The wines
of Isabel Estate, Marlborough, New Zealand
72
Hawkesbury Road, PO Box 29, Renwick, Marlborough, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 572 8300 Fax: +64 3 572 8383
E-mail: isabel.estate@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.isabelestate.com
UK agent: Morris & Verdin (Phone: 020 7921 5300)
Isabel
Estate was established in 1982, but owner Michael Tiller, a pilot, and
his wife Robyn, initially operated as growers supplying the grapes for
some of Marlborough’s leading wineries – notably Cloudy Bay. In
1994 they decided to start bottling their own wines, and they now
operate entirely on an estate basis, making wines produced only from
their own vineyards under their full control.
The
estate is located on the Omaka terrace, just south of Renwick in
Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. Vines
are planted at a relatively high density (4400 vines per hectare), and
the deep free draining gravels are underlain with a narrow layer of
calcium-rich clay, retaining moisture and reducing the need for
irrigation. Hmmm, sounds good. But what are the wines actually like?
While both the Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are up there with the
best from New Zealand, it’s the Pinot Noir that is the stand out for
me: a truly brilliant wine.
Isabel
Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001
2001 was a drought year, producing small, ripe berries. Quite pale
colour. Classic full nose: grassy, sharp and intense. The palate shows
good texture with ripe fruit and some rounded tropical fruiy
character. Good concentration and balance here. Very good/excellent
(£9.90)
Isabel
Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris 2001
This is the second release of Pinot Gris from Isabel Estate, a
quarter of which is barrel fermented. Shy nose is a little spicy and
honeyed. The palate is rich and spicy with a good acidity and some
residual sugar (7.3 g/l). The attractive texture is this wine’s
selling point. The relatively high alcohol (14.3%) doesn’t stick out
too much. Very good
Isabel
Estate Marlborough Dry Riesling 2001
From a single vineyard made from the Hawkesbury vineyard, this is
the third vintage. This full-flavoured Riesling has a rich citrussy
nose with a slight boiled sweets edge. Lovely, rich, rounded spicy
palate with a touch of residual sugar. Youthful at the moment. Very
good+
Isabel
Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2000
This shows an interesting, herby, slightly vegetal (although not
unpleasant) nose with hints of honey, toast and caramel. The palate
has a lovely rounded mouthfeel and a rich, nutty character.
Interesting stuff, with fruit to the fore and well integrated oak.
Very good/excellent
(£11.50)
Isabel
Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2000
I’m always pleased to see a new world Pinot Noir that isn’t
too darkly coloured, so the cherry red colour of this example is
promising. It has a lovely intense nose showing an attractive
medicinal edge to the bright berry fruit. The palate displays a good
concentration of savoury, herb-tinged fruit, and although this is a
young wine it’s already showing a good degree of complexity. A
deeply impressive Pinot Noir that gets it just right. Excellent (£14.50)
Stockist
information (supplied by UK importer Morris & Verdin)
Selfridges, London
Harrods, London
Wines in Cornwall
01326 340 332
Noel Young in Cambridge
01223 844 744
Halifax Wine Company
01422 256 353
Hoults Wine Merchants, Huddersfield
01484 510 700
Trout Wines in Hampshire
01264 781 472
Irma Fingal Rock, Gwent
01600 712 372
The Oxford Wine Company
01865 301 144
Wine Raks, Scotland
01224 311 460
Bennetts Wines, Gloucestershire
01386 840 392
Wattisfield Wines, Suffolk
01359 259 159
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wines tasted November
2001 |