hand |
| Yield: |
3 - 3.5 tonnes per acre (7.5 - 8.75 tonnes per hectare) |
| |
| Winemaking: |
| Whole-bunch pressed. 100% barrel fermented - tight-grain French oak barriques (1/3 new). Malolactic fermentation for new oak component only. All barrels lees-stirred monthly. Total time in barrel - 10 months. 6 months in bottle prior to release. |
2000 Pinot Noir
A rich, fruity and elegant Martinborough Pinot Noir showing intense dark cherry and plum flavours underpinned by subtle, refined oak from barrel maturation. May be cellared with confidence for a minimum of 3-5 years.
| Harvest date: |
28/3/00 - 6/4/00 |
| Brix at harvest: |
24.6 - 25 |
| Bottled 30/3/01: |
13.4 % Alcohol, 6.0 g/l Acidity, 3.5 pH |
| |
| Viticulture: |
| Clones: |
AM10/5 |
| Rootstocks: |
101-14, SO4 |
| Training: |
Cane-pruned, 2-4 canes per vine |
| Canopy Management: |
Vertical shoot positioning, shoot trimming, leaf plucking |
| Irrigation: |
maximum water deficit 50% to veraison, 75% to harvest |
| Harvest: |
by hand |
| Yield: |
1.5 tonnes per acre (3.75 tonnes per hectare) |
| |
| Winemaking: |
| Grapes de-stemmed not crushed. 7 days cold maceration prior to ferment. Total maceration time - 18 days. Malolactic fermentation in barrel - tight-grain French oak barriques (1/3 new). Total time in barrel - 11 months. No filtration or fining. 6 months in bottle prior to release. |
2000 Riesling
Concentrated lime and mineral aromas and flavours. Elegant, tightly structured Martinborough Riesling. May be cellared with confidence for a minimum of 5 years.
| Harvest date: |
18/4/00 - 19/4/00 |
| Brix at harvest: |
23.1 |
| Bottled 8/9/00: |
13.3% Alcohol, 7.6g/l Acidity, 2.9 pH |
| |
| Viticulture: |
| Clones: |
GM239 |
| Rootstocks: |
own roots, 101-14 |
| Training: |
Cane-pruned, 4 canes per vine |
| Canopy Management: |
Scott-Henry, trimming, leaf plucking |
| Irrigation: |
maximum water deficit 50% to veraison, 75% to harvest |
| Harvest: |
by hand |
| Yield: |
3 - 3.5 tonnes per acre (7.5 - 8.75 tonnes per hectare) |
| |
| Winemaking: |
| Whole-bunch pressed. Cool-fermented in stainless steel. 12 months in bottle prior to release. |
2001 Sauvignon Blanc
Ripe passionfruit and gooseberry flavours. Intense and persistent Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc. May be cellared with confidence for 2-3 years.
| Harvest date: |
12/4/01 - 16/4/01 |
| Brix at harvest: |
22.4 - 24.1 |
| Bottled 14/8/01: |
13.5% Alcohol, 6.2 g/l Acidity, 3.1 pH |
| |
| Viticulture: |
| Clones: |
UCD1 |
| Rootstocks: |
own roots, 101-14 |
| Training: |
Cane-pruned, 4 canes per vine |
| Canopy Management: |
Scott-Henry, shoot thinning and trimming, leaf plucking |
| Irrigation: |
maximum water deficit 50% to veraison, 75% to harvest |
| Harvest: |
by hand |
| Yield: |
4 - 5 tonnes per acre (10 - 12.5 tonnes per hectare) |
| |
| Winemaking: |
| Whole-bunch pressed. Cool-fermented in stainless steel. |
Click here for an order form for these wines. For specific enquiries please phone the winery on 06 306 9832.
Cellaring Update
| |
Chardonnay |
Riesling |
S. Blanc |
| Hurry up |
1994 |
|
1993-6 |
| Drink Now (no hurry) |
1995-7 |
1993-6 |
1997-8 |
| Drinking well, will improve |
1998-9 |
1997-8 |
1999-2000 |
| Further cellaring suggested |
2000 |
1999-2000 |
2001 |
Toast Martinborough
This year's wine, food and music festival will be held on Sunday 18 November with phone and internet sales opening at 9.00 am on Monday 1 October through all Ticketek outlets.
Other News
We have decided to close our cellar door sales and revert to visits by appointment only. We do still want to see you, so if you are intending to visit please phone in advance (06 306 9832) and we will do our best to accommodate you. If you are visiting Martinborough at other times, our wines are also available by the glass and for bottle purchases at the Martinborough Cheese Shop (Taste of Martinborough) and the Martinborough Wine Centre (bottle sales only).
Kind regards,
Roger Parkinson |