Rich, silky, touched by the finest French oak, packed with fruit, these wines are the definition of joy in a bottle. They’re almost
too tasty. Almost
too easy to read. It’s only when you really settle down with the wine that you get the layers, the ‘stuff’ behind all that lip-smacking black cherry fruit.
We special-ordered all four, impossible-to-get selections from the insanely groovy world of Escarpment to offer you today. According to Wine Searcher, we are currently the U.S. exclusive.
You should buy all of them and ‘collect the set’. These are all flat-out world class.
The 2015 Kiwa Pinot Noir was grown on the Cleland Vineyard in Martinborough from 27-year old vines. It was open-top fermented using indigenous yeasts in traditional wooden cuvees, hand plunged every 12 hours, with a total vat time of 17 days. After pressing it was matured in 30% new French oak barriques for 12 months.
Nick Stock, writing for JamesSuckling.com noted, “The sweet and fragrant spices and perfumed pinot noir fruits, a hallmark of this vineyard, are alluring and the depth that follows makes for an engaging, convincing pinot noir. The palate has succulent, attractive bright red cherry fruit aromas and the palate has a very focused, powerful yet elegant feel, and a feathery and ethereal finish. 96 points.”
And 94-points from the stingy Wine Spectator, who wrote, “Dusty white pepper and rose petal notes are aromatic, leaping out of the glass to complement the dense core of mineral-laced dark fruit flavors, with plenty of anise and nutmeg details. The intensity gains momentum on the finish, which is expressive and generous.”
Next there’s the 2015 Te Rehua Vineyard Pinot Noir. This wine was grown on the Barton Vineyard, Huangarua Road, Martinborough from vines 23 years old. Like the Kiwa, it’s a combination of deep alluvial gravels and a blend of many clones, but grown in a very sheltered spot. It was open top fermented using indigenous yeasts in traditional wooded cuvees, hand plunged every 12 hours, with a total vat time of 25 days. After pressing it was matured in 30% new French oak barriques for 12 months.
Nick notes, “A dark and brooding pinot noir with big, swarthy tannins. Dark cherries and dark violet-like florals, toasted spices and dark herbal notes, too. The palate has a smooth shell-like outer, opening to powerful, succulent tannins that really command. A concentrated Te Rehua, this is one of the best to date. 97 points.”
From Wine Spectator, “Dense and concentrated, with herb and cola accents to the tangy berry and plum flavors. Dark and brooding, with date nut bread, tobacco and baking spice details lingering on the finish. 93 points.”
Next, there’s the sister wine to Te Rehua, the 2015 Pahi Vineyard Pinot Noir. This wine was grown on the McCreanor Vineyard in Martinborough from 27-year-old vines. A combination of slightly heavier soils and a blend clones, 10/5, Abel and Clone 5 gives this wine a particular style; soft, ripe, pure fruit expressions in an exceedingly New World Pinot Noir. It was open topped fermented using indigenous yeasts in traditional wooden cuvees, hand plunged every 12 hours, with a total vat time of 15 days. After pressing it was matured in 30% new French oak barriques for 12 months.
Another rock star, of which James’ mate wrote, “The final Escarpment Pahi due to vineyard ownership changes, this offers an intense expression on the nose with iodine, tarry elements, bracken, graphite, darker cherries and biscuity spices. The palate unfurls at a smooth and even pace, delivering a ball of supple red cherry-flavoured pinot noir fruit flesh and silky, sweeping waves of tannins. Always good to go out on a high, this is superb. 96 points.”
Finally, the king of the hill, the 2015 Kupe Vineyard Pinot Noir. This is the winery’s ‘pride and joy’ since being planted in 1999. The spacing of 1.5m x 1m (6,600 vines/ha) is approaching the planting densities used in Burgundy from where the inspiration for this wine comes. Fermented in wooden French cuvees, hand plunged and aged in 50% new French oak barriques.
As is its stablemates, the 2015 Kupe Vineyard is one of the finest new world Pinot Noirs ever produced. Nick writes, “The top dog is in impressive shape in this perfect harvest, showing plenty of charismatic perfume, spices and ripe cherry fruits, as well as earthy nuances. The palate has a wealth of ripeness. This is an extremely luscious wine, bathed in ripe darker cherry and plum fruit flavors with a wall of plush velvety tannins delivering a long, commanding but caressing palate. Brilliant. Drink now and for some years to come. 97 points.”
It also topped out the Wine Spectator’s score meter, earning the highest score of any Pinot Noir outside of Burgundy in the 2015 vintage. They write, “This powerful wine is tightly wound yet very expressive, with plenty of torque to the plum and blood orange flavors at the core, slowly revealing details of cedar, tobacco, cumin seed, rosemary and black tea. Everything sings in harmony on the long finish. Drink now through 2027. 96 points.”
That is a HUUUGE deal. You basically have two independent critics telling you it doesn’t get any better…anywhere. Hmmm...tastes like opportunity’s knockin’!
Quantities are limited, first come first served, on these New Zealand cult classics.
